For a while now, I have been struggling a bit with really letting my artistic “voice” shine through in my ceramic pieces. Before I got into clay, I was primarily interested in drawing, linocuts, and screenprinting. It was all about illustration and words for me. I was constantly thinking about how to merge words and pictures together.

The problem was, I didn’t have any particular stories to tell. I had lots of IDEAS and very vague CONCEPTS but I just…found it terribly hard to be inspired. Before I was a failed 2D artist, I was a failed writer, for the same reasons. I loved the act of writing but could never think of anything cohesive to write about. I think many people whose talents lean toward the arts have similar problems.

Making pottery was like a revelation for me. I felt like…oh, it’s so hard to describe. I felt like I didn’t have to come out and SAY things with ceramics, that I had the freedom to be as subtle and intuitive as I wanted. I realize now that this is equally possible with 2D art, but I still don’t find it as easy. I feel like the little fingerprints left in my pinchpots, the carefully burnished surfaces of my plates, are all telling their own little personal stories about me, but when people look at them, they’re just like, “that’s a pot, that’s a plate” and they either love them or leave them. Their mind either absorbs the tiny little tale they’re telling, or it doesn’t, but they’re not sitting around wondering what the plate MEANS. Which…may or may not allow that portion of my work to be considered “fine” art, but does feel terribly liberating to me.

At the same time, after taking a several-years-long break from illustrative work, I am now yearning to get back to it–or rather, to bring it back into my ceramic work. My now-husband Orin and I are both growing in our own artistic fields, and it’s great, because having someone to tell a story with has made all the difference in the world to me.

This is, I think, more and more where my work will be headed–telling stories, once again, through words and illustration, and blending that love with my other love of clay. Of the flexibility, and yet permanance, of the ceramic medium. I am finding more and more ways to do these things–through my poem pendants, through plates and bowls with paintings and sgraffito carvings and words stamped into them, and through the wall art I’m now developing. And it is awesome that I’m able to do this.

The small kiln in my apartment, which I use for all my small-batch firings and touch-ups, is currently down for repairs and has been that way since December. I have, honestly, been avoiding dealing with it. In the meantime, I do have a huge lovely kiln sitting in my dad’s garage–two hours away from here. The main result of this has been a longer delay for custom orders, although it has of course slowed down my general production too.

However, I went a little clay-crazy last fall and have a few big boxes of items that still need to be photographed and listed in the shop, so I have no shortage of “new” things to share. Aside from the kiln problems, this has been very helpful to me because a lot of things have kept me away from the mud since the beginning of the year.

I was sick three times between January and now, both of them seeming to linger forever. This winter was just intolerably long and cold and gloomy for me, and my health seemed to be indicative of my general mood. On our first sunny day, Orin and I went to Golden Gate Park and I was practically swooning from joy at the sunshine.

And meanwhile, I have been planning a wedding–our wedding. This is so exciting but totally out of my range of experience. We’re getting married on May 15th, in this amazing train museum, out in the country. It’s going to be awesome, but ugh, the planning! Fortunately we have slowly built up a “team” of friends and friendly vendors, which has helped a lot.

The florist and I have been talking about how to incorporate my ceramics into the reception. We’re currently thinking about using some of my wee planters, filled with succulents, as favors at the place settings.

We’re also going to have some of my bisque plates for people to sign.

I feel really great knowing that I’m going to be able to share my art at a day that is so important to me personally. I had some crazy ideas when we were first engaged–making all the dinnerware for the reception, making ceramic invitations for everyone, etc. It was just too much. But I should be able to do this, at least!

Recent new listings in the shop:

wee bowl -- eggshell

place setting for one -- mint

vodou veve plate -- loco

vodou veve plate -- samedi

I am a bit delayed in making this announcement, because I’ve been sick in bed all week with a nasty cough…but Panopoly Creations is very pleased to be vending this coming Saturday, March 6th, at Knit-One-One Studio in Berkeley!

We hope to see you there–we’ll be debuting lots of new goodies that haven’t made it to our online shop yet!

Catch Panopoly Creations tomorrow evening at the La Cocina Gift Fair, just a few blocks from our home. La Cocina is a great nonprofit organization dedicated to helping small businesses succeed. They provide incubator kitchen spaces for entrepreneurs in the food industry, as well as classes and other resources. I am so excited to vend at what I’m sure will be a fantastic event!

