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8 July 2022 Kiln Opening

Earlier today, I opened the kiln and welcomed some new porcelain pots to the world!

They are all food/microwave safe, and made to be used.

Swipe/use arrows below to see all the pots in a slideshow

  • porcelain plate with blue goat jumping under a pear tree by kentucky artist ken swinson
    Goat plate
  • blue porcelain bowl with intricate blue flower and bird design by kentucky artist ken swinson
    blue bird bowl double carved
  • porcelain blue spice jar by kentucky artist ken swinson
    spice jar 3
  • porcelain jar by kentucky artist ken swinson blue
    spice jar 2
  • porcelain blue spice jar by kentucky artist ken swinson
    spice jar 1
  • red porcelain bowl with a cardinal design by kentucky artist ken swinson
    cardinal bowl
  • green bowl with design of two pigs in love by kentucky artist, ken swinson
    pig bowl
  • green porcelain bowl with leaf design by kentucky artist ken swinson
    green leaf bowl
  • green porcelain bowl with bird and flowering tree by kentucky artist ken swinson
    green bird bowl
  • green horse bowl with bluegrass farm design by kentucky artist ken swinson
    horse bowl
  • porcelain cup with bunny and blooms by kentucky artist ken swinson
    black bunny cup
  • blue porcelain cup with bear design by Kentucky artist ken swinson
    bear with tree cup
  • blue porcelain cup with two bears and a heart by kentucky artist ken swinson
    bears with heart cup
  • blue porcelain cup with bear in flowers by kentucky artist ken swinson
    Bear In Blooms Cup 1
  • porcelain blue cup with bear and flowers by kentucky artist ken swinson
    bear In Blooms Cup 2
  • blue porcelain cup by kentucky artist ken swinson
    horse cup
  • porcelain pottery cup blue with heart and bunny by kentucky artist ken swinson
    bunny with heart cup 2
  • porcelain cup with bunny and heart blue by kentucky artist ken swinson
    bunny with heart cup 1
  • porcelain blue cup with goat and flowers by kentucky artist ken swinson
    goat cup – sold
  • blue porcelain cup with bird and flowering tree design by kentucky artist ken swinson
    bird cup

Unfortunately, I ONLY sell pottery in person. You can come see me every Final Friday at the Pendleton Art Center in Cincinnati. OR by appointment at my home or studio in Old Washington, KY.

PRICES FOR YOUR REFERENCE
cups and simple bowls: $45
Spice Jars: $60
Bowl Carved inside/out and Goat plate: $100

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Log Cabin Print Shop Update

Being closed for almost 2 years during the pandemic has given us a chance to think about how we want to move forward with our program. Let’s start with a short re-introduction, with a rough draft outline of what we are offering right now.

photo of the log cabin print shop
The studio is in historic Old Washington. It was created to provide education and a FREE working space to explore the art of traditional printmaking.
photo of Log Cabin Print Shop Interior- work space for printmaking
The cabin has 2 rooms. The back room is a timberframe style construction primarily used to create prints. It has 2 tables and has had as many as 6 printers working in the space at once.
photo of robert foose etching press at the log cabin print shop
The etching press was designed and built by former University of Kentucky printmaking professor, Robert Foose. It works great for all sizes of woodcuts, linocuts.
photo of Hanco and Gamblin printmaking inks
We provide a range of colors in traditional OIL BASED inks. We provide them (and paper, and use of studio) free of charge to artists of any level of ability. In exchange, we ask participants to donate some of what they print to be displayed in our showroom at the cabin. We believe that printmaking is for everyone, regardless of financial situation. We are not a non-profit organization, this project is funded from personal money by the current administrators and contributions by friends, guests and showroom sales.
photo of the showroom and small etching press at the log cabin print shop
The main log cabin room is the home of our smaller early 20th century etching press. it is also a showroom of work created at the cabin.
photo of book press with handmade book by dustin cecil
This is primarily an artist-led project. As talented as our current artist-in-residence is. They do NOT have a talent for some of the administrative duties that an educational organization needs to grow and thrive. A few of our longer term goals are to offer more programs that compliment traditional print arts: like bookmaking and papermaking. We would also love to have some repairs/upgrades on the building so that we could offer a residency program for visiting artists. It would provide an opportunity for artists to get to know and work in our community. Please watch this space for developments, if you have any questions or suggestions please reach out to us!

This is a COMMUNITY art project, so please share any thoughts about how we could be useful for you. if you know anyone that could benefit from the studio or help with our mission, please leave a message and/or forward to help us spread the word.

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18 April 2022 – Kiln Opening

Some new porcelain pottery from my most recent kiln opening.

