mountains to sea. this potter's journey...

absence....

2011-12-07T10:14:00.001-05:00

i have neglected the pottery blog.

here's why.

www.eighteenlayersofwallpaper.blogspot.com

our home renovation in asheville.

things are slowing down, slightly. and i hope to regain some structure and normality to life.

i will return to the pottery blog, hopefully soon.

stayed in touch.

wishing you well

and as always, thanks for reading

~trista

handmade is always better

2011-11-27T21:13:00.001-05:00

just a reminder!

last beaufort kiln firings part one

2011-11-23T22:59:00.001-05:00

coasters

platter

rectangle platter

oval platter

mug

studio stroll

2011-11-15T08:44:00.001-05:00

this weekend was the river arts district studio stroll...

it was fun to be a fly on the wall, while still being involved. we drove up saturday morning to see hundreds of people milling around the areas. HUNDREDS.... i was overwhelmed. luckily, my pots were in BFT so i stayed in the studio and worked on the pots i have made since i've been here.

here a few pics of my building. i wish i had taken more of the studio stroll as a whole, but....i didn't.

a couple of my super cool studio mates selling their pots

beautiful mountain morning

97 roberts street (not to be confused with the roberts street studios)

97 c thats where we b

all in a day

check out this article in the

asheville citizen times

lots of really awesome pictures!

i've been doing a lot of hand building this week because my wheel was out of order. i learned that hand building is much slower than i thought! seemed like i used to be much more efficient. i am using some new molds: i blame them...HA!

the wheel is now back in working order. my hubby replaced the mother board (ugh, i hate that term, that same term has killed several of my computers!!!). i can't wait to get going!!!

now, i am on my way back to beaufort. i intend to fire back to back glaze firings. i will also pack up the studio...its going to be really hard. i loved the heck out of my little building. BUT i am so so sooooo happy to be moving into my new studio in asheville.

thats all for now

as always, wishing you the best and thanks for reading!

~trista

reinventing this wheel

2011-11-10T06:48:00.001-05:00

it was very exciting to go to my new studio this week and start making pots. when i went to turn on my wheel, that little green light came on, no problem, but when i pressed the pedal, this old girl had no juice. my hubby took her apart and tried to diagnose her ailments, to no avail. ahhh, time to call in a specialist. oscar the shimpo man was super helpful and her fixes are on the way! unfortunately they won't arrive until next week.... handbuilding for me it is!

also if you have noticed my blogging absence, its because my hubby and i are renovating our new-old home in asheville. i am keeping a blog of those adventures. check it out at:

www.eighteenlayersofwallpaper.blogspot.com

as always, wishing you well and thanks for reading!

~trista

studio stroll this weekend!

2011-11-09T08:29:00.002-05:00

come on out this weekend for the river arts district studio stroll. while you are out come on down to 97 roberts street and see where the new studio is!
unfortunately, my pots are still in beaufort, in various stages of bisque, glaze, fired-ness. i hope to have them up here by the end of next week.
while you are out stop by and see the my friends at the village potters and clayspace!
as always, thanks for reading! and wishing you well!
~trista

pictures from the new studio!

2011-11-04T09:45:00.006-04:00

97 roberts in the river arts district

wheel

my view

coolness

2011-10-26T21:06:00.000-04:00

this weekend was the craft fair of the southern highlands in asheville. i got to visit with friends and be inspired by new artists and familiar artists alike. it was another fun adventure in asheville!

these are the latest additions to our pottery collection:

Paveen Beer Chunhaswasdikul

known simply as "Beer's", this guy in hilarious! check out this you tube video. his energy is contagious.

he makes highly detailed recreations of machinery. referred to as trompe loie, they are AMAZING!!! but his work is hard to find. he doesn't sell online!

Elise Delfield

i have been admiring elise's work for about a year. a lovely cone six potter, she inspired me from the moment i met her, sooooo...i finally invested!

yay! i'd say it was a good weekend!

as always, thanks for reading!

and wishing you well!

~trista

river arts district

2011-10-17T07:10:00.001-04:00

looking down the tracks, toward the new studio...

4 a.m.

2011-10-15T10:32:00.001-04:00

as this adventure here in beaufort is drawing to a close, each day is measured in tiny mile stones. last night was kind of a major mile stone. i worked my last shift at my favorite little cocktail bar (ever), the arendell room in morehead city.

the evening was bitter sweet. it was so sad to start saying goodbye to all the amazing people i've met down here (bitter), but it was wonderful to feel so much love (sweet like mint chocolate chip icecream...mmmm!!!).

but the best part?

the next time i have to stay up until 4 a.m. it is going to be because i am firing a wood kiln...

and that is the whip cream, the hot fudge, the cherry AND the sprinkles on top!

*photo credit robert compton pottery*

for now? firing the electric kiln today.

as always, thanks for reading

and wishing you well...

~trista

Best of WNC 2011 | Mountain Xpress | Asheville, NC

2011-10-14T11:39:00.000-04:00

Best of WNC 2011 | Mountain Xpress | Asheville, NC

Ceramics artist/potter

47

1. Mangum Pottery
Functionality and flair are both winners as Xpress readers voted Rob and Beth Mangum of Magnum Pottery Best Ceramics/Potters in the area for their selection of high-fired tableware and sculptural pottery. “It’s such an honor to win this because there are so many great potters in the area,” says Beth. The couple met as design students at N.C. State University, and they opened their Weaverville shop in 1989. Advertised as “stuff you can use,” and with prices ranging from $18-$75, Mangum pottery is as affordable as it is practical. The biggest sellers in the shop are mugs, of which Beth has been known to make up to 100 each week. Meanwhile, Rob uses his hand-building expertise to produce more inventive (and more expensive) forms like fiddles, banjos, clocks, fountains and furniture. The ceramic clocks are fully functional, as are the instruments. But if you’re planning to audition for the Asheville Symphony, you might want to leave that raku violin on the wall. — U.G.
2. Heather Knight, Element Clay Studio
2. Akira Satake Pottery
3. Josh Copus

reason # 101 on the list of why i love asheville, they actually vote on the best potters. yes, there are that many!

also, let me take a minute to say congrats to mr josh copus aka "the man behind my new studio" in the river arts district. yay!

keep on keepin on, and makin good things happen....

Craft Rules!

2011-10-08T11:49:00.001-04:00

What is american craft week?

It's an opportunity to celebrate the wonders of American craft. Every day thousands of American artists share their vision and talent by producing amazing hand-made decorative and functional objects. And every day thousands of craft retailers share their love of these items by displaying, promoting and selling them. As one craft artist put it, "this is the creative economy!"

While other industry associations have long touted their products, the craft industry has lacked a single way to be highly visible. So we ask you to join us in publicizing, educating and displaying American Craft for ten days each October. Join the national celebration of American Craft!

American Craft enriches our homes, wardrobes, offices and public spaces. It contributes to our nation's economy, our balance of trade, and the fabric of our national history. It is original, beautiful and enduring, so let's tell the world!

http://americancraftweek.com/

thanks for reading and wishing you well!

~trista

I 40 East

2011-10-05T14:17:00.000-04:00

it was definately a tough decision for us to make. when nick ( aka my best friend, my biggest fan and my partner in crime!) and i first decided to move back to the mountains our conversation went something like this:

"i miss asheville"

"i miss asheville too"

"but i love the beach"

"i love the beach too"

"well, then what do we do?"

"well, which one would you rather vacation in?

and which one would you rather live in?"

suddenly, for both of us, our choice was very clear. today i head home down i40 east, back to beaufort. the thought of leaving the beach once made me sad and nostalgic. i feared leaving our coastal community behind! but as my hubby waits patiently for me back in beaufort, my fears are washed away. we are ridiculously excited to come back up to the hills where our home is. with a little bit of luck and a little bit of determination, we both hope that soon, our path will be reversed, and that home will once again be in western nc. and that our awesome little coastal town will only be six short hours away.

for now, heading back to the coast, we will both keep in mind to appreciate these last weeks doing the things we love: riding bikes, boating, fishing, kayaking, walking on the beach and spending time with our "beaufort family" all the amazing people who have come into our life and blessed us since we went east. it will be a sad day, for sure, leaving behind my studio that we both worked so hard for. it will be sad to leave our cozy little historic town, but coming home is going to be amazing!
*

and now, for a little business...
*

stay tuned, as i am trying to coordinate a little moving sale event at the studio so everyone can come by before trista hudzik reynolds pottery heads back to the hills.

as always thanks for reading and wishing you well

~trista

a place to call home

2011-10-04T19:20:00.003-04:00

I GOT MY KEYS!!!!
yesterday i met with my new studio mates at my new studio! the studio is still nameless... (its tough to pick a name!) but it is located on roberts street in the river arts district (RAD) in asheville. the space? a giant open space, a newly "reclaimed space", in a building not yet on the RAD map. its kind of gritty, but good gritty. honestly, its beautiful.

so, why am i so excited (other than the obvious...sweet studio, working with good peeps, in an awesome location). because this space is still an undiscovered building it is like treasure hunting. i think something really amazing is going to rise from this dirt. litterally and figuratively. its awesome to be a part of a grassroots phenomenon! if you've been tuned in for a long time, you know its been my dream to be a part of something like this. something fresh and new, a community pulling together to make something great. there will be six of us working together. we come from all kinds of different backgrounds, but everyone's energy is fantastic!
stay tuned as i am sure this adventure will prove to be as amazing as we all hope.
in this crazy time of change i want to say thanks for staying with me and reading my rambles...
as always, wishing you well
~trista

new studio...

