Heart Maker

Fired Ceramic, 10" x 8" x 4", I used a recognizable shape as a framework to draw lines of energy, aka,"Qi".  I've made charcoal drawings on paper at least 10 years ago which have manifested in this sculpture.

Double Header or As Above, So Below

Double Mask, Fired ceramic, 21" x 9" x 5"

The Kiln gods have spoken

Untitled clay mask, 10" x 6.5" x 5"
I am pleased with how this one turned out.  This one reminds me of something I've seen in Mexico. 

Untitled clay mask, 12" x 8" x 6" Initially I wasn't too excited about the shininess of this one, but it's growing on me.

Here are the masks with the glazes before the final high firing.

Prayer (to the kiln gods)

I painted a slip (a suspension of clay and pigment) on these new masks before I bisqued fired them...like an under-painting. Today I painted a combination of an ultra flat blue green matt glaze with a blue shiny glaze. Not sure how it will turn out, but that's part of the excitement. I'll have to wait a couple of days to find out.  Now it's all up to the kiln gods...

End of a series - fired relief sculptures

These are the last of a series flat reliefs that I am going to make-unless someone is interested in a portraiture. I used a matt blue-green stain for the final firing. A couple of the flat pieces cracked in the kiln. You never know how it will turn out until it turns out.

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The sculptures have evolved into more three dimentional and expressionistic masks. The immedicay of drawing in clay is very exciting to me; "Qi", energy flows very quickly with clay.  It's like working with paint. It's equally as fragile....until it comes out of the kiln.

REAL Jobs for Acupuncturists and the Toaster Tour!

Excerpt from Lisa Rohleder's BLog:

According to the NCCAOM Job Task Analysis, 91% of acupuncturists are self-employed. Only 9% have jobs.

60% of acupuncturists work less than 30 hours a week, though a majority of those would prefer to work full time.

Of that 60%, ALMOST HALF earn less than $20K annually -- and that's gross, not net -- from their AOM activities.

At my alma mater, the average student debt for an acupuncture graduate is almost $90,000. THE AVERAGE. Many people are graduating with debt loads of over $150K.

With that much student debt, it's often impossible to borrow more money to finance your own business; banks simply won't loan to you, not in this economy. And yet 91% of acupuncturists are self-employed. This situation is insane and certain conclusions are simply unavoidable. However, we've said all that before, so I'd like to move on and focus on the issue of jobs. In honor of Independence Day for us American acupunks, let's talk about creating jobs, which this country desperately needs us to do. Jobs in general, and jobs for acupuncturists in particular.


To read more:
http://www.communityacupuncturenetwork.org/blog/jobs-post-3-toaster-tour



My contribution to the toaster tour was to make a cosy. Tea cosies, popular in 19th Century Britain, decorated and covered objects characteristic of the Victorian era.  Our institutions haven't quite caught onto the plight of acupuncturists in the 21st Century. As Lisa mentioned in her blog, it's better to laugh then to cry about it. My fellow punk, Gabe, had the brilliant idea that we pose in our jammies. Stay tuned for Toaster Tour updates!