new work this weekend

A little last minute self-promotion: this weekend (July 12 + 13) is the Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival. I will be there. Booth116. With a bunch of new work! And maybe a new dress if I can find some time to zip out somewhere and pick one up. I hope to see you there. Don't forget your sunblock.

little fame rush

I'm having a little fame rush right now. I was recently interviewed in front of an audience by Ben Carter for his Tales of a Red Clay Rambler podcast, and it was posted yesterday. You can listen to it right here. The conversation centers around writing on a blog, using social media as an artist, burnout, and what it means to share your world with customers and fans. I get a little tongue-tied sometimes, that's why I like writing so much.  I listened to myself talk and I only winced a couple of times. I'm like most people-- I hate the sound of my recorded voice, but somehow the voice I heard didn't sound like my voice so I was okay with it. I have a moratorium on self-hate right now and listening to yourself talk for an hour without wanting to punch your own self in the face is a pretty good test.

Listening to the interview I had a few moments of wishing I had elaborated on a few things or shared some more thoughts. It was like listening to an interview where you are thinking, "Ask this question! What about that, ask about that!" Only I was thinking, "Answer this! Why didn't you talk about that?!"

I'm going to listen to the interview again and take some notes on things that I want to elaborate on, and I will write a post about it, or maybe a few if I need to.  If you listened to the interview and you have some follow-up questions or something you want me to talk more about, please feel free to post here or send me an email. I said in the interview, and I will say it again here, that part of my mission is to share as much information as possible about running a pottery business, making a living as an artist, and all the challenges that go with that. I want to be a resource of support and information, so send me your questions or share your thoughts.

one last rant for the year

I think I just passed the Christmas hump.  Yesterday, Nikki and I shipped out 30 boxes of work to customers, literally all over the world. I think that was the biggest shipment of stuff I've ever done in one day.  It was very satisfying, and I was home by 5:30.  I immediately headed for the fridge, and drank down a beer, realizing as I was gulping that I never got around to eating lunch.  I'm the type of girl who doesn't mind beer on an empty stomach, so I kept drinking.

Then, I sat down at my computer, and I see I've got my "weekly Yelp updates" in the inbox.  A long time ago, someone yelped me after visiting my studio, and yes, yelped is a word.  It's an adverb.  It was a very nice review, but it encouraged a few other yelpers to yelp me too.  Again, always nice reviews, but there is something about getting yelped that makes me slightly uncomfortable.  Generally, I don't know who these people are, and it makes me feel weird that I'm having what I think is an innocuous interaction with someone, while they are mentally evaluating me so they can go home and review me.  Yeah, I know they are reviewing my work, but make no mistake, my work is me, so I end up feeling strangely exposed and defenseless.

So, Yelp emails me once a week with updates and stuff, and I always delete it because I don't care about Yelp.  But last night, for reasons I wish I could take back, I click on it, and I realize my 5-star rating is now 4 1/2stars.  How did that happen?  Notice, I just said I don't care about Yelp, but now I'm all bothered about my star rating.  There are not many places in the world where I am publicly rated with 5 stars, and frankly, if I have 5 stars somewhere, I want to keep it that way.  So, half drunk and now curious-- bad combo, we all know this-- I go and check out my yelp reviews, and sure enough, some... person gave me a 3-star rating:

"Adorable stuff. Unique and really nice muted colors.  But really.  $70 for a single cupcake stand?  I could buy a year's worth of cupcakes for that price."

                           

Oh, snark!  I am immediately engulfed in a mix of emotions, none of which resemble the happiness and contented feeling of accomplishment I was just basking in.  Apparently, it's okay to spend $70 on a year's worth of cupcakes, but not on a piece of handmade pottery which will last for many years.   I wish someone had sent me that memo when I decided to dedicate my career to making pottery.

Adding to my indignation is the fact my star rating was knocked down by someone who calls my work "stuff."  And doesn't know the difference between a cake stand and a cupcake stand, a hanging offense in my teeny-tiny bubble of a world.  Because I assure you, my cupcake stands are not $70.  My cake stands start at $70.  And if my cupcake stands were $70, they would be totally more rocking and  amazing than they already are, and worth every fucking penny.

Speaking of worth every fucking penny, I will be shilling my "stuff" at the Holiday Renegade this weekend.  I have no idea where my booth is because I've been to busy to open that email, but I will be there.  And if you come up to me and say, "You're worth every fucking penny" I will give you a 10% discount on cupcake stands.  And if you are too shy to say "fuck" you can say "damn" or "freaking" or even "pretty."

buy a vase, support japan

Whenever a big earthquake happens in the world, I feel a special connection to the event because of my own experience of a devastating earthquake. I came through the Loma Prieta earthquake totally unscathed--I'm nothing if not lucky-- but it was still an event that changed my life. It made me realize how fragile life is, and how my own life is so small. It was a very good lesson for a 19-year old, and I am always grateful for the experience.

The recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan was even more relevant to me because of my Japan connection. Some of you may remember that back in the summer of 2007 I went to Kanayama, Japan for a month to do a residency. It was, and remains, one of the highlights of my career. I was not overly concerned for the people who hosted me because they were far enough away from the epicenter, but I knew immediately that I must do something to help. My former hosts are doing something: they have pledged to make 15,000 cups to donate to the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami. Many people are homeless and have lost everything, and this is how they are helping people re-stock their cupboards. Cups are everything in Japan, daily tea drinking is part of the everyday culture, so this is not a small gesture.

By the way, 15,000 cups may seem like an impossible number, but the staff at Kanayama has been making 700 cups a day, and at last check they had completed 6,000 cups 12 days ago. This is between 5 people. They are probably done by now. I learned so much about production while I was working there.

I am sending my own donation of cups to Kanayama this week as a token gesture of support. I will also be sending straight cash from sales from a collection cherry blossom vases I made just for this effort. Cherry blossoms are a special symbol in Japanese culture. They also represent the relationship between the United States and Japan. The famous cherry blossom trees in Washington, DC were a gift from Japan in the early 20th century to symbolize the friendship between Japan and the United States. This is particularly poignant to me when I think about World War II, but I will save these thoughts for another day.

In case you have not figured it out yet, I want you to go buy one of my vases right now. 50% of the retail price will go to the Japan cause. They will only be available online until May 6, so don't sit around saying to yourself, "So pretty...!" because then they will be gone and you will lose your chance to get a gorgeous vase AND donate to people who need your money. And when I say "people" I mean myself, too. I need your money. So I can send it to Japan! The vases are moderately priced so they are affordable, not to mention beautiful, one-of-a-kind, and perfect for spring flowers.

do it for me

First things first: check out this awesome full page spread of nation-wide press glory:Those of you who know me or read this blog and know what a vain bitch I am know I am loving this because I actually look damn cute. This is the first time I've looked cute in any press I've gotten, I usually look awful. It's amazing what soft lights, a clean outfit, and some make-up will do for you. Oh and yes, lots of people will see my pottery too, which is a pretty nice way to start the new year.

The slightly ironic thing about this press is that it is in this magazine called "DIY" which we all know means "do it yourself". I've been taking the last month off from making pottery and while I've been noodling around with my papercut projects and other little things, I've been realizing what an un-DIY person I am. I bought fabric to make new curtains for my bedroom and recognized immediately that my vision of curtains will never match my ability, so I sent them to my mother-- a master seamstress who made her own Calvin Klein knock-off jeans back in the 80's-- to make them for me. More evidence: I recently bought new sheets that came in this amazing, squared-off, un-recyclable, thick clear plastic bag that had a snap, and I'm looking at this thing thinking, "I could cover this with cute fabric and make this into the neatest little waterproof purse to carry my paintbrushes!" But I already know I will not get past the idea part. Even my papercut stuff, which I would love to frame and put up on my apartment walls, will probably end up getting dropped off at a professional framers because I won't get around to doing it myself, even though framing stuff is so easy.

People think because I'm an artist I would easily fit into the DIY ethos, but really, I'm all about DIFM, or "do it for me". I thought about how fun it would be to start a website where I could put up my DIFM projects, like this beautiful wood-framed stained glass bay window I want turned into a cabinet, which is what I think I had in mind when I bought the damn thing 14 years ago. People could apply to do the job, and I could choose people to make my projects for me. Perfect, right?

Just looking through this DIY magazine made me jealous and exhausted: create a pretty floor mat from linoleum, etch glassware to make them look frosty cold even when the liquid inside is not, paint your own headboard on the wall so it's not really a headboard, it just looks like one. All of these peppy people with these cute freakin' houses and all the special touches they did themselves, I could have that too, I just need somebody else to... DIFM! Then I could start a DIFM magazine and from there a whole movement could be born, with me at the top, filing my nails and checking my makeup for the next press shoot while someone creates a lampshade for me out of re-purposed vintage wallpaper and embroidery hoops. Sounds like DIY heaven for somebody else. I've never been short on ideas, only the drive to actually get them done.

a tiny slice of life

I'm interrupting my series of articles on running an art-based business for a little shameless self-promotion. Regina Connell writes a blog called "A Handful of Salt" and she came to my studio a couple of weeks ago to write a profile on me. I'm usually a little leery of in-person interviews because I always feel the way I'm portrayed has little to do with who I actually am. But I'm such an attention whore that I never say "no" to interviews, and I thought Regina did a wonderful job in capturing a version of me that I actually identify with. And she took interesting pictures of my dusty, dusty pots. Though I forgot to tell her she should only publish pictures of me that make me look totally hot. Oh, well. I have to admit it looks just like me.

