Stephani Stephenson on fri 26 mar 04
Hi all
Have my feet back on the ground after a wonderful, though shortened
week at NCECA, and some post NCECA travel..
I got to Indianapolis late Monday. I actually enjoyed the brisk and
gently snow sifted walks to the convention center from the Days Inn.
(that was the hotel about 12 blocks from the convention center, the
one just past the jail and the bail bond places!)
Happily, the first night I encountered Noel Osheroff and David
Stannard, from Univ of Oregon days gone by. Noel has been a studio
potter since the early 60s, David is from Fairbanks and knows the magic
within a pile of rock. also later got to converse with both Bob James
and George Kokis, from Oregon, so that was a special occasion for me.
Tuesday started by meeting up with Dave Finkelburg and Lee Burningham(I
know I probably just butchered your last name, Lee)
Kudos to them for driving all the way from Utah and Idaho with a van
load of high school students!!!!
Great 'kids' who exhibited wonderful work. You have a great program
Lee . It shows in your student's attitudes and their work. The k-12
show was fabulous. Dave, (I guess he is now 'ramblin' Dave F.) and I
put some additional mileage on our boots looking up shows tues
afternoon, even testing the Indianapolis public transportation system,
making sure it worked of course,
We didn't find as many pots as we hoped, but we did happen upon the
Brickhead, in fact the artist was placing the last brick in the brick
head, the auspicious occasion immortalized digitally... By the way. did
anyone see the 'Brick Head?" and of those of you who saw it
did anyone HEAR it? (if you did you know what I mean). I think I
convinced Dave of the value of Architectural Ceramics, which is, when
there are no pots in site, at least there are some cool buildings,
which have clay all over them, to help pass the time. An accidental
find was a luscious ravenna style mosaic in the cavernous post
office/now courthouse, while I was trying to find a mailbox.
In from that day long trek I ran smack dab into a gigantic cluster, or
clump, of CLAYARTERS, happily clogging the lobby. yippee!
Mel,Kurt, Paul, Kelly, Bacia, Vince, Marta, Fred, Linda, Phil, Don, to
name a few. Ok I have to stop with the names because i sound like I am
a name dropper, and besides I can't fish everyone out of my memory and
I will feel bad because I can't do it. But, anyway a spontaneous
wandering mob dining scene ensued.
Wednesday AM, tired of the empty carb 'continental breakfast' at the
Days Inn, I found 'Le Peep' cafe, where the waitresses were all size 18
or over. moeved softly, called you hon, male or female, and where the
leprechauns were finishing up the St. Paddy's day marathon or
preparing for the parade, and where I had green eggs and ham for
breakfast. which were quite tasty and a nice shade of green, actually.
During the day, besides conversations, and exhibits, here and there, I
did go to the Amaco plant, Was about the only one on the bus when
Marcia Selsor got on board, so got to catch up about life in Italy,
etc, then see the show and the inner working of Amaco, plus a little
shopping at the brickyard, where everything was 40% off.....
. I did get a photo of their cone car which maybe I can post. I enjoyed
the James Watkins show at the Eiteljorg (sp?) museum very much,I
enjoyed Billie Mitchell's slide show very much too that evening.
Thursday was jam packed, starting early with the Potter's Council board
meeting. I am excited about the year ahead for the council and finally
got to meet everyone. Thursday was my only day as an official
registrant at NCECA, hitting the vendor booths, getting a copy of mel's
book, picking up catalogs for friends back home, and a few tools too. I
saw a wonderful showing of a film on M.C. Richards. A moving experience
for anyone who ever met her. then settled in for an afternoon of brain
bending at the 'robust clay body' and glaze presentations by those wild
and wacky braniac engineers from Alfred...I understood just enough to
get excited, whatever that means... and thankfully a few of the points
even penetrated the pudding like substance of my brain to stay, at
least for awhile. It was nice to see Phil from Bison tools, though I do
miss his Lyle Lovett hair.
I did miss The big slide event Thursday evening as I discovered a free
smorgasbord of shrimp, roast beef, spinach pastries, brie, berries
and beverages, etc up on the 12th floor, courtesy of Skutt. I do love
the CLAYART room , but ashamedly I did abandon it for free, plentiful
and delicious food , the lure of a soft couch and the ability to ask
obnoxious questions of innocent and unsuspecting clay vendors.
I had to get on a plane at 8 AM on Friday morning so could not attend
the potter's council general meeting, as well as the grand finale, the
dance and the mug exchange. It felt somehow unfinished but yet a
wonderful time. It went by so fast.
I think there are some things that occur each time for me. There are ,
of course, numerous, wonderful, enthusiatic, yet necessarily rushed
conversations with MANY people, but thankfully the hours do allow for
at least a few in- depth conversations as well. I never know with whom
or where that will happen but it is certainly a wonderful mix and I
have come to accept the once frustrating brevity of so many
conversations, knowing that, at NCECA, things unfold with great
serendipity.
Also every year a few more names to match with faces. I enjoyed a
morning walk to the convention center with David Hendley, it seemed
that Joyce Lee and Jean Lehman were a ever-welcoming presence in the
CLAYART room
I enjoyed meeting L.P. Skeen , Joyce and Kellie and so many others at
last! Other new faces to me were Maurice, who has helped me with 'new
computer issues', Marilu, and so many others, as well as faces I am
seeing for a second and third time. It is funny, because there are some
folks I met for an instant last year, maybe a few minutes this year,
maybe we'll have a whole conversation next year.
The pacing seems odd, yet again, it has a life of its own.
What I like about NCECA is this....there is something for everyone. As
to the academic bit. I realized this time that I am ENTIRELY out of
the loop with regard to the academic world, yet I don't feel I miss
out on anything.
Whatever your interest or perspective, I think you will find areas of
interest and like minded souls.You can take what you want from it,
there is plenty to go round.
The jammed packed schedule as well as the loose structure of the
conference allows for the social bees to buzz and hum happily at the
hive, the butterflies to flit and frolic freely, the eagles to view
the scene from chosen vantage points,
the lone wolves can track, the mountain goats butt, forage and
amble, and alley cats and stray dogs can cruise along, checking out
whatever their hearts desire.
Whether you travel in a pack, herd, flock or solo, whether you like
to be in the middle or need some air every once and awhile
you'll do fine,
You can take it in in your own way, It's all there and it's good.
BTW. my new website is up, though not quite complete
info below..
my new favorite word is robust. may the year ahead be robust for all of
you.
Stephani Stephenson
Carlsbad CA
steph@revivaltileworks.com
http://www.revivaltileworks.com
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