Thank you for coming to Artfarm!

So, we started Art Farm Ceramics from end of June! Most of times, we are pretty concentrate to make our ceramic piece. So I miss a lot of photo chances. But here are some of them I can share.

さて、いよいよArtFarm Ceramic、６月から始まりました！なかなか写真を撮るタイミングをつかみにくく、数少ないのですが、こんな感じ。

Planter class. We use this low fire red clay to build. Then everybody colored their own pieces they just made. After they get completely dry, I will apply clear glaze, then fire them.
これはプランターワークショップからの写真。低火度の赤土、テラコッタで作り、色を付けてもらいます。何日か後に完全に乾いたらこちらで透明釉をかけて焼成。

They will be really cute with plants in them!

いろんな形で、植物が入ればもっとかわいいだろうな〜。

This is from one of the group hand building class I had. Each had specific things they wanted to make. Little boy made a treasure box with key! His sister made a fairy house. It even has a tiny bowl, pancake, and ice cream to go with! They did a great job with a lots of patient! Their grandma made three set of beautiful small vases. Looks great!

これはグループハンドビルディングクラスからの写真。みんなそれぞれ作りたいものが違ったので、このクラスにはもってこい。おばあちゃんが孫を二人連れてきてくれました。一番下の男の子は宝箱とそれを開ける鍵。後はちっちゃな友達をいろいろ作ってくれました。お姉ちゃんは小さなお椀とパンケーキ、アイスクリーム付きの妖精のお家。反対側には窓もあり、二人とも細かいところまで頑張って仕上げてくれました。おばあちゃんは、孫二人を手伝った後にでも、しっかり小さな花器をセットで三つ仕上げてくれました。

They are making nice size mug cups. We decorated with handmade stamps! It was a really nice morning. We worked outside on the porch. 

別のクループクラス。この日はマグカップを作りたいとやってきてくれました。なかなかのいいサイズ。形を整えた後はアートファームお手製のスタンプなどを使って模様をつけました。この日はすごく気持ちのいいお天気だったのでポーチに机を出して、外で制作しました。

These are photos from Fairy House workshop. We used more clay than usual to work a little bigger scale. We constructed from slab of clay. They brought small old crochet and lace to transfer beautiful patterns on the clay. Too bad it's hard to see from the photos.
これはフェアリーハウスのワークショップから。いつもより多めの土を使って大きく制作しました。今回は板状の土からの成形。それぞれ持ってきてもらった、小さなレース編みやレースのリボンなどを使って土の板に柄をつけて行きます。写真では細かいとこまで見えなくて残念。

They made stepping stones to go with. 

妖精のための、飛び石まで作ってくれました。

Cut out the doors, then finish! I like these asymmetry organic shape! Perfect for a corner of lovely garden!
ドアをくり抜いて完成！アシンメトリーさがいい雰囲気。お庭の片隅にぴったり！

There are more classes coming up! Don't miss it! If you already have what you want to make, just send me a email to artfarm.barnard@gmail.com !
もうじき秋冬セッションのスケジュールアップします。興味があればartfarm.barnard@gmail.comまでお気軽にご連絡ください！

Japanese tradition: Koinobori 鯉のぼり

In Japan, May 5th is a holiday called "Tango no sekku", also it's a Children's day. We celebrate both boys and girls nowadays, but actually it's a day for boys. The girls day is March 3ed called "Hinamatsuri". My parents in Japan sent this Koinobori" to our son last year. Finally we got them up.

