Spiders!

Last weekend I participated in a unique project: Spiders! Interconnectedness, Innovation and Stewardship. Organized by Sarah Kariko, Research Director of Gossamer Labs, this project brought together a team of artists and scientists with the mission to explore the biodiversity of spiders found in Grand Teton National Park.

The setting for this exhibition was the Berol Lodge at the AMK Ranch in Grand Teton National Park. The pop-up exhibition was kicked off last weekend with a talk at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, WY as well as an opening reception on August 21st. While I helped with some of the installation, I ended up missing the reception, so unfortunately I did not take photographs of the exhibition. 

These tiny sculptures were my contribution to the exhibition. I took inspiration from the daily lives of spiders:

Crab Spiders hang out on bright yellow clumps of Arrowleaf Balsamroot while they watch for prey:

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This detail of a layered velum drawing is my representation of the afternoon activities of orb-weaving spiders as they repair and rebuild webs. Then in the evening, between hunting and repairing webs, I imagine that a spider would admire her collection of silk wrapped prey- reminiscing over large captures and particularly tasty meals.

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DG House created a painting of the Crab Spider sunning itself on the Arrowleaf Balsamroot and Chef Oscar Ortega fabricated a beautiful solid chocolate spider sculpture!

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I learned a lot from this project, from the daily spider activities that inspired my sculptures, to venom research and spider silk synthesis innovation. I even had the opportunity to see a recently discovered spider in person.

The Mason Spider is currently being studied, yesterday I met up with Sarah Kariko to see Maggie Raboin's research site. After the Mason Spider attaches her egg sac of spiderlings to a rock, she builds a mound of objects around it: pebbles, grass stalks, seeds, flower petals... These tiny mounds (1 - 2 inches) blend right in with their surroundings and are beautifully built. As an artist who takes inspiration from collected objects, I found this fascinating! (Look closely in the center image for a tiny snail shell)

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This project has only just begun, in 2017 the exhibition will travel to the University of Wyoming in Laramie. I hope to have the opportunity to see these artists and scientists again, who knows where this inspiration will lead!

Soda Firing

In the past few years Sam and I have become interested in soda firing a portion of our pottery. The process is layered and time consuming, but the results have been totally worth it, even if we rarely know what will happen!

To prepare for the firing I glaze the inside of my pots and stain the exterior, each piece must also be wadded (a rough mixture of clay and sawdust) in order to keep the pots from sticking to the shelves. We get creative with the stacking; sometimes bowls look like UFO's in order to keep any kiln junk from falling into the inside.

Loading the kiln takes some patience, besides making sure nothing is touching the shelves, we must also be aware of how close the pieces are in order to create optimal air and flame movement. This is a gas fired kiln and when it is nearly to temperature a soda ash solution is injected into the kiln. This solution sticks to the very hot pots reacting to the surface and also creating a glaze. 

The results after firing are never what we expect, yet that is something we have both grown to really love! We started out calling these our "second chance pots." Drawing and painting underglaze onto the surface of pots that were rather ho-hum and then firing them again in an electric kiln gave them new life. Sam reacts to the atmospheric affects and draws monsters, UFO's and animals while I react to the surfaces with stars and houses and linear patterns.

After this final firing the pots look much more interesting, with layers we could not have planned.

Lots of work... totally worth it!

Art Fair Jackson Hole - August

This is the first year Dowd House Studios participated in both of the summer art fairs in Jackson Hole. Despite all my planning, this one really snuck up on me! 

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Our booth is a fun mix of utilitarian pottery by both Sam and me, with a few quirky sculptures thrown in. I like to think of our pottery as useful and interesting solutions to everyday problems (kitchen helpers) as well as enhancements for our daily rituals (coffee & tea breaks).

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Sam has a variety of pottery that has been soda fired (more on that next week!), funny animals as well as UFO's playing out a variety of scenarios (delivering the mail, observing cows and dropping off alien passengers for beach vacations).

We both like to unveil new work at fairs, Sam's animal mugs were fresh from the kiln and I finally had all the parts for my new children's pottery sets! Little mugs, bowls and plates made especially for little hands, and of course, featuring stars.

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This time I've included a few terra cotta bookshelf sculptures in our booth. Each shelf is stacked with lots of tiny books with lots of detail. For more photos and a little info on these pieces click Here.

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We have a short break to restock and get caught up on other projects. Our next fair will be Sunday, September 11 on the Town Square in Jackson, WY: Takin' it to the Streets.

Tiny Art Show

This week a mobile pop-up gallery opened its doors at the Jackson Hole People's Market. The gallery features a Tiny Art Show composed of tiny art created by 10 local artists and curated by Alissa Davies and Meg Daly.

For this show I played off the theme of a Farmer's Market and made a 16 x 16 inch flower stand out of corrugated cardboard. The stand includes tiny porcelain vases and flowers and customers are invited to make their own bouquet or select from a variety of handmade vases with arrangements.

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The Tiny Art Show will also be at the People's Market August 10 & 17, from 4 - 7pm. Be sure to come by and check it out! I'm not sure what flowers will be available next week, perhaps some different colors will pop up in my studio.

A few details from the Tiny Art Show, plus work by a few of the artists:

Wall hangings by Lisa Walker

Encaustic by Pamela Gibson

Coasters by Walt Gerald

Studio Cat

It's been pretty busy in the studio lately and I think someone has been trying to tell me that he hasn't been getting enough attention. So it's about time I introduce Merlin, the Studio Cat.

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Merlin is always close by, helping pack boxes, watching me work and overseeing studio operations. Of course there is also the occasional paw swat. 

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Merlin would like for you to think that he is adorable and totally helpful. While he is quite entertaining he also is very good at breaking things (lots of my stuff and luckily only 1 piece made by another artist.) I encouraged Merlin to find another job, but I guess this really is his thing. I just still can't let him into my drawing studio.

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Of course there is always the opportunistic nap. Anytime.

So now you know all about my studio helper!

Wonder Cups

Lately I have been working on several interesting projects; special orders and prototypes for local shops. 

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This week I finished a special order of little cups for the Center of Wonder in Jackson, WY. Since this organization is dedicated to creating moments of wonder and supporting creativity in our community, it seemed appropriate to make each cup just a little different.

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In order to add a bit of personalization, the Wonder Bird logo is on the inside of each cup. This took some trial and error, in the end I made a stencil using contact paper. Simplifying the logo then adding the details made this process a little simpler.

First, using underglaze, I would paint the positive or negative of the simplified bird into the base of the leather hard cup. Next I would peel off the stencil and paint in the details or scratch them out of the black: eye, feet and curly tail.

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The finished cups are super cute plus I got more confident with making, using and altering stencils. 

Often these projects help me figure out different ways to approach my craft and sometimes the techniques show up in future work.

Update: Wonder Spot

Part II: The Clouds Have Gathered

It took nearly a month after the first install (for details check out Part I) but the clouds have finally gathered on the Wonder Spot. The final addition is a cloud over 8 feet wide that hovers at the top of the sign.

The clouds take shape upon approach. Once up close, all the parts and pieces used to make each form are visible. At this point it is as if the cloud particles have been magnified, similar to being inside a cloud where the edges are no longer visible. 

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This has been a tough sculpture to photograph!

Better photos will be added to my website over the summer, for now I've been snapping quick pics on my way in and out of Jackson. 

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The sculpture contains a few surprises: 

When driving north past the clouds there is a spot where Sam's giant steel boat on top of Jackson Hole Whitewater appears to float through the clouds. (Check out this video of the boat when it was in the sign a few years ago.) At night clusters of light within the clouds are reminiscent of a far-off thunderstorm.

The clouds will be up until late fall, so if you are in Jackson check them out as you are driving by!

Art Fair Jackson Hole

This weekend we are hanging out in Miller Park for Art Fair Jackson Hole!

Come by and check out lots of great art made by artists from all over the country. Sam and I are in booth #159, we have been busy making heaps of new pottery- favorite forms as well as brand new ideas.

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In celebration of the fair's 50th Anniversary there will be music by Jazz Foundation of Jackson Hole on Saturday from 3 - 7pm. 

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Come by and find that perfect kitchen organizer or a wacky pilsner.

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Miller Park, Jackson, WY

Friday July 8: 10 - 6 | Saturday July 9: 10 - 7 | Sunday July 10: 10 - 4

Hope to see you there, we will be back in August too!

Rendezvous in Pinedale

On June 30th the exhibition, Rendezvous, opened at Mystery Print Gallery in Pinedale, WY. The show features the art of Wyoming artists, Christy Anspach, Babs Case and myself.

