I started my shop while living in Denver, where I grew up. A few years ago I moved west of the continental divide and now live in Carbondale, CO. I have a little studio here that I use during warmer months--in winter it gets too cold at night to leave pieces drying. I bring the clays and glazes in for the coldest months. (In winter I focus on writing, editing, and painting.)
I like to use different clays (usually white, red or buff with specks in it) and experiment with glazes. Sometimes a glaze will look the same on each clay but usually it's different. I keep track of what works and also keep trying new combinations. It is challenging for me to make several pieces that match as I want to try something different each time. None of my own dishes match. That way I can find the perfect dish color for the food!
Because I live in a gorgeous area, I take lots of photos, both vistas and wildflowers. When I have a picture I really like I'll put it onto a note card. I may open a new shop just for cards but for now I'll simply have a few available at purplemountain. (I have a red hill outside my window but red mountain was taken. My house is periwinkle--purplish so I'm good with purple mountain).
I am working on making a web site. For the moment it's warm enough to be making pots so I'm doing that instead.