Just keep showin up!

I met a couple sculptors doin shows. They're a father son duo. They make these awsome bronze/stone sculptors. Most are life size and take your breathe away and leave you wondering how the hell they created this work. They both stand about 6'7, nice as can be and travel around the country loadin in and loadin out their work. Sellin to those who are sophisticated enough to understand the work as well as have the money to purchase it. Jon the father walked into my booth awhile back at a show and said "you walk through these shows, booth after booth and go 'thats nice, thats nice, thats nice,' and then you get to a booth and say, 'thats real fuckin work,'" and he said you have to use the word "fuckin." My quotations suck but those words in the eyes of an artist really shot through me. Just keep showin up. That seems to have been my motto for most anything but has really come into focus not only with my life but especially my work. Its funny cause I write this with sometimes a no look up mentality and then I come back and go" did I say that". Sometimes its hard to tell it like it is. It's not usually comfortable to people. I've told myself as well as others that If you can figure out a way to somehow intergrate my daily life into my work then I would no longer have a product that I'm trying to sell but a way of life for others to take with them. I dont know...I havent figured it out yet. I sometimes cant figure out a way to make work that is safe and sellable for a little artistic and financial security. I can say that I have never felt stronger about where my family, my work, myself are going. This has probably been my worst start to a fall show season, yet I'm super stoked bout whats happenin. For those of you who have kept up with my progression with my work, you've seen me build my foundation as a studio potter. Celebrating a decade of putting my work out in shows has let me alot about craft, fine craft, art and a huge fraction of the difference between them. I've changed opinions through the years as my work progressed. I took my work more serious the more my skills built to the point where i could confidently feel that I could do anything with the clay. I wanted to be the humble woodfired potter that I think I still want to be someday to wanting more from the clay than being put behind a cupboard door. I've seen artists/craftsman who are burnt out from making the same thing over and over and not seeing a return to young aspiring artists that come on the show scene with motivation and new breathe. People making a living making and selling their art is confusing and inspiring. I've learned through sticking my own kneck out with my work, for criticism, that the people I admire the most in this life are the ones who put it on the line. The ones who are willing to take a risk and keep showin up, even when the direction is scary. I have a great little family who supports me and lets me lead with love and most of the time i seem them leading me. When I talk about my life my work goes hand in hand. Its funny to even call it work when its so damn fun. I head to the Southern Highland Guild Show in Ashville NC next week. This will be my second show as a new member. I go to greater gulf coast show in Pensacola FL after that. I gave up doin a well deserved, well put on, awsome potters fest in dillsboro NC to do the Pensacola show so i hope its good. I did land my week long workshop at Arrowmont School of arts and crafts for next year. I have been sending workshop packets out like crazy hoping to teach at these facilities and share a lil bit with others. I love teaching. This experience at UTC has been great for me. To have the view of academia at my side while making a livin as an artist has opened my eyes to the two worlds. Anyway, as far as shows go i am shootin for Chicago, Colorado, New York, and Philly for the spring. Galleries have been on my radar and i'm slowly intergrating the right ones in. I know there's more for my mouth to babble off but Shadow is getting horizontal. Till the next ramblin.

