New Pit Fired Work

Lisa Adkins and Tracy Michaud Stutzman, Maine Crafts Association

Lisa Adkins and Tracy Michaud Stutzman, Maine Crafts Association

THE MAINE MALL?!?!?

Dave & I drove to Bar Harbor on Sunday to drop off work at the Bar Harbor Blues Cafe. It looks like they are going to have quite a summer.....yummy food......live music....and selected works of Maine artisans......And today I'm off to the Maine Mall in South Portland.......THE MAINE MALL?!?!?! For those of you who don't know me - I am no Mall Rat - no FASHIONISTA and haven't been to the mall (not even to do Christmas shopping) in over two years. But today I'm packing up a bunch of my pots and delivering them to the mall (to sell at the mall....I'm still trying to wrap my brain around that one). The Maine Craft Association is opening a "POP UP" shop there for the summer months. It is going to be called Creative Common and will feature the work of Maine artists. It will also feature installations from the Maine College of Art and the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance....and....have live musical performances and demonstrations throughout the summer. They are having a kick off party tomorrow night.....I'll be there (did I really say that????)

Back From Haystack

Arrived home late yesterday from an amazing 4 day workshop at Haystack Mountain School of Craft. The school is located on the beautiful island of Deer Isle Maine.

The only thing more spectacular than the view was what was happening at the school. There was a vibe - everybody was so engaging - beyond class time there was an ongoing creative dialogue that crossed over the various workshops (all of which you were free to visit to see what other people were doing)spilled into mealtimes and late into the evenings. Maine Craft Association sponsors this annual workshop for it's members with tuition on a sliding scale - making it affordable for artists like me (thank you so much!!!).. ....But anyway.......I didn't take a Pottery Workshop (go figure) I took Native American Basket Making and it was beyond wonderful! Our teacher, Paula Thorne - a traditional arts master, was incredible! Her mastery of her craft and generosity of spirit blew me away! As she shared her knowledge with us, she regaled us with Penobscot folk tales of Gluskab.

Anyway.....I'm home now and it's time to get back into my studio. Below is a photo of the brown ash and sweet grass baskets I made (I will have to finish my sea urchin basket)and my newest prized possession - an Aaron Sober teabowl (he taught the Pottery Workshop that I didn't take :( - oh well can't do everything) Time to get to work!!!

Openings, Farmers Market, Bar Harbor

Phew.....busy weekend.....an opening Friday night of the York Art Association's spring show......Saturday morning off to the Biddeford Indoor Farmers Market with a bunch of my pots - there wasn't much traffic there and I spent more time shopping than selling....bought spring greens, parsnips, bread stuffed with Italian cold cuts & cheeses, goose eggs & manchego goats cheese...yummmmm.........Sunday Dave & I headed upta Bar Harbor with pots in tow to meet with Ed and Shelia at the Bar Harbor Blues Cafe. I really enjoyed meeting the both of them and am looking forward to having my work in their venue........and it was such a beautiful spring day ..... I was a little worn out this morning - I did drag my whimpy butt out to the studio and once I got going it wasn't too bad for a Monday. :)