urban chicken coop myths and tales

the collecting gene...

2012-01-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

As I was strolling through the Asian Art museum's wonderful exhibit of Korean Buncheong ceramics a couple of saturdays ago- dragged my kids too- who actually really liked it..I was reminded of how much I enjoy the simple Asian aesthetic that looms large in traditional and contemporary ceramics-
I have now seen a few exhibits of contemporary Korean and Japanese ceramacists who incorporate ancient tradition and technique but come up with distinctly modern interpretations.
On our way to the Korean exhibit, we passed through the Japanese section of the museum. For those who are not familiar with it- the Asian Art museum in San Francisco is housed in the old main public library. An extensive renovation took place- but you can't help but feel the history of book vaulting that lurks here as well as the hushed vibe all around-
We were all drawn to the netsuke pieces- the miniature sculptures that emerged as great vehicles for extreme folk art craftsmanship from the 17th century on in Japan--- as well as the screens that were hung all around. I felt instantly transported to my grandparents apartment on West 86th st in Manhattan. My grandfather spent a lot of time in Japan- living there half the year after he fell in love with the culture and the country following a stint as a war crimes attorney after world war II. He even owned a restaurant there and chose to immerse himself in the art and the aesthetic of Japan. Their apartment in NYC was chock full of Japanese art and each closet- and they lived in one of those huge old rambling upper west side apartments that you see in Woody Allen movies--was stuffed with tiny cardboard and wooden boxes, each containing a treasure from Japan. Some were quite valuable- netsukes along side cheap tourist fabrications. But they were all fascinating and you could tell that he had an almost impulsive need to collect. Perhaps as a way of remembering where he was- memento, curio--investment if it became more valuable later--and to surround himself with the culture he loved but could not live in all the time.

Every time we would go over to their house, he would let me and my 3 sisters pick one thing to take home. I delighted in it all- I was an aspiring collector after all and was in the home of the master. I recently came across some of these treasures--bronze figurines, tiny ivory carved bottles and my favorite- a small metal bottle with a finely crocheted silk tassle holding 2 miniature ivory dice pieces--
I was not particularly close to my grandfather as he could be somewhat ornery in his later years - but as we all do, in looking back at what elements in our past may have influenced us- I look to his ardent collecting and appreciation for both the high and low art that can represent a culture and offer up interesting iconography- as a supreme influence on my need to collect and transfer what I see to clay.

New Year..found images

2012-01-06T23:57:00.000-08:00

Ocean Beach New Year's Day 2012

As I collect my thoughts and inspirations for this new year, this 2012..I thought I would begin by gathering some images that have come my way thus far-

cool ground visuals

love the bold orange

finally got around to putting up shelf in kitchen to hold stacks of plates ready for use

she calls it "white piano"

delicate and highly conceptual installation by my 11 year old daughter

kiki loving her snacks..on a plate

anime breadfruit?

lunchtime in the studio

order awaiting pick up

Random yet effective and penetrating nuggets of life early in the year-bankable for later use..

Plates 911!

2011-12-31T00:22:00.000-08:00

I got the call. She was breathless and animated with a sense of worry and despair..."We need plates!" she shrieked. "We're serving a 10 course New Year's Eve meal and we need to warm all plates prior to serving and we're low on the dinner plates!". I told her to calm down..help was on the way..

As you may know, I have been creating all of the tableware for the fabulous Station 1 restaurant in Woodside. As they get busier and busier and have some plate casualties- as you can imagine in a restaurant setting when the kitchen starts to resemble a scene from a battlefield, the call is on for more plates.
And with a New Year's special celebration, and a very carefully curated meal, there is no fooling around.
Fortunately, I was well into making them some additional dinner plates and was able to quickly glaze and pop them into the kiln in time for a New Year's Eve early am pick up--just in time and hot out of the fire.

A few years ago I was fortunate enough to have a lovely correspondence with Alice Waters. She confided in her very gracious notes to me that she always fantasized about having a potter living behind the restaurant who could churn out the tableware that they would use nightly- handmade, finely crafted, locally sourced- to match the sensibility of the food and culture she was creating at Chez Panisse.
I will have to float this idea by Zu and Kristi- the lovely owners of Station 1--perhaps there is a spot for me behind the old fire house.....

Again..a joyous New Year to all and here's to answering the ceramicist's call of duty!

And a happy new year to all...

2011-12-23T14:07:00.000-08:00

Here's to the best for all in 2012 in every way..
Happy happy new year...fly free and enjoy peace.

More curios for the end of the year at Silver Oak..

2011-12-18T14:35:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the holiday and new year, newly delivered plates commissioned by Silver Oak Vineyards up in Napa..as I mentioned in a previous post..love the idea of creating these high end mementos for folks to collect when they visit the truly lovely Silver Oak.

A fine outing it is to the historic vines and stone buildings. I highly recommend a visit if you're in the area...

Giving thanks and giving back 2011...

2011-12-11T21:07:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned this time last year, I am a firm believer in giving back in whatever way you can. It does not mean that you must wait until you have amassed "wealth" to give, it means that you give back in whatever way you can. It may mean volunteering locally, or helping your neighbors, or anything that gives you a sense of your place in the world and the larger community you may reside in- physically or emotionally. It has been an interesting year of burgeoning movements and political awareness around the inequity that exists in our affluent american culture. For those of us spending our time working hard to create, to raise children, to maintain sanity (!), take a moment to consider what else we can do.
I choose to at years end give what I can, to targeted groups that have some meaning for me and my family. Now mind you, my donations will not enable a new wing to be built or massive change, but I believe even the smallest donation makes a difference. And again, it keeps you in shape for future giving and volunteering.

This year, I am donating to the following groups:

Meritus College Fund: Meritus College Fund invests in socio-economically disadvantaged, yet high-potential, San Francisco public high school students by providing four-year scholarships and individualized support to help them realize their potential through a college degree.

National Public Radio: I go to school on NPR daily. It provides an important voice and perspective and it is free. It's important to support our local stations or radio will go the way of the post office.

Grass Roots Soccer: Grassroots Soccer uses the power of soccer to educate, inspire, and mobilize communities to stop the spread of HIV.

San Francisco Food Bank: Hit with historic high need this year- local food banks need our support more than ever.

Black Star Development: A real grass roots organization started by kids right out of college, Black Star Development aims to design, organize and implement specialized development projects in small communities in Ghana. Love supporting social entrepreneurship.

let them eat cake...

2011-11-23T08:54:00.001-08:00

With all of the craziness lurking out there these days, sometimes we have to turn to more simple rituals and things that bring joy, pleasure and a sense of accomplishment, albeit small.
Baking. Cakes, pies, cookies- all relevant this time of year.

The smells, morsels-bring a sense of right to often what seems to be so wrong these days.

I have been creating a lot of cake stands for folks lately-all fun and quirky ways to display your finished product. and just plain joyful really.

rustic pumpkin sour cream pie baked by my daughter. yum.

me and joseph cornell...

2011-11-02T21:02:00.000-07:00

backyard of 1546 tenth ave san francisco

37-08 Utopian Parkway, Queens, NY

I have always admired Joseph Cornell's work and the monastic way he approached his collecting and his construction of intricate boxes full of magic and oddly paired objects. A big influence since seeing his work when I was quite young at a Soho gallery in the 1970's-when Soho really was full of galleries.
Lately, I have been feeling a little Cornellesque. The studio has been busy and I am hunkering down not coming up for air too much and not leaving my small urban compound here. I haven't had much time to roam about and find inspiration- so have been depending on my own crazy collection of objects and finds that litter my studio and my home. The ephemera, the detritus-words I like that so aptly describe the corners of the world collectors inhabit.

I take note of the extremely noisy squirrels and blackbirds overhead and take an every other day break to head out to Ocean Beach where I might find a new stone, piece of graffiti or faded paint color that reminds me of a new glaze combo to try. But I do not stray far right now. No exotic trips and journeys. I am hunkered down- working on my orders and exploring new themes and ideas for design. My Utopian Parkway. Joseph Cornell derived most of his ideas from his immediate surroundings in Queens, yet they were powerful and worldly.. large, not small, not provincial.
I have always meditated on my surroundings and mused over the collections of objects I find- the crazy one armed figurines, torn out images from old magazines, my massive collection of cottonwood branches from New Mexico and always more to uncover in the boxes and trays. And of course, Kiki..

