Thoughts? Interest? Anyone Out There?

T-shirts would sport this logo, but without the white outline
around the letters.

Most of you know I got laid off at the beginning of the year. (Happy New Year! Woo-hoo! *eye roll*) I've got some things I need to get for ShellHawk's Creations (new kiln and sundry stuff), and I was wondering if anyone would be willing to buy t-shirts? I was thinking of taking pre-orders, but I'd like to see if there's any interest, first.

Please comment! :D

Happy Arbor Day

A few shots of my favorite trees, living and dead...

 Happy Arbor Day!

Confessions of an Artist

It's been one of those busy weeks where I can't actually feel like I've accomplished much, even though I have.

Since I've had my foot surgery (and am now out of the Darth Vader boot for a while), it's been necessary to catch up on homey things so that Mr. ShellHawk can get a breather and focus on what he needs to do. Every morning, I've wanted to just get up and go straight out to my studio to make things, but it just hasn't worked out.

Monday, I managed to get out to the studio for a bit, after doing some picking up and general housework. The roses were far past needing pruning and deadheading, so that was most of Tuesday. Yesterday was spent trying to talk AT&T into fixing my wireless network, since my printer keeps popping on and off of it and didn't before they installed U-Verse. (I get to call them again today to fix it again!) I did manage to run the kiln, but in a totally rookie move I haven't done in a very long time, I seriously misjudged how dry my jacks were and blew all three of them up. So I get to go out and make more to replace them. I did manage to get a couple of snake hides done for my herpetologist friend, Sam, so he'll be happy.

I still need to get pics taken and more listings done for my Etsy store. I need to glaze what came out of the kiln. I need to go and actually buy my new kiln. An internationally known clay artist, Tip Toland is in town, and I need to take the opportunity to go see her work and chit-chat with her.

In other words, the days are sliding away with alarming speed, and I just don't feel like I'm accomplishing anything! I know you have weeks like that, too, huh? 

I did manage to make this large (for me) bowl, which I'm quite proud of. I changed the angle of the rim after this pic, though I'll probably make others with this feature. And if you haven't noticed, this is where having a larger kiln will be handy, since this bowl will take up almost half of my little kiln. My jacks are getting larger, too, so I need to accommodate them and make my firings far more efficient. 

I started glazing the things which came out of the bisque firing, plus I decided to finish up some Christmas crap that was lying around and taking up valuable space. If I take care of those things and finish them, I can pack them away for the Christmas season this year.

I've been doing my best to clean up my studio and re-organize it, a little at a time, so that when it's time to bring in the new kiln, it won't be as difficult to make the space. I keep trying to negotiate with Mr. ShellHawk to let me have the bigger side of the garage, but so far, no dice. He thinks he can't get his Corvette into the third car garage, but I'm like, "Hello? our neighbor has one in his third car and he gets it in and out with no problem!" Still nothing. I don't think I'm going to win that particular discussion! Lol.

Coda in the foreground, and her bestie, Sam.

Meanwhile, my tiny little puppy, Sam, turned three this month, and Coda turned nine months old. She is now as tall as Sam is, and has almost two more years of growing to do. She's going to be a really big Shepherd! She's as sweet as pie, and seems to be getting along with other dogs very well, unlike Sam. (Another project for when the screw comes out of my foot is to work on Sam's fear of other dogs.)

Next week I get to find out when the screw comes out of my foot, so yay, me!

I guess that's it for now. More soon, I'm sure!

11:55. Almost Midnight...

Click on the pic for one of the best openings of a movie, ever!

Happy Birthday, Antonio Bay...

Oh, and hat tip to Pumpkinrot for finding this lovely tribute to John Carpenter's The Fog.

Happy Easter/Easter Bunny Gone Wrong: A ShelHawk's Nest Tradition

Click on the nice bunny for some Easter wrongness...

Happy Easter, guys!

America's ClayFest is This Weekend!

Well, it's upon me, already! America's ClayFest will be opening in Roseville, California at the Blue Line Arts Gallery on Saturday. My piece, "The Most Interesting Jackalope in the World," was selected for this prestigious international ceramic art show, and I've really been looking forward to it.

Unfortunately, there's been a hitch.

