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.

Glebe road open studios 2010

This is my third year at Glebe road Studios and the third time I showcase my work at its Open Studio days.
Looking at my work I may say I keep in the same paths ( both sculpture and functional work) but the results are much better. It may sound pretentious, but looking at my work inspires and urges me to create more.
I have to praise the work and talent of my fellows at Glebe road too. All together we offer a good insight on what can be done in Ceramics nowadays.

Exhibiting at The Dig

This Thursday 4th of November I will exhibit one of my sculptures, at The Dig.
The Dig takes places at The Nest which is the new name of one of my favorite venues, Barden's Boudoir. 36-44 Stoke Newington road N16

THE DIG - LATE NIGHT UNDERGROUND ARTY PARTY
http://the-dig.co.uk/wp/?page_id=166

As part of East London’s famous First Thursdays, The Dig will be running debauched late-night lock-ins on the first Thursday of every month, bringing mind- blowing bundle of creativity from artists, writers, musicians, film-makers, designers, thinkers and dreamers.
 
The night will also be the official launch party of The Dig’s Creative Journal.

opening the cocoons

Today is the big day.
The ceramic sculptures have been fired and their shell will be open at early evening. The hollowed tree like structures were covered with wire mesh and 9 layers of paper coated with clay slip. This was done to help them to keep the heat and to protect them from brusque temperature changes. The wood to fire them was stoked inside the sculpture which was its own kiln. The wood consisted mainly of ash tree and some oak.
Just one of them collapsed. This could have been due to cracks in the tree like sculpture which made it to break apart when it was still firing. The fragil cocoon shell was not able to contain the collapsing body and broke open to our dismay. The crack may have been caused because the clay was not properly prepared. The clay in Church Farm has plenty of big chunks of flint and chalk in it, they were not removed.
In any case the last 5 sculptures seem to be alright and have finished their firing being now in the cooling down process.
They are waiting for the people to come to witness their birth.
Food, music and fire will be part of the spectacle/ celebration.

farming

So, here I am, in this idilic setting called Church Farm, Arderley, not far from Stevenege, wich is not far from big black hole London.
What am I doing here?
I am helping Valentin Manz to build and fire his tree like clay sculptures. We are working in the farm grounds, where at some point in the past there was a clay pit. Which is the reason Valentin choose this setting.
The weather has been kind of awful since I have arrived, but with that I get to appreciate the brief moments of warmth that the sun gives. Someone here said we should cherished those moments like a love affair.
The farm workers are mainly a group of student interns coming from all over the world but mainly Europe. They get payed £50 a week and they are fed and sheltered for free. It is not a bad deal. The farm has paid workers too
The Farm consists basically on cows, pigs, chiken,geese,and sheep who are roaming almost free on their respective fields.
The space dedicated to agriculture does not look that much compared with the quantity of animals.
There is the cafe restaurant, a shop for selling the farm own produce, which includes meat, eggs, vegetable boxes, and other organic products produced elsewhere. There is also cabins to be rented for short stays and conference rooms.
I would have preferred myself a less meat based farm. With more vegetable production.
I would not mind to have a cow and sheep from whom to steal some milk from time to time, to make cheese and butter, but without killing their babies, neither depriving them from mum's milk. Some hens to have eggs. No pigs.
I would like a huge garden with many vegetables and crops, lentils, peas, rice, corn, millet. Lots of fruit trees, avocado, kiwi, apple, orange,lemon, mango, figs, vine, nut trees and etc, etc...
I guess this would involve much more work.
Or maybe I am just naive.

Pot Fest Scotland 2010

This is a ceramic fair, a festival for the potters. The event has been running since 1997, and for what I was told it has a sentimental charge for many of the participants who bring their wares every year to this event.
http://www.potfest.co.uk/coxs.htm

This year the fair was relocated to Stirling as the original site in Perth was not available. I can not compare between the sites as this was my first time at it. Nonetheless I enjoyed the location for the fair
The new site was in a huge Mart outside Stirling, of easy to access by road and with plenty of space to park unload and display, camping area and services, delicious food and coffee
I was traveling by train, bus and foot, with all my work inside a suitcase, a tent and a sleeping bag. My arrival was a comic sight as I was told by some of the potters.
The Mart, was surrendered by fields and a twisting river, on the far backgrounds the mountains, the castle and the tower. The high sky like a busy highway for winds and clouds, charming...

Color in Scotland is very saturated

My display was neat and simple. We were provided with as many tables as we manage to carry to our spaces. I could not bring with me any props or plinths to create different levels so I was forced to displayed my work all at the same level on the table. I had white and black fabric to cover the tables and some of the cubicle fence. Some flowers collected from the nearby fields gave the last touch, It looked alright, fresh and rich in color.
There was a constant affluence of visitors during the three days of the fair.
I had positive feedback for my work and good sales.

To Pot Fest I brought my functional work. This work is intended to be used and liked. In it I explore and combine highly functional table ware forms with a colorful surface of layered glazes forming abstract landscapes. The glazes I use have depth and saturated colors. Color is provided by oxides. My functional wares are meant to be aesthetically attractive and functional.
I see my making of functional ware as making flowers.


The good thing about Pot Fest was the socializing with the other potters. There was some communal activities organized for us, we have food and drinks together and many chats. There was even a bonfire waiting for the dawn to come.
The mood was very amiable. Most of the people new each other for many years, meeting in previous Pot Fest or at other fairs.
Pot Fest was for some the beginning for a season of traveling with their wares. During conversation potters discuss the different fairs, work, methods, lots of jokes and some gossip.
I see myself coming back next year, I am looking forward to it, to catch up with all the lovely people I have met in this fair.