Failure to launch- sort of :)

Mug- made by Bill Jones, Pine Row Studio.

So, I launched this website and then quickly took a writing hiatus. Frankly, I haven’t felt like doing much creatively for the past 6 months. My long-time publisher, confidant, and dear friend died suddenly in late March (https://www.robertsfuneralhome.com/obituaries/john-jones) and I worked to launch this site right afterward because I know Bill would have wanted me to - and then the wind completely went out of my sails creatively for a bit. Every time I would sit in my studio to make something or sit down to write, I would immediately think of Bill and just didn’t feel like doing anything anymore. I have been productive in other ways, but all of my creativity and has gone to my job and caring for my partner and kids. I wanted to write this down, not because at this point in this website’s history, anyone is reading or listening, but because I wanted to remind myself that “the flow” of creativity, love, memory, etc is a living breathing thing and it’s okay to come off the rails for a minute to try and get back on again. I was one of 4 or 5 people who gave eulogies for Bill at the celebration of life held in his honor. I spoke of his friendship, he was a better friend to me and the world than I have achieved yet in my life, and he was a positive force for the many, many people he touched all over the world.

 I met Bill when I was 25 and working for the American Ceramic Society, I helped him on several projects while we worked together there and then later after I left, we did over a dozen “how to” books on ceramics together. A series of books Bill called the “Turner Classic Series.”

For me, Bill was someone who instinctively got me and wanted to foster and support me. I hope I returned part of that to him. I feel fortunate that I called him a week before the accident that took his life and was able to make forward-thinking plans to hang out together and was able to express to him how much I loved him. Such a good dude - funny and full of life.

Now onto the stuff I’ve been wanting to share about…..

Anderson Turner 11/20/23