Lucky me.

Lori offered up her wheel to use anytime I’d like and so I spent the last couple weeks out at their beautiful acreage throwing a lot of stuff.   They are so generous!  What a lovely place to work.   They have an incredible setup there.  Today I went and cleaned up and took them a painting, a bird feeder and a spoon rest as thanks.   I have enough for now but will go back out in October.   So lucky.

Adventures In Art #23-AiR in Markerville, Alberta

Well, this has been a really interesting 10 days.   I’ve been doing an Artist in Residence in Markerville, Alberta.   What an interesting place!

It’s about 40 km SW of Red Deer, so I stayed here last week during my pottery week at the Polytechnic.  A beautiful drive through rolling hills on farmland, so lush and green and yellows bursting with canola.   

It was a busy week, so I didn’t really get much of a feel for the hamlet but I sure enjoyed doing so this week.

6 streets and 40 people are here but it has an incredible active Icelandic Society that runs the program.   There’s a creamery right across the road.   There’s a pottery shop, an “craft store” and a Boy Scout Museum.  There was a wedding in the backyard on Saturday and then they set up a miniature display of the town in the backyard.  It’s surrounded by a river and has a couple bridges that lead to a campground and ball fields The people are very friendly.  I was invited to the town potluck, a “Sing and Supper” evening and a backyard fire while I was here.  Luckily, my “Artist Talk” never materialized! 🥴. There was even a tapestry from Iceland on display at the museum.   

A great meal with d’Arcy and her husband and their neighbors after seeing their back yard house full of art from their 8 years in the Middle East after painting outside all day and meeting many locals and getting commissioned to paint a dude and his motorcycle!  Where do theseinteresting people come from?  What a day!  

Didn’t do much painting but sure enjoyed the experience.  So glad I did this!

Adventures In Art #22-Wheel Throwing Week

Spent this week back in Red Deer taking a beginner wheel throwing class with Shirley Randall. A productive week.  Made 29 pieces.  Got 12 pieces done for a raku workshop I’m going to do in October with Janice, 7 spoon rests, 6 trinket plates and 4 bird feeders!  Got to use transfers and underglaze and Stroke and Coat.   Throwing is physical and I am sore!  

Useful things I gleaned were using denim bats, maintaining the rim and throwing at a slower speed.  We had lots of time to practice.   Between this and the lessons from Janice in May and June, I feel much more confident using the wheel now.

Another week well spent in Red Deer!

Whew! No wonder I’m tired (and sore!) 🥴😂

Tada….all but the 11 I saved for raku workshop in October!