i've been there i know the way

December One already. Winter is happening right now, and promises to attend the final First Friday Indie Market of the year this Friday. Same place and times, so come on out. This marks a year for me of doing these shows, and I look forward to next season already. I especially look forward to maybe a break to get ahead. How that might feel I have yet to know. As I type this, ONCE AGAIN, I have hot kilns at the studio. The big kiln fired today, and finished up an hour ago. I immediately put one last bowl into the little kiln and got it going. To have a stock of pots must really be a great place to be in.
Here is the poster for Friday, and like it says, Have a Handmade Holiday. Give the gift of a local craft, it means so much more!


Kim Mchone and I are again sharing space at the Market. So come do your Christmas shopping with all of us in downtown, AND enjoy the festival of lights Friday night! Kim's terrariums are really something special, and I have good feelings about what is transpiring in the kiln right now.

As of late, making pots for this and designing pot ideas on paper have dominated. As much as anything can when there is a two year old head of household. Will continues to amaze us every day. He hit the big 2.0 November 18, and seems to somehow know that he is the big boy of the house. As he grows each day, our hearts seem to grow with him.
Saturday my brother Clay and I took him out to the Old Mill of Guilford north of GSO, for grits and flour. While we did not get gingerbread on this trip, it seemed to start the Christmas season for me. Leading Will by the hand into the mill, I remembered the countless trips I made out there in years past with my Dad, and felt as happy as I did sad to be taking my son for the first time. Having Clay with us made it all the better. We never really mentioned it until later, but I felt like this was a bit of a milestone, reviving and reliving a bit of our past and passing it along to Will. Sappy, yes, I know. I am now able to forgive myself my maudlin moments as things take on a new relevance with a child. The best part how much Will loved the place, especially the yard. The landscape is plain and southern, at once industrial and rural, and perfect. Here he is, all boy, all business, all the time.




So, there it is, about all I can muster for now. As Christmas approaches, I plan to throw pots for gifts every chance I get. Hope to get some of those ideas on paper and in my head into the clay, off the wheel and into the kiln.
The next big pottery event for me is two Sundays from now we are firing the wood kiln at Roberts'. The last one two weeks ago went perfectly, and some of the pots were the best things I have ever seen. I could only hope to feel so excited about my own stuff one day. Stop by The English Potter on 705 in Seagrove and see what all the fuss is about. Better hurry!
So next post will include some firing picks from this upcoming firing. I am thinking about documenting the process from wet pot thru each step until fired pots are unloaded.
To wrap it up, if anyone happens to stumble upon and read this, hope to see you Friday night in downtown GSO!