2 Comments

Images from the first 3 days of the week long clay and drawing workshop at PENLAND SCHOOL OF CRAFTS.

I am still in awe of our week together!  It was extraordinary, almost magical and far beyond my expectations of what we might create "together".  Downstairs clay felt like a "caccoon of fun and creativity"! 

All of you who were in the workshop, along with my two FAB assistants, Glory and Cat, are totally amazing and I applaud you for not only your awesome work but most of all for "taking a risk".... We all stepped outside the box together and look what happened!!!  

I am adding a slide show of the first three days of the workshop and will add more later.  Please send along any special images you have, especially of the "show and tell" on Saturday. I will add them in to the next slide show. 

Enjoy your JOURNEY and remember our conversations, not only the ones we had among ourselves but also the ones we had with our environment, our materials, but especially the clay...

Love and admiration to each of you!

Alice

For an unforgettable experience, take a class at Penland! penland.org

2 Comments

1 Comment

Thank you Betsy Kaemmerien and SC Midlands Clay Arts Society!!!!

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of teaching a 2 day workshop in Columbia, SC called FINDING YOUR FORM THROUGH NATURE for SC Midlands Clay Arts Society.  Betsy along with 17 or 18 other clay and nature enthusiasts joined me and we had a FINE time exploring clay techniques and enjoying the exquisite forms that can be discovered in nature that were piled on every table. Together, we practiced working in partnership with our clay and of course we learned from others, along with a healthy dose of self exploration.  

I loved the wonderful mix of people I met and found myself wishing I had more time to get to know more about each and every person in the workshop.  I also enjoyed the mix of levels of experience. This leads to a room full of risk taking people teaching one another and just having fun together. The creative energy created in this kind of atmosphere is positively awe inspiring! 

Thank you all again for such a warm, wonderful and fun experience that included two amazing potluck lunches!  I loved every minute of my time with you....Keep in touch and enjoy your journey in clay!

1 Comment

1 Comment

Newly posted MEDITATION BOWLS on my inventory & available for purchase

Mackenzie did an outstanding job photographing, recording and entering these pieces in my inventory.  Let me mention Mackenzie is senior, in the IB program at CCES and has already attended 2 summer programs at SCAD.  Her interest and focus is animation.  Her skills, knowledge, and creativity in the fields of visual arts and creative writing will serve her well in the future.

Go to SHOP and check out my inventory for details on these new MEDITATION BOWLS.

1 Comment

Comment

Introducing New Work and New Assistant!

I am excited to announce that Mackenzie Patterson, former student at CCES Middle School, has agreed to assist me, both at CCES and in my home studio, with a wide variety of tasks that will give me more time to work in my studio. I am thrilled to say Mackenzie has already made a difference.

Mackenzie caught my eye immediately when I first met her in 7th grade.  She had the intelligence, the creativity, the skill and the work ethic to enter what ever creative field she chose... I knew she was going to be one of the "ONES" who had the passion to persevere and to make it...

Today Mackenzie helped me pack and organize for a workshop that I am doing in Columbia next weekend. Then she photographed, measured and posted a new group of Meditation Bowls on my site inventory.

Thank you Mackenzie for a great and productive day! The new work will be posted tomorrow!

 

 

 

 

Comment

1 Comment

Thank you Blue Spiral 1 for creating such an exciting, yet quiet Zen elegance on the main floor of the gallery with the exhibition Outside Inspiration.

Driving through the mountains to Asheville yesterday afternoon for the Blue Spiral 1 opening felt a bit like a homecoming! As it turned out, the evening was filled with surprises, laughter and warmth.  

This seems an appropriate time to extend a special thank you to family and friends who support me as an artist, a teacher and a friend.  The surprise was that so many of you were able to make the opening! I loved visiting with each and every one of you!

