On an “up” note, ya’ gotta love the Hawaiian shirt postage stamps, huh???

The class demo four-pound plate…

And now for the six-pound platter…

Plus, we have new clay at Lillstreet Art Center. For years we’ve had the same selections
of stoneware, B-Clay and porcelain. We’re now trying something new from Continental Clay.
It’s Stoneware with Ochre… which from what we’ve seen turns out to be a dark chocolate
brown after firing in a cone 10 reduction kiln. This is my first time trying the new clay…
hence the slight “greenish” hue in the clay. It was fun to throw with… although the color
was a little off-putting.

And there it will sit until the overly-gooshey clay stiffens up and can be wedged up.
And when it’s ready… it’s a LOT of wedging, and wedging, and wedging…

And just in time… as my Northwoods potter friend Amy Higgason got “a little behind”
in her studio reclaiming and brought some of her scraps for me! Just a couple boxes…
okay, like twelve!!! That’s a lot of scraps!

So Amy’s scraps have now been placed in my reclaim tub. Add water. And wait…
Soon enough, it’s going to be  another huge batch of FREE CLAY!!!

How many of these twenty potters can you name just based on their work?!
So here’s the deal… I’ll show you the close-up, you tell me the potter who made it!

Potter #1 -  ____________________

Potter #2 -  ____________________

Potter #3 –   ____________________

Potter #4 –   ____________________

Potter #5 -  ____________________

Potter #6 –   ____________________

Potter #7 –   ____________________

Potter #8 –   ____________________

Potter #9 –   ____________________

Potter #10 –   ____________________

Potter #11 –   ____________________

Potter #12 –   ____________________

Potter #13 –   ____________________

Potter #14 –   ____________________

Potter #15 –   ____________________

Potter #16 –   ____________________

Potter #17 –   ____________________

Potter #18 –   ____________________

Potter #19 –   ____________________

Potter #20 –   ____________________

You know… after looking at twenty of the fantastic potters showing up north
in the St. Croix River Valley Pottery Tour, it seems like something’s missing?!
There’s a lot of glazing… a lot of carving… a lot of atmospheric firing… but…

Don’t you think they need some obsessively stamped pots up there?! I’m just sayin’…

I had a wonderful time up in Minnesota this weekend surrounded by thousands
of incredible pots… and the talented artists who made them! So much fun touring
the St. Croix River Valley area with old friends & making new ones…
and buying a few beautiful pots along the way!!!

Sundays are always slower, quieter and more relaxed on the Tour. Most of the
“real” shoppers & collectors come early on Friday. By the time Sunday rolls around,
there are a LOT fewer pots, and the artists are slowing down. It’s been a long weekend
for them too. Lucky for us, we had plenty of time to talk with Matt Metz, Suze Lindsay,
Kent McLaughlin and Bob Briscoe. After a couple hours, it was time to say our goodbyes
and move on to our last stop.

Back at Guillermo’s location, we stopped by to chat with Delores Fortuna & Roberta
Polfus. It was a lot quieter there too… so they had some time to sit and talk with us.
While we were sitting chatting, Clary Illian stopped by to join our conversation.
Nice to talk to a ceramic “legend”… but all too soon it was time to get back on the road
for the long drive home.

All in all, another successful Pottery Tour. So much fun to be surrounded by so much
fine ceramic work. And have access to so many talented potters so you can chat and
get to know them. It’s also encouraging to see so many people coming out for the Tour
to encourage & support the arts. And to buy some pots!!!

So, mark your calendars for next year’s St. Croix RIver Valley Pottery Tour.
It’s always the Friday, Saturday & Sunday of Mother’s Day Weekend.
Luckily, my Mom understands and we celebrate a week early so I can go to the Tour!

Our first stop was down in Minneapolis. Amy needed to buy her
“year’s supply” of clay… and I needed some new clues that I really don’t “need.”
After packing up the car, we went over to the Northern Clay Center. We looked
through the gallery which is full of beautiful pots. Some of them actually from the
potters who are on the Tour. While looking in the gallery, Emily Murphy stopped by
for a visit and lunch. So great to get caught up with her… and some great Thai food!

While wandering through the studio spaces at Northern Clay, we ran across pots
by Kip O’Krongly. Remember back to “the tumbler that got away” blog post?!
Click HERE for a reminder recap. Anyway… she makes these really great terra cotta
pieces with imagery of farm equipment, wind turbines and bicycles!!! Yes, bikes!!!
Without question, I needed them. Last year I was hoping to get bike tumblers…
but this year she had bike plates!!! So I go two. Plus, she’s adorable to boot!!!

Then it was back to the Tour. We stopped by a few of the Tour Studios, as well as
a side trip to see The Rogue Potters. They’re not “officially” part of the Tour, but they
have set up their signs on the road and filled a house with pots. They’ve been there
for a couple years, right off Route 95. It’s a collective of ceramic artists all making
beautiful pots that are quite affordable! Including my new plate…

Then it was back to Richard Vincent’s place for more… more pots, more chatting
with the potters. Then back to Will Swanson’s place for more. It’s always amazing
to see how the quantity of pots has decreased so drastically by the end of Day Two.
Many of the shelves were empty, or even taken down in some cases. Shop early!!!

Then it was almost 6:00pm… so our Tour Day Two had come to an end!

Well, it was a very long day… with a LOT of pottery!!! And while I was starting to wear down,
and needed a good night’s sleep in the worst way, we went out for dinner and were saluted
with this stunning sunset as a beautiful end to our day. Almost…

With a little after-dinner, second-wind we decided to head back to Bob Briscoe’s place
for a little Post Party! Every year he hosts a little get-together for the artists & friends.
It was great to go back, relax around the campfire and chat with a few more potters.
And then finally to bed… for some much-needed shut-eye before Tour Day Two!