Good Crowds and Great Pottery at the Colorado Potters Guild Fall Sale

I have felt a bit out of the loop the past week as a crescendo of activity culminated in the Colorado Potters Guild Fall Sale opening on Thursday night. Fortunately, the spiked adrenaline that was fueling me the last few days has subsided and I am much more relaxed today. The Colorado Potters Guild Fall Sale closes this afternoon at 5:00pm – there’s still time to find some terrific pottery from local Colorado artists. I’ve added a sampling of some of our 48 member’s work below:

Large Bowl by Sarah Christensen, reduction fired to cone 10

Large Bowl by Sarah Christensen, porcelain reduction fired to cone 10

Sarah makes beautiful work and long before I joined the Guild, I purchased one of her mugs.  Unlike many of of the guild’s members who do not have formal educations in ceramics or pottery, Sarah graduated from Alfred.  Her work is very recognizable – she leaves a lot of raw clay exposed on the exterior of her pots, and uses glazes and underglaze pencils to create complex designs.

Large 20" low fired earthenware turtle platter by Kathleen Laurie

Large 20 inch low fired earthenware turtle platter by Kathleen Laurie

I have been fortunate to know Kathleen for a couple of years and she was one of the people who encouraged me to apply to become a member of the Guild.  She hand builds in low fire earthenware and also makes more traditional high fired wheel thrown reduction fired porcelain work.  Kathleen has such a spontaneous glazing and decorating style that I envy in both types of her work.  I have already purchased something from this year’s show, but I just might have to purchase one of her turtle inspired pieces today before the show closes.

Sampling of pottery from Guild members

Sampling of pottery from Guild members

There are definitely more female than male members at the Guild – I’m not sure if that’s true for a lot of clay communities or not?  The large hand built vase on the pedestal is by Walt Hyler, one of our senior members who makes large sculptural functional work.  It’s such a pleasure that there are potters of all ages at the Guild.  The large round 25″+ in diameter soda fired vase on the table below with the dried grass is by Dick Howell who is the Guild’s kiln director.

Shino fired set & more

Shino fired set & more

Having fired in oxidation for so long, I enjoy seeing all the different types of glazes and firing methods that I have available at my disposal now.  I haven’t taken advantage of it much, but plan to do so this winter.  The guild is going to start doing scheduled monthly guild group firings for whoever wants to sign up through the winter which will be a great way for me to experiment without having to make a ton of work that could end up being  real doggies.

Set of reduction fired tumblers and matching tray by Willow Connery

Set of reduction fired tumblers and matching tray by Willow Connery, cone 10

Willow makes gorgeous wheel thrown work and I aspire to throw as well as her.  Her craftsmanship is amazing and her work light as a feather.  My very first purchase from a guild member before I even thought of applying was one of her porcelain platters.

Reduction fired platters by Candice Kiesow, cone 10

Reduction fired platters by Candice Kiesow, cone 10

Candice is my “mentor” at the Guild this year and I just love her!  Every new member is assigned a mentor who helps guide and familiarize newbies to the procedures, equipment, building etc. for the first year.  She has an art background and is multi faceted – working in ceramics, graphic design and jewelry.  Candice just started a blog too, which reminds me that I haven’t linked to her yet….

I was prepared for our sale to be a little slower this year given the current economy, but I was wrong.  We are selling pottery like hot cakes – yesterday we had 3 check out tables and had lines 5 deep at each for hours.  I left at 1pm, so I can only imagine that it remained steady all day long.  I don’t think I’ll have much to take home this evening when we break down.

Thanks to everyone who showed up and said “hi” to me the past couple of days.  I even met someone in person with whom I’ve only emailed back and forth for a couple of months.  It’s weird putting a face to an email address – you just have to love the way blogging, social networking sites and the internet as a whole has a way of connecting people who might never meet otherwise.

