Saturday, November 12, 2011

Lane Snapper


I think my Native American roots encourage me to appreciate what I receive from the land and respect the source by honoring it. I'm grateful to be able to occasionally afford the fresh fish available here, to have the knowledge to cook it in tasteful ways, and to live in a place with so much natural abundance.

The fish market we go to, Shelley's Seafood in Homosassa, is independently owned and the folks running the market are very knowledgeable about the fish. I benefit from their knowledge about the natural resources around these parts.


The fish we chose last week was Lane Snapper (image taken from Wikipedia). I sauteed the snapper in some minced garlic and fresh ginger sprinkled with dill and chives. I served the snapper with mixed wild and brown rice and some snow peas sauteed with crushed mint. Oh so delicious.

A local festival called me last night and asked if I wanted to show my work this weekend. But I'd have a hard time selling enough work to pay for the cost of the booth space, let alone make a few dollars so I declined. I read some where attendance has to be at least 30,000 before a person can make a decent amount of money to cover expenses for a show. Plus I wouldn't have enough work made to sell. I just don't make volumes of work. There's a show in Gainsville this weekend I just found out about, which is very well attended, but the entry closed months ago.


Thinking out loud here, I've been wondering what type of pieces I can make as a staple, some bread and butter work so to speak, which can complement the other work I like to make. You know the wall plaques and the sculptures and the vases like Mrs. Peanut. I had lots of nice compliments on Mrs. Peanut from the gallery. No one has bought her though. Anyway trying to decide on some pieces I can make with affordable prices to sell. Above are more mugs. Once I get up to thirty I can pick a few from those I'll make repeats of. Some of the mugs look like tumblers so I may pick a couple of those too.


Then there's my pinch bowls which are good for soups and stews which I like using myself, so I figure other's might like them. They seem to sell well, perhaps because they're pinched. And my free form salad bowls. And that square plate the fish dinner is served on.



Now wait a minute. None of these pieces go together I mean they aren't the same style. I like the minimalist look of the square dinner plates, but my bowls are round. I think I can design a bowl which complements the square plates. Or perhaps if the glaze or slip work is the same the plate can be square and the bowl round. Hum.


I think all the work I put into cooking our food deserves to be served on a plate which I put some work into as well. I've made this and I've made that and they're all different. For instance these trays, I like the leaves and slip work, but I don't like the wavy edges. If I put a leaf design on the first plate that would be much more appealing to my eye. Those combed dots with that speckled clay would be nice on one of those plates too. I want to make a set of dishes, at least I'm thinking about a set. These things about style, design, and what to make take time to evolve. Almost forgot this post is part of artist's in blogland show and tell Saturday. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

19 comments:

  1. Oi Linda!!!

    Se peixe parece delicioso!

    Suas peças são muito bonitas.
    Acho que combinar as formas quadradas com redondas ficam bem interessantes.

    Parabéns pelo seu trabalho.

    Eu trabalho com argila. Confecciono minhas peças de depois as queimo.

    Um beijo..

    U

    ReplyDelete
  2. Don't you love comments from around the world? Your pinched bowls are pretty nice and are in the price range for an impulse item at a show.It's a big plus if they stack neatly.Buyers like it and it makes packing and hauling so much easier when you go to shows.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your dinner and its description makes my mouth water!

    Figuring out how to make work work together is a conundrum. I personally like fairly simple rims on eating/serving pieces. (Easy to clean and less prone to chipping.) I have seen odd shapes combined very successfully. The leader of a dinner ware workshop I took had us cut out various sizes and shapes in heavy paper and had us combine them to get ideas for possibilities. A square on top of a circle can be an elegant solution.

    Your designs are so strong they could easily be a unifying factor in a place setting. Have a great week end! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi!
    I love your kitty cat pictures on your sidebar. I have the best kitten on the planet: Sookie! Come by for a giveaway!
    http://georgie-hornpuddinnpie.blogspot.com/2011/11/is-it-terrific-tuesday-and-another.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. Google translation

    Hi Linda!

    If fish looks delicious!

    His pieces are very beautiful.
    I think that combining the square with rounded shapes are quite interesting.

    Congratulations on your work.

    I work with clay. Cook my parts after the burn.

    A kiss ..