I had to ship my piece FedEx. And, during the wrapping process, they broke it. My bad shipping karma seems to be perfectly intact. In speaking with the gallery (who have been fantastic about communicating and sending pictures, even though they're in the middle of trying to set up a show), they let me know that in spite of all my requests at to how this piece was to be packed, all those requests were ignored. The reason I had them wrap it is because if something like this happened, they'd be responsible. I also insured it, though now I'm told the amount for which it was insured is not what they'll cover. Of course, I beg to differ, since nno one told me that at the time I insured the piece. I will fight them tooth and nail on this.

 I am hoping the gallery will be able to repair it. The reality is, though, that even if they can, no one will buy a piece that's had this kind of damage. 

The crushing disappointment, of course, is the opportunity lost. This show only happens once a year, is juried, and there's no guarantee I'll be chosen next year. I felt like crying all day.

Fortunately, no day which starts off with bad news is a complete waste. I got the good news that I've been accepted to Scare LA, and will probably teach some kind of class while I'm there. (Not sure what, as of yet!) I'm looking forward to this new show, and started on the new crop of jacks yesterday. I'll pop into the studio and get some more stuff done today, as well. I've got some ideas for some new things, plus some re-vamping of old things.
Onward!

Bride of Otto

Copyright Brian Kesinger.

Lovely piece by one of my fave artists, Brian Kesinger, of Walking Your Octopus fame. (I hear a second book, Traveling With Your Octopus, is in process.)

I did a post on Brian a few months ago, in case you'd like to read about him. I was delighted to find he also has an Etsy store! (So much to love!) Tootle on over there and check out his work!

Quickie

Been makin' some mini-boos while I've been down, to start getting ready for Halloween and Vine (and hopefully, Scare LA).

People like these, but they're unaware of the things they do in the night. In the dark. When you're alone...

The mini-boo in the video belongs to Mike Cathcart of The Skull and Pumpkin blog, and he looks like he's in good company.

Hauntcast 58 - Ash Wednesday

Sorry to have disappeared this week! My nephew and my sister-in-law came for a visit and we've been spending a bunch of quality time together, and all around having a blast!

Meanwhile, the new Hauntcast has come out!

HAUNTING GURU INTERVIEW:The Propmaster’s winner of best indoor haunt in 2008 and best how-to in 2009, longtime haunter Noah Fentz of Katzper’s Haunt hangs out (from the rafters) in the dungeon.

BONE PHONE:Roger Hayes crank dials Chris on the Bone Phone to pimp his Kickstarter campaign for“Home Haunting for Mere Mortals” how-to book.

GHOULIE GROOVES:Taking you by the hand and leading you Hellbound, Canadian rockers The Creepshow bury Chris alive after they marry the Devil’s Son

SHOCKTAILS:JT and Chris fall off their bar stools after consuming cases of IPA while blathering about the plethora of horror movies dropping this month as well as reviewing Patrick

THE MARKETING MORGUE:Mr. Terhune gets the munchies for Cookies of Evil and how Girl Scout cookie marketing relates to your haunt.

THEATER OF THE MINDRevenant notices that some of the spookiest stuff out there can be remembered from our own childhoods… and that ain’t no fairy tale

THE CHARMED POT:Frankenfooted Shellhawk hobbles into the Mystery Machine and drives back into time to pull the mask off our favorite Horror related cartoons from our past.

THE PROP SHOP:Denny gives his past two years as Hauntcast’s prop guy a reach around and climaxes with his final prop building tips.

TERROR TURNPIKE:Vysther road trips to Creepy World in Revenant’s backyard, Saint Louis

MAD PROPS FOR PROPS:The creative mind behind the Garage of Terror is opened up and laid bare with James’ Brain-pan Head Dissection prop, 1st place winner in Haunt Forum’s 2013 propbuilder’s challenge.

PLUS!Sponsor Asylum Coffin hooks up two lucky minions with a Hearth Coffin.Congrats to winners Shelly Madden and Robert Wolf!

Next month is the last month I'll be doing a Charmed Pot segment, as Chris has decided to feature only the original three Scream Team members on the final episode of Hauntcast, which will be free. It feels strange to be winding the show down for a second time. There's no doubt that I'll miss it!

Anyway, enjoy!