Ruckus February 24, 2023

Potter Ona Meyer’s positive touch

RACHEL HERGETT for the Chronicle

Inspiration comes from all over for Bozeman potter Ona Meyer. She finds it in Mayan cave paintings, 1970s towel patterns, her son’s drawings, old wallpaper and Jason Momoa’s tattoos. “I change all the time and that’s what’s so cool,” she said during an interview in her home studio on Tuesday morning.

ough Meyer’s decorative style is uid, her booth has been a xture at the Bozeman Farmers’ Market for more than 20 years. e rst couple years were slow — her then pit- red pottery was not all that attractive, she admits. Only a few cups were sold. Now, she res her work in an electric kiln. Business has picked up.

In addition to the Tuesday night farmers market, Meyer now sells her pottery at Biome Slow Craft in Bozeman, Mountain High in Four Corners and Roots Garden Center in Billings.

But it’s not all about business for Meyer, a studio potter who changes styles to keep her own art and interest in it fresh. Each summer, she seems to debut a new series of vessels, signed simply with “Ona” on the bottom.

“I basically will do it until I’m sick of that style, and then I’ll never do that style again,” Meyer said.

“If you have something that’s old, I think that gives it more value.”

To illustrate her point, Meyer pulls out a small mug. It has hand pinched texture on the bottom, and stamped dinosaurs circling the top. e mugs sold well, but Meyer has moved on.

“It’s not for the masses and that’s why every year, I’m going to do something di erent,” Meyer said. “It’s not branded. I’m not ever going to stick with one style.”

Last year, she dug into a semi-trendy fern motif, stark white fronds carved through black glaze. Before that it was triangles. Inky splashes have stayed in rotation for a while, a design Meyer calls “Zen meets anxiety.”

A shelf in Ona Meyer’s home studio in west Bozeman, photographed Feb. 21, holds a variety of pottery pieces, supplies and inspiration. (Rachel Hergett for the Chronicle)

More MEYER I 14

What’s Available NOW On

“Movie: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry”

Kunal Nayyar (“The Big Bang Theory”) has the title role in this 2022 comedy about a man whose wife has died, his bookstore is failing and his rare edition of Poe poems was stolen, who gets a new lease on life when a mysterious package shows up at his doorstep. Christina Hendricks, Lucy Hale and Scott Foley are also in the cast. (ORIGINAL)

“Movie: A Million Little Pieces”

James Frey’s memoir of the same name formed the basis for this 2018 drama that stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Nocturnal Animals) as Frey, a drugaddled writer who one day wakes up with no memory of the last few weeks and consequently checks himself into a rehab center, where he meets an array of interesting characters. Billy Bob Thornton and Charlie Hunnam also star.

“Movie: The Forsaken”

From Spain comes this 2015 horror tale about a group of criminals who kidnap a wealthy businessman’s daughter and must spend the night awaiting the ransom in an abandoned house, where each come face to face with their own darkest fears. Ian Breeds, Alberto Esparza and Pol Ferraris head the cast for director Yolanda Torres (“The Anarchist’s Dream”).

“Movie: The Book Thief”

A youngster in World War II-era Germany is the title character in this acclaimed 2013 drama from director Brian Percival (“Downton Abbey”) that stars Sophie Nelisse as a girl who shares books she’s stolen with the Jewish refugee (Ben Schnetzer) being sheltered by her foster parents (Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson).

ACROSS

1. Actor on “East New York” (2)

10. “Two and a Half Men” role

11. “__ __ the Chamber”; 2012 Cuba Gooding Jr. film

12. “__ Fly Away”

13. “American __!”

14. “Sister Wives” network

16. Stolte of “Chicago Fire”

18. Prefix for night or week

20. Goulash

21. “My Three __” (196072)

22. Poet Eliot’s initials

23. Ad __ committee

24. “Woe is me!”

