Emily Schroeder Willis

Julia

Emily Schroeder Willis — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:20:14 +0000

Before

and after

Oh the places we will go

Emily Schroeder Willis — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:43:21 +0000

I feel like each month I make a resolution to myself to post more and I continually find myself swamped with more and more things. I feel like I could break up this post into several different ones, but since we have now moved in February, I feel like I just need to go ahead and do all of them.

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!

Dishing it Up!

Emily Schroeder Willis — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:14:56 +0000

This morning I found a lovely little email in my Inbox. Apparently, I am featured in a new Canadian Design Magazine titled, Pure Green! I hadn't ever heard about this magazine before, but I am really impressed by the layout and the way they have documented the work throughout. It's quite beautiful! I ordered my copy today since I want to see what else they have up their sleeve!

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

E is for Edition

Emily Schroeder Willis — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:44:42 +0000

So... I am finally going to let everybody in on an idea I have been stewing over for several months. Beginning in 2012, I will start limiting the number of cups I make each year and create a 2012 "Edition" of cups, so to speak.

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

Heading to Kentucky!

Emily Schroeder Willis — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:16:34 +0000

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.

D is for Donut Vault and SOFA

Emily Schroeder Willis — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:19:24 +0000

I sincerely feel like no trip to the Loop is complete unless you at least take a peek at the Donut Vault. The line to get a donut often times runs around the block, but if you hit there after the morning rush, you can usually snaggle a donut or two.

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!

C is for Cup Show!

Emily Schroeder Willis — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:32:25 +0000

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!

B is for Bruchenhein

Emily Schroeder Willis — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:39:08 +0000

or Eugene Von Brunchenhein, or EVB, whatever you want to call him. EVB has quickly become one of my favorite artists. Currently there is a show up at Intuit Museum for Outsider Art of his work. It is mind blowing! I went this morning with my studiomate Jen FitzGerald to check out the show. I could probably go and see it every day until it closes and not get tired of it. Apparently, as I learned today, he dug all of his clay from a clay pit nearby in Milwaukee. None of his worked was ever fired in a kiln, only in his oven, so the work is extremely fragile. He also made a series of pieces out of chicken bones. It is absolutely incredible work.

Eugene Von Bruchenehein, censor vesselEugene Von Bruchenhein, vaseEugene Von Brunchenhein, crownEugene Von Brunchenhein, censor vesselEugene Von Brunchenhein, vaseI love that this sculpture of his turns a mason jar cap into a pedestal!

Eugene Von Brunchenhein, chicken bone sculptureMove EVB chicken bone sculptures

A is for Apple

Emily Schroeder Willis — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 04:17:37 +0000

For the past month, my husband and I have been gorging ourselves on the AMAZING apples we get at the farmers market down the street from us. It's been so fun trying out new varieties and realizing that there is a whole other world of fruit! I must say, I have become quite addicted to Northern Spy's, Mutsu's and Melrose apples. They are delicious!

What I enjoy almost as much as the fruit, are the faces my dear husband makes for me from our fruit bowl before he leaves for work. What an artist!

I will even put in a few oldies, but goodies. Enjoy!

I like the vitamin "mole"Banana Rama

Not fruit, but I loved it when Matt said he could make a million faces out of any breakfast. A bacon mustache!

Bright eyes

Breakfast face

Pilsen 2nd Fridays

Emily Schroeder Willis — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:52:14 +0000

Matt and I have been trying to do a bit more exploring in Chicago. A lot of times it can be difficult to do this since it seems nearly every weekend there is something happening at Lillstreet that I want to participate in. But this weekend we headed south and we went to the Pilsen 2nd Fridays event. WOW. I was really amazed at the quantity of artists who were showing. There were so many fabulous gallery spaces, it just made me drool. I told Matt, if it wasn't for him, I would be moving in to a new space on Saturday. Two of the highlights for me were artists Michele Lauriat who made incredible guash paintings that were nearly 12 feet high. Absolutely stunning. They completely engulfed the viewer, but what mesmerized me was how she layering the paint and the negative space, which felt to me like lapses of memory in recalling a landscape in your mind.

York Beach, by Michele LauriatLogging, by Michele Lauriat

The other person who blew me away was designer Chris Jamison. He founded the workshop, Plywood Office, the work is simple and beatifull crafted. I want two of the Stripe endtables!

Stripes End Table by Plywood Office

The Horsey Desk, by Plywood Office