There are a lot of elements that go into art and one of them happens to be authenticity. Being true to who you are. I ran into authenticity while at the crossroads of the blues in Clarksdale MI recently. Heading over the tracks to check out a juke joint I was stopped by a man sitting on a bench on the side of the road.

“You know me!” he exerted.

I stared back and said, “Sorry but I don’t think so.”

“You know me!” he again emphatically stated. Leaving no doubt that I did.

Deciding to play along I said, “Oh yeah right, remind me of your name?”

“T-Model Ford!”

That was my introduction to 92 year old T-Model Ford who was slated to play the juke joint called Reds on the other side of the tracks in Clarksdale Mississippi.

When I returned a couple hours later it was with my wife and mother, both of which were traveling along on a southern road trip which included Gettysburg, Nashville, Graceland and now Clarksdale as we headed south on the Blues Highway.

Reds is basically a shack. Ramshackle and pasted together with sheet metal and glue. I would have never thought to enter but for the recommendation of a few locals. Entering was transporting. Red glowing and lurid stringed lights were the only illumination. Cigarettes, large bottles of beer and a local crowd enjoyed the scene. With a smattering of out-of-towners coming in, wide eyed and gaping with smiles of gratitude. The gratitude was due to the “authenticity” of the joint – juke joint. And the realness of the player behind the guitar – T-Model Ford.

It was real. And the playing was real too. It wasn’t the best playing, but one became transfixed, mesmerized by the scene, the smells and the sounds. Looking up T-Model Ford on the internet one finds that he has about 26 children from various women, was sentenced to prison for murder, and when he was asked how many times he has been to jail he responded, “Every Saturday night there for a while.” Hailing from Greenville I realized I was looking at blues dead straight in the eyes.

So back to authenticity. You are who you are. If you’re a bluesman, you’re a bluesman. There’s something special about embracing that which makes you, you.

Art Life: You quit your day job to live the life of art and music. How did you do this and why?

Lauren: Let’s start with the reason why. When I was 16, I was diagnosed with Hodgekin’s Lymphoma. That’s pretty scary when you are 16 years old. But I learned at a very young age, usually when you think you are indestructible, that life is pretty short. Since then, I like embracing every day and living it like it is your last. Unfortunately, working a day job and then sitting in traffic were not the ideal situations for me and my adventurist spirit.

I decided I needed a vacation and I went on this great cruise called Cayamo. I got to meet one of my idols, Brandi Carlile, and play blackjack with her. It was fantastic. I got to go on stage and play the acoustic for the lead singer of Collective Soul, Ed Rolands, and I performed in the little lounges on the ship in my spare time. When I got back to my job, I decided there was no way I could take much more of living my life the way I was. I loved music and I wanted to do it every day.

So I decided to join a music careers program online and started my own guitar and voice teaching business. At the age of 27, I recorded my first album and quit my job. It was fantastic. I had never felt so free. It’s great! If I want to sit and write music for a few hours or even the whole day, I’m able to do that.

Art Life: Writing songs can be daunting to some can you provide some tips on how to keep inspired and productive?

Lauren: I get a lot of inspiration from every day life. It’s funny, I might not write a song for a few weeks or even a month or two and then I get an avalanche of ideas and write 4 or 5 songs in a day. The best thing to do is to look to your life, your friend’s lives, the news, Facebook, movies, etc. You never know when something will spark your interest and motivate you to get writing.

I usually start with the music and melody first, but sometimes just brain storming ideas of what you want to write about is a great start. What’s a story you want to tell? Is there a moral to the song? Is there a happy or twist ending? Sometimes playing with lyrical rhyming can be fun. The best thing to do is to keep your creative juices flowing even if you are not writing a song. Sometimes it’s crap, sometimes it’s great, but practice makes perfect.

Art Life: How do you get ready for a performance?

Lauren: Before performances, if I am with my band, we will rehearse our set going over the little details like the order of the songs, different dynamic changes, will we make this song slightly different from the CD, etc. A lot of people concentrate on the songs when they are performing and it’s really not about that live. Think about why you go and see a performance. It’s the experience. It’s about giving people a great performance.

