Dreaming of Portugal

I had a wonderful afternoon with a talented young couple Ali and Carl from Hamakamakes. They are in the process of creating a publication on creativity and the first issue is on Ceramics. Ali had some questions that stumped me. How does nature influence your work for one. I told her I could lie and say that the work I do is referencing rocks, moss and trees I have pondered in nature. Truth is I often make the work and then think to myself oh that reminds me of the rocks on the French River kayaking trip or that glaze reminds me of the time Stoner Steve flew me over the coastline of Lake Erie in March when the ice was piling up. Travel and getting out of the studio is important and there is little doubt about that. I'm thinking about my Intensive Course at ClayKitchenPortugal. I'm tired and need to make some work that is new and unexplored but comes from a deep well of 43 years of doing it all. Yes, I even did raku. My halo slipped. I leave for Portugal in a months time and I'm going to spend the next month playing with earthenware. I love the vibrant colour pallette and of course the beautiful colour of the red clay. I told Brother David in Portugal and he said oh good lets go dig up some red e-ware clay. So how does nature influence your work?? Hmmm. I'm thinking beautiful blue water, warm and bright colours. Canada on the other hand at this time of year is grey and predominantly cold colours. There is one spot open for the course. If you are on a clay journey and want to kick it into orbit then join us. This is going to be life changing for me and for you.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Will we be allowed to travel and leave the country?

signed. trapped in self-isolation
gz said…
If only I could...

Nature does influence our work...we use clay from the earth and rocks. and clay and water make our glazes. Earth and Water, plus Air and Fire in the kiln....
smartcat said…

I find my influences are there, but I don't recognize them until after the fact. Drove my profs nuts when I was in school.
Portugal still sounds perfect. Unfortunately health and finances prevent attendance.
Anonymous said…
Better contact Stoner Steve, he might be the only air travel available soon.

TaTa
Anonymous said…
At least the scam artist isn't calling you, he leaves messages on your blog.

C.C.
Anonymous said…
Are these travel advisories and travel bans killing the dream?

Bon bon.
Anonymous said…
What will January be like? It's starting to feel scary again.

B.B.
JZ said…
Portugal shutting down in January. If you have respiratory issues stay away from omicron circulating in the air
Anonymous said…
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/portugal-travel-advisory.html

Be careful, its only grtting worse
Anonymous said…
#supplychain issues might mean that Santa can’t bring us everything we want this year 😕 But hopefully things will get better in 2022. Here’s hoping your soda firings are juicy and your copper reds are bright when you open the kiln!

But Santa can deliver hand-made pottery from your local potter on time for XMAS day, so stop buying mass produced crap from China, says Santa's number one elf.
Anonymous said…
COVID-19 - Global travel advisory

https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/portugal

Portugal - Take normal security precautions
Anonymous said…

Marshall McLuhan: Art as Distant Early Warning System
“I think of art, at its most significant, as a DEW line, a Distant Early Warning system that can always be relied on to tell the old culture what is beginning to happen to it”. – Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media, 1964
Anonymous said…
Our whole society is currently overextended on rotten moral credit, and no one knows why anyone is doing anything past a certain point, except for the insistent drumbeat to pile up money at any cost. The pigs are running the show, and there's no intelligent resistance. War, fear, stupidity and lies are becoming common currency along with wholesale slavery, superstition and torture. There is no serious movement happening to prosecute the assholes responsible.

I don't suppose it's bad if artists lose faith every now and then. In fact, I'd say, why should we have it in the first place?

Art doesn't seem to be addressing what's going on in a way has any influence, and I don't expect television or movies to address the hideous fucking human rot at the top of our society, either. Commerce here - corporate and it's offshoots - has it's roots deep in slaughter. The fruits of that tree are surveillance, curtailment and fear.

All our claims to morality, peace, culture, and human progress are bankrupt now. And isn't that fucking depressing.

James H.
Unknown said…
Do it again in a year and i will be there. Timing is everything and this time cant happen. Your work and guidance is magical. For someone like me dabbling in this for over 40 years, your posts inspire every day. Be safe and stay well. Please post often during your travels.

Val T.
Anonymous said…
Are you currently quarantining in Portugal?

Or is the course cancelled or delayed and everything in lockdown?

T.T.

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