Poem

Here is a poem a friend passed on to me:

There is a vitality, a life force,a quickening that is translated through you into action,and because there is only one of you in all time,this expression is unique.

And if you block it,it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is;nor how valuable it is; Nor how it compares with other expressions.

It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly,to keep the channel open.

You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you.

Keep the channel open…No artist is pleased…

There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction,a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.

Martha Graham to Agnes DeMille

Friday update

I am falling down on the job here aren't I?
Okay so this week has been both productive and fun. I loaded the kiln today, fire tomorrow. I spent a good amount of time this week volunteering at the Arts Council getting ready for the Bowling For Dollars Soup Luncheon. This happened yesterday and was a huge success as it has been in the past. We served up about 200 bowls of soup to folks who had bought a ticket to come in a pick out a handmade bowl. All the bowls were donated by the potters who are participating in the Treasures of the Earth Pottery Show and Sale going on now at the Arts Council. Yesterday my job was carrying big pots of soup from the upstairs kitchen down to the serving line, as well as keeping up with other things like "we're out of bread go up and get some more" etc. All the ladies in the kitchen work really hard and are super great to work with. I made them all cranberry scones for breakfast.
Sarah has been in Durham at a Conference with her school mates for a few days. I had a couple guys over for pizza last night. Looks like tonight I'm headed for Chen's for some Chinese takeout... best in town.
This old machine is acting up, it some kind of weird reboot, that's never happened before. I hope it doesn't sieze up and die on me.
I'll try and do better this coming week getting some posts up.
Have a great weekend! Get out and play!

Mark Bittman

How to Cook Everything is a 30 min show that comes on PBS here on Saturdays at 2:30. I am usually out doing something during the day on Saturday so I don't get to see it often. Today I made it in and caught it. In the show Mark Bittman visits a chef and sort of takes him/her on in their resturant or kitchen. It's very laid back and fun. Bittman is my kind of cook. He uses simple ingredients and cooking methods. The chef he is paired up with is usually way more complicated. So the premise of the show is that the chef will cook a dish and then Bittman will do his version, which is always quicker and easier, most of the time using very similar ingredients. Each does two dishes per episode. Anyhow I finally visited the website today www.howtocookeverything.com and can't wait to try out some of the dishes.

Not much

I don't have a lot of new stuff to report but I thought I'd at least put something out here. I have been making pots for the next firing which is in a couple weeks. More new pitchers and I hope to fire all the special order dinner ware that I have made and get it to the folks who have been waiting.
I am reading Joseph Campbell's The Power of Myth. I learned about Campbell after reading a post on Joe Bennion's Journal page. This is very interesting to me, maybe I'll post more on it, but it's probably better just to go to the library and get a copy. I have just finished Chapter 1 and I am totally blown away by the relevance of it to this day and time.
I can't leave without saying that Dick Cheney must be a total idiot, what did he do mistake his friend for a terrorist? I guess he follows the shoot first, ask later policy. I have heard reports that put it off on the man shot, saying he should have announced himself. That's true but I learned when I was 10 years old not to shoot without identifying what I was shooting. The bright orange hat is usually a good give away that it's not a quail, deer, etc.
I have probably just red flagged myself. Oh well. See ya.

Recent Pots

I fired the salt/soda kiln on Friday. I unloaded yesterday and got all the pots in today. It usually takes me a day to warm up to everything and be objective about the firing. This firing was reduced a bit more than usual. Here are some of the pots. I also had some really nice bowls and dishes. Teapots. The one on the right has avery slip and trapped some carbon on the spout.
Pitchers. Left has heavy gray soda deposit.
New animal pot design.

More Pots

More pots from the firing.

Cups with ladle poured slips

Large fat jar.
Flying bird jar
Fat jar with indentations
Tall pitchers. About 1 3/4 qt. capacity