After about a year of inactivity this blog is back in operation, probably with a new slant, or at least I won’t be publishing anything more on landscape design as after 35 years of designing gardens across the country and abroad I quit. I got sick of designing for people with more money than taste. I might go into that in more detail another time.
So I reinvented myself. I took up pottery and I make ceramic fountains. Indoor fountains, outdoor fountains and, my big seller, cat fountains. Might seem like a come down to go from designing million dollar gardens at $1000/day plus expenses to making little ceramic fountains that sell in the $70 to $200 range out of an Etsy store – but I like it. People like my fountains. I make what may be the best cat fountain in the world and I am not ashamed of that.
My previous profession - A small portion of a million dollar landscape in Naples and my new profession - a cat fountain
Beauty and Art? The art of living. The art of recreating oneself. The art of surviving in economic hard times. Yea. There is a lot of room for the concept of art in ones day to day living and in the concept of adjusting, adapting, recreating and making things work. Living. Life. It isn’t stagnant. A river flowing to an end and you have to ask yourself, knowing that you are going to end, to die – what matters? What is important? The answers to those questions, not asked in the brain but lived, leads, I begin to think, to the high art of living truly.
I was surprised and pleased to find your post in my email. I look forward to reading your blog again.
Nice to hear from you again too. Is the fountain still working well? Did I ever give you pump care instructions? If not and you need them, send me an email and I will send it to you.
kdavitt1@nycap.rr.com
Keith
What news! Keith, I’m a fan of your design work and have several of your books. I’m shocked but understand that sometimes a change of scenery is required– success or finances be damned. I hope you’re as successful with your art pottery as you were in your previous field! Best wishes. I’ll be reading your musings here.
Thank you so much Kim. Not sure what happened but somehow I just can’t/don’t want to design gardens for people. I like making fountains and that is working out financially. I might go back to landscape design sometime but no current plans to. I’m grateful for your support.
Keith
Hi Keith,
i found your blog while searching for some tabletop fountains. Are you still making these? I am looking for a handmade one in the $75 range that does not spash too much water. I would prefer a people fountain over a cat fountain. Do you have anything available now? Please contact me if you do. Thanks!
Hi. I do still make fountains. The ones I sell on http://www.catfountains.etsy.com are also for people. I will have some in my artfire shop within a month or two and you can see some past fountains here:
http://s832.photobucket.com/albums/zz243/artfire-fountains/
You might also look through my sold fountains on etsy (I have nearly none up right now because they sell so quickly) and let me know if you see ones you like. I began making all these fountains as indoor fountains, not cat fountains, but cats and their owners sort of hijacked my endeavor, which is fine so the fountains are for any use you want to put them.
Keith