Toto, we are not in Kansas anymore

Adventure part II:
So Penland is nothing fancy. Penland has my heart. I drove straight north from there to Cranbrook INSTITUTE of the ARTS, where the most luscious Madeline Stillwell has just completed her Studies in the Finer Arts.



So I met Madskills at Penland six years ago, in the class with Silvie Granatelli and Leah Leitson. She was making cups like flippy little skirts, lips with undulations, and full curves split open by the mons and it's hidden treasures. her constant audacity is an inspiration to me, and I have followed her graduate work over the years at her website: http://madelinestillwell.com/splash.html .
I had the great pleasure and occasional amusement to observe her in her environs. What a contrast, to come from the little craft school that could to the columns and fountains of the art institute. Partywise, with all due respect, our bonfires and our mojitos were better by an order of magnitude.
I was able to attend a lecture and subsequent critiques by her mentor and visiting artist Neil Forrest. (from Nova Scotia) Fascinating. He has a particular love for Iznic tilework among other things, and gave us a beautiful presentation of how the design and layout of the tiles dissolves the stone walls and arches onto which it is arranged. Gave lucid vocabulary to those tricks evolved in their artistry of illusion. carried the concepts that he clarified into his own work, which is to my eye like a body pieced apart and examined in detail. Brilliant man. what a treat. critiques were interesting too- the languaging has crossovers to the crits I remember, the interaction of idea and object is equally relevant, the notions of material use, scale, balance, etc.. were all pertinent.. but somehow, I can't put my finger on it- I grew sleepy there in the marbled museum. I followed the talk the way I would follow a butterfly. It has color, it has substance, it has trajectory. It is beautiful. But what is it's meaning? My friend says "it takes all kinds"... I left, had some chocolate, and fell asleep in the sun.