My gardens are growing!

I've never had a garden in a yard.  Most of my houseplants die. I even over water air plants. I never seem to mix the powder that keeps bouquets fresh in a way that makes them last..... but my painted flowers don't need dirt, water, or any other help to stay colourful.  I'm pretty pleased with them!

Plan to stop by the Mountainside, Spring 2016, Pottery Show and Sale

The room is set up and 30 plus potters are awaiting your arrival.  There are many new Potters' Guild of NJ member showing this Spring, so it's a selection like you've never seen, even if you come every time.  We're looking forward to seeing our old friends and meeting new ones, so come on out!

Remember - Mothers' Day is a mere week away, Fathers' day is only a little later, and there's nothing wrong with buying that special something for yourself.  Plus, pottery doesn't get old or outdated, so you can hang on to that perfect piece until Christmas (if you have real will power!)

PGNJ Spring Mountainside Show
Community Presbyterian Church
1459 Deer Path, Mountainside, NJ
Saturday,April 30, 2016 (11 AM to 5 PM)
Sunday, May 1, 2016 (Noon to 5 PM)

Official flyer for Mountainside

The Reveal

I realize as I look through the pottery pictures I've posted that I have teased with a few shots of unfinished work. Perhaps it's time for a reveal of the results of those firings.  Here's a small sample of what will be available at the Mountainside show:

Inventory Day

I bet most folks don't really know what goes on behind the scenes in preparation for a pottery show.  Sure there's the making: throwing, drying, painting, bisquing, glazing, firing each and every piece.  Then there's the loss in all that - this show I've lost 4 large bowls that I was really counting on to fill in space on my display - they shattered while I was working on them, broke during glazing, the glazing failed.... and all you can do about it is sigh and think "well, it's just mud".

But today I completed the most despised of all the tasks - the dreaded inventory.  Yes, in order to participate in a multi-potter show, one must provide an inventory for the accounting team.  and that means laying everything out, deciding what pieces are similar in effort and size for  "fair" pricing. Then the really big decision: what price tag am I going to put on this?  The thoughts that swirl make one dizzy: What would I pay? How much work is in this? What other costs went into it? Is there really any profit for me or will I only break even?  How will this compare to the prices others are going to charge?  How will my work measure up to the other work in the room? What will a customer pay?

Sometimes the last question I ask is" Is it worth all of this hassle?  It must be, since I can't seem to stop.  I need to sell so that I have room for more. So, today I spent over 6 hours sorting, pricing, compiling and finally I am finished.  Everything is packed and ready to go to Mountainside for the Potters' Guild of NJ spring show and sale.  It's always a good one, and just in time for Mothers' and Fathers' day.  Remember: everything tastes better when eaten from pottery.  And when there are 40 potters on hand, you know you'll find the right thing for yourself and every gift on your list.

Mountainside Show - coming up April 30, 2016

The month before any show is always interesting, in that "holy cow, what do I have to offer?" way.  To that end I am trying out painting without the hard edges.  I can't wait to see how this one finally comes out.  Diameter of 10 inches and depth of 4 inches, before the firing, so maybe 9" by 3.5" when it's all done.  I think I'm heading for a vintage fabric look - like an old tablecloth or dish towel, but right now, in my imagination, I'm loving this.

Always Learning (or Old Dogs)

Who says old dogs can't learn new tricks?  I took a crash course in tile making last year and turned the doodles from the margins of meeting notes into fun tiles for ornaments and pencile holders.  It's always a fun challenge to learn the basics and keep them in mind when a sticky problem comes up and you're trying to create something that has taken shape in your head, but you can't quite figure out how to bring it to fruition.

It must be Spring!

Alright, the calendar may not agree with me quite yet.  But, based on the last kiln load, we can expect the flowers to show up any day now.  I'm expanding my garden to include some new favourites.  Stay tuned, I think I saw some other buds coming out!

Scatterbrain Rattles

It's already time for getting inventory ready for the 2016 Spring Mountainside Show and I'm working on a few new items that make me smile.  Rattles that fit in my hand - the perfect thing for fiddling at my desk during an annoying phone call...

Coming Soon! Potters' Guild of NJ Spring Show

Yes, two weeks from now I will be setting up for the Potters' Guild of NJ -Annual Spring Pottery Festival and Sale.  Come out and see 40 plus potters' work all in one place.  It will be another great show; I've seen the list of potters and there are several who are showing for the first time - this is not to be missed!

Saturday - April 25, 2015   Time: 11 am - 5 pm
Sunday - April 26, 2015    Time: 12 noon - 5 pm
Where:  Community Presbyterian Church, 1459 Deer Path, Mountainside, NJ 07092

Preparing for April Mountainside show

Sectional Plate was popular last November - so popular it never made it to the November Mountainside show.  So far, the last set was claimed before it was finished.  I have two more that might just get to the the April 25-26, 2015 Show.  Hold the weekend since I'll be one of 40 potters, many who've never participated before.  So here's the preview :

Icehouse Pottery Show and Sale starts tomorrow!

