It's been a while...

It's been a while - too long - since I've touched clay in any meaningful, transformative way. In October, I got a promotion in the midst of a reorganization of my department (Marketing) at work. It's a really great opportunity, and I've really been enjoying my work for the last few months, but we've been incredibly busy, so I haven't had much time for clay. 

Largely because of that, I stepped down from my duties as webmaster/social media manager for City Clay here in Charlottesville. I wasn't able to find time to make pots, let alone give the marketing of the studio the attention it needed and deserved. 

Because I also have not been firing at City Clay - they only have cone 6 electric kilns currently, and I was having a hard time getting excited about any of the surfaces I was able to get - I decided it would be far more practical to relinquish my studio space and put the monthly rent I would have paid into my own wheel. I've set up a small personal studio in my attic - right now the wheel plus shelves for drying/storing pots - soon a small table for handbuilding/assembling and a wedging/drying station. My wheel - a work horse in a Brent CXC - arrived today and I broke my dry spell with a few teabowls. 

I have to say, it's good to be back.

A great box to come home to.

Wheel all set up in the new space. May it never be this clean ever again.

First pot on the new wheel. Teabowls felt like a perfect way to break it in.