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Ten Feet Tall

12/31/2013

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It's the last day of 2013. I should have written this a few weeks ago, but I was busy driving my family around in the minivan (I learned how to squeeze in six adults and two kids at the same time ... woot!). Last month I wrote that 2013 would contain one more big change. This was a long time coming. I knew I had to do it almost 2 years ago. But I dragged my feet because I was conflicted. 

I gave up my job teaching pottery at the Greenbelt Community Center. I couldn't make it work time-wise anymore, because of the demands of my growing pottery business. There were nights when I would come home from teaching around 10:30pm, eat something, then go back to work in the studio. Also, I had to commit to class dates six months in advance, which made it tricky to apply for shows, especially those that required travel. You might be asking yourself "but doesn't a regular teaching gig provide some steady income to an otherwise unpredictable business?" The answer is that the income for a whole year of teaching was less than I typically make in one weekend art festival.

So why was it hard to leave? Because I loved the job. I loved my students. It was really important to me. It was important to them too, and I didn't want to let them down. I tried to emulate the great teachers I had in my past, to pay it forward to someone else. I believed in what I was doing, and I was rewarded all the time in ways that had nothing to do with salary. 

One of the last big projects I got to do with my Level 5 students was the Festival of Lights holiday art fair. Level 5 was my most advanced class. Again, I tried to give them what my best teachers gave me ... an environment where they could continue to stretch and flourish, beyond their considerable accomplishments. We have done a group booth in the Festival for five years, as an entryway for them to learn about the professional side of pottery. Here are some photos of our gorgeous booth, and the individual displays within the booth:
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Click on the thumbnalis to see larger images and names.

This was a two-day show, and I'm pleased to reveal that we had our best Saturday ever, in terms of sales. Sunday brought a worrisome weather forecast, but despite the snow we were still busy with sales. That was until the falling snow was replaced by ice, and the show was closed down early. For the past few years, our booth has been generating sales that would make any veteran festival artist envious. Overall I'd rate this as our best showing ever, and I'm really proud of them and pleased with their success. Although this is the last time I will lead them through the process, I'm confident they have enough knowledge to go forward without me, either as a group or as individuals. 

My other class was Level 4 Wheel. This class used to be called "Intermediate Wheel" but many of these students stayed with the class for so long, they outgrew the name. They were doing advanced-level projects too, some of them could have done well in Level 5 if there were available spots in that class. So the week after the Festival contained the last meetings of my two classes. We planned a Casserole Night for both classes, where everyone brought food in handmade casseroles. (This proved to be much healthier than the Pie Night we had in the spring, which I don't regret, it was worth it!) In both of the classes, my students had planned surprises for me that made me feel ten feet tall. Here's my first gift from the Level 4 class, a collage of photos taken over the years, framed with a matte board they had all sneakily signed during one of our class nights. The collage is now hanging in my studio at home (photo by Judy Goldberg-Strassler):
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And here's my second gift from the Level 4 class, the "Things Mea Says" apron. Not just for me, they made them for themselves too, so they can have all of my advice and rules nearby as they continue to take pottery classes without me. Back row l-r: Quianna Douglas, Kara Duffy, Jeri Holloway; Front row l-r: Carolyn Neuendorffer, Melanie Choe, Andrea Schewe, me, Margaret Lukomska, Jenny Adams, Judy Goldberg-Strassler (photo by Lorraine DeSalvo):
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Here's a closeup of what the aprons say. Yes I've already splattered mine with glaze. Some of these things are inside jokes, so they won't make sense to you:
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The next night in my Level 5 class, I was greeted with a pile of small wrapped gifts! They had all decided to give me a small pot made by themselves. I cleared out a shelf in my living room to display them. When I look at this display, it reminds me of all the time we spent hanging out together, making pots and enjoying each other's company:
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But they weren't done yet. There is a piece of equipment I've been drooling after for a while, a Speedball ST-1 pottery stool. It is the "luxury car" of pottery stools, hailed by all who have them. It has a bicycle-style seat, which takes pressure off your hip joints and provides thick padding for everything else. It has a real back rest. And most importantly, the seat can be adjusted to tilt forwards while you're throwing, which is a much healthier angle for your lower back and hip sockets. Behold, my new ST-1 that the Level 5 students bought for me. I will think about them every time I throw!
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I haven't had a chance to be "less busy" yet. Right after the classes ended, I had my Open Studio, then a frenzy of online sales. Then all of my siblings and their families came into town for the holidays. I plan to go back to work in a few days. I can already feel the release of some pressure ... the pressure of a schedule that doesn't make sense. It feels good. At the same time, I know I'm going to feel weird, maybe lonely, on Thursday and Friday nights. It's ok, I'm confident I will see the people I care about regularly, in some capacity. And there are new adventures to face going forward. I doubt I will be bored. 
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Not an Open House, It's an Open Studio!

