Friday, November 20, 2009

Our Gallery Show 11/19/09

We were fortunate enough to have a show of some of the work we have doing at a really nice gallery here in Jingdezhen.  Yesterday we set up the work and the opening was tonight at 5:30.  We had a nice time snacking and trying out our slim Chinese language skills with some of the areas artists.

I showed some of the bottles I have made and these "helmets."  
getting our work out of the studio made a big difference everyone's work looked so good.  We have had a great semester, and it seems that some of we students have really gotten a lot out of this trip

Friends 11/18/09




Our professor Li Chao and his wife WayNa invited a few of us to their home for tea, movies, and conversation.  We had a wonderful time, the tea drinking has taken on new meaning because of the cold.  We watched a movie entitled Baraka.  If you have not seen this I suggest renting it, because it is thought provoking and beautiful.  The other movie was Princess Mononok, by Hayao Miyazaki, which is also thought provoking, fun, and funny. 


My work 11/17/09


Here is a bit of my work.  While here I have been slip casting and hand building for the most part.  The sculptures are abstract pieces that came about through ideas that slowly morphed.  The bottles are something I was having fun with in regards to the bottle looking so much like a figure, and by using color and placement the bottles start to gain different meanings for me.  I did a series of teapots that were inspired from our trip to Yixing, I really want to become a better craftsman, and so I though this would be a great exercise. 



Cold times ahead 11/16/09

The weather here has turned cold.  China is interesting in that none of the buildings are heated (for the most part), this goes for our studio also, so I am always cold.  Everyone wears a lot of layers, hats and gloves everywhere.  In the studio the cold has become a blessing (for the most part), because we have been huddling around these little heaters to stay warm, and so we do our work, drink a lot of tea, and talk - wonderful community.

Wood Fire treasures 11/15/09

We opened the wood kiln today, to find a lot of brown pots.  Since we were not able to get to temperature with the kiln some of the ash did not completely melt, but for the most part the pots looked pretty great.

This is little baby and his/her grandmother, I am not sure if it is a boy or girl.  I see these two at least once a day.  This little baby is so darn cute.    I think the mother and father work during the day and so the grandma hangs with the little thing.  Her/his face never changes, always this look of indifference, it makes me think about being completely comfortable in life, especially with so much love.  

Wood work horses 11/14/09

The wood firing went pretty well.  The only hitch was the fact that it rained the whole time and we where unable to get to temperature, because of the wood.  That did not stop anyone from trying though.

Lecture me this 11/13/09

Today was good.  I gave a lecture this evening at the "Pottery Workshop."  I felt like it went pretty well.  I lectured a bit on my ideas of art, the importance of discussion as a means of greater self-understanding, and how much of an impact our surroundings, experiences, and peers have upon who we are and who we become.  I also talked about my work and how the latter have such a large role in defining what I make.  I was a bit nervous in spots, but for the most part I felt pretty collected.  It was nice talking about my work and explaining some of my ideas.