Notices by Pottery by Osa (potterybyosa@mastodon.social)

Photo taken from bed. I’m feeling very tired today and fighting the urge to get up and go because there really isn’t anything that needs my immediate attention. There’s real urgency and then there’s that false sense of urgency that you can learn to recognize and resist. And then you can use that newfound space to rest.

I live in a coastal town and draw tons of inspiration from water. We went for a swim today and I could feel the relieving effect the crisp water had on my body. Like everyone, I worry about plastic. There’s always some type of litter at the beach. In a few months, it will be hurricane season during which time we have to confront the raw power of nature and the consequences of living out of balance. I’m here for it all, good & bad, peaceful & terrifying. I’ve never felt so connected to a place.

I'm prepping for tomorrow's workshop with UnidosNow, a local Hispanic/Latinx org that has been shaken by the recent wave of deportations and has decided that working with #clay would be a grounding, healing activity to help cope with that reality.

Before the hands-on clay part, I'll share photos of the #Taino potter I met in #PuertoRico when we visited in 2023. #AliceCheverez of Morovis carries on the ancient art of her people, passed on to her by her mother. #alttext #Indigenous #ceramics

Update: This was my first olla experiment. The seedlings did great without any surface watering (except from the rain, which we haven’t had enough of—we’re in a drought.) I’ve filled the ollas with #rainwater about once every 14 days. Our temperatures have ranged between a low of 50°F at night to 78°F during the day. My #zinnias are usually are either too dry or develop powdery mildew when I hose water. So far, I’ve had neither problem. #gardening #OllasByOsa

Ollas drying in the sun. The funny pointy ones are upside down. Those are for houseplants—a new design.

Most of my houseplants are low maintenance (different types of pothos & succulents) but I have a couple that start to give up the ghost whenever they’re just the slightest bit thirsty. Those dramatic plants that droop and wilt when they’ve only been dry for like one day? That’s who the houseplant ollas are for.

#OllasByOsa #gardening #SustainableGardening #plants #pottery #ceramics

#Clay is so common, I can't believe I took no notice of it for most of my life. As soon as I learned it was abundant in the landscape, I just started seeing it everywhere. "Earthen Rainbow: Working with #WildClay Terra Sigillata at Midrange" is a #zine I wrote describing this experience of connecting with the land and how it's inspired my studio practice. It's also a guide for other clay artists, with technical tips and recipes.

https://potterybyosa.com/collections/clay-zine-workshops

#ZinesByOsa #pottery #ceramics #zines

I made a #zine sharing my experiments and explorations collecting and using #wildclay to decorate my pottery as a way to encourage others to dabble with free, local materials in an easy, non-technical way. I share process, recipes and insights, letting you into my studio practice. Lots of photos of clay samples & test tiles. Available in print or digital (including a printer spread so you can print and make your own zine.)
https://potterybyosa.com/collections/clay-zine-workshops
#ZinesByOsa #pottery #ceramics

Whenever I have new #pottery ready, I send an email to my subscribers. It’s a way for me to communicate with people who want to buy my work and it’s also a place to express myself in more than 500 characters since I like to write. I describe my process, explain the thoughts behind certain pieces, share my inspirations, etc. If you’d like to sign up, visit my website.

“Community ownership is central to Tainá. The data are stored locally—not on the cloud—and the community decides which parts get shared with the world. It’s a far cry from the status quo of “Big Tech lords deciding what to do with our data,” explained Gatto. Gatto is also a member of #GainForest, a Zurich-based science nonprofit that started Tainá and has worked with Inhaã-bé members for a year.”
https://atmos.earth/indigenous-groups-are-safeguarding-culture-with-their-own-chatgpt/
#indigenous #tech #ChatGPT #ai #science

Just unloaded the kiln and everything came out great including these jars. They’ll make great kitchen storage for #compost, cookies, rice, oats—or perhaps the most cheerful burial urn you’ve ever seen. I’ll keep the one that came out with a slightly troublesome lid and offer the one that came out perfectly. #beautility #utilitarianclay #ceramics #keramik #pottery

