LeeU

I can tell you what I do with my Bailey table-top slab roller. I mostly handbuild and usually I stack and slam (Michael Wendt method) but I like variety so I also just make a bunch of thin slabs and stack 'em together 2 at a time, run them through and then turn and run again in the other direction, add 2 more, with 2 more run-throughs, until the max height is reached-it helps a lot with nicely pugged commercial clay right out of the bag.

I asked the question because I get such support and inspiration from other people's journeys, learning about how they navigate difficulty, and how they keep their spirits up, or get through the hard times when spirit-lifting just isn't happening. I was frustrated with the strength needed (and some pain involved) to go through the whole physical process of cleaning kiln shelves, doing new kiln wash, loading them to fire it on, unloading to prep for a pending fire, needing to reload this weekend, etc. I am now saving every penny I can to buy lighter weight shelves, even tho I am a hobbyist with low volume and probably not needing to look too far down the road, either. I also hit a wall of mental paralysis and stayed out of the studio too long, which came back to bite me, of course. And I completly neglected my website and lost what little traffic I was beginning to get. Worse, in terms of "acceptance" and developing "work-arounds" is the minor (relatively speaking) TBI that trips me up cognitively. It's getting worse (relatively speaking) by the minute. It's affecting my speech now, leaving me searching for words that I know, but half the time can't cough up. I end up substituting "thingee" for nouns when I come up empty and people look at me funny as the dead air goes on and on, which is, at the very least, a tad annoying for all ocncerned!! Oh-and I am not dyslexic, but now find this letter reversal happening when I write--at least I can catch and correct that. Whine whine, moan, moan.

Mostly grateful, tho not always, 'bout sums it up for me. I fought against making my first "Gratitude List" so hard, it took weeks before I was even willing to acknowledge the positive presence of having all my fingers and toes. I am glad those days are gone, and I have some grasp of the imperative necessity of gratitude, which for me generates hope, whether here and now or in reserve for somewhere in the great beyond, after the "tunnel of light". I am amazed at the array of difficulties others have shared. Amazed at people being so forthcoming (and glad there was a place to put it on the Forum--thx Pres). There is so much distress that periodically accompanies my own physical and/or mental challenges, that I must take strength from the resiliency of others, and try to take caution from the actions of some who lost their battle, such as Anthony Bourdain--that one hit me hard. I don't know if it is factual that--as some suggest--creative people have more than their share of deep suffering and bedevilments, but it does seem to me that artistic beings bring an especially tenacious spirit to the game, and seem to express a heightened tenacity to overcome, and to do so with grace. In terms of altering how I work in clay, just doing it tends to be feast or famine, so the striving for balance is the primary requisite if I want to keep on truckin'. Among the tools in my tool box is this community, which is so generous & so supportive, way past simply sharing knowledge and expertise.

I wipe 'em on my pants. When I remember not to do that, I wash & dry w/cloth towels. Clean up w/sponges. Such low output (home studio on slo-mo speed)-I don't worry about it, truthfully.

Interesting--so far, none are clay-covered. What's up with that? (Guilty...too busy showing off my octopus ring.)

Not so easy to take pics of your own hands! My 4th of July glitter polish looks OK tho.

I have to organize my organizers, making sure they match: a studio calendar for clay stuff, an electronic calendar that includes the studio stuff plus the rest of daily living events, a studio white board with certain contents that "should" (never do) match the wall calendar, a set of electronic folders and files, and the inevitable bright sticky notes scattered throughout, directing me to do my thing before I forget. The first screen shot is a folder with web-ready pics of my catchalls, ready for online insertion. All my photos are in folders by type, with subfiles for web-ready; the second screen shot is my file system. Too bad the file lists can't be read-I was hoping the titles would be helpful. The folders listed far left are my Art Biz, and the subfolder shown is Office and Operations; then the Master Inventory tracker on the right is a file within that. Works for me! The photo file name is also the inventory code which is also the website product or item number, and is written on a piece of tape on the back of the piece. The drawers or bins the pieces are stored in are labled as well. And, I also save certain CAD pdfs and "how to and tips" from this forum. It's not OCD, it is organizational survival!! The only way I can function is by having "A place for everything and everything in it's place", as my dad taught me. That, and the Blessing of the Day that I write on my whiteboard (from various sources). If anyone is interesested in the folder names--the categories of information and resource materials for Art Biz-- that I am using to develop my hobby biz, just msg. me. my

Sparked by my intention to make a clay toy for an event, how about a question about making clay toys? And for those who have made them, pics please and some comments about their construction.

From back to front, left to right--my entire collection to date. The penquin is by Liz Fletcher, NH, the miniture porcelain collored clay, crafted in the neriage technique is by Karen Orsillo, NH; the slip trailed little vase is by Maureen Mills and my all-time-favorite coffee mug is by Steve Zoldak, both of NH; the two mini jars are by Joseph Painted Bear, PA. My previous art budget went into paintings, but now I am setting aside some spendoolies for my next few acquisitions, from clay people who have been/are active on this site. Oh, and I forgot--I have a lovely porcelain water pipe by Ray Aldridge (who used to be on here).

It is a priority for me to surround and indulge myself with items/activities that bring me pleasure (other than people)----be it fresh flowers, great music, little collectables, making great mushroom soup-whatever. Usually "working" in any capacity is quite satisfying, but sometimes I go inert and the "juices" seem to dry up. Metaphorically, that indicates a lack of hydration & a need to overcome the perverse, self-defeating struggle to resist the intake of sufficient water. When it's hard to force it down, it's important to sip slowly until the self begins to reopen. So, I have this posted on my studio wall, and I just do what it says. I then get some meditative breathing (energy work/heart breaths) going. A few sessions of staring at the wall (over days, weeks, whatever it takes) and eventually I'll get twitchy/thirsty enough to start doing something-anything--in the studio, as other people have mentioned--ex. cleaning, organizing, reclaiming clay. That will lead fairly quickly to picking up a hunk of clay and getting back in gear. I guess that is a ritual. It clears my mind---calms the static--- and eventually gooses the neurotransmitters to squash the inertia and reboot the "get on with it" system. Who knows? Works for me, strange as it may seem. I think it's in the vein of "energy breeds energy", as GEP/Mea sez, or "You can act your way into right thinking, but you can't think your way into right acting". "Act as if." "Walk the talk." "Easy does it, but do it." , and so forth.

I was the Spotter for Modernage Labs in NYC in the late '60s, spotting high quality mural prints for the museums and lottsa other cool stuff (& silver prints). Still have some discarded (or so they thought LOL) prints of historic photos of subjects like Jack Johnson (boxer), pics by "Weegee", right after he died, and the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. The night crew was me, my x-hubby--he was a developer/printer extrordinaire--and a United Nations assortment of Chinese, Armenians, Polish, Germans, etc. Lemme tell ya---the bring-a-dish parties on the 4-12 shift were awesome! So was the bootleg Chinese whiskey, at 200 proof. My "ex" ended up losing a quarter of a lung due in part to the formaldehyde (and the insane amount of roach spray we were subject to in our little downtown NY apartments). Wow--Johnny-did you spark some memories!

Crocs!!! Classic clogs w/back strap. Luciously comfortable, long lasting, inexpensive (go for the sales). I paid a little more and scored myself a Limited Edition of Jackson Pollack Studio clogs--how very artsy of me LOL