Frühlig in Deutchland

Wow, time is really starting to fly. Beth just reminded me today that we only have 4 more weeks here. We are starting to think about winding up our ceramics projects and really getting serious about how we plan to finish them. I now have 4 complete houses that I’m happy with (and I plan to finish one more) which the entire time I have been planning to salt fire. I have had numerous conversations with the faultily here and have repeatedly been told that this wouldn’t be a problem, but today when I went to tell them I will be ready in a week suddenly everything began to fall apart. Due to a hand full of reason that are completely out of my control, this is no longer an option.
While at first I was really frustrated by this, it has really made me reconsider exactly what I’m trying to accomplish. I am referencing how my family left Germany in 1850 and lost all connection to it until now. Since I am the first person to come back and actually live here, I am trying to reestablish my family’s roots. The houses I am making are a metaphor for this. Each building is an exact replica of each member of my family’s house, but with 2D German architectural influences added on top. I wanted to salt fire the houses since salt glazing was a German discovery, but since this is no longer possible I have been toying with the idea of not firing the clay at all. Perhaps I will leave the green-ware outdoors and let the houses slowly be re-absorbed into the German landscape. I think this makes sense with my concept, but I would love feed back from any of you.
So most of my week has been spent in the studio, but it is officially spring here so Beth and I have been enjoying some evenings outdoors. Last weekend we were invited to two parties in the park, which were a lot of fun. The first was on Friday night on an island in the Saale river. Several bands played on a stage under a pavilion and there were many students from die Burg there. It is cool that we run into people we know now. The second party was in a different part of the park (on the main-land) and there was just a DJ. The music wasn’t very loud though, so everyone was just standing around talking. Beth and I met many new people. There were so many people wanting to speak English to us too! We would start talking to one person, then some random person would walk buy and hear our English and then practically wait in line to talk to us next. It was a very good time. Afterwards we went to a dance club with our new friends Bastie and Björn, which as usual, was a good time.
The last several days here have been really rainy, which has been quite different since there has only been 1 or 2 other days of rain since we arrived. Last night it actually stormed, which was fun to hear through the walls of the old building I live in. Everyone seems glad for the rain though since Germany has been in a drought.

Belle, Johannes’ girlfriend, is also staying with me this week since she attends a school in a town outside of Halle several weeks a month. She is a lot of fun and I have really been enjoying her company. In fact, right now she’s making dinner for Beth and me…so I should probably wrap this up. Till next week!

Flowers from the trees on the sidewalk

My studio (my table is in the corner by the window).


The kitchen/sitting area in the studio.

The outside of the studio.

Metal pieces by one of the sculpture students.

Other outdoor sculptures by students.
Wooden diamond.