Let The Games Begin!
My parents and I got up early this morning to head out for the big pottery tour. Our first stop is always my favorite stop! It’s the furthest north and my favorite collection of pots & potters! So we always start at Bob Briscoe’s place, do a little shopping, a little chatting and a have a lot of fun before moving on to the other locations.

Picture thousands & thousands of wonderful pots made by some of the best potters all in one place. There are seven studio locations on the tour. Each of the host artists then invites other potters to share their space and their wares. In the end, there are fifty potters, quite a few white tents, and thousands & thousands of pots!!! All in one glorious pottery weekend!!!

For more information about the tour, click on St. Croix River Valley Pottery Tour.

As if fifty potters on a large weekend Pottery Tour weren’t enough…
As if there weren’t enough pots for sale during the Minnesota Pottery Tour?
As if we won’t be overwhelmed by incredible pottery next weekend?!

A week from today, on Saturday 5/11 & Sunday 5/12… there’s a few more pots not quite “on the Tour.” But instead just off the beaten path & well worth the drive. Add them to your own Tour! They’re the Rogue Potters… a rag-tag group of potters who are making some great pots, selling them at incredibly affordable prices and having a wonderful time being passionate about their art & playing in the mud!

Their “humble, little kiln shack” is located just off of Highway 95 at 32280 Vista Road, Taylors Falls, Minnesota. If you’re doing the “official” