cool project, cool gallery, cool book...

Art House Coop in Atlanta has a very unique way of putting together an exhibit, one that invites such open collaboration across all boundaries and is truly inspiring...and fun!

I joined in on the Scavenger Hunt Project: I got a list of items and I sent back my representations of the list (well, some of the list, I didn't join till very close to the deadline date and I'm not saying I procrastinated, but things come up, time goes by...). There were 375 submissions, so I'm very pleased that one of my items did indeed make it into the printed version of the project (which you can order via the link by clicking the image above!). I'm on page 59, and you're just gonna have to get the book or come by the studio to see my copy if you really want to see it. All the items were also exhibited at the Coop, which is worth a visit if you're in the area - or just check out the newest calls for entry and join a project yourself!

Plaster Mold Workshop

The spring/summer workshops at Crazy Green Studios are in the shop being fine tuned, so check back soon for the big announcements....

...till then, we spread the news of other cool things to look forward to:

hmmmm...promise or threat, you decide!

Plaster Mold Making Workshop
February 21, 2009
One day, hands on class on basic mold making.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
$60.00 (includes plaster)

Bring about 5 pounds of clay, your tools and an object which we will make a mold from. Approximately 4” x 4” x 4” or the size of an apple. We will make a small two piece press mold.

John Britt Pottery Studio
154 Sparks Road
Bakersville, NC 28705
828-688-6615
jbritt@main.nc.us

a break for puppy fun...

I knew by the time I posted this, the weather would have changed several times, and I was right. I finally took the camera with me to the park one fine, chilly day to get some shots of our little bits of winter. Didn't have any snow to speak of, but I loved the way the French Broad River looked with ice floating down.

hard to tell, but it's a rather large piece that was floating by...

And Lissa was in dog heaven, even without snow on the ground for her 'snow angels' - she recently cut her leg on a piece of broken glass during a walk, so I kept her on a short leash for walks over the course of several days while it started to heal. This is her way of saying "I'm so happy to be in my park!!!"

And of course now it's sunny and quite mild, and I love it but I still have hopes for just a little 'real' winter before the winter is done. Back to the wheel - pots to make! peace.

My Next Thing...

I didn't expect to see anything so soon, but Brooke & Greg have uploaded a preview to the shoot they did here at my studio a couple of weeks ago. You can read more about the whole project at their website and blog.

holla out for some freakin' good chocolate!

I've said it before, the only thing better than seeing another local small business get some well deserved props, is when it's a friend! Holla for the French Broad!

If you click on the image, you'll go to the Verve website where you can read the full article. You'll also find other great articles, including one about another group near and dear to my heart - Manna Food Bank.

What a great way to start out a Brand New Day! peace.

studio doings and another member hello

It's Inauguration eve, and being MLK day it's also a proposed 'day of service'. Since the studio is open today, our service here is making bowls for the Empty Bowl project and Imagine Render. Well at least I'm making bowls, and everyone who comes in today is welcome to join in! We're also having a little Inauguration celebration, since we're closed tomorrow, so there is festive pugging, throwing and toasting abounding!

In other studio news, I may have posted a picture of Helen before, but since we're doing the introductions I thought I'd get her again.

If you got the last member newsletter, it was Helen's pots that were featured in the 'member spotlight'.

More members are starting to get back into the routine of coming to the studio, and I'm seeing all kinds of cool forms coming out of their brains and onto the wheel.

These are some of my demos - we were talking about altering on the wheel, adding texture and generally playing around with forms, and what you can do with and after a trim. I'll start taking some pictures of the member work soon - it's great to do a demo, and then see it go through someone else's filter and come out as a piece of their own.

Back to the bowls, and then I'll also do some 'regular' work as well today. peace.

chillin' at the stu, and planning workshops...

Actually, the chill is outside the stu. Inside it's toasty warm from my hearty little heater, which is pulling double duty as a drying box for some mugs. Tonight I'll load a bisque, and tomorrow I may not even have to turn the heat on. It's getting down to around 5 tonight before the wind, so we'll just see how much heat the little studio keeps.

In another installment of 'meet Team Crazy Green', today's intro is to Teva Hite:

Teva is a talented clay artist with a very cool eye for design and line, as well as a very welcome warped eye for the completely odd (ask to see her series of funky stamps!). Teva is one of my valued helpers, and today she actually came in just to work on some of her own stuff!

I've been working on the workshops for spring and summer, and they'll be announced soon. Well, okay, since you asked so nice, I'll just tell you that the series SO far is featuring the likes of uber-talented artists Becca Floyd, Heather Tinnaro, Holly deSaillan, Cynthia Lee and Becca Johnson. These are not yer grandma's workshops - stay tuned or join the mailing list to find out what's cookin' at Crazy Green Studios this spring and summer!