So do not think because you wrote a song that it HAS TO be performed that same way every time. Think of ways you can switch things up, for example, playing a different instrument. I am not an amazing drummer or lead guitar player, but there are times on stage when I will play drums, hand my guitar off to someone else to play or pick up an electric and rock out with the guys. People like when you do those things, it makes the show fun and entertaining.

Other than that, a little vocal warm up before the show and we are rocking and rolling. I do not really get nervous any more so there is not a lot of psyching myself up for things.

Art Life: Are there other musicians and artists that inspire your creativity?

Lauren: Oh absolutely. One of my biggest influences is Brandi Carlile. I love the way that woman plays guitar and she is a great songwriter. Her dynamics and stage presence have really made me sit back and analyze my writing and performance. I am also a big Pat Benatar and Melissa Etheridge fan.  I get a rock element from those artists. I also like Sheryl Crow, U2 and Natalie Merchant. Great songs. I will even be listening to classical music sometimes and you will here this cool rhythm in the background on the violin or the drums and you go, “Wow, that was really cool”. Then you go home and try to write a song that imitates that.

Art Life: Your last album was titled “I’ve Been Waiting” and your soon to be released album is “Here I Am”.  There seems to be a message here?

Lauren: Yeah, there definitely is a little bit of a message. “I’ve Been Waiting” was kind of the, alright, I made it, I’m totally doing this after so many years kind of thing. Some of the songs on that album were written years before they were ever recorded. I think I had secretly always dreamed of recording my own music but never really believed it until that album was done.

“Here I Am” I feel is more of who I am as an artist today. Even though it has only been a couple of years, I have really grown so much in my playing and writing. It’s almost like it was not the same person. I am really proud of this album. I was proud of the first one, but I always felt it could be so much better and I feel this album is everything I was hoping to do with the first album. So I wanted to let people know, “Here I am. This is the real Lauren Bateman and she is ready for prime time.”

Art Life: How does “life” and “art” relate for you?

For me, life is art. Life is the expression of who you are and what moves you. That can be many different things for different people, but for me, art is what moves me and makes me feel alive. I do not know what my life would be like without the art of music. But I think that even if you are not musically inclined, music will always find a way to touch you at some point in your life. It could be a song that brings you back to high school or a song that reminds you of an old friend or lover. Art has a way of touching the soul in ways we can not comprehend and I am so excited to be a part of that.

Art Life: Thank you!

For more information visit Lauren Bateman

Her CD “Here I Am” will be released Saturday May 5th 8 PM at Sally O’Briens of Somerville, MA

Art Life: You are both stuffed animals but unique in that you lead creative lives. How do you do this?

Stumpy: It just comes naturally.

Mr. Bear: We also have especially understanding owners who let us do our thing. And Boston Free Radio is unique in offering stuffed animals a public voice. The folks at SCATV [Somerville Community Access TV] have been awfully welcoming to us. We like to say it’s where speech is free, even for stuffed animals!

Art Life: Animals have always been second-rate to humans. Stuffed animals even more so. What is your message to the other animals of earth?

Stumpy: It’s really a matter of opinion this first-rate, second-rate thing. Being stuffed animals, or regular animals, will always be up against the human opinion.

Mr. Bear: Yeah, we have our own opinion of humans — and live animals. But we encourage solidarity with all animals, even humans.

Art Life: As radio talk show hosts what do you like to talk about most? Least?

Mr. Bear: Beer.

Stumpy: Beer.

Mr. Bear: And poetry and Roald Dahl. And the Sweet Valley Oracle, which you’ll have to tune in to hear. It’s indescribable. Plus, we have special guests — local poets, musicians, other stuffed animals. And our listeners can call in. We love to hear from them.

Stumpy: And there’s nothing we like least to talk about since we don’t have to talk about anything. That’s kind of the secret of The Secret Lives of Stuffed Animals; no topic’s off limits. And we do whatever we want.

Art Life: Do you feel there is any prejudice against you because you’re stuffed?

Mr. Bear: Yes.

Stumpy:  Absolutely.

