Last weekend I had the pleasure of taking a workshop with Linda Christianson, who I’ve admired since I first started potting. Linda has to be one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, and her calming presence really helped me to hunker down and make some new work! Linda saddled up on the kick wheel and eased out a group of lovely pots - the group of 17 of us watched in amazement as she moved the clay up in two fluid pulls to finish each pot.
I stood at my electric wheel and felt like the tightly-wound, tight-ass potter I’ve come to be…wishing I could be so relaxed and loose! Once I got over my self-loathing I tackled a project I’ve been thinking about for some months now - the idea being a set of nesting jars based on the folk art of Russian nesting dolls (damn! I’ve forgotten the proper name for them…can anyone help me??). It seems like a kind of crazy idea, but what the heck - I gave it a try, along with my first attempt at Japanese Mish Ma decoration. Talk about crossing cultures! Soon I will work out a way to personalize this series with some type of contemporary American imagery…stay tuned. Here is a little sneak peak for you in the meantime!
November 9, 2007
Linda Christianson Workshop at Red Star Studios, KC
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Christa,
I really like seeing the new ideas/work in the early stages. It is nice to know that others struggle as well. Those dolls are called Matryoshka. Hope all is well.
Comment by Steven Cheek — November 10, 2007 @ 12:04 am
Oh Christa Baby:
Your workshop at the Ranch was so wonderful and I am glad to see that you are being displayed in Museums and galleries.
Your pitchers have created a great challenge for me and now it looks like the dolls are going to be a resounding success.
Hope to see you again.
Spice
Comment by Spice — November 22, 2007 @ 9:43 pm
I figured someone would beat me to the answer of the nesting doll question! Hope all is well with you. We bought a house e in South Philly a couple of years ago and life is rolling along. We’ll probably see Kim, Gary and Kimberlee at a tree trimming party on the 2nd. We talk about your pieces to everyone that steps foot in our place. Still have ALL of them. Email if you get a chance. Love, Kim and Duane
Comment by Kim and Duane — November 25, 2007 @ 7:02 am
Congrats to teapot ad snapshot! Glad to stumble over your blog when looking for Jun Kaneko links, I will be back (Swedish ceramic artst)
Comment by bibbi forsman — January 9, 2008 @ 6:54 pm
This figurative doll image and it made me smile. Your work is truly outstanding. My Christa Assad boat teapot is the corner stone of my art collection.
Comment by Rebecca Bazell — January 21, 2008 @ 7:46 am