Hot summer work

Another month gone and more new work comin out. Lots of stuff happenin right now. I will be gettin started with my second makework grant sesssion this wed. Lookin forward to seeing how everyone has progressed and sharin ideas about future projects. I get so wrapped up in makin work and shows and everything that goes into being a self sustaining/professional artist that finding time to get out and interact with local piers can be tough. I'm probably out of town most of the time settin up for a show, givin a workshop or who knows these days. One day runs into the next. I like the spontaneous schedule vs a regimented 40-50 hr work week. I've been battiling with my yard equipment on top of other things that keep me busy throughout the yard and house. i've been trying to integrate a 3-4 hr work interval with my studio work rather than a full 8-10 hr work day. My theory is that it will help me focus on specific tasks throughout the day rather than having one big project or task starin me in the face. I can be more efficient and creative giving ample time to each project or piece with little breaks here and there to break up the monotiny. As the work gets bigger and more dramatic I'm finding that focusing on 3-4 pieces rather than 10-12 pieces gives a better result in the level of artistry and craftmanship that I'm lookin for and want to present. The work really has to move me inorder for it to survive. I cant settle for the "That'll work" kinda work. I think you end up slowly finding yourself lookin like the next guy with the same kinda work. My summer process has been just to continue to make work and let it dry for firing. This takes awhile to see completion but seems to be the best way for me to work. The heat has been crazy hot and has been testin my commitment levels....just kiddin. It has been hot though. I try to roll out of bed around 5am which is like gettin a kick in the balls sometimes. I have this philosphy that if its super hard to do or really challenges your motivation than it will probably be the best thing for your work or life. I literally sit up on the bed, early morn, still dark and say to myself" if you really want this shadow, than this is what its gonna take. now get your ass up and go create." Same goes for late in the evening when its time to chill and drink a couple beers. You figure out what works for you. If you really want it most of the time burnin the midnite oil is what it takes. Theres 24hrs in the day and you figure out how to get it done. If it was easy than everyone would be doin it. I dont have ac out in the studio so early morns beat the heat and get the day goin early with more time to do more stuff. Go, go ,go. My good friends and neighbors just had there second beutiful lil baby girl. Her name is Poppy. New and young folks with kids are startin to move into the redbank neighborhood. pretty exciting to see community grow. Shows kick off in about a month with Atlanta Arts Festival in piedmont park Sept. 17th-18th. I had three altercations in choosin shows this year. One was deciding not to do artclectic this year in Nashville. I will be doin the oct. Southern Highland Guild Show instead. Second, I will not attend "the Festival Of the Masters" show in orlando this year. Third with alot of persistance I will be attending the Greater Gulf Coast arts Festival in Pensacola FL in Nov. instead of doin the Western NC potters festival. The evolution of the work is dictating alot of the show decisions. Gettin ready to start up at UTC helpin Maggie out. Lookin forward to that. Just keep showin up, whatever it is is my work and life attitude. Keep pluggin away at what you love and wait for things to come full circle.

Really cool stuff goin on

Back at the social media. Been away for a little bit busy with shows and all kinds of cool stuff. Spring show season was awsome for us this year. It seems like I've progressively changed the work in a matter of months and wasnt sure how the public art buying crowd would respond. I think anytime you let your work evolve no matter how fast the progression, you leave yourself out there for alot of rejection,contemplation and criticism. The few who get what your doin arwe the ones that keep you going. I'm really happy and motivated more to make work that is dramatic and deliberate. I really think I just got tired of hearing "is this microwave, dishwasher, and oven safe." Its molded alot of how I look at my approach to the clay, even more than a few years ago. I think the spring shows validated the new work and gave me alot of steam to push the limits even more. I got back from giving one of my "Bold Pots" workshop at TN Tech Appalachian center for craft in Smithville,TN. What a great place. I was only there for the weekend but the experience was memorable. My students ranged from beginner to advanced and we all learned alot from eachother. I' really enjoying pluggin in workshops in between shows. Making a living as an artist is lucrative enough. If you can balance out your work and time between shows, galleries and woerkshops you can have a really fun, adventurous and prosperous artist lifestyle. I do wish I had a partime/40hr week job where I can clock in/out then I laugh and get back into the clay. We recently recieved great news that we recieved a makework grant through an organization called Createhere in chattanooga TN. I cant even describe how huge this is for our lil project and family. We are very grateful and plan to expand smartly and progressively with the studio and work. I plan to order clay and glaze material asap and seriously pricing larger kilns. I am super stoked to see how the woek evolves in the coming months.Organizations like createhere that offer grants really do allow people like me to move forward with my art. Money made from being a full time artist usually always goes to paying bills and stuff and leaves little to no room for putting back into the work. This grant allows me to not have to dip into our personal funds to progress as an artist. Dont get me wrong we've gotten this far and wouldve continued even had we not got the grant. This grant allows us to be progressive with our curiosity for clay and explore more possibilties with a little less stress to keep up. These pics are pre grant but the work is getting alot bigger and heavier. I still enjoy keeping a reference or gesture of function but it not be intended for use. They're about 50-75 or more pnds to each piece. I am gearing up for my first SHCG show in Ashville this july. Also I just set up my first sculpture show here in Chattanooga. I have 6 pieces and share the show with two well known sculptors, Issac Duncan III and Andy Light. Their work is awsome. The show is at Front Gallery in the south side of Chattanooga off of main street. It opened june 3rd and will go to the end of July with an artist reception July 15th. Come check it out. Its going to be a great show. I will be delivering 6 more pieces to Swan Coach House Gallery in Atlanta Ga for show as well which opensJune 9th with a 6-8 pm reception. I will be on my blog alot more with new pics of work and updates of how I am managing and spending my grant so stay tuned.Rocket and Ana are doin great and I couldnt imagine life w/o them. Ana is starting her MBA so thats gonna take alot of her time. She has really built the whole media side to Shadow May. I'm just the mule out in the mancave making really heavy stuff, hopefully really inspiring,heavy stuff. Rocket is a handful and a sweet lil boy. Teaching him please and thankyou is setting in and I'm proud of him.The website is nowchanged to www.shadowmay.com but you can still get to it with www.shadowpottery.com More later.

