Winning zipp 404's

I am entering a contest at http://ironmantriathlontips.com/ and trying to win a really cool back wheel for my bicycle. I have entered my 1st Ironman race but can't really afford all the cool goodies so if I out this link up, I should be entered to win. Check out the Ironman tips there if your interested.

a new show

Things have slowed a little around here. The house is still not sold, obviously. We have had some pretty steady showings though. I did just find out today that I will have a show coming up for the month of August at the local gallery. It's not a huge facility but they do a good job promoting and with their openings. I have always had luck selling work there too.
I do believe I have sold the full set of mini pieces at the Columbus gallery. I never want to count my minis until the check is in hand though.
Next semester I teach 5 ceramic classes, so I am looking forward to possibly making some work at work too.
So for now, things are just at cruising speed.

IRONMAN

So I did a really nutty thing just now. I signed up for the the Louisville, Kentucky, Ironman race. The race is on 8/30/09. It consists of a 2.4 mi. swim • 112 mi. bike • 26.2 mi. run. I am a little flipped about it. It was a goal of mine 2 years ago when I started my first triathlon. I wanted to do a full Ironman when I turn 40 years old. I'll be 40 in 04/07/09. I did a half Ironman in September just this past summer. For two months after that race, I did nothing. I thought of a lot of excuses not to do the full distance (and belive me, there are plenty of good excuses). But I guess that's why I need to do this. I need to follow through on the thing I set out to do two years ago. I need to prove to myself that I can follow through, even if there are plenty of excuse not to. My artwork and my studio may not get my full attention for a few months while I train. It will be tough, but I know when it is all said and done and I cross the finish line, I will be able to get back into my studio with a fresh outlook and I know I will be able to pull off nearly anything as long as I follow through.

In a holding pattern

So our house is up for sale and we have shown it 5 times in the last 12 days. Before this whole moving thing, I was training for a 70.3 mile triathlon a few hours a day, six days a week, maintaining my work, two kids, and a house. Now I am in a holding pattern. I haven't worked out in a while. I haven't made any work in a while. I hate to start anything new when we could be on the move at any given notice. I have been wanting to look for a new gallery to represent me too but figured I should wait until I am sure I can make enough work to keep up with another one. Hard to do that when everything is packed up.
So for now, I am waiting, and holding.

Moving Sale!

Our bid was finally accepted and the house passed inspections. We just put a for sale sign in the front yard of our house and now all we need to do is wait. When our house sells, we move in.
So I decided to have a moving sale. Rather then try to move a bunch of sculptures in the midst of everything else we have accumulated in 9 year, I thought this would be better.

From now until we move, anything I have here at home will be marked down 40%. This does not include anything that is in a gallery already and doesn't include and shipping and handling prices. If you see anything that interests you, let me know and we can talk details.

Finally!

Finally our last offer on the new house was accepted. Good thing, because it was our last offer. Now we get it inspected and if all goes well, we put ours up for sale. As soon as it sells, we close on both places and have a moving frenzy of a time. The offer on the house was pending on the fact that we need to sell our house within 90 days before we can close on the new house.
I have so many ideas for the new studio that I am busting at the seams! One thing I will do for sure is take some pictures when we move in and post them. I will also post pictures along the way as it comes to life.
If the new house passes inspection and as soon as there is a sign in our front yard, I think I will have an "art moving sale". I think I will sell any art piece of mine, that is here at the house, for 40% off. I do have quite a bit and I really dread moving it all. Plus, I will be wanting some cash for new toys in the new studio as well. So keep your eyes peeled for a post reading SALE!

In Limbo

So nothing has happened since my last post. Well, except that I have been cleaning my house like crazy and packing stuff up. I haven't heard any news about the house yet. Offers have been traded back and fourth. We are at our last offer and awaiting a reply so I can't really pack everything up and I don't want to do too much in case we don't get this house and end up stuck for a while. So I am in limbo. I'm not wanting to start new projects in case of a move but it is starting to get under my skin just waiting. Hopefully I will have some news, any news by this weekend.

