A New Page

 After 40 years of making pottery, I turned on my retirement plans and took a 3 year break from making pots.  My shoulder healed from the repeated stress of lifting but my interest in “making pots for fun”, hasn’t kicked in yet.  I think I’ve only done 2 firing cycles since I started enjoying not having to work for every penny in my bank account.  

So… I have made the last pot, and fired the last firing.  I sold my wheel to a fellow potter that is still going and the rest will go on Marketplace today.

What am I doing now?  TRAVELING!  96% of the traveling I did for 40 years involved a pottery delivery. I traded my Nissan Quest delivery van in for a Honda Element that I’ve turned into a camper named the Bullfrog, and hop around the country chasing waterfalls,and every interesting thing along the way.  I started a YouTube channel when I was finishing up my Robin’s Nest little rustic house and posted random home improvements and sewing projects.  Now it is mostly travel vlogs, with the occasional creative project.  Before I sold my wheel, I made a video of the last pot, https://youtu.be/-UJE-0RbmT4.  While you are on my channel, check out the other videos of what is happening in my world.

I just stopped payment on the beckettpottery.com domain when it expires in November.  This is a blogspot account that will sit here in cyberworld.

Thanks to all of you that have made my pottery worth making!  

Break Over...

It has been a pretty strange year so far, hasn't it?  Just 2 years before I can begin collecting retirement and quit working so hard in my studio, I get a 4 month paid vacation from the government!  As the free ride seemed to have an end date, I put my faith in the universe to send business my way with nothing but ease and a request.  Really wasn't up for pounding the virtual pavement so close to retirement for mainstay wholesale accounts.  I do still plan to be creating work- especially on demand along with retirement, but with much less pressure.  VOILA!  Orders have been trickling in and from 4 new galleries!  Seems most of my regular galleries are still closed, slow to order, or reworking their business plan so new is good!  More interesting is the number of retail orders I have been getting.  Thank you for finding me and reaching out for Beckett Pottery!  

As you can see in my Beckett Pottery Facebook page live post, I have a comfortable number of small orders flowing through the studio.  It is a great time to contact me if you have pottery desires.  Since these orders are small, there is plenty of room  in the kiln for individual wishes to come true!  

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3217038698363464/  

Wow!

Check out this blast from my past!

https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/155781-studio-pottery-by-robin-beckett   A couple of weeks ago, Lillian Pelino contacted me from Huntington, WV with a picture of one of my morning glory cream and sugar sets that she picked up at an estate sale.  She also shared this link to a collectibles website where someone had a whole group of my work available.  Unfortunately, I didn't have the forsight to keep up with the mailing list of my morning glory collectors.  It has been so long, I'm sure many of them have moved.  I started making these before the dawn of the internet!  

The other interesting piece of this story is that Lillian is from Huntington which is where my father grew up.  Traveling the 8 hours there via the curvy 2 lane US 52 and "super hwy" WV Turnpike from Winston-Salem at least once a year was quite a memorable ride I'd like to forget.  They would turn my 6-12 yr old self loose to walk the 2-3 blocks to Ritter Park, the "central park" of Huntington.  Who would think of doing that today??  Anyhoo... I don't have any relatives left in Huntington and my grandmother died several years before I started making pottery  I consider quite a coincidence that we had that connection.  She lives in the beautiful brick street area around the park I used to play in.

Baby Pies

Pie plates in avocado autumn and hemlock.

Living alone and not wanting to blow up like a toad from eating deserts, I have decided to create a baby pie plate.  It will take a half recipe of a pie crust and probably a third of a recipe of filling. Baby pie plates are 7 inches in diameter and about an inch deep.  I get about 4 moderate servings from it when I create a pie.  You can order yours by contacting me with your glaze preference.  Baby pie plates are just $20 each.

