Open to Wonder

Halloween is fast approaching and my second grade teaching partner and I have decided that in order to meet the demands of the new curriculum and standards we need to have super powers. This led to a decision to be super heroes for Halloween. Naturally, Wonder Woman was the logical choice--not only because she must be able to work wonders as a superhero, but because we often wonder how we will make it through the year with all of these new demands and obstacles. In the creation of the costumes (which is filling my need for artistic expression in this busy season), I found myself wondering what super powers were attributed to the original Wonder Woman. I learned that she is known as a skilled fighter for justice, love, and peace. One of her accessories is a 'Lasso of Truth' which compels anyone within her realm to be honest. She also has a tiara which can not only be used as a boomerang type weapon, but also as a means of communicating telepathically with ancient wisdom. Apparently, she even wears earrings that allow her to breathe in outer space. Perhaps she is a more fitting choice than I knew. So, I will don my costume on Thursday, and will try to carry her powers into Friday and beyond--along with my sense of wonder!

Beauty on All Sides

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be at the beach. After a picture perfect October day the sun began to set. The clouds enhanced the bright colors and it was exquisite.

It was difficult to turn away from the painted sky as the darkness began to deepen, until...a fellow observer began to hop up and down and point in the opposite direction. Upon turning, we saw an enormous full moon rising over the ocean. 

To be so surrounded by such beauty was truly awesome. I am filled with gratitude for the person who called me from what I perceived as loss of the day to the promise of a moonlit evening. Beauty often awaits on all sides if we are just able to turn and look.

Back Behind the Wheel

This summer I had a break from working on the wheel. This allowed me to paint some of the pieces from last spring that I had not had the opportunity to finish, and it also gave me time to explore oil painting. Tonight I will be back in the studio and I am looking forward to getting my hands back in the clay. I plan to start with plates, a pitcher, and some more reindeer! I will also be able to glaze the painted pieces and get them moving towards the shop. Now if I could just find a way to add additional hours to the day so that I could do all the things I would like to do!

What's In a Name?

Recently, people have been asking about the name Turning True Studios. As I began to entertain the prospect of opening a shop on etsy, I decided that I needed a name for my artistic endeavors. Despite the fact that pottery is what I have traditionally sold, I wanted a name that would encompass more than my work with clay. So, I thought and thought and thought some more--and then, when I stopped thinking, a name and an image dropped into my lap: Turning True Studios. I find that if I can just get out of my own way, much of what I need is waiting in the moment! Pottery requires that the clay be turned on the wheel to a place that is centered and true for a vessel to be formed, I tend to turn my canvases as I work to paint my treescapes as they do not have an obvious top or bottom,  and my alphabet rocks require being turned around to show their letters (more on those later). Studios refers to the fact that there is more than one medium in which I work. I liked that the hand and the spiral form my initials as well! 

Why I Still Need a Coffee Table

Last spring while looking for a coffee table, I found a giraffe. There was something in the curve of the nose and the knobby knees that said ‘pick me!’ And so I did. What I failed to understand was the challenge of painting wicker. So, one of my more time consuming projects this summer was to dab yellow paint onto a rather large giraffe with a very small brush. Fortunately, the giraffe is quite good at standing still. The overall look is now yellow--with a number of white highlights still shining through. Then as if that wasn’t tough enough, spots were deemed necessary. Also challenging! Needless to say, next time I go looking for coffee tables, I plan to keep my eyes low! 

From Treescapes to Landscapes

This summer I once again returned to paint with my aunt. It was another deeply wonderful time. I brought my brushes, paints, and photographs and planned to paint trees. However, we started with flowers (see Ocean Afternoons) and moved on to the marsh. I was able to transfer my new found skills and confidence from painting trees to painting flowers, marshes, and mountains. The pull to paint is strong and I am enjoying gathering photos from favorite places to paint and I will surely need to schedule a ‘business’ trip to California to spend some more time with the trees that led me to painting. 

Tree Paintings!