Given the theme of Rendezvous, I thought of my little furniture sculptures- groupings of objects coming together and often caught in the act of misbehaving.

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From left to right: First Kiss | Longing | Time Out | Was it murder? (click on the image to see the whole piece)

I love the color in this gallery, now I want color behind my work all the time!

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 "Dearly Beloved" by Christy Anspach  

Each line is a family- a group of pinch pots with similar yet unique features. (Christy's Obvara firing process is totally new to me and something I would like to try.)

This detail and studio photo lends a peek into the intricate collages made by Babs Case. My photos from the show were blurry, so I grabbed these from Mystery Print's Facebook page. 

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Continuing the theme of Rendezvous and coming together over a shared meal or drink, Sam and I also have pottery in the gallery.

This show is up until September, so if you are in the Pinedale area be sure to stop by! 

FoundSpace 2016

This week I had an incredible experience while working with the FoundSpace project at Rendezvous Park. Partnering with the JH Land Trust, FoundSpace connects people with land through art and conservation, ultimately educating the public about open spaces in the Jackson Hole area. 

This year my role as an Assistant Gardener meant that I helped artists install multiple sculptures that interact with the R Park space. 

Installations include a Pond Flute by Bland Hoke, a Ring of Fire installed by Ben Roth designed to encourage a refreshing jump off a bridge into a pond. A mobile art studio became a place to create nests as well as Leaf and Secret Message Poems with Matt Daly as well as an Uncommon Garden that encourages the use of all senses by Bronwyn Minton.

In the mobile art studio participants were also encouraged to make pirate ships that contained treasure maps. The ships were let loose into the stream or pond. In order to help find out where treasure might be found in the park, I made a few wacky, awkward nets that could be used to fish out a ship so the map could be read.

There is much more happening within this space. While best experienced in person, you can find some great videos here.

The best part is that the artworks will remain in the park until September, so you can visit and interact with R Park through the eyes of artists all summer!

Now I have a year to think about this experience and prepare for next year. I'm thinking a lot about how I interact with open spaces and also how I can encourage participants to discover these special places.

Standing in a grove with a poem that can be read in any order:

Me (wearing part of the poem) Bronwyn Minton, Matt Daly

Summer Pottery Sales

Mark your calendars, it's almost summer pottery sale season! 

I've been throwing, trimming, glazing, staining, re-glazing, firing... and there is still so much to do. Pictured below are sponge holders & soap dispensers, cream & sugar sets glazed and headed to the kiln. Everything looks so pastel and dull right now, that will soon change!

The summer sales are starting off with a Jackson local's favorite- the Teton MudPots Summer Sale.

Find lots of treasures from 12 local potters, including me and Sam. I'll be packing up lots of work this week in preparation, come by and find awesome deals on some pieces I consider seconds. Nothing is really wrong with them, just glaze flaws, prototypes or things I'm not 100% happy with.

Look for the tents in the parking lot just outside the ceramics studio at the Art Association. This is a great way to support local artists while sprucing up your home decor. Plus a percentage of each sale goes back to the ceramics studio to help us buy the equipment we need to make cool stuff.

Friday June 24, 10am - 7pm & Saturday June 25, 10am - 5pm 

What's next?

The 2nd weekend of July and the 2nd weekend of August Dowd House Studios will have a booth in Art Fair Jackson Hole, located in Miller Park. We will also be at RiverFest in Lander, WY on the 1st Saturday in August.

Summer Workshops

I'm teaching 2 workshops this summer in the Jackson, WY area:

Book Arts | Teton County Library, Jackson, WY | June 24, 10:30am - 12pm

Start out with an old book, leave with a trinket box!

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Drawing Off The Page | Teton Arts, Driggs, ID | August 4, 11am - 3pm                                       

Sometimes ideas are better expressed through a blend of drawing and sculpture. In this one-day workshop we will approach drawing through a mixed media angle while building on pattern and line exercises. Contour drawing and shading techniques will combine with wire and shadow drawings to create interest through depth and atmospheric perspective. Make your drawings come to life and jump right off the page!

