I'm super excited to announce my month long art residency at Red Lodge Clay Center the month of April. I'm finally starting to sit down with my sketch book to being drawings some ideas for future ceramic + wood combo pieces.

My two favorite things about participating in art residencies are: getting to work along side other artists (especially now that I have a solo pottery practice) and setting intentions for new work. Those parameters for new work could look like new clay materials, making processes, or goals for a specific body of work. As of right now I have the intentions of exploring more sculptural ideas for ceramic and wood combo ideas.

Stay tuned for behind the scenes look at my art residency in April. Hopefully I will have some new Mug Adventures to share as well as I will be in the beautiful countryside of Montana!

Want to support me in my creative endeavors with this Red lodge Art Residency?

To find out more information about this residency check out their website.

​15 kilns in 15 days
This was a unique project with a unique donation to build 18 kilns in San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua in just a few weeks. They put out this open call (advertisement as seen on the left) requesting volunteers, and I ceased the opportunity and went.

Images below are pictures from constructing one of the two kiln designs. Same design from multiple building sites.

1. Base Levels:
Leveled block base, first brick layer, first level of walls, the flue, stoking holes, and opening to body of kiln.

2. Floor of kiln, continuation of walls, flues to chimney and start of chimney's base.

3. Chimney

4. Arch of kiln
​The cut barrel is permanently left inside of kiln. The trickiest part of the kiln build is getting arch to come up at consistent level and even to attempt to have a consistent key brick.

A few of the families that were receiving the kilns and some of the volunteers. 

This past summer, I was selected to be a resident artist at Zentrum für Keramik in Berlin, Germany.
 
I worked along side of Helen Otterson and Eric Thornton who I had previously worked with at the International Ceramics Studio, in Kecskemét, Hungary.  As artists working at different colleges, facing similar challenges associated with teaching, maintaining studios, and collegiate service, our residency in Germany allowed us the time and space to explore new materials and building techniques. Surrounded by inspiration visually and culturally enabled us to connect our mutual love of art, desserts, and travel.  While in Berlin, we visited many art museums, bakeries, chocolatiers, and open-air food markets. 
 
The “Küchen” exhibit at Zentrum für Keramik-Berlin was the culmination of our diligent efforts to connect deserts to there serving vessels. With the diversity of attendees, desert filled ceramics became the international language that united the observers and artists as we experienced our time together in ways that go beyond language.
 
Works from the “Küchen” will be traveling to Hood College’s exhibit "Decadence of Display: Ceramics for Dessert." The exhibit will also include works by additional invited artists. “Decadence of Display” will be open January 26 through February 20th at Whitaker Gallery at Hood College. The reception is Thursday, January 26th from 5:30pm – 7:00pm. 

I am in the midst of working on applications for an art residency this summer, and just remembering how awesome my times were working both in Hungary and China. These art residencies are a great time to freely play with making work outside of what I usually do and to gain inspiration from different cultures in every sense.
Fingers crossed for what program I might get into for this summer.

​Porcelain pieces that I made at the ​International Ceramic Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary, 2014

​Porcelain pieces that I made at the Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute, Jingdezhen, China, 2012. Additional images of the team work, and skilled ceramic workers in China.