Toquerville Pottery

Black Mission Figs

2007-06-14T17:45:00.000-06:00

The figs are finally getting ripe. I wait all year for this. I love to sit under the tree and eat. I love figs so much that I planted three more trees.

Steve and Deb

2007-06-13T13:12:00.000-06:00

Steve and Deb stopped by to pick some more of my mugs for their bed and breakfast www.undertheeaves.com and while they were here, Steve talked Deb into buying this newly made sculpture. If you come this way, stay at their B and B. It's in Springdale. They're a good time.

Apricot in season

2007-06-12T21:20:00.000-06:00

This tree was here when we moved in six years ago. It was tiny then and produced a few apricots. This year we had a bumper crop. Our plans were to make jam, but when the family stands beneath the tree and enjoys fresh fruit, there aren't enough left over for jams and preserves. Maybe next year. As we finish the apricots, the figs are now just getting ripe.

Zion National Park

2007-06-06T20:01:00.000-06:00

The landscape is why we moved here. This is a mile round trip hike on the Canyon Overlook Trail in the park. Brynn complained the entire time that she hated hiking, but she enjoyed the ice cream cone after.

my hand made tiles in context

2007-05-30T13:09:00.000-06:00

Chuck and Anna(previous post) invited us to a party to show us how they used our tiles. Concrete counter top with my tiles embedded. We don't get to see them in context very often. So this was party was appreciated. To buy tiles like this, go to www.toquervilleclay.com

bike builder

2007-04-30T16:55:00.000-06:00

Jon, Delena and Noelle stopped by to purchase a few dishes. www.sabrosacycles.blogspot.com. He's a civil engineer in Arizona but his love is building bikes. They were curious about what it took for us to abandon the main stream life and do what we love. I didn't have any real answers except that there aren't enough people following their passion in life. He loves bikes and so does she. There's a bike culture out there that I'm familiar with on a cursory level, they live and breath it. From what I read on his blog, he approaches the craft of bike building like I do with pots, love the material, keep your artistic/bike building integrity and do it because you love it. Figure out the money later. That's his bike that he made in the truck. I like it when people like this visit me. The arts bring interesting and smart people into our lives

New and Used

2007-04-13T13:39:00.000-06:00

This is the actual show. I think it was well received, at least Ben and I had positive feed back. There were a few people that wanted to censor the show. They thought that my work was too dark and would offend the children. The Glassworks Gallery director disagreed and let the show stand. My work isn't intended to be taken literal. In a way, it's self referential. As my friend Steve Olpin says(http://www.ranchexit.blogspot.com/), "that's you on those bricks".

The sculptures can be viewed in detail below.

Happy Day

2007-03-29T19:29:00.000-06:00

The top sculpture was the last one pulled from the kiln. It turned out to be one of my favorites. I spent the first 50 hours or so convinced that this piece wasn't going to work. However, I had a deadline and couldn't abandon it having invested so much time. I needed the piece and the deadline was looming. Finally, it started to take on a life of it's own and began to tell me what it should look like. Also, I just assumed the straps from the skull to the dog would crack since they were entirely exposed to the air. They were bone dry while the rest of the sculpture was still wet. To my surprise, there was no cracking. It came out of the kiln perfect. A happy day, the day before I left for NCECA.

Gone to Illinois

2007-03-29T19:24:00.000-06:00

This one went to Illinois. I was sad to see it go but it's nice to pay the mortgage.

2007-03-27T15:54:00.000-06:00

More new work

2007-03-26T20:28:00.000-06:00

These two were part of the same show. The dog was purchased and will reside in Spokane. The ram head came out of the kiln the day before I left for Kentucky as did the other sculpture. Two of my favorites from this recent body of work. The raven skull lid came form a mold that was made by my neighbor Noel Logan who has a bronze foundry. He makes nice stuff and I always seem to show up right when he's pouring a beverage.

new work

2007-03-26T12:02:00.000-06:00

These two sculptures were at the Glassworks Gallery. Two person show with Ben Ahlvers called New and Used. There were 12 sculptures from me and 12 from Ben. We had a good time at NCECA.

