Energized

Stephen Adams behind Marda's pottery just before the opening

Last night was so amazing!  About 80 to 100 people gathered for the art exhibition of the Art and Faith Group of Contemporary Christianity Ireland.  12 of us exhibited including 3 of Ward's poems framed and hung, a weaving and new porcelain pottery from Marda, and a clay impression from Denise Weyhrich of Seeds Fine Art.

Yesterday afternoon was amazing.  We met with Diane Holt about potential training for facilitators in the church to explore and expand our work on "church and community".

Yesterday morning was amazing as we watched the unveiling of a new mural on the Shankill Road. Daniella was the artist and she worked with local community groups.  Her friend Makiko greeted us. She is a worker at L'Arche from Japan.
The area behind may become allotments for community gardens.  Time will tell.

Great Week! More Creativity.

My work is in two group shows, at SpaceCraft and at Contemporary Christianity offices on the Ormeau Road. To the left is "Two Bowls" in the SpaceCraft exhibit.  The Opening Reception for the CC exhibit will be on 25 June 2012.

This has been a great art week! I bought a small piece of art at the Armagh Craft show, the work of Beverly Walker beverlywalker.co.uk. It is paper-clay porcelain on wood with gold leaf. Beautifully executed.

I have also bought two wee pieces from my tutor Rory Shearer.  In Armagh were also LyndaB and Karen Gibson, so three porcelain potters who have been extremely generous with their knowledge and skill.  Their skill humbles me but I am moving closer, timidly, to market and sell my work.

New friends Denise and Mikes

Our new friends Denise and Mike came with their friend Michael Tinne who spent every summer of his life in Co Donegal. His father had a summer cottage. How this visit came about was an email, "Subject: ADX alum”. Denise introduces herself as alum of ADX Zeta chapter, coming to Ireland, and was told she had met me in Berkeley.

She later said she was at the Dwight Way house, my house, and Celeste’s Maybeck mansion, over 10 years ago. Her email said she is an artist (with a website). Bingo! We exchange a few excited emails and set to meet up, later turning into staying with us for a couple of days.

Her work is www.seedsfineart.org and she is active with CIVA. They came and I ran them around Belfast city. Mike is an architect, she an artist using clay, and a type 1 diabetic, they go to a Missouri Synod Lutheran church of 5000 people (St John's in Orange, CA), and she recently fired up a big gas kiln, 7 years after it was provided to her. Her work inspired me and she loved Ward's poetry and our church.

Her advice: Go sell at Victoria Square. God will provide something miraculously so I should build the kiln shed and wait.

August came and went

We went with it and now mid September and we have had nine days without any rain! It is unheard of.

Everything in our lives is back into full swing with the exception of a Cross Border class using ICT (basic computers and Word) as a tool to explore attitudes about peace and reconciliation. We look forward to this new opportunity to engage on the subject. It starts in October at the Vine Centre.

I've started to make decent pottery. This vessel was made in a studio of an expert. Let's see if I can duplicate it and make more and better.