'Poppies Up-date'

Just a quick up-date on the 'Poppies Award'- I was so glad (relieved & thankful) to see my favourite HANDMADE ceramic artists on the podium over at the Poppytalk blog.  Both the jury and people's choices were all really amazing shops highlighting my favourite artists and creators.  Congratulations to all of them:) especially the ceramic shops- Diana Fayt, Ayumie Horie, Up in the Air Somewhere, Ray Dunn and Brooklyn Rehab! Yay for handmade!

**UP-DATE: Faythe Lavine included all her favourite choices on her blog and my shop was in her ceramics category!  It makes me so proud- thanks Faythe!**

Lucie Rie

As far as historical ceramics goes, I've always been enamored with Lucie Rie's pottery.  In love, actually. If I ever came close to a piece of hers, I think my heart would skip a few beats!  My good friend Lise Kuhr actually 'dared' (her work sells upwards of $40 000 for a bowl) to hold a piece that was up for auction at an auction house in London.  She got all dressed up, walked right in, and asked to see the bowl that was being auctioned off. Picked it up and held it.  I was jealous when she told me.

Lucie Rie's work bears a style that is truly her own.  When I first saw the grouping of her pots in the first photo on the blog 'an ambitious project collapsing' I knew instantly that they were hers.  The beauty about someone's style being so distinct is that everyone who tries to 'copy' it can't really compete with the real deal. 

That's something that I wanted to do when I started my ceramics career.  I wanted to make pots that didn't leave an ounce of doubt in someone's mind that they were mine. I didn't even want someone to have to flip the piece over to check the stamp/signature out to have to confirm who made it. And that's how I measure a good pot these days- by someone's signature style that is so distinct from the firs time you lay eyes on their work. 
There is one more week to vote for the Poppies Ceramics category on the Poppytalk blog.  There are some really amazing other contemporary potters (with distinct signature styles) to vote for along with myself.  Please vote (I'm not at all impressed with who's in the lead, hoping someone who really deserves the award will actually win it!)

Vote for me!

Well the final nominations over at the Poppytalk Blog are up and lo and behold,  I've made it in the final ceramics category!  I'm thrilled to have made it this far, now here's how you can help my Poppies get a Poppy!
The voting will remain open for for one week effective today through to Monday January 25th, 2010 at 11:59 pm.

 

Here's how the voting will work:

 

One vote will be allowed per computer and one vote per category. 

Vote for me OFTEN during the voting week -  by posting something from my blog, email newsletter, site, facebook page or twitter.  

There will be two awards for each category:

1) The Peoples Choice Award
2) Jury's Choice Award- (Jury to be advised).

And the PRIZES (drumroll please...)

For each winner of each category (chosen by you)

1. A one month's free participation at Poppytalk Handmade
2. A "I won a Poppy" banner/button for your site or blog!
3. A one year's text link from the Poppytalk blog's main page under "The Poppies" category
4. Traffic to you from Poppytalk

Final overall winner (chosen by a jury of select bloggers)

1. A three month participation at Poppytalk Handmade
2. A "I won a Poppy" banner/button for your site or blog!
3. A one year's text link from the Poppytalk blog's main page under "The Poppies" category
4. Traffic to you from Poppytalk

Blogland links and awards

A few links that I forgot to mention in the last post

Just saw the new Niche Awards site with the Finalist's section including my Poppy Vase under Ceramics, Molded category.  It's really interesting to see who my 'competitors' are- the work in my category is all soooo different that it will be interesting to actually see who wins the category!

Poppytalk has a new contest called 'the Poppies'- a little award for the best of!  I'm just off to do some voting for my favourite shops and thought maybe you might like to as well!

Some good blog reads that got me thinking and leaving replies as of late were: this one by Bliss in a Teacup all about connecting online and leaving comments to connect with other bloggers.
And this one by Kristin Kieffer, all about finding one's 'Signature Style' and how finding your own style will inform your work and make it your own.  Both things I've been thinking about as I embark on a new year!
Happy reading!