Overnight ———-
I slept great. Much better than driving over night.
So I awoke refreshed and ready to go… sadly, Amy didn’t sleep so good?!
Maybe the handmade waffles in the hotel lobby would help?!

Continental Clay ———-
So we head off towards the Twin Cities to pick up some new clay & supplies.
With hundreds of pounds of clay in Amy’s car, we head back to the hotel to drop
it off, switch cars and head off to the two studios we missed yesterday.

Linda Christianson’s Studio ———-
Guests: Dan Anderson, Lisa Buck, Scott Goldberg, Randy Johnston,
Jan McKeachie and Kristin Pavelka.
After we switch cars, we were back on track and headed off the last two stops on our tour.
To get to Linda Christianson‘s you need to take the unpaved, dirt roads to her place.
Then it’s a hike down the hill to her studio & kiln shed. The the yard is filled with tables & pots!
While I appreciate the work, I kind of felt that after awhile there was just too many brown pots.

Not that that’s a bad thing. But there wasn’t a lot of variation – except for Kristin Pavelka
who definitely stood out with her pastel colors! And sense of whimsy!

On the way out of Linda’s studio, we did have a beautiful stand of trees…
and a perfectly blue sky behind it for contrast.

Jeff Oestreich’s Studio ———-
Guests: Andy Balmer, Pat Burns and Ryan Greenheck.
I’ve been to Jeff Oestreich’s studio before – and already have a couple of his mugs!
And each time, I’m amazed and in awe of his studio… and the incredible picture windows
that overlook the Minnesota prairie. How do I get one of these?!

So this time, I was excited to see the beautiful pots by Ryan Greenheck.
And his perfect porcelain!!! Every detail has been attended to.
Throwing. Surface Decoration. Glazing. Beautiful.

And yes… a couple of his perfect porcelain pieces did come home with me!

The Rogue Potters  ———-
We met them last year… and hoped that they would be there again this year!
All it took was a few handmade signs on the side of the freeway and we were drawn in.
To a small farmhouse that surely has seen better days. But the attitude & enthusiasm is
infectious. You can tel that they are doing something they love. And the best part…
their name is all our doing! When we met them last year, I took some pictures, bought
a couple pieces and wrote a blog post about them. In my blog, I referred to them as
“The Merry Band of Rogue Potters.” At some point, one of the guys did a Google search
and found his work on my website. So he left a comment, and I responded.
And now they refer to themselves as “Rogue Potters.” Thanks to my blog!

Lunch And A Root Beer Float ———-
On our way through Taylor’s Falls, we stopped off for a quick bite at a very cute diner!
And who could resist the corn dogs, cheese curds and root beer float?! Not me!!!

A Return Visit to Guillermo’s ———-
With a 50-pound box of porcelain in tow, we went back to Guillermo’s place to deliver
the clay to Roberta. Of course, we had to chat with Delores & Roberta again, and do a
little more “window” shopping. It was amazing to me how most of Delores’ pieces
were already gone! Apparently people could find them in the mish-mash of pots?!

A Return Visit to Will’s ———-
We had some extra time still, so we decided to stop in again to see Laurie Shaman.
And while we were there, I took a little more time to look at the pots by Sam Taylor.

A Return Visit to Richard’s ———
With another hour before the Tour officially ended for the day, we made one last stop
to see Steven Hill again. The “traffic” had died down a bit towards the end of the day
so Steven was able to chat with us for awhile. It was great to see him looking better,
happier, and in a good place again. He’s had a tough go of it recently, but now seems
to be back on track.

A Return to Don Julio’s ———-
Time for dinner.. and we didn’t know where to go… so we went back for more guacamole!
Then an early night – with some photo downloading. But when I got a little overwhelmed
by the huge number of photos to deal with… we went to Dairy Queen instead!!!
Another great day of clay fun… both wet in the box, and fired in my shopping bags!

