In Febuary of 1999, I started 'The Potter's House' on the West Bay road, here in Basseterre, St. Kitts. I had been making pottery since 1993 and used the name 'Pottery Creations by Carla'. Ever since I began making pottery I worked from home. I moved to Camps Estate House in 2004. I just realised that major change came at a five year interval. So now five years later , I am going through the biggest change both on a personal and career level. What do I do? The time has come to move. It was extremely difficult to find the right place. I wanted to grab at anyplace where I could continue as I always had...live, work and play! The universe was demanding that I change and I tried my best to continue as always. Well, I have finally given in to the natural course of things. I have found a place to live. My daughters and I will be living in a place which is quiet but the view and the sound of the ocean is exactly what my soul requires. I am happy that I will live for a while in such a place.
Careerwise, I will be moving The Potter's House to Spencer Cameron Building on West Independance Square, at the heart of St. Kitts historic district. I will be working and displaying my pottery in one of the rooms on the first floor of the building. Other artisans and artists, including Rosie Cameron herself, Glass Island are already occupying some of the rooms in the Building. I think Rosie Cameron has hit on a great idea to get some of us under one roof. I gave this alot of thought. Sometimes I wanted to do it and other times I didn't. Tonight, as I sat on the verandah, breathing in the clean, fresh evening air, I received the message loud and clear that this is what I should do and this is how to do it. So I am doing it! I am making the change! I have been packing for days now. And Steve has been using the jeep to move the boxes into my new home. By next week Tuesday I will be fully installed there. Hopefully, I will be able to focus on setting up the gallery space within the next couple weeks, so as to be ready for the upcoming visitor season.
Early this morning, we fired up the kiln at this location for the last time. Both Steve and I had worked on creating pieces over the last couple weeks. He packed the kiln and fired it up. By late this afternoon the firing was complete. We will be packing, dismantling, moving and reinstalling over the next few days...I may be out of touch due to untility transfers. I'll be back as soon as possible.
Peace and thanks for all you who have supported my in my search.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Finding a new place to house, The Potter's House
In late January, the owners of the house where I am currently located came to see me, to let me know that it was time to vacate the premises...and thus began my search for a new home.
It hasn't been an easy task, finding a place to house me, my children and The Potter's House. Will I get the opportunity again, to live, work and play.
I found a house in February, it would have been okay, but I didn't see anyplace where I could work, so I asked the owner if I could build a place in the yard. He told me he had another place which he was refurbishing and said that would be better for me. The thing is he couldnt begin the process of refurbishing immediately. I didn't mind because we were in the height of the visitor season and moving immediately would be disastrous for my business. I had already told the owners that I would move around April if that was okay with them. That decision however, caused me to change my mind many times over the next few months. Did I want to live in that area. Should I build my own house. I started the search for other options. I came to the decision that I should look to owning my own place. I always wanted one of those Greenheart homes which I had seen in Dominica. I did some research online and found a company who constructs these homes. I realised this could be completed in a short time. I was able to secure a piece of land in April. I soon realised that owning my own property would not be as easy as I envisaged. I contacted the owner of the house had looked at earlier in the year. He told me he was still in the process of refurbishing, but as soon as it is ready, I would get the house. In the meantime, I have kept looking just in case. And especially since, the hurricane season was at hand....the house leaks terribly. I found a small ground level apartment about fifteen minute drive out into the countryside. After some discussion with my family I decided to explore other options and during that time the apartment went to someone else. I received a letter from the lawyers for 'this' house giving me a deadline by which to move. I now HAD to move. The house which was undergoing refurbishment was still not ready. It was July and the move date is August 31st. There were no leads that I could really grab at. Butttt finally this week, Monday, I went to see a house. It was perfect. A three bedroom, two bath house in a nice quiet neighbourhood. To add to it there was also a little hut in the yard. I was estatic! Had I finally found the 'new' Potter's House. I had to wait to find out since there were another person ahead of me. I waited and prayed. I started packing. My girlfriend Fabiana, who is visiting with me from Anguilla was adamant that I must beging packing, to show the Universe that I am ready to move. I was finally given the okay on Tuesday afternoon. On Wednesday, I went to read the lease. Lo and Behold! A clause jumped out at me!!! The premises should not be used to conduct business. How could that be?? The owner promises me that she would talk to other sibling about the possiblity of changing the clause. Today, I receive the devastating new that I can't use it for my business at all. I can't work, that is no pottery, no selling of pottery. No way!! I searched for answers. Tears have streamed down my cheeks unchecked quite a few times since. I asked myself many questions and many time WHY?? What is the lesson I ask myself. I have exactly two weeks and I am out of here. Where do we go? Only God knows! I plan to look carefully at all options. I am waiting to hear about that house which is nearing the completion of refurbishment. I am waiting to hear from the people I wrote to about building me one of those lovely little wooden houses. I am awaiting the title to the land I bought. One way or other, I will triumph in the end!!