As I work away here, I too feel as though I am traveling by scanning what is around me and dive into more clay and make more plates..

the lovely oakland museum..

2011-10-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

Over the bay bridge and through the woods, ok not really, but near Lake Merritt and in the wonderful city of Oakland lives a jewel of a museum that embodies all the great things of California history-natural and visual. The Oakland Museum is a force and recently underwent an extensive renovation making it even more appealing as a source of unique exhibits and local heritage.
Currently, they have a fabulous exhibit all about dear John Muir. I was asked to create some pieces for the museum store to honor the man and his legacy and did I have fun with that. Soaring abstract trees swarm over the plates and give way to color, nature, and the largess that is John Muir.

Head over to the East bay and check it out. They also have a legendary Day of the Dead exhibit that is always a treat as well as a fascinating photography show of Richard Misrach on the tragic Oakland Fires that began 20 years ago today.
And much more to take in-and while you're there--too many to mention fabulous restaurants in Oakland as well..

Dish..the Book

2011-09-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

Just received my copy of Shax Riegler's new tome on tableware: Dish. It is a lovely book beautifully put together and a must for any plate collector/obsessor.

He carefully chronicles the significance decorated tableware has had historically (he is pursuing a PHD in the decorative arts as a "side" job after all). It is just a fun book to own and peruse and respect the place that plates have in our home lives, restaurant experiences and general enjoyment of the food we eat.
I was honored to be included as a contemporary ceramicist making plates one at a time in a studio setting.

Eating is such a basic need, but doing so using something special, unique, meaningful, kitschy, handed down, fun, colorful enhances it greatly...
Check out the book here..

White after Labor Day...

2011-09-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

Now that the fashion gurus have proclaimed that it is ok to wear white after Labor Day- does tableware follow suit?
Absolutely! she says with a resounding yes!
A new set of 12 plates for your eating pleasure- any time of year....

Dish.

2011-09-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

Anything but Plain White

For those who prefer studio-made to mass-produced,
today's dish pickings are good

By SHAX RIEGLER

Rosh Hashanah, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's. Chances are you'll have friends and family over in the next few months, and you'll need to serve them food. But perhaps you're bored by the china you picked out when you got married, or don't jibe with a set you inherited? Or maybe you're just plain tired of plain white plates.

While many large, famous tableware companies in England and the U.S. have faced major setbacks in the last few years—Lenox and Wedgwood are recovering from bankruptcy; Spode and Royal Worcester live on as mere brands within a larger company—studio-made pottery coming out of small shops across the States is flourishing.

The Wall Street Journal is a venerable newspaper. It usually focuses on a myriad of business stories, company and stock indexes. But, on saturdays it takes a long stroll on the avenue away from "the street" and heads uptown. It focuses on the importance of, let's say, handmade tableware. And that's where we come in.
Shax Riegler, the fabulous features editor at House Beautiful, just released a beautiful book called Dish. And he authored a lovely article on Saturday in "the journal" about the importance and the increase in popularity of handmade tableware. He even quotes me and has some lovely images of fellow studio ceramicists holding true to the handmade.
You can read it here.

Despite the pressure on production, it is nice to know that there are still those of us taking this craft on piece by piece...

the lovely terrain at styers...

2011-08-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

There is an incredibly lovely store outside Philadelphia called Terrain at Styers- many of you may be familiar with it. It is a garden, lifestyle, teaching, and restaurant compound. They have just re-launched their website and are including more stories about the artists whose work they carry- one of those being me!
They recently commissioned some pieces for their "heirloom" collection and they asked me some questions about my work and process. For the full story visit here:
http://bit.ly/mXvf4s
I am now looking forward to creating some special new large heirloom pots for their garden section. Stay tuned for images and updates!

A CONVERSATION WITH LISA NEIMETH

AUGUST122011
FILED UNDER
spotlight
for home

New pieces..

2011-08-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

Packing and shipping and getting prepared for New York- lots of new work to show-
cool new colors (am loving the verdant and the way all other colors melt into it), new sizes too..

and this oxidized copper...

and red, of course.

big new white bowls...

2011-07-25T21:47:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I am making these oversized bowls I feel like a pizza chef- tossing the clay like a saucer of dough, balancing the shape under my hands, carefully placing on the "pan"..and making very sure to handle with great care. Clay has a memory and when it is stretched in a certain way when wet, it recalls a fold or a crease and sometimes that will find it's way back to the finished piece, no matter how much smoothing with one's hand. I really love this actually because it reminds you that the clay is alive, it is from the earth--and wields a power over the maker and creates its own mark.
These bowls wrestled from the earth, will hold your beautiful summer salads and fruit just perfectly...just out of the kiln and packed up to go to New York for the NYIGF..heading out soon.
Handmade Booth 9413 if you are planning on going..
happy middle summer to all!

A slice of pure heaven on earth...

2011-07-13T23:56:00.000-07:00

I just had the privilege of spending a couple of weeks in Northern New Mexico- breathing in the warm dry air punctuated by brief monsoons of blowing rain and drama, ending with rainbows on all sides. My husband and son were busy building a platform on our land there- so that now instead of sitting on the dirt we can now sit on a chair, on a deck overlooking the magnificence.

It's a start and we agreed that maybe next summer we will build a kiln house and I can use the platform as a make-shift studio in which to work. How nice is that.

Being there immediately evokes a sense of calm, serenity and a belief in what is right, peeling away the stresses we bring to it. Crawling around searching for ancient pottery shards, carved flint spear heads and coming face to face with some desert creatures- always a thrill.

I carried back home my requisite tumbleweed-did you know that you can carry a tumbleweed through airport security and onto a plane, but you cannot cross the border into California with one in your car? It will be confiscated. It happened to me last year. Successfully brought home to very chilly summer surroundings in my San Francisco studio it now rests. And a new bag full of collected branches and rocks for use in the clay.

And a lot of inspiration and wellness too.

Pride......

2011-06-25T10:38:00.000-07:00

in my hometown state today. 42 years after Stonewall.

Now it's time for my children's hometown state--come on California!

A California Handmade House turns into a Showroom...

2011-06-12T22:12:00.000-07:00

With the exciting growth of my ceramics works- I had been eyeing the cottage we have in our backyard that is near the coop studio-but has its own distinct charm- it is a loft like space that is reminiscent of what was good about 1970's california handmade wooden houses. We had been renting it out for years- but the studio was bursting--and my family was getting tired of my pieces taking over the entire house.

So we reclaimed this space and set to work making it my showroom/office, shipping station and-- just a lovely place to hang out and relax too. Soaring Monterey Cyprus peak through the skylights and the sun sets around the room in a very poignant way.

My husband built the Donald Judd inspired tables that hold the goods- Now when people want to come by the studio- they can come through the verdant garden gate-brush by the koi pond and enter a dedicated ceramic space. The dirty work is all still being done in the coop-but this is an exciting expansion for me--and completes the rancheria we love so much here in the middle of San Francisco....

All are welcome-do get in touch if you are in the Bay Area and come by for a visit...

new combinations to ponder..

2011-05-14T22:18:00.000-07:00

loving the way the new colors are meeting-so many possibilities..

square cotton white with oxidized copper and a red splash

grays and oxidized copper

oxidized copper and light green

pale yellow and oxidized copper

pink and black

matte wine, pink and black

cotton white, oxidized copper and pale yellow

and classic whites

artist of the month.

2011-05-09T22:06:00.000-07:00

April was a busy month for many reasons--most importantly because I was designated artist of the month at my kids' school- San Francisco Day School- where they have a fabulous art program, directed by the super talented and creative Karen Richards and held up by the also super talented artists- Brian Herrick, Rodney Ewing and Grady Gordon. Every month the kids from grades K-8 study a single artist and learn their methods, study their inspirations and then create using that artists medium and style. So, April was all about ceramics and me. The kids took on my 2 modalities-- sculpture and function--and truly created the most amazing plates as well as stacking sculptures in raku.