Christmas 2010

Finally gettin the chance to blog again after crazy holidays. Alot has happened in a month or since my last blog. Preperation for Christmas was alot of fun except for the procrastinator drive to the mall two days before christmas. The funny things you do for loved ones. Our boy Rocket made out. His second Christmas in this world and the one to remember. He lucked out having a white Christmas. What a cool thing for a kid...hell anyone to see, especially waking up to it on Christmas morning. We had all our food and drink for the weekend. All the toys were about to be wrapped. Good stuff. Christmas enters the picture in a whole new way when you have a child. Rocket is religous about getting up at 5 am so I knew it to be true for Christmas morning. Coffee was prepped with the baileys(Santa left it) right next to the coffee pot. Mugs out and ready for the early morn. We woke up to daddda.....maammmma. Turned on the coffee, Christmas lights, and watched innocence in its true form. I sware the boy is a truck fanatic. All kinds of trucks. He strutted around in his new camoflauge robe and kermit slippers laughin and playin. It was awsome!! Usually this time Ana and I are really stressin about Jan and Feb. Comin off Chritmas with two more months before our show season starts up again is stressful. We had an awsome fall season. My work is rapidly evolving. So much it gets a little scary. One idea just turns to another and another. Watching Rocket play with his new toys and experience his Christmas made me take a seat and be thankful for what is in front of me. I think rockets curiosity to start exploring and growing is rubbing off on my attitude towards my work. Learning how to tap into the courage to explore my own curiosity has stretched me as an artist. I' wont lie, its taken me out of the comfort zone a little. But more than ever because of watching my son grow, my courage to be curious about my work in clay and explore even more has transformed my whole outlook. What it means to be a potter and an artist. Theres alot more to this last month than im puttin in to this blog, but it was all good. Everyones healthy except for the occasional runny nose. Have been lining workshops for the new year and lots of cool shows. Get to go to New York City for one and really excited about that. I still have pots for sale on my website http://www.shadowpottery.com/ and will have most to all events and workshops up to date on the website as well. Thanks to everyone who helped us through this past year. You've catapulted my little family, my work and need to create. we can't do it without you. Another blog coming soon.