I'm working on my last article right now, so stay tuned, it will be up in the next few days!

insane beauty

Yup, that's me. (an ad for Philadelphia Craft Market that's ben making it to some print magazines. Click to read the little blurb)

you know you can't get enough of me

I have a good friend named Frank. He is the boyfriend of one of my closest girlfriends, Sidney. Frank is a true Renaissance Man; multi-talented and one of those people who never gets bored, and has zero patience with those that do. I adore Frank, and when he is doing things that drive Sidney crazy, I will sometimes take his side. One of Frank's many side passions are making videos of artists and people, and he turned his camera on me last week. The intention was to make a video of my dry throwing method, but it morphed into a video clip about... me. We are working on a more instructional-type video, and it will be done before the end of this month, but meantime, watch this:


Whitney Smith from Frank-e-t on Vimeo.

more shameless self-promotion

Don't worry, I'm working up a good, thoughtful blog post. I don't forget about my blog even when I'm totally buried. For the moment, you will have to be satisfied with some self-promotion. An magazine profile, a cute little online interview where I get to babble about food, and a reminder to some to my open studio this weekend!

another round of shameless self-promotion

First, sfgirlbybay did a nice little post on me.

I'm having an open studio this weekend at my place.

And my friend, designer Carol Young, put some of my pots in a photo shoot:


...which is just kinda cool!

more shameless self-promotion

Check me out on Etsy, I'm the featured seller and they wrote up a little interview too!

if throwing were a superpower...

I’d be freakin’ Wonder Woman!


I’ve been dying to use blogger’s new video feature. I have a bunch of video from Japan but it’s mostly drunken, goofy, and amusing only to those who were present. Then today, as I was banging out plates that will become cake stands for Miette, I suddenly realized throwing on the wheel is the perfect video subject for my blog.

I did it on my digital camera and I’ve never edited video in my life—until today that is—so if the quality is hurting some people’s eyes, well, sorry. Also, my college radio station is blasting in the background, so you might want to turn down your volume. I'm going to try again and learn to do it better, but I was so excited to get this up today that it just is what it is. Uploading the video through blogger is proven to be more difficult. So I gave up and uploaded it to youtube—another first.

Production throwing can be boring, the same form over and over. It’s easy to get sloppy. I always try to make it a challenge for myself. I time myself to see how fast I can do it, and I attempt to make each piece perfect. I used to laugh when people would say, “Throwing seems so meditative!” Potters must hear that 500 times a year. But now that I have actually taken up meditation—the sitting down, hands on knees, eyes closed kind—I realize that throwing is meditative. Whatever thought I was pursuing in my head fades out as the wheel starts up. And then when I finish the piece, my thoughts tune back in.Watching someone throw is a mesmerizing activity. I never get bored with it—the watching or the doing!

cake dreams

The dogwood cake plates are getting lots of play lately. They are kind of a nightmare to make because so many elements have to come together: the plate part, the stand part, the flowers part, and of course, the glaze part. I have many many dogwood cake stands that have not come out. When people ask me why they cost so much I want to tell then it’s because only about 75% of them come out perfectly. Since I can’t say that without sounding a bit grouchy, I usually keep it simple and tell people it’s a complicated piece to make. Anyway, the picture here to the left will be making and appearance in December issue of Sunset magazine, perfect timing for Christmas! ! I think this picture looks so good, I know lots of people are going to order because of it. We’re going to get cracking on making them right now so we’ll be ready.

Speaking of the Dogwood cake stands here is some eye-candy for you courtesy of Veronica from Veronica's Test Kitchen:

no such thing as bad publicity

I got some good press from California Home + Design, a nice glossy regional magazine. Of course I was totally horrified by the picture they used of me and asked the same question I always ask when photos of me are published, "Why do they have to pick a picture of me that looks so bad?" I'm really vain so I always want to look fabulous in pictures, but unfortunately I'm not all that photogenic. I'm so happy when I see a decent picture of myself. By the way, I'm not writing any of this to fish for compliments, I know the picture could have been a lot worse. An article was written about me in the San Francisco Chronicle a couple of years back and the picture they used of me was so bad and I looked about 20 pounds heavier than I was. And it wasn't me being paranoid about looking fat, because right after the picture was published I had a show and bunches of people looked at the article and looked at me and said, "Wow, you've really lost some weight!" Christa loves this picture, she said I looked really tough and like I was about to punch somebody. In our world, that's kind of cool. And the weird thing was, there was an article on the last page of the magazine about Beatrice Wood. I've never paid any attention to Beatrice Wood until I read her autobiography I Shock Myself earlier this year and realized how much we have in common. That was a neat little connection. Click on the picture if you want to read the article.

on the lighter side...

I was tagged a while back by my pal, Diana Fayt, fellow blogger and a member of my Bay Area pottery posse. I'm told the game is that I must reveal six things about that people don't know about me.
1)I used to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day and quit many times. I finally gave it up for real when I met my husband because he won't kiss me if I've been smoking.
2) I want to be a published writer when I grow up.
3) The one person you don't want to mess with in my life is my younger sister-- you hurt her and I will kill you with my bare hands.
4) If I ever have an aesthetic question about my work the only person's opinion I trust is my husband's. He has an impeccable sense of aesthetics around my work and is always honest. Painfully so.
5)My first ambition in life was to be an astronaut. I hope to live long enough to spend my last dime on a commercial space shuttle flight.
6) The thing that disappoints me the most about myself is my fear of big waves. When I moved to Santa Cruz at age 18 the first item on my agenda was to learn how to surf. My fear of waves really curtailed that desire. I know I'm under stress when I start having big wave dreams. Thankfully I haven't had any lately!