Potteramics

2011-02-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

On to Charlottesville the Self Serve Pottery Kiosks roll! But first a stop in Indiana PA, where I teamed up with another potter, Kyle Houser to install our first "Collaborative Kiosk." There (and soon to sweep through Pittsburgh), Kyle will be the Kiosk Keeper. The first Collaborative Kiosk was installed at the The Philly Street Cafe in downtown Indiana. Here are some pictures, courtesy of Kyle's blog Homefry Sketchbook.

The Philly Street Cafe

An excited Kiosk customer (or just me, but I do look excited)

For more information on the Collaborative Kiosk, Kyle Houser, and the Indiana Arts Council (20% of Phillly Street's Kiosk income go to Indiana Arts Council) be sure to check out Homefry Sketch Book.

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And now for the first Charlottesville area Kiosk, newly located at the aptly named C'ville Coffee shop.

Ten percent of all Charlottesville area Kiosk sales will go to The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative. The Bridge PAI was an easy choice for me because they embrace all forms of artistic expression while providing meaningful outreach to Charlottesville and the surrounding area. The successful "bridging" of progressive art with community has made for a hip, yet accessible venue that serves the Charolettsville community well- but don't take my word for it, check it out The Bridge PAI!

Now back to the C'ville Coffee Kiosk which is EXTRA charitable! Not only do 10% of sales go to The Bridge PAI, but the owner of C'ville Coffee, Toan Nguyen, is donating the 10% that he would normally receive from Kiosk sales, MATCHING it, and donating that total to Freedom In Creation (FIC). The mission of this organization is to provide increased access to therapeutic art, water, and educational infrastructural to former child soldiers of Uganda. This is an important non-profit that brings attention and healing to a war-torn part of the world. Please visit their website Freedom In Creation to see how they blend art, education, and water services with healing and empowerment of young people formerly forced into the atrocities of war. I am very proud to know that this Kiosk plays a small role in helping many in need.

Monika Fallon & Becca Deeds, part of the friendly C'ville Coffee staff:

Great food!

Even a music series:

You can also find C'ville Coffee on Facebook. In fact you can find all of today's posts topics on Facebook (of course you can). Let's make a list!

C'ville Coffee's Facebook

Philly Street Cafe, Indiana PA Facebook

Kyle Houser Facebook

The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative Facebook

Freedom In Creation's Facebook

Even I have a Facebook page

Kiosk 2.0

2011-01-31T17:03:00.000-08:00

Now back to the Self Serve Pottery Kiosks! First things first, remember these?

These were the original Self Serve Pottery Kiosks... Ikea used to carry this sleek, red, steel and glass shelving unit (I think the model was "Bibby"). I added a fancy maple cash box below and viola- Self Serve Pottery Kiosks were born. Then one day (without consulting me) they stopped making the shelves! So where was a poor boy to go? I looked and looked, and called and complained, bothered my wife and annoyed my dog- but to no avail. Self Serve Pottery Kiosks would have to find a new look. And wouldn't you know it- Ikea came through again!

Introducing- the new Self Serve Pottery Kiosk:

Aside from the change in the cabinet, which is larger and has a handy glass top, I decided that I had enough of making the wood cash boxes. Wood working is fine and all, but it is time consuming when I'd rather make pots. Besides, a wood box in the new kiosks just didn't seem to fit. Instead, I am finding old, classic lunch boxes and converting them to cash boxes. The kids call it "upcycling", I call it awesome. The lunch boxes are secured by a stainless steel cable and padlock.

But where do old lunch boxes come from? Well, I'll tell you. You see, some people get excited when they hear there is a need for lunch boxes... real excited. And when they hear that they get to harass dealers on Ebay, then off they go, and lunch boxes magically start appearing on your door step.

And so I introduce to you, the new Patron Saint of the Self Serve Pottery Kiosk! We'll call him Mark, and pictures of this mysterious man usually look like this.

Nice brown trout.

A grayling! Well you don't see that in the south- click and check out the beautiful red dorsal fin.

I took this one of my brown trout- I think it's bigger...

So the lunch box/money box is an exciting new world for me! Here are some pictures of future kiosk money boxes, crowding out bisque work in need of glazing.

Thanks Mark! So the new style of kiosk is all worked out. Stay tuned-- I have two new locations to tell you about very soon. Let's wrap things up today with a few pots.