Mr. Bear: People think we’re just full of stuffing. But we’re full of feelings too. And human secrets. I like to think of us as secret-holding love machines.

Stumpy:  We’re full of beer sometimes too. And laughs. Kids get us at least.

Art Life: Your show is called The Secret Lives of Stuffed Animals. What’s so secret about it? Can you reveal one?

Stumpy: We’re trying to fight prejudice by revealing our secrets and what we have in common with humans. It’s kind of like the Stuffed Civil Rights Movement. We listen to Elvis, Snoop Dogg , Gillian Welch; raid the liquor cabinet; eat chips in bed; read poetry; feel our owners’ joy and pain. … We’re not as inanimate as we are made out to be.

Mr. Bear:  Exactly. Humans can learn we’re not so different from them and maybe they shouldn’t just stuff us in a corner and neglect us, or leave us for the family dog or cat to maul. And stuffed animals can take comfort in knowing there are others like them out there in the same situation, and there’s hope. And of course we reveal some of our owners’ secrets too.

Stumpy:  Yeah, we like to dish out the dirt on them. … And it’s not much of a secret, but I’m a chick magnet.

Mr. Bear: Yeah, he is.

Art Life: How can beings of all walks of life live together and create together peacefully?

Mr. Bear: Join our peaceful stuffed animal revolution. And kazoo marching band. How can you not get along if you’re blowing a kazoo together?

Stumpy: We’re also accepting applications for our Department of Stuffedmanities. Part of our admissions process is having potential faculty as guests on the show to try them out. Candidates can be in touch via our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/secret.lives.of.stuffed.animals or email us at stumpy.misterbear@gmail.com.

Mr. Bear: We are strongly committed to a policy of equal opportunity and affirmative action; we do not discriminate against humans. Of course, we don’t pay them either.

Tune in to The Secret Lives of Stuffed Animals live, Tuesday nights 8-9, on Boston Free Radio.

Podcasts are (slowly) available at http://secretlives.podbean.com/ or through iTunes.

To view the entire gallery of pictures go to Secret Lives Photoshoot.

Art Life: Once an artistic idea comes, how do you develop it for a painting? a series?

JRT: I make the leap from idea to painting very quickly; I get very excited and my imagination spirals far, far away from the original idea after perhaps a few initial sketches. Making art, for me, is a pure play/work fusion. I have no preconceived notions about what something should look like before I make it. I enjoy the element of surprise in creation and when I’m finished, very rarely make alterations.

Art Life: You’ve developed several abstract series’ from various inspirational sources, is there a common element amongst them?

JRT: My main concern in making art is to say something about the ideas of intimacy versus individuality. I express this in different ways: I’ll make something so small that the viewer is forced to get close enough to see it properly- thereby imposing this singular, personal experience with the object. Personal space and the invisible lines that everyone has around them is of great interest. I use shapes to express this as well: how close can two shapes come together before they are touching? Does the space increase in tension as they get closer? The other way I like to address this is use of color in a way that blurs the lines between second and third dimension: a color I choose may want to force its way to the front, but another color obstructs and pushes it back, creating tension and jostling. I use surfaces to create different effects, depending on the physical position of the viewer: many of my paintings look completely different when viewed from another angle. It is the highest problem of humanity, in my opinion: getting close to other human beings without losing one’s sense of self. This is a fairly modern problem, too. Ultimately, we cannot merge completely with another person, even if you fall madly in love- you are still separated by skin and mind and sensibilities.

Art Life: How does the spiritual enter into your work?

JRT: I was not brought up religiously, although I find many aspects of religion to be beautiful: the rituals, the iconography, and the ideas that began them in the first place. I make paintings about the idea of ghosts (which I have seen)- although I am not interested in actual ghosts as much as I am in the notion of there being different levels of presence; I struggle with a strange fear of vanishing from the consciousness of others, as if I’m going to somehow slip sideways out of the world and no one will remember I ever existed. Another way I would have to say spirituality enters into my practice is that it is the closest thing I have to worship; I go into a meditative state and experience peace when I paint, unlike anything else, even when taking time out to do yoga or meditate the conventional way.

Art Life: Your studio is filled with your art, how does that resonate for you and the creating of further art?

