chadthepotter

News from the Studio

2011-08-25T20:35:00.000-04:00

My rate of blogging has slowed, but not because I'm not doing anything. Nope, I'm furiously throwing pots as the days of my sabbatical keep ticking away. I've got about a week to work in the studio before I close up shop. I've had a great summer working at Kevin Lehman Pottery here in Lancaster. Kevin does fantastic work, and I'm glad to have spent more time with him.

Meanwhile, one of the happy coincidences of the summer was getting connected to the Central PA Potters group, who happen to have a group show opening this fall.

So, today I sent off a little box of pots for an exhibit at Clay Place @ Standard (formerly The Clay Place in Pittsburgh). The show opens Friday, October 7, for any of you W. PA folks. Here's what I sent off to the exhibit..

Oxford Circle Visit

2011-08-15T13:52:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I took a rainy drive into the edges of Northeast Philly to worship at Oxford Circle Mennonite Church. I had heard some good things about this multiracial urban church. And I have had the chance to meet their pastor, Leonard Dow a time or two. CMCL Senior Youth will remember him as the preacher at last year's ACC Youth Retreat. He's a fantastic preacher -- really one of the best I've heard in a long time. He manages to combine a strong black preaching style with solid Anabaptist theology informed by contemporary culture and his local context (click here for a little bio on him from EMU).

The church has also founded a community development corporation, which owns the building the church new meets in. It's a 40,000 square foot former medical clinic. Obviously they've done lots of learning on the job about being a landlord and have worked hard to take good care of this community asset. I got a mini tour of the place yesterday, and heard some great stories about the work they do.

Interestingly, the neighborhood and church are directly adjacent to a huge, huge military storage facility. Some of it is still functioning for that purpose, but after World War II, most of the barracks connected to the facility were closed. Some of these were turned into subsidized housing. That's why the church is there. Church planters from Lancaster Mennonite Conference started a Sunday School ministry near the housing projects 50 years ago.

One more thing. I want to mention that the offices of the Oxford Circle Christian Community Dev. Association include a little gallery space for artists. Right now they happen to be hosting part of an exhibit by an installation/performance artist from NYC named Gene Schmidt. The exhibit is called Lovetown PA, and involved spelling out the famous "love" passage from I Corinthians across the city of Philadelphia. It's awesome.

He did a similar work called Manhattan Measure a few years ago that involved literally measuring the entire length and width of the island of Manhattan on foot with yardsticks. Also awesome.

I'd say this visit was the highlight of my weekend, except we had also taken a day trip to the beach on Friday and hosted a pool party for Esmé's birthday on Saturday. So I've been having a blast all weekend.

Liturgical Arts Week

2011-08-01T16:05:00.001-04:00

So I'm sitting in the "living room" at Seattle Public Library. It's got to be the coolest library on the planet.

I'm here in transit for one of the more exciting weeks of my sabbatical. I am participating in a Liturgical Arts Week at the Grunewald Guild, up in the mountains outside Seattle.

The workshop features Jan Richardson, and artist, clergywoman and writer. Her work has been an inspiration to many at CMCL, and we've used her writing from time to time in worship. The week should be not only inspirational, jogging me out of my comfort zone, but I think I'll actually come home with fresh artwork created at the workshop. Should be a great time, with fruitful outcomes for myself and the congregation.

Here's a poem from her book, In Wisdom's Path (and a lovely prayer for a week creating art in the mountains!):

God of eye and ear,
of taste and touch,
of smell and of every sense
and source of knowing,
bless me not
with sight alone
but bless me also
with ears to hear
your voice
and tongue to taste
your essense
and nose to breathe
your fragrance
and fingertips to touch
your nearness
and heart to open
that door which is wisdom,
which is wonder,
which is all.

Daily Routine

2011-07-27T10:28:00.000-04:00

For now, at least. Seems like I and my household never have routines that stick for very long. But for this week, at least, I have a lovely, quintessential sabbatical routine:

Spend the morning in the studio making as many pots as I can -- today it's plates and serving bowls.
Stop at the Garden of the Five Senses in Lancaster County Central park to meditate and reflect for a while.
Hop over to the county pool and meet Jess and the girls, where Esmé has just finished swim lessons, and swim a bit.
Then back home to be with the girls while Jess goes to work for the afternoon.
Close the day out with garden and farm-stand-fresh goodies and a glass of home brew.

