Standing on the shoulders of giants

Today was Day #1 making here in the Voulkos Studio at The Archie Bray Foundation. Firstly I would like to give a shout out to Big John Neely my prof and the Ceramics Chair at USU. John gave me the opportunity to take my MFA at USU and part of that was to spend 4 months in Jingdezgen, China the porcelain capital of the world. Rebecca Harvey now the Director of the Archie Bray was a visiting prof during my stint there. Perry Haas the Studio and Facility Manager here at the Bray was also in Jingdezhen as a USU undergrad. So some 16 years later the logs rolled and I am the invited Artist in Residence in the Voulkos Studio. Wow!!!!! John calls The Bray USU North and it is. I think there are seven of us here. My class mates Perry Haas, Sunshine Cobb, David Peters, also USU grads Austin Riddle, Meagan Thomas and some I've yet to meet. It speaks to the quality of the program at USU that what could well be the top residency in the country has USU grads as the engine. A big shout out to Rebecca Harvey for putting my fedora in the ring. This place is AMAZING! Not only are there ghosts of giants past there are soooo many incredible artists working here. I'll get around to highlighting their work- it's quite humbling to be honest. Everywhere I turn there is some pot or sculpture that blows my mind. I've been here a day and I'm blown away.