One month from today I’ll be playing in Minnesota…
Surrounded by some of the best pottery by some of the country’s best potters at the
21st Annual St. Croix River Valley Pottery Tour. It’s the perfect place to meet the artists, visit with old friends, make some new ones, get inspired by cool pots everywhere… and most likely make a few purchases along the way!

With fifty potters all converging in the St. Croix area, there is sure to be some pottery that strikes your fancy. So many of the potters whose work you see in the galleries, as well as in all of the clay magazines like Ceramics Monthly. This is your chance to meet the artists, covet their work, and quite possibly take something beautiful home with you… including the wonderful clay memories. There are seven studio locations to stop off at. Each of the resident artists invite other potters to their location, setting up tents and displays all over to showcase the pots. It’s always a fun weekend to drive from studio to studio, see their working studios and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the St. Croix River. It’s always Mother’s Day Weekend… so bring along Mom for a fun weekend. I know I will be!!!

Our tour every starts out every year at the studio of Bob Briscoe. His location is incredible as it is surrounded by woods, and overlooks a quaint little pond. In his front yard are several large white wedding tents all filled with pots!!! Bob’s also done a great job of gathering some incredible potters to share his location… including two of my favorites Matt Metz & Suze Lindsay. Over the years, I’ve gathered quite a collection of these three.

We spend a lot of time (and money) at Bob’s location before we head out on the Tour to the other locations… and to see some of your other favorite potters like Steven Hill, Delores Fortuna & Silvie Granatelli. I’ve known Steven & Delores for several years. It’s always great to “play with them” while we’re on the Tour.

Plus this year, there are a few new names on the tour I’m looking forward to seeing like Ernest Miller, Dan Finnegan & Sarah Jaeger. I’m especially intrigued by the crystalline glazes that Ernest Miller uses to create such incredible surfaces on his pots.

Sadly, I’m not one of the “chosen” potters who show at the St. Croix Pottery Tour. I’m not quite in their league. Yet. I’m not “famous” in the pottery world. Yet. But it’s always good to dream right?… and shop in meantime!