The EPIC ceramic week- Yixing, pitcher decorating and an open house

I try not to use the word epic lightly. It's weighty emphasis is best reserved for Greek poetry and ground breaking skate board tricks. One of my favorite associations with the word is the Aspen Highlands Ski Mountain's "Epic Flag". (Click here to see the flag) This flag is a communal rallying call for locals to hit the slopes for powder that usually breaks above the knee. The winter I lived in Aspen my coworkers spoke of the flag as if it were a mighty deity blessing the mountain with its holy presence. There is no ceramic equivalent to this sacred cloth but if there were I would now be waving it proudly above my head. My last week was truly epic. 

On Monday we welcomed Marc Lancet and Masakazu Kusakabe to the PWSSH for an exhibition of wood fired ceramics. The exhibition coincided with a book signing for the new Chinese translation of their book Japanese Wood Firing. On Wednesday we hopped on a bus for a day trip to Yixing. This area is rich with teapot makers that specialize in highly refined unglazed teapots. What a treat to see one of China's most notable ceramic traditions first hand. After six hours of touring studios we hurried back to prepare for a community open house that marked the official opening of our newly renovated studio/gallery/coffee shop. On Friday the community showed up in force packing our studio while enjoying painting and throwing demonstrations. Squeezed in between all of the week's commotion I finished decorating pitchers and worked on paperwork for the PWS 25th Anniversary show that we will have at NCECA next year. 

I will write more about all of these events in the near future. For now I'm taking a breather as I sort through the pictures and get ready for next week. If it is as eventful as this past one I might have to make our own ceramic EPIC flag to hang outside the studio.