The month of October:
5 total rows on the calendar, with 1 containing 3 days.
minus 2 days for race weekend
minus 5 days for Wyoming.
4 full columns of Tuesdays and Wednesdays of in-office days.
Second shift in the studio: 4-9pm; 5 hrs by 8 days,
4 Fridays of at least 8-10 hours “working from studio”
2 Sundays at 10 hours each
Completed by the 10/21: Throwing and trimming
Completed by the 10/31: Glazing
40+ pieces of bisqueware, approx. 1 hr/piece.
Fri. 10/23, Sun. 10/24, Tues. 10/27, Wed. 10/28, Fri. 10/30 glaze
Commute time: ~ 22 minutes one way from home.
Leave no earlier than 10am to avoid traffic.
10:30am arrival
I walk downstairs to get my bisqueware and glazes and set up on the big black tables that face the floor-to-ceiling windows of the studio. I put in my headphones and look at the shapes of my pieces. My hands circle their perimeters as I pinch the thinness of their fragile forms. As they circumambulate each piece, the tips of my fingers catch each imperfection while the palm of my hand brushes off the dust in acceptance. I pick up a brush to dip in Yellow Gloss, with a dollop of red. My eyes follow the swirls of red until they drag themselves into submission. I scoop up that perfect blend of yellow to cradle on my brush, then feed the surface of the plate with this thick honey. Never satiated, she sucks it all in too quickly, asking for more. I feed her again, two coats, four coats? It doesn’t matter, she’ll tell me when she’s full.
I move on to a bigger bowl that sits next in line. Following the perfectly drawn circle that lies at its base, I soak my brush in red, hold my breath and steady my hands to trace along the soft lines of graphite from my compass. I retrace my pulls again and again to ensure the glaze finds its way into the grooves of the textured surface. I breathe out and take a step back. It’s maybe a quarter done but I can already see what this bowl will become. I look up at the clock from across the room and all of a sudden the hour hand is two numbers away from making a full lap.
8:30pm
6 more pieces to glaze
5 hours on Tuesday?
20 minutes clean up
On the road NLT 9:15pm
Home by 9:40pm
…
Each night when I arrive home, I am greeted by a pull in my back, a tenderness in the palm of my thumbs, and a violent urge to go to the bathroom. My external senses rush back to me. When I lay down in bed and close my eyes, I only see spinning circles and swatches of various color combinations.
The month of October had five rows with one containing only three days. Pre-planned and perfectly calculated, they were filled with nearly 100 hours of the fiercest, yet most fulfilling flow states of mind where time and numbers wholly escaped me in the most beautiful way. I’m now counting the number of individual pieces thrown, 75. And within those 75, I improved the form of my pieces, refined my process, and discovered new aesthetics and designs. With one day until the market, I am both astounded at my neurotic work ethic and fell more madly in love with creativity. With all this said, I promised myself I won’t do this to myself again. Well, not for a while anyway…
From the notebook
Despite all this time spent with ceramics, sketching out these designs has made me really miss drawing. I’m hoping to find more time this winter to do just that.
WIP
I admittedly have made no progress, but she will forever sit in front of my window until she’s complete, reminding me of my bigger pursuits.
Media Musings
With the clocks turning back, here is a themed selection of podcasts about how to think (differently) about time.
Upcoming
Starting Friday, please stop by! Even if you aren’t in the market for anything, come admire the result of my chaotic October. If you do, be sure to reply to this email and I’ll send you entry passes, otherwise admission is $6. Do not pay!!!
Nov. 6 12-7pm
Nov. 7 10-6pm
Nov. 8 10-5pm
October whereabouts
A slow ten miles
Les Trois Tetons!
Yellowstone’s number one fans
Family photos are hard
The start of a Korean entrepreneur collective?
Joe didn’t do it, we did.
Gloomy hikes
