Some new tableware

The images were taken during the Open Studios at Glebe road last week. Most of the pots are new work. This new body of work steps on my previous concept of simplicity of form( which can be used for various purposes as kitchen wares) adding now a more systematic surface treatment, dominated by bright glowing color and smooth surfaces.

Glebe Road Open Sudios 2011

Some pictures taken during our last Open Studios. They capture a bit of the atmosphere and the wares.

Functional

The lips /rim of my work are a melting point between inside and outside, the glazes meet and create something new The images show some of my recent functional work. It will be displayed at Glebe Road Open Studios, during the first weekend of December 2011. Glebe Road Studios, 18 Glebe Road, Hackney, London E8 4BD

I-SHO exhibition

Having Flowers was selected to be part of I-SHO an exhibition curated by the group 73Women.
The exhibition took place at The Gallery, Edwards Lane, off Stoke Newington Church Street N16, during 3 weeks in July. It was a very strong and diverse group exhibition very well curated by Caroline Halliday, Banu Cansever, Zoe and
+73women team * Seana, Jessica, Marion, Iliya*

The sculpture's aim was to homage women and the discovery of our creative powers, but it really refers to any living creature. It illustrates the surprise and wonder of a female when having her first period.
The menstrual cycle of women has been/ is charged with negative tones in most societies, from punishment from God to women, to women been considered dangerous or dirty during the period. I wanted to show a positive side of it as it makes females special and its a mark of our super powers.

Catching up

I have not yet written anything summarizing Local exhibition at Karim Janseen project space. Even though I was very pleased with it. It was a well curated group show at a nice venue. The opening evening everyone seemed to enjoy, including me. I do not like to stand waiting by my work all full of smiles and small talk... But this time I dedicated my time to the noble art of making cocktails and provided visitors with nice beverages. I enjoyed myself and even managed to talk with some people interested on the work exhibited.
The set of pieces which I produced for this show were done from locally resourced materials. The whole project was miles away from nowadays industrial design and design of materials. It felt like producing archetypes to be displayed in an archaeological museum. I liked it, and liked too the color and felling of the resulting pots
The comment I most liked was from a gentleman who was pleased by the unpretentiousness of the final display

Local clay

I am exhibiting new work at the exhibition "LOCAL"
An exhibition curated by SNAG at Karim Janssen Project Space
213 Well Street, Hackney London E9 6QU
Private view: Thursday 7th April 2011, 6-9pm
Friday8th -Sunday10th April 2011, open daily 12am-6pm



The ceramics are made from Hackney clay skipped at a building site in Manor road Hackney, London N16. I will also display a sort of story board explaining the process and the path the clay travels.

the merche traveller

Packing the suitcase
I do not remember how did I get there, to the situation itself...
I was in a room, choosing what to pack in my luggage . My cousin Diana and my brother Alvaro were waiting for me. We were leaving.
They were hurrying me,
I was having problems finishing the packing of my luggage. There were somethings I could not find, others I could not choose from. It seemed like a huge enterprise to pack the suitcase. It would not close, and there was not everything in it yet. There were not yet representatives of every species, like in Noe's Arch . Nickers, socks, swimming wear, jumpers, tooth brush, passport........I could not find them, the room was full of stuff, a complete mess with mountains of items.
I was sweating and crying
My brother and cousin kept hurrying me, there was not time to pity myself
Shaking, I could not complete the task.
Was the world going to end and we were trying to catch a spacecraft to jump to another galaxy?

No time to make a list from where to tick off.
Just move on with whatever you have.
Late for considering future regrets
System crash, not ready, too much to select from, to compress,
I woke up when I was breaking down in the middle of a scream... It is true...

I found it comic but the dream reflects my stress after 6 weekends of markets and open studio show

The suitcase in my dream was the one I use to carry my ceramics whenever I go to markets or fairs. A big box of 70 cm large 47cm wide and 30 cm deep, with wheels.
When loaded with pots it weights maybe more than me. I do not drive a car.

So why do I do markets?
Why not rely on shops or the Internet to sell my artwork?
The answer: I have not yet found the appropriate shop, and I would not buy a ceramic work without having touch it before or seen it live. I know for experience that something can look really good in a photo while been crap in reality, it is the case many times.

Markets and fairs give me the chance to meet the costumers. To observe the public out there. I love sketching while at the market.
Sometimes it involves going to new places, like last year's Scotland Potfest in Stirling. It was my first time in Scotland!. I carried a huge suitcase full with pots, camping tent, 2 sleeping bags (it gets cold) and other staff, all by myself and by train. I did not have enough pots for the 3 days of fair, nor props or embellishments. It did not matter. I sold what I had and enjoyed myself meeting new people.
I had such a good time, such a good experience. But I suffered too, when carrying all that weight. And before when choosing what to take with me. And after, feeling insecure about my stand display.

It is not only the artwork that makes an impression. It is the display, and how the display looks in the venue environment. The colors, distribution of pots, props , fabric and other embellishing supportive items including myself.

For last year's Potfest I collected wild flowers to decorate , they did the trick.

This year I want to go to another ceramic fair, to a new place if possible. I decided to get my driving license. Ideally in the future I would rent a car to transport the pots and whatever I need. I like the idea. The traveler, the nomad in me loves the idea.