new work

2007-02-21T09:29:00.000-07:00

These are my most recent sculptures. The one on the bottom is in Ohio right now for the Contemporary Ceramics: A Dairy Barn Invitational. Curated by Brad Schwieger.The one on the left will go with me to Kentucky for this year's NCECA. I'm having a two person show with my pal Ben Ahlvers that lives and teaches in Lawrence, Kansas. The show will be at The Glassworks Gallery, in Louiville.

young apprentice

2007-02-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest apprentice. Ella is her name and She's great to have around. My production slows down dramatically when she's in the studio. She loves helping. Part of our decision to be studio artists was so that I wouldn't be a mystery to my kids. They know where to find me. I'm not at an office all day. It's just a common place for my kids that their dad is an artist. I don't know what impact our choices will have on their lives but I hope they know that all options are possible. They can design their own creative and productive lives.

Original Tile Design

2007-01-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

While teaching college in Denver, I spent a lot of time developing a line of market based tiles. One day, while riding in an older model car, I noticed the dash board was split and puckered like the soil is just before a seed sprouts. Inspiration comes at the oddest times because I immediately abandoned my original market based tile designs and began making tiles like this one. The first few had less texture and the nine bumps weren't as visible, but the concept remains the same. From this one tile, all the other designs have evolved. I have never regretted abandoning the market based tiles, making them would have become a chore. Now, each night when I think of the next day's studio time, I look forward to what might happen with the next batch of tiles. The honeymoon is still on, I sell what I love to make. Go to www.toquervilleclay.com for more.

Our House

2007-01-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

This is where we live. We bought this cozy 1920's house in Toquerville in 2001 before the prices went up. The studio is behind the house on the back of our half acre. We're right on the road to Zion National Park from Salt Lake City or Las Vegas and just a few miles up I15 from St. George, Utah.

Hand Made Tile

2007-01-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

Here's an example of the tile Henry and Wanda purchased for their remodeled bathroom. For more variations and designs in tiles go to my website www.toquervilleclay.com

Chuck and Anna

2007-01-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

Chuck and his wife Anna stopped in to buy some tiles. They're going to embed them in a concrete counter top. I got more than just money, they were a great visit. Being involved in the arts brings wonderful and interesting people into our lives. I'm the goof wearing the orange shirt.

Water Pitcher

2007-01-08T09:53:00.000-07:00

This water pitcher came from the last soda kiln firing. It is available for purchase on our website www.toquervilleclay.com

windy day

2007-01-08T09:45:00.000-07:00

The big Soda before we unloaded it. I fire to about cone 9.5, stoneware temperature. It was a very windy day and I almost gave up. The kiln wouldn't climb beyond about cone 5, and very uneven, we made some adjustments and it started to climb and even out. I'm glad I stuck with it.

soda fired bowl

2006-12-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

This bowl came out of the big soda kiln. I love it when I get results like this. I wish it happened more frequently. I guess the elusive nature of soda firing is why the romance is still on. This bowl is on our website www.toquervilleclay.com

Big Soda kiln

2006-12-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

This is our newest soda kiln. Still small 5 levels of 24"x24" platforms but perfect for my production speed. Ted Neal (now professor of art at Ball State, Indiana), Danny Crump (student, Utah State) and Seth Green(grad aat University of Nebraska-Lincoln). After several firings, and with the help of Danny Crump, I think I know how to get nice pots from this one.

small soda kiln

2006-12-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

This is a great little one burner up-draft soda kiln. It's small, just 3 12"x24" shelves. But it makes a nice surface on my pots. Ted Neal came down from Utah State to help me build it.

studio and 1956 camp trailer

2006-12-26T09:08:00.000-07:00

This is the front of my studio and a 1956 Mercury camp trailer that I bought from our neighbor for $400. Almost perfect condition. Danny Crump lived in it and apprenticed for the last two summers.

sculpture in progress

2006-12-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

Here are 5 pieces in various stages of completion. One is among three going to Ohio and the others are going to Kentucky for a two person show with Ben Alvers in conjunction with NCECA. Besides these five, I plan to make about 15 more by March.