We're Live!

My web site is up and running: www.wild-iris.com. Take a look! There are photos of finished pieces (something I don't do here much) plus a link to this blog so I can share my process from inside the studio. Since I take a different approach to pieces if they are to be utilitarian or not, I've separated my work into "sculptural" and "functional" sections. Under the "functional" tab, I'm starting a "pots in action" gallery of photos. If you send in a picture of your Iris pottery in use, I'll gladly add your photo to the array! Don't forget, Everything tastes better with ceramics!

From the new site, I have a link to my Etsy store so you can make ceramic purchases any time of day or night! I also have an official bio page, and my email is accessible from every page. Click on the icon of a present and you'll discover how to purchase Gift Certificates.

There is a section of events I have planned and what I've been involved in recently, as well as where I regularly offer items for sale. For example, I make teapots and tea cups for the Backcountry Herbal Apothecary in Frisco. The last teapot I dropped off there is on my web site's home page. I'm making some mugs with their logo for people to drink tea from while they wait. Alternately, I have colorful hand-built tumblers and plates at Magical Scraps Boutique. I enjoy creating items specific to each business. I look forward to meeting with the owner of Magical Scraps soon to determine what new pieces she wants in her store.

Let me know what you think, and what you'd like to see more of! Many thanks to Mountain Porcupine Design for the site.

Growing My Itsy Bitsy ETSY store!

It's finally here... An easy way to buy ceramics! Take a look at what I have up right now. I'll add more work as I take more pictures.

WildIrisClay.etsy.com

If you like a certain piece I've shown here, and it's not featured at Etsy, please contact me and I'll let you know if I haven't listed it yet, or if I've sold it but have similar pieces.

I've been working on the wheel in the Arts District for the past few months, doing throwing demonstrations and assisting drop-in students to complete their projects. Therefore, my next round of etsy additions will be thrown bowls, tumblers, vases... In February, I did throwing demos for the Second Saturday Art Walk in Breckenridge, and completed a set of dinner plates. They will replace (at long last) the boring Target plates we usually use. I can't wait!

Here are three locals excited about clay:

Recommended Reading

After much anticipation, the great American novel, Karmic Relief, has been released online. I am excited to finally have it in a format that I can share with everyone. Please check it out at authonomy.com. However, if you find it tiresome having to log onto the internet to read it, just comment below for me to email you the text document.

I would love your feedback. The best way is for you to leave comments on the site where it's posted. You can also post comments here, or follow the "Complete Profile" link to send an email.

Thanks, and happy reading!
-Piers

TV Interview

The day we hung the show in January, Brad from Channel 10 came by to interview Marshall, since he was the resident artist at the Tin Shop in the Arts District. I happened to be there when they set up the shots, and asked me if I'd want to be interviewed as well. I definitely winged it, but I had a good time too (although I was completely nervous)! Here is the video - I hope my part is amusing and also informative!
Click here to play the video

Collaboration

I really enjoy Valentine's Day - not so much for the romantic aspect, but for a chance to appreciate and love my family and friends. This year, Piers has been building shelves for my studio, and I am very grateful! We also continue to collaborate on pieces; I had a show in January at the Breckenridge Theatre Gallery, and was very excited to show two Piers-Iris pieces. "Servitude" was completed in 2009, and "Gratitude" in 2010. Here they are in the window of the gallery:

1. Gratitude 2. Servitude - both pit-fired by Iris and then Piers uses found wood and objects to complete the pieces. Gratitude is attached by leather laced through the back of the clay and hangs off two nails on the vertical piece of wood. The handle for Servitude is secured with nails. The clay piece has a round bottom (as does Gratitude) so Piers cut a circle out of the wood to hold it. Beneath the wood are three rocks, secured with nails.

Here are more pieces. Thanks to everyone for coming; it was a fun show. Marshall Elliott had work on the walls - he works with burnt fabric. Most of my pieces have buttons, and Jenn (who organizes these events) recognized that our art would work nicely together.


Last year around Valentine's Day, Piers made me a small storage cabinet in our room, so that what he considers my "clutter" can be hidden away, yet still organized. He calls it "Sunrise."
As with his other pieces, and those we do together, he often finds objects and wood while walking in our backyard. The front of the cabinet swings forward and down; I like how Piers secured it with rusted metal and nails.

Body Language

Here is the piece I dropped off at Teal Gallery for the show "Body Language," which opened August 29 and runs through September 27. The base is 13 x 13, and he sits 21" tall. Glazed ceramics/mixed media. It's hard to see in this small photo, but the figure's right shoulder has 15-20 post-surgical-like stitches. Here is my statement that accompanies it:

"Transcendence"

This piece addresses the aftermath of an injury from a long fall. The awkward intrusion of science that effectively and pragmatically fixes the injury are in violent contrast to the unaddressed emotional pain. The two-dimensional shells of hands are ineffectual to help. The
body seems put together like “normal” but something is askew.

Transcendence has a peaceful face and a relaxed stance, and the fissured base marks the emergence of a hopeful future pushing through.

The opening was really fun (and delicious!) and I saw a lot of friendly faces. Stephanie, the owner of Teal, says there were 120 guests. Syma flew in from New York to represent her work, and after the show we enjoyed drinks and munchies with Lisa Rivard and other friends.

www.tealartgallery.com
It's a lovely space and I'm happy it's here in Breckenridge. Stephanie will celebrate her gallery's one-year anniversary in December.