Lemon curd pie made with 1/2 pie crust recipe 

Strange times

These are such strange times we live in.  Beckett Pottery has gone through several "business model  shifts" in 37 years of business, some involved health issues and some involved the economic climate.  Who would have expected that less than 2 years from collecting retirement, that my wholesale business would fall flat on it's face from a health related economic crash!  90% of my revenue for the past 33 years has been wholesale, which is why there is so little activity on my blog.

  BECKETT POTTER IS STILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS!    It's apparently not "my jam" to do a lot of self promotion, however,  I am still accepting retail orders for whatever your heart's desire is and have plenty of time to create it for you now that the galleries are mostly shut down for the foreseeable future.  I don't keep a lot of inventory because there are so many things on my production list and so many ways to glaze them.  You can browse my gallery of items for inspiration and get with me via email or text (704-682-7509) where we can create an order.

Since the shut down, I have focused on other endeavors; home completion projects, working in the yard, cutting fire wood for next winter and creating YouTube videos for a channel I am developing.  Its focus is to share how I complete home improvement and enhancement projects as a solo 60 something woman.  I will probably throw in other potentially interesting things I am working on as well.  Check it out at . Robin's Nest Adventures  I sincerely hope you will get a kick out of my filming and editing, (which has a bit of a steep learning curve for me).  Liking the videos and subscribing to the channel will help me qualify to monetize which will bring in income eventually.

Valle Country Fair Time!

Another year has rolled around and I'm franticly busy making pots for the one craft fair I do a year- The Valle Country Fair- taking place Oct 19, now just a few weeks away.  I've been playing with 2 new glazes which makes the pattern combinations much more numerous.  SO, my booth will take on more choices this year, focusing on my wonderful red glaze in combination with  a new green or blue.  I have a few new pieces to add to my collection of pots as well, including a small vase and microwave egg cooker I designed for one of my galleries up in Michigan.  Pictures coming as soon as I pull them out of the kiln.  In the mean time, Mark your calendars to attend this circa 1978 well attended, not for profit event!.....meaning the event is put on to raise money for charity.
https://www.vallecountryfair.org

Sixteen placesettings headed for delivery. The customer wanted solid colors so I did each piece of the placeserting a different color of my Autumn pattern, one each of the serving bowls and one complete autumn pattern. The signature turquoise spot is on the red pieces.

Beckett Pottery Fonta Flora

After 11 months of making the weekly 4 hour round trip from Winston-Salem to Lake James to oversee and personally construct, I am moved in and organized enough to be working in my studio!  There was about a 6 week lag in production while I moved and set things up.  I've been playing catch up for about another 6 weeks and can finally take a small breath to post some pictures here.  I have a full album of progress on my personal FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/robin.beckett.9/media_set?set=a.1578851625466738.1073741952.100000257460774&type=3 if you would like to see the whole process.  Here are some of the final product:

I'm in a MUCH smaller space than my WS full basement, probably a third of the space if you consider I could sprawl out in my 1700sq ft space if needed.  I have 450 sq ft now and a 200 sq ft loft that is storage for packing material, tools, camping gear and my photo booth.  I seem to spend a lot of time going up and down a ladder accessing things I need.  I have had the luxury of an assistant for the past 12 yrs or so and wondering if there is even room to have a second person working on something different from what I'm doing.  The glazing table becomes the packing table and gets disassembled when I'm doing neither so I can walk through.  Things are very handy to access though and I'm finding I don't need duplicate items for the different spaces like I had in the big space.  I'm enjoying "cozy" in my house and studio.

My little kiln room

I decided I didn't need but 1 kiln about a year ago.... good thing considering there is room in the kiln room for the kiln and a ware cart!

I have a beautiful view of mountain woods while I throw.  Mountain laurel is in bloom now and hoping I will have some nice rhodo blooms soon.

This is my little hand building space.  I've taken up making street numbers.  Contact me if you want some.... pictures of these finished coming soon.

When I get fully organized these shelves will be dedicated to wholesale orders. Right now there are still lots of things I am looking for stashing spots.

