Screwed

Well here is my current situation in black and white. What a drag. Not able to do a whole lot. I have a good friend coming to load all of my work up and unload it to a gallery for a show next week since I am unable to do it myself. My dad is coming over today to mow the lawn. My house looks like shit since I am the only one who cleans it. Except for my mother-in-law who comes twice a week and cleans too.

I have been able to spend some time on the computer though and have two meetings lined up with galleries in Pittsburgh, I figured I needed to do business a little closer to home since the long distance galleries have given me a little trouble in the past.

broken hip

Saturday I was out on a 100 mile bike ride. At about mile 70, it started to rain. At mile 80, it began to thunder and lightning. As I headed home, it really began to rain hard. I was coasting into a small town about 6 miles away from home when it happened. The next description happened in real time, about 1/2 second. Mega rain splashed in my face and all over my glasses, I started to slow down and then more rain and wind blew water up, under my glasses. I hit the brakes, I am blinded and I feel the front end catch a big rut in the black top. Before I could even think, I was being body slammed into the road. It dazed me more than it hurt me. A car drifted by as I lay there. He did pull over as I walked myself to the side of the road. He asked if I was OK, and I said "yeah, I'll be alright". I let the haze clear my head and waited for the rain and lightning to let up, but it wasn't going too any time soon. I began to walk my bike and felt a soreness in my hip and decided to ride to the nearest gas station to call for a ride home rather than risk getting hit by lightning. I got to the station called for a ride and waited. When my wife showed up, my leg was really sore at that point. We went home, I changed my clothes and the girls ate lunch. I told Heather we should probably go get me checked out. Everything was calm and cool at the emergency room until the x-rays came back. Suddenly I was the life of the party. I had broken my hip and was scheduled for surgery in two hours to get 3 screws put into my hip.
So now here I sit not being able to do much of anything. Which really sucks. I went from being too busy down to being bored and fidgety already. I need to hire some people to do some work for me.

What a steal

I have re-designed my center table three times now and I know what I am going to do. A poured concrete top with old barn posts for the legs and barn slab for some trim. Now if only I could afford some old barn wood. That shit is expensive! (enter craigslist.com) I found the deal of the century. I got a trailer load of old barn slab and posts for a deal and a half. I am working on getting a big enough trailer to haul the 6 huge beams home too. I am so excited!Here is my gold mine.....

Decisions, decisions

I went to the library yesterday to get some books on interesting barn designs. I also ordered a book on pouring concrete counter tops. I saw this site http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/how-to/pouring-your-own-concrete-countertops-tutorial-by-splatgirl-073544 and decided for sure that these are the type of table tops I am going to make. There are so many cool ideas out there, that I am just not sure where to go with the overall look and what I can afford with my budget.

Shows coming up

I finally have a show coming up. It will be at the Heeschen Gallery in Meadville from August 7th -September 5th. I will be displaying work with another artist but at this point details a vague at best.
I will also be participating in another show over the winter time at the University of Saint Francis in Indiana. This will be a figurative ceramics show and looks to be a high quality show.
I've spent the last two days building a heaving duty work table for the center of the studio. I have been doing a little research on pouring concrete table tops. I'd like to make it look nice and be functional too. I am finding it hard to make a functional clay studio have the clean look that I imagined. I am thinking things over and over a hundred times before I make a move. I'll take some shots today and post them later.
Details on the way.