First Friday Fun

There's always a little transition, after a firing cycle, where I spend a small amount of time bumping around the studio, getting things in order for the next cycle of work. This time I feel like I've been bumping around a little longer, maybe because I did several firings pretty close together, stuck in a show, some deliveries and a few other 'out of studio' distractions...and the past two days have been an earnest effort to get back into a 'making' cycle. But there's still some bumping...meetings, bookkeeping, marketing, working with one of my fab new assistants and finally getting the studio to look like it wants to be dirtied up again.

This morning I've still got fun 'business' stuff to take care of, but I've got Nina Simone on Pandora, a nice curry brewing in the rice cooker for a cooler, rainy day, and I've just made my 'do' list. So it's off to pick up some printer toner, a bit more clay and then hands back into the mud!

All that being said, I'm motivated to get it going because today is the first Friday of the month, which means gallery openings and events. Just like I try to keep one day a week where I'm out of the studio, I try hard to make this one night a month one that I'm out of the studio and in as many galleries or other studios possible. Here's my punch list for tonight, and I expect I'll find other events along the way:

Clay Space Coop returns to Clingman Cafe - I just closed out a group show at Clingman, and tonight officially opens the third month in a row of clay work in the dining room gallery space. I know I'm biased, but I really do think clay work looks the best in there! The Clay Space show has been up for a few days, but the reception is tonight from 5-7pm.

American Folk Art Framing & Gallery downtown has a special show for Shawn Ireland and Ann 'Frantic' Morley. This pairing looks amazing, and I've usually gotten to this gallery after everything's been sold and gone, so I'm looking forward to the chance to see and fondle! Opening reception from 5-8pm



The Asheville Area Arts Council is celebrating doubly tonight, as they cut the ribbon on their newly expanded space and present a show of 'New Work' by four artists. One of the artists, Katherine McGinn, also exhibits at the nearby French Broad Chocolate Lounge, who will have some of their sweet treats at the opening reception. So when you're done checking out the great new work, you can go around the corner to the ChoLo for more chocolate, because I guarantee what they put out at the reception will be gone fast!

I also just got word of an event at my neighbors, Harvest Records - an art showing and reception tonight I believe from 7-9...can't put my fingers on the details but if you're in this area and go there, you'll find out and have a great time!

If I keep looking through emails and announcements, I'll find more, but if I want to get out the door to see any of it, I need to get the fingers in the clay! Happy Friday - and don't forget all the great Market action this weekend - check my other posts or the link on the right to Asheville Street Markets for all the details!

May Clay at Clingman Cafe!

How can it be the end of April already?!?!? Well it is, and I'm very excited for what May brings. To start us off tomorrow, May 1 is the opening of May Clay at Clingman Cafe (it's fun to say!). Trip Howell at Clingman Cafe has always been a great supporter of the many artists who surround him in the River Arts District and some from just beyond his 'hood, and if you're a regular reader here you know that he's hosting a three month exhibit of work by clay artists. You have one more day (er, that would be today!) to see the 'New Spring Work' exhibit and sale that has run the month of April.

And I'm very pleased to be a part of the May showing: May Clay. Starting tomorrow and running through the merry, merry month of May, you'll find some of my new work in the company of some very talented clay artists (see below for who they are). We're having an opening reception on Friday, May 1 from 5-7pm. There are a lot of great events on Friday night, and I'll be making some later stops myself - come start your First Friday fun with us at May Clay at Clingman Cafe! (really, it's fun to say!).

A taste of what you might find at May Clay:

tiny boxes by Becca Floyd

bonjour vases by Holly deSaillan

'Among Us' by Cassie Ryalls

vase by Anthony DeVito

shino vases by Lori Theriault

First Friday Fun!

This is more of a public service announcement, because if you haven't started getting out to the First Friday gallery events, tonight is a perfect time to start!

I'll be in the studio till 6pm, so of course anyone who'd like to start at my studio, we're not having a show, I'm just saying I'll be there and you're most welcome to stop by. But once the doors close, I'll be checking out as many openings and exhibits as I can before they close - here are a few that are on my list, I know there are more - add to it if you want!

New Spring Work - opening at Clingman Cafe, 242 Clingman Avenue in the River District.
Work by Heather Tinnaro, Courtney Murphy, Patty Bilbro, Julie Covington & Jennifer Hoolihan
Opening reception 5-7pm
(insert plug here: I'll be among the exhibiting artists here in May!)

