post Saturday...well, Sunday

I had a stressful and wonderful day at the same time, yesterday. Melynda Steward, Jan Pickler, Paul Storms, Tery Cain and I just installed the 2nd KC Clay Guild Teabowl National.

With their tremendous efforts we have put up a beautiful show at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center (3700 Blue Parkway, KCMO).

It opens on June 1 and closes the 30th. There is an opening reception on Friday, June 10, 5-8pm...with awards and a short talk by the juror, Steven Hill. (BTW...Steven is presenting a demo workshop the next day at KCCG...Saturday, June 11, 9-5pm)(go to kcclayguild.org for details)

There are 90+ teabowls from all over the USA. There are teabowls from local and regional artists as well. All will be for sale *at* the opening reception and then afterwards, online.

pot #35...hi Bunny

I miss my 'Bunny'. Sorry...I miss my daughter...had to get that in, in case she reads my bloggy-wog.

This pot is by Bede Clark. (www.bedeclarkestudios.c0m)
He instructs at my alam mater, the University of Missouri @Columbia! (He was not there when I was matriculating. One of my instructors was Robert Bussabarger.) I met him during the Brookside Art Annual a few weeks ago. I walked in his booth and surprised him taking a drag off his pipe in the back of his booth. I have asked him to be the juror for the TEABOWL next year.

This 'diamond in the rough' vase was created from dark stoneware. (Help me!) I think it is wood fired. It is 4 x 2.5 x 2.5" and is square-ish. The texture on the bottom half reminds me of having been paddled with a ribbed board. Two corners have little lug handles. There is a stamp on one side and four dots in a square on the othere face.
The glaze is white-ish in teh photograph, but actually has a lavender tint where it is thick. The bottom half has what I think is a Shino. It is a lovely orange with some speckles where it is a little thinner and meets the top glaze.

Pot #14

The piece you see in this photo was created by Jim Sandefur. He resides in Georgia. His web address is: www.jimsandefur.com/home.html.

I donated a purchase prize at the first KC Clay Guild Teabowl National last year and this is what I chose.

It comes in two pieces.

The base is 1.5 x 2 x 2". It is made of porcelain, unglazed, rough formed to hold the teabowl.

The 'teabowl' is 4.25 x 3.5 x 3.5". It is also made of porcelain. It is glazed inside onlyand it looks like a clear glaze. This piece was thrown. I queston whether it was thrown from widest pot to the tip (upside-down) or from the smallest point to the mouth. Jim's website states that after his 'sabbatical' he began firing in a friend's anagama kiln. Is this a wood fired piece???

Anyone? Jim?

Virginia

I talked yesterday with my *invisible* friend, Virginia Ostergren. She makes the most beautiful pots. She entered both the 2010 and 2011 KC Clay Guild Teabowl National. I happen to the be the Chair of this exhibition and get to see (and load) 300 slides each year.

Virginia's have been some of my favorites.

Over informational conversations about the TBN and KC Clay Guild, I learned that her daughter Tempe is dancing with the Kansas City Ballet and danced in the recent production of 'Giselle'. I wish I had known. I might have gone to the ballet!

Virginia even came to KC to see Tempe. I missed her visit. Anyway, here are Virginia's entries from last year. I hope she doesn't mind.