25. Words of disgust

27. German article

28. Actor on “NCIS: Hawai’i” (2)

32. Unprocessed metal

33. Skater Babilonia

34. Comment from Annie’s dog

37. Stared open-mouthed

39. Christiane __, formerly of “FBI: International”

40. Actor on “FBI” (2)

DOWN

1. Alex Tarrant’s role

2. Perpendicular annex

3. __ Kilmer

4. “__ Plain Sight” (2008-12)

5. Laugh loudly

6. “The King __ __”

7. Omaha’s state: abbr.

8. Eartha & others

9. “Big Trouble __ __ China”; film

13. Hoffman’s initials

15. Sid, for one

16. PC tray inserts

17. Vane letters

18. __ __ gai pan; stir-fry dish

19. “Charles __ __” (1984-90)

21. Give the cold shoulder to

24. Billboards

26. Fleece sheep

29. Dating couple gossiped about

30. “My Fair __”

31. Amanda Peet’s age

34. Camera batteries, often

35. Groove

36. Role on “Alice”

38. Gym class, for short

39. “Magnum __”

BY JAY BOBBIN

Matt Malloy

OF ‘ALASKA DAILY’ ON ABC

You’ve done plenty of work in both TV and movies. What do you like about doing a continuing character in a series such as “Alaska Daily”?

I have been fortunate to make a living as a day player/guest star for decades, and as such I am often hired on a Tuesday to shoot on a Thursday. I quickly learned that I’m expected to briskly reveal the character while plausibly and quietly moving the plot forward. And ... don’t slow things down with questions.

Being a series regular at times allows you the luxury of time – time to prepare, time to exchange ideas with the writers in advance, time to ask the writers if a slight tweak of a line is OK, time to sit with the costume designer and talk about the look and feel of the character. Also, being a series regular can sometimes embolden you to ask for one extra take if you feel you really didn’t quite get it right. It also pays more.

How are you finding it to work with Hilary Swank, who’s both a fellow star and an executive producer of “Alaska Daily”

Well, pretty much everyone has a built-in respect for her and her body of work. You don’t get two Oscars by accident. Her intelligence, honesty and courage are hypnotic, and these traits make you want to go into any situation with her. I expected to like her, but when I heard that she was driving across the country with her five rescue dogs and two birds I was downright smitten.

The identity of the celebrity is found within the answers in the puzzle. In order to take the TV Challenge, un-scramble the letters noted with asterisks in the puzzle.

What’s Available NOW On

“Movie: Brian and Charles”

From Great Britain comes this 2022 film comedy that follows the story of Brian (David Earl, “After Life”), a lonely, mostly failed inventor who builds Charles (Chris Hayward, “SOS: Save Our Skins”), an artificially intelligent robot who learns English from a dictionary and has an obsession with cabbages. Louise Brealey, James Michie and Nina Sosanya also star.

“The Head of Joaquin Murrieta”

From Mexico comes this eightepisode Western series that follows the adventures of two men — Joaquín Murrieta (Juan Manuel Bernal, “Monarca”), a legendary figure also known as the Mexican Robin Hood, and Joaquín Carrillo (Alejandro Speitzer, “Oscuro Deseo”) — who cross paths in the midst of a violent misunderstanding and join forces against a common enemy. Steve Wilcox (“Sons of Anarchy”) also stars. (ORIGINAL)

“Rules of Engagement”

This 2007-13 CBS comedy — all seven seasons of which stream here — offers three different perspectives on love and marriage, those of the token single guy (David Spade,“Just Shoot Me!”), the long-married couple (Patrick Warburton, “Seinfeld,” and Megyn Price, “Grounded for Life”) and the engaged pair (Oliver Hudson, “Nashville,” and Bianca Kajlich, “The Winchesters”).

“Daisy Jones & The Six”

Based on the novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, this limited series tells the story of a fictional rock band that rose from obscurity to stardom in the 1970s only to suddenly call it quits following a legendary concert. Years later, they decide to reveal the truth. Riley Keough stars as Daisy, the band’s lead singer, in a cast with Sam Claflin, Will Harrison and Suki Waterhouse. (ORIGINAL)

U Y R A T C H E S Y W E N O

T A N O H S M R E G N H A S

E R P R O F E S S O R S L H

I C L P F D O U H N M H I P

M A R I A S I M O Z E G H Y

C I O D N N M W Y P R E S A

G B H R R O E P H Y W R E Z

L Y E Z M I S S I O N S Y F

T H U S H A D E H D Z E T U

W P I A S R N R S T C G A P

E L E R N R E Z P H S I N R

“True Lies” on CBS and Paramount+

Harry Helen Maria Gib Luther

(Words in parentheses not in puzzle)

(Steve) Howey

(Ginger) Gonzaga

(Erica) Hernandez

(Omar) Miller

(Mike) O'Gorman

Solution on page 12

Create a Meaningful Farewell

(International) Spy

(Language) Professor Omega (Sector)

(Covert) Missions

(Top) Secret

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BY GEORGE DICKIE

Take a road trip to a celeb-owned restaurant

Welcome to the dead of winter, a time when the northern two-thirds of the country thinks about hitting the road to the southern third for a sorely needed respite from the cold.

