Sooooo...It's been a minute. I just re-read the last post, and realized that since that time so many things have happened. In my life, and in the world at large (well, that's an every day thing, but I do digress). Buckle Up. This is a long post. 

I have spent almost a year in a creative hiatus. At least public facing. I have been playing a little in the studio, and exploring when I feel like exploring, but for the most part, I have taken a break. After I retired (during the middle of a global pandemic), I found a now favorite book called Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times  by the Author Katherine May. It speaks to the power of finding strength in retreating to rest and repair - just like the winter season, when the land rests and renews before awakening again  in spring. That is a little how it feels for me right now. 

My mom passed away in May, and my daughter and her husband are dealing with some difficult health struggles, and I have been in a holding pattern - finding nourishment in quiet times. I have made plenty of art. It just hasn't been made to share with the world. Some has been made as gifts for family or friends, or to enhance our home (think new plates for our kitchen), but I have been in a self imposed time of rest and creative "planning". 

Until this month. I have begun to create the things out of clay that my brain has been percolating on during this "season of retreat". Now I am having a little trouble (good trouble) reining in all of the ideas. 

I would love to give myself credit for jump starting my creative energy, but to be absolutely transparent, I received a call for application to a favorite West Seattle art show that I chose to skip last year (for all of the reasons). The email arrived just as I was heading into a planned foot surgery, and I have been "clomping around" in a boot and boot cover for the past three weeks to create some new work to submit.  I am hopeful that I will soon be dancing along, but time will tell. In the meantime, I have been creating garden and plant-centric work. More of my favorite meditation domes that are meant to find a peaceful spot in someone's garden to encourage and soothe with lovely words....more pod shaped garden stakes and garden totem parts, and some new experiments as well.  Some successes, and (no surprise) some colossal failures. These are the learning opportunities though.  For example - Why, oh why do I keep trying to use black clay bodies. I have had SO many failures - with the clay body bloating in a chicken-pox or measles sort of way.  In case you don't know what that is like...let me just show. you

..and

I am super excited about some new platter designs, and I decided to play with surface design mediums. I have used this material before, and it has been so long that I forgot my firing methods and glaze application and voila - more bubbles..and uneven surface and results that are just "not as the artist intended". Sometimes opening a kiln can be like a holiday, and sometimes...well, not so much. Ceramics is a VERY humbling medium. I am looking forward to trying this design again, and doing better. 

All that aside, I have some EXCITING new work that I submitted today with my application for the West Seattle Art Tour in September. Here are a few sneak peek photos. I am also waking up every day with a renewed eagerness to be in the studio making new work. 

I unloaded the kiln after a couple of weeks' work yesterday, and the sun came out  as if on cue- which offered some natural light to take some photos to submit with my application. I sat down to collect my thoughts and felt something sticking me on my seat. I found a small feather there. I have been "visited" with feathers of all shapes and sizes ever since my dad passed in 2018. They really appear when I most need a little nudge, or a parental hug or encouragement. I am just going to confidently say mom and dad are both involved this time. Sending me a resounding "yes", make more art! Fill your soul and share that joy it with others. I do know that is what they would say if they were still on this earthly plane. So.... Thanks. I'm on it!

I've been so busy in the studio, and in life! I have been traveling a lot to be with mom, whose health is becoming a bit challenging. She's a trooper though, and I'm amazed at her resilience and grace. That said, it's emotionally and physically draining to be with someone who has always been your rock....who is now handing you and your sister the rock. 

So....the remedy for emotional stress is to call in the holiday elf (me) to make lots and lots of things to add beauty and delight to the world.  Then the social media elves - also me... (who photograph, post, and tell of the releasing of said lots of things) sort of muddle through and forget to even post much about YESTERDAY's wonderful pop up makers market at Capers Home - a wonderful home store in West Seattle. Side story, when we first bought our home here, I went on a walking tour of the neighborhood, and fell in love with this store 11 years ago. It is always my go-to for gifts, and I absolutely love to visit it during the holidays. 

Here are some photos of the lovely day. I posted a couple of reminders on my Instagram page 
www.instagram.com/greenbranchstudio/
and fortunately, so did Capers...so there were so many lovely West Seattle folks who came in to meet the woodland friends and ceramic houses, and take some home for holiday gift giving.  
​

I always love to visit with people who are enjoying the things I have made, and yesterday was no exception. Great-grandmothers who remembered the Beatrix Potter stories, then took home woodland friend bunnies for their great-grand children. Folks from my generation talked of Stuart Little when they saw the mice in cigar boxes (our inner children gleefully coming out to play)....
But by far my favorite interaction was with the aunties who purchased a baby mouse in a pouch for their niece. When I presented them with the Certificate of Adoption, they shared that their niece was also adopted, which prompted tears all around. Connections that are made by sharing lovingly handmade items are always such a gift to me!