Next week I'm out of town all week, so the routine will change yet again. But I'm so grateful for what I have at this moment. If nothing else sticks, this at least is a generous gift of a sabbatical learning -- gratitude for what I have today.

Steelton Visit

2011-07-24T13:49:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday Jess, the girls and I visited Steelton Mennonite Church for their 75th anniversary worship service.

Jess' earliest church memories are at Steelton, where her family attended from a few months after her birth until she was 4 years old. She continues to recall very formative memories there.

Steelton is a mill town a bit downriver from Harrisburg, PA.

The church was a Lancaster Conference outpost started by missionaries back in the 1930s. In the 60s, the only two Mennonite churches in town, one black and one white, merged out of a sense of calling in solidarity with the civil rights movement.

Jess remembers it as local, multiracial and not oppressively bound to Mennonite ethnic traditions.

The stories we heard last Sunday confirmed this. There were literally hours of storytelling within the Sunday morning service, including from pastors that served from the early 60s to the early 90s. Their theology was refreshingly open. Not much "Lord and Savior" language. But lots of talk about the love of God, supportive community and caring embrace of each other during hard times. The man who pastored in the 1960s was not from Mennonite background, but had become a part of the church in his youth. Several of his siblings followed and have remained pillars of the congregation for 50 years. This was a powerful example of a congregation that has transcended ethnic and cultural boundaries for decades with seeming grace and enthusiasm.

There were also stories of pastors who lived in a parsonage across the street opening their home to any and all in the neighborhood for meals, playtime and fellowship (Jess has memories of this too). I could tell from the stories that pastors and congregants were deeply rooted in this little town and committed to its well-being in their daily lives -- not just on Sunday morning. In its welfare they found their welfare. Sounds like they lived how church is supposed to be, in my estimation.

Last Sunday the church was packed out. It's hard for me to tell what life is like there on an average Sunday these days, but I guess it's not nearly so full. I hope they still embody some of the vibrancy that made for such a meaningful history. I'm so grateful for the impact Steelton had on my wife and, by a degree of separation, on me and my kids. That little neighborhood church shaped Jess' theology, her way of being in the world and her sense of how to "do" church way back in those earliest years of her consciousness. What a gift.

Back in the Studio

2011-07-21T08:31:00.000-04:00

This week I've been back to work throwing pots in the studio. Here's a glimpse of what I have been working on this week -- a series of small vases that will be part of a project related to an exhibit I have opening this November. The show will be at CMCL's Parrot Gallery.

I continue to be amazed with how much work I'm able to get done with consecutive days in the studio. What a treat!

Church Visits

2011-07-11T15:30:00.000-04:00

When I proposed my sabbatical, I had in mind two focus areas for my summer activities: 1. studio art work, and 2. visiting progressive, multiracial churches. Turns out I did not have the time and energy this spring to plan the second very well. So when June 1 approached, it was clear my heart was really in the first focus of getting back into studio work (also helps that I received a small grant to support it). Furthermore, as I got to work in the studio, I quickly realized that will keep my plenty busy for the summer.

That said, I am enjoying at least visiting some area churches on Sunday mornings, if not traveling much further.

In June, my parents and I visited Bright Side Baptist Church in Lancaster. I've had the opportunity to interact with Louis Butcher a couple times, and as many of you know, Glen Lapp's memorial service was there. So I have been wanting to visit the congregation for worship sometime.

And yesterday I walked a few blocks to visit Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church on South Duke Street. It's one of the oldest churches in Lancaster (built in the 1760s), and the building itself is worth a visit. The service was a lovely mix of high church, old fashioned mainline worship combined with thoughtful, progressive clergy. The sermon was by their resident scholar, and Lancaster Theological Seminary prof, Greg Carey. The presiding pastor was Sadie Pounder, who has been an active, prophetic voice on prison issues in the County (coincidentally, she was quoted in the paper yesterday).

Greg's sermon was spot on, one of a series on civility in public discourse. It was a good palate cleanser after a week of rather uptight feelings as a delegate at the Mennonite convention.

I hope these old churches like Trinity find was to hang on long into the future. They feel like kindred spirits to me. And they offer a compelling mix of tradition and progressive thinking. Most of the people in the room were over 65 years old, so who knows what's in store for them. But they are an active and valuable presence in the neighborhood.

Wood Firing

2011-07-10T15:13:00.000-04:00

Last week I enjoyed a highlight of the first half of the summer. I had about 75 pots in a wood-fire kiln at Laurelville for a 40-hour firing. Below are a few pix from the weekend. I got some great pots out of the firing. And I had a blast with my firing buddies -- Dennis Maust, Joe Delphia and Keith Hershberger. It's a treat and an honor to collaborate with 3 artists who are so knowledgeable and so enjoyable to spend time with.