I had the pleasure of hanging out for one whole week at the school and worked with each grade to fire their sculptural rings outside using a converted electric now raku kiln--and the flames were a flyin'--much to the pure delight of the kids.
Man, did they love watching us wield those tongs and place the blistering hot pieces into the sawdust and BOOM! mini explosions...and then the wait for the result- scrubbing the smoke away to reveal the copper and crackle that lurked beneath--

The kindergartners were particularly funny- I heard them yelling my name out the window as I approached their classroom and then got to take their very enthusiastic questions which strayed quickly from ceramics to their pets, what they had for breakfast, who their favorite superhero is.....
"LISANEIMETH....LISANEIMETH"(all one word) they would stammer-- why do you like birds what is your bird's name my dog is named agnes I love her my brother is sick today when can I take my plate home...and on and on.

In the end, each grade created a plate to take home and use as well as a ring for the class totem which now grace all of the courtyards at school and are permanent sculptures at the school.
I couldn't have been more proud...

Oh sweet pink.

2011-05-04T09:11:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist waking up this morning to an almost sultry warmth in our usual chilly fair city and feeling overwhelmingly pink and springy-well summer-like, really.
Though not a pink wearing gal, I do love a good pink in accents and design- and I love the new matte pink I am bathing the plates in-
take a look---

quick peak into the garden studio(s)

2011-04-25T18:27:00.000-07:00

Across from the coop, the new studio annex in the backyard is slowly coming together- I have hung my shingle! more images to come.

My neighbor shot this one night last week while I was toiling away into the night-the old coop aglow.

ahhhh, spring at my front door...

2011-04-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

and things are sprouting everywhere....

The Ladies...

2011-03-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

Lately, I find myself increasingly drawn to fashion photography. Vogue in particular has had some really interesting spreads of late usually relegated to the European editions where I assume they think Europeans have a broader aesthetic- (true?) they tend to stay with safe images for the American market-which is unfortunate. But it seems like there is a bit more creativity going on- and I love the way a "big lady" gets splashed on a page in some really visually provocative setting like the desert or an abandoned warehouse-love the starkness.
I am enjoying transferring some of these images to the clay --already set up for the stark earthy background by the very nature of its own elements...the clay takes on these images of the ladies and floats them into an ethereal place--

a place to ponder and dream perhaps...

ooooooooh new matte gray

2011-03-08T08:34:00.000-08:00

Gray is absolutely one of my favorite colors. Maybe because I do not see things in black and white and do need a bit of wiggle room for interpretation, expansion or just change every now and again.
So I am delighted to have a really good gray to add to my paintbox of colors for tableware.
It is deep, creamy and very matte and oh so dark gray-like an elephant.

Stopping Traffic...

2011-03-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

Always having a camera on you in the form of an i-phone is a wonderful thing. It enables me to capture the random whimsy that colors the days. I am always seeing new things out at the beach on my runs, and they tend to revolve around birds in new and different positions. I love the patterns these birds take on all the traffic lights and when the light changes color- a whole new image is created.

one of many...

Borders.

2011-02-23T13:44:00.000-08:00

Borders offer boundaries. They keep you inside a place, a state of mind. Some people like them, others do not. In plate design, the concept has been around in a very traditional way for a long time.
They confine the food perhaps and keep the plate defined on a table.

I like the idea as part of a mix. Not exclusively, and not all the time, like so many things we do in life.
I have been experimenting with borders of late. And there certainly seem to be people who love them and others who prefer the clean infinite edge-
perhaps there is a personality study here.

In the meantime, I prefer to think of these lines, dots, blocks and abstract markings-as a new way to inform the design on the plate and capture a piece of the space that you may not have been attending to before. Encourage you to look at the plate as it stacks, nests-in a new and unlimited way.

A Winter's Storm.

2011-02-17T22:02:00.000-08:00

Dramatic rain and hail and wind today--we return to winter here in Northern California.
Beautiful.

Naked trees.

Extreme Winter in New York..

2011-02-10T22:20:00.000-08:00

New York was very snowy and icy and crowded with cars buried in snow and people reveling in the freedom of not having to move their cars, or go to school or feed the meters, or remove garbage...

So, a bit of a slowdown for folks here. And for the transplanted Californian--kind of fun, really. I battered around in my mom's car all over the city and enjoyed being an unapologetic NYC driver once again (my kids get very mad at my cursing ways driving about civil San Francisco--but as I explained to my daughter-people are aggressive in NYC and too polite behind the wheel in SF).

The NYIGF was great--reconnected with some of my clients and met lots of new ones--
I will be a busy bee for the next several months--all good, thank you very much. I feel so lucky to spend my work life doing something that is so fun, creative and exciting. It is hard work, lots of physical labor too-but feeds the soul on so many levels.

Back in San Francisco now to an eery 80 degree day.

And happily back to the studio, which is expanding to our cottage. The chicken coop is in need of a little back up, so some of the operations will move to the cool cottage we have rented out for years in our backyard here, in the compound. We reclaimed it to expand the local operations here. It is being transformed as we speak, and will become a showroom, glazing studio and all around fun house! Do come by if you are ever in san Francisco. My studio and environs are always open to visitors by appointment. I am just a few blocks up from Golden Gate Park and the Japanese Tea Gardens-DeYoung-Academy of Science----so come on by!

Lots of new ideas and images brought back with me from NY--so stay tuned for new pieces-

Spring back to Winter...

2011-01-25T22:20:00.000-08:00

I admit, it is hard to think about getting on that plane tomorrow--we are enjoying glorious 70 degree clear sunny days (image above was from today at Ocean beach) and balmy star struck evenings here in San Francisco. I know, I know. I shouldn't be celebrating the dry warm winter here. We need water...always. And then there's global warming (which amazingly some 8o% of the population doesn't believe in???!!!) that no doubt is contributing to our rising seas..witness the demise of the Great Highway here at Ocean Beach.
But, in terms of instant gratification and soothing rhythmic beauty, you can't beat this weather.
But oh yes, tomorrow I get on a plane for New York, where the weather forecast is for a snowstorm and maybe temps in the 20's?? really?
But, all is well. I will go to the New York International Gift Fair--which I look forward to and catch up with family and friends and remind myself about winter and all its glory.
And then I will come home.

Heading to the Show...and New colors!

2011-01-21T10:44:00.000-08:00

It's time to go back to New York City. Back to the cold, snow, salt stain ruining shoe weather--
It is almost 70 and beautifully clear and sunny here in San Francisco today. And YOU ask-why did she leave the East Coast?
But going back and visiting is always fun and I get to see all of my family and old friends--and go back to the New York International Gift Fair! This will be my second show--so I am a bit more seasoned now and know what to expect-

I am looking forward to it--I am bringing lots of new pieces as well as introducing some new colors to the palette box-
muted yellow, matte pink, matte wine, oxidized turquoise and a cool moss green...lovely for spring!

If you are headed to show too- I will be in Handmade Booth 9413- drop by and take a peak!

New Year, New Piece(S)Peace

2011-01-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

It really doesn't feel like the start of the "New Year" yet. But just the same, I like to greet the new year with some new ideas and inspirations. I have always been inspired by belt buckles. I have quite a collection-many obtained in various parts of the SouthWest where, I believe belt buckles were invented (ok, I made that up) but it seems like it because there is such a fine appreciation for them.
I love my silver belt buckles; some plain, some etched, some turquoise...and I pretty much wear one each day. And sprung right from the theory that I should just make what I need to eat on, I extended this to my waist as well.
Why not make belt buckles? so new for the new year-fun ways to hold up your pants, or just spruce up your look a bit. I am creating these in all my regular colors with brown, black and the oh-so-fun and retro white leather belts. Available now in small, medium and large. Drop me a line if you are interested.
lisa@lneimeth.com

And if you are headed to the NYIGF in New York later this month--I will be in the Handmade section-- Booth 9413--and do stop by!

Happy New Year....

2011-01-05T19:19:00.000-08:00

Beautiful red tailed hawk out at Ocean Beach ringing in the New Year.
All that's good..

On the Camino Real...