Back to regularly scheduled programming on Monday,

~Cynthia

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Colorado Potters Guild Fall Show and Sale Invitation

Colorado Potters Guild Fall Sale Invitation

Colorado Potters Guild Fall Sale Invitation

Reverse

Reverse

You are cordially invited to the Biannual Fall Sale featuring work by members of the Colorado Potters Guild.

Late last year I applied to become a member of the Colorado Potters Guild located on Old South Pearl Street in Denver, CO and was juried into the Guild as one of its newest members in early 2008.

The guild boasts 38 active and 10 associate members and we host a large pottery sale twice yearly. The Fall Sale opens on Thursday November 6 and closes Saturday, November 8.  It’s a great place to find handmade pottery by local Colorado artists just in time for holiday shopping.  Guild members staff the sale in shifts – I will be working Thursday evening and Friday & Saturday mornings if you want to stop by and say hello – especially if you know me through my blog.  If you have friends who appreciate handmade pottery, please pass this invitation along.

If you are a potter, the membership chair will be available to talk with you about becoming a member of the Colorado Potters Guild.  Openings occur occasionally and Marta Rodeheffer will be glad to provide more information about how to apply to become a new member of the Guild.  The guild’s facilities include 2 30 cubic feet gas kilns, 4 electric kilns, 1 vapor kiln, wheels, glaze mixing area, electric slab roller, extruder and a congenial group of people dedicated to clay.  The Guild also hosts workshops with nationally and locally known potters on occasion.

The show hours are:

  • Thursday 6:00 – 9:00pm
  • Friday 9:00am – 9:00pm
  • Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pm

The Guild’s facilities cannot meet our space needs for our sales so we rent space for the weekend at:

First Plymouth Congregational Church
3501 South Colorado Blvd.
Denver, CO 80113
(Huge church at the SW corner of Colorado and Hampden – follow the signs)

In the meantime, as much fun as it is to prepare for shows, I’m looking forward to a more normal slower pace to return and hope to catch up with everyone later this week.

One last thing – thank God the election is over – and GO OBAMA! It was so exciting to see the results start trickling in last night.  I was alternating between glazing (yes I’m pushing it up to the last minute!) and watching the results until about 11pm last night.  Around 9pm, my daughter came bursting into my studio and exclaimed that Obama is the new president – I thought it was premature, but lo and behold, I came inside the house just in time to see McCain concede.  Wow.

Lots of things to do yet for the the sale and I have some exciting news on the horizon!!  Stay tuned….

~Cynthia

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Affirmations for Artists in Today’s Economy


Art Biz Coach, Alyson Stanfield, just released a short, but powerful video of affirmations as a tool for artists and craftspeople to use to respond to today’s belt tightening economic climate.  This is an uncertain time period financially and politically that has the potential to play with artist’s psyches in crazy ways and affect pocket books. The video includes a variety of art work in different media and I’m humbled that Alyson asked if she could include an image of a set of my nesting bowls in the video.

Nesting bowls

Nesting bowls

When times become difficult, it’s a natural instinct to batten down the hatches and abandon seemingly frivolous pursuits to get a “real job” that offers a steady predictable paycheck.  In my opinion, that is counterintuitive to living a fulfilling life and I think that if what you do is your calling – whether it’s pottery, painting, metal smithing, printmaking, photography – or even accounting, car mechanics, cooking, teaching -  now is the time to make a deeper commitment to yourself and your art (and I write that with respect to all professions – there’s an art to everything). I am not discounting being able to pay your bills, visit a doctor, being able to put food on the table and a roof over your head either; but letting the squirrels run amok in your brain is not the answer.

Rather, now is the time to get inventive to satisfy all needs and wants! I know it’s worth it because I spent 15 years too long in a 17 year career with an airline that strip mined my soul and made me miserable  – all for a steady paycheck and benefits.  The more senior members at the airline called it “the job with the golden handcuffs.”  Ouch.   I have committed myself to my chosen path and I’m so much happier – just ask my family.  My solution to the economic times is to evaluate my market, find ways to save money on supplies, tools and equipment, economize kiln firings, making smaller less expensive work in addition to more experimental work, looking at advertising & marketing message, and even trying to make my work better while not compromising my path or values.

