Soft hearted curmudgeon

Well this label soft hearted curmudgeon has also landed on my doorstep. It is with sadness I read about the passing of Chuck Hindes. I first met Chuck at The Woodfire Conference in Iowa City back in early 2000. We went out for BBQ and jugs of beer at Al and Irene's BBQ. On another night we went for a steak BBQ at the home of Connifer Smith. It was a collection of the usual suspects Ronnie the Rat, Chuck, Al Tennant, Casey (a student of Connifers), I think Dan Murphy was there, Gary Hootman and others. Chuck and I both had a suitcase full of jokes. I had another collection saved for him for the next firing of the Ratagama at Ronnie and Hesters annual firing of the Ratagama. The Meyers have sold their home and studio and now Chuck has passed. Shit, double shit!! Here are a couple of pics of pots I have of Chucks. He made a lot of his pots with a saw offed pool cue and I am lucky enough to have picked up this Oribe teapot at Ronnie's. But even more lucky than that Chuck had a show of 6 pots, 6 drawings and 6 books with his drawings. He gave me a book. It is a book in Japanese and every page has one of his incredible drawings. He got the bad rap of a man's man but the women I knew that loved him loved him a lot. He loved to give ya a poke. If you could take the poke and give one back you had his love. He left a big foot print on the wood fired community. I will toast ya tonight my friend. See ya in hell. You go to heaven for the view and to hell for the good company

company.