2010-12-16T09:31:00.000-08:00

Field trips. Typically dragging a car load of kids somewhere for a short period of time..and feeling wiped out afterwards. I tease my mother that she only went on ONE field trip of mine..and that was in pre-school. I have tried to do better, but now after fulfilling more than my duty- I pick my field trips carefully. So, when it was time to sign up to drive the nearly 2 hours south to the Mission San Juan Batista--I jumped in.

I love the California Missions. They are plum with history and so beautiful in their Spanish, Mexican and Native American triumvirate of aesthetics and spirituality. This one is particularly special--as it is mostly intact including the vast land and plaza around it. You almost feel as if you were back in 1800's California -although minus the intensely obvious conflict and true grit of those times.

Alfred Hitchcock too, must have inhaled this authenticity when he chose to film part of his landmark film Vertigo here. In deciding to film a feature film actually in the out of doors--he picked classic San Francisco and San Juan Bautista to film this ethereal and favorite film.

I am always inspired by the patterns and the images laid out in these missions. The crudely painted borders. The religious icons piled up to bring hope. The magical gardens.
These images are haunting and beautiful and ultimately worth sharing in photos and on clay. Look for some of these images on future plates.

Giving Thanks. Giving Back.

2010-12-08T11:06:00.000-08:00

I am not a religious person in terms of adhering to a strict institutional approach to spirituality, but do feel "religious" and particularly can get behind the concept of tithing as an important way of contributing to one's community and beyond. I made a commitment to myself that I would donate a portion of the proceeds from my work to targeted non-profit organization at year's end. While I wish I could do more..I feel like even my small gifts have an impact and "keep me in shape" for future giving.
I think people feel like they cannot donate until they have a lot more money or because they do not have "enough" to give. If everyone gave what they could--even if just a little--it would all add up for the organization in need.
This year, my kids have also decided to give to groups that do things they care about. They have saved money from gifts as well as from selling lemonade and handmade jewelry (my daughter is a budding designer!) My son: Grass Roots Soccer--an organization in South Africa that he visited this summer that is teaching township kids soccer and life skills. My daughter: San Francisco SPCA.
As for me--I am donating to some dynamic local organizations: Meritus Fund--provides financial assistance and mentoring to at-risk high school kids interested in attending college; Bernal Height Neighborhood Association--a stable force of low income housing development in San Francisco; San Francisco Food Bank; SF ARTS ED--places artists in the public schools in San Francisco to create art programming.
So give what you can this year and if you cannot give any financial help--give some of your time to help a local organization.

Stylemaker Spotlight?

2010-11-28T10:01:00.000-08:00

Ceramicist has a lot on her handmade plates

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/26/HOJE1G9VT4.DTL#ixzz16bJSMqZY

For those of you that still read the newspaper and magazines..as I do...there are a few writers in the design world locally here in San Francisco that are still "walking the beat" and producing lively pieces on design, places to visit, ideas and just keeping a finger on the creative pulse in the city and beyond. One of those people is Anh-Minh Le who is a freelance writer for various publications. Her exciting new project which I am personally very psyched about is a new magazine-not an online expansion of a blog mind you ..but a real paper glossy magazine called Anthology. She created this with Meg Mateo Ilasco another accomplished local writer who has written much on craft and business among other things. Anthology is available by subscription as well as available at Anthropology shops across the country.

Anh-Minh also produces a weekly column for the San Francisco Chronicle where she "spotlights a stylemaker" here in the Bay Area--and I was fortunate enough to be the pick of the week!
Very fun..and an embarrassingly large photo of me to boot--(I kind of look like the clay vigilante!)
It was fun getting to talk about a few favorite things and put in some friendly nods to local businesses that I admire as well-
So check it out..and also check out Anthology. We must encourage the magazine renaissance (not the bad ones..just the quality ones please--as it should be in this Darwinian print eco minded world we inhabit now!)

Now Showing at the DeYoung....

2010-11-15T19:53:00.000-08:00

So here are some of the pieces delivered today---hot out of the kiln to the DeYoung Museum.
I was so delighted that the first group of pieces I brought were scooped up so fast--and apparently some were even fought over! Imagine that...

Clay Pot Heirlooms

2010-11-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the looming "big" birthday of a dear friend-the talented chef Dana Tommasino of Woodward's Garden here in San Francisco--and her love and appreciation of anything culinary and quirky...I set out to make her a cooking pot to celebrate. Mainly in hopes that she would whip up something wonderful in it to share with..me of course.
And as I was creating these cook pots, I really was taken with taking my art as function motivation even farther. After all, I had spent some years honing my ceramic skills in New Mexico with Native American potters from Santa Clara and Santo Domingo pueblos making micaceous bean pots. The history, the technique and the special way in which one must prepare the pot for cooking and then you have a bean pot for life--it all resonates deep.
Families pass these pots down generations and the older they get, the finer the beans and other aromatic feasts that emerge from their warmed clay bodies become.
The queen of clay pot cooking here in Northern California is Paula Wolfert--who collects clay pots mainly from Morocco. Her book Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking--is a gem, and was a treasured gift from Dana. She says in the introduction "When I taste heirloom beans cooked in a clay pot on top of the stove, I find a special sweetness in them. Just as food cooked in a wood-fired oven acquires the taste and aroma of wood, so food cooked in an unglazed clay pot acquires a taste and aroma I define as 'earthy'".
She goes on to quote a french man who offers this answer to the magic: "pottery has a kind of memory of the food it held, and only a clay pot can keep the memory of the love the cook put into it when preparing the dish".

And I would like to add to that memory the love put into creating the pot itself-----
So how lovely is that?

I just love the idea that hands can form the pot, hands can make the food and serve it and hands can make the plates to complete this intimate organic experience.
Hopefully, I will soon be able to post some images of what dana will create in her special gift. So stay tuned.

Station 1 open for business

2010-10-22T22:48:00.000-07:00

Station 1 is now open in Woodside to great buzz...
organic, local handmade cuisine....handmade plates...festive, lovely and special!
Go visit!
www.station1restaurant.com

Sneak Preview: The DeYoung Museum

2010-09-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

After reading a fabulous article about how the new DeYoung has exceeded all expectations for attendance and accolades, I am so thrilled to become a small part of their operations there- as my work will soon be sold in their beautiful museum store. I love the combination of periods they embrace--wander from tribal art to mid century ceramics to a Kiki Smith installation and then finally hit the just opened part 2 classic impressionist exhibit on loan from the Musee de Orsay in Paris-quite the art tour encased in a stunning building with lush landscaping and provocative sculptures peppered among the grasses. Plus--I can see its pyramid like formation rising from the trees in Golden Gate Park from my house.

So I will trot down the few blocks to deliver some of these pieces to them this week-
Go to the museum and take it all in-oh and do not forget to stop at Sam's Chowderhouse food truck if you are there on a friday saturday sunday--the lobster roll is a work of art in itself...

It really is black and white.

2010-09-20T17:14:00.000-07:00

I am not typically a black and white gal-I see the gray of most things as well as dream in color often. That said, I do love the spareness and graphic qualities of these 2 base colors.
As part of my restaurant commission-I got to spend a solid 6 weeks thinking about and making white plates--with a few blacks thrown in-- and really enjoyed it. It was a cleanse really and left me wanting more of that-to which I began my path in this direction.
Here are some-I love the way my favored iconography plays against the white and then how the black really draws it all out--

There will be lots more of these down the road.

New York, New York...

2010-08-27T06:36:00.000-07:00

Winding down from a good time spent back east. Nice to finally feel some heat after a chilly chilly summer in San Francisco. Of course, I spent 5 days inside at the Javits Center at the New York Gift Show--so the world outside seemed like a dream from the past....
Five days of meet and greet and talking about ceramics, inspirations and business. My work will soon be available in some interesting shops all over the country as well as Kuala Lumpur--which is exciting. I was heartened by the fact that folks appreciated the handmade and what goes into producing this kind of work locally as opposed to the ubiquitous imports that flood so many of the shops out there today. Several people commented on how few truly handmade ceramics they are seeing which led to lots of lively discussion and debate as to why younger designers are more often motivated to go into jewelry design, than getting their hands in the clay. "It is hard"-many said. Yes, there are lots of steps and fragile stages on the way to producing a clay piece. "They are hard to transport"-- yes, my hands still ache from packing and shipping and carrying boxes of fragile weight all over the east coast. "There's a lot of 'made in china' work that is soooo cheap"--yep, and I've discussed it here before, lots of lovely mass produced work out there, but does everyone want to have the same, imported thing made for mass consumption untouched by hands??

