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Slowly, slowly photographing work and getting more images into the gallery.  Swing over there to see a few new pieces out of my recent firings

Kevin Crowe of Tye River Pottery fired the week of May 5, unloading on May 17.  It was my first time on his crew with pots in the kiln and it was an amazing experience for me.  An anagama with a noborigama connected on the back made this three chambered a kiln an entirely new firing experience for me.  Each potter has his own firing style and each kiln, its own personality.  I learned so much and will continue to do so with every firing to come.  A potter's education is never finished.  A few glimpses of the kiln and the firing:

My cup is feeling very full right now.  Such lovely people, good conversation, good food, smooth firing, nice pots.  Wood firing is one of my favorite things and this past month has been a gift with two firings.  Now, to fill the kiln at my own studio!  Images of new work to come shortly.

We fired Catherine White's and Warren Frederick's anagama wood kiln last weekend.  It was a beautiful weekend and a great time of year to fire.  They tumble stack without glaze letting the beauty of the ash come through.  You can see some images below.  We unload on Saturday with more images to come.

This time five years ago, I was busily finishing my senior thesis, titled 'Distillates of Mother.'  The sculptural process of figurative casting dominated my hands and my mind was occupied by the themes of motherhood, female identity and mortality and totems to physically embody those concepts.  Clay was solely a conceptual sculptural medium for me then and though wrapping up my BFA, I was at the beginning my technical ceramic education (ongoing for the rest of my life). 

This time one year ago, I was wrapping up my job at the Corcoran in the ceramics studio and busily packing to move out to Rappahannock County full time, looking ahead to working for myself as a potter.  My hands have been dominated by shaping a home and shaping the clay into functional work.  2013 brought some sculpture with mainly functional work.  Every week since that move, I have felt fully that the move was right and have been so thankful for being able to jump into my creative process completely in such a beautiful place.   After having a job facilitating others' work in the clay, it felt wonderful to actually work in the clay myself, be it a cup, bowl or plate.  Functional work was not my initial calling to the clay but I fell in love with all of clay's possibilities and was happy for any making with it.


Ten months have passed since my move and I've begun to think about the next year and how to bring my sculptural and functional work together in my studio practice.  I have continued to think about these same concepts of my initial work and made drawings over the last few years but working in real life versus working in an academic environment changed my focus as economic pressure outweighed the creative muse.  Most artists face this.   The question for all of us is how to marry both interests.  I realize the answer is most likely just do it and then let the connection become clear.  My husband proposed that I give myself a rule of 25% minimum time spent in the studio is for sculpture-- quite the gift to myself but also a fair commitment to the work that feeds me creatively.  

The last weekend of April brings a firing in an anagama wood kiln.  The second weekend of May brings a firing in an anagama-noborigama-cross wood kiln.  The work is due for both kilns on the same day, reminding me of how final projects at the end of a semester felt.  With the end of my 'semester', I am looking forward to the next year, looking back at old work to find new inspiration.  There will be more sculpture, the form unknown; a resolution, if you will, seeking to resolve questions, projects, forms...

... are happening around here!  We're thinking about volume, proportions, where to go next.  18 chicks just landed in the studio, hanging out until they grow big enough to go outside.  I'm enjoying the company.

The holidays came and went and how wonderful they were!  The Fall was a season of rushed making and now it's the quiet of winter.  I've been happily hibernating, taking time to recharge and generate ideas.  Rather than wedging clay, I've been kneading dough for countless loaves of bread and taking the time to read and sketch.   It is time to move back into the studio, I can feel it.  The clay has been calling and I'm pleased to say I'm in a new space outside of Little Washington.  I'm very much looking forward to being there and creating in the coming year.

Additionally, this month brings the start of my partnership with Coterie in Sperryville.  A larger selection of my work will be available there all the time and, of course, I'll be there on Sundays as well.  Stop by and say hi.  I'm excited to step up to becoming a partner as it's such a lovely business-- so many good things from good people, mainly from within the county or 100 miles.  I hope that if you make it, you will enjoy it as much as I do.  Cheers to new beginnings and new work!  

Please join me for the 9th annual Artists of Rappahannock Studio and Gallery Tour 
Saturday and Sunday, November 2 & 3, 2013, 10 am-5 pm.

I will be participating with Susan Dienelt and Davette Leonard at 
Juba Mountain Pottery, Sperryville, Va.
Wood, salt, pit, and gas reduction fired ceramics

kathryn.habib@gmail.com | 540.987.3147

www.KatHabib.com
Artists of Rappahannock

Pictured above: Winter sky espresso cup, salt-fired stoneware, 2013.

From Sperryville:  From 211 West, make a left onto 522 South (just past the Schoolhouse complex).  Take a left onto 522 South at the stop sign.  Take the first right onto 231 South.  Juba Mountain Lane is the third left, approximately three miles from the turn.  Follow the signs to the studio from there.

Winter sky espresso cup with friends.  From the salt firing last week.

Work is being made, kilns are being loaded and fired, the studio is being cleaned.  The Tour is close by!  And so are two other holiday shows!  It feels good to be so productive.  This week's firing was a very full load with many drinking vessels.  I'm looking forward to seeing the results.