The strangest dream

As I write this now, it is not as fresh and intense as it was when I woke up in the middle of the night last night. It was one of those dreams that stick with you long after you wake up. Like it really did happen and it will affect the rest of your life and it takes you a while to shake that feeling.
It went like this. I was coming out of the hospital with my mom. I was limping horribly so I assume something was wrong with my feet. We slowly hobbled over to a area that was like an outdoor cafe. As we sat there chatting (not really but the dream made it feel like we were) I happened to catch something going on just past the my view of my mother. About 75 yards beyond where we were sitting, a person was lying head first into a rather deep and neatly trimmed, grassy, ditch. The ditch had fast, running water about a foot and a half or two deep, but it was just enough to cover most of the person's head. A person was lying head first in the ditch. As they lay there, their body quivered and jolted but her, yes now I can see it is a woman, her arms lay by her side while her head just remained covered in the water. This was obviously someone with a physical disability and they fell into the ditch and did not have enough motor skill or strength to get herself out of this position. The body shook and twitched as I assume her mouth worked like a scoop, filling her mouth and lungs up with the ditch's water. It shook for a moment and her body went limp. This was all realized in a second or two in the dream. I said "Christ"! and shoved the table aside and bolted right to her. Never mind what ever was wrong with my feet. I had to save this woman I knew. Yes I knew her suddenly! I have saved this person before in a life threatening situation and I had to save her again. I pulled her up from the ditch, laid her on her side to allow the water to drain back out of her. It seemed like gallons of water flowing from her stiff, blue lips. As it kept pouring out I yelled for someone to call 911. I kept talking to her and telling her that it was going to be all right. I was here again and she would be fine again. Life seemed to slowly come back to her body. It seemed like 10 minutes but I am sure it was only 30 or 40 seconds. Slowly like a sun rising, she was back. I saved her (Again. Where did I know her from?). We embraced and we were suddenly riding on some unknown mode of transportation going to some unknown place. We were kissing like she was a new love. Like we were on a long awaited first date. She was beautiful and new. Then I woke up. Wow, that was intense I thought. In seconds I remembered where I knew this person from. I knew her from a previous dream I had some time ago, but I'm not sure when. A dream where I saved her from another life threatening situation, but I can't recall from what or how or even what the dream was about. I just know that is where she is from and that I saved her. Strange thing is (as if that isn't already strange) I don't really know this person in any other way at all. She doesn't exist. This is just someone I dreamt up.

Playing chess

So, we made our offer on the house and the owners came back with a counter offer. Not a very reasonable one either. So we are at a stand still. It is like a chess game. We want the house, but don't want to pay anything more then it is worth. They want to sell a house, but don't want to settle for less then what they are asking. So at this point, we wait. Wait to see if they cave or if we cave. Wait to see if they get any other offers or zero offers. Our hopes is that after a few weeks, they get nothing and our offer will not look so bad after all.

Day 1

Finally! I've updated my site. As you may have noticed, there are a few new things and a few old things. I do have more to add as well. But it is a start.

Since this is the first blog for me, I'll get right to the point. I plan to use the blog to post upcoming shows, events, new work, and anything that might (or might not) pertain to me and the work that I create.

My wife (http://www.heatherprather.com/) and I are in the middle of trying to purchase a new house. The house is 207 years old. Yes 207. I needs a little TLC but has the potential of being really cool when it is done. And best of all, it has a brand new, 2 story barn with water, electric, and heat! This means I will finally have a real studio. If all goes well, then this will become the official place for "Prather Studios". I have lots of big plans. I don't want to jinx it so I'll hold off on filling you in on all the plans until it is a sure thing. Our offer was made last night and we will have an answer no later then Weds. Of course so many things could still happen even if they accept. But I have a good feeling. So this will be continued

Right now I have two, 20 cubic ft electric kilns, a small test kiln, and a small raku kiln. I just found out about an auction where I might be able to score another big electric kiln for next to nothing. The school I work for has an auction every once and a while to get rid of excess and old stuff. I might be able to stock up on tables and chair for the new pad! My fingers are crossed.

This has all happened in the last week and it has put me in a spot. Last week I also decided I was going to do an Ironman triathlon next year. I would have to sign up for this race on this Monday. The deal is that I have been working towards this for the last two years and if I follow through, then I will have zero time for anything else but training for the next 365 days. No time for the new house or studio. This race is a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and a full marathon at 26.2 miles. This is not something I could train half assed for and expect to finish or enjoy doing. So the quandary is do I do the race and blow off everything else for a year or not do the race, hope to get he new pad, and sink everything I have ever wanted to do my whole life into the studio? If we got a reply to our offer by noon Monday it sure would help in the decision making process. Oh, and to add to the mix, I started a new job last week too. I have taught art in a public school for 12 years. The last 8 have been in an elementary school. Now I am at the High school. For those of you who don't teach, moving from elementary to high school is like night and day. Too many things to list about that, but trust me, I might as well moved to Busselton, Australia to breed dingos, it's that different.

So I have a plate full as you can tell. I look forward to posting here and I hope you check in from time to time to follow my reality TV-like life.