Off the road for awhile! The fall show season definetly went better than I expected. We started off with Atlanta arts festival winning " Best in Clay" award and hangin with my good friends Erik and Luba from Mudfire. TACA in Nashville, to all those who do their fall show..... this was our best year ever there....CRAZY!!! Third show was Pink Palace in Memphis. This has been my best show. Its a 4 day show and 6 and1/2 hours away. Long time to be away from my family. My Best friend Toney came up to see me for a bit and Must have brought the good luck. Thurs, Amy Bethea, an avid Shadow May collector and friend came and grabbed a good amount of the cream of the crop pots and it dominoed from there. 3 of the 4 days still ahead for sellin. Thats exactly what happened. I Left the show on Sun with 3/4 of all my high end show pieces not going back with me. It's nerve racking enough just attempting to be an artist than trying to sell your work to an audience. We got rained out of two spring shows and the last 4 were not responding yet to my evolved work. Bills got paid and alot of stress but we got through still making new work. I really had to reason and go with my gut that this is important, my work is important, but my family is more important. With going into a showless summer to make work for the fall season, the restaurant came into the picture and helps us supplement the small stuff that adds up. This fall after our epic Pink Palace show I had three weeks to give a workshop @Applachian center for arts in Norris TN. and fire the kiln a couple times for the WNC potters Festival in Dillsboro NC and my last two shows of the year "Festival of the Masters" in downtown Disney World and Mudfire's annual holiday christmas show in Decatur, GA. Stayed with very good friends, Kelly and Joe Frank from Treehouse pottery in Dillsboro,NC for the potters fest. The Clay olympics were fri and I Participated but came in last this year floppin every pot that I put on the wheel. Not surprising because I'm much better at takin clay away then actually doin it right on the wheel. It was a good time. Sat was the show and we all woke up to snow and cold weather. For me, I hadn't seen snow in awhile and was pretty happy to be back in the mountains of north carolina selling more pots and seeing ol friends. Alot of thinking when your on the road. We had knocked out 4 shows so far, and I was headin back home for a few days before goin down to Florida. I had just got both our vehicles brakes, oil changes, new winshield and an axle on the car. Was able to fix some things on the house and get more supplies for the buisness(clay,glazes,tools.) Most importantly good shows allow me to spend more time at home with my son and wife for longer periods of time. I was still nervous gettin ready to head down to Orlando, Fl for the show. 9 hours away, four nites in a hotel and enough 7 eleven chicken tenders to gag you. I was conserving on money? This show was unique, being that all the artists have had to won a best of show or first place in another high ranking juried fine art show to even apply. The caliber of work was pretty incredible. It was the first show I had been to where no clay artist or potter had or put out mugs, cups or utilitarian items. Anyway I got selected two pieces on Fri for the judging on sun at the awards ceremony. I t really mattered to me for a min about the awards. Everyone likes gettin awards. Until I brought the work to where the judging was to be held. The other clay artists blew me away. I felt that I didnt even have a chance because the work was so good. Fri and Sat were a little slow. Sold a few pieces and had to pull out some mugs on sat just to make a few more sales. I had to remind myself that people actually lived here. With all the entertainment who comes and buys art at disney world? Sun morn..7:30, in the house of blues the award ceremony starts.They had a killer breakfast buffet for the artists an a professional presentation. There are twelve catergories for awards. I was in the "clay" catergory. There were about 40 clay artists in the show functional, semi-functional and non functional all lumped into one clay catergory. Clay was first for announcing and I'm not gonna lie...I was maybe hoping for a merit award. No merit award. By the time they had gotten to third place I knew there was no way, This is my first time at the show and There where clay sculptors that had more dramatic work so i started to head out so i could open up the tent and get ready for the last day of sales. Last sip of my coffee and one foot out the door i kid you not they announced "Shadow May" First place for his Lg Flanged Bowl of all pieces. I about pooped my pants. I really couldnt believe it. There was a man standing at a pedestal on stage describing my piece and the description I had wrote, Two of the directors and Mickey Mouse and a big ribbon with a big check. Back stage they gave me directions," Your gonna go out greet Mickey,get your ribbon, smile and take two pictures and then come back" The funny thing was that the speaker must have not seen me coming down the aisle cause he kept calling me a she until I came from back stage to recieve my award. He quickly said," excuse me...He" It was pretty surreal. A deer in headlights. There is a 2,3,and 1st place in every catergory and only 1 Best in Show award. I automatically get to come back next year without the jurying process. I have 10 diney passes from the show so It's gonna be a nice family trip next year. Rocket will have a blast. On my way home believe it or not I had some nice work to drop off for the holiday christmas show @mudfire in Decatur ,georgia. The show starts Nov.26 and goes till Dec.23 with an artist reception and holiday party Dec.4, 5-9 pm. So there it is I had made a 6 month plan to put it all out there, make stick your kneck out there work and supplement funds by working at the restaurant. I think I exceeded my expectations and got enough mental fuel and encouragment to keep pushin my work despite a bad spring. My recent acceptance into the southern highlands craft guild was huge also. I hope to be in the July show in Asheville and possibly doin a little wholesale with arrowmont gallery in Gatlinburg soon. If you want to make exceptional work, the kinda stuff that not everyone is gonna like theres gonna be a lot of rejection but what you do get back is extrordinary. By the way, This year I sold about 25-30 mugs and cups between 5 big shows....the rest were all show pieces, thats crazy to me and exciting. Maybe in a year i will have weeded out anything functional...maybe not but i am starting to see something big happening. Thanks everyone who came to the shows and supported me and everyone who took my workshops this year, hope to see you again. You really helped me and my little family more than you can imagine.With what we saved and a couple days at the restaurant a week I'll be making new work and applying to more shows for the spring. I now have a " for sale" page on my website www.shadowpottery.com I'll be putting pics up on it this week so check it out.