Here is where I post about UPCOMING events - that you can actually attend....because they are in the future!

December 1-5
I am so excited to be included in the ceramic show of over 50 ceramic artists at Rain City Studio
​

The second December event will be taking place on some of the same days - December 1st from 4-8 pm and December 2 from 10am - 4pm at Keller Williams - 5446 California Ave. SW. I am thrilled to be part of this 10 artist market. These artists are so warm and lovely, and their work is incredible! There will be hand made pottery, stunning jewelry and home goods, and even a children's book author whose beloved character teaches about self-love and positivity. Friday night will be an artist reception with wine and snacks to enjoy while browsing  the one-of-a-kind pieces of holiday art. We will be back on Saturday for a festive day offering more works of art for those who are looking for  personal hand-made items for holiday gift giving. 
​
Here are the details with some "Meet the Maker" photos and sneak peek photos of some of their work. I have also included links to their websites or social media pages. SO much beautiful, creative, magical art!!! ​

I am so very excited to be making lovely holiday gifts and joining these artists to offer so many gifts for everyone on your list.  I am planning to do my holiday gift giving with as many handmade local gifts as possible. I really do feel like the hand of the maker adds a special touch to a gift.  So....off I go to elf it up!

​How did that happen? Seattle has given us such a beautiful summer, and I have been playing in the sun and having fun. I'm starting to think about what I will be creating this fall, and I feel it's time to let go of the artwork that is filling the studio from previous seasons. It's time to send it into the world (with some pretty lovely discounts). 
​
Tomorrow I will be joining my good friend Brigida - the artist who is behind  the wonderful Yardia brand of beautiful Pacific Northwest watercolor gifts at her studio. We will be selling artwork that would be perfect for holiday gift giving (I'm not that organized, but some people are, I've heard!)

• Yardia: Everything $5 or $10 (up to 80% off)! Seconds and discontinued art prints, card mystery packs, sticker mystery packs, wrapping paper, camp mugs and more.
• Greenbranch Studio: Everything 50% off! Seconds one-of-a-kind handmade pottery, porcelain jewelry and more.

​

Wow - it's been a LOOOONG time since I've tended to this blog.  So much has happened in the last few years - retiring from teaching, a global pandemic, lots of time to learn new things, practice old things, let go of lots of things.....
​
The year I retired (2020), I waved goodbye to my sweet students from a screen, and went into rest mode. I also chose a word of the year that really fit the year 2021 for me - meander.  Not only did I walk (many, many miles) during the time we were all staying home because of Covid, I "meandered" through art and creative processes that I had either set aside, or had always wanted to explore. I PLAYED! It was a wonderful time of diving into new things, and quite a departure from the way I had always needed to squeeze in my own creative time around my teaching schedule for the last 20 years or so.....

​Here are some of the ways I played with new and old creative processes...
​

​While I was walking, and walking, and walking....I was inspired to create linoleum blocks, which I use to print onto linen fabric that I sewed into useful things like zipper bags, placemats, coasters, eyeglass holders and quilts.....thank you YouTube for countless tutorials.

​and did I mention that I created soft and cuddly stuffies? So many stuffies. I don't know what came over me....I just had to make sweet and huggable things while the news was filled with so..... much......well, so much of everything scary and sad. 

So many ceramic artists that I admire offered online courses. And I enjoyed learning  MANY new techniques, and being inspired to look at the world in new and different ways to find inspiration. ​

All of the meandering was fruitful.  I carved new bisque stamps for impressing in clay that were inspired by the fabric printing linoleum blocks - and have been using them on new slab built designs.  It is so lovely to have the time to develop new work.  I am excited to be joining the West Seattle Studio event in September to share some of the work in the world!

 I am looking forward to the new year with a new word of the year (actually words). My word(s) of the year are Perfect Imperfection. I am inspired by the Japanese words Wabi  Sabi. These words are so  intangible and I'm honored to explore this kind of beauty and way of looking at the world. As I was discovering how I would embrace my word of the year, I found a most beautiful book by Beth Kempton. 