I would also like to thank everyone at Blue Spiral 1 for your professionalism and support throughout the years.  Special thanks to Jordan Ahlers who is an artistic genius when it comes to putting exhibitions together.  And John Cram, I thank you for a long and special friendship. We have grown up together in the art world over the years haven't we?  Thank you John for all you have done for me over the years, for the laughter and tears we have shed, and thank you for the role you play in the arts, not just in Asheville, but well beyond the borders of the Southeast...

OUTSIDE INSPIRATION will be on view through November 11th. The art chosen for this exhibition is impressive, captivating and beautifully fits the theme of this show.  I hope you will come and experience the show for yourself.  Let me know what you think... 

bluespiral1.com

1 Comment

2 Comments

I gave a sigh of relief this morning when we opened the kiln!!!

It was as close as it gets to a perfect firing!  Six Half Pods and two of my five large platters are now ready to pack. I have 3 more I am working on today that will be ready to fire tomorrow.  

A large group of Half Pods, to include a 10 Half Pod Installation, a Long Pod and 5 large platters from my Garden Impression series will be in an invitational group exhibition called OUTSIDE INSPIRATION at Blue Spiral 1 in Asheville, NC.  The opening will be September 1, a week from this Thursday, from 5 to 8.  This work will be available for purchase through Blue Spiral 1.  Please come and enjoy an evening in Asheville and at the same time, help us celebrate the creative spirit at Blue Spiral 1, one of the top galleries not only in the region but in the country!  

2 Comments

Comment

These Half Pods are firing as I post this blog, with one more firing to go...

After the image of the Half Pods in the kiln, you will see one of the large (approx. 23 inches across) platters from my Garden Impression series. I unloaded the large platters yesterday after their first firing. Large flat pieces like these are prone to crack but lucky for me all 5 platters made it through the first firing!   The next image is one of those platters followed by a detail. Next are details of the other platters.  You will see how the copper oxide enhances the subtle texture.  All 5 are ready for the second firing. The platters will require 1-2 more firings as I continue to layer various materials on them.  I will be thankful if they all make it but It is just part of the risk-taking that goes into making these large platters...  

Comment

2 Comments

4 Meditation Bowls have just been entered in my site inventory.

They are now available for purchase.  For these 4 pieces, no shipping will be charged.

Meditation Bowl # 46, 4.5 x 7 x 7 inches, white earthenware, terra sigillata, oxides, glaze liner, $215 

Meditation Bowl # 47,5 x 6 x 6 inches, white earthenware with oxides, terra sigillata, glaze liner, $195

Meditation Bowl #49, white earthenware, oxides, terra sigillata, glaze liner, $215

 

Meditation Bowl #49, 3.5 x 3.5 x 3.5 inches, white earthenware with terra sigillata, oxides and a liner glaze, $75

Meditation Bowls # 48 & 49 as a Pair, a reduced price of $250 (a $30 savings)

2 Comments

Comment

These Meditation Cups, I and II are headed for the Ogden Museum of Southern Art at the University of New Orleans.

It is an invitational exhibition called ART OF THE CUP 2016 and opens September 1st.  They were created as memory pieces while we were spending the summer in Nova Scotia.  Ferns in the yard of the 150 year old farm house we rented for a month, were pressed into the surface of these pinched pieces.  They were fired when we returned to our home in Greenville, SC in. They sell for $195 each should you be interested in a purchase. 504-539-9606.

ogdenmuseum.org

Comment

Comment

Come One, Come ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Big Annual Penland Auction

2016 Annual Benefit Auction http://penland.org/support/annual_auction.html

Friday, August 12 & Saturday, August 13

The Penland School of Crafts Annual Benefit Auction is the premiere craft auction in the southeast, providing funds to support the operations of Penland School of Crafts while introducing new artists to collectors and expanding public understanding and awareness of craft.

Entering its 31st year in 2016, the auction attracts over 800 collectors and volunteers to the Penland campus in the mountains of North Carolina each August. The weekend brings artists and patrons together and provides collectors with opportunities to meet established and emerging artists, learn about trends in contemporary craft, and see and purchase exceptional new work. If you are passionate about art and interested in investing in the health and the future of the arts, join us for this gala event.

