My friend, artist and potter Mike Merritt is staying with us for a few days while in town for an art exhibit he is a part of featuring freight monikers. It's all about leaving your mark on freight trains and the society of people who write on trains and the seemingly complex codes they abide by. Mike's take on it is over my head. His moniker is a drawing of one of his iconic pottery pieces, his tripod-shaped figure, which you can see in my "brilliant projects heretofore unpublished: eggman" post from mid-November. And then sometimes that image not only ends up drawn on trains, but is imprinted back on OTHER pieces of his pottery in the form of an iron transfer decal and/or stamp. A few months ago he was using other peoples tags (monikers) on his pottery, now he's adorning his own clay work with his own monikers, as well as those of others. Are you following me?
I was very happy that he brought me four pieces of some of his most recent work. A three-legged vase, which rocks my world in color and form, a wonderful faceted bowl with a little surprise inside, a coffee mug covered in the water tower inspired forms, and a cool spoon rest. Christmas keeps on comin' over here!
As a special treat today, I wanted to take Mike to Sausalito to the Heath Ceramics factory tour. Alas, no kiddos under five allowed on the tour, even after I was very persistent in my begging. Mike enjoyed the tour I should've been on, while I fought with every fiber of my being not to buy anything and everything in the factory store. I have professed my love of all things Heath and my favorite "pattern", the white glazed "Coup" with the exposed clay edges, before (see here). Love, love, love. I use living in earthquake country as a way to convince myself not to buy any more breakables until we live on more solid ground. Everything there is so wonderful. They have house number tiles now in the white "Coup". I would love to use these one day.
Oliver and I cruised the store as long as we could, then played outside until Mike was done with my tour.
We stopped at the Bay Model after Heath. If you are even 1% scientifically or architecturally inclined, this place will blow your mind. A scale model of the entire San Francisco Bay, and then some. The photos I took did not do it justice, you really need to see it for yourself. I've been there a few times and it always impresses.
Oliver took a "crazy run" with Mike after we left. Oliver is pretty smitten with Mike, I've gotta say.
Dude moves pretty well for a one hip wonder...
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is an art major at OU and ceramics is her secondary specialization. I LOVE pit fire days. And, I love that your friend has such bitchin' work-art. Grand!
ReplyDelete~ Red Dirt Kelly
Those pieces are CRAZY cool! He is a fantastic artist (and sounds like a great friend). Neat stuff, thank you for sharing. Those pics are too cute of your hubby jumping and running. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun inspirational time! Beautiful ceramics pieces!!! Especially love the 3 leg vase (you have cool friends) & the Heath tableware! Thanks for sharing!!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome and talented art, and I love that pic of your little one! His hat is adorable!
ReplyDeleteRDK, that's great, I bet you have a ton of cool stuff around your place from her. I am just now realizing what a huge fan I am of all things ceramic, and I think it actually comes from a vase and a bowl my parents had when I was little, that I still have. I always loved them and consider them prized possessions.
ReplyDeleteAngelia, that's NOT my hubby, you silly! :) That's my friend Mike, the potter! Oliver loves him A LOT, though!
Ann, I figured you'd like this one!
TML, thanks for your comment. I'm doing more curating than creating in the last few weeks and it's got me itching to do some of my own work again!
How disappointing they wouldn't let you in :-( I love his work! The drawings on his pieces are great. Love, love the numbers at Heath.
ReplyDeleteOliver is so cute! I love the pic of him sitting and smiling.