Making A Production Out of It

The weather in Lubec has been

gorgeous these past couple days with blue skies and lots of warmth.

Perfect for quick-drying pots outside!

(Honey pots, boulibase bowls, and tumblers)

Honey Pots ready to be trimmed and fired.

Me working on a vase.

I admit it, I am lacking any sense of fashion with those pink wool socks and yoga pants.

No, that's not grey hair.

It's clay.

I uploaded photos nearly two weeks ago and intended to blog, but time just got away from me. I have been in heavy production for the past month in preparation for the Machias Blueberry Festival next weekend, but ran into some snags when I started the rounds of glaze firing. Last Wednesday morning the cone 6 glaze firing was on it's 15th hour of firing, far too slow, and clocking in at 3:30 a.m. With less than 100 degrees to go before completion, the kiln had an Err1. This happened during the last firing that I did back in June, too, but I was able to restart the kiln and finish the firing. I thought it was a fluke. This time, I attempted to restart four times over and after 24 hours of monitoring the kiln, I realized that it just wasn't going to happen.



That morning, between the kiln and other events, I was on the phone ten times. The next day, almost as many. Problem-solving mode kicked into high gear. New elements were on their way UPS but did not arrive on Friday as expected. Mind you, I had a firing schedule lined up that included two bisque fires and four glaze within one week: a strenuous schedule to begin with. I did receive one relay in the mail, but after speaking with Skutt tech support, one technician said it was not the elements, but the relays (he thought). Of course, the second technician said it was the elements. Had to be. I had one relay from Portland Pottery, but Skutt said I needed to replace all three. (Head spinning, three people, three different solutions). So, elements arrive tomorrow, and by Tuesday I will have the additional two relays in hand - and Chris and I will repair the kiln. In my twenty plus years of potting, I have never done this. Baptism by fire, so to say.



Once the parts are replaced, an empty firing will have to be done to "season the elements". Each firing cycle is about 24 hours (or should be!) between the firing and the cooling. So, after loading parts, will do the empty firing then two glaze loads, which takes me up to Friday when all must be packed and ready to ship. On the bright side, I will have plenty of pottery ready and waiting to be fired for the Two Countries One Bay Artist Studio Tour in September.



I had been right out straight nonstop glazing and throwing the final pieces. When the kiln issue popped up, it changed the itinerary quite a bit. I did a bit more throwing and was able to do a bisque load yesterday since there is no problem getting to cone 04. The kiln even fired in a reasonable time frame.



Yesterday I built a display unit for the festival. It was the christening of my new jigsaw, and I must say, the unit came out pretty good! I got the idea from my artist friend Becky of Dirt Girl Pottery who has been vending her wares for years. I needed a display that could be easily transported and fold up to fit in our tiny economy car. It will probably end up on the roof rack along with the tent, but most importantly, it is something that I can easily lift and assemble myself if need be.



Much of the past two weeks is a blur at this point. I woke this morning at at 3:00 a.m. and am trying to get organized and prepare for the week ahead. Chris and I did enjoy a beautiful meal at our friend Barbara's home a few nights ago. I have complete garden envy. I have been thinking how grand our garden is doing this year, then I saw Barbara's. Wow! We now have something to aspire to. Though, we don;t foresee ourselves launching into the floral/perennial planting - maintenance looks beyond our time restraints. But, we did get some new ideas for the veggies next year. Farmers Shanna and Chris have quite a ways to go!



Bouli and Bello are managing to cohabit with a modicum of civility. Bello still has his limits to how much he will allow his tail to be chased and bit before he growls, but he is making progress toward reclaiming his space and authority. Bouli. Well, she just is the same ol' Bouli. Cute as button and free-spirited. About five pounds now, too!



I think I will get-in an early shower and unload the kiln. I was a bit daring this last load. I three a few pieces, sundried them, and bisque-fired same day. I am curious (hoping!) that the wares made it through safely.



Everyone put out some good vibes for me, if you will, that we get that kiln up and running in good order and that the glaze firings go through beautifully. Much appreciated!

