miriammorris.com Blog

Life, Death, and just keeping on.

Administrator — Fri, 18 May 2012 04:03:04 +0000

Tree Frog on Camellia

Tree frogs are beautiful. They don’t live very long, but they sure make the most of it.

What a Life amounts to...

My father was maybe not as beautiful as a tree frog, but he lasted a hell of a lot longer. 89 years, 3 months. That’s him on top of the file cabinet, and all his detritus that I have to sort through scattered around. Advice to all: distill your life to one box of papers.

Bad Daddy Gander throws baby around

So, you think it’s tough being human? Try being a bird for a while. This gander apparently was new at the father game and did not expect these little creatures to emerge from the big white eggs. He freaked out and attacked them. It took him two days to get used to the idea that maybe this was the way things are meant to be.

Goose Family

He settled into fatherhood after a couple of days. But unfortunately, in the wee hours of the morning, some predator came and snatched three of the goslings. Since geese are quite able to defend themselves, it must have been the ultimate killing machine: otters. The remaining geese promptly left the pond the next morning and have not returned.
More tragedy: This morning, I had to relocate a wood duck box because an intrepid raccoon managed to ravage the nesting hen. I had to throw out the nineteen cold eggs left there.

Mallard hen and newly hatched ducklings

And yet more: This mallard had thirteen ducklings to start with. She lost three trying to cross the road to reach Deer Creek. She subsequently lost many more, as is usual with mallards.

Dwindling family

Now, she just has one. But there are three orphan ducklings on the pond, too. Death left and right.

Progress II with Blondes Have More Fun

Speaking of death, I delivered my auction piece to the Crocker and then went to visit some of my favorite art pieces. “Blondes Have More Fun” by Robert Colescott, and “Progress II” by Luis Jiminez. Both of them are dead. Probably the majority of the artists in the Crocker collection are dead.
But I don’t think Joe Piskoti is dead. I’m pretty sure he isn’t. Below is a photo of his plate in the “Plate, Totem, and Teapot Show.” I think it’s funny. It’s very sexist, but equally to both sexes, so that’s okay, right?

Men at Work by Joe Piskoti

Another favorite at the show is Joe Mariscal’s “Circle of Dark Birds.”

Circle of Dark Birds by Joe Mariscal

That show ends June 2. Go see it if you can.
Finally, to end this dismal post: I did not get into the State Fair. Neither did Kate. Mebbe next time.

Glowing Goose Eggs

Administrator — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:44:10 +0000

Canada Goose and her nest with five eggs

The goose’s eggs should hatch around mother’s day. In the above photo, she is gathering more materials to tuck around her eggs. I’m expecting the first bunch of wood duck babies to emerge from their box any day now. The second wood duck nester is only just starting, so her eggs will not hatch until the end of May.
The Crocker Art Auction committee has let me know that the auctioneer chose work for the auction that “would sell the best.” Sadly, the piece I submitted was not among them. I was not too surprised. They want to raise money, not appeal to the odd collector. I will still have a piece in the Crocker’s “Big Names, Small Art” silent auction in May. A few weeks yet until the results of the State Fair jurying. Kate and I both entered that in different categories. We shall see what happens.

Plates awaiting placement

Ron Oshima touching up letters

Installation day at the totem plate and teapot show

Meanwhile, the largest piece I’ve ever made is on display at the Blue Line Gallery in Roseville. It isn’t really visible in the above photo. The show is called “Plates, Totems, and Teapots,” and is both an invitational and competition. My totem is in the invitational portion, curated by Tony Natsoulas. There are some really good photos of the show, taken by Lang Lew, on the Roseville Arts Facebook page. Already, many of the plates and a few totems and a teapot have sold.
The invitational is much more energetic but less polished than the competition, which was juried by Christy Johnson, director of the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA). The work she chose for the competition is, for the most part, cool and calm in appearance. But it’s all very good.

Springtime rabbits

Administrator — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 20:46:01 +0000

Blue and Pink Rabbit

Black Patch Rabbit

Black Rabbit

White Rabbit

These are four new rabbit masks I made for the Gray Goose shop in downtown Nevada City. They are fired to withstand outdoor conditions. If you’re ever in Nevada City, you should definitely go to the Gray Goose. There is an amazing amount of very interesting and fun items. I think I need an octopus refrigerator magnet.

Female wood ducks checking out new box

Last week, there were five pairs of wood ducks looking for nesting boxes, so I made them this new one. The second day it was out, these two females were vying for the first chance at it. But they still have not laid any eggs in it, even though they’ve looked inside many times. One of the other boxes that they used last year has an owl in it now. Out of the five boxes, one has a squirrel, two have owls, one has a wood duck, and the new one is so far unused.

