Michigan Artisans Grand Opening

Just got back from dropping off some more work to Ramona and Dree at Michigan Artisans Gallery at 1400 E. Fisher down in the Eastern Market area. Be sure to stop by tomorrow evening 7-11 for their grand opening!

Dree Chartier and Ramona Martin (owner of Michigan Artisans Gallery)
with some of the Gerbera Daisies I dropped off this afternoon.

Hypertufa stepping stones and candle holders from
Chris Hopp of Farmbrook Designs

Hand-dyed Ts, dresses and scarves by my good friend
Glenda Hopp of So Many Colors

Beautiful woven goods, including rugs and purses.

On-Line Native Plant Article

Check out a new on-line interview about native plants generated by the article I wrote which appeared in the May 2012 Michigan Gardener magazine. Emily Bingham of FoundMichigan.org came across the Michigan Gardener article, found herself reading it (out loud to her friend) compulsively, finally contacting me for a phone interview, which we did last week Tuesday. We had a great time chatting about native plants, gardening in general and how the two intersect. Once you've had a chance to read the interview (I didn't realIze I talked like that!) - located at http://www.foundmichigan.org/wp/2012/06/13/michigan-native-plants/ - be sure to check out the rest of the site!

Royal Oak Clay, Glass and Metal: Art that Sizzles!

Come out and get a cool look at the cream of the cream of the "hot arts" - clay, glass and metal artists at the Royal Oak Clay, Glass and Metal Show. I'll be at Booth 31 with Black Cat Pottery work old and new - stop by and say, "Hi!"

Garden Tour Today!

Come one, come all, to the 2012 Annual Spring Black Cat Pottery/English Landscape Garden Tour, open to the public, free of charge, 10a-2p, today, Saturday, June 2. Come see a unique, small urban garden incorporating usual numbers of Clematis (40+) and native plants (150+), observe alternative methods for growing marginal plants as well as green gardening solutions in action.

Visit with the gardener (me) - author of a recent article on native plants which appeared in Michigan Gardener magazine - as well as local garden artisans; enjoy locally-made refreshments; and possibly some live music (keep your fingers crossed that Charlie Palazzola can make it and brings at least one of his guitars)! (I've also invited my friend/massage therapist Justin Phipps to come do chair massage - not sure he can make it.) Call either of the numbers in the information block listed to the left for location and directions.

A shout out here to Sharon Bass (terrific basin installation assistant), Stephen Hulbert (lawnmower extraordinaire) and Chelsea Martin and Chris Hopp (for perfect trough delivery, fountain reassembly and large pot relocation efforts) for helping me get it done. I may do most of the work but I certainly don't to it all!

Can't make it today? Book a private tour for your garden club or other group or come visit on August 18, same time, same place, for the 2012 Annual Summer Black Cat Pottery/ English Landscape Garden Tour - with even more attractions!

Remember - every day is a different day in a garden!

Hope to see you - soon!

Deluxe Sunflowers: Starry Night

When I started working on new ideas for my Deluxe Sunflowers - designs in which I added clay to the base of the center of the sunflower, I was working with a basic set of tools consisting of a cake decorating set (which I used with rather thick slip, or liquid clay), numerous Kemper Tools Klay Kutters (plunger-style tools) and a Kemper Tools Mini Klay Gun, a mini extruder with a series of dies. I had used this last tool with one of its dies to make the "Pasta" Deluxe Sunflower design.

Years ago, I had experimented with some of the other dies in a series of sushi plates I made. I used the Sasaki Colorstone Stoneware Salad Plate as my "mold" for these giving them a gentle curve, cutting them in round, square and triangular forms. I used half-round, square and triangular extrusions from the Klay Gun to embellish these pieces. I hadn't used those dies since.


I rediscovered the triangular die as I as coming up with new ideas for the Deluxe Sunflowers. I initially used the die to create a new toadstool master, finding it interesting how the clay would curl as it was extruded. I made a new toadstool design consisting of arabesques to which the triangular extrusions seemed to lend themselves. This gave me the idea to do a similar design for a sunflower.

Unlike the "Cake", "Seed" and "Pasta" designs, in this case the center composition had to be completed before the petals were applied so it would completely fill (and even break the frame of) the flower's center. My first attempt was quite successful, actually, although I learned that it was best not to score the entire center surface, as most of it would not be covered by the design and the scoring marks could show through even after glazing; I wanted the center to be as clean as possible so the arabesques really stood out. I did, however, score the area where the petals would be applied so as to not disturbe the central design when I went on to next steps.