2011-09-30T18:01:00.003-04:00

i am headed up to the hills this weekend. i have a couple of things on my to do list:

1. get me a breath of some sweet mountain fresh air,

2. continue in the process of squaring away a home for us,

and 3. SEE MY NEW STUDIO!!!

more details once i get home, but for now, here's your next hint...its located next to the

http://www.philmechanicstudios.com/home.html located in the asheville river arts district.

apparently, it going to be cold this weekend! its 87 degrees here in BFT...i better pack some sweaters.

wishing you well and thanks for reading.

~trista

horizons...

2011-09-21T16:55:00.000-04:00

new and exciting things are on the horizon!
i love beaufort. this place has been so wonderful to me right from the second i got here. when i left the mountains, my life was good, but parts of it were in a funny kind of rut. driving down 70 east that august day, i had no idea what was ahead of me. bft was like some secret superpower... it was just what i needed it. i have felt more alive than i have in a long time.
the last two years have taught me a lot, as a person and as a potter. i have stumbled, for sure, but i have grown so much on this path. i feel blessed and unworthy of the wonderful life that fell into my hands when i moved here.
BUT...
in the back of my head laid a sweet little mountain town. driving into those mountains is like driving into a hug. climbing that hill, to be closer to the clouds, where the stars shine brighter, it always makes my eyes burn with tears. i push the pedal closer to the floorboard. sweet mountain air curls in through my car window. i reach the top and snuggle into the resting place of my mountain town. i am home.
its beauty, its nature and its wildness is uncomparable. its full of old timers, with their wisdom and tradition that i can only hope to someday understand. the streets are flooded with the hipsters, in their way too tight jeans, the musicians making songs that sing to my heart. the artists leave a piece of themselves on every place they touch: the store windows, the sidewalks, bridges, cars, whatever. the extreme conservatives, the extreme liberals, the extreme treehuggers, in this town you are free to be exactly who the "eff" you are. its a strange cultural paradox. its beautiful.
i once saw people protesting outside of taco bell to save the tomato farmers. on the other side of the street were protesters, protesting the protesters. i was so moved, i wept. (yeah, whatever, everything makes me cry!except the stuff that should...). iknew this town was part of me forever.
we knew our days in BFT would be numbered. we have taken time enjoy every single second of it. but now, the call of the hills is so loud, it is starting to hurt my ears. and so we go. back to asheville.
come november, we will settle into our mountain town once again. i have a new studio to move into (more details later!). i am so excited!!! it will be a community space, a community space!!!!! hurray. its what i need, right now, what i have needed, for awhile. i cannot wait.....another crazy blessing that i cant even fathom! your first clue: http://www.riverartsdistrict.com/.
for now, dear beaufort you will always, have a giagantically huge piece of my heart (yes there will also be another blog entry about that, at some point in time). thank you for taking me under your wing. i will be back. the ocean will always call my name.
maybe someday we ll be back to stay....(probably to move back to asheville again. and then back to beaufort again. rinse. and repeat). but in the meantime, please stay close to me...

thank you for reading.
and wishing you well.
trista

rumor has it!

2011-09-19T18:23:00.001-04:00

there is a rumor flying around that THR pottery might have some big changes in store...

oh, the mystery! oh, the suspense!

(did i stir your curiosity?)

stay tuned for updates!

as always, wishing you well and thanks for reading

~trista

things that make my heart melt...

2011-09-09T11:02:00.001-04:00

it is pretty much a known fact that i love dogs. i mean looooooove dogs. and most of the people who are close to me would probably tell you, maybe a little too much.

once, when ophelia was sick and i was playing "at home vet diagnosis via the internet " (ps... NEVER a good idea!!!), i came across the story of a beaufort couple whose dog had suffered from a heat stroke. it was a beautiful summer day and they took "rover" on a walk, like they had probably hundreds of times before. i will skip the details but their plea to make sure your dog drinks enough water while taking even the shortest of walks really struck a chord with me. BFT is a super dog friendly town. i can't count the number of dogs that walk by my studio every day. the day i read of that couple's sad story (even though it was december), i promptly put two water bowls outside of the studio door.

since then, part of my morning routine is to refill and change the doggie water bowls. i never really knew if anyone necessarily used them or cared. but one day i came to the studio and found a picture slid in the crack of the door. this picture actually brought tears to my eyes. this was the picture:

there are two morals to this story. the first being: make sure your dog is well hydrated. but you knew i was going to say that. the second moral is about doing things for people. its the little things that we go out of our way to do, that make someone else's day. you might do them, and think no one notices. trust me, someone out there does. keep doing it. and let me throw in a third moral. this small token of my neighbor's appreciation, has meant so much to me!!! and inspired me to want to be more thoughtful, and take time to thank people for the little things they do. so today if someone is doing something that you really appreciate: your family, a friend, a stranger, the mailman, whoever...take a second to thank them. write them a note or bake them some cookies or just stop them and tell them how much their actions mean to you. whatever it may be, you will never know how much that means to someone, until someone has done something nice for you. so....

do something nice today :).

anyway, as always thanks for reading...
and wishing you well.
~trista

preview

2011-09-05T07:24:00.002-04:00

this is a sneak preview...
these pretty little beauties have been sitting in the studio too long!
my kiln is moved way too frequently i'm sure.
its first home was in jackson county, r2d2 became mine in 2006 and has since lived in asheville, then in storage for a bit, in fines creek, and now in beaufort. since we moved to the coast, we bring r2d2 from the lean-to, to inside my concrete block studio every time the threat of a hurricane is eminant. of course, she came in when irene threatened. since then, we have had a constant storm lying south of us out there in the sea. we are suffering from paranoia, i know. but within a day or two we will know whether or not katia will make her way to NC. keep your fingers crossed. i have a lot of pots that need some heat.

in progress...

2011-09-04T11:45:00.001-04:00

well, i evacuated bft due to irene's impending doom. around 11 a.m. on friday, after i sought council from a life time native, i decided to hit the road and high tail it up to take refuge with my folks in asheville. in less than 30 minutes, i had myself, several of our dogs and my little prius packed, just in time for the first rain band of irene to push its way in.

photo in carteret news times. by dylan ray.

the next 36 hours were insanely scarely. leaving my hubby, our kitties, a dog and the rest of our life behind was tough. nick lost power around 1 a.m. friday night/saturday morning. i woke up in asheville at 5 a.m. i sent nick a text message. he was already without power and had no idea what was going on. i spent the next 12 hours back and forth between the tv (every news channel was camped out at atlantic beach) and the computer, trying to keep him updated and trying to keep me sane. irene made landfall in north carolina with the eye passing directly over beaufort.

photo from carteret news times. by dylan ray.

thank goodness for text messages. i stayed updated with my friends here in bft. and say what you want about facebook, but it was a huge resource for everyone to check in and let their friends and family know they were ok. one of the best uses was the way in which the towns used facebook to communicate. emergency officials could actually go check on people's property and ease their worries as the entire bogue banks was under mandatory evacuation.

taylors creek
this photo was taken by my friend becky bartel

photo by becky bartel

now, i am back in beaufort. we were lucky here. other places both near and far were not as lucky as we were. my heart goes out to all the people who lost not only in carteret county, but eastern nc and all of the east coast.
for now, the clean up process is time consuming. i am working on getting the studio back in place. i have a lot of pieces that i am thoroughly excited to finish.

crazy video of the bridge at atlantic beach during the storm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OflsIydqs5A&feature=share

for now, thank you for reading. i hope everyone is safe.
wishing you well.

irene...

2011-08-25T13:35:00.002-04:00

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at201109_sat.html

looks like she's heading right for us folks...i'm doing my best to hold down the fort and prepare the house and the studio. keep you fingers crossed for us... everyone stay safe out there. wishing everyone the best!

staycation with the hubs....

2011-08-16T13:32:00.002-04:00

i feel kind of bad for playing hookie this week!

"The first week of August hangs at the very top of the summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot. It is curiously silent, too, with blank white dawns and glaring noons, and sunsets smeared with too much color. Often at night there is lightning, but it quivers all alone. There is no thunder, no relieving rain. These are strange and breathless days, the dog days, when people are led to do things they are sure to be sorry for after."