  • Green Leaf Spice Jar
  • Cardinal Spice Jar
  • Horse Bowl
  • Fox Bowl
  • Tiger Cup
  • Black Cats Cup
  • Horse Cup With Thistle
  • Horse Cup With Flowers
  • Green Leaf Cup
  • Green Dove Cup 2
  • Green Dove Cup 1
  • Green Tulip Cup
  • Green Thistle Cup
  • Green Leaf Cup 2
  • green Flowers Cup
  • Green Flowers And Bees Cup
  • Bird In Blooms Cup
  • Tulips Saucer
  • Thistle Saucer
  • Bee And Leaf Saucer
  • Bee And Flower Saucer
  • Red Leaf Cream Pitcher

Come to one of my upcoming events to see them in person, or click/swipe the photos above for a better look at all the pots from the firing. Sorry, I don’t sell pots online-in person only.

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An artist collaboration and opportunity to support Maysville Empty Bowls

I have been experimenting with ways to print on porcelain. After firing, I sent my VERY FIRST porcelain test tile to the Kentucky artist, Greta Gundersen. She assembled a beautiful necklace with a black cord, silver beads, jump ring, clasp and few of my other handmade porcelain beads.

I LOVE it! It’s beautiful and unique. Neither of us wear jewelry. It’s a fun and experimental work, and we don’t want to sell it. Greta and I thought we could give the necklace away as a way to help raise money and awareness for Maysville’s annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser.

Empty Bowls is a grassroots movement by artists and crafts people in cities and towns around the world to raise money for food related charities to care for and feed the hungry in their communities.  Last year, Maysville’s Empty Bowls raised $7200 for the Mason County Food Bank.

If you would like a chance to win the necklace and/or support Maysville Empty Bowls, You can use the ‘add to cart’ button to make a contribution. For every $5 contribution, we will put your name in the 14 April 2022 drawing for the Ken/Greta’s jewelry collaboration. (If you contribute $20, we will enter your name 4 times, etc.)

This is just for fun. Neither of us are going to profit in any way from this. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to Maysville Empty Bowls.

Thanks for supporting Maysville Empty Bowls, and good luck!

UPDATE: we raised a total of $115 for Maysville Empty Bowls, and the winner of the jewelry was:

Congratulations Sara! Thank you EVERYONE for supporting Empty Bowls!

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Daffodils in Augusta with friends

In Augusta, KY, getting ready to paint Dafodyls with my Plein air buddy Sue Ellen Gorman
Here’s my underpainting. Color time!
Working on the colors…it’s at that difficult stage. Time to pull it all together
I am really struggling. Don’t let these innocent looking flowers fool you. They are little yellow monsters.
A day painting is never a waste of time..

Enjoyed being outside with friends. Didn’t get a painting, but learned a lot about what NOT to do when painting flowers.

I’m sorry if I upset any of you when I shared yesterday’s video of me wiping the painting from the canvas. I fail at paintings ALL THE TIME, and I’m used to it. I know a lot of people never give themselves a chance to take a risk and develop as artists, because they think everything they do has to be perfect–or don’t make anything at all. sure, it feels great when a painting succeeds, but the failures are where I learn and grow as an artist.

On a more cheery note, here are more pictures from the same day. Honestly, I could have painted the Sistine chapel, but nothing is more valuable to me than a sunny spring day outside visiting with long time artist friends. Thanks Elizabeth Kordis Laskey and Sue Ellen Gorman for sharing the day with me!

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View from pavilion at Devou Park, Covington, KY

This is one of my go to locations for when I’m in the mood for a wide city view from a distance. I have my sketch, let’s set the easel up and start painting!

I found a shady spot…let’s get some paint on this panel!
We have most of the underpainting worked out. The lights and darks of concrete/glass towers can be tricky…every time a cloud moves, EVERYTHING changes. I’m hoping for some dramatic light before we start with the color. That’s asking a lot at 4pm, but you never know what may happen when painting outside in the wild!
We are at that awkward stage of the painting, where everything is crazy looking, and I’m questioning all my life choices. Starting with, “what was I thinking?!”. I’ll either pull it together and it will be amazing, or I’ll wipe the panel clean. Either way, it’s been a nice day up at the park. Stay tuned
Progress report. No tears (yet), and it’s coming together
That’s a wrap!!! Had a beautiful day!
Our finished oil painting!!! Had a great time…now time to get some food and head back to old Washington. Thanks for painting with me!
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Old Washington plein air painting

Spring is right around the corner, and that means it’s time to dust my rusty trusty paint box off and paint outdoors (like Monet and the other french impressionists)! I had a rough start (spilled my solvent and had to go home for more) but in the end, I got a finished painting that I’m happy with. I painted different views of this corner (Warner Lane) in Old Washington last year. This year, I wanted to paint the view from the highway. it’s only possible when the trees are sleeping and don’t have any leaves.

I had so much fun, I’m going to go out and try to get another painting today. Can you guess where I’ll go? Stay tuned to find out!

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STICKERS!!!

I believe that art is for everyone. I love to see my art being shared and part of everyday life. Stickers are fun because it’s a way to put art on all sorts of things: notebook, thermos, car, guitar cover, skateboard, etc. 

These stickers are all printed on vinyl with an outdoor durable ink. They should not fade in rain, snow and sunlight.

You can see the latest stickers in the STICKER section of the PRINTMAKING menu, or scroll below.