Tumbler

Vase

Tumbler

Catching Up Part 3/3 Charmed

2011-01-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

This last bit of catching up takes us to St. Ives; a more charming place I cannot imagine. As a studio potter, St. Ives holds a special place in my heart, because it is the home of Leach Pottery. Here are pictures from that visit:

Photo of Bernard Leach and an introduction that was posted:

Great functional forms:

The original studio space:

The three chambered oil-burning kiln built by Leach and Hamada- a beauty.

They have a museum space as well as a great pottery gallery.

Various pots from the gallery. The first are a couple of mugs and a teapot from Walter Keeler.

The next four photos are of some fine work. Unfortunately I forgot to write down the artists names.

One mug made the long trip back to Virginia, and is always a good companion while decaling pots!

Mug from Leach Pottery, designed by Jack Doherty

I will leave you with a link, check out a truly wonderful place for pots- Leach Pottery.

Catching Up part 2/3- THE MOTHER LOAD

2011-01-14T07:03:00.000-08:00

If you were to pray to the god of clay, you would eventually need to make a pilgrimage to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. I won't claim to be the most traveled, learned, or experienced ceramic person, but...I am pretty sure this is the mother load of ceramic art.

The collection is mostly on the top floor of the museum and it is truly immense; still, it is displayed in a friendly and accessible way. I was taken with the thorough discussion of the history of conservation, production, and even chemistry of clay and glaze. Their website does a great job of explaining what is going on -- Victoria and Albert Museum . Here are my pictures from a good 6 hours of wandering and muttering to myself in awe:

The V&A has an artist in residence program. Here is Phoebe Cummings at work behind glass and in the midst of ceramics from 3500 BC to present day. V&A Artist In Residence

They even have pottery classes!

I was particularly fond of this display of Lucie Rie's studio:

A display of Walter Keeler's pottery construction:

More pieces that jump out at me today:

I was set adrift in a sea of pots...

Looking back, this collection was overwhelming and I think it would take a few days to actually see everything. Another pilgrimage must be made one day! Until then the Victoria and Albert website will have to do.

Catching Up Part 1/3

2011-01-10T08:11:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since I last posted. Let's catch up...
In August I took a trip abroad to the land of fog and cheese! I had the opportunity to visit family in London, and from there was fortunate to have some really great adventures. I will be posting some of the potter-centric highlights of the trip.

First to the British Museum, where I spent a day ogling old pots, including Mycenaean, Attic, Etruscan, and other Greeks. I took a few hundred pictures- here are some of the best:

A Self Serve Pottery Kiosk Episode 4- This here is Crazy

2010-08-24T05:40:00.000-07:00

I am happy to say that Kiosk Number 3 is up and running at what is now Stir Crazy Cafe. They are about to change their name, and you can make suggestions for a new name. If your name is picked, you get a free pound of coffee each month for a year! This North Richmond coffee shop is a true local hang out in a real gem of a neighborhood. It's a perfect location for a kiosk and owner Jerry and his staff couldn't be a nicer group of people. I even ran into an old friend while setting up-- being new to Virginia this never happens, so Stir Crazy Cafe must be a good place.

Stir Crazy street view (pic from their website)

I realize looking at some of my blog posts, that I haven't included any pictures of the pots actually in the kiosks. So the following are a few images of the type of work that you can expect to find in a Self Serve Pottery Kiosk.

Tumblers

Mugs

A Self Serve Pottery Kiosk Episode 3: Plant one on me

2010-07-19T05:18:00.000-07:00

How time flies. It has been more than a month since our last blogging adventure and so much has happened. Self Serve Pottery Kiosk number 1 is up and running at the Lamplighter Roasting Company and the first month went swimmingly- so a big thank you to the Lamplighter and Lamplighter patrons. This allowed me to make a nice donation to our friends at Art 180, which should give everyone involved a nice fuzzy feeling. They (Art 180) even sent me a very kind thank you note that brought a little sunshine to what was an otherwise dreary day.
And now... we have a home for Kiosk number 2 with the good folks at Plant Zero Cafe. Noah, the very kind, bearded giant/owner of Plant Zero-

was kind enough to waive his share of the Kiosks sales making a total of 20% that will go to Art 180- Thanks Noah! Plant Zero is part of the revitalization project in the New Manchester District of Richmond VA, which is a great home for artists and hipsters alike right on the James River. The address is 3 East 3rd St. Richmond VA, a great place to get a good meal AND to see the many, many, artist studios who have a home in the same building aka Art Works.

If you're lucky you will get to meet Noah, Alex, Chelsae and more, get yourself a Chipolte Roast Beef Wrap, and of course check out Self Serve Pottery Kiosk Number 2. Also check out Plant Zero on The Face Book

A Self Serve Pottery Kiosk: Episode 2, Lamplight up my life

2010-05-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

Well kiosk number one has a home for a few months at the very cool Lamplighter Roasting Company!

