Hello Colorful Friends:
Just when we thought spring was here, we are had a surprise snowstorm Friday. It will disappear quickly and help add some needed moisture to the soil. Farmers call SNOW Poor Man’s Fertilizer. Some of the sheep have been moved out from the barns to graze. They look a bit surprised in the video below. There is lush green grass below the white stuff that they will paw their way to.
Amazingly, it had been an early spring here. The grass is about a week or two ahead of normal. The Farmer has been setting up the portable sheep fencing. The older lambs will be weaned next week when their mamas are moved out from the barns onto pasture. We still have a lot of young lambs with more to come from the yearling ewes.
We are getting ready for the Amherst Farmers Market season to begin again next Saturday from 8:00 to 1:30. I’ve been sewing tea towels and making lots of pottery. I hope to have enough for both the market and my website — although that may not be realistic. A few weeks ago, I shared some of the bird plates I had been painting here in this newsletter. And then this happened!
One of the cats mistakenly got closed into the studio overnight and Bobbie did a number on a bunch of platters. Such a bummer but I have moved on and kept painting. That’s the thing about making ceramics - everything is breakable. There are so many steps that go into making and at each step something can go wrong. It could be one of the things that keeps me coming back - the big challenge.
I am hoping to do a small pottery shop update in May. For now, my website has my Handmade Tea Towels made from my own textile designs, my books, and a lovely selection of Crewel Wool for embroidery which coordinates with my Craftsy Class (Stitch It with Wool), several of my books and the PDF Download Patterns shown below.
I love doing Crewel Embroidery in the summer. It isn’t heavy to carry nor warm to work on. It is a perfect project to spend a summer afternoon with. Check out the wool thread and linen fabric here.
Today’s random links that I am finding interesting:
• Taylor Swift wore an incredible floral dress to the Grammys. Here is a behind the scenes of the making of it.
• Rachel Hayes makes incredible art installations from fabric. Reminiscent of quilts and of the work of Christos, check them out here.
• Since I am into birds lately, have you heard about the “hot pigeon”? Must paint one soon.
• Many many years ago, The Farmer and I had the good fortune of traveling to Portugal. There we ate such amazing but simple food, saw incredible tile murals, and vowed to go back one day. Although that hasn’t happened, this recipe reminded me of the good soups and the walking stick kale we saw growing all over the countryside. The kale grows so tall and thick that in olden days, they made walking sticks out of it. If you live in a temperate climate, you might be able to do that too. Here is a video about this tall, tall kale which also grew on the Isle of Jersey.
• I learned through the Selvedge Newsletter that there is an ongoing exhibition at the Cleveland (OH) Museum of Art entitled Fashioning Identity: Mola Textiles of Panamá. Can’t get to the exhibition before it closes on January 9, 2022? Here is a preview of the chosen molas. I have a small collection of molas that I began as a college student. I treasure every single one.
• I think that geraniums are having a moment in the world of gardening. Decoupage artist John Derian often photographs his geraniums like this sculptural beauty below.
You can see my studio window full of overwintered geraniums at the beginning of this newsletter. I was never a geranium fan (didn’t appreciate the smell) until about 15 years ago when I discovered that they thrive with little care and not much watering. About 4 years ago, I started a “geranium tree” and it has overwintered in my kitchen for several years and goes outside in the summer. It needs to be pruned some because I can no longer lift it safely out the door.
• Christopher Spitzmiller, ceramicist and decorator (who by the way has a new book out) is also a geranium fan. See his in the video below at minute 3:46
• Do you know who Clarice Cliff is? Maybe you have seen her very colorful pottery in a museum collection. This just out - they are making a movie about her which will be out the end of 2021.
• More tv/pottery news. You can now watch all 5 seasons of The Great Pottery Throwdown on HBO Max. I caught the first 2 seasons when they were on YouTube. Very entertaining if you like to make anything - ceramic or not. Think The Great British Baking Show for ceramics.
That’s it for today’s newsletter. I hope wherever you are you are safe and warm and healthy. If you enjoy this newsletter, share it with a friend. If you do not, you can unsubscribe below.
Here’s hoping for spring wherever you are…..
Colorfully,
Kristin Nicholas