Christmas Shopping Time

It's that exciting time again!!

More info at Black Sheep Vineyard website

Preparing the Wood

My next firing of the Ramsey Anagama Kiln will be in April! I am preparing the wood now so that it can rest while I make work in my studio next to the wood stove all Winter.

In Wheeling Magazine!

Being involved with the Wheeling Artisan Center has garnered a mention of my Wood Fired Pottery! In the newest "In Wheeling" magazine there is a story on the Artisan Center about what it has brought to the Wheeling area in terms of showcasing the fine craft work of local Artists. A small picture of my work and my name is included in the story!

New Show at Blatimore Clayworks

I just found out that I was accepted into a new show for Wood Fire Pottery at Baltimore Clayworks! The show is: 

Artifacts From The Inferno:

Contemporary Wood-Fired Ceramics

Juried by Jack Troy

October 5- November 9, 2013

The piece pictured above is what got accepted!

Crosscurrents Juried Arts Exhibition

The Stifel Fine Arts Center in Wheeling, WV is hosting their annual juried arts exhibition called "Crosscurrents". I entered these three pieces from my last firing of the Ramsey Anagama Kiln. Not only were they accepted, but all three won an Honorable Mention from the juror, Naijun Zhang, Associate Professor of Painting from WJU!

I am very exited about this and have to thank my friend Andrew Croft for suggesting that I enter this show.

The opening for the show is this Thursday, March 7 from 6:30 to 8:30, but the exhibit runs until May 3rd!

Here is a link for directions, hours, and such: Stifel

Stone Walls of Ireland

One of the most visually appealing things for me while in Ireland was seeing all the stone walls. They were remarkable in their amount of labor to create something functionally beautiful. These walls were built in the Burren in the far west of Ireland, looking out over the Atlantic Ocean.

Upon my return from Ireland I have built my own small stone walls as a property marker, and to try and add some functional beauty to my own space. All stones were collected on site here in Ohio.

New Works!

Some of the latest work to be fired in the Ramsey Anagama Kiln. Digital images taken by my good friend Andrew Croft                                                                                

Crooksville Pottery Mug

 While exploring in an old Antique Shop in Barnesville, Ohio the other day I found an interesting old mug. It is hefty like a shorter beer stein, glazed white on the inside and brown on the outside. The raised imagery is of a man smoking a pipe on one side and a windmill on the other.
Resaearching the piece I was led to The Burley and Winter Pottery Co. which worked out of Crooksville, Ohio. They made pottery from the 1830's into the 1930's and the mugs were made around the turn of the century. (also pictured is a large 12 gallon crock that I found at an auction years ago that was made by the same company...)
This is one reason that I love being a potter here... drinking coffee from a mug that was made one hundred years ago in this area... you can't beat that!

Happy New Year and New Beginnings!

It is now 2013, the year of the Golden Snake. Hopefully a good year is ahead for all of us.
 Last year we focused on setting the groundwork for our future. Tearing down, and cleaning up the old house (which we of course used in the last firing of the Kiln) helped begin a new movement in our lives. This year we can now focus on the building of our home...
Thanks to our friend Steve Long who provided the winch and the help in pulling down the house. Melanie Steffl Thompson does a good job of filming & narrating.
Here's to 2013!!