Peace
It hasn't been an easy task, finding a place to house me, my children and The Potter's House. Will I get the opportunity again, to live, work and play.
I found a house in February, it would have been okay, but I didn't see anyplace where I could work, so I asked the owner if I could build a place in the yard. He told me he had another place which he was refurbishing and said that would be better for me. The thing is he couldnt begin the process of refurbishing immediately. I didn't mind because we were in the height of the visitor season and moving immediately would be disastrous for my business. I had already told the owners that I would move around April if that was okay with them. That decision however, caused me to change my mind many times over the next few months. Did I want to live in that area. Should I build my own house. I started the search for other options. I came to the decision that I should look to owning my own place. I always wanted one of those Greenheart homes which I had seen in Dominica. I did some research online and found a company who constructs these homes. I realised this could be completed in a short time. I was able to secure a piece of land in April. I soon realised that owning my own property would not be as easy as I envisaged. I contacted the owner of the house had looked at earlier in the year. He told me he was still in the process of refurbishing, but as soon as it is ready, I would get the house. In the meantime, I have kept looking just in case. And especially since, the hurricane season was at hand....the house leaks terribly. I found a small ground level apartment about fifteen minute drive out into the countryside. After some discussion with my family I decided to explore other options and during that time the apartment went to someone else. I received a letter from the lawyers for 'this' house giving me a deadline by which to move. I now HAD to move. The house which was undergoing refurbishment was still not ready. It was July and the move date is August 31st. There were no leads that I could really grab at. Butttt finally this week, Monday, I went to see a house. It was perfect. A three bedroom, two bath house in a nice quiet neighbourhood. To add to it there was also a little hut in the yard. I was estatic! Had I finally found the 'new' Potter's House. I had to wait to find out since there were another person ahead of me. I waited and prayed. I started packing. My girlfriend Fabiana, who is visiting with me from Anguilla was adamant that I must beging packing, to show the Universe that I am ready to move. I was finally given the okay on Tuesday afternoon. On Wednesday, I went to read the lease. Lo and Behold! A clause jumped out at me!!! The premises should not be used to conduct business. How could that be?? The owner promises me that she would talk to other sibling about the possiblity of changing the clause. Today, I receive the devastating new that I can't use it for my business at all. I can't work, that is no pottery, no selling of pottery. No way!! I searched for answers. Tears have streamed down my cheeks unchecked quite a few times since. I asked myself many questions and many time WHY?? What is the lesson I ask myself. I have exactly two weeks and I am out of here. Where do we go? Only God knows! I plan to look carefully at all options. I am waiting to hear about that house which is nearing the completion of refurbishment. I am waiting to hear from the people I wrote to about building me one of those lovely little wooden houses. I am awaiting the title to the land I bought. One way or other, I will triumph in the end!!
Peace
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The full moon
This is my last full moon here at The Potter's House, at Camps. I have spent a few minutes, every night, for the past week looking at the moon. I sit on the front steps, and look up into the clear Caribbean night sky, at the beauty of God's creation. The strong light of the full moon lights up the yard. I sit in awe! I know this is my last full moon phase here. I watched as it went from a cresent moon to a almost a half round shape, then to the great big round cheeze in the sky.