去年、息子の生まれた年に両親から送られてきた大きな鯉のぼり、５月も後半になり、やっと挙げることができました。日本では鯉のぼり用のポールが簡単に手に入るのですが、こっちではあるものでなんとかするしかない。この辺りは風力発電の多いところ。強風でも大丈夫で経済的な旗竿を探しまくって、結局だめならだめでしょうがない、もうこれでいいわと購入したもの。旗竿の先につける粗い作りの金の玉はついてきたものの、つけたいのはやっぱり矢車。旗竿と矢車のチューブの幅の差が合わせるだけでいいと思ったものの、旗竿に水が入ったりするのも嫌なので、滑車は旗竿についてきたのを使うことに。ホームセンターで滑車の先っぽに合う大きなコーティングされたねじを探して、矢車をつける方法を考える。結局、屋外用の木片をいくつかチューブに合う形に抜いて、ねじとチューブをシリコンで固めて出来上がり。矢車も鯉のぼりもみたことのないみんなは、旗竿を立て、矢車が回りだしてワクワク、鯉のぼりがふわっと泳ぎだして、歓声を上げたのでした。

Josh says Japanese have meanings for everything. Yes, we do.
日本人は何にでも意味をつけたがると、いつもジョッシュは言うのですが、その通り。日本人は知っているけれど、こっちの人用にちょっと説明。

This fishes on flagpole swimming in the sky is called "Koinobori". This is from an old Chinese story about fishes tried to climb up the big waterfall in the Yellow River, and only carp had succeeded and became a dragon. People let these carp kite up in the sky hoping their son would have great success in his life by trying hard like the carp did in the story. Black carp is a father carp. Red carp is a mother carp. The blue carp is  a boy carp.

The one on the top is called "Fukinagashi". Five colors represent Five elements, earth, water, fire, wind, and sky. In old Japan, samurai era, people put this up after the war ended to hope a war would never ever happen again. …Well, so you can say this doesn't work, but it's the thought that counts…. This is as a protection for children in a well balanced peaceful world. The top windmill charm are shapes of arrow quill that has a same meaning to protect children.

So this should protect our son, we hope.

Most of our house in Japan don't have a space like we do here. So only the place that have big Koinobori are schools and in some festivals. I would like to see this thousand of koinobori swimming in the sky someday with my boys. 

日本では学校の鯉のぼり以外は、ベランダ用の鯉のぼりしか見たことがない。いつかうちの男の子達、ジョッシュと虹児を鯉のぼりフェスティバルに連れて行きたいな。

We also display samurai helmet, and eat rice cake covered with oak leaf called "Kashiwa-mochi". Cerebrate the generation continues in your family as old oak leaf doesn't fall off until the new buds come out. Maybe I will try make Kashiwamochi (like thing) next year. 

この小さな兜はおばあちゃんが虹児にと、送ってくれたもの。私たちの小さな家にぴったりのサイズです。ありがとう。庭に柏の木があるので、来年は柏餅もどきでも作ってみようかしら。

ART FARM Ceramics! Class schedule.

Hello everyone! We are happy to announce that we will finally start our art class "ART FARM"in here, Barnard, Missouri! Eventually, we would like to have all kinds of art class. But for now, we only offer CERAMICS class.  Here is the class informations from June to August 2014.

One day group handbuilding classes  
June 16th ~ August 6th

School is out! Time to make a work of art in our one day group ceramic class! A great activity for family and friends. There is no theme, just bring your ideas! The art piece you make can be for somebody special, or of course for yourself, and the experience itself will be priceless!

Monday-Friday 9:30-11:30, 13:00- 15:00, 15:30-17:30
Saturday 13:00-15:00
Minimum 2 people, 6 people maximum $25 per person
2lbs of clay, glaze, firing fee included $10 for each additional 2 lbs of clay

Please send me (Momoko Cotter) an email to register including your name and two choices of what date and time you would like. I will let you know if your requested time is open or occupied, and get back to you as soon as possible with more information.

Handbuilding Workshop 
We also offer a workshop! But don’t wait, the table is 6 people maximum!

✿Mug and Cups

Let’s make a special mug for a special moment.

Saturday, June 21st 
9:30-11:30

✿Planters and Vases

Make a unique planter and vase and get ready for picking flowers.