All attendees who register online by April 30 will be entered to win a pair of tickets to the historic Biltmore Estate in Asheville.

Pair of my Meditation bowls donated to the Penland Auction in honor of Paulus Berensohn.

Comment

Comment

September 17, 18 2016, Midlands Clay Arts Society Presents Alice Ballard Workshop

THE MIDLANDS CLAY ARTS SOCIETY PRESENTS

Alice Ballard Workshop

Finding your Form through Nature September 17, 18, 2016, 10-4

Where: Edisto Discovery Park 1914 Wiley Street, Columbia SC 10AM–4PMeachday Potlucklunch

Description: Alice Ballard is an expert at Seeing and looking to nature for inspiration. She will be showing us several of her hand building and surface treatment techniques, including pinch pots, dowel pots and slab construction. This will include hands-on participation. Bring your collected treasures for inspiration or direct impressions into the clay surface. A journal is also necessary. We will create a series of pinch or dowel cups with a relationship. Participants will also get a chance to use terra sigillata on their own work that is dry or close to dry. Overall, other than discovering forms we like and using terra sig, this workshop is about connecting with the clay and ourselves, learning how to slow down, observe, feel, and respond creatively. Equipment list shall be sent upon your paid registration.

Attendance is limited to 15 participants.

TO REGISTER: Please mail a check and Registration Form, or give them directly to the registrar, Mary Lou Price. No space will be reserved otherwise. See fees and address below.

Registrations will be accepted in the order received, or by the postmark dates, and confirmed.

Refunds are available up to one week prior to the start of the workshop, provided your space can be filled. Because of obligations to the workshop artist, no refund will be given if your space can not be filled. Refunds for emergency situations arising within one week of the workshop will be considered at the discretion of the MCAS Executive Board.

If you’re registered & cannot attend, please notify the registrar ASAP:
Mary Lou Price legishap@aol.com
----------------------------------------------------Detach and Send-------------------------------------------------

MCAS Workshop Registration Form

NAME _____________________________________________________________________ PHONE_____________________________EMAIL_________________________________ ADDRESS__________________________________________________________________

Registration Fees: (Please check one of the following) includes half a bag of clay to work with _____MCAS MEMBER $ 95 _____NON-MEMBER $110

Make checks payable to: MCAS Mail To: Midlands Clay Arts Society

C/O Mary Lou Price 185 Carlyle Circle

Columbia, SC 29206
If the workshop fills, would you like to be put on a waiting list, or have your check returned? Circle one

Waiting List Return Check

Comment

Comment

Do not miss this important event at the GCCA, this Tuesday, July 12 at 6:00

Detail, painting by Naomi Nakazato (Brandon Fellow), Telling Her Story,  GCCA 

GCCA Lecture Series  www.artcentergreenville.org/

I have the honor of introducing my long time friend Ann Hicks.  We met when she had just moved to Greenville to start her job at the Greenville News and our lives and our stories have been woven together in unlikely ways ever since.  I promise you, her story is one you absolutely don't want to miss! I hope to see you at the GCCA this Tuesday!

On July 12th at 6 pm, visit GCCA and spend an evening with Ann Hicks as she shares her story of starting life as a Hungarian refugee to the revered Greenville News art critic for 11 years.

 

The event is free and open to the public, no RSVP needed.

 

Come early and enjoy the full gallery exhibit "Telling Her Story" showcasing 11 women with ties to Greenville. Daydreams, questions of identity, motherhood, cultural stereotypes, nature, and technology are some of the themes interpreted in the artwork.  Many materials are represented, including textiles, ceramics, paint, papers and collected objects.

Comment

Comment

How do artists stumble on their ideas? What is the process from a life changing discovery to a work of art that demonstrates passion, meaning, skill and unbridled creativity?

Such is the tale of the Pod...

Pods have long been interesting to me as a form and as a metaphor for the feminine, the womb, and potential. I’ve also been intrigued by how many different sizes, shapes, textures and colors they come in; the possibilities are almost limitless when you start combining and evolving individual elements. Despite the fact that I have been working with idea of pods for many years, I am still fascinated with both the form and the multitude of ideas that continue to inspire and guide my work.