But overall, people were thrilled to see that there were still studio ceramicists out there--toiling away and coming up with new innovations and designs to capture the imagination and carrying on a long heralded tradition. I am proud to be a part of that group.
Apart from the show-time to catch up with family, take in the familiar urban landscape of NYC that I traded long ago for the expansive west, and banked a few good images to carry around for my return to working in the studio in September....

urban sidewalk fruit/veggie stands everywhere..

all night long..

My son eagle eyed this on the sidewalk during an evening stroll---mini candy chalk body outline--- a gummy crime perhaps?

Curio..Curious..a High End Curio

2010-08-03T10:19:00.000-07:00

I admit it. I am a total sucker for the funky junk shops that hawk tourist goods that line the streets around a tourist attraction-the small coin purses, aging plaster dolls, coaster sets, they draw me in every time with their kitschy fun and folk art sensibility. I especially love the stands in Mexico and Central America that sell ceramic Mayan figures, ekeko guys carrying the abundance of a life of riches. There is something sweet and honest about those pieces and they forever remind you of the place you have been. Sadly, many or perhaps most of these are now made in China but continue to deceive us and make us believe they are made by hand locally..as they once were. If you are lucky enough to track down the real stuff- it certainly can be made nearby by local hands.
These images have always stayed with me and influenced my work. I love curios, icons, charms, small images that represent something meaningful, folkloric and useful and remind you of where you were, and have incorporated these images into my clay work.

Recently, I was commissioned by a beautiful winery up in Napa to do some pieces for them. I was immediately intrigued by the thought of creating a "curio"--something that represents the winery, its history and the beautiful land it occupies. A fine curio, a genuine local hand crafted memento.
Just as I coveted the ceramic Mayan statues in Central and South America, I wanted to create covetous ceramic pieces that would stay with people for generations to come- and remind them of where they were.

I love my collection of Mexican tourist dolls-some are quite old but back in the day, were hand made locally and did incorporate local weaving and pottery traditions. This is what I aim to do with these pieces, They are functional of course, but will remind visitors of the beauty and delight that is Napa.
And of course, who doesn't love a good plate memento? I found this at a flea market back east right around the time I was moving to San Francisco-I love it.
and this cable car box? a classic..

Here are some of the keepsakes I created for Silver Oak--if you are visiting Napa--pay them a visit--
world class cabernet, beautiful buildings and a few good high end curios to take home...

Setting Tables...

2010-07-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

One of my early inspirations for making tableware was a visit to a restaurant that used all handmade plates and bowls. It added so much to the whole experience of eating as if the natural elements of the clay were enhancing the very flavors of the food--(for those of you into clay pot cooking- you know exactly what I mean-Paula Wolferts of the world..) I was so taken with the concept that I took this idea home with me and started to make plates just for my own family's use--incorporating much of the structure and design elements of the sculptural work I had been involved with. I quickly found that others shared this passion for eating good food on good plates and well, here I am toiling away in the studio making tableware, and still being inspired by it everyday.
So I was thrilled when I received an inquiry for making the tableware for a new restaurant, Station One, opening here in Northern California--in Woodside- a beautiful town south of San Francisco. The owners Kristi and Zu, shared my passion for the food/plate idea and had the vision to present their innovative seasonal cuisine on handmade plates--furthering their notion of local and artisanal.

So I have been a busy busy bee--rolling and making almost 500 plates hopefully to be ready for their mid August opening. It has been an extremely exciting and inspired project for me--each plate is different and I have had fun thinking of new designs every day that will match the ambiance and tastes that the plates will be mingling with. I think one of my faves, at least today, is an abstract depiction of women making tomato paste from scratch--scraping and swirling the tomatos into a marbelized wonder--

I will keep you posted on the progress as well as how it all looks at the restaurant, but here's a sneak peak--

So stay tuned..for more images and information about the restaurant opening...

The man, the stick and the bags..

2010-05-31T09:14:00.000-07:00

I go for runs out at the beach several times a week and often see sites that are fascinating--the red tailed hawk that often lands right in front of me as if to start a conversation, the blackbird that I help to get a drink from the water fountains and many interesting people going about their lives out at an urban beach outpost.
I imagine that life in the "old world" is one of small pleasures along with small struggles--some of which come with you to the "new world". Many people earn their living collecting cans and bottles--a rough way to be sure, although it is democratic and accessible. But you need endurance and some swift tricks most likely brought over from a place of origin far away. This man--probably well into his 80's, is a regular fixture shuffling out along the Great Highway--long spindly stick straddling his hunched shoulders with sometimes 4 jumbo garbage bags hanging off each side---filled to the max with cans and plastic bottles collected from the remains of the weekend coastal revelers.

A long holiday weekend like this one must yield quite the bounty.
I nod to him as I run by--but think about this image often--his strength and determination is inspiring and
also a reminder of the world we live in now--the gritty-ness and the quest to survive in all of us.

Here's to him.

Simpleline.

2010-05-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

It's always fun for me to do commissioned work--usually involving full place settings for someone's treasured dining possibilities. And so to speak, everyone brings something new to the table for this task. Some want very specific designs that they have admired on my website and others say--whatever you want to do. Recently I have been getting some requests for minimal. Perhaps it is the state of the world and life being so complicated--people want to breathe a little, feel airy, light and unfettered. SO I had fun creating a whole line of work that was minimal in design and color- Sometimes I find that it is harder for me to leave a plate with just one little icon on it but rather will take to covering the whole thing in a frenzy. This may be speaking to my hoarding and collecting sensibilities--it is NEVER enough I say! so it was with a very zen mind and spirit that I took to the clay in a spare way..and I really enjoyed it too.

Inspired by this and also the raw graphic nature of vintage dutch ceramics--I am introducing this simpleline...and am calling it simpleline..got it?

reduce the clutter

soothe the soul

clean

graphic

bold and

understated

modern

striking and

subtle

handmade

plates

bowls

platters

cakestands

lazy susans

These are available now direct from me--drop me a e-mail if you are interested:

lisa@lneimeth.com

and then there's Kiki's beak too..

the house of worship

2010-04-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

If you are an artist, a maker of sorts-whatever it may be, but something that you spend a lot of time doing each day-you have your place..your space where you work away-often time for hours, and hours again, sometimes sneaking back in late at night to adjust an earlier idea. I have my studio which is my true retreat-my place for quiet meditation an escape, really from the real world-or the world that lurks beyond my studio walls. I am lucky lucky to have a beautiful space to retreat to, and I appreciate it every single day.

I get to think, listen to music or lots of talk radio--(think I have a masters degree in NPR now- an MSNPR?) My days are full of clay, contemplating it, being calm with it and being rejuvenated often. It is my house of worship--a religion of craft?

I am surrounded by all my talismans that bring me comfort and peace and get incorporated into my work. I tithe--aiming to donate a percentage of my earnings from this work regularly to deserving non profits and organizations doing good work. That is what a church does-yes? This is my temple, I do pray here and I do get to see the wonders of nature around me-miraculous in this urban locale.

A religion of craft indeed.

Thirteenth Birthdays...

2010-04-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Wow, a small milestone in my household...my sweet boy, Jackson, turned 13. I know, I know, an adolescent boy with all that brings--voice cracking, inappropriate defiance only to be matched by unexpected hugs and need for affection, locked doors and growing up.

Sometimes it is hard for me to comprehend that I have had the oh so full time job as mother for 13 years--well 14 counting that long year of gestation. Challenging, inspiring, maddening..going from losing it one day to being amazed at the unit we have all become. And then pure sweetness and joy too.

In honor of this day, besides going to North beach to the classic US restaurant for fresh yum Italian food, invading the candy shop and then lurking around Coit tower at 11:30 pm-(as a friend pointed out--a ridiculously appropriate monument for a 13 y.o. boy!) I am initiating a new tradition for celebrating. Since I usually rack my brain to get the right gift for my kids, and then am often met with disappointed or completely disinterested reactions upon opening, I am reaching for something more permanent and meaningful. And lo and behold, it happens to be something I can cook up in my own backyard, and something that I spend time doing everyday.

