A New Year

The Holidays are always hectic, and ours is no exception. We had a small remodel project to finish, and we had company over for a Christmas party for Ed's company. On the day of Christmas Eve, I made lefse which is a thin soft griddle-fried bread from Norway. It is similar to tortillas. I learned to make it when I was growing up. As a child, I was interested in my roots. The only tradition I remember about my mother's family is Lefse. My cousins had leutfisk one year for Christmas, and they decided they didn't care that much for Norway's traditions. Anyway, I boiled potatoes, mashed them, and mixed in flour and a few other ingredients, rolled them out till they were very thin and fried them on a dry griddle. No oil. I love this food!

This is the Closet/pantry we put in place of the fireplace that we never used. Why we waited 22 years to do this project, I'm not sure. It was probably the fact that our son Paul, who helped ED had to grow up and learn how to do a little construction, including taking the old fireplace unit out, frame and sheetrock the new room. We also didn't realize how helpful gravity was going to be in removing the chimney pipe! We are very happy with the final result! A new coat of paint and light fixture really made a difference too. Under the table is our best friend Jabez, the dog who adopted our daughter April 4 years ago. You can look at my earlier blog to appreciate the change. Now I can move my "Cooper Shrine" off my refrigerator and onto all that empty wall space. For those of you who don't know, Cooper Edward Burnett, born Oct 12 2008, is our first grand child. More on him later!

The purpose of my blog is to show you my art. I am selling ceramic coffee cups at April's store, Jolts and Juice Company in Caldwell.
My philosophy regarding my mugs is that you should understand that they are not made with any machinery. Each mug has been handled many times in the process of making them, from the slab of clay to the finished product. I like the texture, and I think that when you look at the mugs you are drawn to touch them. I also like the bright colors that I put on them and inside them. I spoke with a woman this summer who was replacing her mug that just broke. This mug she had, she drank coffee from for 20 years! Just think how it becomes part of a daily ritual. I think a mug should feel good in your hands, have a pleasant surface.

Shoji Hamada, named a National Treasure of Japan, was a modern potter in the 1930's and for the rest of his lifetime. He had an idea that bringing back to his country hand made pottery was a way to resurrect the culture of his people. At the time, products for daily use were being stamped out by machines, and were cheap. The potteries across the countrysides in Japan were closing down due to interest in cheaper products, that were all the same. He taught the value of a beautiful object that is used in every day life. That is what I want my art to be. Each piece is an individual, one that can be recognized from the rest, and one that is an intimate part of daily life.