Salamander Studio

Tales from Turkey, #5

2011-10-09T00:49:00.000-07:00

Before I continue the clay-related part of my blog, I'll give a bit of a travel update. I am leaving Turkey for Canada in a couple of days, and can easily continue with the clay stories when I'm back home. Besides, I retrieved some outstanding pieces from the still-400-degree C kiln (yes, that's super hot!!!!) moments before leaving Avanos for the airport, and didn't have time to photograph them before wrapping them in an old bath-towel for their journey.

I arrived last night in Istanbul, to a sultry but breezy evening of about 23 degrees. Sultanahmet Camii (The Blue Mosque) glowed pleasantly in the darkness. I thought I was fortunate being given a room with a bath for the same price as one without, though I knew they would not do that if someone hadn't erred and overbooked the hotel...... Fortunate it seemed, until I realized my only window opens onto the hallway, and not onto the street, so I have virtually no ventilation. No matter: I have a nice fan.

Neither had I counted on the morning noise. And, since the first flights out of Istanbul leave at 6 a.m., the 'morning' starts at about 2:00! The unlocking & locking & banging of doors, thumping of heavy baggage on the marble stairs, and loud voices in English, German, and French (obviously oblivious to the echo-factor in the tiled hallways), permeated my fitful sleep. And, beginning at 7:50, the endless stomping of hiking-boot clad feet on the uncarpeted stairs up to the breakfast room two floors above. At 8:30 I finally gave in and joined the breakfast crowd.

After my pleasant late-night sit on the rooftop watching light little clouds float by the moon, imagine my stunned surprise to see buckets of rain pelting the windows, blown everywhere by the howling wind! Those light little clouds have grown into one huge one, and socked themselves in over the city so tightly that the Sea of Marmara, about half a kilometre away, is completely invisible. Grrrr!! Not a pleasant backdrop for a day of visiting the Istiklal shopping street and sipping tea with my friend Seda. The hotel has umbrellas available; but with the 30 naut 'breeze', I'm not sure how much good an umbrella will do. Now, wistfully, I remember that $2 bargain-store plastic poncho nestled in my drawer of 'travel stuff' back in Gibsons. Another Grrrr!

With the Kapali Çarsi (The Grand Bazaar, but literally translated as "Closed-in Market") being kapali (closed) on Sundays (which today is), I guess I'm off to brave the elements across the Golden Horn to visit my friend. It's not cold, so the wet is more of an issue than the chill. My biggest decision appears to be whether to take the practical approach my mother would have advised, and wear my sensible sneakers to keep my feet (sort of) dry, or give in to the rain and bathe my tootsies in the Istanbul street rains wearing my water-happy flip flops. Or maybe the decision is, "Do I hoof it? or pay for a taxi?.......

Tales from Turkey, #4

2011-10-04T01:05:00.000-07:00

My gosh, I've been awfully remiss in keeping my blog of late! Not a good way to keep followers interested! I promised some pottery-type photos......

Avanos has been the centre of clay production in Cappadocia for literally thousands of years. The wheat farmers to the south and east stored grain in huge pots made here. Vintners to the south used Avanos (historically known as Evranos, and various other names) vessels for their wine. Avanos güveç (Turkish stew) pots are renouned for their durability. The commercial clay and pottery production zone is in the 'sanay', or industrial area. We visited the Mumtaz clay production workshop, and next to it the industrial site of Chez Hakan, a local pottery shop that exports garden pots & decorative pieces all over the world. (apologies for the graininess of these pics, but the air was pretty dusty.)

The clay arrives at the workshop as dry chunks dug from the hillsides above the Kizilirmak (the Red River, for obvious reasons), is crushed by hand, seived to remove stones, and then soaked in water in huge stone tubs to form a disgusting gooey sludge. After the clay has soaked up enough water, it is pushed through the machine at the left which presses out the lumps. The de-lumping and mixing used to be done by hand (or rather by foot), but the pug-mill makes the process much faster, not to mention more appealing.

Final clay preparation is always by hand. Getting the right consistency is critical to making good pots.

And likely the best living potter in Avanos at present (though his arthritis keeps him from working much) is 86 year old Ahmet. This piece will form the bottom third of a huge storage pot. Each remaining part will be added on after the part below it has been allowed to harden for a day or so; and the resulting pot will be about 5 feet tall.

Görkan, co-owner of this workshop, shows off the far less ambitious pots that are destined for the southern US, likely for use as garden ornamentation.

Regardless of its size or function, each pot must be trimmed and generally cleaned up before it is ready to be fired.

Avanos industrial kilns are wood-fired, and hold massive amounts of pots. The pots in this pic are still hot from firing; and they are but the bottom layer of a load that was stacked all the way to the ceiling of the kiln.

Back at the pottery shop, Hakan spends evening hours trimming, burnishing, and putting pierced designs on small pieces that will then go back to the sanay to be fired. And that's after he's worked in the shop all day! The shop is open 365 days a year, all day & into the evening; and Hakan is there every day. When there are no customers, he's decorating pots. It's difficult to make a good living as a pottery shop in Avanos. But, after years of saving and hard work, the addition of their large Sanay workshop and expansion into American and European markets has made Hakan and his brother Görkan one of the more successful families carrying on this thousands-years' old tradition in the cradle of civilization.

Tales from Turkey #3

2011-09-26T05:28:00.000-07:00

As promised, here's an account of our second day of sightseeing. There is SO much to see and absorb here that two days is only time enough for a brief overview and a couple of highlights; so that was our plan. Seems to have worked out just fine.

In case you've been having a hard time imagining exactly what üchisar castle looks like, here is a shot of it to put things in perspective. It truly is a castle built out of the existing rock.

Imagine seeing this while sipping your morning coffee..... There must be something we could learn about sustainable building from this....

I just love these chimney caps.

As I said, our second day of touring began with a visit to Pasabag, and the famous Peribacesi, or Fairy Chimneys. It's lucky that Cappadocia is not an earthquake zone, or these fragile-looking formations of tufa and basalt would have long since tumbled into oblivion.

Although people once made their homes in caves in these rocks, they have remained uninhabited since the 1950's at least. The tufa is rich in silicone dust, which is extremely hazardous to breathe. Even later houses made of natural stone are whitewashed inside to limit the stone dust hazard.

Following Pasabag, our trusty driver, Ismail, took us the short drive to Göreme and its outdoor museum. The museum is a UESCO World Heritage site, comprising a huge collection of churches carved into the stone.

Although these caves are doubtless many thousands of years old, it was not until about the 10th century, when (now Saint) Gregory began the monastic tradition of Christianity, seeing this tucked-away region as the perfect area for quiet contemplation and a simplified austere lifestyle for Christian monks.

Early church decoration comprised very simple designs painted with the readily-available iron oxide onto the stone walls, ceilings, and niches.

Notice the Byzantine-style cross, chicken, and what appears to be an enormous cockroach......

Later adornment was much more complicated, rendered in many beautiful colours. Several of these frescoes remain in remarkably good condition, thanks to their location in windowless caverns that are rarely visited.

After Göreme, we ventured off to the underground city of Derinküyü. Above the ground, this community sits on a flat and fairly uninteresting plain of wheatfields, with only one high point to be seen for miles around. Under the ground, however, is quite a different story. Initially only one level below ground, the caves are thought to have been permanent homes to the Hittites who lived here a couple of millenia before Christ. Later, however, the "city" was dug out to at least 5, and perhaps up to 8, levels under the earth, forming a refuge where many hundreds of people could escape the armies and tax collectors of everyone from Ghengis Kahn to the Romans.

School, anyone? Students sat on these long benches, while the teacher taught from a raised platform. At the end of the room is the teacher's sleeping quarters, while the students' dorm is through a small door off to the left.

This photo, actually from the neighbouring city of Kaymakli, illustrates some of the vessels used for storage of grain, water, wine, and preserved food.

Not wanting company? Just roll this huge stone door across the passageway, lock it into place, and, voila! The peep hole in the centre does double duty as a spear hole, should the visitors prove especially undesirable.