Who else is going to be there? 4505 Meats — Chichar­rones | Botanas Felic­i­tas – Mex­i­can Snacks | Bernal Cut­lery – Knives | Clairesquares – Short­bread Caramel and Choco­late Bars |CMB­Sweets — Jams | De La Paz – Cof­fee and Teas | Deli­cias Sal­vadore­nas – Sal­vado­ran Pas­tries | Estrellita’s Snacks – Yucca and Plan­tain Chips | Kika’s Treats – Choco­late Cov­ered Treats | Mimi McCurry’s — Chimichurri | Mulatos y Zam­bos – Gift Cards | Neo Cocoa – Choco­lates | Sabores del Sur – Alfa­jores and Empanadas| Sajen – Indone­sian Drinks | Sin­ful Sweets — Cook­ies | Onig­illy – Japan­ese Snacks | Omni­vore Books – Cook­books | and more…

(Please note that a lot of items will be pulled from my Etsy shop tonight. All the items that did not sell will be returned to the shop tomorrow evening.)

From 11/27-11/30 (Friday-Monday), a $10 gift certificate for Panopoly Creations, good for all of 2010, will be included with all orders over $20. A $5 certificate will be included for orders between $10-20. Keep the certificate, or give it as a gift!

Here’s a sampling of some goodies I recently added to the shop:

Things have been a bit quiet around the Panopoly homefront of late…and by “quiet” I mean, “busy making new stuff and not chatting about it!”

It is true that I have been working very intently since the summer, really trying to develop my more illustrative, creative ware and push my boundaries. This holiday season, too, I’ll be focusing on the Etsy shop and not doing as many in-person sales events as I did last year.

And so…I just want to build up some suspense, because I’m holding a promotion on Thanksgiving weekend! You will have to check back on Friday to find out what it is, and I think it will be a delightful surprise!

I’ll be back on Friday, then, for the big reveal!

Hi everyone! Long time, no see, but hopefully lots of you will be able to see me this weekend at the Renegade Craft Fair in San Francisco! I’ve been busting my butt making tons of new goodies for you, including more animal friends, illustrated plates, poem & pod pendants, canvas vases and lots of other pretty things.

Orin Zebest has made me an awesome all-new display that looks like an artist’s workshop (oh, if only I had a workshop to call my own…) and I’ll be there both Saturday and Sunday from 11-7.

Artists I’m looking forward to seeing there:

• 3 Fish Studios: The husband makes SF landmark linocuts, the wife makes adorable bear illustrations. I saw them there last year and their work’s even more fabulous in person.
• Bird vs. Bird: Illustrated coin purses made from recycled leftovers from vinyal signs.
• coo-koo-ri-koo: Textile jewelry ultilizing those little pom pom things. So delicate and elegant!
• Cynically Delicious: Cupcakes! I’m totally indulging in these little sugar rushes to make it through the long days.
• Diana Fayt: Beautifully formed, naturalistic ceramics.
• Elisabeth Soule Photography: Very artistic, dreamlike photos of animal toys.
• Foxglove Accessories: Jewelry made from vintage stamps. SO excited to see these in person!
• Gangs of San Francisco: Tees themed around SF history. I won’t know which one to choose!
• kg + ab: Cast porcelain animals, so pure and pristine.
• Caitlin Kuhwald: Awesome illustrations, and a really friendly face behind them too.
• Mama’s Little Babies: Jewelry made from Victorian illustrations.
• Matt Cipov: Pen and ink urban/animal drawings. I just love pen & ink.
• The Misanthrope Specialty Company: Intentionally unflattering portraits!
• Nora Aoyagi: Fine art illustrations, with a fairytale-like quality.
• Papaver Vert: Really impressive felted housewares.
• rebe: Beautiful skirts and dresses.
• Skeletal Dropkick: Skull-themed ceramics!
• small threads: Adorable, quality children’s clothing. I purchased a onesie for my baby cousin last year, and everyone loved it, my cousin included!
• Sofia Masri: Intricate porcelain jewelry.
• Sourdough: Gorgeous jackets.
• Tomoko Maruyama: Gorgeously soft, colorful illustrations.
• Sycamore Street Press: Awesome letterpressed cards.
• Treatzone: All kinds of cute stuff–I’m really digging their lightboxes.
• Wonder Thunder: Screenprinted textiles in lovely patterns.
• Woolie Originals: Beautifully felted, collaged creations.

I can’t wait to see you there, but if you can’t make it, after the show’s over there’ll be lots of new things in the online shop too!

A bit of a last-minute announcement: I will be at this awesome event tomorrow! Come visit if you can!

A new batch of wee bowls will be going into the shop later this week. Lots of different colors available, and almost all the same size, so you could make your own little set if you wanted!