Opening for the Season

Newly painted sign will be posted at end of drive

We will be OPEN this Memorial weekend!
Saturday 12-5
Sunday 11-5
Monday 10-5

Interior of the shop showing one of my tapestries and some pottery, my sister's jewelry (The Indigo Iris), and landscapes by my brother-in law Neal McPartlin.

Fresh out of the kiln!

Long overdue....I repainted the floor!

My sister's jewelry and my little oil paintings and a tapestry. Love this birch stand made by Alan Mead (his work is at Orange River Arts and Laughing Raven Gift Shop downtown.)

I'm a bit late to blogging and this will be brief. It's memorial Weekend coming up and that means it's time to get Cobscook Pottery and Fiber Arts open for the season. It's been a flurry of activity between painting, making a new sign, throwing pots, ordering supplies and getting the paperwork in order.

I'm excited about this season - my fourth summer of being open. Lubec has become quite the tourist destination (seemingly overnight!) and new small businesses are opening, the restaurants are packed, and I love seeing the energy all around. It's been super rainy this spring; perhaps that means that this summer will be just as sunny, warm, and gorgeous as last summer. Though, warm is all relative I guess. I grew up in central Maine and we would migrate to the coast for respite on those scorching days. The summer months here feel....perfect. Just the right amount of heat with the added benefit of the beautiful ocean.

I hear that the B&B's, cottages, and motels are booking up quick (if not already). It's best to get your reservations made soon. And don;t forget to stop and say hi to me when you are in town!

Other than prep for opening weekend, I will report that the student art show last week was fabulous. One of our 7th grade students played piano (beautiful performance!) and the 3rd and 4th graders were on stage with a percussion ensemble with the doumbek, a gathering drum, and all kinds of fun instruments like shakers, the triangle, and rainstick. The performance was preceded by a 4th grader playing the congas. He definitely has a future as a professional drummer. I'm so proud of my students! I've been teaching music this year (a first for me!) and even though it was a daunting challenge at first, I must say, that it grew on me. The drumming has been particularly fun.

Chris has been turning the earth for the garden that we hope to begin planting this coming weekend. I have been preparing seedlings and planning the plots. It won;t be too big and we will plant what we knew to grow last year. A co-worker is providing us with some horse manure which will make the soil much richer than last year. Chris has been gathering gardening tips fomr our friend Dick who seems to be quite successful in primarily raised beds. He has great mulching and planting tips.

The rest of the yard is in need of TLC and there is always a list of things to get done. It's nearing the end of the school year so the classroom requires lots of attention. Student artwork goes to the lighthouse gallery over the summer and grades will need to be presented. We will be participating in a schoolwide theater project the next to last week of school that ends with a community performance. I'm really looking forward to that!

Busy end to the week with appointments and a Lubec Arts Alive meeting. John McMurray emailed last night that the welding on the herring sculpture is complete and the steel fish will be delivered this weekend! Our committee still has a lot of prep work to do before the big event.

Scheduling everything (teaching, Lubec Arts Alive, Cobscook Pottery, garden....) it's like a well-choreographed dance!

Cobscook Pottery and Fiber Arts will be open this holiday weekend:
Saturday: 12-5, Sunday: 11-5, and Monday 10-5.

Other than that, it is by chance or appointment. Look for the open sign or give us a call. Look up Cobscook Pottery on facebook and
like" us - I'll try to keep current with posting weekly hours at that site.

Immersed in Art

The beginning stage of a sculpture currently in progress

A new sculpture that I began this past weekend, again, in the beginning stage

This little vase is from the last firing, and is one that I particularly like. It sold yesterday and is on its way to Texas.

An intense sunrise mid week.

I didn't think I would be able to blog this week because I am packed-solid with commitments and deadlines. But seeing how I woke about 3:00 this morning and there was no chance of me falling back to sleep, I thought I might be able to slip in a little blog time before the official alarm sounds at 5:15 a.m.

The Two Countries One Bay Artist Studio Tour was a success. I loved meeting folks from near and far. In past years, Sunday would present a succession of lulls, but not this year. I barely had five minutes to myself. I managed to spend a little time throughout the day on a tapestry project and some sculpture time at the end of the day, but other than that, it was all about the meet and greet.

