At FenCon XVI, I unexpectedly became an after-the-fact part of a mutual inspiration society. These things happen sometimes, and it’s rarely because they are planned. More often, it’s a matter of spontaneous combustion: all the elements come together in one place, and creativity happens.
I mentioned this story in passing, in my blog post from last Friday. I’d received permission to take pictures of my friend Peri Charlifu’s artwork. Then I learned the story behind one particular bowl. It is the culmination of one mutual inspiration event, between Peri and writer Rhonda Eudaly. Their story in turn inspired me to post about it, and now to share it with you. Perhaps it’ll inspire you, too–and thereby extend the mutual inspiration society even farther.
The Tale of Peri Potter and the Sorcerer’s Bowl
There’s an interesting story behind this little bowl. The story of how it was made is a glimpse of the sometimes truly magical ways that artists interact.
Long before this bowl was made, the author Rhonda Eudaly overheard part of a conversation and misunderstood what the person said. She thought she heard, “Peri Potter and the Sorcerer’s Bowl.”
We can guess what she really heard–but she was so amused by the mis-heard words, she later told Peri how she immediately thought of him. They both laughed, but the idea had by then gotten its claws well set in.
Rhonda thought that would be all there was to it . . . but the silly little phrase wormed its way into her thoughts, and persisted, and persisted.
And of course, writers being writers, pretty soon a story began forming around it. Kinda like a peal forms around an irritant. Rhonda wrote it, and polished it, and called it . . . Peri Potter and the Sorcerer’s Bowl (what else?)
Rhonda gave Peri a copy of the story, since he’d been the most important part of its inspiration.
Peri read it, and enjoyed it. “You really caught me,” he said. But while he was reading, an idea started forming. He began to think about a bowl–one just like the one Petunia had in Rhonda’s story.
What’s an artist to do, in a situation like that? He made the bowl, of course! He brought it to FenCon XVI, because he knew Rhonda would be there, and he wanted her to see it.
He named it Petunia’s Bowl of Prophecy, after the bowl in the story. So of course, Rhonda gave Peri a copy of the story she’d written, which was inspired by him,to go along with the bowl he made that was inspired by her story. And that’s the Tale of Peri Potter and the Sorcerer’s Bowl.
But what about the story that inspired this story?
By now, I imagine at least a few of you are curious to read Rhonda’s story for yourselves. If so, you’re in luck. Rhonda posted it on her blog in July, and shared the link with me. Read it here! I hope you enjoy it. And I hope you also enjoyed this account of how a mutual inspiration society came into being, after a mis-heard quote sparked a chain of creative reactions.
CREDITS: Many thanks to Peri Charlifu, for allowing me to photograph his art, and share it with you here. If you have access to Facebook, you can like and follow his page, and he also has a website, which he keeps up to date.
I also deeply appreciate Rhonda Eudaly’s generous willingness to share her story with you and me.
The photos were taken 9/19/2019 by Jan S. Gephardt at the FenCon XVI Art Show in Irving, TX. Please feel free to reblog or share them, but only if you’re willing to acknowledge Peri Charlifu as the creator of the bowl and attribute me (Jan) as the photographer. Please also link back to this site or to Peri’s Aegean Goods website.
The story Peri Potter and the Sorcerer’s Bowl is © 2019 by Rhonda Eudaly. If you wish to use it in any way other than sharing a link to it, please contact Rhonda.
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