Last time I put up a pic of the doves I was making, and although I'm pleased to see the completed fleet, I've since decided that 14 is too many of anything to make at once. It started to feel like too much like work. I think optimum number of ornaments or figurines for me when working is series is about 5 - 8 of each animal at a time; enough to get quicker and better at it, but not so many at once, that I start to get bored.
Once again, everything here is 'greenware', in a few days I'll start glazing and firing everything.
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| Blue jays! Inspired by the noisy flock that enjoyed our giant sunflowers. |
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| Squirrels! |
One-offs (for now - til I make more) are super fun too, like this peacock figurine.
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| greenware peacock earthenware figurine who, when finished, would love to go live on the desk of an NBC executive |
And in this pic are a meerkat with santa hat, a bulldog with santa hat and collar, and a bluebird with santa hat. All earthenware, I really hope they turn out after I glaze and fire them!
These aren't even all the ornaments/figurines I've made so far, there are also owls, roosters, and I'm working a small herd of horses.
So there are some pics. On to this post's blah blah blah...
Last week was Halloween so husband and I were on the look out for a terrifying movie. So we watched "Death by China" on Netflix. Scary stuff indeed!
Here is the trailer:
While the movie got mixed, and interesting, reviews on sites such as Rotten Tomatoes, my guess is that pretty much everyone in North America has been affected in some way by the off-shoring of jobs. And somewhere in the movie someone said something about how if you make less stuff than you bring in your economy is going to be in trouble.
This led me to another huge A-Ha moment that Oprah herself would possibly smile at.
I've decided to change my identity. I'm not going to identify myself as an 'artist' anymore. Forget it. From now on if anyone asks what I do I'm going to tell them I own and operate a small manufacturing business. I own a factory. An ornament and figurine factory.
Because it's true, isn't it? Artists and craftspeople are some of the only people left in this country that actually make anything. In my case, I literally make things out of practically nothing. I take a glob of clay, mold it, process it in my shed, and voila, home decor. No child wage slaves (yet...), no environmental degradation, no tankers with containers of stuff, no human rights violations, no dress codes even. I only have one employee so far (me) and I treat her/me pretty well. Working conditions in my factory are pleasant, bright and well ventilated with adequate breaks, flexible hours, background music of choice, and a very short, easy commute.
I'm very sensitive to the energy of people and objects, and when I told my husband about my 'factory' revelation I could tell that he instantly began to view what I'm up to in my studio with higher regard. After all, his father was a manager at Sydney Steel, so his whole family was raised on manufacturing money. Sydney Steel of course is another Canadian company that fell to the inability to compete with cheaper foreign goods, leading to a giant loss of jobs for my husband's homeland.
A discussion ensued as to whether I'm operating a 'plant' or a 'factory'. I've decided to go with 'factory'. And now I can see maybe what Andy Warhol was up to when he named his studio "The Factory".
Maybe I'm on to something.
"Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art." - Andy Warhol
Being
good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is
art and working is art and good business is the best art.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/andy_warhol.html#cXZpeZ5vE8ywMb3j.99
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/andy_warhol.html#cXZpeZ5vE8ywMb3j.99
I have another big idea for a blog post, related to this one, coming within a week or so, so stay tuned!
Meanwhile "Steam Engenius" by Modest Mouse is stuck in my head... (sharing this via youtube, but I did buy the cd, which is awesome)
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