Monkey Mugs

Back when I was in college I would spend countless nights working on my thesis (50 thrown and altered/ carved bowls) until the wee hours of the morning. At times I would get tired of carving, and being the middle of the night with a huge amount of pressure to get my work finished I would be a little, well, crazy. On one of those nights I compulsively started making monkey mugs. With banana handles.  They were hand built from low-fire clay and glazed brightly with majolica. They were very cartoonish, crude, and weird. The monkey mugs were definitely a change from my usual work! 
As I've begun to take my pottery more seriously and have been trying to produce work, my mind keeps revisiting those monkey mugs. The other night I was sitting in my studio wondering what to make. Here's what came out:

I sort of love it. I think I'll make more! Maybe going crazy in the middle of the night has its benefits.

pARTy

A couple nights ago I had my big event... I invited LOTS of people over and displayed almost all the work I've created over the years. I had ceramics, of course, but also everything I've made with my other creative endeavor, ReLove Projects. I had a really amazing response to all of it, which was nice. It was great to be joined by Erin King of Deadwilder and Kurt VanMarth of Swear Jar Designs too. I scored a couple of Erin's prints and my daughter picked up a silver paper airplane necklace from Kurt (she hasn't stopped wearing it!). Everyone that came had a sort of creative energy- many were artists in their own way, so it was a fun crowd. The big hit of the party was my boyfriend's photo booth. It was hilarious to go back through afterwards and see what people did! I think the photo booth deserves it's own post, so when I need a good laugh I'll put up some of those pictures.

Dead Wilder 

My encaustic work

ReLove Projects

Photo Booth

My boyfriend, Brad (of Torchlight Photography), will have a face-altering photo booth set up at the art party this weekend. It should be LOTS of fun! (we had a lot of fun with it, as you can see!)

Mug in Action- Brad

I offered to make my boyfriend a custom mug- anything he wanted. He asked if I could make a mug with his tattoo on it... Yes, yes I can! 

In bisque-ness!

Sorry, I couldn't resist that horrible pun! It's true though, I am firing away- I unloaded my first bisque firing today! It was a small load because a) I wasn't sure if the kiln would work b) I only have one shelf for it at the moment and c) because I haven't been able to make stuff lately (the art school started the fall session last week). The kiln did work, so now I have some test tiles, the beginning of 3 mugs, a snail container and parts to THIS necklace. One more step in the right direction...

Being an Artist

I realized something. Since graduating in 2004 with my BFA I have only been half-assing it as an artist. I haven't submitted my work to a gallery (ever! not once!), I haven't put myself "out there", I haven't networked. My reasoning was that I wanted to draw a line between my art and a career, but then I'd have fantasies about making art as a career. By fantasy I mean that I would daydream endlessly about life as an artist. Kind of hard to achieve that dream if I'm only making art for myself and never taking risks to put it out in the world!
 Last month, when I was out at the First Friday Art Walk in Denver, I had a thought that my work was just as good as a lot of the pieces being shown in galleries. I picked up a postcard for a juried show at a gallery I liked, and very quietly created and submitted an encaustic piece. I guess I was quiet about it because there was the chance that it wouldn't get accepted... But it did! I got the call today that my work was juried into the show! Hurrah!

Floating by Anne Pendergrast, encaustic, 2011

This is the piece that will be in the show. If you'd like to come to the opening reception it is this Friday, September 9, from 6-9pm at Core New Art Space. 

I feel like this is the beginning of being a "real" artist. I'm thinning the line (or moving it?) between creating art because I love to, but also creating art to support myself. 

You're invited!

Who: Mud Whimsy

Dead Wilder

ReLove Projects

Sugar Dreamery

Torchlight Photography

and possibly others...

What: An art party! Let's call it a pARTy

When: Saturday, September 24th, 2011 

6-9 p.m.

Where: My house

 (if you're in the Boulder area and not already 

on my mailing list email me at mudwhimsy@gmail.com 

and I'll send you an official invite with the address)

Why: To celebrate the completion of the Mud Whimsy Studio!

 And to see/ buy art! Yay art! 

P.S.- I will be making pesto (that's the color I painted the studio) with fresh homegrown basil!

P.P.S. Feel free to bring kids, friends, significant others. All are welcome! Except cats, because I'm allergic. 

18th Anniversary

Yesterday I sold my Earthy Spotted Mug to a woman celebrating her 18th wedding anniversary. I didn't know this before but porcelain is the gift to give for 18 years together! I love that my mug got to be part of such a special event. Happy Anniversary!