Working on a pair of #compost crocks (among other things) to hopefully be fired by the end of the month. We’ve outgrown our old one so one of these will be the replacement. They each hold somewhere around a gallon/4L. The double handles make them easy to carry & dump, and the lids fit snuggly. They’re sturdy pieces of functional ware, which also serve as decorative objects when not in use. I’m excited to see them glazed. #beautility #functionalpottery #gardening #permaculture #ceramics #pottery

Colonizers loot our art and then devalue it at the same time. This is why you see white art traders selling #AfricanArt at a premium but actual African artists suffer and die broke. I think specifically of #NestaNala as I write this. She was a Zulu potter from South Africa, held in a similar esteem as #MariaMartinez. Learn her story.

Never believe that your #art doesn’t matter, especially if you’re of a marginalized identity. We’re constantly being duped and brainwashed and it’s maddening.

I always figured the British colonized #Nigeria primarily for its natural resources, but I recently came to understand how valuable they found the #artsandcrafts of the #KingdomOfBenin to be. I always figured this was a secondary interest, but that’s incorrect. The British understood the cultural & economic value of art, yet somehow today we’re made to question whether the #art we make has any value. #colonization #colonisation

Being a potter means drawing from a vocabulary of tried-and-true forms: mugs, teapots, bowls, pitchers, etc. However, these archetypal forms have European & Asian origins.

I thought it would be interesting to everyone & affirming to other Black ceramicists to reference #African forms in contemporary tableware. The combining of European, Asian and African ceramics traditions goes back to mid-20th century, but that history is omitted from US #ceramic education. See #alttext for details. #pottery

I’m preparing to offer #ollasbyosa for the first time next weekend and I’m really struggling with pricing. I wish they could be $15 a pop, but I wouldn’t be paying myself a living wage. Ollas are such a great environmental solution, I wish they could be as cheap as possible. Going the #DIY route (prefab terracotta pots & silicone) is the most cost effective but then you’re just buying cheap corporate products manufactured overseas. Artful #environmentalism only for those with $$ is a sad thing.

Inspired by the work of the late artist and curator David Driskell, this #documentary spotlights the indelible contributions of some of the foremost #AfricanAmerican artists in today's contemporary art world. From #TheasterGates and #KerryJamesMarshall to #FaithRinggold #AmySherald, and many more, the film focuses on their pioneering work featured in the groundbreaking 1976 "Two Centuries of Black American Art" exhibition held at the Los Angeles County Museum of #Art. https://youtu.be/FM5p1Xe4NEk?si=sLA1otHC4b3NiknB

I was building my portfolio last night and came across this photo of a piece from my 1st solo show in 2022. As I've explained before, I can't get this glaze to work anymore so I won't be making pieces like this anytime soon.

The pitcher & basin set resembles Botticelli’s #Venus standing in a clam shell. However, the intention of this piece was simply to honor #water as a ritual element with spiritual significance, not to reference the painting.

#pottery #ceramics #historicalforms

Since I wiped my IG, there’s no way for people to see my progress over the years. I’m thinking about adding a gallery of past work to my website to remedy this. 1st photo shows work from 2017, 2nd photo shows work from 2024.

I started making #pottery in 2013 at age 34. I knew nothing of handmade #ceramics or the history behind it and had to self-educate. After over a decade studying historical pottery & natural materials, my pieces have become living cultural artifacts. #alttext for details.

#collage Valentine card for my husband @joeyomahoney. We first got together around this time 11 years ago. We were living in New Orleans and I was playing in a V Day cover band benefit show as #SleaterKinney. After the show he gave me a small heart cut from a skateboard and a kiss. I mostly dated women before him and never thought I’d end up marrying a #whiteguy but at some point none of those social identities matter. He’s my soul mate and best friend. #LoveIsLove

Living #BlackHistory. I’m working on a #documentary about my mentor, retired Syracuse Univ Professor and master potter #DavidMacDonald. Was very surprised to learn that many #HBCUs had #ceramics programs, most of which are now defunct. David attended Hampton U and had an African American ceramics professor, Joseph Gilliard. David’s personal story is a portal into the entire history of Black ceramic art in the US.
https://vimeo.com/733775905