BEFORE

AFTER

Untitled 2

2011-06-22T12:55:00.001-04:00

This week marks a transition in the summer for me. I'm wrapping up three weeks of throwing pots almost every day, and then beginning on Saturday we are on the road for almost three weeks nonstop.

First, the pots. I forgot how easy it is for me to work with clay. Easy, as in it is so comfortable, something I know so well. The comfort level goes deeper than the cliche about riding a bike. It's not just that I remember how to do it. It's more. I'm comfortable with my hands in clay almost more than anything else. My hands simply know what to do. It's hard to put into words, but I think if one saw me at work in the studio, it would be clear. It's like a second home for my spirit.

I really have forgotten recently how this feels. To return to something I know and love so well is such a tremendous gift. One might ask what this has to do with my pastoral vocation. But to be so at home with myself, I think, is to be on holy ground. This summer the studio has been a sacred place for me in that I'm convinced that God surely must be present when I am so at ease with myself.

But I digress too much toward theologizing. One of the best things about these three weeks in the studio is that I feel no pressure to explain it. I'm just making work and enjoying it. There will be time later to make sense of what it all means. For now, I'm letting my hands do all the work and letting my head rest as much as I can.

This is one of the great gifts of this time. I don't think I realized until this summer how much my work includes a constant rhythm of theologizing, explaining, make sense of things, providing commentary and ethical frameworks for people's daily lives. I love it, but after four years it's draining. So I am delighting in this time of tangible creativity and setting aside the temptation of too much commentary.

As for the next few weeks, our household is embarking on perhaps the most adventurous part of the summer. This Saturday Jess and I leave for five days in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Then we're back for just a day or two before spending a week in Western PA -- first a couple days at Laurelville for a wood firing, then most of the week at the Mennonite convention in Pittsburgh. Then we're back again for a day or two before heading to the beach for a few days with Jess' family.

So, I guess this is the end of Part One of my sabbatical. It's been lovely.

New Pots

2011-06-14T17:47:00.000-04:00

One of the highlights of the month so far was taking Jess to see the Capucci fashion exhibit at the Philly Art Museum a couple weeks ago. His work is amazing and the exhibit was very artfully done.

After seeing the show, I found myself thinking of vases being containers the way dresses are "containers." The show is almost exclusively dresses -- I guess the dress is the quintessential piece for a fashion designer. And the more recent pieces Capucci simply calls "sculptures," even though they are still based on dress forms.

This all got me thinking about pots. Vases are one of the quintessential pottery forms. And many potters tinker with vase forms, altering them to the point of being more sculpture than functional object.

So the last couple weeks I have been playing with some Capucci-inspired vases. They are not meant to copy his forms -- and obviously clay is quite different to work with from fabric -- but they hopefully catch hold of some of his playful, inventive forms.

They are still in process. But here's a sneak peek of a few of them.

And some mugs too.

Summer Reading List

2011-06-01T19:06:00.000-04:00

One of my first sabbatical preparations was to pick up several new books. Here's what is now on my shelf:

Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
God in the Gallery: A Christian Embrace of Modern Art by Daniel Siedell
Book of This Place: The Land, Art and Spirituality by Deborah Haynes
Home Tonight: Further Reflections on the Parable of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen
In Wisdom's Path: Discovering the Sacred in Every Season by Jan Richardson

Untitled 1

2011-05-24T09:59:00.000-04:00

Pretty photo of a couple of last year's pots as I prepare to get back in the studio in June.

With a Little Help from my Friends

2008-07-31T12:46:00.000-04:00

So I'm working on a sermon and finding more and more that I hate doing this in isolation. Maybe my life has been too bland for me to have enough good sermon fodder. Though I doubt it. More likely, when I have to regularly face the question, "Will this really matter to people?" I often have to say I'm not sure I have any idea.

Mennonites talk of a "communal hermeneutic". It's a tongue-twisting way of saying we believe in reading the bible together, in dealing with scripture as a team and in not trusting too much each other's individualistic tendencies. We test with each other whether or not ideas, beliefs, and interpretations make any sense, hold any water or really matter.

