Burning things up

I'm off to a wood-fire today. There are many ways of firing pots and using wood is one of the more traditional and spectacular ways. The electric kiln is convenient and predictable (until the stinking elements burn out or the pyrometer gives the wrong reading or the cone-sitter breaks or the digital thingy stops working) but wood firing is very exciting, noisy, messy and fun. This kiln belongs to my teacher, Elizabeth Priddy, out in Beaufort. There's a whole group of us this week learning to fire her mini wood kiln. Traditionally, a wood-fire takes several days, her kiln takes about 9 hours. Yesterday we glazed and loaded, today we burn. If I get anything good, I'll post a picture of it.

Putting art on the back burner

Here is a picture of one of my recent pots. I did a few of them. They are gone too. They sold at the gallery where some of my work is. Don't be too impressed, it just a co-op gallery. But still, I was invited to join and it does feel good when someone buys my work.

Sometimes when I visit our studio (the one in the store, not my own personal studio at home) I see some pretty cool pots. I think to myself "I could do that..." But I'm too busy cleaning up the studio, helping people, working, taking care of children, home-schooling, supporting, nurturing. All the while I know, in the back of my mind, that I have the skill inside me.

Once in a while I get some time, but not very often. Not often enough. It almost drives me crazy. But this is the time in my life when I have a lot of responsibilities. I don't think God would be pleased if I ignored them, even though I sometimes desperately want to. It's not that I don't want to be a mother. I would discard all my artistic desires in the trash heap if forced to make a choice. But I just want someone to know that it's there. I want to remember that the skills and talent are there. I yearn to use them. It aches inside sometimes to spend the day cooking beans and washing floors, but I know I'm doing more than that. I'm loving my family and investing myself in them. That is important stuff. Eternal stuff. I need to remember that too.