The Drive  ———-
So I’m sure it comes as no surprise to those who really know me, that I felt it necessary
to be there for the very start of the Pottery Tour right at 10:00am on Friday morning.
You know, otherwise you might miss the good stuff? Right? So I foolishly decided to hop
in the car at 2:00am Friday morning and drove straight through to Minneapolis. Yes…
it was a long arduous drive. And I got there at about 9:30am. Just enough time for a
quick 10-minute nap in Bob Briscoe’s driveway. And I got to see the sunrise of sorts…

The St. Croix River Valley Pottery Tour  ———-
As I’ve mentioned before, this weekend tour is my annual favorite. All of the best potters
all in one place… err, seven places. Yes, seven open studios of seven of the best potters.
And if that weren’t enough, each of them invite several of their talented friends to join
them for the weekend. So it totals out at 46 pottery “rock stars” all in one weekend tour.
For more information, check their website – www.minnesotapotters.com

Bob Briscoe’s Studio  ———-
Guests: Mary Barringer, Richard Hensley, Suze Lindsay, Kent McLaughlin,
Matthew Metz, Donna Polseno, Jo Severson and Jason Trebs.
Always the first stop… I was thrilled to see so many pots, the large tents and the excitement
just beginning! I could feel the shopping frenzy kicking in. And I had to get started quick.
Before all “the good stuff” was already taken!!!

First up, I was straight of to Matt Metz – one of my favorites! And I knew that I had
to add another piece to my collection. Hard to choose… as everything was incredible!

Next it was Suze Lindsay, who does great brushwork on her atmospheric fired pieces.
Beautiful surfaces, slips, textures and glazes… all with a sense of whimsy & fun.

Moving on it was Kent McLaughlin, Jo Severson, and a few others… including a new face
in the crowd, at least for me… Donna Polseno. Her work has a peaceful & serene effect
with soft illustrations, satiny glazes and an occasional bird here & there for fun.

Last but not at all least, it was studio host Bob Briscoe. Not only is his studio beautiful
with the pond in the back… but his pots are great as well. Very practical pots with an
emphasis on ash glazes for a textural finish. I’ve had a set of his bowl-plates which I LOVE
and use all the time. The perfect bowl for my favorite carry-out Thai food.

The Murphy-Bicking Baby Debut ———-
While we were shopping at the very first stop, our friend & fellow potter Emily Murphy
stopped by with husband Ian and newborn baby Ada Sky. The little girl is just a month old
and was already stealing the show!

Richard Vincent’s Studio ———-
Guests:  Sandra Byers, Winthrop Byers, Bill Gossman, Steven Hill and George Lowe.
Our second stop was the closest to Bob Briscoe’s place. With the same artists as last year,
including my friend & potter Steven Hill. If you’re looking for voluptuous, porcelain pieces
with incredible mixes of glazes… then Steven’s your guy. His pots are beautiful, and it was
great fun to see him and get all caught up after his move from Sandwich, IL back to Missouri.

Steven Hill on “The Square” ———-
So technology has hit the pottery world. And if Steven Hill can jump on the bandwagon,
I may need to as well. There’s this great little gadget called “The Square” that can attach
to your iPhone – and with the help of an App, you can swipe and process credit cards
right there on the spot. I think I need to check into that before my Summer Art Fair
Season begins in a couple weeks?! Seems like all the cool kids are doing it…

Will Swanson’s Studio ———-
Guests: Silvie Granatelli, Ellen Shankin, Laurie Shaman, Mark Shapiro & Sam Taylor.
Following the route, we made it to our third stop with some more great potters!
Especially favorites Ellen Shankin and Silvie Granatelli. Both of them have been making
incredible pots for some time now, and each of them are already represented in my
Mug Collection. So here are two samples, Ellen Shankin followed by Silvie Granatelli…

Also at Will Swanson’s was former Lillstreet Gallery Director Laurie Shaman. Her work
has a beautiful illustrative quality, kind of like beautiful watercolor paintings on porcelain.
Lots of portraits, birds, architectural buildings and more. Beautiful brush strokes on clay.

Lunch at the Scenic Overlook ———-
The weather was beautiful… and so it was time for a picnic. Luckily, Amy had packed
a lunch for the both of us. So it was a quick break from the tour, relaxing in the sun
and enjoying the view. As the clouds were gently rolling by… sun shining down…
and my Dove Dark Chocolate Promise had the perfect message inside!

