Planters and Plants

My newest, and fun challenging project is to make planters--some of which have the value-added inclusion of houseplants! I have been propagating jade and other houseplants for some time, with stunning results, and offer them as a complete unit. Here is one with a blooming Amaryllis from last spring: 

Note: This link:  Table of Contents    will help you find specific items of our work on previous posts.
The other aspect of my planters is a result of what I like to call "the problem of the saucer." I have solved the problem by constructing the saucer on the side as part of the planter, a "side saucer." These planters are constructed with various techniques, allowing rich textures and fun finishing details.
This pair just came out of the kiln this morning and don't have their plants yet:

Some of my planters are still the traditional under-the-pot saucer:

And, just for fun, the following is a picture of the kiln this morning, in the process of unstacking. Note the various planters, including one in blue on the third shelf down:

The 47th Annual Carbondale Mountain Fair is July 27, 28, and 29, 2018 — This Weekend!

We will be showing our pottery (though not many plants) and you can find us on the map in booth #55, along Weant Street in the NE corner of the park.

The show opens at 12 Noon on Friday, July 29,

 10am on Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31.

Selling closes around dusk on Friday and Saturday; 5pm on Sunday.

For more information about the fun fair schedule, check out:

http://www.carbondalearts.com/mountain-fair/

See you at the fair!

Paonia Holiday Art Fair 2017

2017 is the 25th Annual

Paonia Holiday Art Fair!

Friday, December 1, 3-8pm

Saturday, December 2, 9am - 5pm

Blue Sage Center for the Arts
228 Grand Avenue - Paonia, Colorado

I am one of the main organizers of this artist-run event and I'm pleased to share the space with 15 wonderful artists and community organizations. The artists are listed below.

At this local show, we have the privilege of selling the textiles that we fairly traded for solar gear with our family and community of Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca, in addition to our pottery. We have two new kiln-loads of pottery this week, so lots of exciting new work.

Artists:
Robin Arthur, RobiniArt - paintings - https://robiniart.com/
Diana Brekke, Rockwall Gardens – wreaths and ornaments
Sam Brown, Textiles of Taquile – Peruvian textiles
Nina Clouse - upcycled clothing, original paintings, earrings
Virginia Columbo - masks and ceramic sculptures
Josh Columbo - jewelry
Agustin Goba, Agustin Goba Fine Arts - aspen leaf monoprints
Charles J. Jankiawicz - pastel paintings
Tara Miller, Tara Miller Claywork – stoneware pottery
Sally Owen - women’s clothing, hats slippers, pillows
Sherrion Taylor - photography and paintings on wood
Patricia Weller - cards, jewelry

Community organizations:
Shannon Castle, North Fork Montessori - student crafts
Jim Brett, VOGA and Slow Foods
Annalise Lord, Art Partners Mentoring Youth

Thesa Callinicos, NFSISchool, Soup and bread

Elk, Aspen Forest, Mountains and Hawk

Elk are the predominate wildlife theme in
Rocky Mountain National Park

Elk "Chip & Dip" Bowl: 12.25" diameter and 2.75" high

We will be showing at the Grand Lake Arts and Crafts Festival, on the western edge of the Park, presents July 9-10, 2017
SHOW HOURS: Saturday, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM and Sunday, 10:00 AM-4:00 PM We will be bringing a fine selection of Elk-themed pieces: platters and serving pieces as well as pie plates and mugs and steins; also elegant fruit baskets made of strong, washable stoneware clay. Note: This link:  Table of Contents    will help you find specific items of our work on previous posts.
Here I show you the slip-painting process of the large, wall-hanging serving piece that I call a "Chip & Dip," one brushstroke at a time.

first, the blank stencils

next, shadows under the branches

then all those wonderful knots and scratches on the aspen bark

and finally, the trunk wrinkles, horizontal but with a slight curve

The following is the side view, showing the open curved foot. See the face of the final fired piece at the top of this page.

Paonia Holiday Art Fair

Our final show of the year next weekend! 
Paonia Holiday Art Fair
Friday, December 2 from 3pm to 8pm and
Saturday, December 3, from 9am to 5pm

We will show our pottery as well as Textiles from Taquile, Island, Lake Titicaca, Peru. See www.taquilefriends.blogspot.com to learn more about our 30 year relationship with this community and how we trade solar gear for quality textiles.

Note: This link: Table of Contents 
          will help you find specific items of our work on previous posts.