This is going to be a little experiment to try that. This may not float your boat. Some of you are likely completely indifferent to the bible or find it passe. If so, take this with a grain of salt. I have the task of facing it everyday and am finding it full of stories that confound me and keep me asking good questions of myself. I trust some of you find this too, or maybe this will be a place to discover that.

Regardless, here's the story I'm facing this week. If you have any thoughts, questions, bones to pick with it, or stories or feelings it stirs, let me know. Thanks for joining the fray that I tangle with most weeks...

Genesis 32:22-31

The same night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, "Let me go, for the day is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go, unless you bless me." So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." Then the man said, "You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved." The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

The Train

2008-07-07T15:50:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I bemoan having moved yet closer to the east coast. Usually I make these complaints during rush hour traffic, which seems to be much busier and more dangerous than in any other place I've lived. Though this could be my prejudice playing with my rational sensibilities too.

Nonetheless, the same crowding that makes for hectic driving also makes for good train travel. There are actually enough people around here and things are close enough together to make it viable.

So, today I was riding the train, as I do once a month, to a meeting in a Philly suburb. The train car was packed completely full on the trip home! I have never seen that before on a train in the US, and I frankly took delight in it. The guy next to me said he had actually been bumped from that route three times in recent weeks because it was already full. Imagine that. I'll actually have to start reserving tickets ahead of time to make sure I get a seat.

I think I'll take high gas prices for the moment if it means more people use commuter trains and Amtrak again becomes a viable way to get around the country.

What a treat.

With Some Trepidation

2008-07-05T08:53:00.001-04:00

And with any luck, I am reinvigorating this blog.

It has been over a year since I posted. You can guess at the reasons. I moved to Lancaster from Pittsburgh. I started a new, big (for me) job as a pastor. Which includes all sorts of shifts in my self-identity. While I have no trouble telling folks face to face that I am a pastor, it feels quite strange to me to suddenly be one of those post-modern, artsy Christian types with the blog to prove it.

But the truth is, I still think about and care about mostly the same things. I still think of myself as an artist (though I don't get in the studio much). And I still think of myself as a writer (which I actually do a lot of, just not much for publication). And I still like the idea of communicating with any of you out there who may give a rip what I'm up to (though some part of me still wonders what's up with my generation all thinking that everyone wants to read what used to be the stuff of private journals and letters).

So, I'm gonna give this a try again. My posts will likely have less to do with things like upcoming art exhibits, since I haven't been making a whole lot of art these days. Though I hope it's still a place for me to think about art with you all.

It may mean this space ends up with a more spiritual tone, since I'm now a pastor. But that's not necessarily my intent.

We'll see where it goes...

Knowing me, maybe this'll just be my last post for another year...

Stations of the Cross

2007-03-19T12:02:00.000-04:00

For a few years running now, the Open Door in Pittsburgh has hosted a Stations of the Cross art exhibit, with different people creating a piece of artwork related to each traditional station. The art is on display during Holy Week at the Union Project where the church meets.

This year is the second time I've chosen to participate, and I am working on a mixed-media painting of Station #4: Jesus meets his mother. This process has been good for me; it has me thinking about things that do not seem like typical Lent/Easter thoughts.

I suspect most Christians, if they take time at all, spend Good Friday and Easter focused on themes of cosmic consequence: Jesus died to save us (whatever that means, whatever we make of it!), Jesus somehow rose from the dead, the world is forever changed by these events, etc...

But here I am creating artwork for Holy Week thinking about the relationship between Jesus and his mother (and whoever else made up his family), a very intimate and personal thing to contemplate.

Christians claim that Jesus was both divine and human. I sure don't want to get too deep in doctrines about this here. But if Jesus was really, fully human, what did his family relationships look like? In my experience, families of people who love each other deeply still argue, misspeak, and/or hurt each other from time to time. I guess Jesus was supposedly without sin, though it is hard to reconcile this with the fully human stuff. I have to wonder if his mother at least ever took his statements the wrong way or was hurt by something he said. After all, he said things like, "I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother." I have to think that did not go over very well with his family (not to mention the time he basically turned his back on his family and said, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.").

Regardless, I wonder what Jesus and Mary could have possibly said to each other as he went past her on his way to die. Did they have unfinished conflicts lingering between them? Did they wish for one more meal together, one more opportunity to recall childhood memories?

Thinking of all this, I wrote some notes across the painting I'm working on:

Did Jesus feel like the black sheep of the family? How often did he feel misunderstood by those closest to him? How often did he regret his words, actions? When he met his mother on his way to die, did he regret the time he practically disowned his mother and brothers in front of his followers? What reconciliation passes between two loved ones -- in a momentary stare, in the blink of an eye -- when death is imminent? What love is lost when a child, a parent dies too soon??

