Today - 10 Pod Triangle installed with a little help from my friends....

When we arrived on site at Abacus Planning Group, located in Columbia, SC, all the templates sent in advance had been carefully spaced and measured and taped to the wall. Sarah Young not only had the placement of each Pod marked and ready for us but had a sturdy ladder and table along with other items we just might need, set out and ready for us. This made the whole installation process go smoothly...  

After laying a possible 13 Pods out on the floor, the shuffle began. The challenge was to pick the ten Pods to be included in the 10 Pod Triangle.  Next we had to decide where they should be best placed in the triangular format to achieve the best aesthetic results for the Abacus office space. Enid, Sarah and myself started by eliminating Pods with too much similarity... Next we looked at color, texture, value and mood.  The point of the Triangle seemed the perfect place for the white Pod because of it's blend of simple bold form blended with the drama of its white terra sigillata surface. After another round of discussion about the placement of each Pod, the milkweed inspired Pod took it's place in the center.  The neutrality of it's subtle color, coupled with it's particular texture seemed to make it perfect for the central spot. This Pod brought a visual harmony to the 10 Pod Triangle needed for this particular site.  The site was a long but wide dramatic hall with sky and special additional lighting and the color was orangel This part of the process was quite special and fun. I like to think the process that Enid, Sarah and I shared was in the spirit of the kind of teamwork that I heard about and observed on my visits with Cheryl Holland when we were planning this site specific piece for Abacus.

Thank you Enid Williams for all your help!!!! Your superb aesthetic sense, great "eye" and steady hand resulted in a  10 Pod Triangle that was installed smoothly and quickly. 

An elegant Ta Da!!!!!!!!

A less elegant but heart-felt Ta Da from me!!!!!

Thank you Sarah Young for all you did in advance to make our job an easy one!

Above all,  I would like to give Cheryl Holland, founder of Abacus, a heart felt thank you for offering me this significant opportunity to create a special piece for a beautiful site within the Abacus Office space.  I am honored to be part of the Abacus art collection.  I would also like to congratulate Cheryl for the support she continuously gives to the South Carolina arts community through projects like mine and others. 

The following quote from Cheryl expresses beautifully the reason for my enthusiasm for about my experience working with Abacus...

“Founding Abacus was my professional chance – and personal challenge – to create a unique culture centered on listening, creativity and collaboration.”  Cheryl Holland

Sagger fired Pod

It finally bloomed and here come the humming birds!

One of my favorites - Bee Balm!!!!  The flowers remind me of clowns with tousled hair... 

Commission - almost complete!

The last of 13 Pods to be considered for a 10 Pod Triangle.

Greenware in the process of drying...

Airbrushing terra sigillata takes place just outside my studio door on a nice day...

I highly recommend a trip to the Penland Gallery at Penland!

Yesterday, I made a trip to Penland School of Arts & Crafts, truly a sacred place in the arts and crafts world.  While there I stopped by the Penland Gallery. I was so impressed by what I saw, I want to share a few pictures I took, as a way of enticing you to take a trip to see for yourself the new and elegant look of the Penland Gallery! 

A new look at the Penland Gallery - open and spacious, a thoughtful and spare layout, each work displayed elegantly within its own space.  Put this together and it creates a quiet, contemplative and Zen-like atmosphere.   Congratulations to Kathryn Gremley, Penland Gallery Director, and staff!!! http://penland.org/gallery/

A beautiful display of work by Joseph Pintz.

A detail of how smaller pedestals of varying heights and sizes add to the experience of looking at each work.  I would like to add that seeing the new overall approach to displaying the work has given me several great ideas that may be useful in the display of my work at a show I will be having at the Greenville County Museum of Art that will November 15, 2014. 

A favorite quote from an admired artist, Kyoung Ae Cho...

"I started to work with branches and stems, hoping that if I could understand a small twig, I would be able to understand branches, and after that I would be able to understand a tree and trees. And in the long run, I would be able to understand nature itself.

I believe that in order to understand the whole, understanding the smaller elements that make up the whole is essential."

http://www.kyoungaecho.com/cho/artist.html

A workshop I took with Kyoung Ae at Penland called "Conversations With Nature" has had a profound influence on me as an artist and as a teacher.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for all the things the class taught me and for keeping in touch all these many years since the workshop.  Please check out her web site and if you should have the opportunity, go to see her work and/ or take a workshop with her.  This will be a great gift to your self and your artistic process...

Today was the last day at school...

As I prepared to leave my room, I had to take a few moments to reflect on messages left on the art room board... I couldn't help but give a big sigh and a chuckle... It reminded me why I love teaching Middle School.  It is because Middle School students inspire me with their knowledge and intuitiveness. They make me laugh whenever I am with them.  Perhaps above I admire them for being risk takers who trust the creative process.  I think about this more often than they would imagine when at work in my studio. This is a true gift... Thank you to my AWESOME Middle School Students!!!!!!

hmmmmm...

They wrote this, not me!

The only 2 rules we have in our art room are Respect & Responsibility but I could go along with adding Love and Loyality...

Middle Schoolers - YOU are the awesome ones!!!

I know what you mean Jenny...

I follow Jenny's blog every day!  It is such an inspiration to me.  We both love our gardens so much it is hard to stay away from them, especially this time of year.  I visit my garden first thing in the morning, punctuated by little visits all day while working in my studio, and then I visit again just before it turns dark....  check out Jenny's blog if you haven't already.  I look forward to her posts every day!  jennymendes.blogspot.com

A Pod in progress for a commission.  Through a big window to my left, I can watch my garden. While allowing my work to dry a bit, I can venture out to pick a few weeds, see if anything needs water or just watch my tomatoes grow, all the time anticipating the taste of that first ripe tomato, still warm from the sunshine...

