Every January, Debi and I take time to reflect on the previous year. Last Spring we improved our working space for both ceramics and woodworking. Debi really enjoyed spending more time in the studio because of it. Yet, the ceramics studio is still uninsulated and not heated. So, she’s taking some advanced ceramics classes at Yourist Studio in Ann Arbor. As for me, January is for dreaming. I’ve been a working artist since the 1990s. I started as a painter before switching to printmaking around 2000. Then I transitioned to ceramics about 7 years ago. My latest work involves combining graphic art with ceramics. Before the studio shut down for the winter I was working on ceramic tiles. Some were made using the cuerda seca technique and others with a cuenca technique. Both techniques originated from Spain which is part of my heritage on my mother’s side. I am content to take my time with these as I enjoy life with Debi, our chickens, dogs and cat. Life with Debi revolves around art but many other things as well. We named our studio Quiet Heron Studio. We did this because we both enjoy spending quiet time on our paddle boards and kayaks. Migrating birds in the spring and fall pull us from our work into the woods. Picking blueberries in the U.P. and looking for agates on the Lake Superior shoreline brings great joy to Debi and me. I was a fly fisherman for over 20 years. A few years ago, I took a break due to unpleasant life circumstances. It has been quietly calling me more and more. My very first business card said, “Painter, Printmaker and Fly Fisherman”. It would make me happy to add Fly Fisherman to the business card once again. I should be working on tiles but my mind is dreaming of paddling with a flyrod. These are sweet dreams.
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