So I made a birthday plate that reflects the things that are important to jackson at this time in his life-
soccer, drawing, lego, kiki... I am planning on making one for both of my kids every year on their birthday--and since I am so bad at taking family pictures and videos--they will at least have an ongoing snapshot of a particular time in their life. And as we know, pottery sticks around for thousands of years...so some remnants of this time in their lives will remain for a long long time to come, perhaps for future generations to ponder its significance.
In the meantime, it is all very significant to me...
Happy Birthday Jackson!

New Pieces headed to the Gardener

2010-04-16T18:57:00.000-07:00

Getting ready to bring some new pieces over to the Gardener--for those unfamiliar-a terrific shop in San Francisco and Berkeley. They wanted some new Lazy Susans and cake stands--I love to look at a collection assembled and destined for new places...

However-not sure if Kiki will let me part with this one--it's kind of become her private wailing wall..she honestly chants into it....true religion.

Blackboard Green

2010-04-10T11:53:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of green-in all of its hues--and there are so many of them. Sometimes, it is hard to imagine that all of these tones muted, neon- tinged with light and dark--all really do exist in nature and are not just conjured up by some crazed willy wonka of a candy maker--eager to poison our systems with some toxic green dye # 4.

My house is full of green-witness the walls and even the cabinets in my kitchen--a strong enough tone to cover the hundred years of paint layered onto these original farmhouse cupboards. We are lucky enough to be surrounded by green in our stand alone dairy farmhouse here in San Francisco-where the huge Monterey Cypress trees invade in such a peaceful way--and we are blocks from the verdant jewel of this city--Golden Gate Park. I can see the canopy of trees from outside our front door.

green, green and green...

in the dining room..in the bedroom....

I have contemplated many greens in my work over the years and have happily glazed away with light green, dark greens and a turquoisey green, but I have wanted more. After some experimentation, I have keyed into a green that speaks to me in a deep way. Bottle green, mottled green, the color of a crisp classic chalkboard. I just love it. Much to my delight, on a recent visit to the hauntingly terrific Luc Tuymans show at SFMOMA, I came face to face with my newly concocted green all over his work. As written by Helen Molesworth in the worthy catalogue from the show:

Tuymans paintings are shot through with the kind of subtle beauty one finds in seashells when the glow of the sun has diminished and the sheen of the water has dried. Their faded sumptuousness nonetheless elicits a kind of consummate chill. Sometimes called the 'Tuymans effect' this affect of beauty mixed with difficulty, coldness, restraint and distance has several sources. Tuyman's palette is muted beyond measure. His paintings are studies in a kind of monochrome in which colors are subjected to an excess of light, fading whatever intense hue might have once been present, leaving behind an indeterminate gray-blue-green-brown, the color of institutional hallways and old newspapers.

His work is haunting and deals with intensely serious subjects but is also aesthetically beautiful and so well crafted-it belies some of the sinister that lurks below it-

I also experienced this green when I was in Marfa, Texas last fall and walked through the fascinating installation from Czech artist- Ilya Kabakov----at Donald Judd's Chinati Foundation. Also dealing with a sobering subject of war and subjugation--the glare of the green chalkboards prevails.

So this is the new color in my palette paint box-its institutional but nature-lurking hue is historical, democratic and oh so rich.

The 24 hour Donut

2010-04-06T21:11:00.000-07:00

There are lots of interesting places to eat in our neighborhood. I live in the Inner Sunset district in San Francisco-an oxymoron of course, because this is known as the foggy part of the city. But we have lots of amazing places to eat--all mostly Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Eritrean, Thai, Indian and the like. But we do have Donut World.
And I do love Donut World in all its open 24 hours glory. I have to confess that I have always loved donuts. Ever since my sisters wore the pink uniform at Duncan Donuts when they worked there in high school...on the East Coast. Well now you have your fancy donut shops of course, and I am a big fan of the cornmeal dusted rosemary jammed ones at Dynamo Donut on 24th st in the Mission. But there comes a time when a gal wants a classic 24 hour donut--and that's just what my sweet husband went down the street to forage for me tonight-and ahhh..bliss--had to add the french press coffee in my favorite ol' NY mug-(do any of you remember actually drinking out of the original paper greek coffee shop mugs back in New York City and enjoying it?) He and my daughter indulged in one of those giant chocolate covered custard wonders that you never know who really buys--like those apple fritters--right?

Love the bag-may have to put that sentiment on a plate soon....

Ready Made Magazine

2010-04-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

I once again will sound my lament for magazines gone...but also get to sing the praises of a magazine that has been around for a while but is quietly being updated with beautiful photography and interesting features--ReadyMade. Started in Berkeley and now based out of Iowa (as it is part of the larger Meredith corporation now) RM is forging its way into the ever developing and combined world of food, craft, design and decor with pizazz and much talent.
I first was contacted by Amy Palanjian-the Deputy Editor, (the editor Andrew Wagner, some may remember from his excellent re-do of American Craft mag) a few years ago when she included my work in a blog she was working on. She got in touch again recently and excitedly proclaimed that she had a great article she was working on and wanted to include my work as its focus-- I packed up several pieces of tableware and sent it her way where their photographers put together a very cool collage of my work for the feature "Why its Worth it" in the April/May edition--Now Amy does this as a regular feature for RM--profiles something that is available at various price points--and offers up her argument as to why it is..or isn't..worth spending a bit more for something. This time she discusses tableware.
I really like this article--of course I like that fact that she focused on my work and phew(!)...decided it was worth spending more on handmade tableware, and in her words, "swoon-worthy"--love that...but I also like the way in which she builds her argument as well as the questions she submitted to me for my take on the whole subject.
Here are some excerpts from the piece--and you can go here for the full feature online: (the article in the magazine will soon be posted on my website under "News" as well)
www.readymade-digital.com/readymade/201005?pg=34

Here is some of the online content:
www.readymade.com/projects/article/why_its_worth_it_lisa_neimeth

RM: Why do think that’s important to support work like yours, and artists like yourself, especially in our current economy?
Neimeth: You know, I think about this a lot because I will walk into bigger stores and see a great looking plate and am amazed at how little it costs. Now that serves a purpose for sure but it can also blunt our sense of craft. Yes, someone designed them, but they are being mass-produced likely in a factory paying little wages and packaging them as if they are “handcrafted”. It belies the amount of time and energy that artists are putting into their work and dilutes our sense of uniqueness. Everyone all over the world can own the same plate. And again, while affordability is a huge issue and it is important to produce things within many people’s budgets, it is also nice to derive pleasure from the discovery of something truly unique and original that is also supporting an individual artist and the idea that their work can be an heirloom.

It really is quite the concept in these recessionary days--we all have to watch our finances--yet we still, especially those of us--"collectors"--like to have certain things that are meaningful to us-And mind you, for me just finding a beautiful tumbleweed rolling in the desert in New Mexico and packing it into my suitcase (it can work!) is a huge thrill. That said, I love to eat off of a handmade plate--or push the food around in a big rustic bowl. I appreciate the work that goes into the craft of jewelers, chefs, boot makers (oh-yeah) as well as a finely crafted song or piece of writing. These are the things that can subtley enhance our day to day and lord knows--we all need that.
All in moderation of course and all in line with your wallets--
But as Amy says- a reminder of a person, a story, a time in your life--an heirloom--if you will, is a sacred thing. And too often these days we ignore the heirlooms and go for the quickie. Like the story I relayed in an earlier post about the woman I met who told me that holding one of my bowls with the images that spoke to her gave her great comfort and motivation, we all need to find that feeling where we can.

New Eating Bowls!

2010-03-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

I love to eat out of bowls. I like the way my food co-mingles and picks up the poaching essences of all of the contents.. As I have said before, I create new sizes and pieces based on our own household needs.
So it was time to enlarge the bowl! Enlarge the bowl I say!

So I have expanded the depth and size of my dessert bowls and created a roomy 9" cereal/soup bowl.
A client who also likes to eat out of bowls and likes to serve "healthy" portions requested a larger pasta bowl--- "Our family likes to eat a lot of pasta, really a lot" she told me. These 12" rimmed bowls are also great for entree salads and for those of you who prefer more petite portions--these bowls can also be used as small serving bowls.