New Publication

2007-01-12T20:20:00.000-05:00

Just a brief promo here. My wife Jessica and I each have chapters published in a recent book called Wrestling with the Text: Young Adult Perspectives on Scripture. Each of the chapters in the book were conference presentations done at a gathering of Mennonites in New York City a few years ago. The idea was, get some youngish Mennonites and some midde-ageish Mennonites together to talk about their journeys with the Bible.

I think the goal of the conference planners was to see if there are identifiable generational shifts in how Mennonites view scripture. We talked about that. But more importantly for me -- and I think for Jessica too -- it was a validation of our personal experiences.

We attended the conference at a time when we had not too long ago decided to stop attending a Mennonite church and were rather confused about how to find a church home. Likewise, I had just completed my first year of seminary in an institution where I often felt alone and misunderstood in my journey of faith. Then, suddenly, there I was surrounded by Mennonite college and seminary professors, church leaders, pastors and other young adults hearing stories that intersected with my own and being offered the chance to tell my story in a supportive environment.

Thus, this book represents a moment in my faith journey that provided much-needed encouragement at a time when I was not so sure where I was going. Hopefully it can also be a useful contribution to anyone who finds the Bible to be a confounding and/or compelling sacred text.

To learn more about the book visit the indispensible Mennonite-related publisher, Cascadia: http://www.cascadiapublishinghouse.com/wwt/wwt.htm.

Belated Christmas Letter

2007-01-12T11:54:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends and Family:

I offer you warm greetings and wish you God’s blessing during this Christmas (OK, and now New Year’s) season!

Well, what a year in the King/Martin household! We have come a long way since last holiday season. Of course the most easily recognizable changes in our daily lives revolve around Esmé – who has grown from a pretty helpless infant into a charming and ever-adventurous toddler. But, as many of you know by now, there are other changes afoot as well, as we make plans to move to Lancaster, PA in a few months.

For much of the past year Jess and I have been considering some major changes: first, Jess weighed some options to begin graduate school in the fall (including out-of-town locales as exotic as the London School of Economics); then we explored the possibility of renovating adjacent properties with our Pittsburgh friends Nick and Becky – but we encountered deterring obstacles with both of those options.

Finally, in late summer, after about five years of pouring her heart and soul into the Union Project and more recently longing for more time with Esmé, Jess began to feel quite strongly that the time had come to begin stepping back from her responsibilities at work. Thus, faced with the strange and new idea (at least in recent years) of needing to be the bread-winner of the household, I began exploring positions in pastoral ministry within the Mennonite church. More quickly than either of us ever thought would be possible, a clearly wonderful opportunity has taken shape and I have been invited to work as the Associate Pastor for Community Mennonite Church of Lancaster. It has been an emotional decision-making process for both of us, but at this point I am very excited to embark on this new journey and eager to establish life and a home in Lancaster. Chad will begin some long-distance work with the congregation in January, and we will make the big move in June of 2007.

With all this in mind, I spend my days learning how to say goodbye to work and a city that I love. And I am trying to learn how to live with the tension of one foot here and one foot aimed toward Lancaster. With Jess’ help, I am scrambling to put the final touches on our house before putting it up for sale in a couple months. We both enjoy doing creative work with our hands (a few weeks ago Jess made her debut selling handmade yarn at a local craft fair!) – I participated in another wood firing at Dale Huffman’s kiln in December and have started an exciting series of mixed media paintings. Sadie still drags us out for long walks through our neighborhood. And of course I love playing with Esmé (almost) all the time.

This year we also began learning how to do all our traveling accompanied by a baby. That has not always been easy – in fact it has almost never been easy! But we have enjoyed some wonderful trips this year. Most notably, Esmé got her first taste (literally) of the ocean this summer when we spent a week at the Outer Banks with Jess’ family. Later in the summer my parents graciously agreed to babysit for a couple days so Jess and I could relax at a bed and breakfast on Lake Michigan for a couple days, followed by celebrating Esmé’s birthday with a day at the lake with the whole Martin clan. Esmé almost made it coast to coast this year, since we also flew to Oregon to visit Jess’ grandparents in October (I can now say from experience that flying several hours with a small, feverish child is not for the faint of heart!).

