What to do....

My Studio Mate, Linda George gave me a present last week. I feel as though this picture defines me!

(This picture entitled "Hairy Potter" was done by the talented Conni Togel)


I love throwing pots. After quitting my job as a real estate paralegal I headed straight to LibertyTown to take classes with Neal Reed, a talented potter and very patient teacher! I love how centered I become when I work with clay. My mind generally is full of swirling thoughts (what do I have to do today? where is the cable for my camera? is it still raining? what's for dinner tonight??) but when I am playing with clay my mind settles to the project at hand.

I have good days and bad days. Sometimes the wheel just does not cooperate and thats when I settle down to build by hand. Faces, generally. I love noses for some reason....I'm sure someone could have fun with that....One of the great things about LibertyTown is that when things don't seem to be flowing as they should, walking around the main gallery, talking with another artist or visiting the pottery workroom can help recenter my energy and offer new opportunity or focus.

On one of those days I met several women practicing their throwing skills in the Pottery School area. We started talking, they asked questions, I offered tips. It turns out they were all part of the local fiber guild (Fredericksburg Area Spinners and Weavers Guild- http://sites.google.com/site/fswguild/ ) Within the week they were teaching me to spin!

Over the last 3 or 4 years I have since joined the Guild. I have taken weaving lessons. I have purchased two spinning wheels and two looms. Though I share my current studio space with my weaving teacher, Linda George, there is a small space for me to keep my smaller loom. The rest of my equipment lives at home in what used to be called a dining room!

The fiber arts are an interesting balance for my clay work. I cant throw pots at home so fiber allows me a creative outlet at the house. They are both an art based on such basic organic materials, but clay creates more dust! The key for me is to balance the two interests against each other. I am always thinking of ways to combine the two....but have not come up with many ideas.

I love throwing pots. My loom calls me. The wooly fluff floats thru the air as my spinning wheel hums.....Its all good. Because it all makes me happy.