This March, 2024, I took off work for one month to embark on a studio adventure. I packed my bags and left for Lindsborg, KS, to spend the month wandering town and decorating a batch of my hand thrown pottery. Each piece was made on the pottery wheel by me in the months leading up to the residency. Then, I used ceramics paints called "underglazes" to embellish each piece. My mission was to collect motifs and stories to tell using my pottery and decorations. I haven't painted much since I graduated Bethany College in 2014, so this month was spent exploring and getting comfortable with my paintbrushes again.
Nothing beats the smells that full blooms of peonies give off in a garden. I loved going to my grandmother, Patty's, house where she cultivated a yard of peonies, day lilies and tall trees that were fun to play around. I have fond memories of wandering her yard when her flowers were in full bloom to breathe in the fresh perfumes.Â
This painted tile measures 4"w x 4"h.