Saturday, June 28th 

9:30-11:30

✿Pitcher
Make your own pitcher for water, lemonade, ice tea, and sangria! Guaranteed to be the center of conversation at your table.
Saturday, July 5th 
9:30-11:30

✿Ceramic colander / Berry bowl
Time to harvest berries? Let’s make a pretty ceramic colander to go directly on the table.
Saturday, July 19th 
9:30-11:30

✿Fairy house
Every garden needs a house for the fairy to live in while she works her magic. Create a clay home with the slab building method.

Saturday, July 26th 

9:30-11:30

$35 per person 4lb of clay, glaze, firing fee included

✿Ocarina (ceramic wistle)
The ocarina is an old instrument that has been around for 12,000 years. Make your favorite shape from a pinch pot out of clay.
Saturday, August 2nd 
9:30-11:30

✿Bowls
Cereal bow, salad bowl, soup bowl? You name it.
Saturday, August 16th 
9:30-11:30

✿Treasure box
Use handbuilding methods to create your own special box to hide your treasures.

Saturday, August 23ed 
9:30-11:30

Workshops will run if 2 or more people sign up. All classes except “Fairy house” are $25 person and include 2lbs of clay, glaze, and firing fee. +$10 for additional 2 lbs of clay.

**classes are for all ages**
**kids ages 8 and under MUST be accompanied by an adult**
**Please allow a month to finish firing and processing. If you intend to make your piece as a gift, please keep this time schedule in mind. ** 

Instruator:  Momoko Usami (Cotter)


Please register by two days before the class is scheduled to begin.
Registration and questions:
email: artfarm.barnard@gmail.com (preferred)
phone: 660-652-3065 

After this session I will continue update new workshops/ class schedules on this blog: http://albinoleviathan.blogspot.com  and Facebook page: “Momoko Usami Ceramics”. 

Hallway light

 This is the light we can turn on and off from three places. We were looking for a cool sconce light for a while, but couldn't find a thing that grab our mind. So I decided to make it by myself.
この２階廊下の電気は三カ所から操作できる実は割と重要なライト。いいのがないかいろいろと探してみた物の、グッとくる物は見つからず。ようやく重い腰を上げて、自分で作ることにした。

I made a shape with clay, then cover it with resin. After the resin get dry, wet the clay and take them out. I have used resin for my work. I thought it would be a pretty simple project.

...However, there were thousands of walls that break my courage. It will be too long and too boring to blah blah explain what I had go throgh. So I won't. 

粘土で形を作り、樹脂を塗り、樹脂が固まったらもう一度粘土を柔らかくして型から外す。何度か作品作りでやったことがあるし、小さめの簡単なプロジェクト、の予定だったのに。やはり予定は未定、かくかくしかじか、やる気をくじかれてはもしかしてまだいけるかも、、、の繰り返し。

 Anyway, this is the hallway that connect our movie room to our master bed room/ Josh's studio space. Often when we are watching movie, he want to pause it, and run into the studio to write down his ideas before it fades. So I thought it would be nice to have a eureka moment light hare. After all light make every thing magical and beautiful. Finally I like it.
それはさておき、この廊下はジョッシュの作業場とムービールームを結ぶ廊下。よく映画を見ている途中に「いいこと思いついたから、ちょっと映画止めて。」と言い、いそいそとアイデアを書き留めに行く。そんな状況でもよく使う電気なのでユリイカランプがぴったしのところ。やっぱり光があるといろんな物がマジカルに見えて、いい！

We got a shrine!

　It's a holiday season. Thanks giving and Christmas is over there. In America, this two are important family holidays.  In Japan, we don't cerebrate thanks giving. Christmas is for department stores and lovers. Instead, our most important holiday of the year is "Oshougatsu", which is cerebration for the new years. Actually, it is not only January 1st. Osyougatsu starts from end of the year, around December  28 to January 3 for sure, some people don't need to go to work till 5th.  End of year, mother and grand mother stand in the kitchen whole day preparing for Osechi. During Oshogatsu we keep eating this osechi so mothers don't need to work in the kitchen. So whole family could stay in Kotatsu and drink sake and get lazy.  