The best method I've come up with this technique is to make sure the clay surface is somewhat wet, so I do slip it initially and then spray with water as I work. Extruding a section of clay (fill the Klay Gun as full as possible, with highly plastic clay that will extrude easily; dry clay will tend to crack more easily), I work it into an arabesque, starting in the center of the flower. I work around the surface, well below where I think (based on experience) the petals will begin, even making "half circles" to imply the continuation of the design. For my first attempt, I just did the arabesques. Once the center is completed, slip and begin to apply petals, working from the largest on the outside, finishing with the third row of smallest petals.

I used my typical Amaco's Potters Choice Temmoku for the center. I can't get enough of this glaze 0 although it can look very different on different surfaces, I'm never unhappy with out it turns out, as the warm blackish-brown satin finish subtly plays up the surface without being distracting. I generally blot on three coats to get a really rich, opaque finish. I used Albany Slip Brown from the same glaze collection for the petals, a rich medium red-brown glaze that pools to a lighter orange - it's one of my students' favorite and mine.

Although I was very pleased with the result of my first attempt, after that piece sold and decided I made another, I felt it needed "something more", so I rolled out a thin slab of clay and cut out small circles, which I scattered throughout the composition, usually at the center of an arabesque or in the interstices between them. This is now the template for this design, as you see here.

Applied Leaf Bowls: Teaching a Workshop

Top to bottom,
American Beech/Deep Sienna Speckle,
Eastern Redbud/Lustrous Jade
American Chestnut/Iron Lustre

If you've made pretty decent preparations, teaching a pottery workshop can be a lot of fun. Decent preparations basically entails making sure you have all the necessary materials and equipment so you aren't having to wing it more than you can handle. It's good to realize that the unexpected is always going to occur so there are opportunities for improvisation built into the experience.

Communication and pacing are key. Communicate that everyone's piece is going to look different - and that that is a good thing. Communicate how long it's going to take to get through the process - so folks aren't burdening themselves with unreasonable expectations of their skills and the time available. Be attentive to the amount of time it's taking to get through the steps and encourage - positive messages are best but there are times a key negative word may be necessary. Let the students explore and let go of your expectations of how things are proceeding and how the students' artworks are evolving. I have found that there are always individuals who want to test the premises of a given situation; there is no better teacher than experience, and sometimes negative experiences ("Gee, I guess that really doesn't work, just like she said....") are the most memorable and instructive. I have observed teachers (and bosses) who seem to believe that humiliation, embarrassment and berating are effective teaching techniques; I have never seen that to be the case. Sharing your own mistakes serves to humanize the instructor, letting the students know it's OK to make mistakes and giving them the opportunity to learn from yours, which can contribute to the workshops overall success, as well as the success of each individual student.

Top to bottom,
Flowering Dogwood/Chun Plum,
American Elm/Textured Turquoise
Oakleaf Hydrangea/Dark Slate

Demonstrating techniques slowly and explaining each step - and the reasons for the specific way each step is executed - segues into letting the student explore each step with helpful supervision. As I prepare the clay to make a slab, I explain that it helps to do so such there is a thinner leading edge so the slab roller can "bite" into it more easily, which prevents the canvas from buckling. I explain that, after having rolled out the slab, pulling back the canvas, replacing it, flipping the entire "clay sandwich" over and repeating pulling back the canvas, releases the clay from the canvas, making it easier to manipulate. There are few steps that, if missed or not quite correctly executed, are fatal; most can be rectified or workarounds implemented. And, as clay is so very forgiving, you can always just wedge it all up and start over again (until it's been fired!)

I find that having fairly representative samples of the pieces to be made in the workshop really gets the excitement going - but be sure to communicate the caveat that their pieces are going to look quite different, a personal reflection of each individual artist. And make sure the students have choices - I show them what I might do for stain (on the leaves) and glaze (for the balance of the piece) combinations, but I leave the final decision up to each student - who sometimes come up with combinations that I might never have contemplated which I may then use in my own work going forward. When asked for a recommendation, I try to give two suggestions so the student retains a sense of independence even though they are, in many cases, pottery novices.

Be prepared for the unexpected, but also realize that, in this context, these are people who actually want to do this, not students required to take a class, and they want to have a good time - so you should, too. So take your time, let them take their time, and stay calm.

Oh - and have fun!

