Toquerville Pottery

New Pet

2009-07-09T12:06:00.004-06:00

We have some neighbors that let their rabbits go free because they were tired of taking care of them. They're not too bright and are irresponsible people(all cute Easter bunnies grow up). So of course they found their way to our yard and garden. This one was pretty easy to catch, I just picked him up by the scruff. The other one is a bit more skittish and we caught him when he entered my studio and we were able to scare him into a makeshift trap. Lori made them a hutch and now we have two new pets.
Now that we have them housed and fed, the neighbor girls want to take ownership again. Their parents should have taken responsibility and built them the proper hutch instead of some on the ground, maggot infested cage. The maggots are why they let them go. Lazy!
The girls love them.

Summer Harvest

2009-07-09T11:24:00.002-06:00

Basil from our garden. Thank you Lori for growing it. Tonights pesto. Also, the first tomato of the summer, bigger than my fist. Bagle, cream cheese and a home grown tomato is what I like.

Portland, Oregon Solo Exhibit

2009-06-29T18:23:00.003-06:00

I'm having a solo show at the Beet Gallery in Portland Oregon. Some new work and slightly older work that still has a heart beat. I'm glad to be showing my work in the great city of Portland. Thank you Sandy for inviting me.http://beetgallery.com/exhibits.html

Figs For Sale

2009-06-27T20:07:00.002-06:00

The young fig entrepreneurs setting up for business. They did pretty good today, $15. A German and a Brit among others enjoyed the fresh figs on their way to Zion. Four for a dollar.

St. George Farmer's Market

2009-06-26T17:41:00.003-06:00

I'll be at the St George Farmer's Market tomorrow the 27Th of June selling mugs and jugs and maybe some figs if there are some ripe ones in the morning. I'm hoping to attend several times this summer with new work each time. Come by and see what's new.

Broken Hare

2009-06-26T15:29:00.002-06:00

One of the hazards of working with ceramics. When a box gets smashed in shipment, fired clay will not survive. Set backs like this make me rethink my decision to use ceramics as an art making medium.

Chicken Wrangling

2009-06-22T16:38:00.008-06:00

Wrangling the chickens from my studio and kilns.

Returning the escapee back to its new yard.

Our young chickens are finally doing their job, that is laying eggs consistently and giving Ella the opportunity for some chicken wrangling. I love that she can run around the yard barefooted chasing the chickens.

We like our chickens to roam and scratch and peck the bugs and grubs in the garden, but they spend more time exploring my studio and kilns while making chicken messes where ever they go. I decided my studio should remain a studio and not double as a barn, so we built a small yard for them outside of the original enclosure, under the sun.

1956 Camp Trailer

2009-06-18T09:27:00.002-06:00

We purchased this camp trailer about 5 years ago to house Danny, our first (and last)Toquerville Clay resident artist. This spring we took it in to the mechanic to get it fixed up for the road, bearings repacked and tail lights fixed. We purchased some new rubber and now we're rollin'. Last weekend we camped at Red Cliffs Campground. The kids loved climbing on the rocks while the old man enjoyed a G and T with the bride.

The end of the month, you'll find us at Navajo Lake where supposedly exists the best mountain bike single track in the country. We shall see.

Soda Kiln Firing

2009-06-17T16:22:00.006-06:00

Here is some of the process of loading and firing the soda kiln. The kiln that I fire the most is small, so that I can turn over the work fast and respond to glaze and firing applications. This was a good firing for the most part. Some glazes didn't do what I expected, but maybe if I wait awhile, I'll come around.
The picture of me stacking the door shows the scale of this particular kiln. I have a larger soda that takes two days to glaze and load, plus a reduction kiln.
The last picture is of me squirting in the baking soda that is dissolved in water. The soda solution interacts with the silica in the clay and turns it to glass. The soda also helps create flashing and flame patterns.

Teaching Again

2009-06-14T18:13:00.013-06:00

After grad. school and before we moved here, we lived in Denver. I taught adjunct ceramics at three different colleges there. When we moved here I gave up my teaching aspirations, and for the last 8 years, I've been a studio artist and part time bus driver to varying degrees of financial success.

Then 8 months ago the economy crashed and I panicked.

I called Susan Harris that teaches at Southern Utah University in Cedar City to see if there were any teaching opportunities and, if there were, I'd like to teach 3D Design. There were two classes available and I took them both. My initial interest in teaching again was financial, but it didn't take long for me to remember how intellectually stimulating academics is.

These wire projects were rendered by my 3D Design students from last semester. I found them to be very intriguing and amusing.

Mold Made Hare

2009-06-09T17:14:00.005-06:00

Here is the mold made hare sculpture. It took me about 10-15 hours to finish instead of 50-60. The mold that I produced from the broken piece wasn't perfect, there were undercuts which distorted the finished product. When I pulled the body sections from the mold, they required only minor repairs due to the imperfections in the mold. It's like putting together a puzzle. Also, I didn't make a mold of the ears, so they have to be created from a slab of clay.

