Turtle Tchotchke Tuesday

A tile picked up in Madrid last month. The upper left one...you've seen the other two already.

Turtle Tchotchke Tuesday

Peggy arranged for us to visit Randy Chitto in his studio while Jerry and I were in New Mexico last month. Randy showed us works in progress, pieces that broke while being fired and a few pieces that are ready to be sold. He's enjoying the business model he's using now that Packards has closed. He doesn't have to work in production mode. He can take his time and produce works that don't have to be made to keep the gallery stocked.

When he unwrapped one piece he was working on, both Jerry and I immediately knew that it was one we wanted. If it survived the firing and finishing, Randy said that Jerry and I could have the first opportunity to take it.

It survived and we took it.

Turtle Tchotchke Tuesday

A bell by Ty Minton. We got this (the black one on the right) last month in Taos. We got the one on the left some years ago, also at Taos Blue gallery.

Symbolism:
          A Hanging Bell: Connection between heaven and earth
          Turtle: Longevity, silence, safety, endurance, strength

Turtle Tchotchke Tuesday

Another turtle from Africa and Beyond.

It's a puppet from Mali. When we were in a gallery in Taos the person working the shop was telling us of the Malian puppets they have for sale. She was thrilled to hear that we had gotten one already.