Tucked in and around all of this, I still teach some art classes. This fall and winter I finally, after all these years of planning and dreaming, am teaching ceramics at the Union Project. I have had great students in both classes and look forward to doing more this spring. I also spend one day per week babysitting the two-year old daughter of some friends (in exchange, they keep Esmé for us on another day!!). These are busy days that keep me on my toes. Johanna has become a dear friend to everyone in our household – especially Esmé and Sadie.

I hardly can sum up the changes in Esmé or my awe in watching her grow this year. Here are some highlights: swimming with her; frequent trips to the zoo; watching her grandparents bring out her husky laugh; helping her learn new words every day; walking down the sidewalk hand-in-hand; and her pointing, nearly leaping out of her stroller and exclaiming “Lights! Lights!” this month as we walk past festively decorated homes.

More than a mentor, more than a buddy -- she's my wife!

2006-12-13T19:15:00.000-05:00

Y'all look to the right, scroll down to my list of "artist mentors and buddies" and click on Jess King's link. Yup, that's right. My wife, along with so many other wonderful things, also now sells yarn online. It's handspun, one-of-a-kind stuff that is absolutely beautiful. Check it out...

Well, of all things!

2006-12-08T14:53:00.000-05:00

Hey Folks:

As some of my faithful (few) readers know, Jess and I are plotting a big move to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In June I will begin working as the Associate Pastor for Community Mennonite Church of Lancaster. Obviously, this means many changes for us, although we have some time to get the work done. Meanwhile, I will begin doing some traveling back and forth to do some preliminary work with the church before our move.

For those of you who know me well, the idea of me being a pastor is not exactly a shocking turn of events in my life. It seems to flow out of my experiences lately of striving to figure out how my faith and my work as an artist intersect, and what they say to each other. The job I will be starting seems especially fitting; the congregation includes many artists and people who already look to art and art-making to help shape their spiritual lives (not least of whom, Jess' high school art teacher and a family friend who used to shoot beautiful photographs of Jess' family when she was a toddler).

For those of you who read my blog to follow my fledgling career as an artist (and I cannot believe there are too many of you), don't worry, I will not stop making art or keeping you in the loop about what I'm up to.

What does this mean for my life/role as a blogger? How strange, I never really thought of myself as a blogger. Nonetheless, the tagline of Chadthepotter does say that I write about spirituality, among other things. I suppose this all means I might more often treat this place as a venue for pondering questions and ideas about faith and theology. I'll be spending considerably more of my time thinking about the church, so I imagine that will spill over to this venue.

I guess for some artists, talk of religion is frightful stuff. Likewise, for some Christians, art congures images of -- at best -- strange, abstract messes that " second-grader could have made," and -- at worst -- straight-up pornography. But for many, many other people art and faith co-mingle, inform each other, make each other richer and, when it comes down to it, are really one-in-the-same thing; spirituality and creative expression cannot be separated. I doubt many people who fit the first two descriptions even read this blog.

Regardless, my hope is that this blog is one more place, however small or mostly insignificant, where people can think about how their spiritual lives are nurtured by creating and experiencing beautiful things. More and more, this is what I care about in my life. Hopefully it does something in yours as well.

Peace...

Extended Hands

2006-11-06T14:11:00.000-05:00

Hey Folks:

Dick Lehman is a potter and writer from Goshen, Indiana, where I grew up, who has been a friend and mentor of mine for several years. Every time I put out an announcement about an exhibit or publication I am involved with, he is one of the first -- sometimes the only -- person to take the time to drop me a quick note of encouragement and congratulations. And he was a vital conversation partner with me as I crafted my master's thesis last year. I only run into him once or twice each year, but we always have warm, heart-felt conversations with each other. I suspect that he has been this kind of friend to the many people he encounters around the world.

Dick was diagnosed with Lymphoma a couple years ago. In recent conversations, I am struck by how he continues to be peaceful and attentive even though he wrestles with a tormenting physical illness. Nonetheless, his ability to do studio work has been seriously limited, and as a result of a stem cell transplant this fall, he will likely not be able to work in the studio for many months. I am sure this is both a spiritual/emotional as well as financial hardship for one who earns his living by making pots.

To help with the later, some of Dick's colleagues have assembled a benefit exhibit that is both online and on display in his studio showroom. I donated a piece to the show, which opened last week.