Pots on the heater are dry, time to rotate and start loading the kiln, then back to more mugs. peace.

finally back at the wheel

So I've been having some fun with dental issues, that now I find may be sinus issues! At any rate, along with the regular business of running the business, it's been an added distraction that's kept me from getting back into a rhythm of work. Back at it today, pausing only to post this while I wait for clients to arrive. They're here - back to work! peace.

more welcomes and other studio news

The welcomes continue, although Teva got in and out without me getting her picture (and she even cleaned the sink trap, which would have been such a great glam shot!). I'll get her next time she's here to do her own work.

But I did manage to get one new face logged!

Katie S (we have two Katies, if you're keeping count) joined the
studio last month and is getting her own 'art therapy' after
a day of counseling others

And in other studio news, yours truly was filmed for a web-based 'documentary' that's being produced at the website Our Next Thing, which chronicles the adventures of people who have made career changes and subsequently great life changes. Greg and Brooke were wonderful to work with, and made chatting incessantly about myself actually seem relevant! It never occurred to me to take out my camera and document my own documenting, so you'll just have to wait for me to get a copy of the trailer. But here's a shot from our first interview...

...soon to be featured on a website near you!

And a special shout out of thanks to Dan & Jael from the Chocolate Lounge for coming over during the shoot to take part, and to Heather Tinnaro for also hanging out and being extremely gracious to throw beautiful bowls for the camera (that are now designated for Empty Bowls). My friends rock!

In other exciting studio news, I've finally taken the Etsy plunge! I've only got a few things listed, and while I should be putting the studio back in order from the film shoot, and getting back on the wheel to start on mugs for the Chocolate Lounge, I'll be on the Etsy site soon to add more items. You can check out the page at a link somewhere over on the right side of the blog.

OK - cleaning up the studio and throwing some mug bases before I have to go home and start sorting things for the yard sale (right - if you're in Asheville, check out the yard sale listing for details and come on by!). peace.

Welcoming new members...

It's been a bit more slow moving, getting back into gear at the studio after 'stay-cation'. After a whirlwind of movings, various show and commission deadlines, firings and general running about, it was nice to take it easy (relatively speaking, that is) over the last two weeks. I'm still unpacking, but getting settled, and now it's time to get back to the details of Crazy Green Studios!

One thing I've been fairly lax at is giving new members a proper welcome here in the blog. That changes today, and those of you who follow the blog will see repeat introductions as I am now taking pictures of the membership, for the membership (you'll have to come by the studio to see what that means).

So here are some of the newest members to Crazy Green Studios, and then a long overdue welcoming intro to one of the studio assistants who help keep the place running.

Matt was the high-bidder on a gift certificate at last year's
Mountain Biz Work's benefit. Hopefully this will be the
beginning of a long clay relationship!


Katie H. is an old friend and former student from other
classes I've taught, and she gave herself a studio membership
for Christmas. I'm so psyched that I've got another kick wheel soul sister!


Heather is one of my valued studio assistants, and a recent
grad of Haywood College in ceramics. I'll share pictures of her
glamorous work cleaning the sink trap, but as she is also
a fine potter, here she is getting her reward!

I'll be stalking the rest of the members with my camera, so stay tuned for more happy clay faces! Now it's back to planning spring and summer workshops, and scouting out more commission work to float the studio through the winter! Where are those June brides looking for dinnerware registries!?

Skating in the New Year!

On New Year's Eve, Sadie, Heather and I hit the rink at the Civic Center, and most graciously, it did not hit back!

Sadie & Heather, queens of the ice!

I went for a brief skate the week before with roomie Libby and her family, and was quite proud for not falling down after getting on skates for the first time in ... years. This week it was for about an hour, and all three of us stayed skating upright the entire time (and didn't kill ourselves, not even once!). And I'm even more impressed with the lack of sore muscles, which considering how much time I spend hunkered over a wheel, I can only attribute to my personal trainer Lissa and her daily hiking sessions.

To see action footage, check out heater's blog. Anyone in the Asheville area, the skating continues throughout January, and I highly recommend it!

Today, I'm catching up on emails and starting to get things in order for what I hope to be the last move for a while. It has been a blissfully relaxing month at Libby & Julie's 'retreat', and I am so grateful to have had that after the excitement and turmoil of the months that led up to it. I'm really looking forward to this move, to getting to know my new roommate, to being walking distance to the studio and to unpacking! And after that, I'm most anxious to get back to work in the studio!!

Another note for anyone in the AVL area - I'll be having a CraigsList and/or actual yard sale in the coming week or so, as I know there is much in storage that will not find space in the new home.

There still seems to be a nice, holiday laziness about the town, and I hope everyone has been enjoying a peaceful holiday surrounded by love. Happy New Year!