 This is the studio entrance.  We've had a lot of rain lately and I put up the tarp for a party.... don't know how long I'll leave it up since it provides several benefits.  I guess I could look into something more attractive!!

That time of year again

Due to building Beckett Pottery Fonta Flora, the Valle Country Fair in Valle Crucis will be my only retail event the year.  33 years since I started selling here with only 2 years off for major life events. It is always a GREAT show with much more to see than my pots 😊  Even in a spot where the weather an be variable, the sun will come out at least once.   Come early to get the best of my seconds table and spend less time in traffic.  https://www.vallecountryfair.org

BIG NEWS!

Beckett Pottery is Moving!
A couple of years ago, I fell in love with a neighborhood in Nebo called Fonta Flora.  Where is Nebo, you might ask?  It lies halfway between Marion and Morganton on I40, (you might have seen an exit for it).  Fonta Flora lies between Lake James and the Linville Gorge on the Linville River.

This was taken at a campground where the Linville comes into the lake looking back at Shortoff Mtn, the first peak of the Linville Gorge.  My house will be at the foot of the mountain.

 It is a 2 street community made up of mostly log cabins with a few unsightly mobile homes tossed in.
I saw a cabin there on a creek that feeds into the river a few lots away that I thought I wanted.  As fate would have it, the lot next door was owned by a hiking friend of mine that also lives there, (the Matriarch of Fonta Flora, so to speak).  They wanted to sell it to the right person, which happened to be me!  September of 2016 we sealed the deal.  It's a sweet half acre of native flora with a space already cleared large enough for my 600 sq ft self designed cabin and 230s ft studio.

Yesterday I purchased the hemlock board and batten siding and vintage roofing....  On my way to a house!  Check back for updates.  I hope to be in for sure before winter hits.

Same shows, new year

Well it looks like I must have had a busy year.... to busy to make new posts on my blog!  We are coming up on the fall show season with Valle Country Fair in fair Valle Crucis coming up on the 15th October  https://www.facebook.com/vallecountryfair/about/?entry_point=page_nav_about_item  and the Carolina Pottery Festival coming up 5th November in Shelby  https://www.facebook.com/CarolinaPotteryFestival/?fref=ts 
This year has been filled with pottery production for Our State Magazine, my regular wholesale orders and a few nice dinnerware orders.  Check out the Beckett Pottery mixing bowls, tube pan, cruet, and turquoise mixing bowl on the Our State Store page.  http://www.ourstatestore.com/Pottery_c_69-1-4.html 

More Fall Shows!

I have two more shows to go and plans in the works for a home show that will share a day with Whimsical Women who have a craft show just down the street.  Please check my events page for all the details.
The one coming up next is the Carolina Pottery Festival in Shelby http://www.carolinapotteryfestival.org  This show is all pottery and is in a very nice venue.  Hope to see you there!

Valle Country Fair October 17

This Saturday, Valle Country Fair- The place to be!  This will be my 31st year as a vendor at this awesome fair.  Lots of great artists, music and food.  The weather should be beautiful and there are still leaves left to see.
Make sure and drop by my booth and check out the discontinued and seconds table for great deals on both earthy and Fiesta pieces.
Valle Country Fair Facebook Page

New Keepsake Urns for Jack Bouchard

My friend ordered a couple of keepsake urns for her children to have some of their father's ashes with them.  It was my honor to create these for a sweet man and great guitar musician.  Both his children are good guitar players, especially his son who has taken playing on with the same enthusiasm as his dad.  On these, I added some bees wax around the lid gallery so they could be"sealed" to some degree.

This one is for his son.

His initials are on the back as an expression of love for his dad.

This one is for his daughter

She has children and I added their initials here.  There is a heart with her initials and "Dad" on another side.

Turducken!

