Art Elements Gallery

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Could it BeBeing a new artist in a gallery brings a new sense of responsibility for me. It feels like my duty to publicize the gallery and the other artists as much as my own work there because I want us all to succeed. The more people who know about the fine work there, the better chance our artwork will wind up going home with just the right person someday.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to meet several of the local artists who are part of the Art Element Gallery family and chat with some of their First Friday Art Walk regulars. Romona Youngquist is the flagship artist there, with many luscious oil paintings. Jay Noller is a Corvallis artist (and neighbor) and his paintings feature earth pigments that fit the Newberg area’s fascination with jory, red hills soil. When Pam Nicols had a show last year they created a short video of her talking about how she incorporates rusted paper…yes, rusted paper, into her encaustics.

Regular artist talks held at the gallery have created engaged customers and many fans. Thanks to Loni and Lauren for bringing me in to such a wonderful space.

My page on the Art  Element Website

My Name in the News . . .

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Always terrific when the press turns an interested eye toward arts and crafts. Our local Alt Newspaper, The Corvallis Advocate has been running a number of artist profiles and so got my turn in the limelight thanks to reporter Mandy Clark. It was a fun show and tell since she was so enthusiastic.

Mandy is someone to watch. Not only has she run a successful Etsy shop while finishing school and working full time, she also is on the editorial board of a NW press, blogs faithfully about pizza (YUM!) and luckily for us is sharing her talents with The CVO Advocate. Here’s a link to the feature she wrote about lil ole me:

http://www.corvallisadvocate.com/2014/local-potter-cynthia-spencer/

LBCC Invitational Show

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I’m in good company at the North Santiam Gallery on the Main LBCC Campus. William Park, S Tellez and Kristen Kuhns amazed me with their work and I look forward to hearing their comments at the Artist Talk and Reception, noon-1 pm, Thursday, January 30, 2014.

Thanks to Rich Bergeman for a beautiful installation with large pieces, small pieces, bold color and brown woodfired pots. (That little pedestal to the left is my “Impossible Dream” next to William’s biggee.)

Are We There Yet?

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Cynthia Spencer Are We There YetThis piece was started at a workshop I taught last spring. It was a request piece and I struggled to get it roughed out in a day but didn’t quite make it. People were patient with my trying to get the floppy sides dried enough to put together. (I didn’t use the naughty words I would’ve been using if alone in my studio.) Finished up the form later that day and then took several days to get it carved into the shape I wanted, tho it slumped a bit more in the firing into this shape. Used a multi-layered color scheme to go with it’s slightly off-beat shape.

12″ x 12″x 8″ – Sold

Goddess Sculpture for your Garden

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Garden Goddess

Garden Goddess

All the years I did the fairs I had much better luck with these at garden shows than art festivals. Was it because gardeners have more on their mind than skinny body images? Are gardeners more earthy and down with the idea that bountiful is beautiful?

In any event, a Garden Goddess will watch over the steady growth and well being of any flower bed in which she is placed. They are hollow with nowhere for freezing ice to collect, so can live outdoors year-round.

Stoneware with porcelain inlay. Custom order one of these $500-$650 depending on size. Please give me 6-8 weeks.

P.S. Once, a friend placed a container inside and used one for a huge centerpiece arrangement for a big dinner party. Wish I had a photo!

Happy Child Ceramic Sculpture

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Happy Child Sculpture

Stoneware Happy Child

Happy Child wants to dance in your home or garden…
On my way to making 100 of these…my spotty records show over 70 have found homes.

Have had fantasies of contacting all of the families with these in their collections to have one big “family reunion” and then take a photo of them all in one big group. Alas, have been an admin person long enough to know that would be a nightmare of organizing.

Height 14″ to 20″ – $350 – $500
Specify carved heart or without.

Color for Your Garden

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Stacking Garden Sculpture

Began making these whimsical stacked pieces as a Ceramics Guild group project for daVinci Days Corvallis’ summer Arts, Science and Tech Festival. Trying to rush that first one I managed to blow up a couple of the bigger pieces — TWICE! Ended up gluing them together for the final installation. Kept making them, with much better survival rate now. One is in the collection of the “Doyenne of Dirt,” NPR’s Ketzel Levine. These pieces are glazed in bright colors (brighter than in this photo) and have been highfired for durability outside in your garden. 5ft to 7ft tall, $650-$850 depending on complexity. . . . and yes the bird will sit better on the one I make for you. Needed to cut 2 inches off the pole, and then didn’t get another photo before this one went out the door.