Ceramic Artists: Perfectly Paired opening at Woolworth Walk, Haywood St, downtown
Featuring the work of Heather Knight & Dawn Dalto
Opening reception 5-7pm

Ariel Gallery: Seventh Anniversary Celebration - 19 Biltmore Avenue downtown
new works by cooperative gallery members, and anniversary celebration from 5-8pm!

Others I'm going to try and hit:

American Folk Art & Framing - 64 Biltmore Ave downtown - celebrating their love of framing this month

Gallery Minerva - 8 Biltmore Avenue - new paintings & sculptures. One of the featured artists, Cassie Ryalls, is a good friend. Opening Friday 5-9pm.

And if you end up downtown, a great compliment to crawling around and soaking up good art is to crawl into the French Broad Chocolate Lounge for a nice brew, some incredible chocolates all hand made with love and lots of other good stuff. They also have a new cheese plate, featuring lots of local products, and they always feature an area artist on their walls (oh, and my mugs on the shelves!).

Lots of great work to see, and with the opening receptions, you also often get the chance to talk with the artists. Oh and yes there's usually a little refreshment action happening too. Get out and have an art walk!

October 16: World Food Day

I don't think this is in the official 'Hallmark' calendar of celebrated special events, but today is in fact World Food Day, and it's also the day of the annual Empty Bowls luncheon to benefit Manna Food Bank.

I got off a couple of snappy photos, but then the doors opened and it's all a fabulous blur of people streaming by and bowls streaming out. I'll report the official numbers once I get them, but we estimated starting the day with close to 800 bowls, and when I left the number of bowls left fit on one table, and the Collector's Corner had been run through faster than a blue light special.

Some quick highlights, then I'm off to bed for an early rise and packing. Tomorrow I open/unload/pack the kiln and head down to Atlanta. If you're in that area, come by and see me at the Smyrna Fine Arts Festival on Saturday!

Some of the day:

These sporty aprons feature artwork by Asheville potter Paul Frehe, who also donated many, many bowls with the same dancing bowls that quickly danced out of the room. A special note about the aprons - these aprons were given to the volunteers who helped keep the event running smoothly, and it was thought they had a sponsor to cover the costs, but as it turns out Manna will be billed for them. Because everything (bowls, food, space) is donated for this event, all proceeds go directly to Manna so they can do what they do at the food bank, and funds were not allocated for the aprons. So if you missed the event but still want to help out, you can send Manna a donation and designate it for the 'aprons' (you may even be able to buy one if you want, they're quite nice!) - if you do, Manna will send you a thank you letter for your donation. Bring it by my studio and you can pick out a bowl!

You may recognize this bowl from my open house, it's the one decorated by Sam Rattigan. I wanted to make sure his mom got the bowl, so I 'borrowed' it to have my lunch in before the doors opened. It nicely held the lentil soup from Corner Kitchen, and as the spoons weren't out yet, I can also attest to the slurping quality of the lip (she said with no modesty at all, realizing it's a bowl she made herself).

More pre-show slurping, with Heather Tinnaro, who was one of the Bowl Project guest potters as well as event day volunteer, and John Hartom, our fearless if not somewhat sleepy leader (both sporting much sought-after bowls by one J.Hartom).


In a rare, dual public appearance outside the French Broad Chocolate Lounge, both Dan and Jael Rattigan came to support Manna and claim their prize! This was pretty much the last picture I could take - the crowds just didn't stop and I didn't look up till it was time to go!

I left the lunch, sped downtown only to take a leisurely drive around the block several times to find a parking spot so I could run (almost literally) through the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands at the Civic Center. The Odyssey booth looks great, and while all too fast, I did get in quick hellos (but no pictures darn it!) with several friends and just enough time to wish them well before dashing back to the studio to get ready for the afternoon class. My students are most patient and accommodating as the studio continues through its growing pains and close quarters - today we did hand building demos and putting the slab roller together does all sorts of interesting things to the space! The poor studio does look a bit ransacked right now...and no there are no pictures of that, thank you! If you want to see nice studio shots, check out Kyle Carpenter's blog - he came to the open house and posted some pictures from his visit. While you're at it, hop down to Clingman Cafe to see Kyle and is Clay Space Coop (including the above mentioned Heather Tinnaro) studio mates in a wonderful show in the Cafe. I ran down tonight for the opening reception just before it closed - the show will be up for the rest of the month, and while you're there grab a bite, the food and coffee are great!

The laundry is churning and I'm soon to catch up on some sleep. Tomorrow has an ever-growing to-do list, but I'm only thinking about opening that kiln! peace.