-Natalie Babbit, Tuck Everlasting

i need to be making pots....lots and lots of pots. but oh well, it seems i never get enough quality with my hubby. i fit in a few mornings here and there at the studio but the boat and some fishes were calling my name. i'm excited to be back at it today. i ve missed the studio!

wishing you well and thanks for reading!

love this!!!

2011-08-09T09:55:00.000-04:00

i often start or finish my day reading other blogs of people who inspire me. this is a blog post by one of my favorite artists, jenny mendes. check out these super cool illustrations!

Jenny Mendes: Venturous Vegetables etc.: "I love these illustrations by T. Benjamin Faucett! I found them after I had been painting my own tomato people. Now I feel even more..."

T. Benjamin Faucett

new!

2011-08-07T11:55:00.000-04:00

adventures in fishing

2011-08-07T11:19:00.000-04:00

what's for supper yall...
okay last post, vegan. this post doesn't get more "local" than this...

yep. we ate stingray! while we were out at "shack" fishin on friday evening, nick caught a monster stingray.. our friend dave was with us ( a life long carteret county native) and explained that string ray was some pretty good eatin'. he was right! we fried it up and put in some fish tacos (yum!). nick, wasn't the biggest fan, but i gave it two thumbs up. who knew?

what is on my mind today...

2011-08-06T18:12:00.002-04:00

http://blueridgedreams.typepad.com/journal/page/2/

"...the view stretched on and on across rows of blue mountains, each paler than the last until the final ranks were indistinguishable from sky. It was as if all the world might be composed of nothing but valley and ridge." Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain

whats for supper....

2011-08-04T21:51:00.001-04:00

the somewhat-mostly-vegan strikes again:

finding vegan foods my meat and potatoes hubby like to eat is sometimes a challenge (eg "really? stir fried variation of tofu again??"). mexican anything, spelt crust pizza, spelt crust calzones, lasagna, lentil cakes and vegan gravy, pad thai and stuffed portebella mushrooms are always good, but i still need more recipes...

my momma came to visit this week. she brought me a whole mess of her "mountain pride" tomatoes fresh from her garden. yu-um. figured they would be awesome in a tomato pie.
here's the basis of my recipe:

(i re figured it to be vegan with a spelt pie crust, of course):

ingredients:
one 9 inch pie shell
4 or 5 medium tomatoes peeled, sliced and drained (use a paper towel to remove excess moisture)
3 spring onions chopped
1/2 onion chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
chopped basil (optional)
1 ½ cups extra sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
1 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper (to taste)

directions:
bake pie crust according to directions and cool. Next, cover the bottom of pie shell with sliced tomatoes.Salt and pepper tomatoes and sprinkle with basil and onions. Then, in a small bowl, combine cheese and mayo. Cover tomatoes with cheese mix and spread over entire pie. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown. let cool for 5 minutes.

http://www.keepitsimplefoods.com/vegetarian/southern-tomato-pie/#comment-1487

i served it with a side of crunchy oven baked kale chips.

i think its a keeper!

try it at home. thanks for reading!

2011-07-27T12:28:00.002-04:00

between this guy

and this girl...

it has once again been an unproductive week so far. spooky with an infected bite wound to the head and ophelia with the general ins and outs and aches and pains of just plain old age has spent some quality time in morehead city visiting bridges professional park animal hospital. i love my vets, i really, do but NO ONE loves their vet this much!!! sheesh!!!
i am happy to report ophelia is feeling better and spooky is..... heavily medicated....but on the mend.
taking pictures of pots and putting on handles and throwing today. stay tuned. maybe i'll take some photo documentation!
for now, happy wednesday.
as always thanks for reading!
wishing you well
~trista

where i live

2011-07-23T10:24:00.003-04:00

taylors creek, beaufort nc

my dogs eat more meat than i do...

2011-07-22T14:00:00.000-04:00

lots of folks have been askin me about my home made dog food...this is my jumping off point.
.
here's the link.

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/buddys-and-bubbas-homemade-dog-food/Detail.aspx

Buddy's and Bubba's Homemade Dog Food

Rated:

Submitted By: BKBISHOP

Photo By: Chantelle

Prep Time: 45 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Ready In: 2 Hours 15 Minutes

Servings: 10

"This is a healthy addition to, or replacement for, your dog's daily meals that he will happily devour."

Ingredients:

2 chicken leg quarters

1 pound ground beef

2/3 cup rolled oats

1 (10 ounce) package chopped frozen

spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

2 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans - rinsed,

drained and mashed

2 carrots, shredded

1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:

1.	Place the chicken leg quarters in a large pot, and fill with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 40 minutes. Remove the legs and allow to cool. Strain and return the cooking liquid to the pot. Once the legs have cooled. remove and discard the skin and bones; chop the meat, and set aside.
2.	Stir the brown rice into the reserved chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid, and add the rice to the bowl with the chicken.
3.	Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly and no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Pour off any excess grease, and place the beef into the bowl. Stir in the oats, spinach, broccoli, kidney beans, carrots, and olive oil. Store the dog food in resealable containers in the freezer. Thaw the daily portions overnight in the refrigerator. because i have 900 million dogs i do 50 servings and freeze it.... i have learned to start by cooking the chicken and the beans all day in the crockpot, and add the veggies and oatmeal in last. i mix up the veggies everytime. i often use black beans as well as kidney beans. i also usually get stew meat, a very lean pork, lean ground turkey or fish to mix up instead of the 1 lb of ground beef. they also all get a multi vitamin (calcium is muy importante!!) and fish oil. its so good, even my hubby will eat it! hope someone atleast finds this enteratining!

art show

2011-07-21T14:31:00.000-04:00

just came across this little snapshot.

i wanted to post this picture from our art show back in the beginning of the month.

my "sister" liz, visiting from her home in sweden, took this picture.

love it!!!!

cool artist and no sleep in BFT

2011-07-20T13:33:00.000-04:00

a couple of nights week i work at the arendell room in morehead city, the premier place in eastern nc to get a fabulous cocktail. this week, the men of AR have taken a roadtrip. watch out! us ladies are taking over! the late night hours are not conducive to my early morning pottery making, so my studio hours this week are very limited. in the meantime, i can still eat, sleep, and think pottery.
check out todays cool artist alert!

katsuyo aoki

AMAZING!!!

as always, thanks for reading and wishing you well!

~trista

going to a good home!

2011-07-18T13:07:00.000-04:00

you can now find THR pottery in farmville nc!

	Mylestone Gallery 3729 North Main Street Farmville, NC
	252.228.0096 farmville folks and beyond! go check out mylestone gallery. make sure to say hey to meredith and brittany for me! these two wonderful, wonderful ladies are bringing fine handmade crafts to main street farmville. this is a post from meredith's blog, back in 2010. i think she says it well... mylestone gallery blogspot It's summertime and I am sure you have either been on vacation or are planning a vacation soon. Whenever I am traveling I wander down roads with no idea where I am heading, I eat where the locals eat and I step into all the little shops in town or along the way. I like to support small, local businesses because they are the heart of a town. I encourage you to head down the unknown path and pay a visit to those local, small town businesses. You never know who you will meet, the conversations you will have and the treasures you will find. Shop local wherever your travels take you. It makes a difference to the owners and the town and you will be very glad you did. love this! buy local and as always, thanks for reading... wishing you well, ~trista

Mylestone Gallery

3729 North Main Street

Farmville, NC

252.228.0096

farmville folks and beyond! go check out mylestone gallery. make sure to say hey to meredith and brittany for me! these two wonderful, wonderful ladies are bringing fine handmade crafts to main street farmville.

this is a post from meredith's blog, back in 2010. i think she says it well...

mylestone gallery blogspot

It's summertime and I am sure you have either been on vacation or are planning a vacation soon. Whenever I am traveling I wander down roads with no idea where I am heading, I eat where the locals eat and I step into all the little shops in town or along the way. I like to support small, local businesses because they are the heart of a town.
I encourage you to head down the unknown path and pay a visit to those local, small town businesses. You never know who you will meet, the conversations you will have and the treasures you will find.
Shop local wherever your travels take you. It makes a difference to the owners and the town and you will be very glad you did.

love this!

buy local and as always, thanks for reading...

wishing you well,

~trista

at peace with the kiln gods

2011-07-13T14:41:00.000-04:00

if you read the blog you might know all this about me...skip to the photos. if you are just curious or don't know about my adventures.... read on.
since i opened my studio here in beaufort just over a year ago, i have had to re adjust my pottery practices. in the mountains i fired in a big gas kiln. when we moved here, i brought my little electric kiln (lovingly know as R2D2) down here to beaufort. i left the big kiln behind (for now) and set out on a mission. i taught myself to electric fire. i never knew it would be so difficult!
now, after over a year of wasted pots (exaggeration), wasted electricity (oops. another exaggeration!), wasted kiln shelves (um, NOT an exaggeration), some blood, a lot of sweat and plenty of tears, i finally have figured it out.
i have worked hard. i have made a lot of mistakes. i been so frustrated at times, i didn't want to make pots, well at least not fire them. but now i have found what i have been looking for for so long...