This intimate show of about a dozen regional and local artists features:

Celia Roberts Photography,

Tara Miller Claywork and Textiles of Taquile,

Patricia Weller, Goddess with an Attitude, polymer jewelry and cards

Diana Brekke’s Rockwall Gardens, wreaths, holiday centerpieces, ornaments

Ashley Leiber’s EcoArt (see to believe)

Jaycee Adams, hula hoops

Kathie Johnson’s new creative works of book beads, catnip sox and more

Peggysoup Lovey’ s People Aren’t Perfect, upcycled fabric dolls and hand-engraved glass

Lynn Gillespie of The Living Farm, felted slippers, scarves, mittens, pillows

Saschwann Langston, crochet and knitted fiber art

Kathie Sabatke of Sunshine Mesa Designs, bead weavings

Mary Key with hand-dyed silk scarves

Mark Weinhold with handcrafted flyfishing nets

Christina and Stephanie Clouse, Two Little Birds, with feather earrings, art prints

Mary George of Hungry Mother Foods, food available to eat, YUM

VOGA (Valley Organic Growers Association) 

Slow Food Western Slope

Santa Fe Fiesta Labor Day Show

Every year we return to the vibrant city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Labor Day weekend for the kick-off of Santa Fe Fiesta, one of the oldest festivals in the country. In fact it was first proclaimed and established in 1712! Our booth is in the very center of the Santa Fe Plaza, up against the obelisk. Here is a link to the whole week's festivities: http://www.santafefiesta.org 

Note: This link: Table of Contents 
          will help you find specific items of our work.

This will be our final All-Pottery show of the year. 

This month has been mostly about Rocky Mountains and valley gardening:

I pull the common pink plants,
keep the darkest burgundy and white blooms to cross-breed.

In the meantime we prepare for two very small shows. One is the Sneffels Fiber Festival, where Sam will be presenting the UNESCO recognized textile work from Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca, plus specially made yarn bowls and perhaps a few more pottery selections. 
If you would like to request a particular piece of ceramic work, to pick up at this show, please email your wish immediately:  paoniapottery(at)gmail.com
Sniffles Fiber Festival
Saturday September 24th 9:00am - 5:00pm 
Sunday September 25th 11:00am-3:00pm
at Ouray County Fairgrounds & 4-H Center: 
22739 Highway 550 Ridgway, CO 81432.

This show had more pottery than we expect at Ridgway this year.

Sam is doing that show alone, because Tara is attending a conference, Crones Counsel, a gathering to honor and advance the aging woman’s value to society, in Denver. I will have pottery and textiles at a vendor table which is open to the public. Again the quantity of work displayed will be limited and you are invited to request a particular piece of ceramic work or textiles to pick up at this show. Please email your desire immediately:  paoniapottery(at)gmail.com 
Crones Counsel
September 21 – 25, 2016
Renaissance Denver (Stapleton) Hotel
3801 Quebec Street
Denver, Colorado 80207
Exact show hours are unknown at this time, but open most afternoons.

Kiln opening

It's always fun to open the kiln and see how everything turned out. One challenge of pottery making is that that the final color outcome is all in our imagination (based on experience, of course), until this magic opening when the kiln is cool enough. 

Note: This link: Table of Contents 
          will help you find specific items of our work.

I pulled this one platter of Elk and Hawk in a Rocky Mountain setting this morning.

This weekend, July 29-30-31, is the Carbondale Mountain Fair in Carbondale, Colorado, one of the most fun events in all of Colorado. You can see the entire schedule of music and events at http://www.carbondalearts.com/event/44th-annual-carbondale-mountain-fair/ Vendor hours begin at noon on Friday and at 10am on Saturday and Sunday. Our booth #44 is along the fence from the Weant Street entrance.

Stoneware Fruit baskets, including the Grove of Trees

Elk with Aspen Forest Chip 'n Dip, hummingbird platter, and some multiple green glazes in the background, including icybana vases.

See you at the Fair!

Summer 2016 Art Fairs

Fourth of July Cherry Days Celebration
We will have our Pottery booth in Paonia Town Park fully set up on Sunday, July 3, and Monday July 4. 
Note: This link: Table of Contents 
          will help you find specific items of our work.
If you come by on Saturday, July 2, you may find a partial display, depending on the weather. 
Paonia is our home show, so we use it for our annual Seconds' Sale, so come on Sunday for bargains of slightly flawed or experimental work. 
You will also have an opportunity to buy UNESCO-recognized textiles from Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca, Peru, textiles we have fair traded directly with the artists, mostly for solar gear. See My Travel Blog for stories about our Peru connection.

For the Cherry Days Schedule, check out: 
http://www.paoniacherrydays.com/schedule.html

2016 button design by Elena Niermann

Carbondale Mountain Fair at July's end
The 45th Annual Carbondale Mountain Fair takes place on 
July 29, 30, and 31, 2016
The show opens at 12 Noon on Friday, July 29,
10am on Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31.
Selling closes around dusk on Friday and Saturday; 5pm on Sunday.
For more information about the fun fair schedule, check out:
http://www.carbondalearts.com/mountain-fair/

Summer 2016 Art Fairs

Fourth of July Cherry Days Celebration
We will have our booth in Paonia Town Park fully set up on Sunday, July 3, and Monday July 4. 

