Almost 2 weeks ago I went to the SMART Musem's Symposium on Radical Hospitality in Contemporary Art.  There were numerous fabulous presentors who spoke about topics such as: what it means to be a "Good Host" versus a "Bad Host" (as in the case of Enemy Kitchen) or how to incorporate ritual of eating together in mixed company (as in the case of Theaster Gates Soul Food Dinners).  It was also the World Premiere for the FLUXUS Blender Symphony of the Identical Lunch conducted by Alison Knowles.  It was such a great day of learning about how different artists (particularly non-ceramic/pottery artists) perceive the idea of sharing a meal and how that creates community for the good or in some instances bad.  Michael Rakowitz's "Enemy Kitchen" project is a really fascinating intersection of good host/bad host where Iraqi war vets serve Iraqi food served on paper plates of Sadam Hussein's china pattern.  It was really incredible!

Blender Prepared-ness

Pouring the buttermilk, hold the mayo!

 The Blender Symphony is about to begin!

The blended "Identical Lunch" oddly really did taste like a liquid tunafish sandwich... I am not saying that it was bad...or that it was good either.

The Enemy Food Truck

So sign up right away if you want to go.  Here's the crew of presenters (I am so excited to hang out with these artists for a week!):  Jen Allen · Nicholas Bivins · Blair Clemo · Sunshine Cobb · Molly Hatch · Bryan Hopkins · Brian Jones · Lindsay Oesterritter · Doug Peltzman · Peter Pinnell · Monica Ripley · Emily Schroeder Willis · Deborah Schwartzkopf · Kevin Snipes · Shawn Spangler · Shoko Teruyama · gwendolyn yoppolo 

#4.  See some beautiful woodwork at Urban Hardwood

#3. Check out the Grover/Thurston Gallery located at 319 3rd Ave S with Jeffry Mitchell

#2.  Come and visit the Lillstreet Gallery Booth at NCECA from March 27th to the 30th to see some incredible pots from Illinois potters (with yours truly included!)

#1.  And last, but not least!  Come and see the Subtle Change exhibition at Parklane Gallery in Kirkland, WA (it's on the Kirkland/Bellvue NCECA Bus Tour or you can take the 255 bus from downtown Seattle for $2.50).  It features work by Kim Dickey, Sam Harvey, Leanne McClurg Cambric, Emily Schroeder Willis and Holly Walker.  Here is a preview!

and after

At the beginning of last month I did a 2 day workshop at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky and had such a great time!

On the way out to Kentucky I ran into a familiar face, which started a treasure hunt...

Every morning when I take the train to my studio/work I see this image, so I think its kind of fun when you run into Andre the Giant in an unfamiliar location!

So, I then began looking for more "OBEY" stickers at the airport and found this one:

So, I am curious if you have bumped into any of these in your travels?

Anyhow, back to Centre College....
We had such a fun time together for the two days.  They have a great studio that is located just off of the train tracks and if I was working there, I would be so interested at all of the things passing by, I think I might have a difficult time working!

It's very nice being a pinch potter because there aren't that many tools to bring with you other than your fingers!

Here is a great view of their studio space.  Isn't it awesome?

Everyone was working so hard and making incredible work!  My visit coincided with the beginnings of their "Porcelain Class", so we worked on a few techniques and then left them to their own interpretations.

The other thing I have to add is that whenever I travel to a new place, my absolute most FAVORITE thing to do is to go to the local grocery store.  Call me weird, but I am always so intrigued by what certain areas carry that other parts of our county don't.  For example, in Chicago, we have "Atomic Hot Dog Relish" that is literally neon green and cornmeal crust pizzas.  So, here was my trip to the grocery store in Danville.  I will leave it to your own interpretation as to what would sit at the table were you to be invited over for dinner....  Cheers!

Also, if anyone wants to own that little pink and grey delight, it is available through the Lillstreet Gallery.

For those of you who make functional ceramics, you know that often times cups can be one of the most finicky objects to make and you end up investing FAR more time into it, than you could ever reasonably ask.  For this reason,  I will only make 50 cups for the 2012 year.  Each cup will be stamped with the year on the foot and then (if I can figure out a way to make it cohesive and attractive), it will also be marked with its number for that year (ie. 13/50).

All that to say, if you would like to purchase a mug, I would recommend picking one up sooner rather than later!  Here are a few that are still here from 2011 that I haven't posted or shipped off (yet!)

 Cups still available from 2011

A few more that are still available 

Centre College

Sorry to any readers for the ENORMOUS lapse in posts.  Things have been busy with expected and some unexpected interruptions.  I will be posting more (hopefully) in the next few weeks with more of the latest happenings.

For some exciting news, last week I was invited to do a workshop at Centre College in Kentucky.  I am really excited to be heading out there and to  meet some new folks!  I haven't ever been to Kentucky before, but last March, Matt and I visited Cincinnati (my first time) and it was beautiful!  I look forward to heading out that direction and hopefully inspire some art making in any budding new ceramicists.

On Friday morning I took three of our Lillstreet Artists in Residence, courtesy of Bruce Robbins, to the Chicago SOFA exhibition.  I have to say, I am finding myself more and more intrigued with the work from the Intuit side of the SOFA expo, there is something about the naivete of many of the artists that i find more endearing and sincere versus the more commercial SOFA-fare.  Nevertheless, we saw some great stuff and afterwards headed to the Donut Vault for some $1 coffee and gingerbread donuts.  Yum-ee!  Here are some of my favorite shots of the trip!

Totally loving the styling on this Wendell Castle sculptureSuch a nice surface on this Sheila Hicks wall piece, "Convergience II"This Tramp Style Cabinet was amazing! C. 1900-1925, the pinchy surface of it has me spinning with ideas!Another "Outsider Artist", Joseph Yoakum, really peeked my interest with his abstracted landscapes. How he created surfaces and made the landscape do extraordinary things was just beautiful!   Unfortunately, I didn't get the name of this artist, but I really enjoyed the almost grotesquely beautiful still lives that this glass artist composed, it was almost too much to look and the reflection of the light on the glass surface was almost blinding at some vantage points. Mark Pharis had this sweet set of vases at the Lacoste Gallery Booth    ...you realize it is all of these Japanese animae dolls melted together and sliced into this sheet. wow.This piece from the Megumi Ogita Gallery was really great. At first glance it seems like some abstracted painting, then upon closer examination...One more Tramp Style Clock...man I love that surface!

such incredible carvings! 

Then....off to the Donut Vault! The answer is "yes, and even better than they look!"I love Chicago!

Jayson Lawfer and I have been asked to jury a cup show at the Clay Studio of Missoula.  The applications are due to be received by November 18th, so the deadline is coming up quickly!  It's actually a very reasonably priced juried show - $22 for 2 entries.  Make sure you send in your cups! Jayson and I are really excited about seeing what you all have made!

Here is the prospectus you can fill out and send in with your images!