Getting it

I had a good day yesterday. I had several folks come to my Sale from Charlotte, many of whom have bought my pots in the past but have never been out to the pottery. It is good for people to come here and see how Sarah and I live and work. I think it allows them to see the connection between the work and the maker. We live a simple life out in the country, we have minimial material goods, (other than tons of coffee mugs and other pottery), we love our natural surroundings, we love to eat and relax and read and make art. I like to share all this with my customers, after all, they are taking a little piece of me home with them when they make a purchase. Once that pot is in their home they will remember coming out here and visiting and seeing where it was made and why it is the way it is.

Friday night at the Clayworks opening I didn't sell too many pots. I left a little discouraged. My work is very minimal in decoration and not brightly colored. It tends to get lost in a large room full of other pottery. So my inner critic kicked in and started shouting, 'make some colorful pots, you need to decorate more, your pots are no good'. I hate that voice because I know it's not true and it's not helping me, but it gets really stong sometimes and I get myself all lost in it's lies. Well on Saturday I had two young women come in from Charlotte who had seen my work at Clayworks (and at ACC). They were so into my pots, they both totally got it. It was wonderful and validating. They loved the timelessness of the work and the minimal deco. and the focus on form. They understood my salt glazing process and that the pots are all different in subtle ways and that makes it all unique and wonderful. What a gift these two women gave me yesterday. I am re-engerized and my critical voice has quieted down. Over the next few months I will be working on a dinnerware commission for one of these ladies, it will good work and I will be putting good energy into each pot, as I should be each time I sit down at my wheel.