The Art Studio and Greg Busceme Sr... What a Difference They Made in My Life.

I'm a chef fan-girl and I adore Anthony Bourdain.  He's the executive producer of this awesome show http://www.mindofachef.com/videos/watch-the-premiere-of-mind-of-a-chefs-potluck-music-special/. This creative video about food and the people that make it, unexpectedly brought to mind my experiences at The Art Studio in Beaumont, Texas as an artist in residence and potter. It also reminded me of the impact that Greg Busceme Sr. had on my life during that volatile time of life rushing around me like a whirlwind.  I realized what an important milestone this was and how much I cherished it.  Why haven't I written about it?  During this time, I was mired deeply in the love for  my babies, soccer games, dinner, PTA meetings and grocery stores.


Here, in this cavernous, dusty place, there was something differenct; clay, soft, gritty wet spinning clay that actually responded to something I wanted by letting me push it around and make something beautiful.  It seemed that the faster the wheel would spin my lump of clay, the slower my life would go, eventually giving me the chance to look inward and see there was a person there that was not someone's daughter, wife or mother.  There was actually a me in there.  My mentor in all this, unbeknownst to him I think, was Greg Busceme, all knowing God of clay and the Art Studio, devastatingly handsome and most of all, perceived by me, as fearless of what anyone thought of him.

I would drop off my kids at school and rush to the Art Studio where I became part of the family.  I would put on my revered red apron that I split down the middle so I could straddle the wheel and go to the kitchen which was usually cold, grab coffee and just listen.  The artists would talk, and I would listen.  I didn't say much, I felt it would be pretentious of me to jabber at these people that actually knew what they were doing but I relished that time in the often dusty kitchen with dirty dishes in the sink.

After soaking up the knowledge of the REAL artistis, I would get a lump of clay and begin the war between the clay, me and the wheel, to get it centered.  I loved the feeling of the clay in my fingers and how it responded in so many different ways as I poked and prodded and smoothed it.  Control!  I had something I could CONTROL!  As I began to get better, I would lose myself in this time.  Unfortunately, I lost myself so deeply that I was late to pick up my kids at school once or twice, so I started setting an alarm, giving myself time to get off the wheel before I had to leave.  These were wonderful times for me and I learned to just do what I wanted.  I didn't care if anyone liked what I was making because I liked it and my opinion was the only one that mattered here. I love Greg and those other artists for teaching me this freedom to not give a damn!  I began to experiment with shapes and many things I saw in nature, started to influence what I made in the studio.  Glazes became a new world of discovery and I found a new interest in of all things, chemistry!

I remember a very special night where I was invited to participate in the firing of  Raku.  I feel this night now as clearly as if I am actually there.  I remember helping to build the kiln, wondering what in the world we were going to do with so much sawdust and why the water wouldn't just break everything if we plunged hot clay into it.  Memories pervade of loading the lovingly made pieces into the homemade kiln with camaraderie and expectation and of course, the aching anticipation of what would come out in the end.   I have a Raku bowl, fired on this night that sits on my bedside table.  A precious memory, not only of fun but one of belonging. 

Today, watching the young Chef Bowein make this creative dish, brought that Raku night and Greg to my mind.  Sometimes, we never really know how much of an impact we make in someone's life so here is a note of thanks to Greg who made an impact on mine...

Greg, I want you to know that you had an impact on my life.  One of the best memories of my 80's suburban housewife and mother life, was of my short time as an artist in residence at the Art Studio, my hands coated in slip, watching the wheel turn.  I truly do think it was the beginning of my release to creativity and courage.  I can hear, with a smile on my face, you teasing me about my intense need for my clay to be usable art.  You were encouraging me to branch out.  "Well Joni," Greg would tease, "is this your Suzie homemaker art?" to which I would quote Zappa, "Suzie CREAMCHEESE!".   

To this day, I will sometimes mention to someone in a tiny little voice, almost a whisper, “I was a potter."  As their eyebrows rise to their hairline, they will ask astonishingly, “really”?  I cannot tell the story of the day I cleared my “shelf” at the studio without fighting tears.  It was a sad day and I won't go into all the reasons I had to go, but what is most important, the leaving as well as the coming to the Art Studio, taught me a great lesson.  I think it was the first seedling of the courage I would need several years later, to get on a plane for New York, where I really blossomed.   You Greg, were a very important milestone in my life, and I really felt it was time I told you that because I know I never have and you probably didn’t know.  Most of all, I wanted to say a very belated but well deserved, thank you!  

Say it aint so! President-Elect Trump.

Whenever I am faced with emotional upsets that I have trouble navigating, the ones that keep me up and night and have me talking to myself in the car, I know it’s time to write it all down. In doing that, I’m looking for a plan.  What can I do to get out from under this haze of darkness? The ascendance of Donald Trump to the Presidency of the United States is one of those times for me.  Unlike some of my more enlightened friends, I was never comfortable or complacent about the whether there really was a possibility of his actually winning because I live in Trump Country.  I hear the absurdities every day in disbelief.

