Charlie Parker is known for making large post

Charlie Parker is known for creating and teaching beautiful function pottery and large pots. He works out of  his St Petersburg studio, located at St Pete Clay Company. We are thrilled to have him join Saltwater Ceramics.

“I derive the greatest pleasure in transforming the earth’s raw material into functional works of art that enhance everyday life.   While my techniques are derived from traditions and techniques of the past, I am continually influenced by nature.  The forms, textures and colors I see and feel become a part of the clay. ”

Teaching Experience:

• 1996-Present Instructor, Private Lessons, St. Petersburg Clay Company, St. Petersburg, FL
• 1996-2005 Teacher, Clay For Everyone, The Arts Center, St. Petersburg, FL
• 2004 Instructor, Charlie’s Got Big Bowls Workshop, Carla’s Clay, Sarasota, FL
• 2004 Instructor, Charlie’s Got Big Bowls Workshop, St. Petersburg Clay Company, St. Petersburg, FL
• 2005 Instructor, Hands On Workshop, Carla’s Clay, Sarasota, FL
• 2005 Instructor, Hands On Workshop, Longboat Key Art Center, Long Boat Key, FL
• 2006 Instructor, Charlie’s New Wave, Carla’s Clay, Sarasota, FL
• 2008  Instructor, Workshop, Carla’s Clay, Sarasota, Fl

Laura Irmis at Cakewalk

March Reception at Cakewalk Artists’ Co-op

Don’t you ever want to be part of something? To feel pride in your life? To give back , help or support something bigger than you? I do.

Time is my biggest obstacle these days. With my baby boy walking and requiring most of my attention it is a challenge to continue to create my work as much as I would like to, but I’m getting use to it. Located in downtown St. Pete are several beautiful galleries but Cakewalk is more than a art gallery. They are managed by Creative Clay a wonderful art center with a wonderful mission: Creative Clay’s mission is to make the arts accessible for every interested member of the Tampa Bay community regardless of age, gender, ability and/or race. Since 1995, Creative Clay has been providing local artists with developmental, physical and/or emotional disabilities an opportunity to pursue their passion for art making. Our arts programs consist of studio and community based activities for exploring unique personal realities in an inventive, professional environment.

I was already familiar with Creative Clay since I spend time volunteering there in 2005, so I was delighted to join Calkwalk Artists’ Co-op and be part of something great.

Saturday was the first gallery walk I was involved with and it was packed!

This Saturday at 1:00 at any local beach, there is a gathering and protest for everyone who supports the anti drilling campaign in efforts to protect our beautiful beaches. Lately, I have been unable to donate to one of my favorite causes, Surfrider, so instead I am doing what I can to support what I believe in. I hope to see familiar faces caring for OUR environment the way I do:

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist after growing up”

Quoted from the book A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative by Roger von Oech discussing the importance of imagination and creative questioning and ‘what ifs’.

With the holidays over, I am on another mode..Tiki Mode! For the new year I plan on focusing in on Tiki themed concepts…COMING SOON!

The tiki history is very interesting and I’m so suprised there aren’t any REAL tiki bars locally. Know of any I should visit?

….is decided. After a gigantic bonfire in our backyard I decided this year I will finally build my first atmosphere kiln. I’m not sure how big yet and of course gas prices will determine alot of my decisions. I am still debating which type to build I found some great information on the website mudslinger in England. I would LOVE to have a brick kiln like this but may start with something smaller and easier like raku….I promise to keep you posted and explain everything in detail for others to learn from.

Here is the soda kiln at St Pete Clay Company where Charlie Parker and myself fired all day long. Everything came out good, no cracks, but some of the pieces were heavier on the soda which came out amazing!

…and fast! As usual, I have been thinking about my work for 2010 and for once I have function on my brain. I want my work to be fun, comfortable and functional. Typically function is secondary with my expression always coming in first but I realized how important function was when I gave mugs to my family as gifts. I wanted them to enjoy their coffee in a different light…to sip and drink with comfort of a handmade mug. I watched to see how they held them or if they set them down. As we watched my baby boy open his Christmas gifts, each person held their mugs and enjoyed their coffee until they were finished. I felt good about that! I hope they realized how handmade items can really make everyday a bit more special.

I love posting photos of people using my mugs so here is a good friend of mine talking (discussing politics I’m sure) and holding one of my mugs from this years OctoberFest. Do you own a Saltwater Ceramics item? If so, please send me your photo using it.

What a great idea! I mean most of us potters don’t even know infamous potters ourselves. We work alone in our studio and reference CM or the very cool magazine Studio Potter, which has been a resource for ideas and deeper discussion among us potters for years.   It is a beautifully crafted magazine with wonderful rich writing and each issue is a work of art in and of itself.

These baseball style cards are for the Studio Potter fundraiser. This is done in a totally toungue-in-cheek way as who ever heard of a famous potter anyway.

The lesser unknown potters included in the cards are, Josh DeWeese, Silvie Granatelli, Pete Pinnell, Linda Christianson, Linda Arbuckle and others.   They have all agreed to help put the fun back in fund-raising.

On the left is an example of just such a card, of Kentucky potter Davie Reneau.  Below are her “Stats”

These were sold at NCECA where all proceeds go to Studio Potter Magazine.

To help fund the printing costs they are pre-selling a limited amount of cards on Simon Levin’s website store.woodfire.com.Click here for your own set now….They are printed on good cardstock so folded they make an excellent shim to level that rocky bar table.

I have been firing a lot lately at least once a week. Recently, I have been inspired to move my work into a new direction. After testing, testing and retesting I found a palette that really fits my style and mimics ocean colors. I also incorporated some mason stains and black under glaze to give the darker feeling I want my work to show, considering it is to initiate thought of extinction.

I look forward to my monthly issue of Ceramics Monthly as most potters do. I love to see other work, glazes and the letters from artists that give tips on their personal experience. I often look at old issues for inspiration and the comment section of October 2008 caught my eye. This was titled What do we seek? What are we offered? by Jack Troy (page 176). It was about another artists’ presentation. The article went on about how absent his details were when he spoke of his art. How they were disappointed and wondered more than ever about his emotions and why he did what he did. So they suggested some questions they wish he would have answered. That made me realize a majority of viewers may wonder the same about my work.

So here are some of the questions asked with my personal reply:

“As you reflect on your career, could you mention how your process-choices various clay, firing methods and other media seemed especially appropriate for expressing the ideas you had?”

Originally I worked in the high fire clay Phoenix. Then I would salt fire it a St. Pete Clay Company. I loved the hues of salt fire plus it matched my Saltwater Ceramics theme. But I lost control of my palette choices and how quickly I could fire. So I bought a kiln and work with low fire white earthenware. I have complete control over my color and when I fire; therefore, my work and technique has grown tremendously.

“How important is it for you to put into words what you articulate in clay and the other media you use?

For marketing it is crucial to entice people about my work. But words can only explain my art; I really want my work to connect to the viewer on it’s own. I don’t want to steer them away from their personal aspect.

My work will be in the St Pete Clay Companies 14th Annual Holiday Sale
on Saturday, 12/5/2009, 10am – 5pm and Sunday, 12/6/2009, Noon – 4pm

If you have never visited St Pete Clay Company, you are missing out. Besides the interesting historic building with several electric kilns and atmospheric kilns the art alone is amazing. It showcases over 50 Local Artists and you can see their studios too.

This year the show is to be better than ever so join us for refreshments, kids activities, music, and more! It will be your chance to buy unique gifts for your family and friends! My focus is on wine goblets,my sea creatures and bowls! Everyone can use a bowl right?

Hope to see you there!