Back from the Creek

I had a great three days up at Rock Creek Pottery. It is such an amazing place and I am really grateful to have been a part of the last big pottery event before Will and Douglass move 1500 miles due west to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Here is a shot of the road to their house up the mountain. This sale was called the "Keeper Sale". It was many of the pots that they had kept over the last 30 years. Most were theirs from Rock Creek, but there were some from their Wisconsin days as well as many pots by other influential potters and some historical pots. I wish I would have taken more photos. When I arrived on Friday the barn showroom was a mess, boxes and boxes and boxes of pots to be priced and sorted and set up for display. By 1 am we had it all finished and ready for the first customers on Saturday morning.
I brought home this 16" bowl that was fired shortly after they set up the pottery in the early 80's. It still has a bit of a Wisconsin feel to it, somber colors, minimal deco. Roped on the inside with an X slip trail. It's a big, heavy dish and Sarah and I will use it in our kitchen.
Here is a more recent pot made in 2007. Will didn't want to let this one go but as I heard him tell folks over and over "we can't take it all with us". My friend Dave out in Salt Lake City, Utah sent me some money to get him a nice pot. So this is the one Will and I chose. It's a beauty, oval jar with flat cap lid, and nice firing.
After a hard day of wrapping up hundreds of pots, the crew was ready for a good meal and fun evening. Thanks to Karen Newgard (here donning a blond wig) we were treated to barbecue ribs and chicken, baked beans, and a cilantro and orange cole slaw. Oh, man was it delicious! Karen is a great potter, but I think she has a future in the food business for sure. She's an entertainer as well. Must be that Louisiana blood in her veins. That's Shawn Ireland from the Penland area next to Karen. He's a great potter and a fun guy to hang around.

(If you look closely to the left behind Shawn's head, you'll see a huge Clive Bowen teapot up on the fridge.)

I've got more to share so check back later on. For now I need to get to work... I have a show myself this weekend.