These cities could house hundreds of people for up to a month; although two or three days was the average stay. Lookouts were posted atop the only hill in the area to warn of approaching intruders, allowing plenty of time for the town's inhabitants to take refuge in the underground warrens. Air and supplies entered by way of well-disguised and circuitous 'wells'. Smoke exited similarly, making the location of the populace difficult to pinpoint. And of course the entrances were well camouflaged. And these folks could well have been some of the first users of composting toilets!

In all likelihood, it was more trouble that it was worth for marauders and passing armies to extract taxes and 'assistance' from these hardy, well-hidden folks.

Our second day of touring ended with a brief visit to Avanos' commercial pottery production zone. But, I'll leave that for tomorrow's post.........

Tales from Turkey, #2

2011-09-25T05:48:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last couple of days playing tour-guide for 4 Canadian friends. Two are from Vancouver, and two are from Gibsons. They are thoroughly enjoying their visit to this amazing country; and I must admit that trips are more special when one makes connections with 'real' residents of a place.

Ismail, our driver for the two days of touring, was ever so patient with us wanting to stop everywhere and taking much longer than expected at all the sites we visited.

Our first port of call was üçhisar, the highest town in the vicinity. This photo shows some of the older houses as seen from the high viewpoint. If you look closely, you can also see a cave or two in the rocks. These could be former homes, animal shelters, storage units, and even dovecotes, depending on their height from the ground & potential for building stairs inside the rock formations.

Within the castle that tops the town are myriad caves and passageways, now only explored by the many tourists who visit the site each year.

A pathway encircles the castle at its base, for those of us who don't wish to pay a fee to enter the main part of the ruin. (This is Nick Caputo, by the way -- former owner of the Flying Cow Restaurant in Gibsons, and now property-maintenance guy extraordinaire.)

Nick's partner, Julia, sports smart headgear for the intense heat. Behind Julia are the beautiful volcanic tufa formations and dovecotes of "Pigeon Valley". For many centuries, resident rock doves (our very common pigeon) have provided fertilizer for the grape vines and other crops in this semi-arid region.

Our day ended with a stop in Göreme, a very touristic town that has made the most of its unique surroundings. This collection of caves and windows is actually a rather unique hotel. They've done a remarkable job of preserving the exterior rock features while reforming existing caves into comfortable guest rooms.

And, most definitely, Coca Cola is international, and adapts its advertising accordingly. I couldn't resist photographing this Cappadocian take on the ubiquitous beverage.

Our next day of touring took us a bit farther afield, to get up close and personal with the legendary Fairy Chimneys, 10th century Christian churches carved into caves, and one of the several underground cities in the region. Stay tuned for more photos tomorrow.......

Tales from Turkey 2011, #1

2011-09-24T03:29:00.000-07:00

Time to stop procrastinating and get down to the serious work of daily writing.....

I arrived safe and sound in Istanbul on September 13 and zoomed down here to beautiful Avanos in the heart of Cappadocia, where I began my annual clay sabbatical on the 15th.

Since I've been thinking "tiles" lately, wondering what on earth I can do with my own kitchen backsplash, I began by doing up some 6" terracotta pieces with whimsical (read: juvenile) images.

The designs are intentionally very simple, using the very gritty red clay, white slip, and some thickly applied copper oxide (which will remain black on firing). Carving and sgraffito in this clay is rough at best, because the clay is so coarse; so keeping the designs simple is necessary. This is the same clay used for the güveç pots that must withstand high and very uneven temperatures when cooking the traditional Turkish meat and veggie stew over open fires. The coarse grog (bits of previously fired clay, rather like sand or gravel) 'opens' up the clay body to allow expansion & shrinkage with heat without cracking. These are extremely durable pots, and the clay would make for tough tiles. However, I'm not sure I'd want that coarse a texture on my kitchen walls. I might...... but haven't decided yet.

It's hard not to be influenced by the traditional Hittite designs, like the stag, when doing these. The designs are everywhere; and I find it hard to call up shapes and images from back home when I'm here surrounded by all this ancient artwork.

At the risk of offending my Turkish friends, some of whom have very beautiful homes, I can't help but alter the perspective when sketching these great houses. There's barely a square corner or a straight line to be found -- surely a renovator's nightmare! But every brick, every stone block, every roof tile simply oozes with character and wonderful textures, making these houses a wonderful subject for clay work of any sort.

Summer Projects

2011-09-16T13:18:00.000-07:00

After our return from Arizona, one might have thought I'd have used all that inspiration to create some marvy pieces in a pre-historic southwestern theme. Not yet. Those images are still percolating somewhere in the nether-reaches of my mind, and will appear who-knows-when in who-knows-what.....

In the early summer my attention invariably wanders to my full garden, with its shady green niches and overflowing flowerbeds. Since there is too much growth to see any weeds (thank heaven!), I spend a lot of time looking at things, and tweaking -- moving this little thing here, trying that little thing there, and wondering what I can do to make things more interesting for me, for the birds, and for passersby.

I managed to create a new welcoming energy at the entrance to our house, even with limited space and more limited budget. Widening the entry on either side of the old cement footpath using found slate slabs and beach stones proved to be great exercise, and the result is pleasing, and much safer.

I used my studio time to create accessories for other people's gardens.

This waterbath for our feathered friends is one of five I've taken to Woods Showcase gallery in Gibsons' Sunnycreasy Mall. I think there are only two left, which is gratifying. I like stoneware for outdoor pieces, since we can use it year-round. I do store the baths over the winter, since the birds don't need them then. But I could leave them out all year with no fear of weather damage.

Birds may not need baths during the winter, but they do appreciate being fed. My stoneware feeders have nice wide trays, eaves to keep the rain off the food in the tray, and they are easy to fill and clean out, as the roof-lids slide up easily to completely open the top of the feeders.

In the same vein as my feeders, my stoneware birdhouses are weatherproof. The perches and entrances are rain-protected by the overhanging roof, which opens with ease to clean out the house for new tenants. Square models hang easily on a tree or wall: round houses are designed to hang free, like the feeders.

Of course, every garden should have some critters in it. I chose terracotta clay for these because I like the colour, especially for amphibians. In a protected location like a porch or covered deck, terracotta winters outside beautifully in our wet coast climate. It even does well in the rain. But the combination of being soaked and freezing will cause damage.

I'm usually blessed with a large population of Pacific Tree Frogs -- but not this year. I missed their overwhelming choruses in the early spring, and miss seeing them sunning themselves on the phlox leaves by my deck in the later summer mornings. But, no mind. I conjured up some frogs of my own.

They are a far cry from the 1.5 inch tree frogs, being anywhere from 4 inches to 6 or more inches long. But, they seem to be popular with visitors to the Woods Showcase shop.

A nod to my Arizona trip, and to warmer climes in general (the Gibsons weather being so horrid for the month of July), I thought some lizard-ish types might be useful. And who knew? Maybe they'd call up some sun!

This little fellow sits in a water fountain at Woods Showcase, until someone gives him a good home.

Finally, since every garden has its faeries (or so I'm told), I created a couple of those as well.

This little sprite (who's actually not so little, at almost 12 inches tall) is attracting lots of attention at Woods Showcase. He'll look great tucked under a shrub peeping out amongst the flowers. But, like all the terracotta pieces, he'll enjoy the shelter of the covered deck or a spot indoors over the winter. He has been water-sealed, and can take the damp (unlike me!), but his terracotta clay body is still porous, and staying wet in the freeze-thaw over the winter could crack him or cause his beautiful green skin to flake.

And so ends Salamander Studio's summer session of work. Stay tuned for tales from Turkey, where I am once again privileged to stay and work in the studio of my good friend, ceramic artist Erdogan Güleç until mid October.

Where the heck have I been??

2011-08-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

I suspect it's rather a common theme among bloggers that they write like crazy when they are on adventures, and then go quiet once they get back home & into their routines. Since I'm about to embark upon my annual Turkish sojourn, I thought I'd better get back into the swing of things, blog-wise.

May was a time to finally get warm after the abominable winter we had here on Canada's West Coast. Seems like the whole planet has screwy weather this year. Arizona seemed like a good place to dry out, so I headed off with husband André to northern Arizona. After flying to Las Vegas, we headed out along Route 66.......

And then of course to Grand Canyon....

One of my most favourite places. The grandeur of the canyon is slightly overwhelming. Rather makes my heart skip a beat.

