Getting out there and the PODCAST down-low!

Check it out!
I am highlighted on THIS blog called "It's Drool Worthy!"
Very fun little shout out!
Check out some of her other posts too!
Very fun.

Also... I have 2 cups juried into the
 Gulf Coast State College Amelia Center Gallery 's 
 Annual Cup Show: 
Form and Function juried by ceramic artist Ben Carter.
Ben's Blog and Podcast  is really great... The Tales of a Red Clay Rambler...
He has great interviews with potters, ceramic artists and other creative minds.
It is both informative and inspiring!













While we are on the subject of PODCAST's... I also LOVE and wait for 
each new episode of the Brian R. Jonescast for another take on the 
ceramic art scene and the like. I am starting to come up with a lot of ideas 
on starting my own podcast... At this point it is really about a lack of time!

I even took on the challenge of TEACHING a 7 week 
Thursday Morning Adult Pottery Class at 
The Monmouth County Parks System's Creative Arts Center...
This is where I started learning about clay and I am both excited and nervous 
as I have not been a teacher because I am a bit PETRIFIED!
That said... I have been very inspired to take the plunge
in many areas of my life lately...

The aforementioned podcast interviews and several others 
have lit the fire under my but...
These are some other GREAT ones:
The Good Life Project
On Being with Krista Tippet
Sounds True Insights At The Edge with Tami Simon
They are all really interesting to me and many times insightful!
I often find new books to read or listen to after listening to these interviews...
as well as websites and products to explore...
especially other podcasts to follow from info on these podcasts...

Some of my latest work...

THIS FRIDAY!!! MEDALTA

Come to the MEDALTA CUP SHOW!!!
OR... SHOP ON LINE HERE!
This FRIDAY, September 6th!

JUDI TAVILL: TOTAL SOCIAL MEDIA FLOOZY

OK.. so I have donated a cup to the Solo Cup Benefit Show at Baltimore Clayworks.
The Artist with the Winning Cup (THE MOST VOTES) wins: 
A SOLO EXHIBITION.
I would like ( really like ) a solo exhibition there....
SO... If you would, please VOTE HERE !
The voting ends mid September 
(it would be great if you feel like getting the word out to your friends)
I promise....
I would step up to the plate to create a great show.
It's a great space... and in my home town(the town I grew up in).
The photo isn't really indicative of the cup but below is 
the photo they took... Much more chocolatey in real life!

Been using social media to get it out there:
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Email.
I admit it... I am  being a tad floozy-like to achieve my goal.. 
But...
It is a means to an end!

P.S. Just got back from an amazing trip to Montana...
A LOT of inspiration... hope to recap... soon!

Excited!

So excited to be published on Carole Epp's Blog: Musing About Mud.
Awesome blog by an amazing ceramic artist.
Check it out HERE!

Submission

I create unique sculptural vessels and objects from stoneware or porcelain. My work is an abstraction of my observations: texture and pattern in nature; the elusive movement of wind and sea; the draping, folding and stretching of fabric. I throw each form on the potters’ wheel and the “dance” begins as I carve and manipulate the clay, exploring and pushing the limits of the material. I use glaze simply to accent rather than overtake, creating tension in the contrast: matte and glossy, light and dark, inner and outer.

Vegas BABY!

3 pieces in this show and a teapot alert on the mailer!

Clay Arts Vegas

I'm an artist, He's an Artist. Bring INDEPENDENCE to his SOUL!

The capitalization is like that on purpose...
I rant and rave about bringing attention to ALS
(Lou Gerrig's Disease)... Here is a guy that is really doing the work!
FROM A WHEEL CHAIR...
UNABLE TO MOVE.
EVERY DOLLAR HELPS...
We all get stuff in the mail... and on Facebook and 
people call but this is the REAL DEAL.
Even your $10 could help... That is TWO COFFEES!!!
COME ON... PLEEEEEEZE....
Check it out!http://rkthb.co/27882
The trailer for his movie...
and contribute!!!
again...
PLEEEEZE!!!!!
SAND HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

In the studio...

been working....

and posting on ETSY

and moving right along...

loving listening to podcasts while I work and while I walk... even when I hop in the car for errands...