JRT: I really enjoy looking at my work. It gives me ideas for different variations and directions; I also revisit series that I haven’t worked on for several years, because looking at them still intrigues me. At the same time, I’d love to move more of it out into the world so that I have the space to make new stuff.

Art Life: You recently overcame a “block” in creating your art, have you taken away anything that you can share with others who may be in similar situations?

JRT: A block is really difficult and, for me, painful. It took saying goodbye to a toxic relationship to overcome it. It gets increasingly clear that if I have people in my life who drain my psychic energy, I am handicapped severely in my capability to create; when my life force is going to trying to figure out how to make something work, it doesn’t leave much left over. So if you can, identify the people and work situations that are blocking your flow, and extricate yourself!

Art Life: Your identity and life is so entwined in the art process, what is the “art life” for you?

JRT: The art life means simply figuring out what invigorates you the most, and having the courage to follow it to whatever end… and if you can figure out how to survive in the practical world along the way, you’ve won. I haven’t quite figured the whole thing out yet- it can be a scary balancing act- but I hope I’m getting there.

Thank you!

J. Rebecca Trueblood can be found at her website Jenny Rebecca Trueblood.

She founded and administers the Boston Area Artists group on Facebook which works to inform and connect artists.

To view the entire photoshoot of artist J. Rebecca Trueblood go to Featured Artist Gallery.

While photographing Ksenia’s guitar I came to the realization as to why digital cameras and digital photography have a bad name. It’s longevity. Ksenia’s guitar is worn but alive. It’s become an integral component to her music and style. It’s reminiscent of a Willie Nelson guitar in that her rapid strumming has left a physical “groove”, embedded in its wood. When she plays it, it is an extension of her and her music. It sways, vibrates, lives and continues to do so after years of use.

Contrast this with a digital camera, which like a computer, falls out of fashion and use every three years. It has a limit of actuations (or shutter clicks). The rapid pace of technology makes the camera, not antique, but obsolete. Of course there are those lenses and this is the closest it comes. Your lens does have longevity, it does contribute to your style. A good lens of sharp focus and narrow depth can produce a breathtaking image. But still…

Older film cameras were more like the guitar. Those machines had character. They played a more intimate role in the outcome and the identity of the photographer. Instead of identifying with the rapid pace of advancement, one identified with art and the process. If I was to look back I’d say the closest to this for me, would be my Mamiya RB67 (note: RB stood for “revolving back” and one would simply revolve the back to take either a portrait or landscape format picture – great for use on your tripod!). I would lug this box around with tripod and shoot the streets, especially Harvard Square. I was forced to confront my subject and the subject back at me. The image too was alive, fixated on paper, with character.

In the end it might be time to revert. To take the slow approach again. To get off the rapid express train of technology and to drag out that hulking medium format camera and tripod. To become one with your instrument of art.

But then again, these pictures were taken with a digital camera.

Technical information:

Lowden Guitar

Canon 24 mm f/1.4 lens

Canon 20D

Mamiya RB67

1. Your paintings are a reflection of you, how do you make that connection?

I began this series about 2 years ago. I was in a serious artistic slump and hadn’t painted for almost a year.  It was a time when I felt like the world was telling me that I was old, no longer had any use, and had lost my looks. I wanted to say back to the world, “Screw you I’m a flower !”  It was then that I decided to do a series entitled , “Self Portrait as a Flower.” I wanted to paint a single flower that would be taken out of its natural element and be placed on a background that would abstractly reflect what was going on in my life at the time.

I remember after I finished, “Self Portrait as a Flower #5″ I didn’t want anyone to see it. That piece made me feel like I was standing stark naked in Time Square. It finally dawned on me that others can’t see what I see when looking at my work. It’s not like they can crawl inside my head.

Although they are self portraits, I believe that they could represent anyone. We are all flowers in the process of blooming. I think that people need to start seeing their own beauty. There are too many people in this world that don’t think positively of themselves and because of that they don’t treat themselves or others well. I strongly believe that we are all connected.