We decided against covering huge distances in favour of soaking in a couple of special locales; so, much of our Arizona time was spent in the Sedona and Red Rocks area. The rock formations are so red and dramatic. It was a challenge for me to watch where my feet were going while my eyes kept drifting upwards to the rock faces all around!

My passion for prehistoric art and all things ancient demanded that we visit a couple of rock-art sites in the Sedona Valley. Indigenous people who inhabited Arizona's Verde Valley for hundreds of years before Europeans arrived (since about 11,500 BC) produced both pictographs (painting on the rock) and petroglyphs (etching into the rock) which are wonderfully preserved at several sites.

Pictographs predominate in a cliff dwelling at Palatki, just outside Sedona.

Petroglyphs at the V-V (Vee Bar Vee) Ranch south of Sedona were conscientiously preserved by the Ranch owners over the years, and are now entrusted to the US Forest Service.

I took innumerable photos of these amazing designs, in different light situations, at slightly different times, from a zillion different angles. I now have a great collection of inspirational snippets for tile and panel design.

And of course I had to photograph wildflowers and animals wherever I found them (my family says I'm famous for this.......).

So, we managed to get ourselves nicely warmed up, and I got re-inspired. Our trip was capped off with an evening of ogling the sights in Vegas. Quite a contrast from the natural desert -- certainly a different kind of 'wow'!

After Cheering the Goddess.....

2011-03-09T15:11:00.000-08:00

The show is done, and I realize that I've never published all the photos!

Phoenix Rising is a classic representation of femaleness, and embodies all the strength & power with which we endow the Goddess figure. This beautiful bird is fearless in protecting her young from all danger. Her eyes are full of fire. When danger is too great, or as her life is threatened or nears its end, she sets her nest alight, and is consumed with it in the fiery blaze. And then, from the ashes of her former life, she rises again in all her glory.

One of the hallmarks of the Goddess through history is Wisdom. Wisdom, as we know, isn't inherent, or instant, or instinctive. It's garnered bit by bit through life (hopefully), and is traditionally viewed as the realm of the aged. Historically, women have been viewed as the keepers of tribal & cultural wisdom.
The Crone is old and wrinkled. She sits serenely beneath a tree by the water, ready to impart her bits of wisdom to any who come to her.

And here is the Crone, in a more modern iteration. Titled "Blue Ribbon Hat", this piece is good-humoured in its depiction of aging. Undoubtedly old, the woman sits tall and proud in her peaceful garden. She is slightly defiant....... "I may be old, but I have a new hat!"

The Iconic Patchwork is a collection of Goddess images from different cultures. I based the tiles on actual images found in archeological sites in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, and gave them my own twist.

The tiles are strung together with steel wire, giving the whole piece a quirky, off-kilter look which I like. Added to the bottom corners are a pair of embossed tin 'milagros' from southern Mexico.

I find early drawings & reliefs exceedingly beautiful. The art we call 'primitive' is to me very sophisticated in its ability to capture the essence of a form with a minimum of fuss. My ultimate goal in my work is to convey a feeling, a mood, an idea, through a shape or image that is purified down to its essence.

And one last piece for today -- a fun pair of Hittite-based figurative tiles........

And that's it for now.

Cheering the Goddess, #3

2011-02-02T13:26:00.001-08:00

People were in a festive mood at the Opening.....

Sundance. One of the Goddess' iterations in various cultures has been through sun images. The sun is the source of life energy, and re-emerges in full force each spring & summer, signalling the season of new life, regeneration, and bounty. What better way to exude joy & energy than through dancing? Even the hair is dancing & radiating energy.

Sundance's floral images are created with very old wooden fabric stamps, originally from Pakistan & Uzbekistan, and purchased from 'junk' sellers in an out-of-the-way alley in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar.

Lifestream references the goddess through its principal water/stream image, and also in whorls & concentric circles in the background. Sincere apologies to Georgia O'Keefe!!

Bird Goddess. The goddess is often represented by a bird figure, especially the Ibis, or Stork. The Ibis is a wading bird, which evokes the water connection again. & of course we all know what the Stork/Ibis brings with it......

This piece captures that transitional/dual state between human and bird that is prevalent among god/goddess representations throughout history.

The Gift is rather like a sketch -- a little rough, and somewhat without detail. It captures the essence/feeling of the greatest gift, from its creation to its presentation to the world. The mother is able to communicate with her unborn child in a way no one else can.

I'm so pleased that this piece has found a home with the family of a beautiful new baby. He is their gift, and this work really spoke to them.

All for today.

Opening Reception, Jan 29

2011-02-01T12:07:00.001-08:00

In a quiet moment, before the guests arrive, Michelle checks out Earth Mothers.

Iconic Patchwork is an interesting piece, in my usually quirky style, comprising tiles depicting various images of The Goddess figure from several different prehistoric and tribal cultures. The terracotta tiles are loosely connected with steel wire; and the 'quilt' hangs on a steel rod.

Gibsons Councillor, LeeAnn Johnson, graciously loaned me several books on Goddess history & iconography which taught me lots and inspired some of this work.

The images behind these guests (Timeless, and Blue Ribbon Hat) also appeared in my "Marking Time" exhibition at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in 2010. They were the jumping-off point for my work on the Goddess theme.

Gallery volunteer, Michelle, was eager to have a photo of us together. As I look at the photo now, it seems appropriate that we 'mature' ladies were standing beside the elder lady in her new hat.

The Opening was a great success for me. I saw lots of old friends, and met many folks for the first time. I sold 2 pieces at the reception, with the promise of more sales to come. More pics to come a little later.

Cheering the Goddess, first pics

2011-01-29T10:36:00.000-08:00

Here are the first few pictures from the "Cheering the Goddess" show.

Most of the pieces are terracotta earthenware clay: I quite enjoyed the possibilities of this material since working for my show in Istanbul.

Above is "Earth Mothers" - a typical Turkish landscape with life in the river, and goddesses hovering in the hills: Goddess as protector of earth & life, creator of bountiful harvests, provider of waters.

When I think 'female', I think of flowing lines and sensuous curves.

"Ova" is, of course, all about fertility - the most obvious way in which woman is Goddess.

"Seeds" of turquoise give this piece a pop of colour, which I like. Another nod to fertility.

"Mother, Protect Us". Somehow the mother has a nurturing and loving look about her, even though she has no facial features: the essence of motherhood as I see it.

As I look at it now, I also see eggs & sperm, which I hadn't seen until the piece was hanging on the wall. So I guess it's about fertility also. But it was intended to represent the mother protecting her children, while realizing that the nature of children and the protection we can give is fluid and changing as they slip in and out of our grasp.

More tomorrow. Heading out soon to the Opening. Yay!

Back to Reality

2011-01-28T08:58:00.000-08:00

Well, it's surely been a very long time since my last entry!! Between October and now, I've sent the unsold pieces from my Istanbul exhibition back to Avanos, bid a sad farewell to my friends in Avanos for another few months, returned to my Gibsons BC studio, bumbled through Christmas, and spent a mad few weeks creating the work for my exhibition at the Gibsons Public Art Gallery! Whew! What a ride!

Entitled "Cheering the Goddess", the present exhibition follows the female/goddess figure from paleolithic times through to the present (or, at least, it's my interpretation of her.....). I've built a ceramic patchwork quilt with tiles that have historical goddess images, abstractions of female characteristics, and even a couple of milagros from Oaxaca. Other than some of these tiles, there are no historically 'correct' images. The rest of the show comprises panels (& 3 bowls) depicting my own interpretation of what it means to be female, and my representation of some of the qualities that caused various cultures through history to elevate women to 'goddess' stature.

The goddess is the embodiment of abundance, fertility, nurturing, wisdom, continuity, regeneration, and life-giving waters. The panels incorporate myriad symbols that have been used for millenia to represent the female and those characteristics which make her so essential and revered.

A full complement of pics will be up tomorrow........

All for today. & welcome back!

Kapadokyan Tourist.....

2010-10-18T00:44:00.000-07:00

This 9-minute video gives a very good overview of Cappadocia (Kapadokya), where I have been workig the last couple of months. It's in Turkish, with English subtitles. The translation is a bit odd, but quite typically Turkish. Hope you enjoy it!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=156338561066976

I tried to load the video directly onto my blog, but have finally given up, after several hours of monkeying around.......