If that description fits you – and you happen to also be a foodie who likes to check out celebrity-owned restaurants – we’ve assembled a list of eateries in said southern third that you may find are worth your hardearned vacation dollars.

Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar: Southern food and live entertainment are the bread and butter of this Nashville establishment co-owned by the country music star, which offers up a varied menu of burgers, salads, sandwiches and steaks, and is highlighted by a 32-ounce “Tommy Hawk” bone-in ribeye. And if you’re just coming for drinks, sipping a cocktail or beer at the rooftop bar is an experience not to be missed.

Meril: Located in New Orleans’ Warehouse District, Emeril Lagasse’s fourth Big Easy eatery has a casual atmosphere and an open-style kitchen, from which some of the chef’s favorite dishes are prepared, such

as wood fired flatbreads, Korean chicken wings and a fettuccine Nero. There is also a large bar area that serves varied wines and craft cocktails. Insider’s tip: Try the barbecued shrimp.

Hell’s Kitchen Caesars Palace: As one might think, Gordon Ramsay is behind this eatery on the Las Vegas Strip that’s inspired by his TV series of the same name. Here, guests will feel like they’re on the show’s set as they dine on entrees ranging from beef wellington and crispy skin salmon to vegetarian offerings such as a quinoa salad and an artichoke risotto. And the cocktails are exotic and imaginative. Just make sure to make reservations early because it gets crowded.

Nic & Norman’s: Located in Senoia, Ga., about 35 miles south of Atlanta, is this eatery co-owned by “The Walking Dead” star Norman Reedus and executive producer Greg Nicotera that features an array of tavern-style options ranging from soups, salads and gourmet burgers to entrees like brisket mac and cheese, Coca-Cola braised pork shank and homestyle meatloaf. It also has a “Walking Dead” vibe, so be prepared.

Jason Aldean

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Get ready for….

“Community Squad”

This Argentine comedy series follows an urban civilian patrol squad created as a marketing ploy to improve the image of the police, who inadvertently put their lives at risk when they stumble upon an unusual gang of criminals. Santiago Korovsky, Daniel Hendler and Pilar Gamboa head the cast. (ORIGINAL)

Summer

“In Love All Over Again”

From Spain comes this romantic comedy series about Irene (Georgina Amorós, “Elite”), a young film student who comes to Madrid hoping to make her name as a director. There she meets Julio (Franco Masini, “Riviera”), who would be the perfect lead role for her films and her life — if only life didn’t have other ideas. (ORIGINAL)

“Cheat”

From the United Kingdom comes this high-stakes quiz show in which contestants can win up to a 50,000 pound grand prize by bluffing their way through three rounds of questions. The trick is to not get caught in their lies. Danny Dyer and Ellie Taylor are the hosts. (ORIGINAL)

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television puzzle

ACROSS

27.

16.

29. Aid in crime

30.

31. Commercial

34.

35.

36. Damp

38.

39.

1. Lincoln & Reagan

10. Perched upon

11. Fred Astaire’s dancing sister

12. Edison’s monogram

13. Go quickly

14. Illuminated

16. Root vegetables

18. University in Dallas

20. “__ shalt not kill”

21. Injure

22. Canister

23. Lou Gehrig’s disease, for short 24. Supervisor

25. Comedian Mort

Word attached to chair or pit

28. Photographer

32. Late Communist leader

33. Rotten

34. Mandible

37. Look of contempt

39. Actor Kaplan

40. End of December (hyph.) DOWN

1. Traitor

2. Letter from Greece

3. “Annabel Lee” poet

4. No longer in bed

5. Café au __

6. Creative thought

7. Eastwood’s initials

8. __ __ once; suddenly

9. Guy next door

13. Actress Kelly

15. Chinese religion

Mai tai ingredient

17. NBA team

18. Arabic greeting

19. Jumble

21. Gender: abbr. 24. Prohibit 26. Téa __

Nativity set figurine

Jam container

Stomach muscles

Pauser’s syllable

Upper __; endoscopy

April 8, 2023

What’s Available NOW On

“The Mandalorian: Season 3”