It can be tricky to accomplish, but not impossible.  In some ways, my husband, daughter and I have already accomplished the tough work to weather leaner economic times years ago when I left my job after the events of 9-11.  We’re now planning for the moment when he will voluntarily leave his job to do something else.  It’s exciting and full of endless possibilities.

Another one of my favorite blogs is written by musician and public motivational speaker, Christine Kane – check out this post on whether it’s time to shrink or expand for a bit of inspiration and whose message goes hand in hand with Alyson’s affirmations.

Visit Alyson Stanfield’s website for information on workshops and subscribe to her blog for great tips and information about the business of art, a topic about which artists often learn the hard way.

Meanwhile, I’ll be spending the day glazing work for the Colorado Potters Guild Fall Sale and Show that opens on Thursday evening. I fired my last bisque load yesterday and think that I’m going to glaze everything just in time.

~Cynthia

P.S. It’s come to my attention that a few emails sent to my address sometimes bounce and is returned to the sender as undeliverable. I think I’ve taken care of the problem now, but if you receive a similar message, I can be reached at cynthiaguajardo at gmail.com (substitute @ for at)

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Looking for Clay Harp Tool, Mapping Out Schedule and Kid’s Art

Clay harp cutting tool

Clay harp cutting tool

While I love to use the potter’s wheel to make work, I have found an equal affinity and enjoyment for hand building in the last 6 months.  I once had the opportunity to try a clay tool called a “harp” that a potter had purchased in the U.K. and I have been looking for the tool locally as well as online from US outlets every since.  It’s pretty cool and makes precise cuts on either pugged clay or pre-bagged commercial clay.  I found the tool online from a ceramic supplier in the U.K. and at this point, I might have to go ahead and bite the bullet and pay to have it shipped across the pond that divides the two countries.  The clay harp is notched on the sides and has a tension wire that adjusts up the notches or down as clay is cut.  I could probably rig something similar, but would really like to find this tool for my handbuilding work.  I apologize for the low res photo; it’s the only one I found on the internet.  So if you know of any U.S. store that carries something similar, please let me know – I’d be much obliged.

Love these colors

Love these colors – just threw this one in for fun

Meanwhile, the Colorado Potter’s Guild is hosting our annual Fall sale November 6, 7 and 8th – exactly 32 days from now.  After taking a bit of a studio hiatus, I need a plan to crank out some work in the next month to have a decent showing.  We’re allowed to bring a maximum of 105 pots, 10 of which can be sets of any size or kind.  I have about 10 pieces bisque fired so far, and have a lot of work to make in the next couple of weeks!

This morning, I pulled out my calendar in an attempt to figure out how I can make the remaining 95 pots in the next 15 days of working with wet clay in order to allow enough time to bisque and glaze the pieces.  This works out to roughly 6.33 pots a day if I don’t make any sets.  That sounds doable don’t you think?    I’ve allowed myself roughly 6 hours a day in the studio Monday – Friday for the next 2 weeks which will break down to about 9.5 pots a day if I don’t work on weekends.  I am making a list of basic forms that I’d like to include such as mugs, tumblers, bowls, platters, vases, covered boxes etc. and will try to come up with some reasonable numbers of each that I’d like to make for the sale in the next couple of days.  Given our current economy, I tend to think that smaller items will be bigger sellers than larger ones.  What do you think?

Earthenware bird by Carter 2nd grade

Earthenware bird by Carter 2nd grade

Meanwhile, my after school clay classes are coming along terrifically.  I opened the kiln Sunday and just love this piece.  I wish I could keep it!  Carter made this by making hollow sections out of pinch pots for the body and head – the other bits are solid.  The bird stands about 7 – 8 inches tall.

That’s it for today.  Have a great week,

~Cynthia

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