I'm now drying this sculpture on a kiln shelf and when it's dry, I'll place the sculpture and the shelf in the kiln together.

I have two other hares almost completed. I'll make molds of these two sculptures also. Eventually, I'll have several molds and I'm hoping the parts will be interchangable.

Since the pieces are finished in less time, I'll be able to take some risks with the glazing and explore some new surfaces. I see some aesthetic doors opening.

Jammed Up

2009-06-06T09:09:00.000-06:00

This bisque kiln has been sitting like this for four days now. My plan was to be in the middle of a glaze/soda fire today and have the tiles finished by now. The "broken hare" and the subsequent mold making adventure set me back a few days. Also, the show at the Beet Gallery in Portland Oregon is stressing me out a bit as I want the broken hare to be included in the show. I wish I could do more than one thing at a time. I have too many interests and sticks in the fire.

Broken Hare and a New Mold

2009-06-04T15:42:00.003-06:00

After working on this piece for 50 or so hours, I loaded it in the kiln and broke the two front legs off. This was an important piece, I felt as though I made some technical, conceptual and aesthetic progress, so to break the piece before it was fired was truly heart breaking. After a few days mourning the loss, I decided to make a mold of the broken hare.

I cut it into pieces, then poured plaster around the parts. It took me two days to make the molds since my skills are limited. (Why didn't I pay closer attention during that mold making workshop?) Anyway, after the molds dried in the desert sun, I pressed clay into the negative created by the cut up pieces. I now have a new piece put together. It's not finished, it needs to be cleaned up, but I'm only 3 hours into it which previously would have taken me 15-20 hours had I started from a fresh bag of clay. I'm looking forward to making some molds of more pieces as I finish them. Maybe I can make 4-6 a month instead of one. I'll post pics of the piece in progress later.

Zion National Park Shuttle

2009-05-31T18:33:00.007-06:00

When we first moved here from Denver, I got a job baking bread, driving school bus and finally Lori read a job announcment in the paper for shuttle drivers for Zion National Park. We filled out the ap. and sent it in. I interviewed and got the job. Eight years ago, I started as a full time driver and three season's ago I went part time. This summer, I drive two days a week as my focus is the ceramics studio. This has been a great job and the folks I work with and for are easy to get along with. The job is seasonal and part time, so I get plenty of time in the studio and make a few dollars to help pay the bills. Plus, I get to look at the beautiful landscape all day and hang out with passengers that are on vacation.

I met these two ladies several years ago while driving the shuttle and they return each year from Florida. I just happened to see them today waiting to catch the shuttle from the Lodge to the Temple of Siniwava. It's fun to meet and see folks that return each year.

Coming Soon, Opal Moon Cafe

2009-05-28T19:07:00.002-06:00

This is a picture of the soon to be "Opal Moon Cafe", taken from our front yard. Soon, the first of July, you'll be able to come to Toquerville and get a hot beverage or a savory meal and walk across the street and see and buy the latest pottery, tile and sculpture made by me, here in little ol' Toquerville.

Also, Noel Logan has recently retired and is now a full time sculptor and jeweler. He'll be here too. So you can visit him and see and buy his latest work.

We're thrilled to no longer be the only thing in town. Thank you Sebastian for working so hard to get the "Opal Moon Cafe" up and running. I can't wait to walk across the street for my morning cup.

Upcoming Mother's Day Sale

2009-04-27T08:37:00.010-06:00

We are filling our shelves with handmade pottery and jewelry in anticipation of our Mother's Day Sale on Saturday and Sunday, May 9-10, 2009 from 11-4 both days. The sale will take place in Toquerville at our gallery and studio. There is a map on the right hand side of your screen for directions.

This year we have the work of myself, Danny Crump and Noel Logan. Danny Crump was our first artist in residence in Toquerville. He worked and lived in our 1950's camp trailer for two summers and sold his work out of our gallery. He has since gone on to undergraduate school in Logan, Utah at Utah State University where he just recently graduated with his B.F.A. He will have functional, wood fired pots.

Noel Logan is a sculptor who lives in Toquerville and owns Toquerville Bronze Works. He has a foundry in his backyard and has recently retired from archaeology to spend full time on his sculpture and jewelry. He sculpts his own wax molds and pours his own bronze and silver to make wonderful pieces of jewelry and unique sculpture.

I just returned from Phoenix where I participated in two sculptural shows and gave two presentations about my work. I have been busy trying to change gears and make functional pottery in my studio since I returned two weeks ago. I will have large jars and a new kiln load of functional ware on my shelves for the sale.

Lori will have homemade goodies to share throughout the two day sale so consider coming to Toquerville for the Mother's Day weekend and taking part in our handmade art sale. Local, original art...it doesn't get much better than that.