yellow fake ash glazed vase
decorated with underglazes and light scraffito carving
this is what i ve worked so hard for!

tumblers.
the turquoise pots in these pictures are my "back up plan". i have been fiddling around with the turquoise for awhile now. i started to use it as my "back up plan" in case the yellow just never turned out again.
i call it my "happy accident blue"!

thrown and altered flower vase

from the show "life in a fishbowl"

life in a fish bowl

2011-07-12T13:42:00.001-04:00

Life in a Fishbowl. July 2, 2011. Beaufort Art Center.
featuring....Yours Truly along with Craig Gurganus, Abigail Poray, Lisa Tuchek, and Brett Harrison.

a few pictures from the art show...

almost there

2011-06-30T13:10:00.001-04:00

well its been awhile. i havent been on the internet lately. last weekend was another wonderful weekend hosted by the Beaufirt Historic Association's Old Homes Tour. the studio was stop number 25 on the tour. we saw lots and lots of people from all over the place, made some new friends, and found new homes for lots of my pottery,
the last two m onths have been crazy and its been a long six weeks that are almost winding down...this weekend is the art show at the beaufort art center. i am so excited. its going to be awesome, we started setting up last night and so far everyone's work looks amazing. i am exhausted, havent slept in weeks, but i am living on pure electric happiness! i have been firing the kiln back to back for a few weeks now. the new elements and tehrmocouples on the kiln are working out well. goodness knows. i have put them to the test! i am even firing right now! (yep down to the wire!) i am excited to be introducung a new line of pots at the show too. cool stuff, stay tuned.

and one last thing, let me take a second to thank my hubby.

for the last month, i have been pretty absentee at the reynolds household, my hubby has stayed on top of the laundry, kept the house spotless, the yard mowed (at the studio too), the dishes done, the bills paid, cooked some suppers, been to the grocery store (BOUGHT ME BLUEBERRIES!!!) and is even cooking the dog food - no simple task (um, yeah, we cook our dogs their food)....thats just the short list. i think the only way i have maintained my sanity, was because of his help. so let me take a minute of your time to brag on my hubby.....
thanks babe!!! i love you!

as always thanks for reading!
and wishing you well.]~trista

cover story!

2011-06-24T17:31:00.001-04:00

life in a fishbowl

is on the cover of "this week magazine"!!!

its very exciting! check it out!

download the PDF here!

this week magazine

old homes tour

2011-06-23T08:03:00.001-04:00

old homes tour is this weekend and my studio will once again be a stop this year. the studio is TRASHED. oh well...looks like i gotta clean to do today!

banksy

2011-06-17T11:07:00.003-04:00

banksy, in LA.

cool artist of the day

2011-06-15T15:40:00.001-04:00

http://www.ralphlgoings.com/

At first i thought it was photogrphy, but Ralph Goings is a realist painter. This website is an overview of Goings work of the last forty years. It some of his early work from the 1960's. As it closer to modern day (beginning with the pickup series) he surveys the fast-food eateries, diner interiors and counter-top still life paintings of the 70's, 80's and 90's. Its cool to move through the decades!

This is about "ordinary everyday experience of American life... showing that there is beauty in the mundane".

My favorites are his earlier works, but i find them all fascinating and beautiful!

"My paintings are about light, about the way things look in their environment and especially about how things look painted. Form, color and space are at the whim of reality, their discovery and organization is the assignment of the realist painter."
---Ralph Goings -- 1978

mountain country

2011-06-09T07:29:00.002-04:00

well, i made the old asheville turnaround this week. i headed home for clay supplies and a doctor's appointment. the smell of mountain air was missing from my life. i needed that smell so bad i felt like some kind of fragrance junky!

tis the season for me to be homesick! i always miss home the most when the seasons change.

one of the blogs i follow is called appalachian treks, written by a photographer named mark peacock. . his lastest entry was about max patch. max patch "by the way the crow flys" is just a hop, skip and a jump from the farm where we used to live. i love this blog entry. it takes me home! the road between fines creek and max patch and hot springs and marshall is a winding mountain highway that i could drive in my sleep (albeit incredibly unsafe.... driving while sleeping that is). go check it out his entry. the photos are beautiful!

http://appalachiantreks.blogspot.com/2011/06/max-patch.html

throwing a bottle

2011-06-08T10:31:00.000-04:00

super cool video by my former mentor and teacher, mr steve lloyd, of lloyd pottery. steve is the clay teacher at haywood community college.

check it out! but don't blink. you'll miss it!

bummed...

2011-05-26T13:52:00.001-04:00

this blog post is an ode.

an ode to days goneby,

where cheerful but un-useful pots were given a second chance.

happy to be repurposed

for the last year,

they had become the hands that embraced my garden

out front of the studio.

it happened slowly.

a broken sugar jar...

vanished.

a cup found far from home.

and now, a huge gaping hole. all at once.

where someone took my garden love and made it theirs.

i knew it would happen. i didnt even think i d mind.

but i do.

those dirty thieves took a matching set

2 or 3 atleast

of blistered pinholed faultily glazed bowls.

i know! i should be happy that someone loves them

enough to take them home and use them in their state of fault.

but some how i am offended.

the blank hole not filled.

i took away the garden hands today. and replaced them with a fence.

boo thieves. you stink!

montana blog love!

2011-05-23T08:45:00.001-04:00

hey yall!

have i ever told you i love the word quirky? probably not, but i do. i love it as a word, i love its definition and i love it as a description. i remember the first time i heard the word quirky. i was in middle school, circa 1990, reading the now defunct magazine, "sassy". a magazine that told me how i could die my hair with kool aid, informed me what doc martins were and what a rrriot girl was. it was so rad. i remember once they had a photo spread featuring "quirky" models. these women were not the barbie doll stick figures of seventeen magazine. they were something much more amazing: red headed, freckled, afro-ed, raven haired, noses too long, eyes too far apart etc. they were young, fresh, original, normal, out of the ordinary, relate -able, extraordinary,

gorgeous...

so, there is this fabulous all female blog compiled by four quirky writer-slash-artists out in missoula, montana that i like to keep up with:

the fantastic spatula!

its witty and well written. and for the art lover, its definitely inspiring.

i love this blog!!!

one of the writers of fantastic spatula is my colleague. she is a fellow artist and a native carteret county-an... the gifted and talented shannon kemp! you might recognize her name from when i did an art show here in beaufort with her and another colleague (christal weatherly) last july.

so, on saturday may 21st guess what nc artist the fantastic spatula featured?
yep. yours truly. go see for yourself!

fantastic spatula

anyhoo, tis the season to sleep in the studio! gotta go make pots!

thanks for reading!

and as always, wishing you well!

~trista

happenings in the hills

2011-05-20T10:33:00.001-04:00

its a good weekend to be in the mountains!
this weekend up in asheville is the Kenilworth Artist Association's Spring Studio Tour. this semi annual event is really special to me for two reasons. first, because it is the neighborhood where my folks have been living for the last 12 years, and you know what they say... "home is where your mom is".
check out there website.
http://www.kenilworthartists.org/
which also bring me to my next point. one of my dearest friends kathie kline, and her husband robert are on the tour hosting a number of artists at their home. make sure to put her house on your list of stops. you can see her website here.
http://www.centerpointclaystudio.com/
the event has really gained a lot of momentum in the last few years. if you are in the area, make sure to hit up the tour. its going to be great!
also, this weekend begins the annual Haywood Community College graduate show. as a proud alumni i want to encourage yall to stop by the folk art center at mile marker 382 on the blue ridge parkway, outside of asheville.
http://www.southernhighlandguild.org/pages/posts/haywood-community-college-graduate-show-may-21---july-10-2011-33.php
i am truly amazed the amount of talent this program puts out every year!

and, since you are in the area and making a weekend out of art. head on out to bakersville and check out michaels kline's pottery. bakersville is a truly lovely part of wnc. the drive out there is beautiful and michael kline's pots are amazing. they are a huge inspiration to me.

http://michaelklinepottery.blogspot.com/2011/05/38-more-pots-preview-of-this-weekends.html

i guess that all for now!
as always, thanks for reading!
wishing you well,
trista

night time

2011-05-18T08:23:00.001-04:00

life in beaufort is sometimes difficult in ways you might not think....

but as i rode my bike home from the studio last night, the smell of jasmine, spiraling softly though the cool evening, i am reminded why i love it here. the moon reached full at 7:09 a.m. yesterday. the tide was so high it was nearly spilling into the streets. and i feel blessed that this is my commute from shutting down the kiln. the man in the moon makes taylor's sparkle and dance and it takes my breath away.

firing today?