 

That said, every journey has a beginning and this one started with the Royal Empress tree pod. I first encountered the form growing by the railroad tracks in Asheville near Odyssey, a well know ceramic center. After plucking a winter branch with a cluster of pods I set this newly captured inspiration aside to ponder for while as I often do. After walking by this cherished find in my studio on a daily basis and “pondering” it, I discovered the origins of the Royal Empress tree, also known as the Royal Paulownia tree. 

 

It’s a very fast growing invasive tree from China, where it’s often used as an ornamentation along roadsides. That fact alone caught my imagination, not to mention that it sounded like a shaman’s rattle when shaken. The flowers are purple clusters that bloom in May along with wild wisteria. Though similar in color the flowers are quite different. Wisteria is a vine with cascading clusters of flowers, while the Paulownia tree has clusters that grow upright like a Christmas tree. One thing I knew was that this heart shaped form which seemed more and more archetypal was going to become an important part of my journey as an artist.

 

Fast forward nearly a year. While teaching my first clay workshop at Odyssey, I had my class go on a treasure hunt for “natural stuff” in the surrounding area. Before we left, I showed them the blackish pod cluster and mentioned I would take them to see the tree by the railroad tracks where I had picked it. That’s when we discovered the pods in their fuzzy spring green coat! Later that day, I made my first small pinched half-pod. Who knew at the time that it would become so much more.

 

After returning to my studio in Greenville, that small form became the prototype for the first wall pod. After sculpting a larger half-pod in clay, I created a press mold in plaster. This then allowed me to make two halves and put them together to create a smoothly finished form ready for me to then add texture or carve into the surface. Each one of these perfectly smooth Pod forms has become like a small white, 3D canvas. I then alter them to reflect whatever is inspiring me at the time.

 

The first showing of this new series was a 15 Pod Triangle shown at Blue Spiral 1 along with the paintings of the late Will Henry Stevens. It was dynamic, yet feminine; soft at times, dark and crusty at others. It surprised all of us as we saw it for the first time after its installation in the gallery. Visually, the impact was such a blend of strength and softness that it became the show’s center piece. I will never forget seeing it hanging for first time after Jorden Ahlers so expertly installed it. This was the beginning of my love affair with the “Pod” shape and all its evolutions thereafter. I was immediately struck with all of the incredible possibilities that small and large groupings could have in a space.

 

That first show has led to so many variations, some of which can be viewed in the Commissions section of my website. Even the ones that are similar in number can be entirely different depending on the installation site, spacing, and configuration, not to mention their individual visual story they tell through, color, texture, value, complexity and content.

 

As to the future direction of the Pods, only time will tell. Pods in general, continue to fascinate me.  I know this because of all the little pods I discover in my pockets following our morning walks with the dogs.  Pods, bulbs, tubors,  along with all things that “sprout” continue to offer rich potential for my the creative explorations on my journey.  

 

Another fun fact:

 

Paulownia is known in Japanese as kiri, specifically referring to P. tomentosa; it is also known as the "princess tree". It was once customary to plant a Paulownia tree when a baby girl was born, and then to make it into a dresser as a wedding present when she married. Paulownia is emblem of the office of prime minister and also serves as the emblem of the cabinet and the government (vis-à-vis the chrysanthemum being the Imperial Seal of Japan).

Comment

1 Comment

One more look at TELLING HER STORY at the GCCA, ends July 27, 2016

Paul Hyde, arts writer for the Greenville News, interviewed some of the artists in TELLING HER STORY today at the GCCA.  This seemed the perfect chance to get some pictures of the show and to have a chance to meet and talk to some of the other women artists.

I am including a slide show of some of the unique and highly personal artwork in the show.  If you have not seen TELLING HER STORY, you have one more month to drop by for a visit.  You will be glad you did!  

www.artcentergreenville.org/

1 Comment