Brian R. Jones:  Jonescast

AND

Ben Carter:  Tales of a Red Clay Rambler

I have thoughts on these podcasts, but I will save them for later...

Human Pugmill

Pugaliscious .

Pugging to the Oldies.

Pugtastic.

Please drop a fabulous pug mill next to me from the sky....

Wet hot pugginess.

OK...

 I will stop.

New Cups

Celebrating other Artists and Crafts People

While I am hoping to get in my studio today, I have a ton going on planning a big MITZVAH in my son's/our life, so, I am definitely not being very productive in the studio... In fact, I THINK I will get in there today,however, it may not be much until after June 15th... his big day...

SO... I would like to showcase A fabulous artist, Andrew Ehrenworth ,who is particularly amazing with his work painting portraits of pets...dogs... I honestly never thought I would be having paintings done of our CANINE family member but Andrew's work is amazing and frankly... WE LOVE CHAI... more than we ever expected to fall for her!!! On his website you can see... he does a lot of fabulous work in oils... not solely canine nude models...

HERE is Andrew's video of his process... It is really nicely done AND I love how his process description show me the similarities between my work in clay and the risks taken that drive us crazy whilst really making the process so invigorating!!!

On top of Andrew completing the painting, Jon Peters, also a fabulous artist and craftsperson created a frame for the painting... He also created a video HERE which shows HIS process as well! (You've gotta love the video age and advancement of technology's place in education and the DIY movement.)

I especially like the comment Jon makes about wanting me to be happy since I am "a ceramic artist, so she's very particular"... FUNNY...

In the meantime, I will continue to soldier on... try to get in that studio... I have some sanding, repairing, glazing, firing, carving and throwing to do... UH YEAH... basically everything... and very minimal time to do it right now but as per usual this too shall pass and such is life and the show must go on and yes... tomorrow, Scarlet, is ...ANOTHER DAY.

Tortured by White? Switch to Brown!

After intense torture from my white clay...aka cone 6 porcelain...

I am switching back to yummy chewy gooey staining chocolate brown stoneware goodness for a while...

I have a new( new to me) sample of a sculpture clay in white coming to me.. any minute from Standard...

So... we will see if I like it... the idea of a gritty sandy clay is totally something I could sink my teeth into right now...

SO.. we shall see...

I was going to apply to some major craft shows and the deadlines are NOW....

So, rather than get pigeon holed into using the white that is KILLING ME...

I will let the deadlines pass(yet again) and see how I feel about the new clay and the the other color clays and when I am GOOD AND READY.... if it seems like a good show for me,

I will apply, or just approach the best representation for my work... but for now...

I am just working...

Published: InJersey

April 2013 issue:

Back from NCECA

Wanna know more?

My Moo Cards Came!!! I am so excited! I love them... Love the quality and matte texture!!! Maybe you can see for yourself and exchange with me at NCECA!

And in other news...

As I continue to destroy every larger scale vessel I try to carve and manipulate out of  Cone 6 porcelain...
AND
feel used and abused by my clay, my kids continue to occupy the rest of my time and efforts...

Our son, Jake was nominated for 3 Jersey Acoustic Music awards!
(JAM Awards)!
If you like his music, it would be great if you could vote for him!
Thank you so much!
VOTING CLOSES MARCH 1st!  THIS FRIDAY!!!
Only vote for each person once or it will cancel out your vote!

Top 18 and Under Male Act:
http://www.jamawards.org/top-18under-male-act.html#.URXY-0xkvKg

Top 18 and Under Songwriter:
http://www.jamawards.org/top-18under-songwriter.html#.URXZgExkvKg

Top 18 and Under Song:
http://www.jamawards.org/top-18under-song.html#.URXZvkxkvKg

Here is a link to his nominated song "I Ain't Me":

Thank You! Please Share and Vote!