(March 1)

The third season of this action adventure series continues the travails of the lone bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal), operating in the Outer Rim, away from the dominion of the New Republic, who goes on many surprising and risky adventures. Giancarlo Esposito, Katee Sackhoff and Carl Weathers are other cast returnees. (ORIGINAL)

“Black Travel Across America”

(Available now)

In the mid-20th century, when safe travel was all but inaccessible to many Americans, Victor Hugo Green wrote a guidebook that provided a list of hotels, restaurants and service stations across the country that served African American patrons. This documentary from National Geographic visits these “Green Book” historic landmarks that still stand today.

“The Low Tone Club”

(Available now)

From Colombia comes this comedy drama series that stars Colombian singer Carlos Vives as a music instructor who teaches a class of talented students called the Low Tones, who don’t meet their school’s standards of commercial success. Kevin Bury (“The Queen of Flow”), Elena Vives and Brainer Gamboa also star.

“Voices Rising: The Music of Wakanda Forever”

(Available now)

This documentary series follows Oscarwinning composer Ludwig Goransson (“Black Panther”) and director Ryan Coogler (“Creed”) as they collaborate with musicians and artists from around the world to create the music for the 2022 Marvel Studios action adventure movie “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” (ORIGINAL)

you. Call me for a quote today.

‘All the President’s Men’ helps keep Watergate relevant

Even if you know how it ends – and any history buff does – “All the President’s Men” guarantees rewarding viewing, and Turner Classic Movies shows it Sunday, Feb. 26. The 1970s Watergate scandal that ultimately brought down the Nixon presidency has been well-documented, one of the foremost recollections being the best seller by then-scrappy Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Robert Redford scored a coup for his Wildwood Enterprises production company by acquiring the movie rights for the drama released in 1976. It gets the atmosphere of a working newsroom absolutely right as Woodward (played by Redford) and colleague Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) are teamed on the story that will make their careers. William Goldman’s Oscarwinning script also provides well for co-stars including Jack Warden, Martin Balsam, Hal Holbrook and Academy Award recipient Jason Robards.

Dustin Hoffman

Lately, the ferns have given way to pine needles, an inspiration literally found in her yard. And Meyer has been experimenting with a velvety green akin to a wallpaper found buried under about five other layers in a childhood home in Columbus, Mississippi.

As a kid, Meyer would go back and forth between Columbus and Atlanta, two completely different worlds for her. The house with the wallpaper, built in the 1880s was without running water at first, and definitely without air conditioning. And this was a step up from the trailer of her earliest years. Then, at the beginning of summer, she would take a Greyhound bus to stay with her great grandmother in Atlanta, a rich southern debutante.

“I feel like I had both worlds. I was taught to be a debutante, but also living in a trailer dirt poor,” she said.

Pottery felt therapeutic when Meyer began taking classes at Casper College in Casper, Wyoming, where her family had moved when she was 16. It seemed to straddle the sides of herself she had developed, with functional pieces somewhere between porcelain and poverty.

Later she would move to Bozeman with her husband, finding a community of potters through the guild at Montana State University — even though she wasn’t a student. The community would rally when she and others lost their studio space to a fire nine years ago this month.

Now, she works out of a home studio, in what used to be a playroom. There, she is able to throw pots in between lessons, or other duties as a mother and caregiver for her son who is on the autism spectrum and is now homeschooled and a fourmonth-old rescue puppy adding to the general chaos. Before her interview with the Chronicle on Tuesday morning, Meyer made

blueberry muffins, with a crumb topping and a side of bacon as a salty complement.

“Food is life and food is my love language,” Meyer said. “I cook constantly.”

That love translates into her pottery. The base pieces are functional dishes meant for everyday use. When she serves food, she does so on dishes she made.

In a way, making pottery feels like an act of service for Meyer. When a piece finds a new home, she imagines the life it will live, how others may use it to pass on their own love through food. As Meyer speaks of her work, she describes complete life cycles of the pottery. She talks about Bozeman potter Frances Senska and digging and straining clay, about studying under Lynn Munns at Casper College where pottery from first-year students was evaluated, then shattered before it would ever see a kiln. And she talks about when it loses its usefulness.

