No Bugz

It's very possible you have already seen pictures of this bug I made. If you did, pretend it's new. If you didn't, it's new to you. He is about 18" long. It is one of the few pieces of metal art I made that I brought to Woodchuck Manor.

One of the really great things about Woodchuck Manor is being on the 4th floor and going out on our balcony in the evening and sitting there with NO mosquitos. We gave up a great house on a creek to be here and we sometimes miss it but every night we marvel at what it feels like to be ouside and not hear "Zzzzzzzzzzzzzmmmmm" in your ear within 3 minutes.

I don't weld anymore because I blew out my elbows doing heavy welding without knowing what appropriate ergonomic positions should be. Susan reminds me that it cost me only $1800 of useless therapy and steroid shots to learn that there are some things I should just pass by. Ceramics was the solution but I can still get my metal fix by making very small metal sculptural pieces.

A good thing about having a spouse who sews is that she has a button collection and all bugs can benefit by having button eyes.

Do I Need Dessert Police?

Here at Woodchuck Manor we have beautiful flower arrangements throughout the buildings. The colors on this one really caught my attention.  The birds also caught the attention of others and the Big Bird Police had to come in and make sure everyone behaved.

I won't name names but some of the suspicious charaters might include SM, PG, BJ, and BLM. The big question here is which will happen first:  Will Susan move out before Woodchuck throws her out? After all, one of her favorite quotes is from G. B. Shaw (but usually attributed to Robert Kennedy):

You see things; and you say ‘Why?’

But I dream things that never were;

and I say ‘Why not?’

Maybe someone needs to take a look at the dessert choices available at every meal here at Woodchuck Manor and make sure I behave and don't take two desserts. The photo doesn't include the ice cream machine - two flavors always. There is also frozen yogurt if you want to pretend you are a health nut.

Susan tries to keep me in line but ...

Seth Apter

No, this isn't Seth. This is "Keyed-Up Executive With No Place To Go".  We bought him about 20 years ago and unfortunately the place he went to was our estate sale when we moved. Oh well, someone else is enjoying him.

We had to move out of our house in April but couldn't move into our new apartment until May.  What to do for 30+ days???? Actually, it was easy. We hadn't planned on moving for several years so we'd previously set up a short trip to New York City followed by a train ride down to Washington DC for a few days there. You'd have seen our pictures from that trip a lot sooner if Susan had been able to find her camera after we got back.  Let's just say that there are boxes all over the apartment and she is still finding things from that one month in limbo.

As for Seth, we are quite sure we are twin brothers, separated at a tender young age. Isn't it obvious? But remember, I was born first.  We met him at the Museum of Arts and Design on Columbus Circle and Susan took a quick (and lousy) video of us. As you can see, I give my younger brother a tough time.



Seth's book is great, despite the fact that I am in it. And check out his site so you can see other work he has done, including DVDs where you can really soak up his talent.

P.S. I am Don Madden and I approve this message. No animals were harmed in the making of this video. No financial consideration was given for this promotion. (Now you owe me big-time, Seth.)

Skull Maps and a Nap

Is this not the greatest skull ever? I have no idea what animal it came from but I'm crazy about the markings on it.

I'd like to think it is sort of like the maps I make.

We are still in the process of moving in. Actually, we are moved in but boxes are still stacked everywhere and Susan is sticking to her plan of being unpacked by Christmas. I sneak around behind her back and unpack when she isn't looking. Then all she can say is "Where in the h*** did all this cr** come from?" I can't help it -- I used to have the use of a 2-car garage for my studio and now I have half of a 10x12 foot room.  But at least I have that!

Part of our contract here at Woodchuck Manor guarantees us one meal a day. Today's entree choices included Sweet & Sour Pork or Grilled Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce or Crab cakes with Lime-Lemon Chutney.  Don't even ask me about the desserts.  It's actually a bad deal because the food is so good I stuff myself at lunch and then come back and have to take a nap. And I'm not being productive when I am horizontal. 

We don't really have a couch (yet) but we do have some deck chairs to sit in. Even so, Susan made a tag for me that she hangs on the door in the afternoon so no one will disturb me:

One Little Pod and Janice

I'm not officially back in school yet (much to Susan's dismay) but I'm helping out with the raku firings and finishing up some pieces from last semester.  This little pod guy's glaze resulted in some interesting effects but I'm thinking I'm going back to more of the black/white/grey glazes and the look that I get with raku.

Life here at Woodchuck Manor (not its real name, but good enough) provides me with more diversions and entertainment than I can possibly fit into a day. On the 4th of July a group came and played some music for us in our courtyard. Janice is one of my new friends. She is a woman of many talents and leads up a singing group called The Alley Cats.  She's hoping her sons will see this video and know that she is not withering on the vine. Not a chance of that happening to Janice ... who sings a very entertaining version of Kermit the Frog's "It's Not Easy Being Green."