Connee Mayeron’s Studio ———-
Guests: Curtis Hoard, Gail Kendall, Jenny Mendes, Mark Pharis,
Liz Quackenbush and Shoko Teruyama.
Tops on Amy’s list this year were Shoko Teruyama & Jenny Mendes – both of which
were guest artists at Connee’s. Going in, I could tell that Amy was not going to leave until
she had something to show for it. First was Shoko, who has had recent acclaim in the big
ceramics magazines. Her style is kind of over-the-top, lots of patterns, layers, colors, and
imagery that you can’t quite figure out… and yes, this one went home with Amy!!!

And here’s Amy capturing a photo of “the bowl the got away. She was torn between
the bowl and the larger, more impressive platter! Luckily… she went for the platter!
At least she has the picture for her memories, her blog… and her Facebook!!!

Jenny Mendes is another artist who does incredible illustration on her ceramic works.
Layers of colors and incredibly detailed line drawings. Lots of crazy… you gotta love it!

Art In The Yard ———-
While Amy was enamored with all of the outrageous illustration work… I was more enamored
by the rusty metal & rock sculptures littered through the yard. Now you know I have a special
affinity for rusty metal… but now on a large scale, with large rocks and wit?! C’mon…

It All Matters ———-
In the parking lot at Connee Mayeron’s was a great, orange message…

Guillermo Cuellar’s Studio  ———-
Guests: Dick Cooter, Delores Fortuna, Simon Levin, Jim Lorio, Mike Norman and Steve Rolf.
Perched atop of steep hill, Guillermo’s place overlooks the valley. And yes, we walked up
the wrong driveway when we got there… only to find out that there were no potters there?!
So we had to walk back down the steep driveway, down the street and back up another steep
driveway to Guillermo’s studio. Whoops. At least it was worth the walk. Lots of great pots
all over the yard surrounding his place.

Simon Levin is one of my favorites with beautiful forms, textures and wood-fired
blushing. But after looking around the place, it was great to run into Delores Fortuna
who I’ve known for a few years now. Her work is beautiful. Structural, slightly altered
pieces with great glaze combinations… and a bit of wire work here & there. Unfortunately,
it was a little tough to see Simon & Delores work clearly, as the pots were all scattered
amongst the other artists at this studio location. I prefer when each artist has a clear
designated place to show off their body of work. Easier to shop. Easier to admire.
Less hassle trying to find & compare the pieces you want to buy!

Dinner ———-
Without knowing the area, we followed the suggestion of the hotel clerk
and found a fine Mexican restaurant with really great guacamole!!! Lots of cilantro!

Back to Bob Briscoe’s for the Party!!! ———-
This was the first year that we actually decided to go to the “after-party” at Bob Briscoe’s.
It was fun to have some time to chat with the artists – and see the tents of pottery at night
under a different light. We had more time to chat with Laurie Shaman, Delores Fortuna
and her “worker” Roberta Polfus – who I’ve known for years… and Amy has too!
Roberta makes these incredible porcelain pieces… click here to check it out!

The End of The Day ———
So we dragged our scrappy tails back to the hotel… more than ready for a good night’s
sleep. Remember, I’ve been running on adrenaline & sugar all day after driving overnight!
But it was all well worth it… and we still have more clay fun planed for tomorrow!!!

Well, the original plan for today was to get up and go hiking, then drive home.
But the possibility of seeing more pottery and chatting with some of the artists won out.

So we drove back up to our very first stop – Bob Briscoe’s studio. We got out and looked
around… not at all surprised by how few pots were left. It was a much slower morning
so we actually got to talk to some of the artists. Including a very nice discussion with
Bob Briscoe & Suze Lindsay. They make such great pots, and have been successful potters
for a long time, so it was great for Amy & I to spend some “quality time” with them.

We then head off to “squeeze in” a quick hike at the Interstate State Park along the river.
The weather was beautiful and it felt great to play outside for a change! But then, all too soon,
it was time to say goodbye to Amy, hop in our cars and each of us drive back to our respective
homes. Sadly, my drive is a LOT longer than hers. So I just got home a little while ago…
but knew I had to do a quick update.

But like I’ve said already… I HAVE A LOT OF PHOTOS FROM THIS WEEKEND!!!
So I am hoping to dig through them all, do a little editing, and then do some more
in-depth posts that regale our pottery adventures for the whole weekend. Stop back soon…
and relive our entire weekend playing in this weekend’s Pottery Mecca!!!