I am going to quote some of the wisdom about wabi sabi she writes about, which is urging me to embrace "perfect imperfection". 
​
"Wabi sabi is deeply connected to the kind of beauty that reminds us of the transient nature of life. She goes on to suggest that the lessons wabi sabi can teach us are rooted in the following ideas:
          *The world looks very different when you learn to see and experience it from your heart. 
          *All things, including life itself, are impermanent, incomplete, and imperfect. Therefore,                          perfection is impossible, and imperfection is the natural state of everything, including                          ourselves. 
           *There is great beauty, value, and comfort to be found in simplicity. "

Words to consider as we go about our daily life.

I am loving the simplicity of the new "flower stones" that I pulled from the kiln on Friday. The are mostly sweet and tiny - small enough to hold in your hand. I want to place them all over the house with a tiny blossom to remind me spring will come!
​

It has been a LONG, LONG time since I've blogged. I have been working and growing in my studio, and have spent the last year growing new curriculum for my wonderful students in my new school. The past year has been one of exciting professional changes. I am teaching at Forest Ridge High School. My classes are small, the students (all girls) are engaged and excited to learn, and I couldn't be happier. 
I also made a commitment to my own artistic self to expand my horizons. I was able to attend my first NCECA Conference, which sort of blew my mind. I met lovely people, saw inspiring art and innovative artists, and came home with a plan to celebrate the Greenbranch philosopy. I have been taking workshops and weekly classes to encourage myself to try new things, and work on rusty skills. 

On October 13th, I am hosting an Open Studio and Sale from 10am - 3pm. When I work towards a sale, I am furiously working and firing until the day before. I have given myself a deadline of this weekend to create anything new - for the sale. Anything I work on after that is work in progress. I am hoping to provide sanity for myself and my students and family. 

My favorite pieces for this sale might be the meditation bowls that hold the wishing stones I love to collect. I have glazed these New Zealand Porcelain bowls with lines that reflect the markings on these magical stones.  My lovely pottery pal, Laura Romanelli, saw them for the first time and said the most poetic thing... "It is like the stone is the wish or thought, and the bowl is witness to the thought". 

Yes! The bowl reflects the wish into the world!!
​

It is almost time to ring in 2017. I forget to blog. I forget to mention on my website that I am having a pop up sale (which was two weeks ago). My word for the year has not been decided, but it will have something to do with creating and learning. Or maybe with doing less. In any event, here are some photos of my work that my good friend Laura Totten shot this year. The holiday photos show what a magical time it was to celebrate the creating that happened all fall and early winter. 

Spring Show in Woodinville 

Holiday Pop Up Sale at Greenbranch Studio Dec 10-11. 2016

Cheers to celebrating the growth I have experienced over the past two years... First, in learning to create jewelry and glass design by exploring all sorts of new techniques. I have so loved learning to enamel metal, and sharing the quotes and heart thoughts that have touched me with so many others....and now teaching students to love expressing their artistic voice through clay and glass design. In all of this, I am learning new things every day.  The excitement never ends! The New Year is filled with promise of creating new things to share. 

I have been away.  Learning new things.  Changing direction. Going with the flow (my word of the year).

I am now teaching high school classes in Graphic Design, Metal/Jewelry and Glass Design.  Loving it.  Learning SO many new things. 

This is what happens when a Holiday Sale is planned at the studio.  I wake up and start thinking of the hot cider and snacks, and kiln firing and bell making, and glazing to be done....and then I remember that I have to post something on social media so that folks will know about the sale ~ and then I'm posting a blog at 4:45 in the morning.  It's a good thing I'm doing this on a 4 day weekend, and not on a school day! I'm getting ready for RAKU firing next week at Seattle Pottery.  I've been making some sweet organic spheres to fire.  I hope they will be ready in time! Here are some photos of them when I finished them yesterday....

There are lots of holiday ideas floating around in my head too! Some of them are even making their way into the studio, and today....into the kiln for a bisque firing!
Check out these fun "holiday banners" to be ~ stay tuned for the finished, ribbon strung version!  I'll be making these (or a version of them) with my students this week.

I think I'll crawl back into bed for an early morning nap before I go back out into the studio.  There are bells, birdhouses, and beautiful platters calling my name ~ this is what the elves must feel like.

This is what the studio looks like these days.  Just about a week to go before the big POTTERY AND MORE SHOW AND SALE!  Pretty excited (and a little bleary eyed).  Even though the summer was full of studio time, I have been percolating new ideas and can't wait to share them!

Here are some of the finished pieces

There are so many more things to share...but it's time to sleep so that I can finish glazing and firing everything before next weekend!  Hope to see you there!!