Here is how it went down.
I met with Lamplighter owner Noelle Archibald Wednesday, and despite my barely coherent presentation, she immediately began looking around the shop (which is a beautifully remodeled gas station) for a place to put the kiosk. After some measuring she found a cozy little spot next to the front door, and on Thursday evening I installed Kiosk #1.

Noelle with Kiosk #1

So this is good this is nice, a Self Serve Pottery Kiosk up and running at a cool hip (way cooler and hipper than I deserve by the by) coffee shop. But that is not the coolest OR hippest part of this episode, the coolest hippest part is that Noelle asked that Art 180 receive their (Lamplighter) share of the Kiosk's sales. Therefore, Kiosk #1 will be donating 20% of its sales to Art 180, thanks Noelle!

Now that we are all feeling warm and fuzzy, all you have to do is get down to the Lamplighter and get yourself some really great coffee, or what I had yesterday, my new favorite drink, the "Liberian Ginger Ale". I have to admidt, I thought the menu said "librarian" instead of "Liberian" and so when I tasted the real ginger of this homemade ginger ale, all I could think of was naughty librarians. Really real ginger, you have to try it.
And of course you have to check out the Self Serve Pottery Kiosk, get yourself some pots while supporting a good cause. I will leave you with some images of the kiosk, and sights of the Lamplighter, which is at 116 South Addison St. Richmond VA.
Stay tuned- more kiosk episodes to come soon.

Lamplighter

A very tall bike

A Self Serve Pottery Kiosk Episode 1: The Easy Part

2010-05-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

This will be the first in a series of posts about a project I have been working on... you see I have been going on and on to my friends about these"kiosks". How these "kiosks" would be in coffee shops and they would have my pottery in them, and you would pay for the pottery in the "kiosk" on the honor system, and there would be a box in the "kiosk" and you could put your money in the box, and if you didn't have cash, because who carries cash, you could pay through Paypal, and a portion of the sales would go to a worthy charity, and it would work because people who like handmade pots don't tend to steal handmade pots, and the honor system in the right location is a simple elegant solution to reaching people with my work in a way that is a little more direct, a little more homey and campy, just what the world needs, solve all the worlds problems- bang- done, problems solved.

My poor poor friends, who are patient and kind, glaze over shortly after the hundredth mention of the "kiosk" and slowly sidle away as I begin my awkward mutterings that mark the beginning of yet another Self Serve Pottery Kiosk Rant. Oh but today is a new day, today I will share with you not only words but finally form given to this idea- A SELF SERVE POTTERY KIOSK.

Episode 1: The Easy Part

Making a Self Serve Pottery Kiosk is pretty simple. I bought very modern looking glass and steel cabinets (four to start with) from Ikea and retrofitted them with a maple money box at the bottom. The maple came from a tree on my parents farm in Iowa (extra heap of wholesomeness). I then made a sign and stuck it in a sign holder that matches the now modified shelving unit. Finally I put my wares inside the newly modified shelving unit with matching sign AND voila! A Self Serve Pottery Kiosk.

So making a kiosk wasn't all that difficult, but now comes the hard part. The part that usually results in me running in terror back to the studio where it is safe and dry. This is the part where I have to go to coffee shops and say things like "Hi I am Adam and I am an artist working on a project that erah ahh- well you see it's this kiosk thing, that works on the honor system, and your shop wouldn't have to maintain it, I would maintain it..."

More on that in my next blog posting "Episode 2: The Less Easy Part".

Before I leave you for today, I would like to share with you the EASIEST and coolest part of the Self Serve Pottery Kiosk, this is the charitable part. I live close to Richmond VA, and so the kiosks that go into Richmond shops will all donate 10% of their sales to Art 180, which is a really great local art based non-profit that works with other non-profits to provide art based experiences to empower children growing up in disadvantaged neighborhoods. They are good people, you should check out their blog as well Art 180 Blog.

Finally, I will leave you with pictures of a couple of pots from my last firing-

No No This Time It's Different...

2010-05-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

I suppose this blog should be called "An Occasional Truckload of Art", but let's not dwell.
Here is some of my work from the show "Not Particularly Precious" that Kyle Houser and I had in the month of April at the gallery jfergeson gallery

First, wine pouring vessels.

A few sculptural whiskey flasks.

