Cups and more Cups

I know, I know, I have away from here for a couple of months. I have to figure it out a better way to do the stuff I like. I want to do everything and as a result I don't do much.

The latest is that I have done so many cups, 25 to be exact. I need so many things to work better, a potter's wheel to star, fallow by a kiln and a space to be dedicated only to clay and fun stuff, like glass and watercolor. I have talked with contractors and designers and I now I have a drawing and an estimate. Next thing is to find the money, easy right?

So my way to start this big project is with something small. Selling cups myself, usually I give my things to the galleries and they take care of it, they also take a big percentage. So I am going to try to sell things myself in addition to the galleries.

Here is my add, I am running a test on FB to get more people to know me, the more I know the better the chances to find someone who will buy from me.

Click Here to see all my cups, and if you can share it to your friends.
  

I have more news, but is 2 am and I super tired. I tell you more soon. Check my FB page to find out more about me and my cups.

Thank you so much,

Monica

Banner

Sometimes I feel that I can produce at all, my head is full with ideas, thoughts, questions, list, and all sort of things, that make impossible to focus in only one thing. Every year I want to apply for a couple of art shows but the list of things that I will need is so big that it discourage me all the time. I will need among other things, a tent, a banner, something to display my pots, make something cheap so people at least buy a $5 dollar something, business cards, a website, a device that let me connect with the internet for the credit cards,  I know most people have smart phones, but I don't I only use the phone to make calls or text, the rest I mainly do in the computer. I have in a couple of event and I had used my husband iPod, which stress me enormously.

The list is so big, that I feel stress just to remind all of those things. However, I have decided to have a different approach this time, I will do it step by step, and if I don't have things ready this year, for sure they will be ready next.

First step business cards... DONE. I feel so relief, it was such a headache thinking of that, and decided of theme or brand that will resume my work, I know it sounds silly but it is hard work, unless you go and hired a creative from an add agency that will help you with everything, but it will also cost you a fortune. Lucky for me, I have some friends in that field, but news is that they are Peru :(

I fund a wonderful designer a friend of my brother who helped me with the cards and finger cross will help me with all the other things. It is a bit complicated since I am here in Florida and he is in Lima, but things are working out fine.

Second step, a banner. Have you seen those banners in the tents of craft shows, there is a graphic, or a photo with the name of the person or store, the website and so on. Every page on the web and every book said a banner is a MUST, well, I am working on that. Is not as easy as to pick a photo and write all your information, or perhaps some people can, my brain works very slow and thinks way to much, should I use a photo or a design, what kind of design, etc, etc, etc. I decided to paint something in watercolors, something that lately have been very well received by people: my Florida Summer collection.

Here it is:

 

What do you think? I think it will work, now with the magic of photoshop and a talented designer like my new best friend Ozkar, it will be the banner I will use for the next show :)

I posted it on FB and people really like it, some people told me that I should illustrate children books! wow! You know, I always wanted to be a children book illustrator, the same way I always wanted to make a dinner ware set in the wheel, and have a book published, I am never short of wishes and dreams.  Perhaps they all come true someday. In the meantime, I really have to focus and finish my plates, see you next time.

Lidded Jars

I know it has been a while, pottery is coming slow this year. Family visiting, cold weather in Florida, and yes, I know that if you live up north our cold is nothing, but it is really cold for us. Then trying to clean the house, my little room, the garden, so many things to do, and very little accomplished.

How can those women do everything so nicely? Keeping a clean and neat house is not easy, cooking takes so much time, gardening too. How can they do everything, how they manage to have those pretty immaculate houses? I have been reading a lot of Apartments Therapy to find out, my only clue, they have way much more energy than me.

Anyway, here is the new project, lidded jars, I had made 3, here is the first one. Also it is me in my little room/studio with the frog in process.

I forgot to take a photo of the little frog, luckily my friend Betsy did it. Here are her photos, one with me (again) holding the little frog and the other one just the frog itself. I am at the Hyde Park Art Studio, you can see it a little, and no, it is not that we need the mirrors to look at ourselves all the time, someone said it is the best for you to look the pot in the mirror instead of keep twisting our bodies.

I will post another photo of the lidded jar with a frog after it is glazed and fired again.