garde time

well i ran out and got some bark chips for lisa's flower bed, then stopped and picked up a friends tiller, lisa is happy since she can FINALLY! get the plants she started into the garden. one of the coolest things is she is going to grow evan a sunflower hut! she planted a circle of large sunflowers and i guess will train them into a canopy. i shot a picture of the garden after i tilled it and am also including one of the deck. LOOK FOLKS, ITS A HUGE LAUNDRY DRYER! the deck still needs some little odds and ends but we like it so far. i did skimp on the lowest deck, instead of digging two more holes i just used deck blocks, it was easier. diggin holes on our property is more like digging watermelon sized rocks up. it plain sucks! just ask will baker about bertha! the 300lb rock we removed. anyway back in the studio tonight to trim platters and start pots for my july firing, yep i have to do it. i committed to he philly buyers market and now the kiln needs to be revived and pots made, no more leanin on other peoples kilns. now the hardest part of the new kiln will be which crew members get to stay on, no more crews of 8-12 with cars full of pots arriving, i now smith will be on, hell been firing together for over a decade now! mike the hammer as we call him. well,gotta get back to it. s

ramblins

well, friday was one of those odd days, alot went on,but really seemed like a not alot at the same time. started teh day off trying to work out my fall schedule at western piedmont comm college, turns out that the way me and the coordinator were running the numbers was way wrong, so instead of going down five days a week and trying to make big $ i will insead go down three days a week and make less $. this is fine with me as i need those other days to make pots, and work around the house. after that am tussle, i made two large pizza's for the montessori schools beach potluck, we all went to a local lake the kids played, while all the adults breathed deep for the up coming summer! i then went to get the arts councils auction stage that had been left at the building where it was last used, ended up talking for over an hour with tracs gallery manager, kathryn is wonderful! then micheal rutkowski came in and we had a lengthy talk as well, i really like micheals pots and he truly makes alot of pots,i admire that! so off i went to collect some pay for demo and then home to cut grass, i love cutting grass, get my headphones on and go go go. i did manage to throw a couple more of the 14 platters last night and this morning after towing a friends car home for him i got back into make a couple more, i thin i am at 8 or 10 now so only four more to go! i tell you what, i normally dont make these large serving bowls or platters in such large strings, but boy you really learn alot when you sit and throw the same pot and its even more true for larger pieces. i remeber when it was considered bad as a studio potter to work in large numbers of one form, oh your a "production" potter, hell yes! more folks who dont work that way should. anyway, while i have been throwing i have been struggling with the news that evans school will have an open position for a teachers asst. i know the pay is probably low and it would kill pottery making, but man i would love to be in that school full time! such a wonderful enviornment for kids to learn. its so differnt from public schools in its basic structure, there are no long rows of desks facing forward, the kids move around so freely and help each other. its just great. anyway, gootta get back to the clay, came in for water and here i sit typing. gonna throw in some mugs, small pitchers, and a pie dish as extras in this commision firing. till later. s

short week, but tired

so i finished my first week at western piedmont, feel like i got to know the students inthe class, plus the two additional auditors, so its nice, we have had stimulating conversations, and they are making good pots. so far. i am worried about overcommiting and losing steam on the pottery fronts, but we shall see. i am very tired today, between teaching, then evan/dinner while lisa has been away, then pots at night, and late night shane screwing daytime shane (lisaism!) then repeat, i think i might only work till nine or ten tonight, plus that icy cold sixer of the blue ribon variety and my little friend will likely make it a short night. so bobo's of the world, watch out, as master bobo, king bobo, captian bobo are gonna get out of control tonight. (yes i realize its only six beers, but i am getting old!) so bring the kids in, tie up the pets,. here we gooooooo.... bobo out

back in the grind

again, this post title has two sides, first back in academia! taught my first class at western piedmont community college yesterday, it was fun, small class which i enjoy. the students seem great. i also saw my fall schedule and it was more than i bargined for but think i will keep it, and try the multi day commute! the other side of the title is sad in most peoples eyes, but those who know me are aware that i hide nothing when it comes to my tv addiction. one of my must sees is deadlyist catch! i have folks say, "oh, thats that reality show on discovery" i dont agree its more like a documentry, as its these folks job and its real, where as most reality tv isnt real at all. anyway the king crab season ended on the series last night, and what i have been waiting for is coming up soon the "oppi season" or ophelia crab, its really wild as i guess winter really closes in on this season, or maybe they fish further north, but it is just amazing to watch those boats go thru those heavy heavy seas. well enough ramblin about tv, got many things to do before class today, ship a big pot to the mint musuem, some prep for class, and throw a couple platters for the camp spring creek order, i will post a picture of all the serving bowls i threw the other day, the platters are taking a little longer and are more weight so i am working slowly at it. well have a great day world, see ya on the highway! shane

