June 22, 2008 We have babies in the house. The studio house, that is. Meet Simon, 12 weeks, and Rook, 9 weeks. It's a pleasure to have them and they might be the prettiest cats I've ever seen. Simon is a boy and Rook is a girl.
I am working like a DOG. Actually, thinking that one over, I haven't really seen dogs work too hard. I am, though, I'm working outdoors every day, also doing some serious housecleaning at home and at work. I'm hoping that by the time the boys get back home I'll have every paper neatly filed, a trellis over the pool with vines flowering on it, an enclosed porch, a new article, and an entirely new web site, with video. What do you think? Any chance?
June 18, 2008 Well, I'm still digging out from Bead and Button. I made promises, you know, things I said I would DO and now I have to DO them. My mail stack is down to only about a foot high, the luggage is unpacked, the books are mailed out, I'm Francing like a madwoman, and I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but I am teaching an all day metal clay class in St. Louis on July 3rd. There are only a few spaces open, but if you are in the area, perhaps you'd like to come?
We are getting these kind of clouds in the sky nw every day, as the monsoon moves in. I'm looking forward to the smell of the first storm, the taste of the air and the feel of the rain on my skin. I love Tucson so much. It's amazing to be home. Three years on and I still can't believe my good fortune, that I ended up back where I started. Happy salmon!
June 17, 2008 Another thing I need to take a picture of is the drawing that Andrew Thornton did for me. He brought it to Bead and Button, as we have been planning an exchange of work for some time. He chose a Nest Pendant with a mandala feel to it, and with an unusual moss green patina. Thank you, Andrew, it is a privilege to exchange pieces with you and Cynthia. Such talent. I also spoke to Andrew about the new Ralph Lauren metallic paints, which I am experimenting with in my entry. The colors are amazing. He is painting his new studio with one of them. Here is a neat picture of one of my buildings and some asteroid beads that were traded to the amazing Cynthia Thornton for an owl pendant and some invaluable advice about drawing and painting. Photo by Cynthia (I assume.) Photo of the owl tomorrow! I finally found my camera!
Man am I getting stuff done. I am Francing away, trying to wheedle information out of my students, like when they arrive and depart. Some of them are oddly cagey with the facts. I am going to have to send some muscle around to get them talking. I am forced to suspend ops briefly today to have a delightful lunch with a friend. I have to be dragged away from whatever it is I'm doing, always. She is tenacious, thankfully.
Mmm, more delicious news on plastics. Speaking of toxic plastics, that reminds me. I've been emailing back and forth with Tim McCreight, about the published piece in the Guild organ regarding the tests commissioned by Rio Grande. Tim and I don't agree at all of most of these issues, but I do think he is a good guy with good intentions. He just doesn't believe that any of the things that people are doing cross the threshhold of concern. In contrast, I make the case that we are dealing with a childbearing population, which is not addressed by the standard OSHA guidelines for healthy unpregnant people, and should use the safest practices possible, and err on the side of caution. What we decided to do was to have him write a statement, sort of an official position from the Team, about plastics, about the BBS project on the PMC Guild forum (page 172 and 191,) about breathing burning binder, torch firing, etc., and I would post it on my web site, along with my response. We will never agree, so we think this is the best we can do. We can each state our point of view, and why we hold it, and then let people decide for themselves where their own comfort level lies. In emailing with Tim, I learned a few things, and am still waiting to learn more- he is checking to see if they let the kiln cool down in between each test. It's hard to imagine that they did, because it would take so long (25 materials were tested) but it really matters to the results. He did tell me that the binder used in PMC has been confirmed to be food grade, not industrial grade, so that was good news. It doesn't mean you should breathe it, but it's good to know that at least it's clean. I will try to get the same information, and proof, if possible, from Art Clay Silver. It's a summer project. Apparently one that will never end.
Now this is very NSFW, or NSF people who are offended by the word that John McCain called his wife. Bad word! Very bad word! Fair warning. It's funny, until you realize that yes, he really did say that. And he really did make the joke that the reason Chelsea Clinton was so ugly was because Janet Reno was her father. And he really did eat birthday cake with George Bush while New Orleans drowned. And the funny loses a little more pop when you hear that his high school nickname was McNasty, because he bullied and teased anyone who didn't fit in with his little group. Nice guy.
June 16, 2008 Rock on Al Gore, stepping up to the plate to endorse Barack Obama! I look forward to any and all involvement from Big Al. My hero. What an odd photo to use for the promo. Someone chose this, picked it out of many. Al is a sexy beast but his photos make him look like a ship's figurehead.
Debbie and Joe Butcher sent me this photo of my booth (with me in it) from Bead and Button. The yellow feely fabric was the hit of the show. Why do I look so happy? Because I am looking at Debbie and Joe, two of the neatest people I know. Salt of the earth!
I can feel the rains coming. The air is getting subtly charged, a little wilder tasting, and the birds are talking about it.
I am so busy. Clearly this is unlikely to change. I'm working on details for the class in France, attacking a mountain of correspondence, shipping books... I'm running around like a cracked out chicken today. You?
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