Another day of the unexpected 11/07/09

Today was a partial studio day, partial ride my bike in the most gorgeous weather I could imagine day.  The mold maker came to the studio to help us heighten our mold making abilities.  In the afternoon I tried to get lost for a bit on my bike and found myself in a little park.  The moments I spent there where most relaxed.  I watched a man fish, and the breeze play on the water and plants - content.  If only I could somehow use these letters to complete the puzzle of so many sights, sounds, and emotions, so that you might join me in this.   Tonight was art history class.  The teacher took us to his studio to check out ancient pottery saggars and shards that he unearthed from ancient kiln sites around the area.  Most of them where left by those who fired them because something went wrong during the firings.

Holy Cow !! 11/6/09

Today was a studio day.  I was making all day.  My work here is going well.   I am gaining so much new information, it is wonderful. This morning I awoke to the sun rise outside my window.   The holy cow is in reference to me getting my butt beat at ping pong this evening by a little old lady.  No mercy at all.

Made in China 11/05/09

Today was a day for exploring.  There is a part of town where it is all about ceramics.  Today I went there to peek around.  The buildings are really cool and old.  I saw mostly people press molding sculptures, others putting them together, and other glazing and painting them.  The sculptures are really quite beautiful, and watching people work on them is cool.  They move so fast doing this to the sculpture and doing that, while smoking, talking on the phone, talking to one another, and gawking at me. The term made in China has changed for me.  I used to imagine a robot, or machine making all of this Chinese product, but it is a person.  The interesting thing is when it comes to the ceramics most of the makers are not working in ceramics because of a passion to make, but more a passion to eat.

Way Na 11/4/09

Way Na is a professor here at JCI.  Today she let me have a peek inside of her studio.  I was also was able to look into the a few of the surrounding studios - cool.  I was blown away by what I saw, and so inspired.    At the moment I have way to many ideas and way too little time.    The photos are of Way Na and some of the other work that I though was interesting.  We also visited a shop that somehow makes ceramic objects look like they are made of chrome.  I was told that the shop can chrome almost any object.  Look out I might come home chrome.

Autumn has come 11/3/09

Today is the first day of autumn here, it is marked by the full moon.  This morning I went to one of the better know ceramic areas here in the city called the "Sculpture Factory," it is full of pot shops, tea shops, and all things ceramics.  On Saturdays they have a little flea market of emerging artists who sell their work, it is really inspiring to go and see so many artists and such a large variety of work.  Tonight was firework heaven in celebration of the coming autumn, there were fireworks happening all over the place.  People where also letting off floating paper lanterns, with candles.  Celebrating "The Nature," how wonderful.

Kiln Time 11/2/09

Today we had a busy day getting ready to load a soda kiln.  The day was busy but fun as we all ran around getting our work ready to load into the kiln.  The evening was magical as we loaded. We hung out with a fire and some beers, laughs and a quiet moon.

Learning the mold game 11/1/09

Today I went to visit the mold maker with a proposition.  I had one of my Chinese friends write a note that asked the mold maker if he could teach me how he (with his super mold skills) would help me make a mold of an item that I want to slip cast.  The mold maker was a great teacher, it was really fun to learn from someone who I could not verbally communicate with.   While riding around on my bike I found these flowers.  I have no idea what this Chinese character means, but I want to pretend that it means pretty flowers  (practicing positive thinking).