All for today

Vacation with André

2010-10-16T02:29:00.000-07:00

After a 5 hour bus ride from Avanos to Mersin, and another 1.5 hours on the local bus, we arrived at Mesut Pansiyon, at Akkum Plaj. A lovely little spot at a tiny little sandy beach, just around the corner from the large tourist beach. At this time of year, though, all the beaches are pretty empty. The northern sun-seeking tourists have not yet arrived, and the Turkish tourists have all gone back to work after their summer holidays.

We FINALLY got warm! Our long hot day of walking the coast was nicely capped off by a tea at one of the many beach-side bars in the town.

The little town of Akkum boasts 3 castle-style fortresses, two of which are built right out on the water in the bay.

After our single day in the heat, the thunderstorms moved in, as they did all over Turkey. So we headed inland next morning to the hotsprings restort town of Kozakli. The town is tiny. Farming is definitely the major occupation in this flat, dryish region. Lots of wheat fields to supply the many flour mills down on the coast.

There are at least a dozen 3, 4, & 5 star hotels outside the town servicing the many visitors to the mineral hotsprings (which also supply heat for vegetable greenhouses nearby). Most of our hotel guests were Turkish, and, to my surprise, most women were in conservative Muslim dress. This made sense, however, when I learned that the owner of our particular hotel is a conservative Muslim man who lives in Mecca. So conservative folks seeking a place they'll feel comfortable are inclined to choose this hotel. I did feel a little out of place in my (even by western standards) unusual attire. I felt a little like the mealtime entertainment.

Luxuriously appointed, we actually found the service in our 5 star hotel to be only average. Although breakfast, dinner, and pool use are covered in the overnight fee, we were disappointed to discover extra charges for things like the tea and water that usually accompany any Turkish meal. The rooms were very luxe, but our jaccuzi tub, though very fancy, didn't even have one of those little bars of soap with it! Over the years, though, I've discovered that the Turkish view of 'service' is not the same as the North American view.

And speaking of views, although the lands around Kozakli are very flat, and (to one from the Coast of BC) pretty uninspiring, the sunset view from our 5th floor room was superb.

Three days of lounging, swimming, eating, and soaking our aches away in the mineral springs proved to be just what we needed. And we returned the 80 kilometres to Avanos in a tiny local bus.

The day after we returned to Cappadocia was André's 54th birthday. So, of course, we had to celebrate. What better start to the day than a hotair balloon ride at dawn over the stunning Cappadocian countryside?

Sunrise was less than impressive, and it rained a little. But that did nothing to dampen either our spirits or the breathtaking experience. The soft, quiet wash of the breeze is broken only by the periodic whoosh of the hot gas flame. Our 2 hour flight was controlled by our expert pilot as we soared close to the treetops and dipped deep into the colourful valleys of this amazing landscape.

And, at the end of the trip, a champagne & cherry juice spritzer, chocolate cake, and a toast to the Birthday Boy!

A little Turkish dancing in the studio,

And, of course, the cake -- a delicious hazelnut torte decorated with caramel sauce. After the one special piece was cut for André, the cake was devoured 'a la Turque', which simply means that everyone grabs a fork and digs in. We managed to destroy this work of art in very short order. & there is something very friendly and warm about everyone eating from the same plate. I think kids at home would LOVE this way of eating birthday cake! And cleanup is a breeze, since the whole table is covered with newspaper beforehand. One simply rolls up the remnants of the meal in the paper and makes it disappear! In this case, there were not many remnants; and the newspaper went straight into the woodstove. I think I like this style of housecleaning!

All for today. Back to a little clay work this afternoon. So, who knows what pix will show up here in the nst few days?

Opening Reception

2010-10-12T01:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, it was quite a night! About 40 people attended the Opening Reception -- not bad for an unknown foreign artist.....

Above, Istasyon Sanat Galerie owner Emel Düzenli with one of her hard-working art student helpers.

A proud moment for both Katie and Avanos artist Erdogan Güleç, who was largely responsible for this whole affair in the first place.

Gibsons ceramic artist Pat Forst came all the way from Canada with her husband Bill! Actually, they are on tour throughout Europe this year. But it sounds impressive, doesn't it? And it was really a treat to have them there. Bill kindly wrote an article/review of the show, which, together with a photo, was published in the October 8, 2010 edition of the Coast Reporter (purveyor of all that is newsworthy to Sunshine Coast residents......) Many thanks to them for their support.

A happy group, including a couple of new Istanbul friends, as well as my long-suffering and very supportive husband, André, Bill Forst, and Seda Üngün, an Istanbul art teacher for whom I'll be doing a clay workshop before I return to Canada.

The party spilled outside into the warm autumn evening on this tiny little pedestrian-friendly sidestreet off Istanbul's prestigious Istiklal Caddesi, where Turkish & foreign shoppers browse the designer shops and boutiques. In this photo, to Katie's right, are Turkish pop icon Edip Akbayram and his wife, Ayten. They are avid supporters of the arts, and have become friends over the ten years I've been working in Avanos, where they have a summer home in a beautifully restored ancient stone house.

Live music was a pleasant surprise, and a welcome addition to the festivities.

Talking to the local press.... "Why do you do what you do?" .... hmmm .... "Because I can't help myself?"

The artist with the exhibition's title piece, "Sevgiler". You can see I was having a LOT of fun!

Everyone's favourite piece, the large "Avanos" tryptic. And this started out as a figurative show..... Maybe Paula o'Brien is right: maybe abstracts and landscapes really are more popular than figurative work.

A celebratory dinner in the nearby seaside town of Tuzla, with the most fabulous array of food, much of which came from the adjoining family garden.

So, yes, I would say "a good time was had by all", and the event was a success. Sales? Well, we have still about 3 weeks until closing, and I really have no idea what's sold. I'm almost afraid to ask................

Stay tuned in a few days for a few pics of my seaside & spa holiday with André -- well deserved by both of us!

All for today.

Preview, final part

2010-10-04T05:51:00.000-07:00

Today's photos are the last of the Exhibition preview, which of course is no longer a preview, since the opening was last Friday evening. However, time & circumstances being what they have been, I'm only just getting to it today.

The above panel, "Sari Uçurtma", or "The Yellow Kite", began as "Kite Girl" -- a photograph which my husband André sent me while he was working in Peru. Peru, Turkey, Canada -- anywhere children play -- their unbridled love of life shines through.

"Küçük Mavi Cami", "Little Blue Mosque", perhaps as opposed to the BIG 'Blue Mosque' -- the famous one in Istanbul. However, in Turkish, the Blue Mosque is referred to as "Sultanahmet", since that is the name of the Sultan by whom it was commissioned several hundered years ago. This little gem just popped up out of my head one day.....

"Öpücük", "The Kiss", is a little less successful than I had hoped, although it works as a piece on its own. The intent was to convey the sensual softness of the woman's skin by the softness of the man's kiss upon it. It hasn't quite arrived at that point yet. This piece must "stew" a bit more in my mind before its next iteration.

"Mektup", "The Letter", whatever its message, is not a cause for celebration. Could it be a 'dear jane'? Perhaps a loved one has died? Or maybe a difficult decision looms.......

The "Avanos #2" tryptic is so much more stunning than this photo conveys. By far the favourite of exhibition goers so far, completing it has sown a seed for further landscape abstracts.

So ends the 'preview' of the "Sevgiler" exhibition. I am happy with the work. I learned much about my materials, my methods, and about myself. Merely having completed such a body of work in the short space 0f 6 weeks, far from home, in a very different work environment, with vastly different materials and available services, and myriad glitches appearing every day, I feel an incredible sense of accomplishment and pride. That the pieces are satisfying as well is a great bonus that makes me smile!!

Stay tuned for photos of the Opening Reception. It may be a day or two. André and I are off for a few days' holiday on the Mediterranean coast to the south.

All for today.

Preview, Part 3

2010-09-30T00:13:00.000-07:00

I like the fluid motion in this Dancer abstract. It just makes me want to get up and move.

The colours in this small Cappadocia landscape took me by complete surprise. It's chemistry at its finest, with the iron, copper, manganese, salts, and ammonia all playing together with beautiful results.

