changes

Dearest Friends,

It has been months since I have posted anything here and I have received a number of emails and comments asking if I am okay and why have I stopped writing.

Back in 2006 when I started writing this blog, I was living and making my work in a studio on 96 acres in rural New York with two friends, four cats and a couple of dogs. The peace and quiet was wonderful but I was feeling a little isolated and was craving contact with my community. Blog writing on the subject of ceramics was still relatively novel and I had the time to write. It all just seemed to fit. Then I moved back to San Francisco, blog in hand, and continued to have a lot of fun writing. But about a year ago I started to lose steam. I am not certain why, but mainly I think there is a lifespan to these things. They are born out of need and when that need is met, new needs present themselves and what once was satisfying can start to feel like a chore.

Then this summer, I made the cover of Ceramics Monthly and suddenly I felt like everyone was expecting me to say something more. I have received hundreds of emails since, asking me a multitude of questions, from show inquiries, to questions on how to run a small business to folks wanting me to share my process. And while this has brought many wonderful opportunities my way, it has also been a little overwhelming trying to keep up with all of it while trying to run a business. My immediate response was to want to hide. At my core, I can be a very shy person and having to act on demand is not something I do comfortably. Just ask my mom about this one. She couldn't get me to speak a word of Hungarian as a small child (I hated being the center of attention) but years later, on my own accord, I would move to Hungary and teach myself how to speak the language. I have a contrary nature that way. Frustrating, I am certain, to those who are close to me.

I guess what I am saying is that the only way I can do this is if I feel compelled to. Unfortunately, I just haven't felt it. I can't do it simply because people want me to. It just doesn't fit with who I am. Also, I am in the process revamping my website and with this overhaul I intend to add a dynamic news/blog page but want to leave this open and am not yet certain how that will look. I am looking forward to a fresh start and perhaps something less focused on me and my work alone.

Without question the writing of this blog has changed my life and has brought countless amazing people and opportunities my way.
For this I am EXTREMELY grateful.
I want thank you all, from the top and bottom of my heart,
for reading, your continued support and for all your kind comments along the way.

I hope you will follow me into the future.

xo
Diana
(one black bird)

Milestones

The other day I was having lunch with my good friends Annie and Eric at their wonderful studio. While we were eating Banh Mi and drinking champagne (it was Eric's birthday), Eric made a point to congratulate me making the cover of Ceramics Monthly and then told me this story;

When he was a young art student and needed a bit of inspiration, he would often go into the student office and look through the collection of magazines that the school provided. Amongst that pile of magazines there would always be an issue or two of Ceramics Monthly, they may have been really old, he said, but they would always be there. He would leaf through the magazines to get creative ideas and perhaps daydream about making something like the things he saw and entertain romantic notions of maybe, one day, seeing his work on the cover of one of those magazines. Eric looked at me and said; "Diana, isn't it so cool that you will inspire some unknown young aspiring artist out there who will find this issue with your work on the cover buried in the pile of magazines and be inspired to do the same?"

I looked at Eric and said, I was 'that' student twenty years ago.

I want to extend my deepest gratitude
to those of you who have inspired, encouraged and supported me on this journey. I truly could have not come this far without it.
There have been many moments when I wanted to throw in the towel and inevitably someone would say to me,
"you can't, you can't give up."

This is for you, all of you.

xo

Hi Friends,
It's spring and time to swing open the doors!

Please come on by next Saturday
11:00 a.m until 6:00 p.m.
1044 Revere Street unit B29 (upstairs)
San Francisco, CA 94124
view map

I have a lot of new work plus plenty of lovely items like necklaces and small vases for those of you looking for that special sumpthin', sumpthin' for mom.

But wait...
There's more!

I am excited to announce that I will be begin teaching monthly workshops in my studio.

The first one is on Saturday, May 9th.

This workshop is designed for you to come and be creative for an
afternoon in the studio. During the workshop I will demonstrate a
number of surface techniques on leather hard and bisqued tiles
including; monoprinting, scraffito, the use of old letterpress and
rubber stamps, hand painting, stencil imagery, resist techniques and
how to transfer images onto clay, as well as the use of glaze pencils
and pastels. Along with demonstration you will have ample studio time
to work on your tiles.

***
Please me email at
diana@dianafayt.com
if you would like more information about the workshop.

Hope to see you there!

hi ho hi ho

off to NCECA I go!

blue bowls

I am buried people.
Between, preparing for shows, taxes, getting work done to take to NCECA and a few other top secret adventures that I can't talk about just yet, I just haven't had the time to write.

I wanted to pop in to say hello and at least give you a little eye candy.

These bad boys will be available for purchase Greenwich House "Made in Clay' sale/auction that opens on April 3rd.

Happy Spring!

a weeks work

Sunday

Made Seville Orange Marmalade.
(My bowls came in handy for holding the deconstructed oranges.)

Monday

Sigh of relief! My work arrives on time and safely to
Lark & Key Gallery!
(Whilst I pack and ship orders in the studio.)



Tuesday

Loaded up my shop with all kinds of new goodies.
(Items in above photo included)

Wednesday

Guest lectured at my alma-mater and gave a demonstration on surface techniques to a a beginning ceramics class.
(I am really enjoying teaching again!)



Thursday

Show opens at Lark & Key Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Duy Huynh paintings and I am the featured potter.
(Thank you Sandy and Duy!)

Friday

Screen Printed thank you cards and envelopes.
(Purchase something from my shop and you get one of these included with your order.)



Saturday

Cleaned my apartment in preparation for upcoming Posse gathering that I will be hosting next week.
(Vase, by me. Flowers, courtesy of my garden)

in the news

Hi Friends,
I've been ever so busy these days.
It's been kinda crazy here in Diana land but things are moving right along and my year is already off to a great start.
In between guest lecturing, hosting far away guests, preparing for shows and having my work featured in this magazine, I have also been doing my best to keep my shop stocked (many of the items in the above photo are in the shop now).
Also I am participating in another show that is ongoing until April at the John Michael Kohler Center called, To Have and To Hold: Ceramic Art Vessels. If you are in the area please go and have a look.

Hope all of you are staying warm and dry.
At the moment we are very soggy here in San Francisco.
A much needed sog!

I'll be back soon with more updates on late breaking news.

tongue tied

I decided it's best not to belabor the point about why I have become so inconsistent with blog entries. I do think something shifted for me last spring when I made a conscious decision to not complain anymore. Suddenly I found that I had nothing to write about. Which is kind of funny when you think about it. I mean really, I could write about all the things I wasn't complaining about but then I became self conscious of that too; Not wanting to be all sunshine and roses, which can be very annoying in it's own right. Then I confused myself and now I have so many stockpiled photos and stories of things that I haven't told you about it's like I've left all my homework to the last minute and I don't know where to begin. So I am just jumping back in. Starting fresh with a photo of a new piece that I just sent off for this show at the Kohler Art Center.

Hello 2009, I'm ready for you!
(and I promise to complain a little so that I'll have something to say)

old world holiday

*Happy Holidays Friends*
Thank you for your continued support through out the year (s).

Be well.
Stay warm.
&
Share the love.

See you all in the new year.

xo,
Diana