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Wonder Spot

Part I: The Gathering

For the past several months I have been working on a large-scale project: creating a sculpture capable of living outdoors for 6 months. The Wonder Spot is 10 feet tall X 6 feet wide and stands about 10 feet off the ground along highway 191 as it winds north into Jackson, WY.

This tiny maquette is a simplified view of my vision. You've just arrived in Jackson (or you are heading to work) there might be summer traffic slowing down your progression... what's that? A group of clouds have gathered on a sign?

Here is the first installment of the process behind what will be a month long installation... The Clouds are Gathering.

I started out by making hundreds of ceramic balls, using plastic bowls as moulds. This has been a great way to use up the mounds of recycled porcelain piling up in my studio. 

My husband, Sam was the muscle behind bending the steel rods (our landscaping came in handy) and has helped brainstorm and problem solve at every step.

The porcelain orbs are beaded onto the steel armature. Then more are strung within the cloud structure to help fill the space. After a long day of troubleshooting and heavy lifting, we were tired and when the weather turned nasty we had to call it quits. (I didn't even have the energy to take a decent photo!)

I'm finishing the huge cloud that will go on top, plus making tons more ceramic orbs to help fill in some gaps in the 2 small clouds. In a few weeks we will meet for the final install and the clouds will finish gathering. In the meantime, they subtly hover on the Wonder Spot.

I had a team of awesome helpers- thank you! Now I'm looking forward to finishing the next step!

Penny Lane Cooperative

An exciting new store is opening in Jackson on June 1st and I am so happy to be part of it! 

A space where fashion meets art, the front portion of the store features chic affordable women's clothing while a mix of local emerging and established artists fill the rest of the space. The finishing touches are nearly complete and the artist are moving in.

Sneak peeks of the pottery that will be for sale in my area... yes, teapots and cake stands!

I asked my dad to build a little stand to display my ceramic hair pins. Talk about quick service- it was finished and in the mail about a week after I sent him the sketch! I painted and assembled it the very next day. Now my hair pins have their own little area and are much easier to see.

Longing | Porcelain, wire, ink

I'm using my space at Penny Lane Cooperative to showcase all sides of my art: pottery, drawings, sculpture. Since they all talk to each other I am excited to see them in one space. 

Come visit, the shop opens on June 1 and is located at 185 Scott Lane in Jackson, WY. For details check out Penny Lane Cooperative here: Facebook & Website.

Also, stay tuned for more details- a Grand Opening Party will be held on June 17th!

Maker Faire

Today Sam and I are participating in the Jackson Hole Mini Maker Faire. If you are in Jackson, come by the Journeys School from 12 - 4 and check out this celebration with over 40 makers!

Sam will be teaching small groups how to weld, stop by his booth to make your very own garden tool.

I will be using clay to create a community still life. Come by my booth to learn basic hand-building clay techniques. Make an object to pose and photograph amongst items created by other participants. At the end of the day all the clay will be recycled, so have fun with the process and the moment.

Check our facebook page to see photos from the day! 

Pottery in Grand Teton National Park

I'm excited to announce that my stoneware pitchers and mugs are now available for sale in two Jackson locations! The gift shop at the Miller Ranch, located on the National Elk Refuge and also Menor's Ferry in Grand Teton National Park. 

The lidded stoneware pitcher and mugs are inspired by the enamel coffee pots and mugs that would have been found on ranches across the west. Be sure to stop by these locations if you find yourself in Jackson Hole, Wyoming this summer, or if you are looking for reminders of past campfires!

Life is a Game

There's nothing like a deadline to help an artist actually finish something.

In January I was invited to create a piece for the Laramie County Library Book Arts Invitational. While that is plenty of time, I spent a few months puzzling over the theme for this year's exhibition: The Game of Life. After hashing out several ideas I finally landed on actually making a game.

Onto 52 cards cut from a very heavy watercolor paper, I assigned each card a topic from the following categories: Life Event, Helpful Tool, Surprise. 

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I started each drawing with an ink wash, then layered the details in with a pen. After cutting my thumb, even the bandaid got into the spirit of the game and dressed up like a ghost.

As you might expect, this set of cards has many more surprises than tools and events. And probably more bad surprises than good. Zombies, sharks, snakes, a giant spider but there are also surprises like a fancy cake, vacation and presents. 

I kept most of the drawings open to interpretation: a desolate desert road- are you lost or traveling in a foreign land, luggage- are you going on a trip or moving out? 