Spending time clambering round in the Cappadocian rocks, one is struck by the interrelationship of the natural landscape with prehistoric, Hittite, Selcuk, Christian, and Islamic influences -- several of which are represented in this small panel.

Ah!! The Hamam! The sensuous caress of warm fragrant water. Soothing aching bones & tired muscles, replenishing the skin, rejuvenating the spirit. The tender, loving care each of us needs.

"Mavi Havlu", "The Blue Towel", for after the hamam, or any time. There's no reason it's blue. Just because I wanted it to be.

The piece is intended to convey not only the woman's body, but her love for it. More than just acceptance. Definitely not resignation. Not really pride, either (though she probably walks proudly). It's the kind of understanding and enjoyment of the body, and all it can do and convey, that makes one want to care for it well and treat it with tenderness. To love it.

Part 4 of the show preview tomorrow.

Preview, part 2

2010-09-28T06:04:00.000-07:00

Oh, that Cappadocian landscape. There really is no other like it anywhere in the world. This small panel, "Cappadocia #1", is one of four small pieces depicting various elements of this landscape that moves me so much.
"Balikçil", literally, means "fisher", which is, of course, what herons do best. There aren't any herons right around Avanos, since there aren't any marshes. The river is probably too fast flowing to be very attractive to any wading birds. There are, however, within an hour's drive, some beautiful marshlands (very salty) with abundant birdlife and other swamp-dwelling critters. Besides.... I just like the shape of herons.

"Benimle Dans" means "Dance With Me", which pretty much tells it all for this one.

"Dansöz" means Dancer. This little abstracted dancer is one of 6 similar pieces that play with shape, texture & relief. The colour is really only intended to emphasize the texture of the various spaces.

There's a lot of dancing going on in this post......
"Kadinlarin Irmakta Banyosu" is called "Bathing Ladies" in English. The actual translation from Turkish would be "ladies bathing in the river". When the piece was first done, another Avanos potter commented that he could remember when, as a child, he watched as Avanos women did laundry down at the edge of the Kizilirmak (whose waters were then clean enough to drink). When the washing was done, they stripped off their own clothes and bathed in the clear waters.

Exhibition preview part 3 tomorrow.

Exhibit Preview

2010-09-27T05:29:00.000-07:00

I've decided to post these in no particular order, which could appear disorganized; but I figured it would be more interesting to see landscapes interspersed with figures and other abstracts, rather than each genre's pieces all lumped together.
The small tryptic above is entitled "Kizilirmak", which is of course the Red River that runs through Avanos where I am working.

It seems fitting to begin this process with the Artist's Statement that goes with the exhibit. As you will see, this whole process has been a very emotional one for me, and one from which I have learned and grown a great deal. Of course, It's also been fun, in a hard-working & stressful kind of way!

Sevgiler, as the closing of a letter between friends or lovers, can be roughly translated into English as With Love. This, then, is the genesis of these pieces.

The tenderness of a kiss; the warmth of a lovers’ embrace; the love of a mother for her child; the lover’s willingness to sacrifice; the ache of a broken heart; the sensuous pleasure of a warm bath; the wondrous perfection of the human form; a child’s unabashed love of life; the love of a special place – so many loves: so many ways of showing and feeling love. These works celebrate the love we have for ourselves, for each other, for special places, for moving, and for life.

Created with love, in a very special place, each piece conveys love in some way. Collectively, the work asks each of us to think of what we love in our lives.

This exhibition is made possible by the kindness and generosity of my friend, Avanos artist, Erdogan Güleç, and by the unending love and support of my husband, André Sobolewski. To both of them, I say, thank you, and

Sevgiler.

"Avanos" #1. A small panel depicting my 'home away from home', with its houses nestled (or rather crammed) onto, below, and into the hillside.

"Benim Kalp", which translates to "My Heart", and symbolizes the sacrifices one is prepared to make for the love of another.

"Anne & Bebek", "Mother & Child. Is there any love more powerful or enduring?

And this, as they say, is where it all began. This is in fact the second (& much larger) iteration of "Love in Ruins", which is the piece that originally secured for me the exhibition in Istanbul. The lovers are lying amongst the ancient ruins that abound in this part of the world. But their love is apparently far from 'in ruins'. The double meaning is lost in Turkish translation. So this piece became the literal, as well as the figurative, symbol for the show, and is appropriately entitled, "Sevgiler".

More tomorrow.

Studio #12

2010-09-25T13:59:00.001-07:00

The studio work is finally done!! This "Little Blue Mosque" is one of about 15 small panels ready for the show. All together, there are 27 pieces of various sizes.

"The Blue Towel" is one of the mid-sized figurative pieces that form the core of the exhibit. To begin with, all the pieces were figurative; but some landscapes crept in over time, and I like them a lot. (pics to follow tomorrow)

The work is finally done. The panels are ready to be shipped up to Istanbul on Sunday. I've finally reached the end of the 17-hour days, the 24/7 thinking of new designs, new techniques, new possibilities, and new ways around myriad obstacles that popped up daily. I've tapped into my creative energy in many new ways, tested my patience, amazed myself with my resourcefulness and adaptability, and gained new skills and confidence. All that remains is to put the work out there and see what happens. I'm feeling a little lost at the moment. Haven't done or thought about anything except studio work for the past 6 weeks.

Over the next couple of days, I'll post a little preview of the show, for those of you unfortunates out there who are unable to make the Reception next Friday night.........

All for today.

Studio #11

2010-09-20T02:45:00.001-07:00

Peppers hang all over town these past couple of weeks. At the Friday market, the air around the red pepper vendors is heavy with the pungent aroma of slightly over-ripe fruit. Strings of red & yellow & green peppers in all shapes and sizes hang in windows, from lamp posts, on clotheslines, on tree branches -- anywhere available. The dried peppers, and stuffed pickled ones of the familiar large red variety we know so well, are a winter staple here, where the temperature hangs below freezing for much of the time between November and March.

The first set of panels is fired, assembled, and sealed. In these photos, they don't look too much different than they did before firing. But there is in fact a big difference in the clay colour. The terracotta fairly sings with energy, and contrasts nicely with the black outlines & highlights.

A lot of unseen work went into these first panels, since I had to "fix" the blue accents after the pieces were fired. (All the blue fired to black.) It was a somewhat tedious process that took the better part of an entire day. But I'm happy with the results.

The small abstract panels on which I "fixed" the colours looked pretty horrid at first. But, with a little (a lot, actually) brushing to remove unwanted oxidation, they turned out pretty much as I had originally hoped they would. So, one set of pieces saved from disaster. Whew!

Saturday was spent cutting out the backing wood, and mounting the tiles onto it with silicone. It's not what is generally used here; but I'm used to it, I like the wiggle-room it gives during the mounting process, and it remains flexible when dry. These backing pieces are not very thick, so I was a bit concerned that bending of the back could cause cracking of the panels or lifting of the tiles if a hard glue was used.

After the tiles were mounted on the boards and dried overnight, I sealed them, since they aren't glazed. At home, I would use a sealant designed for stone floors. Here, I used what everyone else uses. It's called "Lef Lef", and it's actually for shoes! Why anyone would want shoes with a shiny plastic-y finish is beyond me; but, it works great for the clay. It's non-toxic, the shine-level is easily adjusted with water, and it gives a very satisfactory finish when dry.

More pics tomorrow. All for today.

Studio #10

2010-09-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, I had breakfast with my friend Serife. As I said, she lives at the very top of the town, and has a fabulous view. I'm having my morning tea in the hammock. Her garden is rudimentary, and looks pretty sad by Sunshine Coast standards. Every tree and plant needs a well around it to hold the water it's given. And typical gardening tools include a pick-axe to break up the rock-hard clay soil. Composting is not common here, so there isn't much organic matter around to add to the soil. Kitchen scraps and compostables go to the chickens or the neighbourhood cats & dogs.

But, considering the harsh conditions, Serife does a pretty good job. These aubergines will soon be ready for picking. She also grows sweet and hot peppers, summer & winter squash, tomatoes, & herbs, with miscellaneous flowers sprinkled throughout. There are fruit trees (apples, apricots, and mulberries), grape vines, and nut trees. This unusually hot and dry summer has apparently taken its toll on the veggy crop.