I originally intended to blog about this, making a plea to all of you to find the website and buy some work to benefit Dick. Well, the exhibit opened on Nov. 1, and already it looks like about 3/4 of the more than 300 pieces have been sold! So, now I don't feel as much need to plea that you buy them. (Although, certainly buy what's left...) However, the exhibit is a beautiful collection of contemporary ceramic work by a wide variety of artists from all over the world, so it's worth checking out the images (http://www.claylink.com/lehman2006.html).

Meanwhile, I have revised my plea: Strive to be the kind of listening and gracious person that Dick has been to me and many others (so much so that he has inspired this amazing outpouring of support in response to his pain and need) -- it might just change the world.

Gallery Opening this Friday

2006-09-28T15:44:00.000-04:00

I have one piece in a "40 Under 40" ceramics exhibit at The Clay Place in Carnegie, PA (for directions, click here: http://www.clayplace.com/new_address.htm).

The show opens tomorrow and runs through November 25. There is an opening reception tomorrow (Sept. 29), from 6-9pm. Alas, I will not be at the opening because I have to head out of town for a weekend wedding. But I'd love to have folks stop by and support the show.

Finally!!

2006-09-27T14:57:00.000-04:00

Hey Folks.

Finally, at long last, I am happy to say that the most recent issue of Ceramics Monthly includes a feature article I wrote about a friend of mine -- Dennis Maust. He and I worked on this article together over a year ago, and it is great to see it in print. Dennis' work embodies significant inspiration from his years of travels and work in the Middle East, Tanzania, and Bangladesh. Most recently, he has been exploring work that grows out of his frustration and concern about the war in Iraq and other U.S. military actions in the Middle East. I think it's very interesting work and worth your time.

To see the article online, go to: http://www.ceramicsmonthly.com/currentissue.asp#6.

Learning from Clay

2006-09-08T13:38:00.000-04:00

A couple weeks ago I began teaching a beginning wheel-throwing class at the Union Project. This is very exciting for me for a couple reasons. First, creating a community clay studio at the UP has been an important dream for me for almost five years now, so having it finally come to fruition and teaching a group of students there for the first time is wonderful.

Second, I happen to have students who are truly excited to learn clay. They rock! Each of them has said they can hardly wait for the week to pass in between class sessions, because they are so enthusiastic about working in the studio. And they each are making progress with their skills on the wheel. As of last night, with a satisfying finish, we filled a shelf in the studio with our first batch of mugs ready for the kiln. A great accomplishment!

I have not taught wheel-throwing to adults for several years, so I had forgotten some of the great emotions of learning to work with clay. At times my students are very proud of themselves for making a key breakthrough in the technical process of crafting a cylinder. At times they are frustrated and dispair at the growing mound of abandoned clay experiments beside their wheel. At times they are simply happy to be working with their hands in such a basic, raw material after a long day at the office.

Serendipitously, a few days before class a friend returned a book I had given up for lost. It's one of my favorites about working with clay (A Potter's Workbook, by Clary Illian). And I rediscovered this quote:

"What is the heart of the matter in pottery making? To call into being an object and to ask the object to have qualities that evoke in the viewer a sense of rightness, beauty, or vitality is to tinker with the divine. Making pots offers a constant challenge to search for the mysterious underpinnings of the physical world itself. It is no wonder that 'structure, most easily understood when presented visually, has much of the character of a universal metaphor. (p. 7)'"

New Work

2006-07-31T13:57:00.000-04:00

For several months now I have been pursuing ideas for a new series of art pieces. These are part adventure, part experiment for me, but I think I am liking the process and the pieces. So, I thought I'd share an image and some thoughts with all of you mysterious blogger people out there...

As a new spiritual practice for myself, earlier this year I began reading through the gospel of John in the New Testament a chapter at a time, and sketching/collaging an image in response to what I read. After a couple months (I'm not the most disciplined guy around when it comes to bible-reading), I had read through the whole book and had an accompanying image for each chapter -- 21 in all.

During the last few weeks I have begun creating a series of mixed media compositions derived from what I thought were my most compelling sketches. These are small scale works -- 7" by 14". The image posted here is an example of one of the completed compositions.
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These have been fun and inspiring pieces for me to create. The stretch me technically and conceptually. The biggest challenge for me is to create images that come directly from my personal encounter with the text and at the same time create a visual language accessible to other viewers.

Anyhow, I welcome your feedback about the image or the concept. It's new territory, so I welcome ideas about how to continue...

Homegrown Yarn

2006-07-04T11:47:00.000-04:00

Every Saturday the Union Project has a wonderful little art and farmer's market in their newly landscaped side yard. It's a great place to buy good local produce, do some art activities with the kiddies, get a cuppa joe and surround one's self with some of the best people I know -- they're all just good folks to be around.