Upside down Canada Goose

Drying off

The Canada Goose pair is happy spring weather has arrived. They have a nest containing at least one egg. Hopefully, they will not have six goslings, like the pair from two years back. All that goose poop!

Umbrellas by Kate Morris

Kate made this hand built ceramic vase recently. It depicts Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s umbrellas. She is entering it in the Fine Craft division of the State Fair.
The Shine exhibition and the Irv Marcus show at the Blue Line run until April 14, and then the Plates, Totems, and Teapots show begins. Next month, on May 24, the Crocker is once again presenting “Big Names, Small Art.” I will be donating a dog sculpture for that. Bidding starts at only $25. I went to see the Judy Chicago survey at the Crocker. While I appreciate her ideas, I can’t seem to really connect with her art. Maybe it takes more looking. I really liked Gong Yuebin’s installation in the ballroom. It is called Site 2801, and is only there through April 29. On the Crocker’s website, there is a video of the installation being put together. But like most art, it is way better in person. Don’t miss it.

a little of this, a little of that

Administrator — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 02:20:38 +0000

Lots of water over the pond spillway from March storm

A little water.

Overflowing the banks

A little more.

Wood duck pair enjoys the late winter snow

A little snow.
All this in less than a week. Finally, winter arrived, just in time for spring.

Pursuit of Happiness ceramic totem

And it’s finished! All seven and a half feet of it. Yay.

Canada Geese on studio roof

What’s next?

Last head cooked

Administrator — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:06:18 +0000

Unfired head for top of totem

This is the last head before it was fired. Like all four before it, the bisque fire created a crack. All the way down the side of the face. I’m used to it by now. They really are a bunch of crackpots, anyway.

Finished head glasses yet to come

I haven’t been able to stack my totem yet, since I don’t have a pole. Mark Oldland, the amazing metal sculptor, is fabricating that for me, as well as glasses for this last head. The totem is going to be much larger and taller than the one I made last year. It will be challenging to put together. Definitely a two-person job.
The totem, if all goes well, will be part of “Plates, Teapots, and Totems” or “Plates, Totems, and Teapots” that is due to open at Roseville’s Blue Line Gallery in mid-April. This is a ceramics-only show. Tony Natsoulas is curating an invitational part of it, and the remainder is a juried competition. The entire huge space, all three galleries within the Blue Line, will be full of breakable things.
Can’t wait.

February made me shiver…

Administrator — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 03:48:09 +0000

Shiver is a weird word. Why doesn’t it have two “v’s”? February made me shiver, not because it was cold, it wasn’t, but because it’s my birthday month and it reminds me that I’m f-ing old. It also made me shudder. Everytime I put one of the large heads I’ve been working on into the kiln, some part of them flew off.

First head awaits the others

This head was the first to be fired and I guess I fired it too fast. His head cracked a lot and before I can stack up the rest of the piece, I need to figure out a way to deflect the weight from this one. Trusty Mark Oldland, the amazing metal sculptor, has promised he can devise a method to solve this problem. The second head’s left ear popped off. The third head decided she didn’t need some of the back of her head. Fortunately, most of it is repairable. I’m so glad I don’t make functional work. I’d suck at it. I still have two heads to go, and I’m hoping they will remain intact throughout the firing process. It happens because I don’t have a programmable kiln and it heats up too fast, causing the thick wall to crack.

Valentine Couple

This handsome pair of Canada Geese think they are going to nest at the pond this spring.

Wood ducks checking for a suitable nest box

I know this is a blurry photo. Dim light, far away. Pretend it’s artistically rendered. Yesterday, there were two pair of wood ducks looking at the nest boxes. Fortunately, I have two nest boxes. The female spends a lot of time going in and out of them before she settles on one. In the photo, you can see how she uses her tail to brace herself as she peeks into the box.
I’ve been volunteering as part of the Blue Line Gallery Artist Task Force. We don’t carry guns or wear uniforms, though that might help a lot in trying to get artists to read attachments on important emails and drop off work on time. We will be installing a new show that opens March 1st called “Shine.” Irving Marcus will have his paintings on display in the main gallery, with “Shine” in the WestPark Gallery. Irving Marcus has not shown his work locally for a long time and I’m looking forward to seeing it again.

slow progress

Administrator — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:01:33 +0000

A few greenware heads

Here are a few of the unfired heads I’ve made for my new piece. Its coming along okay. I’ve used almost all of the clay I have in my studio. These heads are big and heavy and will take forever to dry. But with this rainless, snowless weather, they should dry more quickly than the heads I made last winter.