I see this lady every day on my way to the market. She spends a lot of time sitting outside her house talking to friends and neighbours. & she loves to pose for pictures!

This crew lives just up around the corner from the studio. They come every day to ask "Uncle Erdogan" for clay to play with. Most times there isn't any for them. But occasionally he gives them each a small ball to work with. Sometimes they bring their work back to the studio for him to fire, which he always does, with great care.

This triptic is unfortunately a little hard to see. Each part is about 12" square. It is my impression of Avanos -- houses all higglty pigglty, tucked against the hillside at every imaginable angle, caves & ruins sprinkled here and there, all against the backdrop of rugged red clay mesas and mountains, with the Kirzilirmak (Red River) running in front.

I've finished building my last panel today, and will stain it tomorrow morning. The wood arrives tomorrow for the panel backings, and we begin the process of mounting the pieces. In a few days we'll fire the rest of the work, and complete the mounting. All the panels will be sealed to protect them, since they aren't glazed. Then, we'll ship them up to Istanbul for the opening on October 1st.

All for today.

Studio #9

2010-09-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

This is my friend Serife (say Sherifay), who I've known for 10 years now. She lives just up behind the studio, atop the mesa. Hers is the highest house in town, and the view from her little veggy garden is spectacular, with the 'old town' laid out at her feet, and the river running far in either direction. She can see clear to the next village!

Seeing each other for a few weeks each year, Serife & I have developed a warm friendship. She speaks a little English and quite a bit of French, so our conversations are multilingual. We take a walk every afternoon by the river and help each other with our languages. My Turkish is improving daily. Serife has agreed to be my videographer for a couple of days while I make my final (and best, I hope) panel. I have some footage already, taken with the camera on a tripod. Having Serife use the camera, I can move around a bit more, as I'll need to do when laying out the ground for the panel. And it will feel more natural talking to Serife than talking to myself!

Remember those dull, black-&-black-&-grey-on-terracotta abstracts that came out of the kiln?

Well, I worked a little magic on them after the firing, and this is what I got. I like the way the colours came out in this one. The others are a little too blue for my liking; but they tell me that blue sells..... so..... We'll see. Inshallah.

Today's "Hamam Woman" is looking a little blue at the moment also. The blue wash made the clay very wet, as you can see from the reflection of the camera flash. So I am waiting until tomorrow to brush off some of the blue so her trunk and legs are just a little more visible.

Today's entry seems a little short. Frankly, I'm preoccupied with visualizing my final panel. It will be on the large side, about 3.5 x 2.5 feet I think, and a very sensual piece. I figure it will take at least two days, or maybe three, to complete.

Also in the next couple of days, we will be mounting the fired pieces on their wooden backings. Then, stay tuned for some photos of the final work!

All for today.

Studio #8

2010-09-09T12:54:00.001-07:00

So..... All my artistic efforts over the past two+ weeks are reduced to this..... a couple of boxes of dusty, nondescript little square-ish bits. Looks less than impressive when viewed like this. But, there is gold in those boxes I hope! After a few hours out in the sun to get nice & toasty warm & thoroughly dry (just in case, since cave studios can be a little damp), the tiles are loaded into the kiln.

The kiln is a home-made affair: there are no pottery supply shops here where one can go and order a shiny new kiln. Virtually all the kilns in Avanos, of any sort, are made right on the spot. This one is electric, with a nice digital temp gauge. Erdogan's previous kiln was wood fired, requiring overnight babysitting to feed the fire, and also needing an experienced eye to assess the colour of the red hot pieces to tell when the firing was done. When I first came here 10 years ago, the kiln was oil-fired, and very stinky. The electric one is head & shoulders above both of the earlier ones. Propane is available here, but it is very pricey. There is even natural gas in some parts of town. But most kilns are still electric, since most potters here don't need the oxygen reduction capabilities of a gas kiln, and electricity is actually quite inexpensive (though you can't convince the locals of that....).

You can see by the photo that there are no shelves in the kiln. Pieces are piled on the kiln floor. Depending on the size of the various pieces, often the whole interior is full. But, when firing tiles like these, there is a limit to how many one can stack atop one another. So, a 'load' doesn't take up much space. The temperature sensor is near the top, near the back of the interior -- the hottest spot in the kiln. Not so great, especially when the space is 2/3 empty. I have suggested many times that using shelves would make firings more efficient, even, and predictable. But, shelves are expensive, shelf props take up space, and they've been doing it this way for hundreds of years... so, they nod politely, acknowledge the brilliance of my suggestion, and continue to fire in the usual way. It works for them.

The photo above shows the kiln fully loaded and ready for firing. Notice the colour of the clay before,

and after, the 12-hour firing. This firing was to 850 degrees C -- about 150 less than my usual bisque temp.
But the clay fires to a wonderfully warm terracotta colour. It was exactly right.

So...... if it was exactly right, where the heck are all the nice oxide colours I was supposed to get? The line-mark-textured parts were supposed to be a nice soft green. And the black parts with the little dimples were supposed to be a sort of teal colour. At least, that's what I get in my kiln at home. So, what's up? I confess I was a little disappointed.

As usual, it all comes down to science. First, the temp was a lot lower than I'm used to. In fact, a couple of pieces that were at the back of the kiln in the midst of the pile, where it was nice & hot, actually showed a bluish tinge to the black parts. But they were still more black than blue. Then I noticed that a couple of tiles that I'd brushed white slip onto before applying the stain had indeed fired blue. & the lightbulb went on. Of course! My usual clay has virtually no iron in it. It fires white at 1000 degrees, and sort of creamy at 1250. So, of course there's nothing to interfere with the colourant, and I get my usual results. & I now understand why Erdogan mixes his colourants in white slip before applying them to the clay. They are still altered somewhat by the colour of the underlying red clay, but the colours are reasonably true and predictable. A valuable lesson for me, and all in the process of understanding one's materials. Different materials require different treatment at all stages of working. & I'm still learning about this Avanos clay.

I have found a pretty exciting solution to the colour issues from the firing (you'll have to wait to see the photos of the finished pieces...), and I have put my lesson to work for me in the remaining panels I'm doing.

In yesterday/today's panel, "The Yellow Kite", I've used both my usual oxide solutions and some of Erdogan's coloured slip. The panel is loosely based on a wonderful photo (we call it "Kite Girl") that André took and sent to me from Peru. I knew right away that there was a panel in there somewhere.

All for today.

Studio #7

2010-09-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

Since I only have a couple of panel pictures today, I thought I'd start off with some shots of the incredible landscape in this area. This first photo is of rock formations in the Rose Valley, so named because of the pinkish tones of some of the rock.

These landscapes have been the inspiration for my small abstract landscape panels. This photo shows the dovecotes built in about the 10th Century by Christian monks who lived here. It was Gregory (now St. Gregory) who chose this region to establish sites for spiritual contemplation and growth, thus beginning the Christian monastic tradition. The rugged landscape afforded some protection from persecution, and the soft volcanic rock is easily carved out, providing ready housing, as well as storage, churches, and the dovecotes pictured above. The plentiful rock doves (aka pigeons) provided the fertilizer for grapes which the monks made into wine.
There is a volcano at either end of the Cappadocian valley, and there have undoubtedly been several others at some point. The 'fairy chimneys', as they are known to tourists, are volcanic tufa, which is a soft igneous rock containing a lot of limestone. It carves easily when damp, and hardens quite well once exposed to the air. Although people actually lived in these formations until very recently (and some diehard shepherds & such still do), living in them is now discouraged, since the walls, because they are not sealed, continuously shed fine silica dust. Lung disease, particularly among the women, who spent virtually all their time in the home, was rampant among residents of cave houses. So the Turkish government provided compensation for residents to relocate. However, the main building material in the area is still the same silica/limestone rock. And, as I have mentioned before, most older houses have caves for storage, and many many artisans use caves for their workshops. & they seem to be pretty healthy. In any case, they all smoke so many cigarettes here, that silicosis is probably not their greatest health risk.
This was the panel from a couple of days ago. It's now drying and will be ready for firing in a couple of days.

To whom is this fellow presenting his heart? We can only guess. I hope she's worth it.......

