Admittedly, I do love making pottery when inspired to do so. It's satisfying to wire off a slice of porcelain from a 25# chunk that has traveled from Tacoma to Alaska. In the past, I would order a palette of porcelain that came by barge to Anchorage, by Span Alaska to Wasilla, and finally to Willow in our truck. Two bags of porcelain in each 50# box.  Once unloaded and stacked under the studio, I was set with a good clay supply for months. Keith would deliver the bags as needed.  Recently, we shifted to a USPS delivery of only a few boxes at a time, not knowing how long the han ..read more

🎶🎶🎶🎶 ... said the night wind to the little lamb These are lyrics from a Christmas song "written in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis as a plea for peace. The lyrics reflect a hope for peace on Earth..." which is our hope for people around the world. The lyrics, by Noel Regney, conclude with, "The Child, the Child, sleeping in the night, He will bring us goodness and light, He will bring us goodness and light."  That, too, is our hope for the future: goodness and light!   Merry Christmas to each and every one of you.  May we all spread goodness and light in 2025!  Keith a ..read more

Today, the final kiln of 2024 was unloaded! New pieces. New forms. New glaze combos. Come see. The plan is to post images here on Dec. 15, showing some of the new work.  The studio will have lots of "open" time between now and Christmas.  Some hours will be announced, but there's no need to wait for that. Simply send a text to be sure we are at the studio and we'll agree on a good time for you to come.  (907-360-3696) We are on Shirley Lake, less than 10 minutes from the Willow Library and Community Center. (25879 W Southlake Dr.) Do you want to select...or do you want to i ..read more

 Wow!  Thanksgiving was wonderful!  Hope yours was as well.   How soon the calendar turned to December, though!     Please check previous postings on this blog to see samples of finished pottery pieces.   Tonight, I'm showing only paperwhites in our garage and  the bisqueware in the studio to be glazed and fired this week.          Yes, there are new pottery pieces underway!  Available soon in a studio near you...if you live in MatSu! Or, drop me a note for more information if you don't live near our Will ..read more

 A new batch of clay has arrived, the "to do" list has grown, and it's time for the potter to focus. Much as I love studio time, I am doing less of it these days.  Too many other community involvements, perhaps,  one distraction after another, and yes, the pace and productivity have slowed. After this weekend of CERT training, my goal is to shuffle priorities a bit to spend more time with clay....new ornament designs, nativity sets, mugs, trays and bowls of many sizes, butter crocks, and more. Have some colored clay accents to try and there is a growing list of requests to addre ..read more

 I like to show a few of the newest pieces from the kiln so you have a better idea of what to expect in the studio on the Willow Garden Tour...which happens TOMORROW! This is a design you will see on many of my pieces  going forward. Carved, stamped, Alaskan. "Spruce and Moose" is the theme. Think small pitcher, heart bowl, toothpick holder, treats or coins. Or think anything you'd choose to put in these pieces. Vase, covered dishes, holder for large sponge. Floral arrangement bowls or mosquito coil holders. A French butter dish assemble ..read more

 The Tour flyer with additional information providing directions and garden descriptions is available on the Willow Garden Club Blog. Photos of some of the pottery in the studio are shown in previous WillowAK Pottery Blog postings. Take a look to see if a stop here to say hello and check out the pottery is a good idea for you. This note is simply to say SAVE the DATE of Saturday, July 20, 2024, for touring gardens and art. It is a self-guided tour. Visit the locations in whatever order you'd like. Consider it a day for appreciating the beauty of gardening and art as you learn and socializ ..read more

Hope Mother's Day was a good day for you, whatever your circumstances. A little bit of everything here weatnerwise:  sunshine, heavy rain, sleet; light showers, sun again!     Part I...Things don't always work out as we expect they will when it comes to pottery: 1.  I loaded mugs for Don after adding LOTS of white snow on the spruce boughs, and refired them. He wants "very wintery" mugs like his favorite one made several years ago. Well, apparently the white glaze doesn't have quite the punch it once had, and the blue has changed, too. Below is Don's favorite mug ..read more

Hello!Yesterday a full load of bisqueware was unloaded from the kiln and washed. Today the plan is to wax the bottoms of pieces in preparation for glazing. It's an eclectic collection of work, for sure.  Hoping to have it glazed and fired a second time, ready to leave the studio prior to Mother's Day! Here's a peek at some pieces: Pieces with text; this has a quotation from John Muir. For floral arrangements...or as someone else suggested, a mosquito coil burner, which we're likely to need soon. A large, wood-grained serving platter.  Creations of differen ..read more

The yard is full of snow. Today the colored lights on the front porch will come down, as will those in the loft. We've had Christmas, my birthday, New Year, and Keith's birthday.  We've appreciated special visits with family and friends in recent weeks and are so very grateful to be looking forward to longer days, more sunshine, and decent health -- for you and for us.  This week, the clay mixer in the studio is due to have a new controller installed, and soon we hope Keith's John Deere snowblower will again be performing as it should.  Still more research to do on tha ..read more