Anyhow, this week my wife Jessica and I will have a table at the market and we will be selling some nice things. Jessica spins yarn and has a variety of funky new designs for sale. And I will of course have some pots for sale. On the same day I will be helping build the UP's new outdoor kiln in a class led by Dale Huffman -- it'll be a cool project to see in progress, just down the sidewalk from our market table.

The market is from 10am to 2pm (check out www.unionproject.org/Programs/Homegrown_Saturdays for more info. See y'all on Saturday...

Now you can buy my work online!!

2006-06-06T20:43:00.000-04:00

Exciting news -- after spending most of my artistic career trying hard to ignore technology, I have stepped into the 21st century and found a convenient (hopefully) way to sell my pots online.

For now, I am trying out a cool site called Etsy.com. It's kinda like an eBay just for hand-made objects.

So, please, check out my Etsy shop by clicking on the link further down on the sidebar to your right. My hope is that this can especially be a handy thing for friends and family (and strangers and soon-to-be-friends too) who live far away -- you can buy my work for gifts and such and let me worry about getting it to you.

Check it out and let me know what you think. This is a bit of an experiment for me, so certainly give me your feedback.

It's Official

2006-06-06T11:05:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago I graduated from PTS, receiving my MA in theology. Few formal accolades came with it, but my family showed up to cheer me on. That was the most important thing to me: having a time to celebrate a note some closure to a wonderfully formative time in my life.

The graduation ceremonies reminded my of several of the good reasons I chose to do graduate work at PTS. First, one of the best things about hanging out with Presbyterians is getting to march to accompanying bagpipes. We processed to the same haunting music that accompanies the funerals of public servants -- police, fire fighters, etc. -- a new, but awe-inspiring experience for this Mennonite.

Second, and more importantly, graduation reminded me that I chose PTS because I knew it would push me to encounter, converse with, love and bang heads with people who think and believe differently from myself. One of my core personal values is to continuously seek to engage relationships with Others, in hopes of better understanding and finding common ground (this seems to be ever-important in a world too often characterized by violence and division). PTS has been a good place to seek such common ground. The multiplicity of kinds of people there can be described in various ways. I valued African-American classmates who share my passion for life in Pittsburgh. My Mennonite presumptions were challenged by Presbyterians, Methodists, Catholics, Baptists and Episcopalians, to name a few. And hopefully I learned something about working to overcome the every-present liberal/conservative divides that seem to dominate all facets of American life.

The past three years certainly have not always been easy. But they have been rewarding, and I am eternally grateful to the community of friends and colleagues I have gotten to know at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

Time Flies While You're Not Posting to Your Blog

2006-05-06T10:10:00.000-04:00

The next exciting art activity on my radar is the opening of an exhibit of student artwork from Peabody High School. I am coordinating the exhibit in conjunction with some work I am doing with Manchester Craftsmen's Guild. While I have not seen all the work yet, I think it will be an outstanding show -- as evidenced by this student-designed postcard.

Here's the scoop:

Peabody Student Art Show 2006
A project of Manchester Craftsmen's Guild and Peabody High School
May 24-June 9
Opening Reception: May 24, 4pm-7pm
Union Project Atrium
801 N. Negley Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 363-4550
Ceramic art, Jewelry, Metalwork,
Drawing and Painting created during 2005-06

I-Thou: Recent Ceramic Work at PTS Museum

2006-04-11T22:03:00.000-04:00

Hey Folks -- My first post...

The most recent manifestation of my artwork is an exhibit of about 25 pots at the Kelso Museum at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, where I am finishing my Master's degree. The work went on display beginning in March, but the exhibit has been extended through the end of April. So, for those of you who've missed it so far, you still have a few weeks to check it out.

The exhibit includes predominantly wood-fired and majolica-glazed pieces. And they are all for sale.

This has been a great exhibition opportunity for me for several reasons. First, it's my first solo exhibition ever. Second, it has been a nice way to compliment my academic work, which focuses on intersections between theology, art-making and aesthetics. Finally, this museum is an archeological museum that is chock-full of ancient, beautiful pots -- which I think is a compelling context for my very recent ceramic work. There are nice juxtapositions as well as compliments between the artifacts -- some as much as several thousand years old -- and my new work.

If you want to check it out, you can get museum information at: http://www.pts.edu/museum7.html.