Finally I'm doin shows again. Working in the studio makin work and not alot of input gets me rialed up. We had a good weekend in Atlanta at the atlanta arts festival. Stayed with good friends Erik and Luba at Mudfire gallery in Decatur GA. We recieved the "Best in Clay" award again for the second year. I'm always happy to recieve awards even though it's the vain side of being an artist....But the hard work, early mornins are all the way for tryin to take care of my family. I definetely feel like I've stuck my neck out there this year with my work and approach to sellin it. I did get into the Southern Highlands Guild a few weeks ago. I am lookin forward to the potential possibilities that being in the guild will offer. Everything changes the more your work evolves and so do situations. I will be attending the fall TACA show in Nashville, TN this coming weekend(Booth A02)Centennial Park. I'm giving two workshops in October. The Appalachian Center for craft in Norris TN will host my " Bold Pots" workshop the first weekend as well as EppleTree Pottery in Chattanooga, TN the last weekend. My little boy Rocket has skipped walkin and went right to runnin. He's 14 months and already has had 3 stitches from the coffee Table. He's a little bulldozer. Workin at the restaurant" The Urban Spoon" Has been alot of fun and Sparked the love for cookin in me again. Not sure how everything with being a fulltime artist and helpin grow a great restaurant will surface, but jugglin the both of them has helped my family and my work in the studio. Immediate projects are to insulte our floors and Hopefully plum in my studio sink before it gets cold. Really lookin forward to the fall colors and warmer clothes. Might be another cold winter. I will update the events page on http://www.shadowpottery.com/ In the next couple days so be lookin. Thanks for all the support.

Back home from being an artist on the road

I am finally home with my family. Five consecutive weekends of giving workshops and fine art shows. What a great summer its been already. I visited Mountain View Arkansas and gave one of my "soft pots" workshop at the Arkanasas Craft School. Thank you you to everyone who attended the workshop. I wouldn't be there if it wasnt for you. Terri Van Orman, The director of the school was awsome. When I got to the school she explained to me that I was the first clay workshop at the school. Terri had wrote grants and recived funding for the school and brand new wheels were being opened as I walked in for the first time. To even sweeten the deal I was able to cristen the first wheel ever opened at the school. Pretty cool! I really had some talented students attend. David and Becki Dahlstedt attended who are very accomplished potters and artists. They opened there home to the class sat nite for a party. Very inspiring couple. The workshop got on the way sat morn and I introduced myself and got right into it. The split jar was demontrated as well as hollow lip bowls, throwuing out a slab vs the slab roller, and last but not least demoing the handle pull and handle placement on the mug. We talked philosophy and life throughout the day. I was persistent in my philosophy of living life full of trials and triumphs makes the pots we are today. Letting it ride when you are making and selling your work. We are already crazy for even attempting to make and sell art we might as well indulge in what we want to make rather than something that "just sells!" "Break the rules" I would mention from time to time and my creedo " NO BLENDING!" Any handle attachment or spout or anything do not blend lines. I was trying to equate this to showing your work in grade school. I wanted them to expose there applications, there score marks. Reveal the inperfections and let them take front stage. Mountain view is about 9 hrs away from here in Chattanooga. The drive was pretty once I got past West Memphis. I left Mon morning and got home to load a kiln. Turned around thurs to drive to Columbus Ohio to attend the columbus art festival. Got a half a day of rain but turned out a good show. I am trying to invest more into my city of Chattanooga but its a slow process. Having to travel so much can be nice but will eventually come to a halt someday. As my baby boy gets bigger I am realizing how short time is and I dont want to miss out. Here are some pics of the Arkansas workshop. I will give one more this summer. Coreclay in Cinncinatti Ohio has invited me and I'm excited to be there. I get a cuople months at home to make new work, pick veggies from the garden and be with my family and friends. My fall is quickly filling up so better get to it. Check out more of Shadow@www.shadowpttery.com Take care