Fini! Well Almost...

Today, we jump to the signing of the piece  before firing.  Hope you've enjoyed getting to watch Wade Oliver at work. What an artist!

Steam Heat

We visited my new best friend, potter Wade Oliver, yesterday . Today I'll show you another step in the process.  Before Wade takes the bowl off the wheel, he uses a little blow torch to dry the clay a titch so it's easier to handle.  He set this one on the table by me and ohh the steam came up and I almost had a hissy fit!  Talk about at the "decisive moment".  Thank goodness I had my act together and caught it!  The photo below shows the finished bowls before firing. 

The Hands of a Potter

(Please click to enlarge this photo)

This week we're taking a trip to visit the studio of potter Wade Oliver.  Wade works at Cahaba Clayworks with two other artists in Leeds, AL.  The day we went he was the only artist there, but we were not disappointed.   Wade was a delight to get to know and photograph.  This week I will take you through the process in photographs.

Of course,  the first step is the clay.  Wade takes big chunks of that cold,  red clay in his huge, beefy hands and slaps them into balls.  If  you enlarge the photo,  you can see his fingerprints in the clay!  After that, he puts them on his wheel and within minutes has made a series of bowls. Come back tomorrow to see the results.

In Honor of Our Mothers

My hope today is that of the mothers that read my blog will have a very, very special day. For those of you who have lost your moms, may precious memories fill your hearts.

I picked this gorgeous full blown peony to honor our mothers.  Thursday afternoon I was strolling around the Birmingham Botanical Gardens seeing what was in bloom.  A nice lady stopped me and said, "The peonies are GORGEOUS, go right up that path!".  I smelled their sweet frangrance before I ever saw them.  How right she was.  I had a hard time tearing myself away.

The bottom photo is a rare family shot.  Usually the grandchildren are the subject of all our photos, and I rarely make an appearance in front of the camera!  My son- in- law Jason, caught my daughters Kathleen and Melissa with me on Easter. They are both terrific moms and I am very proud of them.  I wanted you to meet them.  They're going to strangle me for posting it.  Shhhh, don't tell them!!

I leave  you with some words of wisdom from one of my all time favorite authors, Erma Bombeck.  I regret I never got to meet her. I think we were kindred spirits!

“When your mother asks, "Do you want a piece of advice?" it is a mere formality. It doesn't matter if you answer yes or no. You're going to get it anyway.”

I resemble that remark.

14 days from today, we'll be staggering around Charles DeGaulle Airport,  bleary- eyed and sleep deprived looking for a  French taxi driver that drives an SUV capable of hauling all of our luggage. HA!  How do you say , "When pigs fly"  en français?

Merci Alice for: "When pigs fly" or "Quand les poules auront des dents" ("When hens have teeth")

Shadow Series VI - At the Garden Shop

We had a little break from the Shadow Series this week but I'm not quite through.  Bear with me.   Today, is Part VI.  I'm including two photos since I couldn't make a decision. Quelle surprise! The top shot was taken at Oak Street Garden Shop in Crestline Village.  I liked the background shadows in this one.  The bottom photo was taken at Sweet Peas Garden Shop in Homewood. The shadows on the orchid I thought were nice.

PARIS BLASTOFF.......... Two weeks from TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

(Do I need to start packing?)

Miss Myra's

Many of you saw the New York Times article 36 Hours in Birmingham.  Well it seems even those folks in the Big Apple, know good bar-b-que when they taste it.  Miss Myra's in Cahaba Heights was the place they picked.  I stopped in for a sandwich the other day and just happened to have my camera.  Aside from the great smoked chicken sandwich, the friendly folks behind the counter couldn't have been nicer.  Today I feature them along with what I call the "Trinity of BBQ". For those of you not in the know, that would be a roll of paper towels ( a necessity if you're eating ribs), red sauce ( vinegary, NOT sweet) and white sauce ( A mixture of mayonnaise, vinegar, black pepper. Fabulous on their chicken).  My Alabama viewers can tell you right off that the rack of chips in the background is Golden Flake, of course!  The last photo is a smattering of their rather extensive collection of pigs.  I'm not discussing the wall to wall photos of Bear Bryant and the Crimson  Tide.