Okay, so the pottery tour started today at 10:00am… but I was still in Chicago yesterday.
Not wanting to miss any of “the good pots,” I hopped in my car at 2:00am and drove
straight through to the Minneapolis area to meet up with my friend Amy at Bob Briscoe’s
studio. We did some shopping, and lot of admiring, a bit of socializing…  and more shopping!
I’ve taken a LOT of photos and will try to get them posted in the next couple days!

My final tally today…
Matthew Metz: 1 – Suze Lindsay: 1 – Jo Severson: 4 – Ellen Shankin: 1 – Dolores Fortuna: 1
So I’m exhausted… and the funds are exhausted too!!!

But Amy did really well too…
Matthew Metz: 1 – Donna Polseno: 1 – Jenny Mendes: 1 – Shoko Teruyama: 1
Laurie Shaman: 2 – Bill Grossman: 1 -   She’s claiming that one is a gift… ha.

And still more studios to go to tomorrow… and maybe a return visit or two…

I can’t wait… tomorrow is the kick-off of the biggest & best Pottery Tour of the season!!!
The St. Croix River Valley Pottery Tour.

Three days of fun with incredible pottery by 46 incredible artists from around the country…
all converging in Minnesota for the weekend. And I’ll be there with my friend Amy to do
a little admiring, socializing, networking & shopping!!! Photos & stories to come…

Today the weather was a little better… so we head out for Day Two of the art tour.
We thought he had hit all of the far-away ones yesterday, and today would be quicker.
Somehow we were wrong, and we were racing the clock towards the end of the day.
The rolling hills, river views and majestic bluffs were beautiful today. As well as
a lot of the artwork. We spent the entire day today finishing the tour.

We saw several artists, all different mediums and skill levels. Some in their homes.
Some in huge loft spaces. Some in a small town. Others off in the rolling hills of Iowa.
Mosaics, pottery, stained glass, painting, jewelry, watercolors and more!
Oh yeah, and we found some homemade pie for lunch. All was right in the world.

My favorite stop today was…
Joel Sampson of Copper Crane Pottery makes these really great fountains, ikebana
bowls and pieces for garden & home. He’s “devised” this great system for a great fountain
that looks like a wet, slippery orb sitting on a beautiful wood table. No pool. No pond.
Just this magical fountain on the table. He also has a nice Japanese inspired fountain that
my parents were very interested in. They’re still considering one for their front garden area!

And as if his studio & pottery weren’t enough… I was also infatuated with the old barn
buildings on his property. You know how I love rusty metal… and weathered barn board
isn’t too far behind. So when I saw these really great barn structures all over, I was so excited.
And here are just a few of them…

Love the little window at the top… and the lichen-covered boards!

Textures, colors, stories… and more textures…

Look… it’s a wagon wheel…
– okay, how many of you just giggled and thought “Schoolhouse Rock”???

Again, for more information about the Bluff Country Studio Art Tour, click here.

With my latest kiln unloaded, and a “free” weekend on the calendar…
I decided to join my parents on a weekend studio art tour up in Northern Iowa
and Southeastern Minnesota. With 30 studio artists in the area, we’re taking our
time to make it around to all of the locations. Today we started with some drizzle,
but that didn’t dampen our spirits.

Let me just start by saying that not all of the artists in the area are making work
that appeals to me. But I do appreciate the fact that they are making art and loving it.
And sharing their passion, discussing their art and welcoming us into their studios.

We saw pottery, stained glass, painted silk, basketry, watercolors, woodworking and
more. We saw some “primitive” art… and some more advanced art. Something for everyone.
We met an older couple in their electricity-free log cabin. We watched a wood kiln firing.
We stopped in an artisan gallery with really nice stuff by a lot of artists. Here’s a few…

Allamakee Wood Fired Pottery is located in New Albin, Iowa. Graceful thrown forms
with a beautiful wood-fired surface were their strengths. Well, that and their really nice
black lab mascot that greeted everyone who came. While their work was beautiful,
it was also fun to watch Nate and a friend as they were towards the end of their 4-day
firing cycle in the wood kiln. Nearing cone 10, they were stoking in all ports and
coming close to the end.