I love to cook and get inspired by big cooking project.  When I heard about turducken, it became an obsession to create one.  Turducken is a turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken, all boned and a different stuffing between each bird.  I chose a recipe that had andouille sausage between the turkey and duck, spinach between the duck and chicken and cornbread stuffing in the chicken.  I added a lattice of bacon on top of the turkey.  LOTS OF MEAT!  I realized my broiler pan wasn't deep enough and I didn't have a roaster, so I got creative and made one.  This is a Pampered Chef style pan with no glaze so as I use it it will become seasoned with a lovely patina.  Now for sale by special order.  Even if you aren't up for turducken, this is a great roaster that is lovely enough to grace the table without taking your meat onto a serving tray.

Beckett Pottery Turducken Roaster- 16" x 17" x 2 1/2"- 120.

I didn't have a bat that large to throw a round pan and opted for this teardrop shape with a spout at the small end that is great for pouring off excess juice.  This held 25 lbs of meat total.

The finished bird ready for my 27 guests.

Very cool to just cut into 3 birds with no bones to deal with!

My crowd had no problem pretty much finishing it off!

Great Idea from Random Acts of Art!

One of my galleries, Random Acts of Art in Naples FL, sent me a link to her blog where she featured my brie baker as a hummus dip container holder!  Perfect fit!check it out here 

Being in Florida, she buys my fiesta colors, but here is the piece in Autumn, along with a cracker tray.

The last few pieces completed

I have completed the last few pieces for Southern Women Potters.  Opening Reception to be held Friday, August 29, 6-8 PM  Hamilton Williams Gallery in downtown Morganton- 403 East Union St.http://hamiltonwilliams.com/upcoming/southern-women-potters 

Tree bark Sconce

Chip and Dip

Tea in the Woods by Candle light

This tree man on the trail to Elk Knob outside of  Boone impressed me so much, I had to render him as a candelabra!

Tree man Candelabra.

Stump Clump Mugs on tray

   

Work for "Southern Women Potters" Exhibition at Hamilton Williams Gallery in Morganton

Beech Canisters

Beech Cashpo

Beech Cream and Sugar- Multi media piece with a polymer clay "antler" handle wrapped with copper wire.

Beech Coffee Mug and Warmer

Triple Tree Stump Canister Set with owl

Squirrely Chip and Dip- This poor piece bit the dust at the Photographers and will be replaced with a Chipmunk Chip and  Dip!

Lizard on Tree Gallon Pitchere

Nosey Squirrels Twin Cups

Antler Handle Quart Pitcher

Tree Teapot with warmer

I will be showing in an exhibition at Hamilton Williams Gallery in Morganton called "Southern Women Potters" during August with these pieces plus a couple more.  I'm really excited to be showing a collection of one of a kinds like this.  It's been a challenge to do them as well as keep up with the regular wholesale orders I do.  Photography by Jason Dowdle.

The Latest Tree Pieces

This desk set was a commission for my Life Coach from her current graduates. It is personalized with carvings of their names and the year in the beech tree trunks.  It is my first try using white clay and beech bark and I am really happy with the results.

I've been thinking about a tree teapot since the beginning of this idea for tree bark pots.  I was given the idea of flower pot and tea light heaters by a friend of mine and thought it would be a wonderful idea to include a warmer under the tea pot and even a mug, (my coffee is always getting cold!)  Squirrels have become a theme and they get better every time.  I have also added antler to the lid for a handle.  To protect the warmer from hot spot thermal shock from the tea light flame I created a small shield made from aluminum flashing to go inside each warmer.

This commissioned piece is a coffee pot and sugar bowl with warmer.  The original order was didn't include the warmer, but not being a coffee brewer, I felt it would be more functional as a carafe if there was a warmer under it.  A snake has draped himself over the spout /limb to help hold on the lid when pouring.

Finally for new pieces, here is my mug and warmer.  No more cold coffee for us sippers.

Urgent Message!

I got a call while I was in the studio a few weeks ago about making some salad plates and 6 " bowls from someone who had been to Odanada Gallery.  I had muddy hands but wrote the items on my chalk board work list but don't have the contact info for this customer!!  How silly is that?!  If you are that customer, PLEASE give me a call as I have your plates etc.