こちらアメリカはホリデーシーズン到来です。サンクスギビングとクリスマスはすぐそこ。アメリカではこの二つは一年で最も重要な家族行事のうちの二つ。日本ではほとんどの人はサンクスギビングは関係ないし、クリスマスはデパートとカップルのためにあるような物。こっちで家族行事のその二つを経験するたびに日本のお正月が恋しくなる。

Midnight, right before the year changes, we eat buckwheat soup noodle, and listen the bell ring 108 times. Then, end of the bell is the new year! And then, lots of people go out to go shrine. My family... we just go to bed. Tired from drinking. 

Next morning, Conversation starts from "Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu", the new years greeting. Then we talk about how off our dream were from "Ichi taka, Ni fuji, San nasubi" which is best 3 icons that  you would like to have in your first dream. First hawk, Second mount Fuji, Third eggplant. Then, eat Osechi, and drink sake. This sake is special. We prepare it in a special sake bottle with some herbs. The oldest person get to drink it first, and the youngest the last. Yes, kids get to  drink little bit of it this day.   Then, we go out for shrine for "Hatsumoude". We get "Omiki" which is holy sake from god master there. This is the Japanese tradition. This is what I did every year till I moved to America. And I miss that. 

と言っても、簡単にすまそうと、重箱にお惣菜を買って入れとこう、というお惣菜を買えるところがないし、自分で作ろうと、手伝ってくれる人もいない。しかも作ったところで頭付きの海鮮物、豆が甘いというのが苦手な家族達。結局一週間かけて一人で食べ尽さなければならないということになりかねないので、おせちは却下。なんとかお正月気分が出ない物か。。。

So I made my own shrine! Well, in Japan every place where it looks special, or old, or a place where you feel spiritual have a shrine. Shinto is like animism. Any animal spirits, and land itself could be a god. So I found a special place in our land. 

ということで、今年はせめて初詣で正月気分を味わおうと自分で作ってしまいました。自分達の土地で祠の似合うところを見つけました。

 My shrine just got first visitors! We had Omiki, well I would just say Momo sake for the first time!

お正月前に初の参拝者！お神酒、、、とは言えないので、桃子の酒をいただきました。

It's really pretty around here again this year with colorful leaves. I think it could have a little shrine without any doubt. 

この辺りは今年も葉っぱが色づいてきれいです。密かに祠があっても不思議はない。

Basement studio renovation

Initially, our plan was to build separate shed type building for our studio. Someday... but not for a while. 

元々の計画では住居スペースとは別に、ガレージのような作りに断熱材をつけた作業場を家の隣に立てる予定だったのですが、もちろん今の時点で予算オーバー。いつか、そのうちといいつつ、しばらくは無理なので、地下の作業場を手直しすることにしました。

But it's ok. I kind like my basement studio. However, its wall is just concrete. It is cool in a way, but I would like to put drawings and plans on the wall. Table I had was a plastic folding table. When I make something big, the table top bends. It couldn't even support table lamp. 

光がないのが難点ですが、地下の作業場もひんやりしていて悪くない。コンクリートの壁も、かっこいいとも言えるのですが、壁にものを貼ってもすぐに落ちてしまう。今まで使っていた折り畳めるテーブルはプラスチック製で、重いものを作っていると天板が沈んでしまうし、卓上ランプさえも支えられない様子。 

So I decided to renovate my studio. I want to make wall to be able to pin things. I need to make more steady work table. I need more shelves to put my on going works, and tools that still on the box on the floor. The wedging table has to be stronger.

まず、壁にものを貼れるようにしたい。それから、頑丈な作業台を作る。作りかけの作品を置けたり、未だ段ボールに入って床に平置きのもの達を片付けれるように棚がいる。そして最後に、今使っている土練り台の足をしっかりと作り替える。

 This should do it! Things are comfortably around me. I made the closest higher work bench with drawers next to wheel while back. Wheel is not in the photo, though. 