Native Plants: Early Spring Woodies (Part 2)

Cornus florida (Flowering Dogwood)

 Despite my affection for all the native woody plants in my garden, I have to admit to some degree of favoritism. Perhaps its due to the challenges I've encountered with these trees - partly due to the choices I've made, partly due to conditions beyond my control. It's partly that, but it's also that these are, in my opinion, amongst the most exquisite of our native species.

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) is a beautifully architectural understory - what we call, in landscaping parlance, an ornamental - tree characterized by a candelabra-like branching structure which makes for a dramatic sculptural quality throughout the year. The tree bears showy bracts of either white or pink (what most people think are the flowers) surrounding a cluster of inconspicuous chartreuse green flowers which evolve into showy red fruit much like Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). I have up-lit my dogwood to great effect throughout the year, as it transitions from a cloud of white, to lush green foliage, through a dramatic burgundy color change in fall, accented by its red berries, to its sculptural zenith in winter.

As an understory species, Flowering Dogwood should not be planted in full sun. The introduction of exotic Kousa Dogwoods (Cornus kousa) carrying anthracnose (Discula spp.) pathogens to which our dogwoods have no resistance have wreaked havoc on  native populations. Unlike anthracnose in native Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), which is primarily an aesthetic condition which causes the trees to defoliate prematurely (after which they put out new leaves), anthracnose in native dogwoods, once it becomes systemic (enters the tree's vascular system) is generally fatal. (Pink varieties seem to be more susceptible than white.) For this reason, I have planted my Dogwood in full sun, thereby minimizing the risk of fungal disorders (including anthracnose) and taken other steps to maximize the other aspects of its cultural circumstances.

Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud)

Perhaps another reason I favor the white Dogwood over the pink is that its bloom time overlaps that of our Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis), which generally blooms in a cool pink that doesn't seem to harmonize very well, to my artist's eye, with the more salmony pinks characteristic of Flowering Dogwood. (There are a few exceptions, but I'm not much of a pink person anyway!) Redbud is a member of the pea (Fabaceae) family and has characteristically pea-shaped flowers, usually pink but also white (Cercis canadensis 'Alba', a naturally-occurring variation), that emerge before the foliage; the fruit, when ripe, is a brown, flattish pod with a number of small pea-like seeds. The flowers are not just borne at the tips of the tree's twigs but also right on major limbs and the trunk. The beautiful heart-shaped leaves - which provide "baby blankets" for leaf-cutter bees - mature to a beautiful mid-green, burning almost butter yellow in the Fall. The tree's unique branching architecture assures its year-round interest, complemented by beautiful grayish bark.

My Redbud flowered for the first time this year, after many years in my garden, partly because of its exposure - the surrounding Silver Maples (Acer saccharinum) may be giving it a bit more shade than it really wants - and damage it has endured at the hands our intrepid DTE-affiliated tree pruners. (The Redbud itself is an excellent tree choice near electrical wires, as it does not get exceptionally tall; the problem is that those individuals pruning the surrounding maples, which are not good choices near wire, drop the maple limbs on my poor little Redbud.) Needless to say, I was delighted to see it put out two small flower clusters; I hope to see more in years to come.

Aronia melanocarpa (Black Chokeberry)

A less-commonly-seen shrub, Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) is a delightful highlight of my front garden. Not a particularly large plant, usually about 4 feet, which can sucker - but not particularly aggressively, in my experience.  A member of the Rosaceae family, the bush has typical white five-petaled flowers with distinctive pink anthers which darken as the flower ages. The flower buds look like little balls before they pop open and the flower clusters make a cheerful display in my front foundations. The fruits ripen to a deep blue-black but are not edible (although they are not toxic) for humans due to their astringency. (They can be used to make wine, jam, syrup and other cooked foods.) Birds feed on them freely, as they do not taste astringency, dispersing the seeds in their droppings. Fall color is in the red range and is quite lovely. Wintertime structure is "typical shrubby", making an excellent backdrop to the rest of my garden, which I do not cut down until Spring.

I understand that birds opt for more desirable fruits earlier in the season, utilizing less tasty fare as menu selection shrinks. Some fruits convert astringent starches into sugar with a good frost, after which the birds consume them with abandon. (It is in a bird's best interest to select the ripest fruit with the highest sugar content: birds require a lot of calories daily to sustain themselves; hence, the phrase "ate like the bird" is really not accurate in its common usage.) I have tried Black Chokeberry fruits, both before and after frost, and, as far as I can tell, they don't improve with age!