Note: This link: Table of Contents 
         will help you find specific items of our work.

If you come by on Saturday, you may find a partial display, depending on the weather. 
Paonia is our home show, so we use it for our annual Seconds' Sale, so come on Sunday for bargains of slightly flawed or experimental work. You will also have an opportunity to buy UNESCO-recognized textiles from Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca, Peru, textiles we have fair traded directly with the artists, mostly for solar gear. See My Travel Blog for stories about our Peru connection.
For the Cherry Days Schedule, check out: 
http://www.paoniacherrydays.com/schedule.html

2016 button design by Elena Niermann

Carbondale Mountain Fair at July's end
The 45th Annual Carbondale Mountain Fair takes place on 
July 29, 30, & 31, 2016
The show opens at 12 Noon on Friday, July 29,
10am on Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and 31.
For more information about the fun fair schedule, check out:
http://www.carbondalearts.com/mountain-fair/

Springtime in the Rockies

Spring Production
Note: This link Table of Contents 
          will help you find specific items of our work.
Preparing for a beautiful show in Estes Park on the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park in an area of abundant wildlife. Themes in our work include this wildlife. The show is all three days of Memorial Day Weekend.
Here's a platter from last year. 

Oval Platter about 11" x 15" x 1.5" Slip painting underglaze 

Similar pieces are inside the kiln today as we begin firing. This is the bisque firing, or biscuit, which could be called, "half-fired." I work in Stoneware, high-fired ceramic, for many reasons. One is because Stoneware is impermeable and very durable; could last for generations or centuries. I fill every cubic inch of my 25cu.ft. kiln; a "tight" kiln. I know we are using fossil fuels and fire as efficiently as we can.

warm glow on the underside of the kiln; propane venturi burners

Please join us at our Memorial Day Weekend show on the Eastern Slope of the Rocky Mountains.

The 17th Annual Estes Park Art Market

Saturday and Sunday, May 28-29 ~ 9:00 - 5:00

Sunday, May 30 ~ 9:00 - 4:00

Bond Park, right on E. Elkhorn Avenue, the main drag traveling through town; you can't miss it.

Back home, it's a bit difficult to concentrate on making pottery when spring is so beautiful in our own back yard.

Our Next show will be Cherry Days, the 4h of July weekend celebration right here in Paonia.

Autumn 2015 Art Shows

Note: This link: Table of Contents will help you find specific items of our work within this blog.

Estes Park, September 19-20
Just in time for the elk bugling and the fall colors in nearby Rocky Mountain National Park, the Fine Arts Guild of the Rockies presents the 40th Annual Fine Arts and Crafts Festival right in the center of town in Bond Park.

Over 90 artisans, well juried, will be exhibiting. Our booth, #87 will be located on Elkhorn Avenue on the sidewalk on the side of the library. Keep your eyes out for our fruit baskets and for hanging platters celebrating those bugling elk!

Santa Fe, September 5-7 
Thanks to all who helped make that show an excellent success.
Santa Fe Fiesta, now in its 303rd year, kicks off on Friday night, September 4th with the burning of the Zozobra. The next three days presents the Arts and Crafts Festival over Labor Day Weekend. Hours are 9-5 all three days, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Our booth location is in the direct center circle of the Santa Fe Plaza, on the east side of the famous obelisk, easy to find.

Western Colorado Art Fairs

Note: This link: Table of Contents will help you find specific items of our work within this blog.
Paonia Cherry Days

Our home grown Paonia show celebrates Independence Day for three days this year. The theme for this 69th annual festival is “Valley of Abundance.”

Because this is our home show, in addition to our top-of-the-line pottery, we will present our annual Seconds Sale. You will find some bargains of slightly flawed or experimental pieces, always a lot of fun. We will also be bringing a sampling of textiles from Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca, Peru.

Show hours are 11:00am to dusk on Friday July 3 and on July 4. 

Sunday hours are 10:00am to 5pm. 

The Festival starts Friday with merchants and banks on Grand Avenue in Paonia celebrating “Downtown Days” with special offers and food. Saturday is the Parade. Sunday starts with a church service and then a talent show. If you come Sunday, you will see Sam and I take a break from our booth to join our dance class for the last act of the Talent Show, around 12:45. Here is a link to Paonia Cherry Days, with a full schedule.  http://www.paoniacherrydays.com

Carbondale Mountain Fair

Dates for Mountain Fair this year are July 24-25-26. We will be in our usual location on the north side of the park. This is a great fun community festival. http://www.carbondalearts.com/mountain-fair/

Ridgway Rendezvous Note that we will NOT be showing at Ridgway this year, so to catch us in Western Colorado come out to Cherry Days or Carbondale Mountain Fair!