2011-05-17T08:32:00.002-04:00

it was a big fun weekend here in beaufort...BEAUFORT MUSIC FEST!!!!

a few worth checking out:
shannon whitworth - a fmiliar name from wnc. beautiful folk tunes (which i realized she was formerly of the biscuit burners - we used to go see them at the town pump in black mtn. i loved their music!!!)
justin james & co - voted most up and coming by relic magazine...think avett bros before they ditched the banjo ( um HELLO? why DID they ditch the banjo????)
american aquarium - southern rock-ish. they were brillaint at the backstreet pub that night.
onward, soldiers - recently performed at the legendary sxsw music fest in austin, tx. no words to explain their greatness. well, except greatness. if they are coming to a town near you...go. seriously.
and of course..... justin townes earle. god, he's so cool. even without his band.
enough of that...

i m so excited to get to the studio!

new elements? check
new thermocouples? check
new thermocouple wires? check
cone 5 test fire? check

time to fire!!!! the pots are piling up everywhere and i'm running out of room. but, i ve got a lot of pots that i'm super stoked about. first, i have to refire the last bisque that was grossy underfired.
hurray!
as always. wishing you well and thanks for reading!
~trista

on the road again....

keepin it local...

2011-04-27T16:31:00.003-04:00

i just wanted to take a second to thank aqua restaurant for supporting one of their local potters!

(thr pottery, duh!)

i am excited and honored to be working with aqua to get them a line of pottery for the restaurant to use in place of commercial serving ware.

AND aqua is now also featuring fresh, seasonal foods from local and north carolina farmers and fisherman.

as a consumer and a provider i want to say "thank you aqua" ! i hope this encourages more businesses to keep it local here in beaufort!

check out their website
.http://www.aquaexperience.com/index.htm

go now! run! don't walk!
thank them for promoting positive change in BFT.
thank them for helping to preserve small scale and local farmers and supporting local crafts people!.
why not?
with a mouth wateringly delicious menu and a fabulous wine list....what do you have too lose?

until next time my friends...

wishing you well!
and thanks for reading!

~trista

really great way to spend your weekend!

2011-04-26T09:22:00.000-04:00

mark hewitt's spring fling!

coming soon: mark hewitt's spring kiln opening...an amazing potter and businessman, this is a great way to spend the weekend. definately worth the trip! when i was at HCC we took a class trip to seagrove. we strayed from the beaten path over to pitsboro to meet mark hewitt. he's got a big ol crop o land, all farm -y and nature-y (the lovely topography that is typical of the piedmont). its always fun to see where potters work, where their studio is and what inspires them. it was pretty neat to see his big snazzy kiln and and see his gorgeous rustic studio. and i havent even starter to talk about the pots!!!

go check his website.

http://www.hewittpottery.com/

hope everyone had a great holiday weekend...

and as always thanks for reading! and wishing you well!
~trista

happy earth day yall!

2011-04-22T08:24:00.002-04:00

There are times when I cannot believe I am separate from this earth,

when I could swear the wind blows through me as it does the woven

needles of the pine tree by the creek, when I feel my feet planted

deep in the earth with the roots of trees and wildflowers,

drawing essence."

- Cathy Johnson

technology is no fun

2011-04-20T11:41:00.001-04:00

so i just unloaded a bisque, where i actually remembered to put in some witness cones! i wanted see whats going on with R2D2 (my kiln). guess what happened? its completely underfired! ugh! looks like i will spending the day with L&L ! seeing as how i havent changed my elements since i got R2D2, i am pretty certain they are gone. electronics. not my strong point. wish me luck!!!

hope everyone is having a great week!

thanks for reading,
~trista

i am not a poet, but will pretend to be one for today.

2011-04-19T18:16:00.002-04:00

where i live

wait all winter

(and oh what an incredibly long seeming winter it is!)

for the warm weather to return to this loveliness.

the chrystal coast.

january.

old man winter hardly blessing us with enough sunlight in a day.

sleepy dull damp windy.

.where the sky and the ocean are one.

a reflection of above

and below.

bleak. gray

restaurants close and the big glass window stores barely turn their lights on.

the streets once bustling with families

on bicycles,

kids

with icecream smeared by salty hands across pink skin sun faces.

empty.

we take solace in the comfort of our friends. our community our lifeline.

then april.

thank you april.

mosquito whirrrr bi-izzzzz still silent.

i uncurl my toes. the sun is hot. at last.

i stretch my body

flat to the mother.

earth.

and let the the sun a down blanket cover me

warm

shorts

flipflops

torture. willing on the arrival of may and june.

the breeze is still so so cold.

on the boats

man. navigating.

child. mother. only the top of a head tentatively peering over the bow.

mmmm sun.

tingly pinprick bumps covering my skin. hair standing up.brrrr...

5 ten more degrees. almost there.

i dont care. so soon.

so soon....

( sigh. close my eyes. the corners of my lips turn upward)

happy

new to beaufort!

2011-04-17T11:59:00.002-04:00

i like to hit the "shop local" button on my etsy page and check out who is making art in and around beaufort. today, i found this new shop, symbiotic sisters, here in town. interestingly, this super nice lady came by the studio the other day ( who later introduced herself as beep. aka symbiotic sisters etsy shop owner). beep told me she has been traveling on her sailboat and was kind of new to town. just recently she decided that she might hang out in beaufort for the summer. she also told me she made jewelry and took pictures. today i found her shop: very cool stuff! i love this little town full of creative people!!! i am so excited that another cool craftsperson has landed here. i wish her luck, and hope she decides to stay awhile!

one of symbiotic sister's not cards

check out more of her stuff here!

http://www.etsy.com/people/symbioticsisters

thanks for reading!

and as always,

wishing you well!

~trista

in case you didn't know...

2011-04-15T12:36:00.004-04:00

http://www.beaufortmusicfestival.com/?page_id=63

the beaufort music festival will be on friday may 13th and saturday may 14th. the headliner this year is justin townes earle - one of my favs!!! make an excuse to come down east!

http://www.justintownesearle.com/

appalachian treks

2011-04-15T10:09:00.001-04:00

no matter how much (or little. ha!) i am infatuated with beaufort on any given day, my sweet sheltering mountains are always in the back of my mind, a little special place in my heart. when i am feeling unmotivated in the mornings, i like to get up and read other potter's blogs. this morning i cam across the blog "appalachian treks".

http://appalachiantreks.blogspot.com/

this blog is by a talented photographer named mark peacock. it features his photos, with inspirational literary quotes on nature (think Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Mark Twain), great mountain hikes, vast mountain overlooks, rambling scenic drives, and must-see parks in and around western nc and eastern tennessee. i love it! it takes me home. it is such an accurate collection of beauty that describes those ethereal and haunting hills in all their splendor. and done by a person who has built his livelyhood capturing the mountains on film (okay so that might be a bit of poetic leeway, its probably digital now. but breathtaking all the same.) its definitely on my list of favorites! check it out!

thanks for reading!
~trista

settling in...

2011-04-13T13:10:00.001-04:00

i am working on bowls this week. doing some brushwork with underglazes and some carving. hopefully i can get the kiln working correctly soon...i am so excited for my new glazes!

on another note: its funny what you learn about yourself when you move... i learned my three most treasured objects were my day of the dead dolls made of clay (delivered carefully across the country by my folks from sante fe), my riddell wine glasses and the akira satake pitcher nick gave me for christmas this year. these are the things i was afraid to even put in a box and were carried by hand to the new house.

i'm feeling pretty settled on ocean street. i am so excited about all the space and the yard, and the dogs are LOVING it!!! but until now i was really really missing pine street. then, late last night, i walked out onto my front porch and do you know what i heard? no, not zooming cars, not barking dogs or sputtering air conditioning units, or the elks club...i heard the ocean. THE OCEAN!!! from my front porch!!!! suddenly, i dont miss pine street so much anymore.

off to go make pots now...
.
wishing you well and as always, thanks for reading!

~trista

wednesday

2011-04-06T09:33:00.000-04:00

hello all!

its wednesday. we just got internet here at the new house. i 've been away from the computer for awhile.

i havent seen the walls of my sweet little studio in WAY too long. i miss it so much! i am always intimidated to go back after being away!!! it will take me a few days to get back in the swing of it all. but things in the rest of my life are back to a manageable level. i am ready for some routine. we are all moved in at the new house and are somewhat settled. also, i am happy to report ophelia is doing much better!

so here i go... back to the studio AT LAST!!!!!!

as always, thanks for reading and wishing you well!

~trista

MOVING DAY!!!!

