Last show of the year!

My Booth #513 is all set up at the EY Centre for this year's Originals Christmas Craft Sale.  It's always a challenge to make a compelling display and store as much extra stock as possible in a 5' x 10' space, but it still seems to work.  It helps that I live in Ottawa & can restock from home as well every day!  

Originals Ottawa Christmas Craft Sale

Right after the Museum of History Christmas Market, I'm off to Originals at the EY Centre.  Hopefully I'll get in a glaze firing or two before or during the show!

Christmas Market Dec. 1-4

You can find me at the beautiful Museum of History December 1 to 4 for this Christmas Market in the Grand Hall.

click on image for details

Populace

Ottawa Guild of Potters members have embarked on a huge project, an outdoor art installation to mark Canada's 150th which will be displayed outdoors at the Museum of Nature June thru August, 2017.  9,000 pieces will be created out of white porcelain clay; one third are feathers representing Canada's indigenous peoples, one third roses representing the British and one third fleur de lys representing the French.  Lots of workshops are being held in local pottery studios and schools to make these vast quantities. 

This mini installation at the recent Ottawa Guild of Potters Christmas Sale promoted the project and highlighted what will be an incredible visual and visceral effect.

More info on the project at www.populace2017.com 

New large vases

These large vases were made in 3 pieces, first two decorated with slip-trail, and the third with an applique technique.  They will hold a generous floral display, making quite a dramatic impression!  I'll have them along with me at fall sales...until they find homes.

Nepean Christmas Craft Show

Christmas can't be far away!  First of the Christmas shows for me starts next week.

Aberfoyle Potters Market

In a few shorts weeks it's time for the second annual Aberfoyle Potters Market, near Guelph, ON. This show has many of the same potters who participate in the Guelph Potters Market in the spring; It's a varied group of makers who are producing some remarkable pieces for decorative and/or functional pleasure.  Last year there was live music and a fantastic cafe serving tasty home grown, homemade food.  I'm hoping for the same this year.  

Marlin Orchards Thanksgiving Pottery Sale

It's that time of year again!  25 potters will have amazing creations on sale in the greenhouse of Marlin Orchards.  Beautiful setting amongst the apple orchards overlooking the St. Lawrence River.

End of summer shows for another year!

Art on the Farm marks the last of the summer shows I signed up for this year.  I'll spend some time analyzing all my shows before registering for next year's round, perhaps doing a bit of tweaking.  The longer I do these shows (with all the preparation, hard work and expense involved with them) I realize the importance of picking & choosing carefully the shows that work best for me.  Are they well organized, well publicized, well attended; do they attract art lovers/consumers; are they profitable after all the expenses incurred; are they fun to do???  So many questions.  I've been trying to keep good records of experiences at sales the past few years and also make note of sales I've learned about from other craftspeople/artists who I respect, so that I can make some informed decisions about what shows I apply for next year.  Then, of course, there's the whole application process in which you need to communicate the essence of your work succinctly and professionally to people who have probably not seen your work or met you.  Another form of art!

After a bit of a break I look forward to the next 6 weeks or so of being back in the studio full time preparing for the fall shows which start for me Thanksgiving week-end.

Art on the Farm Postponed to Sunday, August 14th

It looks like Art on the Farm has been postponed until Sunday, August 14th. http://www.friendsofthefarm.ca/events.htm   Let's hope we get some of the rain that is forecast for Saturday--we sure need it!  And let's look forward to a beautiful day Sunday.

Art on the Farm this Saturday--rain date Sunday

You can find me under the shade of the trees this week-end:

Art in Strathcona Park this Saturday

This is where I'll be on Saturday, with lots of other talented artists/artisans.

Thanks Bancroft!

Another great sale in Bancroft.  Sure is a dry, dusty summer...it looks like we're in a cut hay field rather than a park! 

Bancroft Art & Craft Festival July 30-31

The summer road show continues with this great little show in Bancroft.  As usual, I'm bringing along lots of "seconds" in addition to my usual fare.

Thanks Haliburton for another awesome sale in an awesome setting!

Haliburton Art and Craft Festival

Art lovers will be flocking to the Haliburton Art and Craft Festival  this week-end.  I'll be packing up the truck later today so I'll be ready to set up tomorrow morning at the beautiful Head Lake Park in Haliburton.  The show runs Friday 12-7, Saturday 9:30-6 and Sunday 9:30-4.  I'll have a few of these large shallow serving dishes along with me.

Thanks Muskoka for a great show!  This vase found a happy owner and I learned that these flowers which are plentiful in my garden right now are called gooseneck loosestrife!

Muskoka Arts & Crafts Show

Next up on the summer show circuit....

The New Art Festival

Keeping cool at ArtsPark

It was a hot day at ArtsPark this year, but a fun event for those who braved the heat.  Thanks to the organizers for the refillable COLD water station!  And to Merry Dairy for their frozen treats.