But go ahead..load em' up and enjoy!

best bird

2010-03-17T17:53:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a long time coming for this post..Kiki..my little love...little light in my day..
yes I adore my children..and then there is little Kiki, my parakeet. Well she is not technically mine..she is actually my granddaughter--- as my daughter Tess got her as a birthday gift--but as any of you moms know--any creature that comes into your house is truly your responsibility. so she is mine. and I love her. I love her to pieces as my dad used to like to tell my kids.

The kids love her too and are very protective of her--she basically has free reign in our house and flies about at her whim. This is her favorite chair in our living room
and this is where we keep her cage--in the middle of the action in the kitchen-she loves that.

She is a complete treat and has pretty much converted anyone who comes over into her little lair-
she is a love- she talks, she likes to hang out on my shoulder, she likes to share my lunch...she LOVES to share my wine--she prefers white wine..and she likes to take a bath in the palm of my hands--now that is sweet. I am utterly surprised about how much I love her--she and I spend a lot of time together and she is a huge inspiration--her coloring, her movement.

Lately she is all about sitting on heads--perhaps this is a nesting thing--my hair is usually a bit mussed and this may feel like home to her-- here she is on Tess's....
these images have oft appeared in my work--bird on head...bird on plate..bird on table..bird on everything--

I love getting to know a real bird. I mean they seem so fragile and unapproachable out in the wild-but when you connect with one--and I think they mate for life- it is a special thing.

American Craft Council Show in Baltimore--Redux

2010-03-13T21:53:00.000-08:00

So returned from "the show"- and am glad that I went--though honestly 4 days of hanging behind a table is a bit extreme--It was fitting that I was watching the olympics in the evenings as I truly felt as if I was engaging in an endurance sport by day! I did really enjoy the comraderie of my fellow artists who surrounded me--mostly from Baltimore (Elisa Shere, Val Lucas, Sherry Insley and Yasha Butler from NYC) though one also trekked east from Northern California (Banansaurus Rex!), which was really boosting when the energy level wained. And I even had the pleasure of visiting the booths of some of my uber fave jewelers--Denise Betesh..and Dahlia Kanner--so that was a real treat too.

As a result of this captivity some interesting things came out of the whole experience. As an artist who sells/exhibits their work-you do not often get to hear people's reactions to your work in such an immediate and intimate context. And it also forces you to be clear about your story and inspirations and significance of your work-since you have to really discuss it all day long. I found that I really enjoyed this aspect and was satisfied with people's reaction and take on my work-plus, I got to talk with many wonderful people.

I found particularly inspiring one woman's comments. She came by my table several times--feeling the bowls, pressing her fingers into the design in almost a meditative way. I could see that she was really contemplating it. She ended up buying one bowl and returning later on to purchase a second one--and then told me of how closely the imagery in the bowls represented what she was currently experiencing in her life and that it was offering her some peace and comfort.
I was so moved by her story.
It all confirms for me the power of an image and how a vision can assist us in different ways--sometimes people come and chuckle at the whimsy of a design-or like this woman feel the depth of it as it relates to something deeply personal. I think it is for me, one of the reasons I have been so drawn to photography and its captured combination of an emotion and an image. It is what I try to translate into clay and into pieces that can really be used-transcending just the pure aesthetic of it all.

Honestly, this woman's story made the whole show worth it for me-and encourages further exploration in my work.

Here's a plate--informed by a distinct image of a dress blowing in the deserted territory of Southwest Texas on a recent road trip-a lonely feeling but -eerily hopeful too.

The New York Times

2010-03-04T06:57:00.000-08:00

If any of you are like me than you are lamenting the quick demise of shelter magazines and the chance to see things, tear them out and be inspired by other people's homes, creations and ideas. One of my few remaining go-to's in print is the Thursday Home Section of the New York Times. I love the quirky features they put out there and the colorized spread of all that is new and good, or at least interesting.

SO it was with great excitement that I "got the call" or rather the e-mail to have some of my work featured in the Currents section on March 4th. I chatted with Elaine Louie-(whose writing on home and food, I do admire) about the Lazy Susans--and a bit about their evolution in my mind and hands.

The New York Times has always loomed large in my home as a child and still is now (the real thing in print delivered daily, thank you)--so getting to be in it is hugely fun...

For those of you who see the feature and are interested in the tableware--please feel free to get in touch-

lisa@lneimeth.com for information on how to order.
And to see images of the Lazy Susans discussed-go to the tableware section of my website and click on the sidebar New! for images. Also-scroll back in this blog to see a post on the lazy susans and to see them in action!

check it out!
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/garden/04tableware.html?ref=todayspaper

American Craft Council Show in Baltimore!

2010-02-17T08:24:00.000-08:00

So, on tuesday I am packing up and flying cross country to participate in the ACC craft show-
I packed and shipped over 10 boxes (!) of work to display.
I will be there for the 4 retail days only (wholesale preceeds this for 2 days) on thursday February 26-29. However, any wholesale folks are also welcome at the retail show as well.
Check the ACC website for more details-- www.public.craftcouncil.org/baltimore.
I wil be in their new "AltCraft" section--their move to "hip up" the show a bit, I think...attract some new artists and display some different approaches to traditional mediums.
So please do come by if you are in the area- I will be sitting at this table for four days!! and will delight in some company! Fortunately 2 of my sisters will be helping me out-so I look forward to lots of fun and laughter.
Hope to meet anyone coming to the show! and hope the snow storms take a break too.....

Beach Combing

2010-02-06T09:44:00.000-08:00

You see everything on the beach. Yesterday I saw a giant pelican that must have just died. It was settled behind a large rock by the Great Highway, near the zoo at Ocean Beach. It was pure and still flush with its spirit. A friend ended up dragging it home in hopes of initiating a new career in taxadermy. A few weeks ago I was at Stinson Beach up in Marin on a cold blistery day helping a friend walk off some grief-and we came upon a small army over a period of 5 miles. Small soldiers embedded in the sand as if they had just fought a great war. We were heartened to come upon the lone yellow cowboy--a nod to our western locale perhaps.

Out here in San Francisco-we are lucky to have the bounty of nature right inside of our urban environment. With that you get the natural beauty and rhythms of the waves, sand..and also a reminder that we humans inhabit the area as well. Which actually makes for quite an interesting juxtaposition. And I love that unpredictable mix--it is quite inspiring.

Valentine's Day

2010-01-27T09:52:00.000-08:00

Halloween is over..Thanksgiving has come and gone..Hanukah was fine in all its 8 nights of light...Christmas--well you know where that went-but we do have room for one more holiday--Valentine's Day!

You either love or hate this holiday--perhaps depending on your relationship status. But in the end, this is a holiday about love--not just romantic love but love for your friends, siblings, children, parents and anyone else who impacts our lives in a positive way-so not a bad thing to celebrate.

Last year, the Gardener--in Berkeley and the Ferry Building here in San Francisco--comissioned me to do a series of plates with a V-Day theme. Corny? Kitschy? Maybe..but it actually ended up to be a fun venture in my efforts to capture what love is on a plate. They went over pretty darn well so we are doing it again this year--

These plates are exclusively available at the Gardener--they have a few online too--www.thegardener.com. You can always contact me lisa@lneimeth.com--if you are interested in these and are not in the Bay Area. They also have made for some fun wedding gifts--or so I hear!

Here is a sampling of a few-

SO celebrate the people you love and tell them how you feel. Life is short and too often we lose loved ones without saying the good things we have been thinking all a long-

Happy New Year.

2010-01-14T10:36:00.000-08:00

New Year, new plates.
inspired by hand over green papayas in Granada, Nicaragua.

Marfa, Texas...

2010-01-02T16:16:00.000-08:00

Firstly, Happy New Year to all! I am looking forward to a fruitful, adventurous and optimistic year ahead.