Don Reitz and Hide and Seek

2009-04-25T20:02:00.004-06:00

Last year, at the Toquerville Clay Annual Holiday Sale, after all the artists arrived, our three kids were hyped up on all the activity and were playing hide and seek. I heard Brynn's muffled giggle and couldn't figure out where it was coming from. I followed the laughter to a Don Reitz pot that I own(because of a fire brick trade we made years ago). She climbed in and stayed there till I lifted the lid. This is a valuable piece of pottery, so I hesitate to allow it to be a hiding spot, but it is darn cute and I like the idea of a Don Reitz pot being reinvented for another use.

Potters as Sculptors as Potters

2009-04-14T08:51:00.004-06:00

This sculpture and pitcher were in the "Potters as Sculptors as Potters" show at NCECA. It's always an honor when my work is exhibited along side artists that I've admired for so long. I was also on a panel of the same name with 4 other artists; Donna Polseno, Doug Casebeer and Liz Quackenbush along with Jim Ibur as the moderator.

We each had 10 minutes to show slides of our work and tell about ourselves. I had a speech ready to go before we arrived on stage. Then the opening line, "I have two mistress' " entered my thoughts and so 5 minutes before I stood at the lecturn, I changed my presentation entirely. I don't remember what I said, but I feel pretty good about it. It was flattering and an honor to be on a panel with such distinguished artists.

Lorna Meaden and the economy

2009-03-09T06:39:00.003-06:00

I was talking to Lorna the other day and I mentioned something like, "How dare we try to be potters in this recession, who do we think we are?" She said something that caught me off guard, "I think it's great, we've learned how to be resourceful out of necessity and now everyone else gets to learn how to live like us, within their means".

This is a picture of her work in my kiln from a year and a half ago when she came to our Holiday Sale. It was a pretty good firing.

Look her up, she makes fine dishes.

In the Works

2009-02-10T19:42:00.002-07:00

Three sculptures in various stages of completion. I almost gave up on the left one, too complicated and time consuming. The middle one is dry and ready to bisque then glaze. The one on the right is still giving me fits. I'll attach the arms after I figure out some technical and aesthetic issues with the lower half.

Hand Made Tile

2009-02-02T07:31:00.003-07:00

When we moved into this house 8 years ago, the updates were cheaply done. Originally, there were no bathrooms in this house so we're grateful for the indoor plumbing, but it could have been done better. Currently our shower is down stairs in what was once the pantry. The previous owner chose the cheapest solution and after 8 years, it has run its course. So we're removing the shower downstairs all together and replacing it with a sink and putting in a shower upstairs where it should have been from the beginning.

I made these tiles with the help of my bride and kids. It takes a lot longer than I expected and with sculpture exhibit dead lines looming, I'm finding it difficult to focus on finishing the job. We have all the tiles made, I just need to glaze and fire them. When the shower is finished, the tiles will be placed where the backer board is installed. I like the wiggly, uneven quality of the hand made.

We have a wonderful installer who is doing our remodel and happens to be our neighbor and friend as well. Nate Torgerson is the guy you want if you need anything done to your home. He has great ideas, works quickly and efficiently and is great to have around.

Hare-arss

2009-01-18T19:38:00.002-07:00

Two pics of a piece I've been working on. If it survives the firing etc, it will be at a show in Phoeniz, AZ for this year's NCECA. My daughter Brynn(8) giggles at this sculpture everytime she comes into the studio.

Two Pitchers/Jugs

2008-12-23T09:35:00.002-07:00

These two were set aside from the last soda firing. I'm sending them to Red Lodge Clay Center in Montana today. www.redlodgeclaycenter.com Lots of great work up there. Check out their website.

Thank you to all

2008-12-15T09:15:00.004-07:00

The Holiday Sale was a success. I had low expectations in terms of sales with the economy such as it is, so 15% less than last year was OK by me. All the artists left fed, hydrated and with a little extra cash. Thank you to the artists for lending us their reputations and professionalism and everyone that has supported the sale over the years, especially now with discretionary income limited.

Normally, I've been able to relax for a few weeks after the sale, but I have shows lined up until next fall. This week, I need to ship a show to Red Lodge Clay Center in Montana http://www.redlodgeclaycenter.com/, then next month, two pieces (one sculpture one vessel) to a group show at Ball State in Indiana, then two group shows at NCECA in Tempe. Then on to solo shows in Portland, Oregon and Denver, Colorado.

All the work is already made in my head and waiting to be turned into reality.

The Daily Spectrum, Life Section

2008-12-05T08:29:00.004-07:00

Great article about the Holiday Sale. It came out this morning. I'm always a little nervous when articles are written about me, but I'm in good hands with Mr. Passey. http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20081205/LIFESTYLE/812050307/1024/CUSTOMERSERVICE02