In infancy, the clay is molded between Meyer’s steady hands. Once the sides are formed, she compresses the center, a gentle caress that gives the piece a waist of sorts.

“I’m not interested in it being a perfect form,” Meyer said. She wants it to feel organic, “undulating” and emulating a positive physical touch — a hug for your hands.

“I just love the touch,” she said. At one point, her farmers market booth has a sign reading “please touch my pots.” It tended to scare some parents worried about breaking them. But, that’s part of the life cycle too, Meyer said.

“They’re just pots,” she said. “You know, they’re nothing special. I don’t want you to go put it in a cupboard and never use it. I want you to take it with you on a road trip and drop it and not worry about it and then you’ve learned a lesson about attachment.”

PHOTOS by raCHeL HerGe TT FOr THe CHrONiCLe

TOP: a shelf in Ona Meyer’s kitchen in west bozeman holds a set of dishes she made for a friend. ABOVE: Meyer signs her work “Ona” with red and black on the bottom of each piece.

Questions:

1) What was the first baseball team to head south to train for the upcoming season?

2) What spring training habits did Ty Cobb, Edd Roush and Jimmie Foxx have in common?

3) What team once trained on Catalina Island, off the coast of California?

4) What was the Potomac Line?

5) Which were the first teams to make Arizona their spring home?

6) What teams have trained in Cuba?

7) What was the first team to play a preseason game in Mexico?

Answers:

Solution on page 12

BY GEORGE DICKIE

1907

7) The Chicago White Sox played several contests against local Mexico City talent in

6) The Giants (1937) and the Brooklyn Dodgers (1947) both trained in Havana

5) The New York Giants and Cleveland Indians, in 1947

4) During World War II, Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis barred teams from training west of the Mississippi River or south of the Potomac River

3) The Chicago Cubs, from 1921 through 1951

2) They refused to accompany their teams to training camp, instead opting to work out on their own

1) It is believed the Chicago White Stockings in 1886 were the first, making Hot Springs, Ark., their base

BY GEORGE DICKIE

Phillies look for Schwarber to muscle up again in 2023

For baseball fans, spring doesn’t begin until the crack of the bat can be heard in major league ballparks throughout Florida and Arizona, signifying that another season has arrived.

For the Philadelphia Phillies, the 2023 season comes with expectations. In 2022, the 87-win Phillies rode a late season surge through the playoffs to the World Series, despite finishing third in the National League East. Now all eyes are on them to see if they can pull it off again.

At the center of those expectations has to be Kyle Schwarber. The burly left fielder with the vicious lefty home run cut was a force to behold last year, his first in the City of Brotherly Love, slamming a league-leading 46 homers and driving in 94 runs largely from the leadoff spot. Of course, he batted only .218 and struck out an even 200 times but he more than made up for that with his power and his 86 walks, which upped his on-base percentage to .323 and his OPS to .827. And he even managed to steal 10 bases in 11 attempts.

In the postseason, it was more of the same: six homers and 10 RBIs in 17 games with that same .218 average and a .937 OPS. He was also three for three in steal attempts. A model of consistency if there ever was one.

If the Phils are to hope to repeat as NL champs, they’ll need similar output from Schwarber to get them past the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets in the East. He and the Phillies can be seen in action against the Boston Red Sox Thursday, March 2, in a preseason game airing from Fort Myers, Fla.

FULL NAME: Kyle

Joseph Schwarber

BIRTH DATE: March 5, 1993

BIRTHPLACE: Middletown, Ohio

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6

feet/229 pounds

TEAMS: Chicago Cubs (2015-20); Washington Nationals (2021); Boston Red Sox (2021)

Philadelphia Phillies (2022-present)

POSITION: Left fielder

BATS/THROWS: Left/ right

NO.: 12 HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS: Twotime All-Star; NL home run leader (2022); Silver Slugger Award (2022); World Series champion (2016)

Fe e li n g u n d e r t h e w e at h e r ?

Ou r two Bozem an lo catio ns ar e op en an d r e ady to ca r e for :

+ + + +

Cold / Flu

Minor Sprains / Cuts

Ra she s / Blis ter s

Minor Infec tions

> Age s 2+

b 2 M i c r o C a r e . c om

Fou r Co rn er s | 19 th an d Oa k