If you ARE voting, here are some other great local musicians we would love to support: Kyle Ward, Nick Piescor,Jack Newsome, Shannon Corsi, Taylor Tote, Glenn Wise, Ardvark Smile, Micro Machines, Cobalt Blue and all of the others!!!!

ENOUGH ABOUT ME...

For NOW...
If you have read my blog through the years, you know my friend Pam suffered from that
crappy disease: ALS- Lou Gerrig's Disease.
She passed away one year ago after a long, drawn out struggle with the illness...
(over 5 years)
We will be toasting to her spirit tonight...

As it turns out, my son, Sam is turning 13 this May and he decided to raise money for KICKING ALS's BUT by designing, drawing and arranging manufacturing of items with his GRAFFITI ART... ALL OF THE PROCEEDS WILL GO TO ALS-TDI
which is involved in intense research studies to find therapies to slow and stop this crappy (Did I use that word again?) illness.
I helped him to set up a WEBSITE(click on "WEBSITE") to sell his tees and we can ship them out if you buy the ones including shipping! We got it up and running TODAY!

People are being diagnosed more and more.
Though about 10% of the cases are definitely genetic, there appears to be some environmental
factors setting off the illness. WE NEED TO GET ON THIS before it becomes worse and worse.
If you can help, in any way... PLEASE TRY...
OH, and by the way, he plans to be famous some day so this T shirt may become a
COLLECTORS ITEM!

New....

Well, they are not that new.... several days.
I think it really does take me a while after work comes out of the kiln to know what I like.
It is the strangest thing. I have heard it from a zillion ceramic artists and it continues to perplex me.

I pull the work out and I feel ...UGH...
This is not right. That is not right...
And then I come back to them and with a different eye....
I think... OH... I kind of like that... Not EVERY piece... but many.
A little hard because these are time consuming... all because I wanted to emphasize
the PROCESS as the part I enjoyed participating in... the carving, the manipulating...
So, when they crash and burn... WELL...
It's a tough experience for me because it is a bit of a roller coaster.
And frankly, not the healthiest ride for me.

That said, I keep FIGHTING the JOURNEY of it all.
And really, I CRAVE the  JOURNEY at the same time.
Sort of a dichotomy and also the STORY of MY LIFE.

I get rather bored?  Or jumpy... ready to try something new.
Particularly lately...
The important relationships in my life,I  don't jump in and out of it...
And I don't really jump in and out of clay...
I get INSPIRED... Try this, try that.
It gets me scared and frazzled.
Scattered.

And yet...  I am really looking for a cozy lovey feeling...
A safe place to fall ?
And then I think... If you find that, if you don't push the boundaries...
the abilities of clay and glaze and firing(with in an electric kiln????),
won't you just tire of it and move on to something else....

Perhaps my crisis is my struggle to accept who and how I am.
Perhaps I just need to wait and embrace those things that GET this part of me.
Rather then shove it all into a pretty package and box
that will position me to get me into a trade show.
I struggle with this. I don't know WHY I STRUGGLE WITH THIS.
THERE ARE MUCH BIGGER ISSUES IN THE WORLD TO STRUGGLE WITH.

I GET THAT. At times I think I should leave my art behind and put my energy into
struggling with those MUCH BIGGER ISSUES IN THE WORLD.
BUT the art pulls me back... my inner world and struggle and
desire for it to be "heard"...HAS A TIGHT GRIP  ON ME.

And so I continue. I would just like to find more ZEN in it all...
Not necessarily WORKING with the CLAY. I find the ZEN and PRESENCE
when I work with the clay... It's all the other stuff that confuses me as to
WHAT IT"S ALL ABOUT.
If you see my work change and change again...
Just know:
My MUSE is messing with me...
I  am doing my best to follow her and see where she is headed
and if she brings me right back to where I was...
Well, That is OK too.

Tah Dah....

I made the photo extra large so you can see what she wrote!!! 

Very Cool... Not what I am making right now...BUT it's a journey...

Stuff in the kiln cooling... hopefully good stuff and I believe February will be better than 

January as the PLAGUES of sickness came to eat me up in January and I am OVER IT!!!