The SHR phased into a new opportunity. I was asked by my friend Libby to housesit while she was away in China visiting some friends. So for two weeks I took care of her pets and got a nice work space at the St Petersburg Clay Company, where I had my first artist residency after college. What a wonderful homecoming! I was able to see old friends and reconnect with a few people I hadn't seen in a while. And during the two weeks I cranked out another kiln load of piggy banks. It was nice to spend a little time getting input from the AIRs (Artists in Residence) and talking with the owners, Adam Yungbluth and Matt Schiemann. SPCC has gone through a lot of changes since I was an AIR and it's really cool to see that they have continued to offer residents a solid experience when it comes to post-graduation reality checks. Residents experience a diversified climate: working with non-academic membership, outsider artists from the community, students from St Pete College, Eckard College, and U of South Florida. They also come in contact with pros who have been making pots and sculpture for years. It's a great community and St Pete's art scene has been rated tops among cities its size. Makes a Bay area native proud!
As if making work at a great place with great people wasn't enough, I also set up a solo exhibition in the store front of Highwater Clays of Florida. It's also located in the train station where SPCC is located. I got all kinds of fun reviews and comments of the work that is displayed there. Barbara Ott is the store manager and did an awesome job of making me feel welcome and helping to make the best display possible. If you're in the area, please stop by and check it out. The Train Station is located at 420 22nd St South in St Petersburg.
With the LC Fellowship closed, I returned to the Screen House and got things closed spruced up for a sale at my folks house. They were having a slew of friends from around the lake out to celebrate Memorial Day that weekend. This included a live bluegrass ensemble: a collection of friends who live around town and play at a variety of venues. I think my biggest honor of the evening was having the fiddle player, "Sticky Steve," purchase a few pieces from me that he was going to use as an award from a fishing competition that takes place later in the summer. I'm famous!
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