Title: A Drinking Problem- Cycle 1, Gentleman's League Hall of Champions

Title: A Drinking Problem- Cycle 4, In and Out of a Barrel

Title: A Drinking Problem- Cycle 5, Extra Gravity

Title: A Drinking Problem- Cycle 3, Adventures In Prohibition

Now for some pictures of Kyle Houser's work that I took the day we set up the show. Be sure to check out his blog for more pictures and titles. Also be sure to check out the jfergeson gallery the show has ended but he still has a few pieces left for sale, AND the new show Friendly Ghosts and Pretty Gross is very cool- don't miss it.

and I will leave you with more pictures of my work from the show.

More soon... No no this time it's different- very soon...
Wait hold on- I almost forgot to share the really great review that we got in RVA Mag read it here.

First Pots

2010-02-08T17:57:00.000-08:00

Here are the first few pieces from the new studio.

And of course Miss Casey has her spot.

You are welcome to purchase work from me online at my Etsy store. http://www.etsy.com/shop/apaulek and at the jfergeson gallery http://www.jfergesongallery.com/LeahCOlivier.cfm?ArtistsID=177
More to come soon.

Container Kiln-shop part 2

2010-01-06T09:27:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Let's begin where we left off. Cutting, and cutting... I rented a plasma torch for this job, and suggest everyone rent one even if you don't have anything in particular to cut, great fun.

My friend Joe had some old casement windows, cleaning them up, and re-glazing them seemed like a good idea. Two long weeks later I was hating ever even looking into recycling windows, but in the end, they look like they belong.

The electric proved to be one of the easiest parts of the project to date, because I actually broke down and hired my neighbor, who is an electrician, and he did a fine job.

Now the kilns have a proper home and I am in the process of filling them. The next step for the Container workshop is to fill in some gaps, paint the sides, and when it warms up a bit, place a metal roof over the entire structure.

Container Kiln-shop Project Part 1

2009-11-01T11:33:00.000-08:00

Recently we have moved to the peaceful village of Farmville Virginia. Moving is great fun. Part of the fun comes from the fascinating world of house renovation and ceramic studio building. This post is dedicated to a part of these processes that I will call the Container Workshop Project. This will be a building for my pottery kilns as well as additional workspace separate from my basement clay studio (also being remodeled). The building is made from two 20' steel shipping containers sometimes referred to as ISBU's or Intermodal Steel Building Units, which are becoming a popular way to create a building that is structurally sound, economical, and environmentally friendly (made from recycled materials). Lets start at the beginning...

First, our new home came with a deceptively crappy storage building complete with dirt floor, leaky roof, and a mostly rotten, ant-infested interior. Good times!

The shed and its evil entrails fit neatly into a garbage bin.Next came the tedious tasks of leveling out the grounds, and digging and forming up a cement pad behind the house.

Casey proved that she is more than a pretty face with great hunting skills, but that she can work circles around anyone on the work site (which is usually just me, that's pretty good for a dog).Cement day was tackled by my wife Rachel and I and it went really smoothly. It's a shame that we didn't manage to get any pictures of her raking cement, since she really enjoyed it.

Next we made cement piers to serve as a foundation for the steel containers. Digging these deep holes wasn't nearly as fun or as exciting as these pictures make it look.

Eventually the holes got dug, I poured the piers using cardboard tubes for forms, and spread gravel for a driveway and under the building.

Now I didn't manage to get pictures taken on container delivery day, but be assured that it was an epic event that included a 2 semi trucks, one telescopic forklift, many chains, and one head injury (nothing too serious but exciting nonetheless). None of this could have gotten done with out the help of Jeff from King Equipment Rental out of Pamplin VA. He and I worked really well together to get the containers set in place.

Now I am in the process of connecting the containers, cutting out windows and doors, and so on. More to come soon!

Disturbingly Good Dr Houser

2009-09-23T19:16:00.000-07:00

This post goes out to the original Dr Houser. The Dr Houser, in fact, that the popular TV series (Dougie Houser MD) staring none other than Neil Patrick Harris was based on. Very few people know that after the series wrapped, the true Dougie Houser changed his name to "Kyle" and became the artist responsible for homefry sketch book blog (http://kylehouser.blogspot.com/). All true. Here is a collaborative piece that Dr Houser and I created. We give you "Disturbingly Good"

A Devils Courthouse Christmas

2009-02-04T17:01:00.000-08:00

Madeline (my niece) drew a wonderful picture of a robot for me this Christmas. We also took a family hike at the Devils Courthouse, made a stick and leaf raft, looked at a waterfall, and found Rachel and Vicky who had gotten lost. All in all, it was a very eventful Christmas.

