The Alchemist

Artist, potter, gardener, lover of trees, frolics in nature, star gazer. Kindness matters.

Pronouns: they/them, or he/him.

Mi’kma’ki/Eastern Canada

https://rakupottery.ca/

Most work shown on this account is available for purchase.

Website:: https://rakupottery.ca/

Public Key

npub1ctlltgwpkx9lash9pvftdwcfw6xn7p7f5aw24jr3d2dcvwrp58zqv2s8st

NIP-05 Address

alchemistsstudio_at_mstdn.social@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsv9ll458qmrzl7ctjsky4khvyhdrflqly6wh92epck4xux8ps6r3qprpmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumt0d4hhxarj9ecxjmnt0q5nwc

Publishing to

relay.momostr.pink

Author Public Key

npub1ctlltgwpkx9lash9pvftdwcfw6xn7p7f5aw24jr3d2dcvwrp58zqv2s8st

Show more details

Last Notes

2025-09-19 22:01:16 UTC

The fruit fairy of my neighbourhood strikes again (that's me)! Dropped off some for my neighbours and I get to process/store these on the weekend 😊
#gardening #sharetheharvest
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/115/233/195/351/297/771/original/e87d7784a8767206.jpg

2025-08-29 18:49:35 UTC

- reply

They seem to only have the option to use a third party software that indiscriminately collects 35% tariffs on all shipments to the US.
I'll get more information next week when my post office is open again. I would hope that we can just give the HS code when shipping, which would be way more simple.

2025-08-29 18:18:48 UTC

Spent a few hours trying to sort through the tariff thing and I think my brain is going to explode.
I may have to ship through a private courier to the US going forward because Canada Post wants me to collect tariffs for Trump on exempt items. Art is exempt, and many items are under CUSMA.

2025-08-12 12:01:22 UTC

We had a beautiful escape to the beach yesterday on the Fundy coast.
Not only were the temperatures cooler, but when we arrived at high tide it was like our own salt water wave pool!
Grateful there is now a 70% chance of rain on Thursday!
#landscape #beach #NovaScotia
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/115/015/653/217/556/405/original/4a7db10cfec6bb50.jpg

2025-07-30 23:23:43 UTC

- reply

it's great fun! The liatris doesn't surprise me as much as the coneflowers!

2025-07-19 14:39:51 UTC

I've been thinking a bit about my gender identity lately after a couple of weird social interaction.
It's a strange luxury for me to do that because I've come to realize my gender identity is 'person assumed to be male'.
Because of that assumed maleness and being LGBTQ, people will sometimes talk to me thinking I'll concur with their lack of understanding regarding trans/gender diverse people.
I do hope my responses help educate them, but these interactions feel really icky.

2025-06-24 21:56:07 UTC

- reply

was like that here in NS. Not sure why I thought today was the day to weed and such

2025-06-13 15:00:25 UTC

I *may have* booked multiple tickets to a fascist parade in Washington DC on behalf of a few friends.
I hope Ivanna Tinkle, Seymour Butts, Jacques Strap, Hugh Jass and their guests don't have something come up at the last minute and can't attend. That'd be so sad.

2025-06-05 14:25:20 UTC

- reply

It's truly amazing what you can find growing wild as volunteers

2025-04-30 15:38:55 UTC

So glad this piece survived yesterday's raku firing! 🔥
I have decided to call the piece "Penumbra."
How do you like it?
#sciart #space #pottery #MastoArt
( Included is a process picture from the firing. )
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/114/427/646/004/410/444/original/8b7371ef92943eaf.jpg
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/114/427/646/098/630/574/original/e818b2a88824823f.jpg
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/114/427/646/198/285/898/original/2489f3aa6f1f186e.jpg
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/114/427/646/293/911/310/original/9b01f576724e5fa1.jpg

2025-04-29 00:11:02 UTC

Now our riding is red ❤️❤️❤️❤️

2025-04-02 15:00:08 UTC

- reply

Mine are too! They've also made lots of babies, which means more butterfly bushes and hopefully more butterflies 🦋😊

2025-03-08 22:05:57 UTC

- reply

you did it! Now you'll be addicted! It's always a nice pick me up!

