Time well spent

This is an interesting discussion about the artscene in Manhattan,  Usa

http://news.artnet.com/market/new-york-dealers-discuss-the-future-of-galleries-part-one-32859#.U_kO1EfL6Qc.facebook

better with or without?

It might seem silly,  but I honestly cant tell which is better.
Should I glue this exciting piece of pink glazed glass shard onto this ceramic or not.
If I dont glue it on the piece retains its integrity as a whole composition that has become of itself in the firing. If I add a bit afterwards does that compromise this idea? I think so, but it looks very interesting with it and a bit more balanced as a composition.
And it hasnt even been hung with rope yet so perhaps these decisions are premature.  My feeling is - stick it on - cause this shard will forever be framed in a more interesting place than if left on the shelf. 
Perhaps this is all an elaborate frame..
Perhaps my painting is to frame the chemistry.. Perhaps the structure and composition is a frame of the random elements of drool and melting point adjustments. 

Perhaps.  Maybe its just a weird ceramic thingo that some people can find substance in and some people can't.  Maybe its one of those pieces where its so vague your reaction is more of a
reflection of yourself than of me.

That could be said of people too, and every artist paints themselves so, by that logic:
hello, I am a frame to chaos.

Risky business, suspended.

I have been doing some glazing and doing naughty things mixing frit with wine bottle glass and firing it to 1000, its giving me nightmares and reams all at once. The fear of the wrath of the other sharing artists keeps me up. but the dream of the glorious run and interlocking of materials is keeping the suspense so real!
 the melted disaster could produce Chaos embodied as the two materials unevenly interact and change the predicted melting point into something probably more around the 600 mark. Its becoming an entity of itself as the glaze reforms and cools as we speak. I wait for the results not today, but tomorrow!

Ceramics has a way of breaking the monotony of life by passing time in stages rather than minutes. I only feel I have had a week when I have had a firing. Sometimes these weeks roll for months, but why know the hour when it passes anyway?

I am a blind watchmaker.

For now I have to accept Schroedingers cat is dead and alive and try to not feel anyway successful nor a failure. But then again I usually enjoy the risky ones so much more than the predictable ones so I wait with positivity in my soul!

This photo is so old its practically irrelevant - only just.

Priorities

There is something marvellous about a deadline.

It makes me focus like nothing else. All of a sudden things that I could do, but don't have to, fall to the wayside and only the necessary is contained in the schedule.

And its interesting to look back on how priorities change over time. Last week it was very important that I rest my sprained ankle and I could think of nothing other than outside activities, and this week in full health I have seen the time-crunch and the admin details build up, build up - pleading to be filled out, filed and developed.

And to my shame it is often friend-oriented events which fall away as well. I have noticed recently that I do take for granted their golden gift of time.
That is changing as now Art and Friendship reign again as main priorities

...and 'having money' is religated to the back of the line.

I'm sure I am not the only one.

todays challenge

I'm faced with a challenge. I am almost out of clay.

I need to make something. My soul cries out to make as much as my upcoming deadlines. A nice catalyst for thought is further challenges of only this little bit of clay.
It rolled out beautifully  ;)

I will follow up with a result tomorrow!

is this worth it?

This piece is a pest. a result from over thinking and misunderstanding....

il set the scene - I am in a Show. Back to the Table. And I'm nervous about it. Intimidated actually, the invites have arrived and the photographed work is exquisite. And I am ultimately embarrassed that my crazy paintings arent about to help the "Back to the table" and skillful vibes of this fairly conservative exhibition.

Im doomed to fail, I think, because I had made a plan.... I shouldn't do that.
I made tableware and smooshed it into flat table surfaces - real kitchen tables, real cedar wood fragments - but the results were stale and unsatisfying.
I was hoping I could meet the skills of functionality in ceramics halfway with painting ideas. But it just looks lame. It doesn't get me excited. iy might make sense.but why would I want that when I could have a piece of solid fun!?

And so after a great conversation with a close friend who reminded me of what really matters - this piece is out. and so are the others fron past posts. the conservatives can have them.

What is in is me making something insane, and I am happy again!

I question functionality without having to make direct tableware motifs to communicate it. Its a part of the heritage of the material.
...my paintings are whats further possible.
It's lucky I learnt this soon enough to not compromise my integrity too badly. its essentially a secret, except for all of you.lovely readers.

lesson here! stay true to you - your not a joke until you lose sight of what you mean.  I thought I was included as a joke for the show... but better I have realized that I'm the Jester. I have to get used to being the opposition.