To lure you in, I am now prepared to show you this year's ornament - they're available this weekend at The Icehouse Pottery Open Studio Show and Sale!
12/6 & 12/7 * 3 Paterson Hamburg Tpke, Riverdale * Sat 10 - 6 & Sun 11 - 5

Icehouse Pottery Show and Sale - 2014

It's the first weekend of December, you realize you need the perfect gift.  Where is the best place to turn?  Local, handmade, unique, beautiful and useful - a perfect storm of the gift world - so, pottery!  and we have it (7 potters all at once!), right here and waiting for you:

Icehouse Pottery Studio show and Sale
3 Hamburg Turnpike, Riverdale NJ
Saturday, December 6 (10 AM to 6 PM) and Sunday, December 7 (11 AM to 5 PM), 2014

Hope to see you there!

Potters' Guild of NJ - Winter 2014 Show at Mountainside

I have a few Santa sets for the big man's cookies and milk.  This is a great way to take home a family heirloom, not "just" pottery!

Potters’ Guild Hosts Annual Pottery Festival & Sale 

Where: Community Presbyterian Church
             1459 Deer Path, Mountainside, NJ 07902
When: November 15th and 16th, 2014
            Saturday 11 AM to 5 PM
            Sunday Noon to 5 PM
Highlights: This increasingly popular event draws hundreds of customers from throughout New Jersey and the tri state area. Available for sale will be a fabulous selection of vases, wall pieces, pitchers, teapots, platters, casseroles, raku and pit-fired vessels in varying colors and styles, and one-of-a-kind sculptures and decorative objects of art. The show is the perfect place to find a unique item or gift.

Admission: Free and Credit cards now accepted!
For more information please go to PGNJ website: http://www.pottersguildnj.org

Preparing for Christmas

A huge flock of chickadees has descended upon my shelves and they can't wait to scatter to as many Christmas trees as possible during the Mountainside (November 2014) and Icehouse (December 2014) pottery shows.  Details of the dates to follow along with pics as they get their 2-sided paint jobs and their glazing completed.

Count Down to the next show! Pottery Guild of NJ in Mountainside, NJ

Where:       Community Presbyterian Church

                   1459 Deer Path

                   Mountainside, NJ 07902

When:         April 26th and 27th, 2014

                   Saturday 11 AM to 5 PM                          

                   Sunday Noon to 5 PM

Admission:   Free admission and parking.  Credit cards accepted!

For more information please go to PGNJ website:  http://www.pottersguildnj.org

My iris vase has a new home!  Always a pleasure to have pics of my  work being enjoyed.

Next Show less than a week away - Shop Small and Local!

Icehouse Pottery Studio Hosts 6th Annual Holiday Show and Sale

3 Paterson Hamburg Turnpike, Riverdale, NJ 

Saturday, December 7 from 10 am to 6 pm

Sunday, December 8 from 11 am to 5 pm.

The Icehouse Pottery Studio will host its 6th Annual Holiday Show and Sale of functional and sculptural ceramics at their studio.  The show will showcase locally made pottery by 15 potters and ceramic artists, the sale will offer a chance to meet the makers.

This increasingly popular event draws hundreds of customers from northeast New Jersey and the nearby New York areas. Available for sale will be a fabulous selection of vases, wall pieces, pitchers, teapots, platters, casseroles, raku and pit-fired vessels in varying colors and styles, and one-of-a-kind sculptures and decorative objects of art.

The show is the perfect place to find a unique handmade holiday gift or a special item or present for any occasion. 

Directions:
The show is easily accessible from Route 287; take exit 53, turn right and travel 0.6 miles. From Route 23, take Newark Pompton Turnpike, turn right at the light and go 0.4 miles. Icehouse Studio is the red brick building on the right, just past the railroad track. 

Parking and admission:

Parking and Entrance in the rear. Parking and admission is free, but we will have a box available for any donation of nonperishable food items to Center for Food Action, a wonderful food pantry serving our neighbors in need.

Learn more about Icehouse Pottery at www.IcehousePottery.org.

A sample of my work that will be there:

Up coming Shows

The Potters' Guild of NJ, annual holiday show and sale in Mountainside, NJ will be coming on November 16 and 17, 2013.  My work will be there both days, but I'll attend on Sunday since  dear friend is getting married on the 16th.

Then that Icehouse Annual Show and Sale in Riverdale, NJ will be held on December 7 and 8, 2013.  I won't miss either day of that show.

I'm looking forward to finishing  milk and cookie sets for those special offerings from kids to their patron Saint, Nicholas.  And look for the 2013 ornament - They're looking fine! And I've made sure to have a few faces and sewing baskets as well.

I've seen what my Guild and Icehouse colleagues are producing - you'll be proud to share this work with family and friends for any holiday or celebration. It's always a plus to give locally hand made.  Know for sure that they won't get the same thing from their aunt in Minnesota, nor will they have to find a way to remove all that sticky stuff from the "made in..." sticker that festered on the long trip to the US or in a stock room somewhere.

Just 6 Days and Counting! Peter's Valley Show

Peter' Valley show in just 6 days - here's one of the pieces that just made it out of the kiln in time.

 I'll be demonstrating my painting from 10 AM to Noon on Sunday the 29th. The Potter's guild will be at P2, so come on out and be sure to stop in to say "hey!"

This directory takes a little while to load, but it lists everything -
http://www.petersvalley.org/images/file/pv_fine_craft_fair_spreads.pdf

43rd Annual Peters Valley FINE CRAFT FAIR
Saturday and Sunday, September 28 and 29, 2013
Sat. 10 am - 6 pm & Sun. 10 am - 5 pm
Sussex County Fairgrounds, 37 Plains Road, Augusta, NJ.
For more information please visit www.petersvalley.org