Early in the week I attended our monthly "Lubec Arts Alive" meeting and was re-invigorated by two new members who joined us with fresh ideas and a bounty of enthusiasm. It's exciting to think about how the arts can, and will, grow in our little nook of downeast. I look back over the past nine years here in Lubec, and feel honored to be part of this transition that is happening, from sleepy little town to colorful artist community. I can't wait to see what the next year brings!

After the LAA meeting, I hurried home to enjoy a lovely homemade pesto pasta meal (compliments of Chris' fine culinary skills) with our Brooklyn friend Pam who is in Lubec on a writing fellowship. The literary conversation was a bit beyond my realm of expertise, but nonetheless incredibly interesting. Two Shakespeare enthusiasts sharing bread made for a perfect end to the day.

I have had a list of art-related to-do's that needed attention - so spent a night with those things: lightbox photos, bios, phone calls, bookkeeping, etc. I knocked a few of those items off the list and headed into the weekend full-speed ahead with the internal GPS set for the studio. I got in two excellent, full, eleven and twelve hour days consecutively. I worked on two different sculptures and seem to have one piece complete, as far as the wet work goes. Ideas are flowing right now faster than I can produce, so I am jotting down words and sketches to return to at a later date. I have an idea for a sculpture that I think is pretty good, but I won't have enough time to do it justice until the turn of the new year.

I loo forward to this new week. I am of course busy with teaching during the day, and the afternoons and evenings are slotted full as well. I hope to squeeze in some studio time in-between guests and appointments. I am most excited for our friend Barbara's visit. She is a fellow weaver with years of experience and load of talent who will teach me how to use that fancy new spinning wheel that Judy gifted me this past summer. I can't wait!

I will deliver a fiber piece to a local fiber show mid week. I need to come up with some sort of semi-eloquent bio. I have written a ton of these in the past, but need to rewrite to fit the venue and selected piece. And that reminds me, I also need to provide another bio to Northern Tides, a very cool gift shop here in Lubec, which is going online soon. That bio will be different and require a bit of thinking as well.

Before I sign off, I will mention that I feel honored to have gotten a little blurb about my artwork in the current edition of "Saltscapes", a Canadian arts and culture magazine. I am humbled to make a presence alongside some area artists whose work I admire. If you get a chance, you can check out the article online. It showcases some of the area talents that participated in the Two Countries One Bay Artist Studio Tour a couple years back. The writer, Janet Wallace, did a phenomenal job, I thought, capturing the essence of this area and how our surroundings inspire us. The article is titled "Art Off the Grid" (pg. 44-47). Thanks, Janet!

Inspiration Strikes

Shanna working on a tapestry

The ferry boat from Campobello to Deer Island (New Brunswick, Canada)

Newly-designed shop entrance

New "Official Business Directional Sign"

Downtown view looking at the bay, Wags N' Wool sign on the right

New yarn waiting to transform into a tapestry

Inspiration is one of those things that you have no control over. It sneaks up on you at the most unexpected, sometimes inopportune, times. It may be 3:00 a.m. or middle of the day. It denies sleep and steals your attention for hours on end, causing you to ignore the things that you KNOW you should be doing.

This past week was one of those kinds of weeks. The waking at 3:00 a.m. is nothing new. That's when my mind seems to be the most active with ideas. Since I don't need a total alert state for teaching right now, I allow myself to go with the energy and early-rise from darkness. I listen to the first bird of the morning greet me as the orange ball of sun slowly burns its way over ocean's edge and above the trees. The fiery colors against cool dark sky is wildly serene.

Perhaps I was already in the kind of mood that allowed for inspiration. My aunt was visiting from Bangor and I had mentally prepared myself for a break in the usual routine to spend time with her. There was no set plan and I told myself that I needed to not be a party-pooper and would, instead of burying my nose in work, be open to spur-of-the-moment exploring and fun.

