Jules Stout Ceramics

It’s been a long, cold, wet winter here up on Cobb Mountain…the wettest in decades.  We burned almost twice the amount of wood to heat our house as in years past.  Fortunately, the days are growing longer and the daffodils are blooming all around.

It’s been ten years since I attended my first NCECA conference in Portland with my faithful k-9 companions, Riley Paul and Moku. It was pivotal to experience the convergence of the world of clay in one city for an incredible week of sharing artwork and ideas.  I am off to Portland again tomorrow, not as a young, wide-eyed student, but this time as a mother and a ceramics instructor.  I am thankful for this opportunity to celebrate and be invigorated by clay artists from around the world.  Last NCECA my little stoking assistant Cassidy was with me, but this time I will be attending without her, which leaves me feeling bitter sweet, but I will be taking one of her little woodfired pieces with me.

I helped fire the train kiln at the Cobb Mountain Art and Ecology Project  in February so I have some fresh woodfired work for Art Gallery Napa Valley .  My little studio assistant was a big part of the firing crew this firing and was excited to unload her first woodfired pinch pots.  My heart is swelling with anticipation about the Cobb Art and Ecology Anagama kiln.  Construction will begin soon and we’re hoping to fire before summer arrives. I look forward to having a body of Anagama fired work for sale at the Napa Valley Open Studio tour in September.

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Many new students have brought renewed energy to my classes at Calistoga Art Center in the past couple months.  We’ve begun making plates for our Small Plate Social fundraiser which will be held Saturday May 20^th this year.  Please join us for an evening of music, food and drinks and help us raise money for new electric and banding wheels for the studio!

Thanks for checking out my blog. Please leave comments so I know you were here.

* Happy Almost Spring *

~ jules ~