"Inspiration is highly overrated. If you sit around and wait for the clouds to part, it's not liable to ever happen. More often than not work is salvation." - Chuck Close
Male
34 years old
Chattanooga, Tennessee
United States
seeing music, chopping wood,hard days of productive work in the studio,taking care of my friends,having conversations with Toney,cooking, washing dishes, drinking cold beer, eating good food, hangin with my beautiful wife, travelling, making pots, friends, tools, fishing, playing the git fiddle,hunting for my food, writing things down that i think about and coming back to them later, jumping in the ocean, being a potter in a corporate world,
Music
Steely Dan, Lynrd Skynrd, Atmosphere, Govt Mule, George Benson, Gerry Rafferty, Stevie Ray Vaughn, LL Cool Jay, Dave Grisman, John Scofield, Fleetwood Mac, The Band, Digable Planets, The Cruisers, Hank Williams III, Son Volt, Jayhawks, Sade, Allman Brothers, George Strait, John Le Doux, Bonnie Raitt, Incubus, Howard Jones, Stevie Wonder, Dolly Parton, Steve Miller Band, Molly Hatchett, Men at Work, Hall and Oates, Paul Simon, Steel Pulse, Leon Russel
Books
Pioneer Pottery, The Prophet, The Bible, Lonesome Dove, Hamada, Wood-fired Stoneware and Porcelain, Ragamuffin Gospels, Andy Goldsworthy
About me: My name is Shadow May. I’m a born and raised Alaskan, and have been a potter for about fourteen years now. I’ve worked across the USA…from Alaska to Tennessee, North Carolina to Hawaii…gathering knowledge and refining my skills. I received my training through many different avenues. I spent a short time in college, and attended workshops as well as numerous intense apprenticeships, while also throwing production (piece work) for companies. Everything up ‘til now has influenced my growth, my views and my life as a potter. I’ve let my pots evolve with myself. The interactions, conversations, confrontations--whatever it is--come out in my pots. Learning to listen and reflect has shaped the pots I make today. I am always evolving. Whether I throw ten pots in a day or a hundred, the silent lessons I learn from the clay are always there. I work with a cone six-to-ten porcelain, mostly because it is very responsive to my touch and the marks I leave behind. Glazing on porcelain also brings rich texture and color. I wedge all my clay and mix my glazes from scratch. I throw on an old Randall kick-wheel which I worked on during my first apprenticeship in Tennessee. There are four to five glazes that I work with and interchange with new ones as I test them. I have been firing a twenty cubic foot oval electric kiln eight to nine times every other month. I try to work as hard as I can and then work harder. I believe that I only have one chance at this--at everything. I give it my all, never holding back. I welcome mistakes and struggles—it brings triumph and character. Working as a potter, above anything I have done in my life so far, has given me more love for the daily living in my life and the quiet yet profound importance of love and friendship (how to lean when you need to and being the one who is leaned upon). I hope my pots bring good conversation and wholesome living to your life.
Your Potter Friend,
Shadow May
Who I'd like to meet: myself at 19, we'd have a long talk.
apostle paul,
robert duvall,
the first potter, let him/her know what its like now.
my father at 15, 25 and 30 years old.
my ancestors,
the real jeremiah johnson,
more potters / artists who bust their ass paying there bills by making pots and their art and love it everyday, no wannabes.
the whole lynyrd skynyrd crew.
of course id like to meet like-minded potters,artist, people who just live and let live.
those who look at your inside rather than your outside.
wow its been a while! Sorry to hear about the fire, that would be devistating. TN huh? I guess you like it if you are still there. ha ha Me I guess I like the endless rain although they keep telling me we are getting snow this weekend... I did not move far enough south. Do you keep in touch with Jack Walsh? He opened a studio in Portland but you probably already knew that.
Lost your number when my phone went in the lake give me a call! Check out November's Southern Living. DRagon is in there!!!! woo hoo. I am getting there.
hey brother :)..just wanted to wish you a happy belated bday and to let you know that i love you very much! i hate that we're so far away from each other...someday we will get together..but until then just know i'm thinking about you!!! love ya...muah! :)
"We who are clay blended by the Master Potter, come from the kiln of Creation in many hues. How can people say one skin is colored, when each has its own coloration? What should it matter that one bowl is dark and the other pale, if each is of good design and serves its purpose well."
Hello Again you two. We are getting record snow fall here. It is a winter wonder land. Just so beautiful. In the last 2 weeks we got up to 2 feet of snow. Its crazy but we just love it. Come summer we will hit triple digit weather. Its right around the corner. That is the best thing about this area, we get all 4 seasons. Its amazing. How is the shop going.? Rebuilding plans?? Hang in there, life can be full of surprises and you cease to amaze me. Your strong will will prevail. Love Ya, Auntie Diane
Hi Sweetie, Sorry to hear of the loss of your studio. Hang in there. Life is full of peaks and valleys. Think that the valleys are for time to reflect. Your studio will be bigger and better for this, that setbacks like this are for a reason. It might not seem so at first but later it all works out. You are in my mind and in my heart always. I am relieved that you and Anna are ok and were not hurt in the fire. Love ya, Auntie Diane