The firings will begin tomorrow, and I'll post photos of the kiln etc when we load it.

All for now.

Studio #6

2010-09-04T00:16:00.000-07:00

This one's a bit blurry, having been enlarged from a facebook post by a friend. But, at least it shows I'm actually here! I get so involved posting pictures of my work and of the place, that one might wonder where I am in all of this! In this photo I am carving out one of the tile pieces. As I have said, work continues at all hours here. When the piece is of the right dampness, that's when the job is done. We use lots of plastic wrap to preserve the moisture content so we can work at sane hours. But sometimes, well, the timing is off. It was about midnight when this shot was taken.

This is the last of this series of small abstracts. I reverted to one of my favourite images: I just love herons. They are so sensual, and can pack so much length & power into their curvy necks.

The next series of small abstracts are essentially landscapes. The photos look rather boring I'm afraid. My aim is to use these designs with some post-firing colourants I sent over by mail earlier. I wanted to avoid aeroport hassles with them, since they are liquids -- both emultions of metals in acrylic, and oxidants in solution. Glaze firing is difficult here, since most potters only fire once, and the pieces are stacked willy nilly on top of each other. Shelves are a real luxury, and not really necessary. The molton glaze would of course cause the pieces to stick together on cooling. I am trying to do things in the most traditional way possible, the way local artists work. Often, decoration is applied post-firing by painting. So, I have designed these pieces to have the colourants applied after firing. Inshallah, they will have some lovely turquoise and golden parts which will accentuate the terracotta clay colour and the black of the oxides I've already applied. We'll see ....................

This triptic represents the "Kirzilirmac" -- the river which flows through Avanos, and the longest river in Turkey, whose waters often run red with the iron-rich clay so plentiful here.

A few more abstract landscapes, and then it's back to my bigger figurative pieces. Also, stay tuned for some pots with sculptural forms added to them.

All for today.

Around Town

2010-08-31T04:35:00.000-07:00

Remember those grapes I mentioned a few days ago? Well, these ones are destined to be raisins. It doesn't take more than a few days in this heat (today it's over 40) and dry air to turn these plump little beauties into sweet raisins. They do have seeds in them, but no one seems to mind. And the grapes that aren't eaten, used for wine, or dried for raisins?

For those ones, it's into the pekmes pot. Starting in the last week of August, piles of sticks begin appearing in little nooks and crannies along the back streets here. As you can see, the piles get pretty big by cooking day(s). In the photo above, the entire street is blocked by the woodpile. But, no matter; it's a little on the tight side for cars anyway. And cars are not nearly as important as pekmes.

The grapes are cooked for ages and ages. They don't get hot enough to get to the jelly stage, and no pectin or sugar or anything is added to them. Rather, the juice is reduced to a thick syrup. Burlap bags are used to strain the fruit mash out, and, voilà: pekmes. It is antioxidant rich, and very yummy. And it is rumoured to fix absolutely every possible ill. All I know is, there is nothing like dipping a piece of warm-from-the-oven french bread into a bowl of pekmes with my morning tea (or priceless filtered coffee).

And now, here are some of the visitors to the studio this week......

This dragonfly was perched atop the neighbour's car. No water nearby that I could see, but I guess he/she found some. Maybe the river about 1/2 km away?

A preying mantis, I believe, though I've never seen one in the flesh, so to speak. This fellow was perched in the studio doorway. He's about 2.5 inches long -- small, compared to the grand-daddy that we had in the studio this afternoon, that was over 3 inches long. I think they're very beautiful things. & totally harmless, if you're not another insect on the menu. But having one fly at you would be pretty disconcerting I'm sure.

This 3.5 inch guy was kind enough to stop by this morning. Fortunately, he didn't come inside my room, but chose to wait for me out on the patio. I said my hellos, snapped this photo, and sent him on his way. Apparently, most of the scorpions here are not deadly. Their stings just hurt like mad. But they are very quick with their stingers and quite unpredictable; and, deadly or not, poison is poison. So, unfortunately for any Bhuddists out there, he was dispatched.

Interestingly, the residents here in this small place are actually quite urbanized, and don't seem to know much about the 'wildlife'. Often, their first reaction is to squash whatever-it-is. But after much discussion in broken Turkish & broken English, we've established that these critters are in fact very useful. Now, even the neighbourhood kids are flocking around to check out whatever 'Katie abla' (big sister Katie) is looking at with her camera.

All for today.

Studio #5

2010-08-30T12:37:00.000-07:00

This is the entry to "Bei Kaya", the studio in which I am working. A literal translation of the studio name is "Cave Man", which is also the name by which the owner, Erdogan Guleç, is affectionately known around town. &, indeed, he is known by almost everyone.

The last couple of days I have spent making some small (about 12 x 6") abstract pieces. I have succumbed to economic reality and the anticipation of sales, deciding to make some smaller (i.e. less expensive) pieces to give the exhibition a broader appeal.

The pieces above represent, from left to right, a woman napping under a tree, a dancer, and a mosque.
And here are 3 more dancers. From a work standpoint, although these will sell for less, and may therefore sell more easily, they are not terribly efficient to make. I can produce 6 pieces in the time it would take me to make 2 of the medium sized panels, which are each 4 times as large. Of course, If I sell 6 of these to one of the bigger ones, it will prove to have been worthwhile. They actually have been really fun to make. Heaven only knows what they'll look like after firing...

I really am attempting to work with the materials at hand in the way that local artists would work with them. The clay is worlds apart from what I'm used to, and it has taken some getting used to. As I usually do, I'm trying to let the clay speak for itself, emphasizing its characteristics through carving, texturizing, and some staining. But I want to enhance the clay, not cover it up.

Pieces are not 'pampered' here during the firing process. They are stacked one atop the other, dozens high, until the kiln is full. No one seems to worry about chipping off bits, or colours rubbing off, or much of anything. It's not the place for delicate pieces, for sure. Amazingly, what goes into the kiln usually comes out just fine, in spite of the rough treatment. This clay, although very sticky and full of bits & bubbles, seems very tough. So I have faith all my work will fire well. Whether it looks like anything good after all is said and done.... well, that's another story.

All for today (I had another pic to add of an interesting insect visitor, but it's lost.... tomorrow).

Studio #4

2010-08-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the bathing lady, after I applied the stain yesterday. I hope her towel will be blue. Inshalla. Since this photo I've off-brushed the excess stain, scooped out the excess clay from the backs of the tiles, and set them out to dry.

I really like this dancing couple. André, this one's for you! I applied the stain to it today, and will brush & scoop it tomorrow, as well as line up another 2 panels to begin sculpting. I'm thinking of a lady lounging in the hamam (Turkish bath).

This photo shows what the tiles look like with the backs scooped out. It takes a while to complete this for each panel, and is one of those jobs that is sort of mindless, but requires concentration nonetheless. Patience is required, and care to make the tiles of even thickness for even drying. After they're scooped out, it only takes about 3 days for them to dry, as opposed to more then a week at home.

The bulk of my afternoon was occupied with the less-than-exciting task of sanding the rough spots off the backs and sides of each dry tile (about 100 of them) and setting them aside to fire. Probably we will fire all the work at once, perhaps over 2 or 3 days, in about 2 weeks. That will leave me enough time to get the panels constructed on their backing pieces and ready for the exhibition by October 1st.

Work continues well into the night here, and the studio is more like a living room than a workplace. There is always music (sometimes live, when a saz-playing friend drops by), animated conversation, and endless glasses of strong Turkish tea. The TV is on if there is interesting news or a good 'futbol' game. & many computerless friends come by to use the internet.

Life moves at a different pace here. The work day is long, but there seems to be a lot of time for visiting as well. You don't walk by someone's home or business without saying hello if the door is open (which it always is here at the studio). & if someone walks by your door & says hello, you always offer them tea. The studio is a little off the beaten track, so people who come by here usually intend to visit. Work continues regardless, amid the conversation & tea. The odd tourist stops by, and some of them buy Erdogan's smaller pieces. Everyone is welcome, from the neighbourhood kids who come to ask 'uncle Erdogan' for bits of clay to model, to the other artists and tradesmen working nearby, and the wives, mothers, and grandmothers who stop by from time to time to use the phone, get some little job done, or bring goodies of some sort.