The visit began with an impromptu homemade pasta-making mess, flour and sticky dough everywhere. We ate heartily, conversed at length, and set no plan for the next day. I arose and began the bookwork and prep for Lubec Arts Alive. With the event nearing, there is lots to do. When June called and suggested a bog walk, I said "sure", and immediately double-paced my LAA work efforts until she arrived. In hand were several brochures for various local hikes. Given that it was raining, we opted for the closer West Quoddy hike, which is one of the most beautiful I have ever experienced. Shimmer (her whippet/lab mix canine) was obviously pleased with the choice! The evening was topped-off with a superbly delicious meal at Water Street Tavern, followed by a walk up the hill to the Summer Keys concert.

We ended the day exhausted with a plan to wake and head over to Campobello Island and catch an early ferry. Our plan to leave at 7:00 a.m. was foiled when my body rebelled and decided to sleep-in until 6:30 a.m. We eventually began the excursion, missing the first ferry by 2 minutes, watching it pull away from the shore. That little snafu led us to East Quoddy Headlight and some great photographic moments.

I hadn't been on a car-ferry since I was fifteen, when visiting Aunt Aggie and Uncle Carlisle one summer over on Swan's Island. This was a much smaller ferry, but incredible fun just the same. We ferried first to Deer Isle, then caught a second ferry to head back to mainland U.S., Eastport. I know, it seems kinda ridiculous to ferry to a place we could have driven to in fifty minutes. Our total trip to reach a destination that is literally only about 1500 yards from Lubec (by water!) took (including time lost in missing the first ferry) was about three hours. But boy was that a relaxing three hours!

In Eastport we found a little water's-edge picnic table kinda-place that served lobster rolls. We enjoyed a lunch then some downtown shopping. I finally met a fellow clay enthusiast whose work I had admired for the past fifteen years. I know, I know. I have lived here almost ten years now, and it took me this long to meet Donald Sutherland. His huge architectural-styled ceramic sculptures are powerful. I couldn't walk away without purchasing a small vessel for myself. Someday, perhaps, one of his larger fantastic pieces will grace our home.

So, you must be wondering by this point in the blog - where is the creative inspiration that I mentioned earlier? It's coming!

The break in schedule threw me off my usual routine of roll-out-of-bed and head into the pottery cave. This recent humid weather has prevented the pots from drying at any good clip, and the shelves are full. I cannot throw another piece until that kiln gets loaded to make room for more work. My aunt headed home on Friday and I was back into full work-mode swing. The day began with two meetings which consumed about six hours of my day.

It was the second meeting with a very creative, vivacious, intuitive person that got me buzzing around like a bee with new ideas. The word "turquoise" spurred the desire to weave with turquoise colors. As soon as she left, the yarns were flying out of the cabinet, all over the floor, and I was sorting through, matching-up, and warping and weaving. Come six o'clock I realized I needed more black wool yarn. The local fiber shop was already closed, so when I woke the next morning I made my plan to shoot on over to Wag's n' Wool (yep, it is a yarn and dog supply shop all in one....unique!). I bought myself not only the needed black skein, but two other gorgeous colors - one a teal and the other a variegated mix of teals, rust, and blues.

I wove my heart out all day, feeling quite content to be surrounded by plush fibers, sitting in the shade on the deck, finding some relief from the extreme heat of summer. I thought for sure I would wake the next morning to finish the tapestry, but instead, inspiration took me in yet another new direction. I drew up a design for a new entrance to the pottery shop and made a list of necessary materials, and off I went to Machias for landscaping supplies. I worked, possessed, eight hours straight hauling shovelfuls of rock and cedar into a curvilinear pattern, painting a chair, shelf, and sprucing up the door and even the old chipped shingles. I still have some planting to do and some arranging of pots on the shelf, but that little unexpected project is nearly complete.

Today.....anxious to get back to the tapestry that I started three days ago. If finished, I will move on to the second tapestry with the new wool/silk mix yarn (see photo above!!!) and hopefully soon begin an earthy woods-inspired tapestry on the beaver-stick loom. My hunger for weaving right now is insatiable.
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Check out Arthur Cadieux's exhibit at Lubec Landmarks/Mulholland Market!!! The show is up through August 3rd.
http://www.arthurcadieux.org/

thinking of visiting Lubec this summer?
Lubec information link