Mallards walk on water

Not that it hasn’t gotten cold. These mallards landed on the frozen part of the pond, slid a few yards, and then quickly walked to the unfrozen part. If you look carefully, you can see the two hens at the back are walking on the ice. Today, we had the first wood duck pair of the year. I hope they will nest as successfully this year as they did last.

First wood ducks of 2012

Warming earth mists

The sculpture Mark Oldland made with me is holding up well. I really enjoy seeing it in all the seasons. This morning the ceramic balls had some sun glinting on them through the mist rising off the cold ground. Even though I like these sunny days, I’m hoping February will have some wet storms.

Out with the old

Administrator — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 02:00:07 +0000

Pileated Woodpecker eating hawthorn berries

I was very surprised to see this pileated woodpecker eating hawthorn berries. He was very acrobatic in his pursuit. Usually, they are whacking their heads on rotten wood looking for insects. These birds are quite large, about crow size. It’s very impressive to see them upside down, grasping tiny branches.

George the cat with part of new piece

George, the old cat, is sitting next to a new piece I’ve just begun. She is unperturbed that she is taking up the space I had prepared for the head on the right. This piece is complicated, has many parts, and will probably take me a few months to finish.

December moon

The cat and dog show at the Skinner Howard Gallery ends January 7th. Nothing new that’s definite on the horizon.
That’s it for this year. Let’s all take a deep breath and hope for the best in this coming election year.

A trifle nippy

Administrator — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 17:14:57 +0000

Wild Cherries

The October rains have let the leaves hold longer than usual, making fall more colorful this year. Cherries along the creek are turning gold and orange. The big leaf maples are bright yellow. We hiked along the new “Tribute Trail” near town last weekend.

Tribute Trail bridge over Deer Creek

This is a newly placed bridge across Deer Creek so hikers can go on a short loop on the other side. There is a lot of old mining evidence along the Nevada City side of the trail, and there are some signs explaining historical aspects of the area. You can park in town to go on this relatively easy hike.

Big Leaf Maples along Tribute Trail near Nevada City

The annual Cat and Dog Show at the Skinner/Howard Gallery is coming up next month. I’m working on some very small masks for that and will also be showing a few of the birdhouses I made. Below is Dark Hound Birdhouse. I plan to test one next spring to see if birds will actually nest in them.

Dark Hound ceramic birdhouse

Two hooded mergansers were on the pond this morning, but mostly mallards have been visiting. I hope the buffleheads come back this year.

Mallards on pond in fall

I spent three days traveling between Nevada City and Roseville to attend a Richard Notkin workshop at the Blue Line Gallery. I learned how to mix the perfect plaster. I learned that unlike Mr. Notkin, I am not a perfectionist. I learned that succeeding in the art world is a mixture of luck and perseverance. Actually, I already knew those last two.

Day of the Dead

Administrator — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:19:06 +0000

Bear River High School students work on their altar

The Altar Show is going on right now through November 6 every day 12pm-8pm. Above is a photo of the Bear River High School altar in progress, before the opening on October 29th, at the Nevada County Fairgrounds. Below is the finished altar. They used black lights, which really enhanced the cut paper artwork.

Bear River Altar in the Dark Room at the Nevada County Fairgrounds

If you can’t get to see it, here is a very selective virtual tour. The altars are best viewed in person, and some are impossible to represent in photographs, but here are a few.

Altar for Baristas

Hospitality House altar at the Nevada County Fairgrounds

Labyrinth for Teddy

Altar for John Olmstead

Thirteen Grandmothers Altar

The Dark Room at the Altar Show

Above is the totem I did earlier this year incorporated into my altar in the dark room of the three rooms of altar installations. There are about fifty altars all together. The Blue Line “Spirits” show ends this week. Richard Notkin, a well-known ceramic artist, will be holding workshops and keeping a studio at the Blue Line for most of November. Kate and I went to see Clayton Bailey’s show at the Crocker. It is very amusing. We got an autographed catalog for Kate to add to her signed artist book collection. She said Manuel Neri and his wife cut in front of her in the book-signing line. We don’t have Neri’s autograph yet. They probably have a book on him in the gift shop at the Crocker. She missed an opportunity. The Sacramento Center for Contemporary Arts will hold its benefit auction later this month. It is in Old Town Sacramento this year. All these places have Facebook pages, unlike myself, so go take a look.