A few hours more and I decided to join in the stoking. The pattern was two and four on alternate. Kuya Carl had the left side and I was in charge of putting wood on the other. We had to watch for the temperature changes. A drop meant we have to stoke again. We have to constantly watch for signs: the smoke on the chimney, the pyrometers, the temperature gauge, or the burning wood.

We used plywood at first and it took long before it reached the desired temperature. 

Later, we shifted to palochina.

It's more evident at night. Red-orange flames up the roof.

I ended up staying til 8pm! Wow. I never thought I'll be this enamored by burning wood! 

I learned a lot of new things that day. Spontaneity pays off. I hope hardwork pays off too. Now I wonder how my pots turned out to be. :)

I realized I'm happiest with experiencing the process than expecting how the outcome will look like. 

I guess this also applies with my life.

The entrance greets you with a number of terra cotta and bronze sculptures

Wide indoor spaces are everywhere! I love this kind of minimalist design.

Note: This place deserves a second post just for the gardens.

This is definitely one of the places I want to come back to.

END

This is the original version of the poster :) Just sharing

9 x 12 | Gouache and white ink on Watercolor Paper

The Pricking Step

Gouache, Ink and Inktense Pencil on Watercolor Paper

Lupus is hard to describe to common people. It is a silent illness and often misunderstood. It manifests in numerous forms like a simple rash, an aching joint, a fever or a fatigue that sometimes, it is called a disease with a thousand faces. Don't worry, mine isn't life threatening nor extremely painful but it is something I live with everyday. It comes and goes whenever it wants. It is like the rain - when it pours, it pours and the only thing you can do is wait for it to stop and surrender to it.

1) Butterfly Rash is a portrait of how SLE shows on the face. It is usually a reddening of the cheeks and nose bridge. It happens when I stay too long out in the sun (photosensitivity). And it feels like I have a fever on the cheeks. It also looks like a natural blush-on (ha ha). This has made me pretty self-conscious. Precautionary measures include a sunblock and something to cover me up from the heat.

2) The Pricking Step | The most common symptom I feel and I find very hard to explain! I would usually tell people it is arthritis but what I really feel is a cold on the middle part of my bones, sometimes like ants eating the marrows or something similar. I mostly feel it on my legs but it also occurs in my arms, wrists and fingers (joint areas). I use medicated patch to ease the pain and it does disappear after some time. 

"That is why (for Christ's sake), I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:10

1.  Joined Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan this year!  Met awesome people as well 2. Takatak Exhibit 3. Being a Studio Assistant at Clay Ave Pottery Studio for the Summer. Including a stint at the US Embassy! And definitely being more into ceramics 4. Ang InK's 21st Annual Exhibit 5. Experiment! It pays off in the end

 And all else that makes this year memorable.

1. Got Bailey (Pomeranian) this year! I now have three dogs in captivity as pets. 2. "Cultural tours" aka hanging out with my favorite people at National Museum or CCP. More Manila gala and less flying  3. Foodtrips with friends! 4. Usual trips to Polillo or Real, Quezon. Finished painting our resthouse, yeah. 5. And a recent trip to a waterfalls that I haven't shared yet :)

It's also this year that we moved house and I got special projects. This is a transition year for me. Grateful for all the changes that happened and I hope 2013 will be awesome as well. 

To all people who has been part of my 2012, Thank you very much!