I'm not only into Photography, but I've been an apprentice to world renowned Master Potter, Melvin Rowe, since April of 2008. I can't say enough about how having Melvin and his wife, Vivian, take me under their wings has changed my life for the better. I consider them family. Melvin is a patient teacher and I have learned much from him, even though I know I have only just begun to scratch the surface of what there is to know about pottery. It's a very hands on and time intensive process. When people ask how long before a piece they order will be done we always tell them at least 3 weeks. There is a lot of science involved, a lot of chemistry. It's a messy form of art. Earning your keep as an apprentice cleaning a week or more worth of clay splatter, glaze all over the floor, and clay dust EVERYWHERE...ain't no easy thing! But the love of the feel of the wet clay in your hands, the joy of taking a lump and making it into a work of art, the pride you feel when others look at your work with wide eyed wonderment and say "OMG! That is so cool...how much you want for it?" when the process of creating has so engulfed you that you've forgotten that your supposed to sell what you make...it's addicting. You're willing to spend a Saturday mopping up glaze off the floor so you can keep getting your clay fix. At times my job at the Census Bureau has made it hard for me to do much of anything else, and I begin to jones for the muck between my fingers. Melvin being the patient teacher that he is, and knowing that a single Mom has to do what she's gotta do...he lets me keep a key and I haunt the shop at all kinds of weird hours of the night.

There are obviously already shots of Melvin, Pottery Rowe, and what we do there in my gallery. These shots however are of work I've done at the shop, and some of my own personal work. A record of my progression in the Art of Ceramics. Plus a lot of these shots were kinda on the fly with my cell phone and aren't of the type of quality I would dare post as examples of my photographic work. Yeah, I suck for slackin' like that, I know. Trying to be better about taking good photos before I sell a piece. I've even screwed up and sold pieces before photographing them, like the dorkus that I am at times.

Anyhoo...without further adieu...MY POTTERY!

Magic Fairy Dishes in the making.

Kentucky Christmas ornaments in the making, bisque fired stage.

Glazed and waiting to be fired again.

Magic Fairy Dishes. Glazed and with bits of glass that will melt in the kiln. MFD's are one of the shops more popular low end items.

Batch of Ky. Ornaments and MFD's.

A Raku piece I did.

You can tell Raku from other types due to any unglazed portions turning black when fired.

Gave these to a friend as gifts for him and his daughter. The tan bowl has the Nordic symbol for protection on it.

My first professional looking piece off of the wheel.

Well, that's enough for today. I have more to post but it's late and my shift starts at the Census Bureau at 7am. Hope you guys will enjoy this creative journey and will be inspired to share some of your OTHER creative endeavors with the rest of us.

Peace,
Tracy :)