other.

Monday, January 26, 2009

gung hai fat choy.

(happy new year). today begins the year of the ox in the chinese zodiac. my aunt gave me this jacket that i wore at my wedding. the jacket belonged to my grandmother who passed away before i was born. it is a beautiful handmade jacket with great detail and incredible hand stitching. she had the jacket made in china many many years ago. it amazes and delights me that the jacket fit me so perfectly. knowing that my grandmother and i were the exact same size makes me feel close to her in some odd way. and though i never got the chance to meet her, i have the great privilege of owning a little piece of her.

i have some of these special year of the OX toilette plaques available here.

a few things you can do today to bring luck for the year:

1. open the windows and doors.

2. eat sweets.

3. change the sheets on the bed.

a few things you should NOT do today.

1. get a haircut (just by chance, i have an appointment TOMORROW)

2. wear black or white.

3. wash your hair.

4. buy shoes.

5. sweep the floor.

i wish everyone a very happy and prosperous chinese new year.

chinese new year, good luck, ox, year of the ox

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

let the beauty you love . . .

be what you do. here is some new work hot out of the kiln. i love this poem and i try to live my life by these very words. i feel really lucky to be doing what i truly love to do. it makes working ridiculously long hours SO bearable. sometimes at the studio we all stop and realize how lucky we are to be able to play with MUD all day long. we laugh for a minute and then we get right back to work. we are truly lucky.

i also love eating raw walnuts. they taste so earthy and unpretentious and natural. we had a huge walnut tree in our yard when i was small. i can vividly remember climbing up that tree and sitting there eating walnuts right off the branches. what a simple yet decadent memory.

fourth and clay, new work, walnuts

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

today i was written about on 3 blogs:

1. gourmet worrier is a fantastic australian blog all about food. ms. gourmet writes about recipes, products, food and life. her anecdotes will draw you in like a great novel and she will fill you with a wealth of culinary info. i grew up in a restaurant and food, to me, is HUGELY important. in fact there is not a single food that i don’t like (though i could do without mint jelly….but my sister says that mint jelly is a condiment, so it doesn’t really count).

2. stonz blog is a lovely and crafty blog all about the arts. susan makes beautiful jewelry out of stones and sea glass that she finds on the beach. i love her jewelry and her aesthetics. check out her store and you will see what i mean.

3. toujours dimanche is a blog about this charming bakery + cafe in quebec, canada. it’s written in french and english. i don’t know about you, but to me, everything sounds so much better in french. this blog is such a treat.

Monday, January 12, 2009

the farm.

i have some new product on wood. i am a HUGE lover of farm animals, and until i am able to live ON a farm, i’m bringing the farm to the city . . .

you can buy these here . . .

and here.

farm, gift tags, happy birthday, thank you, wooden gift tags

Monday, January 05, 2009

a smashing start.

after a fabulous new year’s eve party at sara’s, our clay posse spent the next day at whitney’s house throwing our old unwanted pots out of the second story window. you know those not-quite-so-right pieces you have hidden under your desk or on the back shelf that are just weighing you down and taking up space? well, we all lightened our loads and made room for the new and improved in 2009.

look at josie hurling an old clunker out the window. what an incredible sound and feeling of the clay hitting the cement. it was very cathartic and satisfying. and it feels great to have all of that stale energy OUT of the studio.

but wait . . . i couldn’t resist rescuing just a few pieces of pots. the shards and chunks looked so beautiful lying there on the ground . . . in fact these pots never looked better.

out with the old . . . in with the new.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

happy new year.

i wish for everyone a very happy new year.

be safe and smart.

see you in 2009.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

central valley inspiration.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

deer in the headlights.

we are SO looking forward to the holidays this year and to spending a week away doing as little as possible. this season was insanely busy for me (knock on wood) and the thought of being far far away from my studio AND my shipping and handling department sounds like sheer bliss. i will be ready to face my dear studio again in the new year with new ideas, new energy, and new hope.

i hope everyone has a fabulous holiday.

Friday, December 19, 2008

sick.

i have been working around the clock now for a few months. THAT, mixed with possibly too much holiday cheer (a.k.a. spiked egg nog, parties, wine, more parties, not enough yoga, etc…) landed me in bed with the stomach flu. a very icky stomach flu. i feel much better now, but it was quite rough for a good 24 hours. but i think i am finally rounding the corner . . . and the healing is setting in.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

holiday party + weekend guest artists.

tonight (thursday dec. 11th) is our big HOLIDAY PARTY.

come and have some fun with us

6pm-11pm

2390 fourth street (at channing)

berkeley, california

diana fayt.

whitney smith.

. . . . and this weekend our two guest artists are the amazing diana fayt AND the ever wonderful whitney smith.

the studio is open THIS sat + sun 11-6.

holiday party

Friday, December 05, 2008

fourth & clay open studio.

paintings by aliza cohen.

letterpress stationary by small square design.

luxury stationary by linea carta.

josie, christa, and i invited a few friends to join our open studio this weekend. we will be there on saturday and sunday from 11-6. come by and say “hi” and do some local artist shopping for the holidays.

fourth & clay

2390 fourth street (at channing way)

berkeley, ca

(510) 8482390

Sunday, November 30, 2008

wish.

i hope everyone had a good thanksgiving and that their wish comes true.

thanksgiving, wish