Wood salt firing workshop with Linda Christianson hosted at the Cider Creek Collective in Albion, CA.

I have never really ever signed up for a workshop of any kind, as I am hardwired to be a diehard do-it-yourself creature. While being frugal is undeniably an aspect to my approach in endeavors I have no or little experience, what truly lies at the core is how much enjoyment I get out of learning how to do something, and doing it to the best possible level I can achieve. For me, how you do something is equally important to what you are doing. Adopting this dogmatic way of working allows me to be satisfied with any task I find myself engaged, regardless how banal or grand.

The enjoyment I receive of working with my hands is also evident in how I choose to spend the majority of my time. For nine days this past May, I was fortunate enough to hang out with one of my pottery heroes, Linda Christianson. I don’t remember where I first encountered her work, but I have always had an affinity for it, and I was thrilled to have had finally meet its creator.

Since returning, I have been catching up on life that was put on hold while I attended the workshop. Stay tuned for an update later this month once I have completed cleaning up and photographing this family of work that aimed at exploiting the characteristics of a wood salt firing with Linda at the helm.