coolness

this weekend was the craft fair of the southern highlands in asheville. i got to visit with friends and be inspired by new artists and familiar artists alike. it was another fun adventure in asheville! 

these are the latest additions to our pottery collection:

Paveen Beer Chunhaswasdikul

known simply as "Beer's", this guy in hilarious! check out this you tube video. his energy is contagious. 

he makes highly detailed recreations of machinery. referred to as trompe loie, they are AMAZING!!! but his work is hard to find. he doesn't sell online! 

Elise Delfield

i have been admiring elise's work for about a year. a lovely cone six potter, she inspired me from the moment i met her, sooooo...i finally invested!

yay! i'd say it was a good weekend!

as always, thanks for reading!

and wishing you well!

~trista

river arts district

looking down the tracks, toward the new studio...

4 a.m.

as this adventure here in beaufort is drawing to a close, each day is measured in tiny mile stones. last night was kind of a major mile stone. i worked my last shift at my favorite little cocktail bar (ever), the arendell room in morehead city. 

the evening was bitter sweet. it was so sad to start saying goodbye to all the amazing people i've met down here (bitter), but it was wonderful to feel so much love (sweet like mint chocolate chip icecream...mmmm!!!). 

but the best part? 

the next time i have to stay up until 4 a.m. it is going to be because i am firing a wood kiln... 

and that is the whip cream, the hot fudge, the cherry AND the sprinkles on top!

*photo credit robert compton pottery*

for now? firing the electric kiln today.

as always, thanks for reading

and wishing you well...

~trista

Best of WNC 2011 | Mountain Xpress | Asheville, NC

Best of WNC 2011 | Mountain Xpress | Asheville, NC

 Ceramics artist/potter

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• 1. Mangum Pottery
  Functionality and flair are both winners as Xpress readers voted Rob and Beth Mangum of Magnum Pottery Best Ceramics/Potters in the area for their selection of high-fired tableware and sculptural pottery. “It’s such an honor to win this because there are so many great potters in the area,” says Beth. The couple met as design students at N.C. State University, and they opened their Weaverville shop in 1989. Advertised as “stuff you can use,” and with prices ranging from $18-$75, Mangum pottery is as affordable as it is practical. The biggest sellers in the shop are mugs, of which Beth has been known to make up to 100 each week. Meanwhile, Rob uses his hand-building expertise to produce more inventive (and more expensive) forms like fiddles, banjos, clocks, fountains and furniture. The ceramic clocks are fully functional, as are the instruments. But if you’re planning to audition for the Asheville Symphony, you might want to leave that raku violin on the wall. — U.G.
• 2. Heather Knight, Element Clay Studio
• 2. Akira Satake Pottery
• 3. Josh Copus

reason # 101 on the list of why i love asheville, they actually vote on the best potters. yes, there are that many! 

also, let me take a minute to say congrats to  mr josh copus aka "the man behind my new studio" in the river arts district. yay!

keep on keepin on, and makin good things happen....

Craft Rules!

What is american craft week? 

It's an opportunity to celebrate the wonders of American craft. Every day thousands of American artists share their vision and talent by producing amazing hand-made decorative and functional objects. And every day thousands of craft retailers share their love of these items by displaying, promoting and selling them. As one craft artist put it, "this is the creative economy!"

While other industry associations have long touted their products, the craft industry has lacked a single way to be highly visible. So we ask you to join us in publicizing, educating and displaying American Craft for ten days each October. Join the national celebration of American Craft!

American Craft enriches our homes, wardrobes, offices and public spaces. It contributes to our nation's economy, our balance of trade, and the fabric of our national history. It is original, beautiful and enduring, so let's tell the world!

http://americancraftweek.com/

thanks for reading and wishing you well!

~trista

I 40 East

it was definately a tough decision for us to make.  when nick ( aka my best friend, my biggest fan and my partner in crime!) and i first decided to move back to the mountains our conversation went something like this:

"i miss asheville"

"i miss asheville too"

"but i love the beach"

"i love the beach too"

"well, then what do we do?"

"well, which one would you rather vacation in?

and which one would you rather live in?"

suddenly, for both of us, our choice was very clear.  today i head home down i40 east, back to beaufort.  the thought of leaving the beach once made me sad and nostalgic. i feared leaving our coastal community behind! but as my hubby waits patiently for me back in beaufort, my fears are washed away. we are ridiculously excited to come back up to the hills where our home is.  with a little bit of luck and a little bit of determination, we both hope that soon, our path will be reversed, and that home will once again be in western nc. and that our awesome little coastal town will only be six short hours away.

for now, heading back to the coast, we will both keep in mind to appreciate these last weeks doing the things we love: riding bikes, boating, fishing, kayaking, walking on the beach and spending time with our "beaufort family" all the amazing people who have come into our life and blessed us since we went east. it will be a sad day, for sure, leaving behind my studio that we both worked so hard for. it will be sad to leave our cozy little historic town, but coming home is going to be amazing!
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and now, for a little business...
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stay tuned, as i am trying to coordinate a little moving sale event at the studio so everyone can come by before trista hudzik reynolds pottery heads back to the hills.

as always thanks for reading and wishing you well

~trista

a place to call home

I GOT MY KEYS!!!!
yesterday i met with my new studio mates at my new studio! the studio is still nameless... (its tough to pick a name!) but it is located on roberts street in the river arts district (RAD) in asheville. the space? a giant open space, a newly "reclaimed space", in a building not yet on the RAD map. its kind of gritty, but good gritty.  honestly, its beautiful.

so, why am i so excited (other than the obvious...sweet studio, working with good peeps, in an awesome location). because this space is still an undiscovered building it is like treasure hunting. i think something really amazing is going to rise from this dirt. litterally and figuratively. its awesome to be a part of a grassroots phenomenon! if you've been tuned in for a long time, you know its been my dream to be a part of something like this. something fresh and new, a community pulling together to make something great. there will be six of us working together. we come from all kinds of different backgrounds, but everyone's energy is fantastic!
stay tuned as i am sure this adventure will prove to be as amazing as we all hope.
in this crazy time of change i want to say thanks for staying with me and reading my rambles...
as always, wishing you well
~trista