12/11/2013

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Good Elephant Pottery's 7th Annual Open Studio
Saturday, December 14, noon - 5pm
Sunday, December 15, noon - 4pm

For six years I've held this event in my living room and dining room. For the first time ever, I am having it in my basement studio. If you read this blog, you'll know I renovated the studio earlier this year, and now I want to show it off! When you get to my house, walk to the end of the driveway behind the house, and come down the stairs to the basement entrance. 

Compared to an art festival, I will have room to display far more pots. I've been working hard to take advantage of this. Here's a preview of some of the work you'll find, including some brand new designs:


Large Square Platter with Heron. 14 inches across. $205
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Servings Bowls with Fish. 12 inches across ($170), and 10 inches across ($135)
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I will have a few Elephant Jars, including this one, which is 8 inches tall. $95
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I started making these Textured Jars with Wire Handles about a year ago. Since then they have become one of my most sought after designs. To 5.5 inches tall. $65 each
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Introducing ... Dinner Bowl and Breakfast Bowl. Nothing fussy here, just perfect functional bowls. Dinner Bowl is 8.5 inches across ($38 each), and the Breakfast Bowl is 6 inches across ($24 each).
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Who wants pie? 9 inch Extra Deep Pie Dish ($48), and introducing the new 6 inch Individual Pie Dish ($28).
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Teapots with Reed Handles. 8 inches tall ($90) and 10 inches tall ($105)
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Some of the pots from the 2013 wood-firing. I think I'm ready to part with them now. The pitcher is 11.5 inches tall. I haven't figured out the prices for these yet.
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And of course there will be many mugs, tumblers, chopstick bowls, dinner plates, pitchers, elephants, and on and on .... 

I hope you can make it! I know the weather will be crummy on Saturday, but the basement will be nice and warm, and there will be snacks! And once again, I will be packing everyone's purchases into free reusable grocery bags. 
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They Amaze Me Everyday

12/3/2013

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Coming up this weekend ... the Greenbelt Festival of Lights will be held at the Greenbelt Community Center. This is where I teach my pottery classes, and I will be sharing a large booth with my Level 5 Pottery students. The Level 5 class is for students who have moved beyond technical clay skills, and are developing their own style of work. These are all highly teachable students, and yet none of their work looks anything like mine! I love that. They know themselves, they know what their influences are. It is a real privilege for me to work with people like this. My own area of the display will be relatively small, because this booth is really about their talent and hard work. Come check it out! We will have high-quality functional wares, ornaments, jewelry, etc., in every price range. Here's a preview:


Karen Arrington
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Amy Castner
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Janet Evander
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Jonathan Gordy
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Karen Riedlinger
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Kuniko Wallis
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Greenbelt's Festival of Lights Art + Craft Fair
Saturday, December 7, 10am - 5pm
Sunday, December 8, 11am - 4pm
Greenbelt Community Center
15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt MD 20770


(And for anyone who is looking for a large display of my work, my annual Open House is next weekend, December 14-15, in downtown Silver Spring. More details will be posted here next week, and sent by email to those of you on my mailing list.)
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    author

    Mea Rhee (mee-uh ree),
    ​the potter behind
    ​Good Elephant Pottery


    upcoming shows

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    Central Pennsylvania
    ​Festival of the Arts
     
    State College, PA

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