Meet Leo Ticheli - Magic City Art Connection

Today I'd like you to meet my new friend, the multi-talented Leo Ticheli.  Leo's one of Birmingham's  finest cinematographers.  He's been at it for over 30 years and his production company is one of the best in the city.  In addition he's a fine photographer.  As you can see, some of his fine art photography is for "grownups" and he does it very well.   He's promised me some "milder"  photos for my blog while I'm in France. You're in for a treat. ( He's even joining the CHAIR SERIES!)   Thanks Leo, for your kind words of encouragement and support!

* The Chair Series continues!!! Halcyon at Jackson Daily Photo was nice enough to join in with some very comfy chairs on Wednesday. Check them out! 

Is it just 16 days till Paris?????

Hands and Clay - Shadow Series V

Two Generations

Today we return to the Magic City Art Connection.  One thing I dearly love about this event is the  outstanding job they do with providing art activities for children. One fourth of Linn Park is devoted to just that.  I zeroed in on the clay tables mainly because of the incredible light that was coming through the trees illuminating their hands. 

Pinch Pots

America the Beautiful - Cinco de Mayo

 We interrupt the previously scheduled  Shadows Series

to bring you Cinco de Mayo!

Sometimes the subject makes the photographer look really, really good. This is one of those times.  Meet America.  Yes, that's really her name!  She attended her big brother's graduation from the STAIR reading program at my church.  She got all dressed up for the occasion, right down to her cute black boots.  I took one look at her and began planning the photos in my head. Stalking might be too strong a word, so let's just say I was "relentless".   She was preoccupied with that big chocolate chip cookie,  so she really didn't notice the gazillion pictures I was madly snapping.  Oh my, I think this might be one of my very favorite portraits. 

The bottom photo is one I took last fall at the Dia de los Muertos festivities.  I think it's a nice addition to the Cinco de Mayo theme today!

Some Posies

As many of you know, I'm still in France and trying to keep two blogs going! Today, not much but some gerbera daisies in an old vintage Coke bottle sitting in my kitchen window. Enjoy!

Shadow Series IV - At the Gardens

SHADOW SERIES IV

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is lovely every month of the year.  I especially like to stop by late in the afternoon when the setting sun casts that special light.  See for yourself.

Well my goodness, the Table /Chair series continues and today my dear, sweet friend Bibi in Belgrade has added a grand addition to the series. Thank you Bibi!!!

Shadow Series III - Kevin's Studio Revisited

SHADOW SERIES III

Look familiar?  Of course it does.  This is my friend Kevin Irwin's studio. We've been here  and here many times, but today it's all about her beautiful work and the play of shadows on them. The top figures are some of her fanciful clay pieces, and the bottom photo gives you a glimpse of the delicate colored glass jewelry and other baubles she creates.  They were sparkling in the afternoon sunlight.

I'll bet you think this is it for photos from her studio. Nope!

Shadow Series II- The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrement

SHADOW  SERIES II

Several weeks ago fellow bloggers Maya and Janet visited me here in Birmingham.  I decided to take them on a little road trip north to Cullman, Alabama.  We stopped at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrement on our way out of town.  I must give Janet a nod for this shot.  She "saw" it first and I of course copied her.  The bottom photo is the detailed railing in front.  You may have noticed a bit of it here.

THREE WEEKS FROM TODAY, WE LEAVE FOR PARIS!!!

Straw Hats - May Theme Day - Shadows

Today is the first day of May and that means Theme Day for City Daily Photo Bloggers around the world.  Our theme this month is SHADOWS.  Ahhhhh my favorite so far.  I started digging around my IPhoto library and found quite a few.  So many that I've decided to carry the theme through this entire week.  I hope you will enjoy them. 

Today, I have two. This lovely lady in the top photo had stopped to admire a stroller full of triplets at the Magic City Art Connection.  She asked me why I wanted her picture,  and I told her I loved the light and shadows from her hat. She was okay with that!  ( I wish I had gone on to tell  her how much I loved her sweet face.)   

The gentleman below made an appearance the first week or so of my blog last year.  Since I was hardly a blip on the radar at that point, I thought I'd bring him back for the rest of you to meet. He sells some mighty fine produce at the Pepper Place Market each Saturday. I took him a print of this photograph the next time I went.  He declared himself a "star"!  And he is indeed.  I hope he'll be there with his tomatoes May 16th when they reopen.

CDPB around the world have some very creative takes on "shadows".   You'll want to click the link below to see them all! 

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants