coffee in a handmade cup

So the day begins with a hot cup of coffee in a handmade cup. The best way to start any day. There is something amazing about pottery. I love to see it start from nothing a bag of dust and become a beautiful piece of art. If only it was as simple as it sounds..

As an artist I can truly appreciate what that cup has been through to get where it is today. A functioning piece of pottery.

First my cup was a lump of clay that was wedged and mangled to get all the air bubbles out before it could be molded. Then it was slapped on to a spinning wheel....round and round being pinched and probed tugged and pulled until it became centered to the wheel soon to become a vessel. Then after the maker shaped the vessel to his liking it was set on a shelf to dry. Sometimes days upon days just sitting there until it was completely dried out. Then it was put in a kiln. A fiery furnace reaching over 1000 degrees. The fire makes the cup "Bisque" or hard but not totally solid. The cup then gets a coat of wet glaze and again is set on a shelf waiting. And if only that was the end. the cup is then put through the fire once again this time for longer. But Ah, Alas once the fire cools and the cup has lost its hot glow it reveals its true beauty. A completed vessel. My beautiful cup.

Isn't that so much like life. "For I am the potter and you are the clay." God truly does want to make us beautiful vessels. It takes many trails, molding spinning and confusing times in life. Sometimes there is just nothing...We are sitting waiting to dry and we feel like nothings happening...we are useless. Even fire and flames, tribulations come but they are only a moment in our life...God knows the end result his plan for our life..to make us what He wants us to be. Beautiful vessels...

Artist Block

Well if there is such a thing as artist block, I have it. I am working on my next show and I need some serious inspiration..I have done so many paintings to date somewhere around three hundred to be exact. I just want to keep in my style but do something different. There are so many decisions to make when planning an exhibition. Do I make art that will sell or art from my heart. If that was the case everything would be abstract and houses. That's really what I love to do. The more whimsical pieces are from my heart. I love architecture and color and that is why you see so many New Orleans based artwork...Its a city full of interesting houses painted colors you would never think to paint a house. Then there is the abstract pieces. Which are much more difficult to create then you might think..Just the right colors in just the right place making sure not to put too much. The balance is critical in making it work. But, I love that challenge and I love how you can stare at the abstracts and find something different every time. Its kind of like looking at clouds and finding animals...Well righting all this stuff really does help get my inspirational juices going. I just want the people who view my work to see growth and movement in my work. I don't want it to be a rerun. I want it to be a block buster. Lord, help me to use this creativity you have blessed me with to the best of my ability. OK.....Off to make art.

WOW

Wow... I am so excited. For the second year in a row I received a grant from the Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation (www.culturaleconomy.org) Last year I was able to pay for booth fees and travel to Art Markets. This year for a brand new website equipped with a gallery and online store. www.artbyecm.com I cant wait till it is up and running which should be really soon.
Special thanks to Chris Sanderson for helping me get the site started and to Gavin Stevens for the New site...I have absolutely no complaints. God has been so good to me time and again since I have started my new adventures in the art world. I had no idea just how far I would go...and I haven't stopped yet. Each bend brings new and exciting challenges. I am learning so much about myself and that there is no Mountain too high. I will do my best to keep up with this blog. Not only so that you all may enjoy my adventures with me but that I might see more clearly those dreams and aspirations coming true before my eyes.