2. What are the most important aspects of your art process?

I generally just let my subconscious be the guide with this series. I pick a flower that I feel particularly drawn to at the time. I don’t know why I am drawn to the flower, but it doesn’t really matter.  I try not to think too much when painting. Every action is merely a reaction to the previous action. I don’t want to over think it too much.

I learn a tremendous amount about myself through this series. I can’t always see what I am saying in a piece after I’ve completed it.  Sometimes it can take a good 6 months. Other times I can see it while the piece is in progress, but that’s rare. Whatever the case, sometimes I am shocked by what is coming out. I look at a painting and say to myself, “Oh God, this painting illustrates such and such. I didn’t even know that I felt that way.”

Recently I made a big change in the way I lay the paint down. It put my work into another realm and I’m highly pleased with the results. The process I describe as being a controlled mess whereas my earlier works were highly controlled. Now I lay really wet layers of paint down and let other colors bleed into them.  I lay the paint down one petal at a time so it is somewhat controlled although my chances for losing a piece to accident have increased greatly.

In the beginning I was rather frightened by the chance that I was taking. It made it so that I was almost afraid to paint. I hated the thought that I might have to scrap a piece after spending a lot of time on it. Then I decided that this change in style was reflective of a change I had made in my approach to life. I had decided to be more willing to put myself out there and try new things. I could always scrap it if I wasn’t happy with it.

3. Do any other art forms contribute to your work? If so, how?

Photography, I always work off of photographs. A flower doesn’t change in a photo like it can if you are working off of life. I usually use my own photos, but not always. It doesn’t have to be a beautiful photo, it just needs to show the flower well and not hide it in the photo’s highlights and shadows. I generally don’t go for art photographs of flowers. They are already pieces of art.

4. You are quite prolific, how do you stay motivated and inspired to work?

When people ask me if I am seeing anyone my response is generally, “I’m having a sordid affair with Art.”  I’m happier to be in my studio painting and I think it’s because I found something that speaks to my soul.  It’s sort of like a soap opera for me, I can’t wait to see what will happen next so I go back and paint a little more. When I’m working on something that excites me that’s all the motivation I need.

I’m an artist who also happens to have multiple sclerosis (MS). MS affects my eyesight and hand coordination amongst other things. I manage to get by these symptoms with some modifications. The one thing I can’t get by is the fatigue. I’m currently in a period of fatigue and I’m taking a little time off. I actually feel guilty because I’m not painting right now. Life is a balancing act for all of us.

5. Art and life merge for most artists, in what way does art become every day life for you?

I try to keep up on the art world. I go and look at art through museums,  gallery openings, and open studios. It’s a great idea to see what’s out there locally. I read about art, whether it be a magazine with current happenings or a biography of an artist.
Getting together with artist friends and talking art is another favorite past time. They don’t have to be visual artists, their art can take on another form. I think we motivate and inspire each other.

After a day of visual art I love to head out for another art form in the evening. The Dockside in Malden has an open mike on Monday nights. Musicians, comedians, and poets all take the mike. The audience is wonderfully supportive and the acts are quite good. They have even begun to show visual art.  There is also an organization called Massmouth. It’s a storytelling group. Writers go up and tell their stories which are about 5 minutes long and revolve around a particular theme for the night. Massmouth performances are held at various bars and pubs in the Boston Area.

Thank you!

More information on Elizabeth Colburn-Moraites can be found at ECM fine arts at Etsy or on her Facebook fan page.

To view the entire photoshoot of painter Elizabeth Colburn-Moraites go to Featured Artist Gallery.

At this time of year the imagination becomes vitally important to the artist, not to mention the world at large, yet somehow it is often overlooked. The imagination is the fountain from which our ideas and New Year’s resolutions spring. Instead of simply making decisions devoid of life, vitality, drive and joy (which resolutions have become), the imagination is a playground in which we can propel our ideas into the future. An imaginary space that will soon coincide with the year 2012 and beyond!