Hymee The Friendly Hippo’s Great Adventure

2009-01-29T07:19:00.001-08:00

Saved from the fangs of a small terrier Hymee The Friendly Hippo donned his disguise and fled to the Commonwealth of Virginia to find a new home.

A Very Good Day

2008-10-08T19:18:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day in April. The 30th of April to be exact. The sun was shining, birds were singing and a lovely couple was spending the day celebrating a certain someone's 32nd birthday playing skee ball, putt putt, and throwing out the birthday boy's back at the batting cages... At least we earned enough tickets to buy 8 tootsie rolls, 2 fake tattoos and a rubber alien. I give you- "A Very Good Day". By the way, always remember to stretch before exercising.

A Single Cicada Made us Sad

2008-09-21T14:46:00.001-07:00

Once while running in the woods with my dog "Ms. Tricky Woo", there was a strange noise... A single cicada was singing its heart out and there were no other cicadas to answer the call. This was particularity sad because only a week or so before the woods were a constant hum of cicada madness, in fact the sound of cicadas getting it on was overwhelming. Eventually though, there was a last call and the partying little critters went their separate ways. But on this particular evening, along this particular trail, there only one cicada making one lonely, sad, and yes horny cry. So this piece, yet another in the series "Ohh 8", goes out to all the cicadas who missed the booty call and emerged just a little late, I call it, "A Single Cicada Made us Sad".

Fixing a Broken Promise to the Madster

2008-09-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

Well lets see here- pretty crazy Friday night I got going on. Doing some wild blogging I tell ya... Almost like a party- this blog... Yep... Pretty insane...Super crazy party time... Yeah... So anyway, today's offering is actually a collaborative piece. It is collaborative in the sense that I used some really great imagery from my wonderful niece Madeline. This piece also incorporates a cell phone that once belonged to her until she lent it to me for an art project that I never completed, hence the broken promise. So with out further ado... I give you "Fixing a Broken Promise to the Madster".

A Sure Sign of Spring

2008-09-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

Today I thought I would post another piece in the "Ohh 8" series. This birdhouse is actually a revised piece from my "Pre-Decal" days- but thanks to Kyle Houser, http://kylehouser.blogspot.com/ I have joined the cool kids and now have a more effective way to create imagery. The title is "A Sure Sign of Spring", and comes from a conversation with my sister, who when hearing of a mousetrap in place of a perch said
"you should call it a sure sign of spring".
Megan's good like that. Here is "A Sure Sign of Spring".

Devils Lettuce/ Colliding Particles

2008-09-11T16:27:00.001-07:00

You know, it’s funny how we spend our time. I heard this morning that scientists have successfully collided really tiny particles, and they did it without creating a black hole (nice job scientists). That is certainly one way to spend your time. I on the other hand, have finished another piece in birdhouse series “Ohh 8” (see previous blog entry if you are interested in the “Ohh 8” project) and I am calling it “Home Alone with the Devil’s Lettuce”. It has to do with being home alone for most of the summer while my wife was away working in a lab at Berkeley. I am pretty sure that she was not colliding particles, but looking at the DNA in the toes of Anoles, this explains the images of Anole feet on the birdhouse (the images of Anole feet are from Rachel’s microscope- Anoles by the way are little lizards). Anyway, if you like, you can now spend your time looking at “Home Alone with the Devil’s Lettuce”. Or you can go collide some particles, your choice.

A blog star is born

2008-09-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

Hi there,

This blog, for both of you who will be reading, is not at all my idea. Full responsibility of this blog goes to a funny looking 45 year old kid who makes really great art and is a great teacher as well, named Kyle Houser (http://www.kylehouser.blogspot.com/). I met Kyle while teaching at Chautauqua Arts Institute this summer, and he has been bothering me about becoming a "Blog Star", claiming that I might be able to reach at least half a dozen people if I do a good job. Kyle, by the way, introduced me to the wide world of decals, which will have a significant impact on my work- thanks Kyle! The whole point of this blog will be to show my art as it is completed and see if I get some feed back in the process. The current piece that I am working on is a 52 piece monstrosity that has the working title of "OHH 8", and was begun in earnest while I was at Chautauqua. Each piece represents a week in '08, and is based on a birdhouse form that hangs from a stainless steel cable. The whole thing is a sort of narrative and deeply personal, so I may explain some pieces, and others will get no real explanation, but will be up to you to see whatever you like. This weeks piece (one of the 52 birdhouses) is entitled "A Lesson from the Captain of the Fairy Queens". Let me know what you think- and I will be posting again soon.