On Thursday night, which was the night of the full moon it was actually a very cloudy night. The moon really tried it's best to peep through the clouds. We were at the beach, X's Shiggidy Shack, selling pottery. I kept looking up to see if the moon would appear, but the mountain which towers over Timothy Beach Hotel, though not too high, obscured the effect of the moon for quite a while. I later realised that the moon was having a hard time fighting off the clouds. As I left the beach for home the clouds were clearing up. By the time I got home it had won the battle and now stood in all it's glory casting it's beautiful light upon the yard. I decided to allow it to cast it's light upon me too. I walked through the yard, sat under one of the mango trees, inhaled and exhaled deeply, before I went into the house and to my bed, to sink into blissful sleep. It is a wonderfully relaxing feeling, being one nature and to be part of it in this way.
Tonight, I am going out once again, like I did the night before to enjoy it. Maybe, I took the moon for granted many months as it rose up in the sky and cast it's light on this house and yard. I remember, we used to have poetry readings, under the Mango trees, on the basketball court or the porch. We chose to have it on the full moon. Though short-lived, WOTA (word of the artist) was a great coming together of like-minded persons. We need to find the time to get together again, somehow.
So to the beauty of the full moon in the Caribbean skies...I give thanks. It is always a great feeling, to pause for a moment and enjoy the wonders of creation.
On Thursday night, which was the night of the full moon it was actually a very cloudy night. The moon really tried it's best to peep through the clouds. We were at the beach, X's Shiggidy Shack, selling pottery. I kept looking up to see if the moon would appear, but the mountain which towers over Timothy Beach Hotel, though not too high, obscured the effect of the moon for quite a while. I later realised that the moon was having a hard time fighting off the clouds. As I left the beach for home the clouds were clearing up. By the time I got home it had won the battle and now stood in all it's glory casting it's beautiful light upon the yard. I decided to allow it to cast it's light upon me too. I walked through the yard, sat under one of the mango trees, inhaled and exhaled deeply, before I went into the house and to my bed, to sink into blissful sleep. It is a wonderfully relaxing feeling, being one nature and to be part of it in this way.
Tonight, I am going out once again, like I did the night before to enjoy it. Maybe, I took the moon for granted many months as it rose up in the sky and cast it's light on this house and yard. I remember, we used to have poetry readings, under the Mango trees, on the basketball court or the porch. We chose to have it on the full moon. Though short-lived, WOTA (word of the artist) was a great coming together of like-minded persons. We need to find the time to get together again, somehow.
So to the beauty of the full moon in the Caribbean skies...I give thanks. It is always a great feeling, to pause for a moment and enjoy the wonders of creation.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
The results....FINALLY
Well, it's been a few days since I fired up my electric kiln to complete a glaze firing of pottery which had been created over the last few weeks. It is indeed a process, the making of pottery, from opening a bag of moist clay to seeing the actual piece glazed and fired. I told someone
today, while at the Amina Craftmarket, where I sell my work primarily to cruise ship and stayover visitors, that no one asked me to make pottery or to put a particular design and colour on them. I am inspired by the spirit, something within me that moves me to see, create and do things in a particular way. It allows me to observe and interpret what I see around me and I execute it in my pottery. I also said that no one has to buy it but they do. A potential buyer comes to my gallery or my table at the market, the piece they will eventually buy speaks to them and inspires them to walk away with it. That makes me feel good!!
I am quite happy with the results of this firing, including the pieces which were glazed with the 'wrong' glaze. We unpacked the kiln two days after I fired up the kiln. At my sales event later that night, and again today, the newer designs which I decided to try were the first to 'fly' off the table.
For the pieces which I've sold the process is totally complete. In my gallery and my 'travelling bin' (the container in which I carry my pieces), there is a whole new stock to be sold..the process of pottery making complete! Now, it's time to sell, sell, sell!!!
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