To my friends I cannot see,
It’s been awhile since we have visited. You know, winter, yuck, & all that stuff gets in the way of happy vibes. But the sun is shining, the birds are singing, & the kiln has gifted me with some awesome pots. I did just now take a few pictures & with the help of my kids showing how easy it is to post them to facebook, that is what I did. I don’t know how to post them to my blog yet. Still working on that but visit my facebook if you want some happiness in your life today. Yesterday was the 4th anniversary of Harry’s death. Sad day for me. But a friend came to the rescue & we attended a house concert at Tony & Rhonda’s last night. Again awesome music & great food. So today I turned my music to full volume, danced on the rock house porch, & unpacked pots & unloaded my kiln. Both loads gave me joy.  The studio is filling up with 4-H work done by the young people, pots made by me & as soon as we get a full kiln load dried, the cycle starts again of creating work from clay (mud), firing the kiln, glazing, & the opening. Just like we humans in our circle of life–conception, birth, life, death & life everlasting.
So until we meet again
STAY CENTERED

bobbi kemna
potter

Good Morning to the friends I cannot see,
Whew, it has been a whirlwind 2 months. My heart is so heavy with gratitude for all of you that like my pottery & buy my pottery. I fired & unloaded yesterday the last kiln load before Christmas. One workshop & 2 special orders plus a few of my last minute creations.  On the spur of the moment I decided to do a random act of kindness & placed some of my pots at Carmen’s hair shop. Those sold almost completely out–made way for me to make more & hopefully gave joy & smiles to those that found them.
Lets talk workshops-I hosted a father/daughter (which they picked up yesterday) & that was so much fun. I expected some trash talk like–I can make a better pot than you or you are so slow Dad or you are going to glaze it what color?. But I heard none of that–they worked together, often in silence, always with a smile on their face & the love between them was so obvious.  Each made completely different work. The Dad had done some clay in college so tried his hand on the wheel and actually threw a really good mug. A little heavy but it did not blow up in the kiln & the handle stayed on. Wahooo— OW the daughter also threw a bowl on the wheel. That took several tries & it definitely was a little heavy but again, it stayed in one piece. She chose several bright colors for that piece. Her favorite she said.
If any of you are at a loss for a Christmas gift please consider a gift certificate to do a workshop in the magical rock house. Lasting memories are made there,
I have to go over & put magnets on the pieces with a special name on it–they will be frig magnets.  I am hearing that children & adults like to see their name on the frig. These hold that special picture on the frig–maybe their first school paper, their school picture, the dogs picture, their first deer kill picture (I have a grandson that has several of these even though he is now 21) oh & I made 2 for grandmas grandchildren plus a picture frame for that new born grandson.
Anyway, enough chatter. I am looking forward to a new year & all the blessings that will come. I hope to see new faces in the rock house plus all of you that have been a part of my clay world & given me so much encouragement—Thank You.
I wish for all of you a very Blessed & Merry Christmas.
Until we visit again
STAY CENTERED

bobbi kemna

Good Morning to the friends I cannot see,

This is an awesome fall day full of sunshine & very nice pots just out of the kiln. Actually I fired two loads this week, one in the gas kiln & one in the electric kiln. One stuck to the shelf (but not bad) & I know why it did that–the glaze was applied too thick. But it looks really nice with a bronze outside glaze & a soft butter yellow on the inside. A cup actually & it says “I am ready for some beverage”. So I am fully stocked with pots for the festivals that are booked for the next 3 months.  This is not a sales pitch but I must tell you that shopping has begun today as my faithful pot lovers stop in to get first choice to fulfill their holiday gift giving.  I invite you to do the same—soon.
The great weather has allowed me to spray glaze the pots outside. This technique does use more glaze but I like the end result. I think I have talked about this before. In fact, I bet I have talked about just about everything before, but it all bears repeating.  A few workshop bisque pieces are left to glaze. Then its back to working hard to fill another kiln load.  My friend SP is coming tomorrow to take pictures of the new pieces so look for them on my website bobbikemnapottery.com.
The Royals are playing so I gotta go cheer them on. Till we visit again—
Stay Centered

bobbi kemna
potter

Good Morning To The Friends I Cannot See,
Where to start??? Well I can tell you that this rain filled period that we are going through is not friendly to my clay work drying. Uggggh—- and the rain & wind does not allow me to spray on the glazes on the table outside the studio door. So that means I either have to dip or pour the glazes or wait for a better day to spray glazes. Of course I prefer to spray so I can control the over spray of different colors which makes my work different than other potters. However, I have willed myself to have some self control over what I cannot control. FYI–that isn’t working very well.
So, lets talk about something else. 140 kindergarten students & 11 teachers came mid April for a field trip here & made pinch pots with lots of texture. That took 2 days & 4 busses but it was a wonderful time had by all. Probably me most of all. The kids made pots, watched me throw on the wheel (lots of ahhhs & big eyes on that one) brought sack lunches which they ate in my back yard, played tag, pulled & pushed the wagon & vowed to come back again. One mother shared her son’s comments with me when he got home from school “Mom, when I grow up I am going to be a potter like Mz Bobbi for my whole life”  That was pretty special I thought.  If he were older I would tell him “don’t quit your day job just yet. (smile)” I bisque fired the pots then returned them to school where the kids painted them.
The kiln has been working overtime the past few weeks to finish up the 4-H projects & my festival dates inventory. I went to Parsons on Sat for their Katy Days celebration. What a great group to work with. They set up big tents for the vendors to show under & provide tables & chairs. Those of you that follow my blog know that I like color. Sat, there was an older couple that visited my space several times with their eye on a large piece that had lots of color (purple, red, black, brown crawl & red gold glazes). Finally they said they wanted to buy it.  They were consolidating  their homes, getting married & building a new home for themselves. Most of what they now owed was dark colors & dull. They wanted color in their lives now.  My piece is to set on the new fireplace & they promised to send me a picture. You also know that after Harry died I tried my hand at painting. They look like my pots, lots of splats, splashed, & unorganized colors. The gentleman said “how much for the painting” I said “make me an offer” He did, I stuck out my hand & said “you got a deal”. So one of my paintings plus one of my colorful pots now has a new home in Denver, Colorado. Yipeeee–When others like what I do it makes doing it so much more worthwhile.
I better get back to work. Oh, and thanks to all of you that “liked” my pottery site on facebook. I was so surprised to get that response (over 500 likes). I guess most do not know that I write these blogs to keep you connected to my pottery life & was gently encouraged by a friend D D to tell people about that. So, feel free to forward this to anyone you want to. Have a great day & until we visit again
STAY CENTERED
bobbi kemna