I have been meaning to post about Marfa Texas ever since I visited there, back in the fall when I went to help my great pal Sherry Stein (www.ssteindesign.com)style her photo shoot for her terrific line of very cool bags (do check them out). Besides having a blast with the crew-it was very inspiring to see this area and take in all of the Donald Judd-ness of this small town. It is also in the middle of nowhere close--except for the Mexican border, and two of the least visited National Parks--Big Bend and Guadalupe. A beautiful, stark area--easy to see how it inspired Mr Judd back when he came upon it. His Chinati foundation is a mesmorizing land cluster of his work as well as others whom he admires. It is an area well worth a visit-left me imprinted with some terrific images-some campy, some just naturally mysterious and ethereal--to keep in my mind's eye and captured for future plate documentaries.
Put this one on your list for places to visit in 2010.

Nicaragua!

2009-12-07T10:40:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving, my family and I forgoed the family trek to the east coast and instead ventured south-way south to Nicaragua, C.A.-Spurred by the idea of my great friend Sherry Stein (of famed bag design wonder-check her out www.ssteindesign.com
whose lovely sister Char and husband Fred are co-owners with Don and Georganne, of a sweet little hotel in San Juan del Sur, on the southwest coast (www.laposadaazul.com). So we all set out for warmth and supremely interesting terrain, culture and wonder. We spent a few days in Granada--the oldest city in Central America--Loved this little place with its really interesting colonial buildings-small chaotic streets and bustling town square- SO many visuals that I banked and tried to capture with my not so great camera--but lots of inspiration for future plates-
I like to use my plate design as a camera--it allows me to remember what I see wherever I go-not just an image--but a form, a color or a feeling evoked by a scenario, sound or vision.
Here are a few examples of what really captured my eye-look for some of these images on my plates!

Holiday Trunk Shows This Weekend!

2009-11-30T20:38:00.000-08:00

Come visit me this weekend December 5th and 6th where I will be doing two holiday trunk shows at the Gardener (www.thegardener.com) in San Francisco and Berkeley.
I will have lots of new work in small and large sizes-so do stop by and say hello!

Saturday 12/4- Gardener at the Ferry Building-- San Francisco 10-2pm
Sunday 12/5- Gardener in Berkeley-- 1836 Fourth Street 12-4pm

If you cannot make it but want to scoop up some great holiday pieces for yourself or others--just contact me at lisa@lneimeth.com
I look forward to seeing you!

round and round we go

2009-11-14T17:01:00.000-08:00

I have always been drawn to the circle. I remember someone telling me when I was young, that if you were able to draw a perfect circle freehand, that meant you were an artist. Well, that seems nutty really and also discouraging, but it does mean that you are someone who is interested in shape, forms and the way in which they are depicted.
Lately, circles in all forms have found their place on my plate design. Almost a little obsessively actually. To me the sphere is a hopeful shape and is also a sacred form in Native American culture as well as many other cultures around the world. So of course I see circles everywhere. Here are a few examples from my run the other day. I particularly love the way that Eva Hesse incorporates this shape--as well as the amazing sapling sculptures of Patrick Dougherty--very inspiring in all ways.

It's amazing how many circular things I have found in the sand, on the street and how cool they look when pressed into clay. I also like just drawing freehand abstract circles --not perfectly round--but executed with an opening or just slightly irregular, but still capable of enclosing an object, word, sketch in my head.....

Autumn in San Francisco

2009-10-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

It is October 31st--the end of the month. It is. It is Halloween. It is the night we turn the clocks back. It is officially fall. I love fall--it is the time of year I was born which may predispose me to having a certain feeling when the crispness hits the air. Though of course in SF it was 70 degrees today and absolutely beautiful. But the leaves, some leaves, do change here. NOTHING like the east coast of course, where I grew up, which has such a distinct smell, taste and feel and always seems to evoke such strong sensory responses. trick or treating, fear of nair sprayed in our hair, macintosh apples --you really cannot get mac apples in No Cal that have the same taste.

The places here that I feel fall are (1) my backyard and our fish pond (2) the sculpture garden at Golden Gate Park (3) the pop-up pumpkin patch on 7th avenue and (4) the ice plants out at ocean beach and the beautiful hues they take on as they play off the sand and sky.

And pumpkins of course and halloween candy which I quietly raid after the kids go to bed--though the plastic pumpkins do stay up on top of our fridge year round--gently warming all the left over candy that no one really wanted--

I do love a good orange though--and the rough hewn reds and greens that I use on my plates...

Outerlands

2009-10-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

A beautiful fall day in San Francisco means a beautiful summer day anywhere else. Fall is our summer and though we relish these fog free days and warm nights, there is always a hint of the latent chill in the air. For me, a warm day means one thing: the beach. I love the beach. It is and has always been a huge part of my life-it is absolute liberation. I run out at Ocean Beach regularly and derive much inspiration for my work from the random sightings and findings out there. What the waves carry in from all over the world and find its way into the sand--dissident objects pieced together-birds flocking, imprints left in the sand of footprints and others left behind, the wires that connect the rustic wood fence posts along the path, random pieces of hardware lying about. It all finds its way onto a plate design in some way.

My new favorite obsession is a small strip of Judah out by 45th ave, blocks from the beach. Within this block and a half is one wonderful grocery store-- Other Avenue Foodstore, (http://www.otheravenuescoop.com/) an amazing raw food restaurant --Judalicious--that has the best hummous and purslane sandwiches EVER and then the new small jewel of a spot--Outerlands (http://www.outerlandssf.blogspot.com/). Named after what this part of the city used to be called, this sweet spot has a vibe all its own. From the Andy Goldsworthy inspired driftwood interior to the hearty fish stew and crusty loaves of bread baked in house, this is special. Yesterday, I drove myself out from my place in the Inner Sunset to meet two of my favorite gals--Margie and Dana-who themselves, create wonderment in the kitchen at Woodwards Garden (http://www.woodwardsgarden.com/). We sat ourselves down to a sweet meal of grilled gruyere,heirloom tomato and mushrooms, fresh greens and a feeling of contentment. The driftwood so inspires me--and also was screaming--"put a plate on the dark wood table and feel the aged turquoise combo!"

So here is my little lazy susan--smack dab in the middle of Outerlands, out by the beach.

Lazy Susan..

2009-09-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

Lazy days of summer are coming to an end, but lazy susans are just beginning in the studio! And just like the refurbished windmills down in ocean beach--things are turning on our table these days. Encouraged by our soon to be delivered 60" round table, I have been busy creating ceramic lazy susans to sit right there in the middle and facilitate sharing-

Did you know that the Lazy Susan has been around since the 1870's? Supposedly an invention of Thomas Jefferson in an effort to replicate some of his..um helpers. It had a resurgence in the 1950's when everything was required to be automated, and again in the 70's when everything was required to be easy. They are still quite popular in Chinese restaurants where dim sum is the star. I love the idea, but the plasticated wonders really didn't do that much for me. A vision then, was born. Why not make a beautiful large round platter and attach a turntable mechanism?

And here you go--my best bird Kiki, having a little ride on it..and now for the hor'deveurs.

These are available now--just shoot me a e-mail if you would like to see some more. Or visit the website: http://www.lneimeth.com/. They will also be showcased this saturday at a trunk show I am doing at the Gardener down at the Ferry Building in San Francisco from 10-2pm.

A Studio Blog....

2009-09-04T11:34:00.000-07:00

A blog.
A forum for sharing with whoever is interested, some of the random curiosities that float around my head and provide inspiration for my ceramic work, my children, travel and whatever else comes my way..wherever I am...
I will share any pertinent news--new work, cool images, weird things I have scavanged and misc. announcements, deals and sales too.
I am a bit wary of this whole thing as I believe we are encouraging a generation of over sharers, but not necessarily in a productive way. I will not over share-except where necessary!

But then, as I pour though the fascinating book chronicling the correspondence between Maria Chabot and Georgia O'Keeffe from 1941-1949 by Barbara Buhler Lynes and Ann Paden, I realize that this piece of unique history is really their blog. No, they did not write with the intention of the world reading these letters, but they did save every letter, knowing that what they were saying was important and worth preserving, in case it became signinficant later on. It was a chronicle of their daily inspirations. Since we are not a nation of letter writers anymore--the modern day blog is really a letter to all-

So stay tuned and visit often for some hopeful inspiration of clay and muses.