Joe - Here's your finished plate from the Mint Master Class!

Joe's plate - bottom right

Here's a detail - repaired crack, sponged on terra sigillata, copper wash in the details and a clear low-fire glaze.

Hope you like it Joe!  Rita worked out transportation to get it to the Mint.

"4 Vessels for 4 Seasons" is coming up soon at the Bascom!

 June 16th through June 22nd I will be teaching a workshop at the Bascom Art Center in Highlands, NC called "4 Vessels for 4 Seasons".  A close friend and fellow artist, Corbin Tucker, will be working with me and sharing her extensive knowledge and experience with making specialized containers for special plant materials, including moss gardens.

We are planning to start our first day with a trip to the Stone Lantern in Highlands where the owner Ralph DeVille will show us around the shop and talk informally about the various Ikebana arrangements.  We will also have a chance to look at his collection of Ikebana containers and ask questions about the various designs and how they are used for a variety of approaches to the art of Ikebana.  I am looking forward to purchasing a special pair of Ikebana scissors, along with a few other items specifically for use in the art of Ikebana.   

Then we will head for the local Botanical Gardens for a tour and discussion about the amazing variety of plant materials that are indigenous to the area.  This should help us to be mindful of what we pick and how we pick plant materials for our own informal, Ikebana inspired arrangements.

For those of you who follow Pinterest, I have a special board devoted to Ikebana arrangements, instructions on how to create certain types of Ikebana arrangements, along with a wonderful and inspiring variety of types of ceramic vessels that I think would work well with the ideas inherent in the art of Ikebana and flower arranging in general.  I hope that looking through these will give you some ideas ahead of time about the kinds of vessels you might like to make .  Pinterest.com is the link where you can join and see my Ikebana Board.You might even do a few simple sketches ahead of time so Corbin and I will be better able to help you choose a clay technique that will best work for the form you wish to achieve. 

For the first project we plan to extrude a clay tube for each participant.  We will do this Sunday and let them set up for the first class on Monday. We will show you a variety of ways to create a more vertical container to start with or you may want to start in an entirely different way. Corbin and I will be loaded with examples and ideas but we are there to assist you in the direction you would like to take.  We are both excited to be involved in a project that brings our love of clay together with our love of gardening and our natural environment.

I plan to use my blog to post information that you might find useful as you are preparing for the workshop so consider subscribing.  You can do this on the left under Alice's blog.

See you soon!

A single branch can represent the essence of the entire tree.

Why I love trees...

I love the strong gestural line of their trunk.   I love the branches for the varying lines they create, I love the negative space between the branches that creates those wonderful shapes of space in between.   I love the myriad of textures and colors.  I love the way they dance in the wind and create those swishing sounds.  I love the spectacular seasonal changes, the seeds and flowers and leaves,  I love the way the brand new bud of the spring leaf is always just behind the old leaf when it separates from the tree.   I love the way the leaves fall to the earth, decay and create nutrients for the new leaves in the spring, and on and on and on....

Crepe Myrtle trees greet me each day when I arrive at school.

Like an old friend this crepe myrtle greets me each time I come home...

A spring happening partially observed....

One of the joys and fascinations of this spring has been the discovery that a tiny house wren had chosen my bedraggled, still bound with shiny gold paper, Christmas poinsettia plant in our greenhouse to build it's tiny softly woven nest in. 

We didn't actually discover the nest until we noticed a tiny wren darting in and out of the greenhouse while we were having our morning coffee out on the deck.  Much to our surprise, this process had been going on for some time because by the time we discovered the nest, there were 4 tiny eggs inside!

The mother and father, we finally saw two of them, were actually quite tolerant of our close presence just outsid her softly feathered little condo in our greenhouse.  That includes our 2 joyfully leaping standard poodles, Jaz and Rosie.  We watched for days on end and were about to think the eggs would never hatch when Roger discovered 3 little open beaks when he peered in like some giant but respectful intruder.

This morning observation over steaming cups of coffee continued for what has seemed forever. Naturally we were hoping to have a sighting of the little fledglings actually fledging. But this morning it was too quiet, no parents darting in and out with their vocal signals that the coast was clear.  So Roger went in to see if anyone was home.  The tiny nest was empty and silent!  We had the terrible feeling of disappointment that we had missed an important moment in time. The quiet and the peace of the moment seemed a poignant reminder of how fleeting, how fragile and how fascinating life is...

In my garden - spring has sprung and summer has come!

First Ever Arts & Crafts Festival at CCES - A great success!!!!!!!!!

Shared table with my 7/8 Advanced Art Elective with parents, colleagues and visitors.  

Congratulations go to Jennifer Halley!!!!!!!!!!

Although I can't include faces and names, you can see my students were all smiles, having a great time, and were rightfully proud of their work and display.  

Lucky me to get to work with such special, highly motivated and exceptionally creative young people! Let me add that this was also a lesson in pricing, organizing, display and marketing.  They all receive superior marks!  These special students will go on to be a bright spot in the future for all of us to admire and enjoy!  I am proud of all of you 7/8 Art Elective students!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hot and steamy today... show casing Meditation Bowls 9 & 29

Meditation Bowl 9 on the left and 29 on the right

Meditation Bowl 29 on left and 9 on the right

For more details on check out my Inventory of available work on my site to the left.