George Lowe is another potter who we’ve met before during the St. Croix River Valley
Pottery Tour… so yes, I will be seeing George and his pots again next weekend! But it is
always interesting to see the artist in their studio. To see their work in progress, their kiln,
their surroundings… and all of the crazy things on their walls that serves as inspiration!
George has a great collection on his wall, as well as a very productive looking studio…
there was a LOT going on in there!

Martha Monson Lowe…
And not only does George make beautiful pots, but his wife Martha makes incredible baskets
as well. Typically I’m not a huge fan of basketry. I can admire the craftsmanship, but I really
don’t care to have a bunch of baskets in my house. With that said, Martha’s baskets were
probably the best baskets I’ve seen. They were not only well made, but they were also very
well-designed. Architectural shapes, interesting textures, beautiful hand-dyed materials.
She even collects her own walnuts to dye the reeds a beautiful brown color!

For more information about the artists and the Bluff Country Studio Art Tour…
www.bluffcountrystudioarttour.com

And while I was unloading the kiln… I also took a few quick shots of Karen Patinkin’s
beautiful porcelain pieces! She does this exquisite & incredibly labor-intensive glaze
technique. But when you see the results… you can see it’s well worth it!

And if you scroll back a few weeks on my blog, you’ll see these same “veggie” bowls
in the works. See what they looked like in the middle of the process before the firing
made all the colors pop!

Each year, Lillstreet Art Center brings in a couple people for their Artist In Residence Program.
Tonight I stopped into the metalsmithing room on my way out since I heard people talking
and I heard Sarah Chapman’s voice. While there, the current metalsmithing Resident Artist
was chatting… and Sarah suggested that she show me her latest piece. WHICH IS CRAZY!!!

Apparently, Michelle has a lot time on her hands… which “puzzles” me. But in a good way.
I love crazy, eccentric artists. So she etched the brass and handcut each of the puzzle pieces.
Twenty pieces down one side, by 17 pieces the other way… that’s 340 puzzle pieces to make
her handmade, etched map of the Chicago Transit system. Keep in mind that this entire
puzzle is made out of a single sheet of metal and measures only 6-1/2″ x 8″.

So glad I decided to stop into the Metals Room… otherwise I would have missed out on
seeing Michelle’s latest puzzle masterpiece. Such patience. Such precision.
To see more of Michelle’s work, click on – www.michellesallemi.com

Yikes… and pay no attention to my overly dried out finger tips from a long night
of throwing bowls. Looks like a little lotion is needed… but still, that’s a small puzzle piece!

Mark your calendars… and plan a road trip for three weeks from today!
The 19th Annual St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour – May 6th, 7th & 8th
Just north of the Twin Cities along the St. Croix River by beautiful Taylors Falls.

Minnesota is know for some rich pottery culture. A lot of great potters live
and work in the Minneapolis area. And this is the perfect opportunity to visit
them in their studios, see their work, meet the artists – as well as their talented
friends who also come to their studios. There are seven incredible studios on the tour.
Each studio artist opens their location, and invites a few of their “Talented Friends”
to show their ceramic works as well. So it’s a pottery extravaganza with all of the
“big names” you’ve seen in all the galleries & Ceramics Monthly.

I am planning on going up again this year with my potter & friend Amy Higgason.
We’ve got a full schedule planned with a lot of pottery admiration, discovery &
shopping to do. With 46 talented artists on the tour, there is more than a lot to see –
and something for everyone’s taste. I can’t wait to see everything… but from looking
at the “list” on the poster, here are my personal Top Ten… in no particular order…

Okay, so maybe there is a particular order… Matt Metz (above) is my favorite.
And I already have quite the collection of his work… mugs, tumblers, jars, etc.
Can’t wait to see what’s new this year?! And now the rest… in no particular order!!

Ryan Greenheck & Suze Lindsay

Ellen Shankin & Delores Fortuna

Bob Briscoe & Donna Polseno

Steven Hill & Simon Hill

Silvie Granatelli

And the list doesn’t end there… there’s great work everywhere! And I know that Amy
will have a slightly different Top Ten… with Jenny Mendes at the top of that list!

Because not only are there the “official” stops on the tour, but there are also several
“rogue potters” in the area who also hang their shingle out by the roads. So if you want
even more pots… make sure you see some of the “undiscovered” talent in the area.

For complete tour details & map… check out the website: www.minnesotapotters.com