Good Morning to the friends I cannot see,
We had our first snow last night–a  beautiful sight if you like snow–I got over it years ago. Liking it that is.    A few years ago when Harry had to help me up from making snow angels I decided to gracefully let go of that part of winter. I just finished my walking workout with a DVD with Leslie Sansone.  An amazing workout–I encourage all of you to try it. Start with the power mile, then the power 2 mile, then the power 4 mile (which I do now). Leslie says if you do this workout, it equals losing one meal a day. During this marathon eating month I hope she is right.
Let’s talk about clay. After all, isn’t that what this blog is about. Each day in my life is full of “the clay”. I finished up the last glaze firing (mine & the rest of the workshops work) a couple of weeks ago. Just in time for the annual holiday festival here in ft. scott. Last week as I looked around the rock house I said to myself “bobbi, you have tons of clay here, how about you use it up before restocking” Over 10 years ago I purchased an awesome clay from Minn Clay Co. It has a lot of iron which makes those brown spots that I dearly love when glazed & fired to cone 10. I expected it to be hard & need to be soaked to make it moist & usable. When I poked the plastic bag, to my disbelief, the clay was as moist as the day it was packaged.  I laughed outloud, said a big thank you, opened the bag & began to create . If I do say so myself, there are some great pieces coming out of that clay. I can hardly wait for the finished work. I was going to say masterpiece, but that might be a little over the top. Workshops for the new year are already being booked. Working in the rock house is magical & all of us need magic during the dreary months of winter.
Lastly, I want to thank all of you that read my nonsense. I especially want to thank those of you that like my style of pottery making. The rock house has been busy this week with customers coming to choose that unique gift for that someone special in their life. I even received a picture on my phone yesterday with the message “just wanted to share this with you. I bought this pot in 1994 & it remains one of my favorites” Ahhhh—that started my day off HAPPY. So to all of you THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR INVESTING IN ME—–
And please remember that JESUS is the reason for the season. I wish all of you a blessed Christmas & a happy new year.
Till we visit again
STAY CENTERED

bobbi kemna

Good Morning To The Friends I Cannot See,
Yes, it is really me.  I have put off writing a new blog all summer–for lots of reasons, busy with grandchildren, busy with grandchildren, busy with grandchildren—oh wait, I have already said that (3 times it seems) The other reason is/was I said to myself “self, what do you have to say that is fresh & new & you have not said before?” Actually nothing but for some reason today that doesn’t matter. I will keep saying the same thing over & over but perhaps with a new twist. I did get some studio time in this summer, did workshops, fired pots, had glazes run on the shelf ( I hate it when that happens & it seemed to happen with each firing this summer) & got lots of exercise carrying pots from one place to another. I hosted 22 school children in May. They made pinch pots & played tag in the back yard, ate their lunch everywhere, cleaned up after themselves, boarded their bus & left. I just looked on in awe. I hosted a grandparent/grandchildren workshop in August. That was a hoot. After being introduced to the clay via a pinch pot, each person (10 in all) took their turn at the wheel. Wheel throwing is not easy. It looks easy but the clay seems to fly in all directions until the art of centering is learned. That was the favorite thing of the workshop they said even though they got dirty, laughed at each other & made memories that will last a lifetime.  One thing I did not do this summer is clean the studio. The dust bunnies have definitely made their home apparent so that task in on the calendar for next week.
Festival events are coming up for this month:  I will be showing at The Bungalow Boutique  this Sat & Sun Sept 13th & 14th in Louisburg, Ks–just south of KC. Then I was invited to show at the Louisburg Cider Mill on Sept 27th & 28 for their apple fest. I have never attended this event. I thought parents took their kids to find a pumpkin. That does happen, however, I am being told that this is the largest vendor event in our area & tons of people come to start their Christmas shopping, always on the look out for hand crafted, unusual wares to give as that perfect gift. So I am going to be ready for those shoppers. Hope you will be one of them.
My kiln seems to be working right, I finally remembered to put a big cone in this week to make sure it was firing to temp. The cone bended as it was supposed to so I was happy about that.  I even sprayed glazes last week, something I have not done for a long time. I love the look of spraying glazes. It allows for the feathering of multiple colors of glazes which make a totally different look on the work.
O K–enough for now. Please mark your calendars for the upcoming festivals & see my new work. Daughter Jill suggested that I make some star picture frames for the holidays so I have 12. At least 3 will break in the loading so you do the math of how many will be available. They will hang on the tree & you can tape a picture of your children, husband, you or your pet in the middle so that image will smile from the tree this year. Then when Christmas is over, you can hang it on a dresser pull, cabinet pull or where ever you want to keep the smiles always on hand.
Till we visit again
STAY CENTERED
bobbi kemna