Too many pies, not enough fingers...

I used to joke that I was going to have a t-shirt made that said "Whatever the question" on the front, then "the answer is NO" on the back. However, I came to realize two things. 1 - people would just re-phrase the question and 2 - if they didn't, I'd still find a way to stick one of my fingers into whatever pie they were offering up.

I'm just the kind of person that perpetually says yes to good causes, fun things, and stuff that intrigues me. Life is too big, too fun and there's always something to catch my attention.

Why am I telling you all this? It's just a long way of making excuses for not keeping up with my pottery blog.

I have been busy in the studio! I'm hoping the weather isn't so bad tonight that my studio flies to Kansas. If it's there in the morning I will be out there first thing unloading my new pottery. THEN I will be loading up another glaze load. THEN I will be glazing the stuff I pull out of the kiln tomorrow.

I'm really going to try and take some photos to share. I am experimenting with all kinds of new things. I made some boxes to hang on the wall. I made some quilted type pieces. I used a couple of new clays. Then promptly forgot to check what cone to fire the clay to when I started the kiln. I still haven't looked! It's some boxes of clay I picked up at a going-out-of-business sale a few years back and then promptly forgot it as I piled "my" clay on top of the boxes. I discovered it recently and decided to use it. It was a little stiff but worked great for the things I had in mind. I can't even begin to tell you what color the clay will be - no test fires. It's mystery clay! It is marked on the box so I can look it up... and will before glazing. If it turns out it needed a higher cone I'm going to use some underglazes on the clay and re-fire. Fun.

I've also been busy getting ready for some shows...

And, I'm involved in a new art group, Fine Arts and Crafts Entrepreneurs (FAACE.org). We are 'all about the business of art'. Most of us who live with messy hands due to clay, paint or similar have messy brains when it comes to the business side of our craft. I can make a piece of pottery. Balance a checkbook? Yes, I can handle that one... if I must. Figure out whether to incorporate or go the sole proprietor route? That's a bit more of a struggle. Taxes? Insurance? Big huge YUCK.

So, a group of us decided we were never going to 'make it' if we didn't knuckle down and attempt to get our business side in order. We've had an insurance agent come to speak to the group, an attorney and in upcoming months we're going to have a CPA, a printer and some folks from the county come speak. In June we're meeting at an art gallery and the owner is going to give us tips on getting accepted into a gallery. The list of things we'll be discussing and learning about is unlimited.

However, it takes time to get a group going! There are six of us right now on the Board, soon to be a few more. We have a fantastic group of artist members. We're putting on shows, too!

I'm loving getting to network and become friends with local artists.

I think I have shared enough for now??? I am sure I've whined before about how busy my schedule is on here. I hope it doesn't come across as whining as I love my life, I love jumping from one activity to the next and always having something new on the horizon.

To those in the areas affected by the horrific storms and bad weather - prayers are with you. To those who are looking at bad weather tonight - be safe.