Originals Christmas Craft Sale Dec. 6-16 AND Ottawa Guild of Potters Christmas Sale Dec. 6-9

Yes, I'm participating in both of these Christmas sales!  Details below.

613Christmas AND Fisher Park Christmas Craft Sale on Saturday, Dec. 1st

Like the poster says, you can find me at 613Christmas with a great selection of colourful, functional pottery.  There are lots of new pots cooling in the kiln right now and another load being fired tonight!

How can I be two places at once?  I can't, but Larry will be selling my pottery in our Wellington West neighbourhood's traditional holiday sale at Fisher Park.

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to 

Fisher Park Christmas Craft Sale

Dec. 1, 9-3

at Fisher Park Public School, 250 Holland

over 100 vendors  free admission

613flea on Saturday

Guelph Potters Market

I'll be joining about 40 other potters for the Guelph Potters Market Holiday Show, at a new venue.  Looking forward to meeting Guelph area customers in a few days!  Check out the facebook page for more info on potters who will be there.

Gratitude!

BIG THANKS to everyone who came out to the Nepean Sportsplex for one of the first Christmas Craft Shows of the season.  I'm busy making more pots so that there will be lots more colourful, functional pottery to choose from at upcoming shows.

Nepean Christmas Craft Show

The first of my Christmas shows is fast approaching!  I've got some new pots this year--including cheese boards, coffee pour overs, and new glazes too!  Also lots of  favourites like the garlic pots, as pictured below.  Looking forward to a great show to kick off the season.

Marlin Orchards Harvest Pottery Sale

Marlin Orchards hosts a sale of pottery on Thanksgiving week-end.  Fantastic pots from about 20 potters from eastern Ontario and Quebec.  And....fresh apples, pumpkins, squash, mums, etc. etc.

Beautiful setting along the St. Lawrence River on Hwy #2, 7 kms east of Cornwall.

October 6, 7 & 8 from 10 am to 5 pm each day

613flea

I'm taking my pots to Lansdowne Park on Saturday.  There's always a good mix of handmade, vintage and edibles!

Summer shows in review

Summer flowers for Haliburton Art & Craft Festival

Debuting some new glazes at Muskoka Arts & Crafts Show

This year's booth at Bancroft

Bancroft Art & Craft Show

Another summer week-end, another craft show.  This one is held the same week-end as the annual Bancroft Gemboree, but in a different venue.  A fun, busy week-end in Bancroft.

Haliburton Art & Craft Festival

Continuing with this year's summer festival season....you can find me at the Haliburton Art & Craft Festival July 27-29 in the lovely Head Lake Park.  More details here to plan a visit  http://railsendgallery.com/art-craft-festival2017/

Muskoka Arts & Crafts Summer Show

It's summer show season!  This is the first of 3 for me this summer in cottage country.

Vases Exhibition

I have a couple of vases in this exhibition at Galerie Cote Creations.  Most of the artists will be at the vernissage  July 5th at 7:30 pm. to discuss their work.

Annual Spring Studio Sale

Time to clean out the pottery studio!  This should be done more than once a year (and sometimes is...) but holding a sale commits me to the task.  It's a chance to offer those less-than-perfect pots at bargain prices and hope they find new homes where they can be used and enjoyed despite their (hopefully not too noticeable) flaws.

613flea at Aberdeen Pavilion

Looking forward to this eclectic mix of vintage flea market finds, handmade crafts & art, and food vendors at Lansdowne Park on Saturday!  I'll have lots of new pottery, along with old favourites.

Guelph Potters Market

I think this will be my fifth year at the Guelph Potters Market, now in the beautiful Royal City Park.  I'm in the company of 60 other phenomenal potters from through Ontario and Quebec.  There is always amazing work to see, be inspired by, and to purchase!  This outdoor show is held rain or shine.  Potters are a sturdy bunch.

Buckhorn Spring Craft Show May 19 & 20

I'm looking forward to joining over 60 diverse crafters at the Buckhorn Community Centre on the long week-end in May.  This 2 day show is held in the Centre and throughout the buildings on the surrounding property.

Originals Spring Craft Show

Originals Spring craft show starts on Thursday.  It doesn't feel like spring around here yet, but I'm looking forward to displaying some spring flowers in my vases in anticipation of its arrival.  I'm working on some new glazes this year and will have a few new pieces at this show.  Here is a taste of some of the new pots I'll have with me. The first two photos are new glazes & designs.

set of 3 plates

bowls with frogs for flowers

low serving bowl

footed serving bowl

Great Bowls of Fire March 24th

Each year twelve potters each donate 25 soup bowls towards this fun evening which raises money for the Ottawa Food Bank.  The Ottawa Guild of Potters hosts the event and this year they created these funky postcards for each of us.  See them all at ottawa guild of potters

Keeping an old kiln alive

After 500+ firings of my kiln, I've been saying a little prayer with each firing that it will continue to be the dependable workhorse I've come to rely on.  The truth is, however, that it won't last forever.  In recent months I've had 4 (or was it 5?) failed firings.  First it was the elements--this was the second time they've been replaced on this kiln, and it was definitely due for new ones!  Then it was a relay, then brass connectors, then the other relay, and finally the thermocouples both needed to be replaced.  There aren't too many more parts that can be replaced on this kiln, so hopefully it will perform well in the coming months.  However, I'm starting to think about getting a replacement kiln before this one lets me down.  I used to have two kilns, but the second smaller one had manual controls and was only used for bisque firing as I didn't get the results I was looking for in glaze firing.  Besides, I needed additional storage space more than I needed a second kiln.  It was a good decision at the time.  Soon there may be another big decision to make....but in the meantime, this old kiln is giving me good results once again.  

frayed wires (at bottom) before replacing brass connectors

 

brand new elements! (and still the old thermocouple)

testing the new elements

Food for all in 2018

The new year in the studio began by making bowls for the Great Bowls of Fire event, held annually by the Ottawa Guild of Potters at the Glebe Community Centre.  About 12 potters volunteer to make 25 bowls each, and many others donate bowls to make up the 400+ that are needed each year.  I'm once again happily making 25 for this year's event.

Great Bowls of Fire is a fundraiser for the Ottawa Food Bank. While details haven't been finalized for this year's event, the idea is that for the price of a ticket, guests can select a handmade bowl (to take home) which is filled with delicious soup made by some of the best restaurants in town, accompanied by fresh breads offered by several excellent bakeries (all donated, of course).  While eating & socializing there is usually musical entertainment as well as a silent auction of ceramic pieces.  It's a very popular event which usually sells out quickly and supports the much needed work of the Ottawa Food Bank. This year it will take place on Saturday, March 24th.