2011-03-31T10:07:00.000-04:00

its moving day for the reynolds herd. we are almost all packed and ready to move...eight whole blocks. the trucks are packed full, waiting to get the keys to the new homestead. pine street has been good to us, but we are ready for the next chapter of BFT. don't worry, the studio is still on the corner of live oak and ann streets. and, i can still walk to it from my house.

hopefully i can even clear a path out of my house and make it to the studio this weekend.

for now, wishing you well.
and as always, thanks for reading!
~trista

ophelia louise

2011-03-27T11:29:00.002-04:00

well, i didnt get in the studio yesterday but for maybe an hour. maybe i spoke a little too soon, maybe ophelia (my little old lady dog) just had one good afternoon, but her progress is only slight and has leveled off. not very mobile and seemingly a bit uncomfortable, she still needs meds every two hours. i still feel a need to be home with my girl. AND we are moving to a new house in beaufort at the end of the week. i hope to get a few hours in the studio monday and tuesday. but should anyone need anything, i am close by and will happy to meet you in the studio. just holler.
for today, if you have some critters of your own, skip the gym, take rover for a walk instead or take a nap and let felix curl up in your lap a little longer...
thanks for reading and wishing yall the best,
~trista

pottery photography

2011-03-26T11:17:00.001-04:00

hey potters

i am always trying to be resourceful and save a penny here and there. photographing my work myself helps keep down on costs. check out this cool link about shooting your work!

http://www.nzpotters.com/Technical/PhotographingYourWork_EleanorHowick.cfm

pretty handy!

happy saturday. wishing you well...

~t

Shoko's Portfolio

2011-03-26T07:17:00.000-04:00

Shoko's Portfolio

things i am lovin!

dog days

2011-03-25T14:12:00.001-04:00

i haven't made it to the studio at all this week. i have been at home with ophelia, my little old lady dog, all week! she has been temporarily unable to see since last saturday (due to an eye ulcer and an eye infection). i have been administering eye drops every two hours....it makes it hard to be away. good news: we just got home from the vet. she is starting to show signs of improvement!!! yay! her vision seems to be starting to return (no more running into walls). thank goodness.
pshew. that was close...

see you soon. as always thanks for reading!
~trista

abandon ship!

2011-03-23T10:04:00.001-04:00

the studio is lonely right now. i havent been around much. i took off last week for a whirlwind trip to asheville. thinking that out farm was going to sell, we took the 6 and a half hour journey to asheville to assess the situation, look for new property and do a little birthday celebrating.
now we are home. if you know us well or read the blog much, you know we are big animal lovers. we have a couple of senior dogs that occasionally need a little extra love and attention. sometimes these dogs keep me from going to the studio. this is one of those weeks. if you dont see me around the studio much its because i'm at home with ophelia, my little old lady dog. about to be 16 in june, ophelia is in need of a little extra love this week. if you catch me there you might have the honor of meeting miss ophelia!

so until next time, happy spring yall!

and as always wishing you the best. thanks for reading
~trista

yep. pretty much!

2011-03-15T09:18:00.002-04:00

life magazine just titled this sweet little town, the most UNDERRATED beach town. seriously, we kind of like it that way....

read on!

And the best of the hidden gems? "Maybe the confusion with the city of Beaufort (BEW-fort), S.C., has kept Beaufort (BO-fort), N.C., off vacationers' radar. But it's simply one of the nicest places to spend five days (or longer)," Peterson says.

http://www.life.com/image/ugc1058421/in-gallery/42742#index/30

japan

2011-03-13T09:55:00.001-04:00

hot springs nc lies on a fault line. when we were still in asheville we once awoke to a teenie tiny earthquake. that random event doesnt even come close to hinting at what a real earthquake is like and definitely doesnt describe what is happening in japan. it is surreal and impossible for me to imagine. my heart aches for the people there. i cannot imagine what would happen in this country if an event like this were to occur. in the information age, it is easy to make fun of the social media sights. but i have an old friend from high school and college who was lives in japan. through facebook posts, he has kept everyone aware of his status. it is good to be able to carry him in my heart and send him all the positive energy i have. its amazing that we can still feel close to someone so far away. on that note, i follow several other pottery blogs. this was a post from a potter who lives in japan. should you choose to read it, have some tissues near. it made me cry.

http://euancraig.blogspot.com/2011/03/we-are-safe.html

in the meantime, hug the ones you love. take today to love everyone deeper that ever before. because you really never know what could happen tomorrow.

thanks for reading. wishing everyone well.
~trista

Thank you Toshiko Takaezu!

2011-03-10T09:07:00.001-05:00

“the clay has much to say” -toshiko takaezu

i'm taking a minute today to celebrate one of the greatest potters in this country. toshiko takaezua passed yesterday. A truly inspriring role model, she left an incredible legacy for world of pottery. She left an impression on this world that is indellible.

toshiko takaezua documentary

spring time in BFT! pictorial composed.

2011-03-09T13:25:00.004-05:00

its march and this quiet little town is about to bust at the seams with energy and life.

hello spring!

if you know me very well, you know i talk a lot about my tiny little concrete yard and how i've adapted to my less than ideal gardening situation. the picture on the left is my portable mini garden. i planted a cold weather garden this fall....things are looking good! and a few weeks ago i put out some seeds for my early spring garden. (peas sprouting up, pictured right.)

this year i'm thinking i might even put a little veggie garden at the studio! stay tuned for that one.

fat tuesday on middle lane here in BFT.

beaufort is a sleepy little town in the winter time. beaufort-ians are always good about finding an excuse to shake things up a little and have a celebration. mardi gras has always been well celebrated in true BFT fashion, but this year they raised the bar. middle lane (the alley that runs from turner to craven in front of the pub and aqua and cru) was shut down for festivities. there was plenty of glitter and feathers and costumes to warm even the coldest winter soul. to add to the excitement there was also a parade and cajun music and good old southern style louisiana chow downs! all things good. i love this town for that, i cant wait to see how they top it next year.

and most importantly, the pots:

a few new pots that i am kind of fond of!

singing off for now!

get outside and get ya some vitamin d.

yay for spring.

thanks for reading.

~trista

its just kinda my thing...

2011-03-07T09:25:00.001-05:00

another one of my favorite contemporary artists:

SWOON

SWOON's work is street art, life-sized, cut-out, wheat paste prints and paper cutouts of figures. Her realistically rendered characters draw from life, often featuring her friends and family as characters going about everyday activities in a unique landscape of her own invention. Architectural elements become lacy patterns of light and shadow, the pieces are often flowy and uniquely delicate. Using paper shapes and inked prints, her use of both positive image and negative space hints at a broad range of inspiration. Inspired by both art historical and folk sources, ranging from German Expressionist wood block prints to Indonesian shadow puppets, SWOON is a master of using cut paper to play with positive and negative space in a conceptually driven exploration of the experience of the streets.The gestural nature of her drawings, the contrast between the dark gestural lines of the figures and the soft lacy backgrounds creates a tension that to me is breath taking. The impermanence of her work, much like the fleeting moments she captures add to the drama of her work.She is a modern day rebel female icon!

its just the kinda thing i dig...

all things good things must come to end...

2011-03-02T09:25:00.001-05:00

this trip once again reminds me that asheville will always be my home. i <3 you asheville! thank you for always welcoming me back with open arms.

thats all for now. i'll be back in the studio bright and early tomorrow.

as always, thanks for reading!

~trista

asheville turnaround!

2011-02-27T09:49:00.004-05:00

hey yall! just wanted to let everyone know that i will be "out of the office" until thursday. i am headed home to asheville for a few days. please call or send an email if you need anything before the weekend.

wishing you the best!

thanks ~trista

save the date!

2011-02-25T11:43:00.004-05:00

hey yall! so i often i hear yall talking about coming down here to the crystal coast. i know you are looking for an excuse to visit beaufort (or one of our beautiful beaches) this summer! plan your vacation and save the date for july 2nd! me and four of my artist friends will be having a show at the beaufort art center. last summer, we had a similar show and it was a blast! so if you missed it, here is your chance. more details to follow, but go ahead and mark it on your calender!

artists will include:

trista hudzik reynolds (me, duh)

* pottery*

craig gurganus

*recycled surfboard art*

abigail poray

*jewelry and print making*

lisa tuchek

* painter*

brett harrison

*painter*

and, if you would like to help out we have plenty for you to do! contact me at thrpottery@rocketmail.com

or send me a message via the pottery facebook page.

wishing you well and thanks for reading!

~trista

lovin' this

2011-02-25T05:56:00.003-05:00

hello insomnia my old friend... BUT cool things happen when i dont sleep! found this blog via etsy .... lovin it! felt like i needed to share.
http://www.missmoss.co.za/
lots of fun and colorful to stuff to inspire, with some witty musings to entertain...

love, peace and light.

~trista

unofficially official

2011-02-24T12:42:00.001-05:00

i received my unofficial official acceptance into the mattie king davis art gallery at the beaufort historic site!

http://www.beauforthistoricsite.org/MKD.html

and since many of you are fans of thr pottery on facebook, you can also become a fan of the mkd gallery on facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mattie-King-Davis-Art-Gallery/342344190821

beaufort historic site and association is pretty much responsible for the historical preservation of nc's 3rd oldest town, beaufort. (have i mentioned, i heart beaufort!!!) it is an honor to be a part of the culture, heritage and history BHA has so carefully preserved.........AND mattie king davis art gallery is the oldest art gallery in carteret county! pretty cool, eh? big thanks, to the beaufort historic site and the mattie king davis art gallery!

