SPRING HAPPENINGS

With Spring comes all the festivals and shows that make being involved in the pottery world so much fun!!

The meeting at Jerry’s in St. Augustine was fun and informative.
- We started out by previewing Jerry’s garden where we had our “Ceramics in the Garden” show and sale the following month (more on that later in the post). With wandering paths and “innies and outies” everywhere we were sure this was a perfect place for the third annual show.
- Next, Marcia enticed us with information that we are getting close to being able to bring in a known artist for a workshop in October. We are not sure yet, but we are pursuing the possibility of a two or three day alternate firing workshop in the fall. Details will follow, but we are sure members will have the first opportunity to sign up, so be sure your membership is current.
- We ended with a fun program exploring various knobs and handles our members have used or have found interesting, We all left with new ideas! Check out the pictures!

“Ceramics in the Garden”
- This spring show and sale was held in Jerry’s garden on April 30, 2011 10am to 4pm. It was his third annual event.
- Twelve ceramic artists displayed their works, from fanciful to functional and everything in between.
- The garden was beautiful and provided the PERFECT background for our pottery. Did you see that stag horn fern? It was enormous!!!
- Another benefit of membership is participation in group events like this one, sponsored by Clay Network. Clay Network provided a central packing and collection point, collected state tax and provided each artist a check for the net amount of his or her sales. All this for 10 % to the organization and no entry fee! How easy is that?

The Clay Network of Northeast Florida is an organization where clay artists have the opportunity to improve their knowledge, to foster interest in sincere, creative craftsmanship and to educate the public in the appreciation of ceramics in our community. If you have an interest in ceramics and pottery, please join us at our next meeting, May 22, 2:00 pm at Karen's near Craig Airport. She is going to demonstrate a process she saw recently at a Knowledge Clinic held at St. Pete Clay given by Jennifer Hoolihan, Technical Advisor for Highwater Clays. It is a combination of reverse painting on a plaster bat and making a tile using low fire commercial slip ending up with a hand painted tile.

Another incredible benefit of membership is use of our extensive library of books, CDs, and DVDs on all aspects of ceramics and pottery. The library is available at each meeting, so join us and browse the library.

Join us for fun and informative meetings. Be sure to bring your favorite food item to share during our traditional potluck dinner that follows each program.

If you would like more information and directions to the meeting please contact our secretary, Mary Ellen at ClayNetwork.com@gmail.com.

Art festival weekend

Clay Network exhibit at St. Augustine Spring Art and Crafts Festival

It was a beautiful weekend for the St. Augustine Art and Crafts Festival.
A cool breeze met with dry perfect sunny skies.
There was music drifting from the far end of the field.
Ice cream cones.
Colorful art under white tents.

Ten Clay Network members exhibited work under our new tent.
It was nice to be together and spend a little time with our clay friends.
Everyone had a great time demonstrating wheel throwing and hand building.
Crowds gathered to watch and ask questions.
How do you glaze it?
How long have you been working with clay?
The movie Ghost was mentioned a couple times.
The children were invited to touch, help inscribe a wavy line, and have a pinch of clay to shape and smush.

Marilyn was throwing Saturday afternoon when a photographer for The St. Augustine Record caught a shot for the front page of Sunday's paper.
Wow, 15 minutes of fame!

Lots of folks took home our new rack cards. Many were interested in taking classes at Wild Ginger, or Atlantic Pottery Supply, and in other learning opportunities. Some purchased our pottery.
Many will plan to attend the next sale we hold.

It was especially nice to see some friends we haven't seen in years. They promised to join us at our meeting Sunday.
We made new friends too. At our neighbor booth, John won the Best Pottery prize. His art is gorgeous.
He could not resist a turn at the wheel. Sunday afternoon he threw a wonderful extra large platter for Christie. (Ask her why it pays to be tall.)
A large group of admirers were thrilled to snap pictures and applaud his skill.

No matter how many times I see a potter throwing, I am still entranced.

It was a beautiful weekend for an art show.
It was beautiful to show the art lovers in St. Augustine the joys of clay.

A big thank you to Trish for donating her booth so we could do this.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Go see her at the Shrimp Fest the first weekend in May. Or anytime at her gallery-TRISH'S SLIGHTLY OFF CENTRE 218C ASH STREET
FERNANDINA BEACH, FL 32034 .