May was marred by tragedy in this country, with mass shootings in a supermarket in Buffalo, NY and an elementary school in Uvalde, TX. Jasper starts daycare in July, and I'll have to, for the first time since we were at the hospital when I gave birth and they whisked him away to weigh him, hand him off to a stranger and trust that he'll be safe, taken care of, and returned to me just as I'd left him. It was already going to be hard, why does it also have to be scary?
I'm hoping that June will bring some solace. A new beginning in the summer solstice, a change of direction.
Summer is almost here, and I'm entering it with the following intentions: 1) to help Jazzy discover the joys of this season that he can, as many of us have, take into adulthood with him. 2) to keep up my current, joyful pace of pottery making (is this what they mean by flow?) 3) to get outdoors and into the sun.
Below, some updates as we enter June.
Pottery
As was the case for May, I'm prioritizing making Maraca and Arch vases, with the goal of completing at least 75% of my goal by the end of this month. In the time between coils, I'm making other pieces here and there, and generally really enjoying this pace. There's a meditative quality in making the same form over and over, and excitement in the breaks from that repetition. I'm finding a lot of joy in sculpting right now.
My kiln is now up and running, and it's another practice in patience to hold off opening it until the wares inside have cooled to room temperature. Each bisque firing takes about 15 hours and then another 15 hours to cool, so it's basically in constant operation as I get through my stockpile of sculpted and dried greenware. I haven't yet glazed anything at home - that will come later this month or in July.
At Home
The irises in my garden are blooming with their top-heavy triple blossoms and their slender stems. They are beautiful, floppy, and delicate, and they last barely 3 days before wilting. Because they have a tendency to flop over, I've been cutting the ones that are no longer upright to display in vases indoors, and I've finally found the perfect match for my Harvest & Bloom vase.
Shop
I mentioned last month that Etsy featured my shop as part of their celebration of AAPI Heritage month. Etsy remains my leading source of orders, since you need to know my work to find yourself here on this site. While it creates administrative work to maintain both my Etsy shop and this shop, I love that this corner of the internet belongs to me. I enjoy sharing more than just the products I create, primarily through this journal.
Over time, I've also begun to use my two shops in different ways. While this space is focused on my pottery, my Etsy shop stocks other types of products that I and other members of my family have made. If you can't tell, we're all hobbyists. Kev still recalls with a laugh the time my sister decided she would get into whittling wood and the day my dad came home with a flute (both hobbies since abandoned). Anyway, on my Etsy shop you'll find:
Pottery, including a broader range of seconds and sample items
Crocheted pieces my mom has made, including baby booties and clothing
Knitted pompom hats for babies (by me)
Pearl jewelry I began making when I needed wedding guest accessories
Colorful earrings I make from a dead stock haul of beads and crystals I received from Kev's aunt
Photo Diary