Not only does the imagination allow you to create art, but goals too. I think of the imagination as that subjective space where creativity starts. A tool which aides the imagination is the journal – that imperfect notebook where ideas flow in various forms: words, pictures, collage, musical notes, etc. This is the beginning of translating subjective space to objective space. I highly recommend acquiring a journal of your liking and pens, pencils or whatever – that make you want to use them. A $3 pen and $15 notebook is little expense for a future of accomplishment. My favorite are Moleskine and uni-ball. The classic simple notebook and the fast-flowing ink work wonders for me. But maybe a crayon and stapled paper work for you?

Now start to use your imagination and create an ideal scene for your future as an artist. No matter how unreal and absurd it may be it is an exercise of stretching your imagination, working the muscle for your soon-to-come New Year’s resolutions. Although the imagination is not like a muscle in physical form it is similar in that it needs to be worked in order for it to work. “Use it or lose it,” is a common maxim which truly applies. So use it to make your ideal scene (for more information on “ideal scene” see Administrative Scale).

Now start to work out some resolutions for this year and beyond. Use your imagination to include those artistic ideas that you hold dear. And never fall into the trap of invalidating your own thoughts. Remember experimentation can lead to a masterpiece and that New Year’s resolutions can be fun!

Note: Photographs by Robert Castagna taken in Florence Italy, November 2011.

Art Life: What was it like to make the plunge to being a full-time artist?

My favorite quote of all time answers this question perfectly, “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” Anais Nin

Liz: Coming out of a very financially comfortable yet spiritually unfulfilling corporate career, this was and still is the scariest thing that I’ve ever done but truly, the best thing I have ever done.  This first year as a full-time artist has been the happiest of my year of my entire life, without question.

Art Life: What other art forms do you draw upon in making your pottery?

Liz: I’m inspired by many art forms and objects.  I am grateful that my inspirations feel limitless right now.  Aesthetically, I’m drawn to texture and natural forms therefore I find inspiration in textiles, sculpture, other ceramic work (particularly Kristin Kieffer, Ruchika Madan, Adero Willard and Kari Radasch), nature, and fashion.  Spiritually, I find inspiration in music and poetry.

Art Life: You have a beautiful sense of color, please tell me about your ideas on color and their combination?

Liz: Wow, thanks!  The colors in the work are born from my attraction to how colors contrast and complement each other, for example, the cool Mediterranean Sea turquoise blue laid under warm rich espresso brown contrasts while the deep almost pitch ocean blue color under the sky blue glaze complements.  Much of my work is highlighted with a pop of red which adds another dimension of contrast to the work. I’m not exactly sure where that comes from – perhaps art school and studying the color wheel or as my partner Mike likes to think, it’s intuitive.  This pattern of mixing cool and warm colors can be found in every aspect of my life – from my home with the wheat colored walls with gray/blue painted furniture to my own fashion sense as you’ll often see me in a favorite pair of faded blue jeans with a bright red sweater.

Art Life: How does the various senses come into play in your art?

Liz: I am always encouraging people to pick up my pieces because the contrasts don’t simply exist in the colors but contrasts also exist in the textures as well.  The tactility of the work is half the experience as I will lay a smooth glossy glaze over a matte glaze and highlight the pieces with a pattern of bumpy texture and protrusions of buttons and birds.

In addition to the actual visual and physical experience of the piece, the work also carries a contrast in the emotional senses as well.  I describe it as sober frivolity in that the work carries a rather serious overtone with its elegant rich colors and patterns but then has a whimsical undertone with silly little inquisitive looking birds and little rose buttons adorning each piece.

Art Life: Tell me about your journal and the information that you keep there.

Liz: My journal is the heart of my studio and gets carried from one end of my space to the other.  It’s divided into five sections of notes:

1 – sizing:  For consistency, I sketch out  each piece in my line of work and break it down into size and weight, i.e., each mug is made with 1.4 lbs of clay, it is thrown to a height of 5 inches and a lip width of 4 inches with a waist of 3.5 inches in width that starts 1.75 inches from the rim.  The hip of the piece is 6 inches and foot is finished at a circumference of 2.5 inches.   The handle is 6 inches long and sits exactly at the hip and ½ inch from the bottom.  The handle is 1.2 inches in width and is adhered with the acacia leaf textile stamp.  It helps keep the work consistent as possible so that people may add to their collection of mugs without feeling as if they are getting an entirely different mug each time.  That said, I tweak this regularly as I recently found that the mugs feel better in the hand with the hips sitting a bit higher (exactly 1.75 inches from the foot).

