Hand-built clay sculpture, Firekeeper, by Tammy Vitale of Tam’s Originals

Browsing for photos for today’s blogs, I found Firekeeper.  Amazingly I had forgotten all about her and cannot remember when or to whom she sold.  I thought I’d always remember all of my "children."  I guess they take on their own life and go off and I don’t need to remember them anymore.

I am sorry that I don’t make sculptures like this anymore.  They take a long time to sell and I have a grouping in my basement shelving that are in stock more than out at shows.  Folks don’t seem to like things that need a base – they will buy things that can hang on a wall.  Meanwhile, doing this kind of sculpture was what first captivated me about clay.  Perhaps, someday, I should give myself some space to begin again.  In the back of my head is the same work only much larger (which more than likely would become yard sculpture for me due to weight and space requirements for something like that…and pricing:  what I’d need plus what a gallery takes off the top).

I finally got back into the studio yesterday.  Focus lately has been on getting the house ready for sale, and now we have made an offer on the house that I have been watching for the past two months and variously thought was great, was too expensive, was ok, would do, was better than all the others I’ve visited, then, when I visited it again realized it’s about as perfect as I’ve seen out there.  We are ironing out some creative, outside the box details, and hopefully will rent prior to selling our own home (which brings a lot of extra expenses but resolves much of the moving in/out problems, which Husband and I feel are much more pressing, especially if he goes on tour when our house sells).  Which means I go to HS reunion, we go on 2 weeks’ vacation, I come home and run around doing end of the month crazies with in/out at galleries and then we start moving.  You can see why I am happy I managed to get several hours in the studio yesterday – the first time in over a week.  Sometimes it feels like everyone forgets that although I am at home, I am INDEED working at my livlihood and not getting in the studio tends to mean I have less work to display which equates to less income.

I made fish.  The fish have evolved because I have this wonderful shell that makes great fin imprints and so I’m doing more plain fish (no decorative swirls/stamps on their bodies).  And their fins are wonderful – the new shell impress plus a new finishing technique for the ends of the fins that I stumbled onto gives them a wonderful movement quality.  I have several drying and will take a picture to share in between focusing on the house.  I want to have many on hand for the October Unique Boutique show in Hollywood, St Mary’s County, MD and need more for Joie de Vivre who sold the 5 I just sent within a week of receipt.  And each fish is an original so it is fun to make and see what comes because they are all freeform – although there is one triangular shaped fish that seems to have become a trademark.

You may notice that I am here posting less than usual.  Always feel free to go browse at myspace, which you can access under my blogroll on the left in addition to clicking.  That is more a journal and I am alternating back and forth right now with posts.  That one is easier to post because in my head it isn’t necessarily connected to the business of my art.  But perhaps that is only a distinction in my own head.

Thought for the day:  Spend a day listening to people. Just let their words in without superimposing your own thoughts.  you can try out the idea that when people talk, they’re finding their way toward what they really mean, and that the best way to help them is to just listen.  Allow yourself to take in what they say without wondering what their point is.  Trust that when they stop talking you’ll understand.  When you want to finish a sentence for them – out loud or in your mind – stop yourself.

It can be amazing to hear what gifts come out of people’s mouths when you allow them to complete their thoughts without interruption……

Your understanding of another person is limited by what you think you already know.  Byron Katie, I Need Your Love – Is That True?:  How to Stop Seeking Love, Approval and Appreciation and Start Finding Them Instead