There is a very good energy here, in the place and in the people; and I am really enjoying my time here, in spite of how hard I'm working!

All for today.

Studio #3

2010-08-25T14:20:00.001-07:00

This is my workspace. It doesn't look like much, but it has all I need: drawings, music on the computer (and my screensaver with my favourite pics of home), the 'easel' with the panels(s) I'm working on, and my little stool to sit on. Behind the camera is a big worktable where I place each panel to air dry for a day or so before off-brushing the excess stain to soften the image.

I can't seem to manage to sculpt more than one panel per day; but I am getting into a rhythm where I have 3 or 4 panels on the go at once, each at a different stage of completion. And I'm figuring out small ways to speed up the work. So, eventually, I may be able to turn out more than one panel each day. But it's pretty draining work as it is.

Yesterday's panel was 'bathing ladies', which I stained this morning and trimmed (cut out the excess clay from the back of each tile) this evening, after I had sculpted the one below. The look will be much softer after the excess stain has been offbrushed in a day or two.
Another 'bathing lady', ready to be cut into tiles and stained tomorrow.
The full harvest moon rising over the house across the way from the studio. Rumour has it that, at the same time I was watching this beautiful moonrise, there was a glorious sunrise over the Coast Mountains in Howe Sound.

All for today.

In the Studio, 2nd panel

2010-08-23T11:15:00.000-07:00

The grapes are ripe, delicious, and plentiful right now. Those that aren't eaten right off the vine and shared with friends and neighbours are dried for raisins, or cooked over open fires in back alleys and gardens, their juice rendered into the thick syrup known as "pekmes". It's great for dipping your fresh breakfast bread, and is thought to cure all manner of ills. I've never seen it in the shops, so I don't know if it's made commercially. But it is an 'institution' in Cappadocian villages. No doubt some of the grapes become wine, which apparently has been made here for hundreds of years. But it looks to me like the locals have much more use for pekmes than they do for wine.

I made the second panel yesterday, with the new clay that arrived at the studio the night before. At less than $100/ton, it's about 1/10th the cost of clay at home. And all prepared by hand (and foot, actually). It doesn't come in nice square boxes, but in one giant sticky, gooey mass which gets unceremoniously dumped on the studio floor on a large sheet of plastic. The studio assistant packs it into plastic shopping bags (valuable things in a Turkish pottery) of about 50 lb each. It is a hefty process, much better than a half hour of weight training at the gym, lifting and dropping each bag onto the marble floor to smash out the bubbles and get the blob into something resembling a cube, so it can be cut into the slices used to make the panel grounds.

My second panel began in the usual way, and after a couple of hours looked like the picture above. It then went from that,

to this. All that remains is to cut out the excess clay from the back of each tile, and, when it's a little drier, brush off the excess stain to soften the look a bit.

Mercimek the studio dog had an unexpected guest for dinner this evening. "I know sharing is caring; and I really don't like this "dog food" stuff much anyhow -- but, really, isn't this going a bit far? Whose cat is this, anyway? & who invited it to dinner?"

In the Studio

2010-08-21T05:06:00.001-07:00

A less-than-flattering pic of the Studio owner, Erdogan Guleç. Erdogan is now in his mid forites, and has been working with clay, like his father and grandfather before him, for as long as he can remember. He is a kind and gentle man, and a patient teacher. It is his method of panel construction that I have been using for several years.

There is about 70 lbs of local Avanos clay in this, the base for my first panel. No worries here about diligent wedging, or about bubbles in the clay (of which there are many). Just smash the roughly packed bag on the floor a few times (hefty work) to smash the bubbles and get the clay into a roughly oblong shape so it can be cut into layers about 1/2 inch thick and placed on the board. Then about 2 hours' worth of smacking and whacking, a little rolling, and a whole lot of smoothing to achieve a workable surface. The panel is then tightly covered in plastic for a few hours before the rest of the work begins.

I had to work very quickly, since the air here is so dry, and had to keep the edges, especially the top one, tightly covered with strips of plastic to keep the moisture in. By the time I was finished (maybe about 8 or 10 hours) the bulk of the sculpting, I was covering all but the small area on which I was working at the moment...... a bit of a problem maintaining the proportions because I wasn't viewing the whole piece at once. Size 42 chest, size 2 feet. But no worries... After a bit of a giggle, I fixed it up to my liking. Then the piece was cut into tiles.

Following this photo being taken, some stain was applied and the work was again wrapped for the night. Next day, being yesterday, I began the tedious process of carving out the excess clay from the back of each of the 66 tiles. I finished that this morning, and then brushed off the excess of the stain that I had applied as a wash the day before. We'll see how it all turns out. As they say here, "Inshalla" -- it's in the hands of the gods now. In this heat, we could be firing in 2 or 3 days, rather than the 2 weeks I usually leave things to dry at home.

Mercimek (say "mare-j'mek -- it means split pea soup), the studio dog, in his usual place on the potter's wheel seat. He's a bit miffed 'cause we just gave him a bath.....

Avanos is keen to honour its clay and pottery tradition, as evidenced by this new fountain erected by the municipality on the (also new) riverside walking path. A process of 'beautification' has been going on for the past 3 or 4 years here. A bit of gentrification is happening in the old town, but its character remains essentially the same as it has for who-knows-how-many years.

There have been humans in this area since the stone age, and inhabitants have been working with clay for more than 4,000 years. The people here are a resilient and independent bunch, making this a region of relatively stable politics and somewhat 'enlightened' non-fundamentalist religious practice. Honour is paramount for Turkish people; and I have found the residents of Cappadocia (& Avanos in particular) to be tolerant, generous and welcoming.

More tomorrow..........

I've arrived!!!

2010-08-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am in Turkey. After a couple of days in Istanbul checking out the Istasyon Galerie and wandering through the giant Grand Bazaar, & weathering the 35+ degree, 96% humidity, I've settled in to the studio in Avanos, in the heart of Cappadocia, which is smack dab in the centre of Turkey.

I've completed a large panel, about 30 x 48 inches, which I hope will be the focus of my exhibition. I've put it to bed for the night, so picture will have to wait until tomorrow.

In the meantime, here are some photos of this wonderful place.

Rooftops of Avanos, the town in Cappadocia where I am doing my work
The Friday Market has the most wonderful fresh veggies! Herbs, a zillion different peppers, tomatoes, apricots & peaches are presently at their prime. Soon it will be time for melons and squash. Watermelon is good now, but musk melons will still be a little while. Apples and fresh walnuts in September. What a feast!
Many houses in the old part of town are built against the hillside, and most have a cave component which was once a living space, but now used for storage of food etc. Many workspaces are in caves, since they are reasonably warm in winter, when the temp dips to -10 or lower for several weeks at a time. In summer, caves workshops provide relief from the 35+ temperatures.
The famous "fairy chimneys" of Cappadocia are volcanic rock formations into which people have for centuries built homes, churches, monasteries, and dovecotes (the pigeon guano is great fertilizer for the grape vines.... but the wine is still pretty awful). Although the churches are long since abandoned, and people do not live in the 'chimneys' any more, they are an attraction for what must be millions of tourists each year. The interiors of the cave churches often bear original frescoes dating from 1000 AD and earlier.

There are many visitors daily to the studio, since the Muslim holy time of Ramazan (you may know it as Ramadan) falling in the summertime means many people are taking their holidays at the same time. With the visitors are endless glasses of strong tea and various nibblies that guests bring. Many Muslims observe the fasting tradition of Ramazan, eating and drinking nothing from sunrise until sunset. Thankfully, Ramazan is 'suspended' :D here in the studio, and there is no fasting. Meals have so far been fabulous! Lots of my friends are very glad to see me again, so I have invitations for delicious Turkish suppers.

That's all for today.

Gallery of BC Ceramics Featured Artist!

2010-04-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

August, 2010 is my month as "Featured Artist" at the BC Potters Guild's Gallery of BC Ceramics on Granville Island in Vancouver, Canada.

Look for 6 or 8 small terracotta & slip relief panels on slate. At this point, I'm leaning towards prehistoric style depictions on the Mother-goddess theme.

Of course, art is all about change .... so, who know's what I'll eventually end up with? Stay tuned for some pics in the next couple of weeks.....