In Memory and Gratitude: Lissa Bear

Hearts are very heavy at Crazy Green Studios. Lissa, my constant side-kick and the official dog of Crazy Green Studios since opening day, has passed away. If there can be any upside to cancer, it is that the progression, once it set in, was rapid, so there wasn't a prolonged suffering.

Lissa and I found each other at a no-kill shelter a little more than 3 1/2 years ago. She had been there for about a year, and was greatly depressed (wouldn't you be?!). Over our all too short time together, I tried only to give her a constant sense of home, love, safety and comfort to hopefully erase some of the harshness of her previous life. Little by little, the dog emerged from the depression, her personality came out and we had so much fun together.

Now she's free to run as hard as she wants, bark as loud and often as she likes, and is playing with many friends. When the time is right, I know I'll find her again, perhaps in another four legged friend, perhaps another variation.

Thank you Lissa Bear.

catching up...

It feels like a long time since I've made any actual musings on the blog, but never feel like there's time for musing. Glazing is done for contribution to kiln 1, bisque is cooling, meetings are done, studio has been neatened and clay is prepped for a nice session with mugs in a bit. Lissa the Wonder Dog is snoozing, blissfully hopped up on pain killers (her own catch up will accompany a picture below for those not on Facebook and following her drama) ... on that note I'd just like to say that I am filled with gratitude to be surrounded by such love and friendship, whether it's from those immediately around me or those so deeply in my life that distance makes no difference. The support, on so many levels, from so many people, has meant so much to me and I love and thank each one of you!

So I've caught up enough to pause. But now the volume of blog muse possibilities could well overwhelm me into deleting this and going back to the wedging table. But instead I think I'll just empty out the 'blog' image folder and let that be today's muse (in no particular order):

I'll start with the most recent event, which may become an ongoing blog subject. You may remember my joy at finally getting the standing kick wheel into the studio, and how much fun it was to throw bowls all afternoon on it at the Empty Bowls event. Well now it's in my studio, catching the eye of all visiting potterly types. Any curious souls are most welcome to come try the wheel, and today I've had two visitors who gamely jumped on:

Kyle Carpenter, who may well feel it tomorrow:

Lindsay Rogers, having so much fun she almost threw herself off the wheel!

This isn't everyone, but on this particular day, every studio member, including both Senior Project members, were in the studio at one time or another. The studio was filled with great creative energy!

Our newest studio member, Rebekah, making me look like a dang fine teacher, showing off the results of her first two weeks on the wheel (first two weeks ever!):

'tis the season for mugs - some new ones in the works for the Chocolate Lounge and Roots Cafe:


Senior project member Caris has been building up her wheel vocabulary. She's making aromatherapy diffusers, and has been working on the wax dish and candle holders - here she's getting ready to start on larger cylinders:

Senior project member Alex is finishing the colored porcelain/hand building portion of her project, and then will move on to the wheel:

Some recent results from the cone 7 ox kiln - studio member Matt's fun sets, some new vase forms and a few test mugs from me:

Some may not know, but Lissa the Wonder Dog has had recent health issues that resulted in a spleen-ectomy. Yesterday she had to go back in and have her stitches re-done, adding buttons to keep them closed tighter - detail shot for all those who hadn't yet heard and are no doubt thinking 'buttons?':

this shot was sent in recently for an Art House Coop project of the week - the view out one of my favorite windows, in this case not because of the view, but for the window itself:

Pause is over - back to work!

a break for puppy fun...

I knew by the time I posted this, the weather would have changed several times, and I was right. I finally took the camera with me to the park one fine, chilly day to get some shots of our little bits of winter. Didn't have any snow to speak of, but I loved the way the French Broad River looked with ice floating down.

hard to tell, but it's a rather large piece that was floating by...

And Lissa was in dog heaven, even without snow on the ground for her 'snow angels' - she recently cut her leg on a piece of broken glass during a walk, so I kept her on a short leash for walks over the course of several days while it started to heal. This is her way of saying "I'm so happy to be in my park!!!"

And of course now it's sunny and quite mild, and I love it but I still have hopes for just a little 'real' winter before the winter is done. Back to the wheel - pots to make! peace.