trying to shoot images once again

so i have added some pictures i took with my new setup. i havent shot my own work since the days of film. its been at least seven years i bet. at one time i was really good with a manual 35mm camera and slide film. i am learning the technical ropes of my camera. the only glitch to work out is the compression, seems to be too much. i have started work on a commision for camp spring creek just up the road,20 serving bowls and 10 platters. we traded for one on one tutoring for evan, he has really learned alot in the past six months, alot is due to suzie his tutor, she is great. well gotta go trim th 24 big bowls i threw yesterday. later

back home

so, i went yesterday morning to meet with a client for my august kiln. went well, stop ate some chinese, way to much chinese! then on to charlotte to pick up some clay. luckily the folks at carolina clay stayed open for an extra half hour. got the clay and headed home, well to loafers glory campground to do a night of camping with lisa and evan. i like this campground, the river down in loafers glory is just amazing, some of the most beautiful i have seen in this area, go check it out. spent most of today rigging up a photo setup in my studio,and now am relaxing until the opening at crimson laurel gallery for potters of the roan tonight at six pm. be there or be square. later

DEMO PICS

goodmorning, i tried to post yesterday but vista has started acting like a crazy person does. i have heard about it and now those great mac comercials are even more on the money. anyway.... so i was really beat down yesterday, feeling sick, bad weather, etc. so i did absolutly nothing, except dishes. now i need to do office work, pay some bills, and order brick for an upcoming kiln. also a visit to charlotte to do a site visit for a kiln later this year, pick up some clay, and hopefully stop by and see jeffpender and his little girl. so i am posting pictures of the arts centered demo i spoke of the other day, and trying not to get sucked into the old western classic, "My darling Clemintine" love old westerns for those who dont know that. yep! gotta run, be good bobo out

arts centered demo

today, a group from our local clay center in bakersville came out for a demo. I knew most of the usual suspects so it was more like alot of old friends coming out to see what i have been up to. we all had a great time. i need to snap some shots of the deck as its almost finished! well stage one, we want to add planters, benches, and whatever else lisa can dream up for my honey do list. Lisa and evan had went down the road to visit our local grist mill, jack dillinger runs the old family mill on saturdays grinding corn for locals. they went across the creek and encountered a small family of turkeys. Evan decided he was going to catch one and bring it home, a noble plan until momma turkey caught onto it. surfice to say they both ended up in the creek as momma turkey came after them! missed out on that one. well gonna lay down for a while then get back at the deck. besides spongebob is on. later

montessori day

today was totally unrealated to pottery, i was a substitute at evans montessori school. again, i love being their. today i spent the afternoon in the napping room, puting kids to sleep, always a challange. feeling not so good today also, one eye swelled shut, and feel generally unhealthy, i really thought the slice of pizza, peanut butter and jelly sandwich and bbq chips would make me feel better!? guess not. the eye was probably due to allergies, and hopefully isnt pink eye. well we are of to dinner, braving sallies mt. view again, hopefully lisa wont get strike three there. she hasnt had good luck with this eating establishment in the past. so away we go. smack down tonight! batista bommmbbbbb! shane

sawdust without the dirt

well, kline came over this afternoon and helped with the deck, always a good visit. made nice progress today, got the lower level framed and all the deckboards on and partially screwed down, step stringers in place with no treadsm, hate when a day ends without that glorious finish, i mean to make it all the way to having the stringers up and not finish it seems crazy, but i wouldve rushed those cuts, so best to wait. speakin of waiting, evan is anxouisly awaiting his mother to call. way tired at this point i am, so i put up the pictures i said i would. good evening. S

morining ritual

hey all, well 7:30 am evan is having breakfast, me coffee, been working on lisa's graduation present, a deck! at first, not excited, but now hey i like how its shapin up. lisa is off for a nclex review in asheville, locked her keys in her car again, why cant she do that up here? i will officially start the countdown of re-entering academia, 14 days till my "production sets" class meets at western piedmont community college. no pics today, but will add some soon, things to do: finish deck, run keys to asheville!, return keg(still hurtin), decide what and when to do to kiln, still sitting waiting for me to rebuild her, sorryy lady! later shane

shane is a fool

so, i said i would post more, so what do yoiu get? nothing, micheal kline makes me feel like a fool with all his posts, dont get me wrong, we are fast friends, i just suck at this, so i am at least posting agian. i am also testing the image, it may work on my laptop, so crossing fingers here. today was great, i was parent helper at evans school, we went on a field trip to a local playground, and i had a blast. love being at the school, spms rocks!. then we went to pick up a keg i had ordered for lisa's graduation and they dropeed the ball, so i called the heavy hitter, mike mcfarling, he is hooking us up. then off to lisa's pinning, what a wonderful event, i cried most of the time, tears of joy! tommorow is graduation for her, then a huge party here at the house. see those who know there. off for now, got beer to drink baby. oh saw a man on the news who had his coffin made to look like a can of pabst blue ribbon! awesome