It's Tour Time

There's something intriguing about complex forms, like this oil bottle that is a combination of a hand rolled textured slab with a thrown funnel spout, thrown base, and a pulled handle.  It has a wonderful blush from the flash of flame and soda, there is no actual glaze on the outside but is my favorite oil bottle.  Today was a day of intermittent rain, the perfect excuse to sequester myself in the clay studio and work on several projects.  Two larger bottles like this are in the works that are big enough to be called beer growlers.  And I'm working on butter dishes again, this time the french two piece crock with water to keep the butter fresh.  Making functional kitchen ware that someone will use in their daily rituals, for tea or coffee, cereal or soup or salad, trays for bread or fruits are all part of an intimacy to share a part of the creative process in finished form.  Just as a writer puts words to shape ideas and thoughts, the potter's hand shapes clay to hold something sacred in it's hollow places.  It is the negative space that creates the void we can fill with food, or flowers to brighten a table.

The weather this week cooperated for putting new plants into our gardens, and the tulips stood proud in their red glory, defiant of the rabbits that trimmed their numbers at night.  The liquid fence I sprayed might just as well have been salad dressing, for all the deterrence it offered.  This is the first spring in 39 years that I have not had a dog to protect our yard - it is a hard thing, to adjust to her absence.

Tomorrow is the annual St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour weekend, it is the holy grail of studio tours here in the midwest, with 7 host potters and 47 invited potters from across the nation.  We will drive north and work our way from studio to studio, set in lovely woods and along the river, visiting with friends and soaking in the inspiration and delight of so many styles and ideas.  Some of the potters are very generous with their knowledge, some of the hosts offer lunch to their guests, or cookies, or even craft beer or wine.  It's a great celebration of life, of pots, of friendships and being part of this wonderful world.  There will be music too, and many pleasures for the eyes.

Namaste