2025-03-04 12:38:44 UTC

Today we will take our dog to the vet for the last time. I'm heartbroken.

2025-03-03 22:06:17 UTC

- reply

if you're passing by near us, we are always down for a hike or grabbing a bite to eat.

2025-03-01 22:42:46 UTC

- reply

😍😍😍 what a great list!!! If you were closer, I'd gift you some of these.

2025-02-28 21:09:58 UTC

Oh my gosh. I *somehow* forgot about the appointment I made to test drive a Tesla! 😱😋
It'd be a real shame if that happened more...

2025-02-07 20:36:23 UTC

- reply

Woot woot! That means I did it? 😂😂😂

2025-02-07 15:06:37 UTC

- reply

I'm not sure how to do that. I may get a personal account here that is request follow and then stop making personal posts and LGBTQ related posts on my art account. I'll figure something out because I want to stay in touch with you and others on here.

2025-02-07 14:32:05 UTC

- reply

I'll likely be back here posting again, but in the interim, I'll still be making pottery related posts on Bluesky, and you can find me here:
https://bsky.app/profile/alchemistsstudio.bsky.social
You are also welcome to subscribe to my newsletter here:
https://rakupottery.ca/newsletter/

2025-02-07 14:22:51 UTC

- reply

Thank you so much for your kindness, encouragement and taking the time to comment. You may well be correct. It may be a coincidence, but I do have to explore the possibility that there was a reason I masked. Ultimately, when I come back, (and I think I will) I'll probably mask again and tone down the gay.

2025-02-07 13:51:02 UTC

I would like to thank everyone who has supported my work here! Mastodon was a really safe space for me after leaving my mainstream social media accounts. It was not easy leaving an over 30K following behind, but it was right.
Lately engagement with my pottery posts are way down. Ironically this is happening while I have been trying to mask less and infuse more of my self and identity in my posts. Maybe I am just at some awkward stage, but I am going to take some time to think about this.

2025-02-05 15:25:46 UTC

- reply

I may be boosting a petition to ban conversion therapy in the EU a lot, so I apologize in advance.
If you live in the EU, please sign it. If you don't boost it.
I am a survivor of conversion therapy, and this is an insidious soul crushing form of abuse.
There is no reason why this post should not have thousands of boosts, but it doesn't. Let's make that happen!

2025-02-04 16:06:37 UTC

- reply

wishing you and your family all the best 💚💐

2025-02-02 16:18:50 UTC

#silentsunday
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/113/935/192/619/960/650/original/eee6e4b49bf9d1ba.jpg

2025-02-01 14:46:09 UTC

- reply

sorry, not followers only, a DM, like comment to just me.

2025-02-01 14:44:41 UTC

- reply

it was a followers only comment. I blocked them, but now I can't find them...

2025-02-01 14:18:48 UTC

Apparently it's easier to be a gay artist because we get so many grants and control the art world 😂😂😂😂😂
Also, if I find it hard, I could just not tell anyone I'm gay.
On a related note, is there a way to block non-followers from commenting on some of my posts with private messages?

2025-01-30 19:55:02 UTC

- reply

that's not how things are supposed to be 😂😂😂
Went for my walk and my eyes almost froze shut

2025-01-30 19:48:15 UTC

A little whimsy on a cold sunny winter's day:
✨ A fox and a rabbit, through trees they roam,
They find an amphora, a mushroom its home.
It glows with magic, guiding them near,
To a forest's heart, where dreams appear. ✨
#art #pottery #poetry #nature #wildlife
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/113/919/032/062/737/476/original/ae52f61cf917c720.jpeg

2025-01-27 14:36:29 UTC

Pictured below is the 'Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted under Nazism', located in Berlin.
On International Holocaust Day I take some time to remember the victims of the Holocaust and in particular LGBTQ people. This day marks the liberation of Auschwitz, however most LGBTQ people were transfered to a prison and were not liberated.
As attacks against LGBTQ human rights become the political agenda in many places, 'never again' must go beyond words to action.
#WeRemember
https://media.mstdn.social/media_attachments/files/113/900/738/004/961/239/original/3067f39a533638b3.jpg