Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Winter Solstice...

Joan Tucker, one of the delightful spirits behind Off Center Productions, sent along this early Winter Solstice gift!  She filled a tin with chocolate and various treasures of handcrafted ceramic and porcelain that she and Lana create.  The pieces are wonderful.  Each piece is unique – personal.  When you pick one up, you can feel the artists' hands in it and know that each one was singularly and lovingly made.  Many of them are inspired by archeological finds and ancient symbols; matched with the very elemental fired clay process, the work that they've created carries a powerful shamanic-feeling, like a talisman or sacred amulet.  I feel very lucky to have been bestowed with such a remarkable gift!  Make sure to check out their goods and read their BLOG!

7 comments:

Distressing Delilah a.k.a. jenn said...

Hi there..just stumbling thru blogs and happened upon yours! You are lucky to get your little gift there! It looks wonderful!

Joan Tucker said...

Andrew,
Knowing our little artsy pieces are in Brooklyn makes me happy. Have a great holiday, Joan T and Lana Off Center

Andrew Thornton said...

Hey Delilah! I do feel very special and lucky indeed!

Andrew Thornton said...

Hey Joan! Thanks again! I was so thrilled to get your package in the mail! It's amazing! I can't wait to work with some of the pieces. All kinds of ideas have been brewing in my subconscious.

Just think, they are in Brooklyn now and who knows where they'll be next. Well, some of them I will definitely keep in my private stash. But what of the ones I design with? I always like to imagine what happens to the pieces once you let go of them and where they end up being. What will the new owners think? Will they remember you? Will they remember me? Will the object be a touchstone of memory? I like to imagine how these things will be thought of when we're all dead and gone and long forgotten and our world as we know it no longer is... when we become like the lost civilizations and ancient empires, some emerging from the sand and some from the sea. I imagine what they will say. Will the future finders of such treasures know how special they are or what they mean? I wonder these things.

Joan Tucker said...

Andrew, I love that you think about "us" as ancient civilizations.. I also wonder about legacy; memories, touchstones, shamanistic relics,
if we will be remembered..

My past life was all about people and change and creating programs etc Now these little clay things consume me and I wonder where they will end up and if any meaning will be attributed to them

As a child I dug up arrowheads along the Connecticut River. Now that was an artifact!!
Keep creating....Joan T

Beth Hikes said...

This box of treasures looks so intriguing. I can't wait to check out Off Center Productions. What a cool thing to send someone!

Andrew Thornton said...

I am ten different kinds of lucky!