Brain Surgery

Ouch, that hurts!

Yesterday was “open house” at Clifton Studios. That means the artists were there to welcome the public and had their creations for sale.

It was a delightful day of meeting new people and old friends who all had an interest in seeing artists in their studios and entering into conversations, not only about purchasing something but also about the creation and technical aspects of their creative processes and work. Always just what any ceramic artist loves to do!  

I was there, in my apron, working in my studio, doing guess what, your right my title gave it away, “brain surgery”! You see, I don’t create “functional” ceramic items. No cups, bowels or vases. No I create strange creatures with fox heads and the like. Customers come to buy things for Mother’s Day and scones for on their walls, dinner ware or special serving dishes etc.

So, I move around and visit with all the artists who are for once all here at the same time. So, time to catch up and visit. Secondly, because I’m not selling I can “work” at something in my studio.

Ready to be closed up again.

Despite all that, visitors did come by, seeing me working in my “smudged up with clay” apron, and my work in progress brought them in. We had amazing conversations that come out of my “dysfunctional pieces”. Ha...play on words! The subjects of conversation ranged from the ridiculously hilarious to the deep and the sublime. It so happened that I was working on my “Foxy David #2, cutting open the top of his head and removing the insides to make it hollow. So this alone was an amazing subject of conversation. “Brain surgery and lobotomies”were mentioned. It was very stimulating and fun.

I saw personal friends, I met several people who’d seen my show in the Mennonite Heritage Center and many strangers who are now new friends.

Guess what, I sold one of my farm boys, wow. It was a wonderful, and inspirational day.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind...”

Romans 12:2