This has been a big project, but also portable. I took the cards with me for a tea break between teaching classes last Thursday. It's also hard to stop a project when I'm really excited, so it has been nice to take them with me.

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Some surprises are good while some are bad- Surprise... Your shoe has a hole in it! Others are really bad... Pterodactyl!  

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A few life events; Too much work / Baby / Camping trip

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Now I'm working on the final details; sanding the rough corners and testing some ideas for the back of the cards.

The cards will fit into a box; here is a hint as to the final presentation.

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So, how does the game work? I have no idea. Since life does not come with instructions, neither does my Game of Life.

By next weekend the game will be finished (or ready to be played?) I will put images on my website under Other Projects.

If you are in Cheyenne this summer, be sure to check out the show and see how other Wyoming artists interpreted this theme!

Laramie County Library, Cheyenne, WY

Exhibition dates: June 9 - August 7, 2016

Opening Event: June 17

Kimchi Update

Last week I started a batch of kimchi to test Sam's fermenting crock (check out last week's post for details.) After 5 days of semi-patiently waiting and looking at the crock sitting on the counter...

I took off the lid to find a delicious batch of spicy veggie kimchi! The crock worked well and also gave us ideas for design improvements. While this crock holds almost 2 quarts, I think a 1 quart capacity would be helpful. We also have new ideas for how to make the weights.

Whether you are just starting out or have been making kraut for years, let us know if you have any suggestions or ideas that would help your process, crock size, handles, width of top opening... Leave a note in the comments or send an email: dowdhousestudios@gmail.com

What's next? I'm branching out and will soon be starting a batch of Curried Cauliflower Pickles. I'm totally hooked. 

Around the House

I always tell my ceramics students to try out their work. It's an easy way to learn how objects function and also make future improvements.

Often I am asked to make items that I normally do not use or in some cases, have not heard of. While I enjoy the challenge and research behind making new items, I feel a little uncomfortable making an untested form and sending it out into the world. I always ask for feedback, but also follow my own advice on testing.  

A few years ago we started getting requests for fermenting jars. I happily let Sam take on the research behind this form and he came up with some beautiful pots. Every time someone asks for these jars or we sell one, I get a little nervous. I know nothing about fermented foods. So I did some research and bought a cookbook: Ferment Your Vegetables. 

Yesterday I started a batch of kimchi and am testing out this small fermenting crock. In a week or so I'll let you know what happened...

The Garlic Keeper also started out as a request. I did a little research, made a cute little jar for a customer then just kept making more.

This jar helps garlic stay fresh longer thanks to holes that allow air to circulate. We use a lot of garlic, so when a jar came out of the kiln with a tiny crack in the bottom, I decided to put it to use. Not many things match in our kitchen, but I am also using one of my utensil holders- seen in the background of this photo.

Speaking of the kitchen, I looked around and found that I regularly use several of my pots. I made this stovetop spoon rest for my first apartment while in college. The soap dispenser was another form that I wanted to test before selling, and as a bonus the cute stars brighten up the sink area. 

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Sam and I both make a lot of little bowls, we keep several in our kitchen for cooking prep as well as serving garnishes and dips. Most of our dishes were made by other potters, but I did recently keep 2 of my favorite form- an 8" salad bowl. These are perfect for so many meals.

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I learn a lot from using my pots and the work of other potters. Plus it's a great excuse to use beautiful objects!

Upcoming Classes

This week my spring teaching schedule began and I suddenly realized that means summer classes are right around the corner! For the next several months I will be teaching a variety of ceramics classes (for adults & kids), beginning drawing and professional practices for artists.

Space is still available in the classes that will begin in just a few weeks:

Beginning Drawing

Thursday Afternoons | 1 - 4pm | April 28 - May 19 | Taught by Jenny Dowd

Some things should not have wheels

 The Clay Surface: Color & Pattern

Tuesday Evenings | 6 - 9pm | May 3 - 24pm | Taught by Jenny Dowd

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Glazing: From Ho-Hum to Hooray!

Friday Evenings | 6 - 9pm | May 13 - 27 | Taught by Sam Dowd

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Lots of classes are coming up this summer... handbuilding, clay sculpting / portraits, beginning drawing plus ceramic classes for kids! Check it all out at the Art Association and for a full list of our classes check out the Events page on our website.