I am so very disillusioned in the fabric of the middle in America.  What have we become that we would let this horrible man represent all that is the best of us.  He is not the best of us. 

For years, I too have thought that maybe it would be a good idea to send someone not only to the White House but also to both houses of Congress that were not part of the politico; people that could bring fresh thinking to the political landscape.  I had in mind powerful thinkers, successful business men, finance specialists, inventors, non-profit leaders, philosophers of the social make up of the masses.  Even people like Ross Perot, whom I didn’t really like that much, after I did the research, I realized he was a good man that really believed in what he was proposing. 

I didn’t trust the majority of middle America to make a decision for the greater good because I truly felt they would grab for the gossamer cotton candy rather than wait for a more solid reward.  For years I was frustrated with living in a part of the country where word of mouth became the replacement of doing good old fashioned homework.  It was much easier to just forgo reading the news and looking for the truth and just listen to way of learning and only hear the pundits, the preacher and the politician who spoke words they wanted to hear. 

Not everyone is like this but there is a HUGE middle class contingent busy with driving to the plant or office each day where they spend the day thinking about what to do about the duck blind, the deer lease, the PTA meeting, what to wear to the girls night out or what dish to bring to the pot luck at the prayer meeting.  There is a LOT to deal with in everyday life and any kind of research past the local news just isn’t necessary, it was being fed to them. They won’t admit to that, but we have seen it in blaring color during this election.  Laziness.  Too Lazy to know the truth and be aware and informed of the issues.

When these constituents hear someone speak out against the issues their fearless leaders have said were important, instead of checking it out, they just grab on to the key words and parrot them at these people that they consider “left wing interlopers and bleeding hearts”.  Behind the parroting, there is… blank space, nothing, no facts or dates or times or numbers.  They don’t need those facts, because the people that are supposed to know about that already did the research for them and that is “good enough”.  They are also fine with using those catch phrases to support their borrowed views and then go back to their everyday life with the assumption that their fearless leaders are there protecting the home front.  These are the people that the Democratic party got wrong and got it wrong badly.

In my studies of history, when an army suffers a great defeat, they re-group and pull back but not only to analyse the next battle, but also what they can do at this very moment to position themselves so that their next battle is shored up and ready to succeed.  This is what needs to be done now.  Action is the only thing that will make this horrible situation better.

Layover in Istanbul, Turkey and last leg to Vienna 10/08/2016

At our layover in Istanbul, we found the transfer much easier than anticipated because we were not changing airlines and that meant we didn’t have to go through customs or worry about luggage since it was already checked through to Vienna.

That left us free to grab some food and explore the “Duty Free Bazarre”.  I found some great presents for everyone.   Charles is pretty good at money exchange so I drove him crazy asking how much things were in US Dollars.  We wanted to mail  postcards to Brazil and the US and since there was no post office or stamps available, Charles tried to talk the cashier into letting him give him some money and mail them for us.  He didn’t want to though and I’m sure as soon as we walked away, he muttered to himself about Crazy Americans.

We had some delicious coffee and a couple of pastries since the airline was feeding us pretty well. We had the long haul leg of the trip behind us and we were really looking forward to getting to Vienna.  Not only because we were completely exhausted but because we were so excited to start exploring.

On the plane to Vienna, there was a Turkish Business man reading his paper and I was peeking over his shoulder at it.  When we got off the plane I asked him if I could have it and he answered me in the English that I could.  Look! It's all about the Clinton vs. Trump campaign in the US.

Vienna, Departure Day Friday, 10/07/2016

 On Friday, the day for us to leave on our trip, both of us had to go to work and it SO difficult.  We were so excited to get started on this new adventure.  We have enjoyed other trips together and each one is a treasured memory in our minds.  We forgo expensive toys, jewelry and expensive items in order to enjoy our love for travel which is something we both share.

I had lunch with Nikki, Matt and the boys, which made the day pass much better and then left work early for home so I could handle any last minute details and packing.  Our friend Cheryl will be house sitting and taking care of Oliver and Livy.   That is really the only thing we will miss for the next week, our little dogs, but they will be in good hands with Cheryl and her three dogs. 

We finally were ready to go and left for the Airport.  I felt the same excitement and exhilaration whenever we set off on a road trip or adventure.  We will be making memories that last our lifetime.  Pictures in our heads and hearts, that never go away.

A word about Turkish Airlines, they are the BEST.  Checkin was quick and easy, they served great food, the flight attnedants are not surly or sulky, they seem to really like their jobs.  There were two full meals served on the plane and these small delicious cheese sandwiches and little cakes available anytime you wanted one. We lucked out because we were able to change to an empty row and have an empty seat between us.  For a 11 hour flight, this is a must.  From now on, I'll book the window seat and aisle seat in hopes that no one will want the middle seat.  If they do take it, they will look for another seat once on board.  We will fly Turkish Airlines from now on if at all possible.

We checked in, checked the bags, slung our travel backpacks over our shoulders and grinned at each other like a couple of kids about to eat cake……