Old and not so old memories

Lovely evening with professional clay workers at One of A Kind...OOAK, in Micaville, NC last night.  Renewed acquaintence with Susan and sort of started one with Cynthia from Penland. 

Raku goddess of ??? (in Teressa Balinger's collection)

Muffin mask, another raku sculpture.  Mmmm, I think I'll try to do some more raku this year.  Both of these were not made of raku clay, but Bella's Blend.

Loved looking at the new works around the OOAK gallery...lots of potters represented, and some sculptors too.  I will have a new place to take my out-of-town visitors.  Susan welcomed me to come to visit the clay studio at Penland too.  It was fun again to be introduced as Tai's Mom.  (He's been their studio assistant there twice).  I do like the energy of these artists.  Susan keeps urging me to take a class.  Maybe...

Micaville is east of Burnsville, and I made the mistake of going up future I-26 and then had lots of construction on 19 E, still.  I hadn't been there in a year, and it has progressed, but still is going along for most of the length.  I came home via Marion, and was glad to go through the switchbacks around Switzerland before nightfall.  My night vision is deteriorating, especially on two lane roads with on-coming traffic.

I'm really looking forward to Clay Club meeting here in Black Mountain next month at our clay studio in town.  I was the only person there who had ever been to the Black Mountain Center for the Arts...since the other 2 "members" that I know of weren't there last night. 

Toe River area sure has lots more potters, evidently.  But then again, they meet this way because they are all working in isolation most of the time.  We at the BMCA Clay Studio meet every time we go into the community studio to work...providing a social experience as well as working/learning one.  And by social, I don't mean necessarily talking about our families, or restaurants (though that has been known to happen).  At BMCA we compare glaze results, give critiques (gentle ones) of each other's works, and praise progress of people who started with only minimal skills as they develop into real potters.

What are you doing today with your one wild and precious life?