See you at the Fair!

Art Market in Estes Park

Note: This link: Table of Contents will help you find specific items of our work within this blog.

Our first show of the season will be in Estes Park over Memorial Day Weekend, May 23, 24 and 25, 2015. We have LOTS of new work. 

14" platter of Rocky Mountain slip painting. Elk and Aspen Forest with Hawk and snowy mountains.

The rest of our summer schedule will include a couple of Western Slope shows:
Paonia Cherry Days on July 3 and 4
Carbondale Mountain Fair on July 24, 25 & 26

Then, allowing time for class reunions and fun festivals, gardening, making more pottery and custom commissions, we start up again in September:
Santa Fe Fiesta September 4, 5 & 6
Estes Park Fine Arts and Crafts September 19 & 20

As the holiday season approaches, you will find us at
Loveland "The Ranch" (Larimer County Fairgrounds) November 21 & 22
and back in Paonia for the Paonia Holiday Fair, December 4 & 5

Come see us at the Fair!

Holiday shows 2014

Note: This link: Table of Contents 
          will help you find specific items of our work.
Thanks for joining us at our 2014 holiday art shows.   
  
Start your holiday shopping with a civilized shopping alternative on Thanksgiving weekend in the ARVADA CENTER on Wadsworth in Arvada, near Denver. 
  
You'll find our booth and a good selection of our pottery easily if you bear LEFT after the entrance. You'll also find quality and unique artwork from over 150 artisans in all media throughout this beautiful venue.  

The Arvada Center 
34th Annual Holiday Craft Fair
Thanksgiving weekend 

Friday, November 28 - Saturday November 29 

Show hours are:

 9:00am to 5:00pm each day

Free parking - $5 entry per day 
(free to "Friends of the Center" and kids 12 and under)

6901 Wadsworth Blvd.    just north of I-70

https://arvadacenter.org/galleries/35th-annual-holiday-craft-and-gift-fair-2014

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  

The following weekend is the 

Paonia Holiday Art Fair

Friday, December 5, 3-8pm

Saturday, December 6, 9am -5pm

Blue Sage Center for the Arts

We'll be showing our 

POTTERY and TEXTILES from 

Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca, Peru

Most of the textiles were fair traded for solar gear. Check out this link for stories:

http://taquilefriends.blogspot.com

at the Blue Sage 2013

Twenty artists with unique creations, live music. 
On Saturday, Paonia festivities include sales in downtown businesses, library book sale, hay rides, Santa, Gingerbread house making.

228 Grand Avenue - Paonia, Colorado

Come see us at the Fair!

Join us as we bring Tara Miller Claywork to Festivals for the rest of this year. Some of our smaller shows include textiles from our community in Peru: Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca. You can learn more about that part of our lives at our Amigos de Taquile Blog

To negotiate this blog and see different kinds of pottery, 
check out the Table of Contents

Ikebana Pots for Flower Arrangements
Little wheel-thrown pillows with feet!

Ridgway Colorado August 9 & 10, 2014

30th ANNUAL RIDGWAY RENDEZVOUS ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL

Show runs 9-5pm Sat. and 10-5pm on Sunday.

If you are used to finding us in the upper part of the park, please look again, as our 2014 location is booth #155 on the lower level on the north east row toward Town Hall.

http://www.weehawkenarts.org/ridgway-rendezvous-2011/

Santa Fe Fiesta Labor Day Weekend August 30-31 and Sept. 1. 2014

This juried art and craft show kicks off a festival that has been going on in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for over three hundred years! We are located in our usual spot in the very center of the plaza against the obelisk on the east side.

http://www.santafefiesta.org/index.html

Bamboo Platters

THEN THE HOLIDAY SCHEDULE!

Holy Family Church School Saturday, November 1, in Grand Junction

This show is a whirlwind all on One Day between 8 am – 3:30 pm.

All three buildings of the beautiful Holy Family campus overflow with quality handmade items and volunteers serve up delicious homemade soups and other savory treats in the cafeteria. We expect to be located outside in the courtyard between the buildings. WE WILL MAINLY BE SHOWING TEXTILES FROM TAQUILE ISLAND, LAKE TITCACA AT THIS SHOW.

786 26 1/2 Road
Grand Junction, CO    http://holyfamily-gj.org

Arvada Holiday Art Show November 28 and 29

Located in the beautiful Arvada Center on Wadsworth in Arvada, Colorado. We will be located in our usual spot in the Main Gallery to the left as you enter.

Paonia Holiday Art Show, December 5-6

Hours are Friday 3pm to 8pm and Saturday 9 to 5 at The Blue Sage Center in Paonia.

THIS LOCAL SHOW WILL INCLUDE TEXTILES AND POTTERY.