Hintonburg ArtsPark this Saturday

https://www.facebook.com/HintonburgArtspark/

Wine (or anything) glasses

Large vase (this one's sold, but I'll have other vases of all sizes at ArtsPark)

French butter dishes (ask me how they work!)

Kudos to pottery lovers!

What a happy coincidence that people like using pottery as much as I enjoy making it!  As I opened my studio door for another open house sale, I was remembering back to past open houses in my home or my previous studio.  It still amazes me when customers walk away with bags full of pottery, or when they become collectors and enthuse about new items I'm working on!  Very gratifying indeed.  And I love receiving feedback on how my pottery is being used--including suggestions for improvements or new ideas.  I hope to keep making, improving, changing and growing for many years to come.  Hopefully the pots will continue to find homes where they are used and enjoyed.

An exceptionally clean studio-cum-showroom.  Time to start messing it up again!

Spring Studio Sale

I haven't had a home studio sale for a couple of years.  It used to be a pre-Christmas tradition, but since I've added more shows to my schedule at that time of year, there hasn't been time.  And I miss it!  Also, things are piling up in the studio--I need an excuse to do a thorough clean-up.  There will be lots of bargains to be had, so I can make room for new pieces.  We'll set up a tent in the backyard next to the studio, with room to mingle (or stay dry, as the case may be).  And, of course, refreshments.

Ottawa Guild of Potters Exhibition

This year the potter's guild spring exhibition was juried by well respected, long time Ottawa area potter Leta Cormier.  I was pleased that two of my pieces were included in the grouping of about 25 pieces.  By the end of the week-end they were both sold!  It's always encouraging when trying new ideas, by stretching yourself artistically or technically, that eyes and hands other than your own can also appreciate the sentiment that went into the making.  It was lovely to meet one of the purchasers, apparently a long time collector.  Nice to know they've found new homes.

a somewhat dim view of the exhibition from one angle

my vase and urn on display

Ottawa Guild of Potters Spring Sale and Exhibition

Coming up in two short weeks....

ORIGINALS the Spring Show

After the fact....this is the show that was last week-end.  It's always nice to get new pots out there--very nice response to the new bowls, vases and urns.

Celebrating Spring

Fresh out of the kiln--some new vases, urns & bowls.  I'll have some of these with me at the Originals Show next week.

Originals Spring Craft Sale

Only 4 weeks til the Originals Spring Craft Sale!  I've got some new flower themed vases and serving bowls in process and some more ideas to work on in the next couple of weeks.  Looking forward to starting the spring show season with this show, now in its' 30th year!

Great Bowls of Fire

For many years I have donated soup bowls (along with many other Ottawa area potters) for this fundraiser event for the Ottawa Food Bank.  This year I'll be volunteering there too.  Am looking forward to welcoming guests to the venue and to sampling some of the soups that will be available. These types of events are held in many locations throughout Canada and the U.S. and maybe beyond--a great way to bring lots of different communities together to support a great cause and have a fun evening doing it.

This year I have donated this pitcher & bowl set to the silent auction part of the evening:

Pottery Influences

The beginning of a new year is a good time to reflect on life, why we do what we do, live where we live, act the way we do, and for potters, why we make the kinds of pots that we do.  What are the various influences in our lives that have helped us choose our paths?  I had an opportunity to ponder some of these questions out loud last night with a group of potters at their monthly guild meeting here in Ottawa. It's an interesting exercise to go through--to think about the influences in our lives (especially the positive ones) and take a moment to gratefully acknowledge them.  Or to consider new paths, I suppose.

I've been working in clay a long time--over 30 years--so it's a bit dangerous to start at the beginning, when the intervening years have been so rich with experiences that have informed the work I do.  But it's impossible not to acknowledge the beginning, and for me it was college pottery courses I took for the 4 years I attended in Indiana.  My prof there was encouraging in quite a laid back way.  The studio was always open (in my mind I remember working late into the evening/night with others who were bitten by the clay bug).  Recently the alumni magazine published a short tribute to the now emeritus prof, Marvin Bartel.  Also featured were the 30 or so graduates of the classes (it wasn't even a "program" just fell within the art curriculum) who are now making their living with clay. That's a pretty impressive legacy!

Marvin Bartel sitting in the clay swivel chair he made.

This chicken roaster can be pulled along the table for service.

As you can see from Marvin's work, there was a sense of play and experimentation (probably still is....).  This "try it and see what happens" attitude is great in a learning environment and I'm sure many who took his courses learned to adapt that philosophy to other areas of life.

Someone at the presentation last night commented that my work was so different than his--she didn't immediately see the influence.  Which is as it should be.  A Kenyan artist we once worked with used to repeat "copying puts God to sleep"--he even had it painted on the wall outside his gallery.

It would be interesting to get together with some of the others who started their journey working with clay through Marvin's enthusiasm--which we students witnessed on trips to his home where he demonstrated the smooth swivel of his chair (almost to a state of dizziness, as I recall!) and cooked up some eggs in his flameware pots.  He taught us not to limit our horizons when it came to working with clay. Oh yeah, did I say I'm grateful?