2 – ideas:  I’ll sketch out ideas of new pots or perhaps write down thoughts and feelings, i.e., the latest idea I have is this idea of mending.  We all overcome some adversity as no one gets through life unscathed.  At some point we deal with some kind of loss – whether it be a job, our health, divorce, death of a loved one, etc. and how we all survive this is through mending or healing.  As a result of this idea, I’m in the process of developing a line of intention candle holders where we can light a candle to help us process some of these emotions and come through the other side.

3 – glaze notes:  This helps me keep track of how much glaze I’m mixing for material usage tracking and also helps me to develop new glazes.   Many times a new glaze recipe will take several tries (maybe a year or more of testing) before a larger batch is mixed and used in the work.

4 – firing notes: I keep track of dates and times fired, how long the kiln takes to go through a cycle and how long it takes too cool. I also keep track of how full my kiln is when it is fired.  All of these variables affect how the glaze will sit on a piece and this helps me adjust firing speed, i.e., I recently discovered that my underglazes don’t crawl if I fast fire the work which felt very counterintuitive.  I was slow firing with a soaking period (I let the kiln sit at 1,800 degrees for several hours before ramping up to finish at 2,300 degrees) thinking that the glazes would lay flatter as they’ll have a luxurious amount of time to melt when in fact the opposite is true.  The faster firing kept the underglazes from getting too dry and pulling away from the clay body and as a result, I have richer smoother finishes in the work.

5 – pricing notes:  I recently realized I have over 50 different pieces in my line of work and this helps me keep track of my prices and how fast each piece in the line is selling.  This helps me figure out what pieces are working for people and what pieces need to be taken out of the line.

Art Life: Since we are all about the art life, how do you incorporate art into your daily life?

Liz: I think we all incorporate art into our lives on a daily basis if not hourly basis.  It is in every selection we make throughout our day from the clothes and accessories we wear, the objects we choose to surround ourselves with, the music we listen to, and to what we decide to read.  I could be driving somewhere and notice the cool line of a gas station sign.  Everything in our daily lives has been created by someone for our use, enjoyment or information.  Art is in nature as well with vibrant colors, textures and sounds.  The trick is simply realizing that just about everything in this world can be a rich sensory experience worth noticing and appreciating.

Thank you!

More information on Liz Rodriguez can be found at her website Liz Rodriguez Ceramics.

To view the entire photoshoot of potter Liz Rodriguez go to Featured Artist Gallery.

I’ve come to believe that art salons are more for the sharing of ideas than art – as art is often created alone but ideas, being more fluid, can be shared and created together. However in our most recent art salon we combined art and idea to create a mixed media piece of text, photography, painting and more. It was a collaborative effort with artists from all mediums putting in.

I wish to thank all of the artists, both new and regulars for sharing your ideas and making our intimate salon a successful one.

Here are some of the words from the collaboration:

“Create visual art in reaction to music. A concert of musicians with a concert of visual artists reacting to the music.”

“My experience is that art and aesthetics surround us all. We only have to observe it and realize it is in nature, created by all.”

“Know no boundaries, know no criticism, know your goals, follow your vision, chase your dreams.”

Bike Seat by Dina Ali

Shallow depth of field is a technique available to the photographer which allows a narrow band of focus to be greeted with aesthetic blur on either side, near and far.  Dina has used this technique on subject matter that arrests the eye. It is the technique coupled with the vision that captivates. For example, her bicycle pictures which have an ethereal, dreamy quality, bring to mind memories of weekend bike trips. Yet they are unique, not typical.   Other close ups of wood or moss suggest a simple, often overlooked object for concentration. Her eye is clean and clear and is attracted to new things that others don’t see.

Dina is an artist with a camera. View her work at Dina’s Photos.

Bike Frame by Dina Ali

Blue Shirt cafe is located at 424 Highland Avenue in Somerville MA, in the heart of Davis Square. Dina Ali can be reached at dinaaliphoto@gmail.com.