The Walk to the Studio

If you've been reading then you might have picked up on the fact that I recently moved to a new studio I am VERY excited about. Here is the moment you've been waiting for, some pictures! One of the things I love about my new studio is the short walk from my apartment to the studio. Here are some shots along the way:

Right now the queen anne's lace is everywhere. I remember it growing along the railroad tracks by our house as a kid, and now it grows near the tracks on the way to my studio. I had kind of forgotten as I don't think it grows much in Florida. After I cross the railroad tracks, I reach the Cortland Corset Company, affectionally referred to as the Corset Factory.

The Corset Factory does manufacture undergarments under the label "Cortland Foundations".

The building also houses graphic design firm Hopko Designs and photographer, Roger Williams and has provided temporary space for sculptor Vaughn Randall an assistant professor at SUNY Cortland and his National Endowment for the Arts project this summer. So the building has already been a really exciting place to be. On a side note in the right hand corner of the shot below is my new car. After several months of being a full time pedestrian, I know have four wheels instead of two. Although I am not sure that these wheels will inspire any blog posts or revelations about function vs. form. Time will tell...

I thought I would miss Singleton's Seafood Shack, but now all I have to do is cross the railroad tracks to get some delicious fried seafood, or fresh seafood to take home. And they have real shrimp! I'm not sure if they supply us with any fuel at the Corset Factory, which is run on biodiesel, but something tells me they have plenty of fryer oil, as that is the only utensil in their kitchen. So up two flights of stairs, through the room of sewing machines, and then the pattern room:

And then I arrive in my studio, when I took these photos they were still in the process of finishing the walls.
So far my studio set up is some carts, a huge table, and my trusty old kick wheel I bought from Keith Renner about six years ago. I intend to put a glazing area in the right hand corner of this photo. Also more shelving will probably be in order.

My main focus right now is building up an inventory of work. I began with a series of dress vases which was really fun, and some larger bowls. I just finished a big quantity of cereal size bowls and big tumblers. I am focusing on making much bigger cups now thanks to a little nudging from Jeff. Next in the plans are more big serving pieces, single serving teapots, mugs, carafes and pitchers, working big, testing new clays, an earthenware project, the possibility of plates, and breathing.

Pottery Tour 2009

I had really intended to get this post together shortly after the last one....but I can't seem to get into a schedule here. Mornings are spent in the studio. I come home for lunch, and then my day goes in several different directions. I told a friend that I just don't know what to do with myself while I settle in, and she said enjoy your life! Yesterday afternoon instead of going back to the studio I watched a movie, folded laundry, and sat on the porch with my boyfriend. It was simple fun, but it's sometimes hard to have as I usually feel like I should be doing something all the time. After a discussion of work and budgets (over gin and tonics), we enjoyed a late dinner of pakoras, an Indian fritter. I've never made them before and they are not only easy to make, but delicious with yogurt sauce. I think cooking might be the only time I don't feel a kind of guilt that I should be working.

Which leads me to the point of this post; how our vacation which now seems like it was so long ago turned into the Pottery Tour 2009. Basically we moved all of my stuff from Florida to central New York. In a Toyota Corolla. Packed to the gills. Literally. And then we bought more pottery. Sounds crazy to any logical person I am sure. After a tearful good-bye to North Florida and a stop to see family in Georgia we ended up in Asheville, North Carolina.

Asheville is one of a few places I have been where you can be right in the downtown enjoying restaurants, galleries, and more and then within minutes you can be hiking or enjoying beautiful views like this. They also have lots of pottery in Asheville which we spent two days looking at. If you like traveling and looking at art they also have some unique destinations like, Woolworth Walk and the River Arts District. I was looking for a really beautiful pot, but also I couldn't spend a lot. And I have more cups than my cabinets can hold. So that left a narrow market, for something I liked, could afford, and wasn't a cup. While driving to Philly to see friends we stopped in Floyd, Virginia (thank you Kari Radasch for the suggestion). It was a bit of a gamble, because it was Friday at dusk, and July 3rd so we thought there could be a possibility that the town could be dead, and it was a bit of a drive off the highway. By some stroke of luck, we came right during First Friday. We had fun walking around looking at galleries, and then we came across the perfect pot.

This is a beautiful, small batter bowl by Silvie Granatelli. She is a very well-known pottery living in Floyd. We were lucky enough to stumble upon a new gallery featuring her work, Troika. Also, the owner told me that I made their first sale. And this bowl is perfect. It is elegant and the edge is perfect for cracking eggs. As a potter, I love looking at pottery, and when I can buy it I love using it. So, I've realized those are the times I feel most at rest. Working in my studio, or using pieces from my collection while cooking. Here's a view of the Blue Ridge Parkway, which we took out of Floyd, Va towards Pennsylvania.