Monday, April 14, 2014

Sea-Fever






Sea-Fever

I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over” 

"Sea-Fever" by John Masefield


Friday, April 4, 2014

Emerald Isle








Oh my..it's been over a month since my last post!  You'll have to forgive me, it's been an insane whirlwind of events around these parts, a flood of custom orders in the first weeks of March and an overseas wedding near the end.  You'll hear no complaints from me..business has picked up with the warming weather and as busy as it keeps me, it's funny how the busier your days become the more you seem to be able to fit into them.  Being away from the studio for just over a week for a beautiful family wedding in Ireland at the end of March was such an amazing way to cap off the month and officially welcome spring.  Though everyone we met on the emerald isle kept telling us that our visit was missing spring over there by a couple of weeks, the hills were rolling and green, tiny snowdrops and golden daffodils lined the narrow and winding roads of the lovely seaside town of Anney, Donegal.  Gorgeous.  My short visit there fulfilled everything I had envisioned Ireland to be..and more.  Now we're planning our next trip over, if the summers there are supposed to even more beautiful..I may never come back.

Now we're back to a slow snail's pace here back at the shop, the longer I stay away the harder it often is to get back into the swing of things.  My head and sketchbook filled with fragments of ideas for new pieces, I'm also eager to fire up that kiln and get casting.  Wee bean was very busy collecting seashells during our trip there and I've been eyeing a few of them to mould and cast in sterling.  Amazing to glimpse the world through such young eyes - to view his collection through a mind where conformity hasn't stained them with what society views as "perfect".  The shells Leo collected in his chubby little hands are a treasury of whole and fragmented pieces, every one of them perfect and beautiful in their own way.  Some are his favorites because they have a soft warm hue, others because he likes to run his fingertips over the rounded edges and smooth concave undersides..polished to a high gloss from its journey in the rolling seas.  I'm also excited about capturing the delicate mossy greens there in enamel..the kiln will be busy in the next few weeks to come!

Though today is overcast with a threat of possible freezing rain later in the day (gasp!) the last few days have been sunny and warm.  Wiggling my pale toes in the bright afternoon sun last weekend, I couldn't get the image out of my head of them blinking and squinting in the warm sunshine and had to stop myself from giggling out loud.  The garden is slowly thawing, rhubarb already peeking out and up from the still frozen earth, fighters every year.  We even saw a lone bumble bee a few days ago..a sure sign spring has finally arrived.

Love and hugs wherever you are.  The weekend is almost here!  

xo Blue Gnome