Follow Your Bliss

Cobscook Pottery Pop-Up

Through November 2016

Cobscook Pottery has taken it downtown!

Handcarved stoneware by the Easternmost Potter in the U.S., fine art, and jewelry.
Located at 37 Water Street, Lubec
Nestled between Lubec Hardware and the Lubec Brewery in Karen Burke's "Daylily" building.

Hours are by Chance or appointment

Rice Festival

Saturday, October 8, 2016

Cobscook Community Learning Center,Trescott, Maine 

I'm on the schedule to demo my encaustic painting technique. Come on down and say hello!

Click here for a link to the Schedule of Events
 

Stone Soul Rise
Encaustic on birch panel, stone
(sold)

 Crow Town Gallery 2016 Season

 

Raku Vessel: Mowry Beach #6 by Shanna Wheelock
(sold)

It was a successful season showing alongside fellow resident artists Bonnie, Beard, Sheryl Denbo and Kathrin Hilten with guest artist Nina Bohlen. Stay tuned for info on the 2017 Crow town Gallery season....we have some goodies in store!

2016 Maine Craft Association Exhibition at

Common Street Arts

September 30-November 5, 2016
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 1st, 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Factory Construction 2
Ceramic/wax/iron, Shanna Wheelock, 2016
On exhibit at Common Street Arts, Waterville
$875

 Located at 93 Main St., Waterville, Maine

Gallery hours: Wednesday-Friday 12-5, and Saturday 10-1

Website

Drawings on these vessels are inspired by ink drawings that I have done that depict local factory ruins and environment. Once drawn and bisque-fired, vessels are raku-fired. See pic below!

Raku-fired vessels by Shanna Wheelock. Fresh from the kiln and cooling on the grass!

 

Raku vessels from the most recent kiln firing were on display this past summer at Crow Town Gallery in Lubec.

A little bit of Hamilton Cove, in Lubec.

Kundalini Rising (raku-fired ceramic) and ink drawings by Shanna Wheelock.
at Crow Town Gallery.
(That one stone, third from bottom, was driving me crazy. I edited the sculpture and shifted it to the left a bit. Much better! The sculpture is sold and going to a very good new home!)

 What a treat it was to visit the studio of sculptor Richard Van Buren! 

Van Buren with his cast-resin sculptures

Detail image of a sculpture by Richard Van Buren.

Sculpture by Richard Van Buren.

River Flames
Raku-fired clay, Shanna Wheelock, 2016
On view at Common Street Arts, Waterville

Boot Head, Lubec, Maine

 Karen and Barbara have kept me well-stocked with flowers in the shop!
Thank you!

 

A rainy, foggy afternoon in downtown in Lubec.

Ten years ago it was that I opened the tiniest of pottery shops in an 11x9 section of the barn. At the time I could not envision myself as heavily into production as I have been the past few years. I recall the advice of a friend and business counselor who suggested, when I said that I wanted to be a successful artist, that I make and sell pottery to help me move toward that goal. I had the basic skill in place and with time at the wheel, I found my little business growing a bit more each year. I think that I could have continued down that path exclusively as a full time potter except that the artist spirit in me kept calling to bring into the physical the ideas and visions that kept my mind colorful and awake at night. My life is blessed for sure, living the artist's life, following my bliss. Of course there is a fair share of grunt work and frustration that goes with any job, but as far as jobs go, I have a good one.

Being in Lubec fifteen years now, I have watched a transformation from "ghost town" to "on-the-verge" of something very VERY cool. Okay, Lubec is already super cool, but what I am talking about is a growing community of visionaries: artists, writers, musicians, farmers, and entrepreneurs.  It's still small scale and I expect it will stay that way, but what a beautifully eclectic mix of creative souls we have. And to top it all off, this little corner of the map is surrounded by gorgeous terrain, powerful tides, and abundant wildlife.

I continue to find inspiration in all that is around me and after a summer packed with artwork and openings, I have spent the past month focused on carved pottery production. With holiday season upon us, my hands are never idle. After this long run of production, though, I do look forward to the coming silence of winter and time to paint and draw.

In the meantime, though, I continue to pot, fire, and glaze while tending shop downtown. In August I moved out of the barn for what was to be one week in a vacant storefront. A pop-up of sorts. It was successful and taking it a week and month at a time, I am now planning to rent through November. My annual holiday sale (mid November) will be housed there this year. Being downtown is a bit of a mix of both business and pleasure. It's been a real treat to neighbor The Lubec Brewing Company (locally crafted organic beer) that hosts live music four nights a week. On the warmer eves, I could be found sitting on the stoop, carving pots while listening to the tunes and looking out at the narrows.

Before I sign off, I will mention that I will be demonstrating my encaustic painting technique at this year's Rice Festival at the Cobscook Community Learning Center, October 8th. A lot of people ask about the process, so here is your chance to see my playing with the wax and learn a bit about how these paintings are made. On top of art demonstrations, there is live music all day and other fun activities. Check out the schedule and come on down! (Or up, or over!) Click here to view the schedule of events.