Whynot Pottery Visits Fredericksburg!

It was so great to meet Meredith and Mark today...they are on an extended holiday journey and kindly included us in their plans (and returned pots from the blog show). I gave them the full-on tour which includes a walk through LibertyTown, lunch next door at Primavera and then the 11 mile drive out of town to my country studio. We had a lovely day and conversation came easy... a lifetime spent making things means that we have so much common ground to compare...and contrast. They live amidst close to 100 other potteries in the Seagrove area and have had the chance to rub shoulders with lots of other wonderful potters. My pottery connections are few as I've spent most of the last 30 years selling my pots right here in the 'Burg. Fun to talk about the pluses and minuses of each lifestyle. I'm happy to live in a world where there isn't a potter around every corner, it means my world is full of interesting and different folks. But I miss having a community of potters to interact with sometimes (this is where a blog is a very useful thing).
Anyway, now I know why Hollis and Dee found M & M such good company. Thanks for the visit, I look forward to seeing your place sometime soon!

Pottery Security - don't leave home without it!

Meredith and Mark in front of my kiln.

Long Time, No See

Hello there, old friends. The combination of a gimpy computer and a hectic holiday season has conspired to keep me from any posting lately. I hope that you enjoyed seeing photos of John and Yoko and Allen Green in the meantime.

A nice teapot group.

   We had a stellar December at LibertyTown and our best year yet, but it comes at a price for me and the staff in long hard days. The pace has been relentless since September when I returned from England... I'd barely looked at the pots from the firing and it was time for Christmas business. I spent a couple of weeks alternating my evening chores from taking photos one night to making and freezing cookie dough the next.

    I've sold many of the best, but there are still plenty of good pots available and I just might get a little online sale together soon. Most of the birds (except for the 3 biggest) sold in a 24 hour period! I've never seen anything like it...still trying to figure out what it all means to a mug maker such as myself, but it's exciting to see the strong response (I can't help feeling that I missed the price...did they sell too fast I ask myself...?!)

    I made a few more birds which I fired in the electric kiln at LTown, using the glazes there. I wanted to give a few as gifts and it was odd to work in such unfamiliar waters. I'd been thinking that I needed to expand my palette so this was a good opportunity to see them with more color. Some were pretty cool; one looked like it belonged in a Hallmark store at Easter time! I'll post a photo another day.

    There's plenty more to tell...my conversation with tourism/economic development employees from the city about LibertyTown's future, the arrival of my new assistant, Jason Hartsoe, from North Carolina, my plans for a gas fired salt kiln and my response to John Bauman's  blog about mugs from a week ago or so. Don't touch that dial...I'll be back after these messages from our sponsors.     

The Copper Shop...and a Tribute

When I was a kid and everyone had to choose their favorite Beatle I was firmly in George Harrison's camp. As I grew older and more rebellious my loyalties shifted to John Lennon. His shooting and death really knocked me back 30 years ago. 

I visited My old friend Allen Green yesterday to drop off a pot I'd made for him. Allen and his dad, the Codger, have made beautiful copper lighting since the 1970's and, back in the days when I first came to Fredericksburg, they made weather vanes as well. The Codger passed away a couple of years ago and Allen still carries on their work today.

We joke these days about being the senior members of the craft community here in Fredericksburg...he being a bit longer in the tooth than I makes him our fearless leader and me #2. The shop is in a great old red brick commercial building and it is a true emporium of artifacts, tools and Fredericksburgiana!

The workshop is a bit lost amidst the stuff, but it's in there.

You can see a version of their lamp in the middle of this photo.

Allen himself.

The guitar is a weathervane and Dylan is, well, Dylan.

Where Free Range Turkeys Come From...

Student Pottery Sale

I made Rabah pose for me. He might have a future....

It's not too late to stop by LibertyTown for the last day of our annual Student Sale. It's great to see our newer students get the courage up to put their work in front of the public and take home some cash for their efforts. I had a very hard time parting with my 'precious' pots the first time...until I was able to go home for the holidays on the money that I earned. That was a long time ago, but a good lesson learned...

We are open today from noon until 4pm...come on down (or up as the case may be).

Just before the mob shows up...

A satisfied customer with Beth (you gotta love those blonde curls!)

I like it when the buyers dust the pots as they inspect them!

Marion and Els 'working hard for the money'.

Heading West

I am heading to Lewisburg, WV this morning in the rain and wind to deliver a bunch of small pots and a couple of birds. Gary Roper and his family have a wonderful gallery that is always full of beautiful work. It's the Washington Street Gallery is you're ever in the neighborhood!