~as always, thanks supporting local art, and thanks for reading~

and of course, wishing you well, trista

february 2nd.

2011-02-23T13:40:00.002-05:00

as i continue my personal education and exploration into cone 6 glazes i feel like i am stuck in groundhog day. and just like bill murray, i learn things the hard way, adjust, and follow with a TINY step forward. then, at the end of a long day, i close my eyes to rest for a new day. i wake to my alarm only to find out "OMG its february 2nd........AGAIN!"

ok, so its not quite that bad....but it definately feesl like it sometimes.

these are the days i miss my mountain potter community the most. i unloaded the kiln yesterday. of course i didnt remember to put my witness cones in...(i was in a hurry, it was sunday, the sun was shining and it was warm. i wanted to play outside. now, you know i didnt end up leaving the studio until after sunset....but....i digress). the last firing was slightly overfired on the top shelf. i thought i had maybe poorly loaded it. nope. something needs some tweaking! i am taking the day to research, pouring over books and clicking from website to website website. I CAN DO THIS DARNIT! :) but boy do i miss my potter community. instant easy answers, where are you???

for now, this expirience will mae me a better potter, and a better person. i just know it! and i will reward myself: starting some seeds in the garden today, fixing yellow tofu curry for supper tonight...all is not lost. two thirds of the "cycle" complete :).

wishing you all the best and as always thanks for reading!

~trista

seriously intrigued

2011-02-22T08:15:00.001-05:00

the art of margaret kilgallen

i recently watched an art documentary called "Beautiful Losers". the movie was about a group of what i might call modern-day-urban-folk-artists. this group of "street artists" (yep, graffiti) formed what came to be known as the mission artists in san francisco. i wont recap the entire movie, (but if you are into that kind of thing, i highly recommend watching it for yourself). i was so inspired by several of the artists featured in the movie. the one that spoke to me the most though was margaret kilgallen. it was like i met my art soul sister or something. inspired by southwestern and mexican artists, folk art, and the handpainted taquerria signs in california, her work is romatic graphic art, often in super large format. known as a graffiti artist under the tag names "Meta" and "Matokie Slaughter."the latter name, a homage to folk musician Matokie Slaughter, was specifically used for freight train graffiti, a hobo tradition that strongly influenced her work. kilgallen was an accomplished banjo player and became an avid surfer after moving to California. i am amazed and inpired by her work, and her life. margaret tragically left this earth too early in 2001, but her legacy will live on in the women whose life she ectched with her beautiful and simple illustrations.

best quote ever...

2011-02-11T09:08:00.004-05:00

a potter friend of mine put this on her facebook page today:

"i have decided that making handles is like therapy. you have to work through the anger, the pain, the shame, the humiliation till you get to a place where you have something or someone you would enjoy having your morning coffee with."

-wendy wrenn of wrenn pottery

http://www.wrennpottery.com/

best quote ever!!!!

its everything...

2011-02-09T10:17:00.002-05:00

why is art and pottery everything i see? everything i do?

my favorite of the seas shells are the broken remnants of conch shells. i love it when the big curved planes of the shell fall away, leaving only the graceful spiral curve that makes the skeleton. the spiral is the heart of a wheel thrown pot. i see spirals everywhere. they are something i've always taken note of and admired: the conch, to the muscles wrapping the human form, the eddies of a river, the swirls in the clouds, or a horses coat... this leads me to my next question. was i always meant to be a potter? or did i become a potter because i loved the spiral? it is innate? or coincidence?

or i am ridiculous for bothering to wonder about these things?

maybe. probably...

but as a potter, and a person, i find myself constantly reviewing the interconectedness of the world. its hard not to....earth, garden, clay, dirt, food, life. love.

slacker

2011-02-06T12:41:00.002-05:00

okay so i'm not really a slacker. but i have been slacking on the blog, that is for sure. time for an update i guess. here goes...
the pottery is doing well. i am excited about my new glazes and working hard to put out new pots. in the works? platters, big bowls, teapots, big pitchers, mugs, pendents....all my favorite things to make. well except maybe the mugs. i really don't like naking mugs (not sure why). BUT i really like to USE handmade mugs. therefore, i suck it up, and try to make a lot of them....
other fun stuff?
as a potter its hard not to always be thinking about food. the last time nick and i spent quality time in asheville we started to eat a lot of vegan food. to those that know my hubby, one would say "nick??? vegan!!!!!???? what????" . well, what we realized is that we found that cutting really far back on our meat consumption has made us feel really really really good. we still eat meat from time to time (i cannot understand life without bacon and chorizo!) but have adopted a new barely-meat-eating diet. combined with our old organic-less-processed-food diet. now i find myself busy busy busy in the kitchen all the time. so much freshness. its truly amazing. its been super fun!!! i dont miss our heavily meated meals...but now i havent quite as much free time. the conclusion?? its is definately worth it!
as a potter (and a foodie!!) its hard not to think about gardening all the time. here in the coastal region of nc, its that time!!!! yay. back in the hills we'd still be scraping ice off our windshield every morning. here, as of february first, i can start my collards and greens and turnips all those yummy wonderful cold weather veggies! some i have wintered over and those are starting to blush with happy green-ness. but others i am starting this week in little portable seed beds. yay. which we brings me to my next point...
wanted: pet friendly gardeners yard :)... we are currently renting a home here in bft. unfortunately, our rental home has been sold to new owners. we are looking for a new home in bft. we hope we have found one. we are keeping our fingers crossed.
yep, we are busy bees!
otherwise, life is good, dogs are good and spring is starting to tempt us with occasional warmish sunny days. i am so ready. oh lovely equinox hurry hurry...

see you soon!

thanks for reading and wishing you well!
~trista

days off...

2011-02-02T09:49:00.002-05:00

one might ask "what does a potter do on their day off"?

i live on the coast. i take part of monday and all of tuesdays off . you can probably guess what i do on my days off from april to october: read books on the beach, swim, paddle, ride on the boat, fish....not too bad eh?

but its colder now. bathing suits are NOT fun right now no matter how you look at it. its easy to forget about the wide open expanse of water that first drew us to this amazing place. a reminder that the ocean, while not as "useable" right now is still as beautiful...

yesterday, we went for a stroll down the beach. watching the dolphins roll down the surf never loses that childhood thrill. as i searched the shore for unusual shells, a funny collection of shells got my mind thinking about life and fate and meaning. it made me want to write a blog about it. but i'll do that tomorrow. for now, i'll just give you pictures.

cheers, trista

goblets on etsy

2011-01-26T11:41:00.002-05:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/66494614/goblet?ref=v1_other_1

new on etsy!

another snow day

2011-01-26T11:39:00.002-05:00

another snow day in bft. this is where the magic happen :).

it was supposed to snow last saturday. the weather man called for a scant 1 or 2 inches. the snow started falling around 8:30 a.m. it fell and fell and fell. all day. it was beautiful, but almost unbearably cold with a whipping wind and near white out conditions. i decided to leave the studio and drive around and take some pictures. i didnt last long. scared myself with over confident driving. i decided i did not belong on the road, so i went home and stayed there. it continued to snow until 6 pm. we ended up with 5 to 7 inches depending on where you live. too bad theres no hills here. i love sledding :)

more new pots

2011-01-06T05:50:00.001-05:00

fun new pots...

Happy New Year!

2011-01-06T04:26:00.001-05:00

the year finished up in a flurry. the new year has begun!

i wanted to give a huge huge HUGE thanks to the people in this funky little town called beaufort. i cannot ever go on about how amazing it has been to have been so easily embraced by this community. as the year came to a close, it became even more obvious how lucky i am. a few people i didnt know came in, but a ton of people i did know did. this is so cool on so many levels. because hello? thank you so much for supporting local craft and local art. but even more, thanks for supporting me! <3

after a long holiday season of working my rear end off...i m taken some time to be home with my family. friday, we are finally heading to asheville to spend time with my folks, my little brother, my big brother, his wife and his kids. i am so excited for some fresh mountain air and some good old fashioned hudzik family fun!

see you soon!

happy new year and as always, thanks for reading!

new website

2010-12-30T14:02:00.003-05:00

http://www.wix.com/thrpottery/studio

as part of my christmas clean-a-thon...i have also added a new webpage to my exciting adventures in cyberland. check it out!!!

wishing you well
~trista

thr pottery now on etsy!!!

2010-12-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

http://www.etsy.com/people/thrpottery

i am pleased to announce the opening of my own etsy page. i dont have much listed on there as of now. it takes a lot of time to get all that uploaded etc. but i am plugging away at it a little at a time. i cant wait to get going at 100 %!

hope everyone's holidays are beautiful!

~trista

new stuff

2010-12-14T08:15:00.000-05:00

i've been working on some new glazes here in the studio... trying to find some electris glazes that interest me. i am sooo excited by my last firing heres a few pictures!

holiday shopping hours for this weekend!