完成！ああ、物に囲まれるって落ち着く。一番手前の引き出し付きの背の高い作業台(ろくろは写ってないが、ろくろ台にもなる）はずいぶん前に作ったもの。

Bed Room Deck

It has been a while since we decided to say our house is done enough for now. But we knew there are some places still need to finish. We wanted to have this deck where we can go out from our upstairs master bedroom. This summer, Bob decided to build this for us as Josh's birthday gift!
もうしばらくは大工仕事はいいでしょうと言い出してからしばらくたちますが、頭の底では、ここもあーして、あそこもこーして、そこはどーしよう、というところがまだまだ多々あります。二階の私たちの寝室から出れるデッキはそのうちのひとつ。この夏、ボブがジョッシュの誕生日プレゼントにデッキを作る！と言い出してくれました！

So Josh and Bob started to work on the deck. This time one of us has to baby sit. So I took that hard job to play with baby in air-conditioned room delightedly, instead of working outside under the sun climbing ladder.
という訳で、ジョッシュとボブはデッキ作りを始めました。今回は誰かがベビーシッターをしなければならないということで、喜んで名乗りを上げました。二人が太陽の下は死後の上り下りをしている間、私はエアコンの効いた部屋で赤ちゃんと遊ぶという大仕事。

Anyway, they dug holes for three 4 x 4 posts. Since we had bad drought last summer, the part of the ground where we dug out for the sewer system have big crack. We were worried the ground is not settled enough for building a deck. But luckily they dug till the holes reach to the original ground.
それはともかく、まずは４x４の柱三本用の穴を三つ掘るとことから始める。この辺りは去年の夏のひどい干ばつの影響で、まだ土がガチガチに乾き、ひび割れができている。家をたてたときの下水工事などで大きくほったところとの境は特に底の見えないビビが走っている。雨がなかったせいでデッキを建てるほど地面が落ち着いているか心配していたが、穴を掘っているうちに基盤になっている土が出てきたということなので、よかったよかった。

The joists will be attached to the side board that we had since we built this house. They need to make sure the height of the posts would be level to under the side board minus width of beam that comes on posts. Also these three posts need to be level, too. Then, they lean the ladder to the braced post itself, and cut to the height in the air! Please be careful!

床を支える小梁は家を建てたときに既に設置しておいた板に取り付ける。柱は横板の底から、柱の上に来る梁を差し引いた高さで水平に、また三本がそれぞれ水平にそろわないといけない。何度も測った後、支えをつけた柱にはしごを立てかけて上で切る。

After the joists, they brought some big boards up to work for floor boards. I wanted to see the view, so I went out on these construction boards that just attached with couple of nails. I can't believe I was one of the carpenter to built this house. I was freaked out from the height....
From this point to the finish, Bob did all by himself! After few rows of floor boards, he brought a table saw up. It helped things going fast. He made railing for this deck different from our front porch. Since it is so up high, he screwed vertical sticks in from inside. So nobody especially the little ones won't knock them off.
小梁の後、いくつか上ですわって作業をするために地下室に残してあった板を運んできた。デッキからの景色がどんななのか見たかったので、釘何本かでしか固定していないその渡し板の上を歩いてみる。この家を自分たちで建てたとは思えないほどビビる。
ここからはボブが一人で作業してくれました。何列か床板をはった後は丸鋸を持ってきて上での作業。その後はかどるはかどる。このデッキの柵は家の前のポーチとは違う付け方をしてくれました。ポーチは柵を外側に、釘で留めて行ったのですが、今回はかなりの高さで危険ということで、柵を内側にねじで留めてくれました。これで特に小さな子が柵を押し倒す、蹴り落とすということはできません！

Here is the view from  under neath. This 2x4 that attached angle prevent this deck from wobbling.
下からのアングル。斜めに取り付けた２x４でぐらぐらが解消されました。

We got our deck!! Great job, Bob. Thank you so much. Here is Koji enjoying deck on his 1st year birthday.
完成！さっすがボブ、ありがとうございます！虹児１歳の誕生日、デッキで満喫。