Fun with Blogging about Mud
BOWLS!
September 16, 2022
ADHD makes being an artist extremely hard. I love the outcome but getting there can be so difficult at times. I’m just so proud of having a completed table set but not happy with all of them because now the professionalism has kicked in and I want to redo all of them but also have the need to move on to something else. For this very reason, is why my art with consistently change.
The plates are just gorgeous! The pressed Irish lace was ingenious. I want a little more green to come out in the design but that’s a perfectionist thing I may need to let go of. I’m still playing with other designs using this technique so maybe I can satisfy the “must do something else” voice in me while finding a solution so I can come back to it in the future. As a functional plate? They are beautiful!
The bowl was a difficult one for me. The charger already has all of the history and artistry on the edges, while the plate have the impression in the center. What unique thing was I going to do in the bowl that wasn’t overpowering but still looked like it was part of the set? While looking through Etsy for inspiration, I came across this while lace design that was made in Japan. I loved it so much and it reminded me of my Great Grandmother and name sake who was an Atlanta southern peach. I wrestled with it being white on white or continue with the green. I am very happy that I added the green to the bottom to really make the lave stand out. Now to perfect the green rims. Damn, that is a task!
When I put the whole set together, it looks pretty damned good but once I perfect the plate - I’ll share the stunning set with you as one peice. I can’t wait! :)
Let the fun begin!
August 15, 2022
What the hell is this?! I feel like I should make one of those tiktoks with the lady saying “I literally have nothing to say except… I made THIS!” I realize I may be getting A LITTLE ahead of myself since I am far from complete. It’s looking gooood and worthy of a little celebration.
This is made out of porcelain, which is a clay I simply CANNOT throw. I am hand building the entire formal dining set since I seem to have a better handle on that than throwing. I made a tester charger which promptly broke since I didn’t dry it properly. Totally on me. But I now have 8 chargers completed.
The design had many more ornamental elements to it but I truly love the ‘less is more’ design. The four leaf clover at the top, clearly my Irish roots, then the sides are made of olive branches with little olives on them for my Sicilian roots and then the Green Man in the center to signify my love for my earthiness. (I have a serious problem with collecting crystals and magic candles and working with the moon phases so, yeah, it’s a whole thang.)
I did make one charger different and this would be the charger for myself. I also have a collection of crowns, as every woman should!, so the crown is at the top and the center is the Celtic Tree of Life. I thought only fitting being the matriarch of my own home. :)
Next is to conquer the bowl & plates!
Ben & Jerry’s Honors “The Artist”
July 8, 2022
My “Interesting Bowl Decorative Art Piece” is now LIVE on the Ben & Jerry’s ‘Gram!! Second photo in the series and remained her “The Artist”, how apt for my little mistake!
Check out the blog “Every Mistake Matters” to get the full story on how MY bowl was featured on a Ben & Jerry’s ad!!
Practice leads to perfect… eventually
July 16, 2022
With every conquest, there are several failures that lead you there. This is no exception. This is the biggest pottery catastrophe I’ve had and, I won’t lie, I was a little heart broken. Four of the five chargers were left in pieces, after the final firing, while the fifth was warped and unusable. And I have NO idea where those two green spots came from!
The positive to the heart break is to see a glimpse of the beauty in the spring molds I’ve chosen. Below is the Greenman which sits at the bottom of the charger, center, representing my earthy, spiritualist side. I love the design I’ve come up with… now to perfect the base upon which they lay.
On to the next iteration… wish me luck as I take the porcelain back to the battle field.
Irish Roots
June 18, 2022
Kilkenny, Ireland
A trip I had planned two years ago has finally happened and I am only now realizing how delighted I am for the delay! Two years ago I discovered that I am over 50% Irish, had no idea since I was raised with Sicilian pride. Don’t get me wrong, I am still Sicilian - 22% of me is, but I had no knowledge of the rest of me. (Thank you 23 n Me and opening up some uncomfortable conversations with the family.) So I had planned this trip in order to connect with the motherland.
Two years ago I wasn’t even remotely thinking of taking a pottery class and I didn’t know that the Irish had a rich history of pottery either! So I felt like I was better prepared for this trip as I set out to discover the great potters of Ireland. Unfortunately, all of the potters I went to they were either still closed to the public or simply not open. I was able to go into shops and see their work but in all honesty, none of it really touched me. Oh, it was all still very beautiful but I was looking for an heirloom set to has as my formal dinnerware.
Belleek Potteries is thee place to go for Irish fine ware and I won’t sit here and pretend my work comes even remotely close to theirs but it simply wasn’t speaking to me. It’s beautiful, but doesn’t scream “CARRIE”. So, in a rare bought of self assurance in something I keep calling a mistake, I proclaim, I can do that” and proceed to design on a scrap piece of paper a design of charger, plate, bowl and cup with saucer. Very VERY brazen of this beginning potter.
So here goes my journey of making my own fine ware for my formal dining room. Fingers crossed. Landed back home today, off to the pottery tomorrow.
Every Mistake Matters
May 18, 2022
“Interesting Bowl Decorative Art Piece”
It was a peaceful Thursday afternoon as I was sitting in the Hood Care offices wrapping up for the day when an Etsy message popped up on my phone which was soon followed by a screech. My cousin Ashley ran into the room to see what was wrong but all I could muster with a point to the computer screen, “Ben & Jerry’s”. She leaned over the desk to read the message…
Any chance you have this bowl in a red? Or version of it just funky unique? And can ship to arrive by Monday in Vermont? It’s for a photo shoot for Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.
She was now just as hyped as I was about the connection but I was filled with dread because while throwing it on the wheel, it fell in on itself to create this unique shape and nothing I could duplicate.
I sadly replied, “OMG! This is the best message ever but fortunately, no. This is a truly unique "failure" of mine. I'm so happy that you/B&J like it. This only goes to show that I must make more mistake pieces!”
To which she replied, “It’s a pretty amazing “failure” I love it. Well, any chance you think you could ship it here for Monday and don’t mind if I paint it?”
“YES!! Paint away!” That very afternoon I shipped it out to the east coast, fingers crossed it would make it in to the final edit but even if it doesn’t the lesson of ‘there are no mistakes’ rings true today!
ORIGINAL ETSY DESCRIPTION
This little guy is my first attempt at a bowl but really remind me of the day in grade school home ec where we are told to make one thing and something completely different came out. I truly love this little flourish it has going on. Almost like he stated he'll be a bowl but must be a fancy one at that! It can definitely be used as some sort of candy dish for the grandkids or coin receptacle. The green exterior and blue interior glaze are very complimentary with it's crackling and prominent "Art by Mistake" stamp center of the bowl.
Enjoy this little mistake of mine!
MY JOURNEY TO SAN FRANCISCO IS NO MISTAKE
The unexpected story of how I got to the San Francisco Art Market.
WHY BURLAP?
The texture of the burlap extending from the canvas makes people want to touch it and I encourage touching, it personalizes the work. These pieces all tell very personal stories about my own life which I hope resonate with others.
ABM HONORED BY LA Weekly
So delighted to be featured in LA Weekly as one of the Entrepreneurs to watch in 2023! Art By Mistake has definitely made it’s mark in this world as I am the only artist in the world who works with this material in this way. But don’t take MY word for it! Check out the article! :)
HEAL x CREATE; Video
I made an appearance in the video series Heal X Create to talk about my art, my life, and the effects of high functioning anxiety.