2010-12-09T08:55:00.000-05:00

friday 11 to 4
saturday 1 to 6
sunday 1 to 4

and i will be opening the kiln in sunday! c'mon and see me!

and thats all i have to say about that :)

2010-11-30T08:57:00.001-05:00

home

2010-10-31T11:09:00.000-04:00

the pottery will be closed from october 31st thru november 9th.

i've been away from the blog for bit. i apologize. it seems that as tourist season rolls away and the business is slowing down, the rest of life has picked up. sometimes nearly franticly. i am still working hard to create a glaze in the electric kiln that truly motivates me and inspires me. i'm getting closer. i am starting to find some combinations thats work...but alas i am not sure that the magic of fire will ever be truly replaced. sigh.

anyhoo. i'm going home for a little while. i am so excited to catch up with old friends and spend some time with my family. also, i desperately need to hold some other peoples pots :).i need to see the pots of people who i look up to. gallery tour - western nc!! i cant wait for some inspiration.

so excited for hills and cool night time air. when i'm in the mountains i feel like i can get lost in the tucks and rolls of the hills and become one with nature. its an amazing feeling being closer to the sky and closer to the earth at the exact same time. kind of spiritual... (i m a nerd).

highway 209 near our farm in the mountains.

sunset in fines creek, nc

while i'm home i going to visit some fellow potters at a great show in dillsboro nc. http://www.wncpotteryfestival.com/ if you are around, check it out!

for now, thanks for reading and see you soon!

goodbye earl

2010-09-10T08:41:00.001-04:00

so i didnt get to expirience my first hurricane.thank goodness!!!! earl was a scheisty fella, undecided and undedicated. in the end his unpredictability led him straight to a fizzled dead end. a bit of rain and a bit of wind, it was all very anti climatic. but i am not complaining. pshew! crisis avoided. i did get the chance to get out and some pictures. here are a few!

earl is not my friend!

2010-08-31T17:52:00.000-04:00

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_1749.html

so if you took the time to look at the link you will notice three major hurricanes. the one hurricane in the middle is named earl. projected to atleast "swoosh" by carteret county with some decent winds and a bit of rain, he is not my friend. for the last 24 hours and atleast the next 48 more, he is all i can think about. OH MY GYAH!!!!!!! panic. panic. okay, just kidding its not that bad. yet.
earl will be my first (official hurricane that is) and boy am i nervous!!! i have no idea what to expect (apparently neither do the weather forecasters. um, double yikes!). while none of the long term locals or oldtimers seem alarmed, i am a nervous wreck! luckily BFT is protected by barrier islands, which helps, i guess, or atleast i hope anyway. my home is maybe half a mile from the ocean. so this is also good. my studio is several blocks closer, but is made of sturdy concrete block. i still am being careful. moving the kiln and maybe even boarding up the windows and doors. just to be on the safe side.
for now, keep your fingers crossed that earl stays at a safe distance! and i will make sure to keep yall posted.

its a dog day....

2010-08-23T08:58:00.001-04:00

my husband nick has a quote i really find to be a mantra, of sorts, at times. especially lately, i find myself repeating it over and over again...
"if some days, simply tying your shoes is the best you can do, then be satisfied that you have done the best you can that day."
sometimes i feel a need to do it all. and do it all myself. blah, blah, blah. poor me right? no. none of that business...maybe more like poor us. we all share this innate feeling to some extent.
anyway, this morning as i am scrambling to compose my day, i throw my hands and the air and say "BUT WHAT IF I CANT FIND MY SHOES!??!!!". HA!
lately i feel pretty overwhelmed with things. lots of things, but mosty complicated by one thing. most people know i love animals. i especially love my animals. here in the casa de reynolds we have a small collection of animals. the queen is a 15 year old springer spaniel named ophelia.. yep, 15. she's my old lady dog. she's had a tough time lately. this has kept me home from the studio a lot. whether it be to take her to the vet or just lay on the floor and pet her, i find myself making some tough choices. choose between my career/life calling and my dog. am i crazy??? no many people deal with this personal battle i think. i am just lucky enough (or maybe unlucky enough? ) to have the chance to make that decision.
the conclusion? i cant keep staying home with ophelia every time she feels bad. but what i can do is take her to the studio with me. problem solved. for now. so should you get the chance to swing by the studio, you might just be lucky enough to meet my little old lady.

craft fairs

2010-08-04T14:33:00.000-04:00

i need craft fairs. i dropped out of the craft fair loop in the last couple of seasons. i cant even remember how to go about finding them. i feel like before they have always had a way of finding me.hmmmmm....

( if you know of any good quality craft fairs, shoot me an email please. tristahreynolds@rocketmail.com)

a few pics the opening at the beaufort art center

2010-08-01T18:08:00.001-04:00

photo credits: nick reynolds

and to friends who frequent my blog, don't worry. the cheezy beaufort/art/love story

blog post is coming soon...

for now, thanks for being here ~trista

newness

2010-08-01T17:57:00.002-04:00

not quite there yet but these little guys are going somewhere.

a little more testing and a bit more effort on the brushwork. but i definately see promise!

thanks for being here!

unloading the kiln

2010-07-28T15:01:00.002-04:00

i unloaded the kiln yesterday... i 'm super excited about some colors i have finally found success with! pictures to come. art show in two days. its going to be along night!

Art Show

2010-07-24T17:50:00.002-04:00

check out this weeks big adventure! this is a link to one of two articles that came out in the local newspaper here in carteret county this past friday.
http://www.thisweekmag.com/

what is this you ask? let me expalin. this week i am gearing up for a show here at the Beaufort Art Center. i am putting togther a collection of some of my most favoritist pots to make: big jars, teapots, bottles, bowls, platters and pitchers. while running a little low on my smaller items, it is so exciting to be back doing the things i love most. aka oversized pots (bowls, jars) and smaller things that are cool practices in design (teapots etc). i'm firing the first bisque kiln today...fingers crossed for the week ahead!

upcoming event!

2010-07-19T10:28:00.001-04:00

"Because The Sky Is Blue" Art Show Opening
July 30 · 7:00pm - 11:00pm

New art work by Shannon Kemp, Trista Hudzik Reynolds, and Christal Weatherly. Food by Eat Me, One-Woman Catering Co.

The Beaufort Arts Center

204 Turner Street
Beaufort, NC

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=126919730665310&ref=mf

new friends (yep. another sappy one...)

2010-07-15T14:37:00.000-04:00

those of you who have kept up with my crazy adventure probably know about out our reloaction form the mountains of wnc to beaufort. most folks thought i was outta my gourd. and while i am outta my gourd, moving to beaufort only seemed crazy.

a little back story:
(if you know me and read regularly, you may want to skip to the next paragraph so i dont put you to sleep). last august, we gave up our 14 acre farm, silly huge garden, one set of wonderful neighbors, my 1000 + square foot studio, my salt kiln and (gulp) my horse (ok so maybe i'm still not over that one yet). all that to live in a (seemingly but not really) questionable neighborhood right the middle of town on a .10 acre lot, where my front yard is actually made of concrete. my studio is now less than 500 square feet. i am relearning to fire in an electric kiln. WHY????? beside the fact that i rarely drive my car (YAY), the water is two blocks away (um super yay) , i love my neighbors and i love my friends (in that aspect i am just plain lucky). i am a fairly social person... living on the farm was amazing but also sometimes difficult for me. i was often lonely and probably spent a little too much time talking to our farm animals . i was excited to move to BFT for the chance of finding community. and that is exactly what i did.

anyway....WHY?

this is why:

these are my new friends melaya and syan!

tuesday morning seemed like any other day. i was fixin to start makin some pots when these two lovely ladies and their mom walked into my shop. the little girls were excited to be the studio and i soon heard whispers of "mom, i want to make a pot". i offered the girls a ball of clay each and said they could have it. they immediately were trying to figure out what they should make. i set them up with some randomn tools and a canvas board on the floor. i went back to making "big pots" at my wheel, occasionally chiming in on tips and ideas. they went to town making all kinds of fun things. i think they stayed for two hours! by the time they left they were begging me to join them for lunch. now, dont get me wrong, i do love me some beaufort grocery co....but i had to stay and get ready for the big show at the end of july. tthe ladies wrapped things up, snapped a few pics and even showed me a couple of their super-sweet dance moves and coreographed dance routines. mom graciously thanked me for my time (my pleasure!) and the girls and their mom piled in their car and drove away. what they left behind meant more to me than they could ever know. i have had a lot of wonderful, wonderful days here in BFT, but that one took the cake. people like syan and melaea and their mom....that to me is what making pottery is all about. enriching life and making a connection.

.... and that my friends is exactly WHY we moved to BFT.

the barefoot potter...

2010-07-13T14:54:00.002-04:00

the beaufort old homes tour was the last weekend in june. thr potttery was stop number 17. it was a good two days with lots of traffic. many of the folks who came were locals which means i got to make some new friends. though it was hot, i enjoyed getting the chance to throw pots outside. who knows...i might even make a habit out of it!