First of all, a big warm “thank you” to those who have been downloading and listening to my little project since its inception in June.

I appreciate the feedback and input, and I hope to produce engaging and timely episodes in 2012.

This project has really just gotten started, and I’m looking forward to the next few months of talking and recording. I’m planning on releasing dispatches from Philadelphia, Seattle, and Tennessee during next year, details to follow. New episodes of the Jonescast will be available bi-weekly beginning in January, along with a peppering of mini podcasts. The content of the Jonescast will also be a bit more varied in 2012: there will be panel interviews, conversations with writers, chefs, and non-art creative types. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the exciting things I’ve got planned for the future!

Jonescast Episode #10

I spoke with JP Reuer back in October. He is the chair of the Applied Crafts and Design graduate program that is a joint effort between the Oregon College of Art and Craft and the Pacific Northwest College of Art. Hailing from North Carolina, JP has been guiding the new program since 2009. We spent time talking about what design/build means, the type of students who are attracted to the program, and expectations once they graduate. It seems to me that within the context of design/build there is a connection or closeness to an audience that provides a working relationship “with” and not “for.”

All of a sudden it’s almost Thanksgiving.

I’m never sure how that happens. October has apparently been shortened to four days, the New Year’s right around the corner, and I’m just pulling myself out of the weeds.

So, maybe that’s where I’ve been: overwhelmed in the studio with too much going on at home. The holidays are almost upon us, and I’m pushing to get work out now so that I can have a break from making ceramics during the month of December. I ordered a cord of wood for the winter, so I needed to build a lean-to against the house to make sure that it actually stayed dry this year. (That took a lot longer than I thought it would.) It’s all starting to come together though; the studio’s starting to get buttoned up, and the wood is dry.

I feel like I’ve been sitting on these conversations with Linda and Simon for too long now, hence the double-release. They’ve been hanging over my head taunting me to get them out and to let people know that they’re available. I’ve put aside concerns that those of you who do turn in won’t listen to so much at once and I have come to the conclusion that these podcasts will be available for a long time. There’s no real need to listen sequentially, no real reason to rush your listening experience.(That doesn’t apply to my need to get this stuff out.) If you haven’t listened to the first few Jonescasts, please do so.

And make sure to subscibe on iTunes!
Thanks guys.

I met Molly Hatch in Minneapolis for the American Pottery Festival last month. I had seen her work in a shop or two, but most of what I knew of her came from what I saw online. And that was a lot: she’s been in a number of shows, is being represented by an established gallery, and is booked out for the next few years. We spent some time talking about how quickly she’s gotten so much visibility and the obligations associated with that. We also talked about what “success” is and how that’s defined.
Good talk. I hope that you enjoy it.

Back in March I gave comedian Marc Maron a mug I made for him after his stand-up show here in Portland. Entertainment Weekly will feature Marc in the July 1st issue, and he’s holding the mug that I gave him! How cool is that?