    Hi Ma Ferreira, thanks so much, yes the fish is wonderful we are lucky to have a great fish maket near by. Thank you I will try combining square and round to see how I like it and look forward to visiting your blog too. Hugs to you.

    Hi Dennis, thanks, those bowls do fit together, when I go to a show though I always put bubble wrap between each piece maybe that is overkill? I sold those bowls on etsy and need to make more of them, I have some different colors I use myself and I like that size perfect for serving soup and can be warmed up in microwave or even drink tea out of.

    Hi Smartcat, thanks, that is such a good idea about cutting out the paper to mix and match and see what looks well together. I am going to dig in my cabinet and do that and even color them in to see how they look together. I want to have some cohesive groups of pieces, one of my goals I never seem to get to, but writing it here may be the impetus for me to progress. Ha.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Georgie, thanks so much, my cats are all special and each one has it's own personality as you can readily see. I'll stop on by shortly, thanks so much.

    ReplyDelete
  7. i am so envious of you for having a nice fish market nearby. i used to eat fish once a week when in NH... jeff isn't a big fan of fish so i haven't really taken the time to find a closer place then greensboro to buy it.

    we have found that bowls have been selling well this year... all sizes. it seems they sell better if we have lots of the same style in each size. after the sunapee, NH show we were cleaned out of bowls.
    mugs always seem to sell well and tumblers come and go in phases. every time i make things that i think will be good sellers they seem to hang around, it's such a guessing game!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Michele, thanks, I could eat fish every day of the week. When we lived in Arkansas you could get any kind of seafood you wanted, catfish fillet, catfish nuggets, catfish pieces, see what I mean, I was craving seafood there, although catfish breaded in cornmeal is really good. Farm raised fish just doesn't taste the same to me as wild caught, somehow farm raised is mushy and mealy tasting.

    After I posted this I was thinking of making a set of those speckled pinch bowls with the dots in graduating sizes - they are really cool looking in person. I figure in order to complete with big box stores my work must be unique especially the mugs since there are so many and they are readily available every where. I think it depends on the audience where you are selling too, I guess having a variety helps that way you can appeal to more folks.

    Cindy of Dirtkicker said bowls and mugs were selling well for her this year too.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love the bowls and plates, and think it would be great to match square with round. It sounds like you're getting some good ideas on how to make a little more money. I would think this time of year would be perfect for shows.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Still laughing at your description of Arkansas seafood.
    You have definitely stepped up your game.

    ReplyDelete
  11. WOW! All fun and yummy shares!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Linda you have been so busy and the work looks amazing... great to see it being used for delicious looking meals xx

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have a friend who does work like yours, she sells a lot of christmassy type ornaments she calls her bread and butter peices.I just found you today, I'm very interested in clay and pottery althoughI have never worked with it, I'm your newest follower and I will read your past posts maybe you already do ornaments but she did plain white stars and just sprinkled abit of glitter on very sparing ly and they sold like hot cakes so she alwyas keeps a basket of simple ornaments like that and napkin rings in her sale table, just a thought,, nice to meet you!! Beautiful work, best wishes from Canada

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Rubye Jack, thanks, the shows are ok for attendance, but the sales just aren't there, folks just don't have the money.

    Hi Patti, thanks, don't you find that to be true, I had moved from California there so I missed the seafood and now Florida has even more, so cool.

    Hi Laurie, thanks, I'll have to make some napkin rings; I have never done that. White stars now why didn't I think of that, white goes with anything Ha. You can do a search on this blog too for other posts you might be interested in; there is a search button on the right side column. Thanks for the follow.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Tracey, thanks, yes keeping busy, I love cooking too. Ha.

    ReplyDelete
  16. The fish looks delish and those bowls stole my heart. I just love small bowls you can wrap your hands around and hold. Wonderful work. xox Corrine

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Corrine, thanks so much, the pinch bowls are perfect for holding since they are ever so slightly irregular and give a nice tactile and comforting grip to the hand.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I adore your little art works. :) I should really eat some breakfast first before reding this. :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi NatashaMay, thanks, yes well fish might not be the best for breakfast, but then again many folks have pan fried fish and eggs, Ha.

    ReplyDelete

I love suggestions, questions, critiques, thanks for your comment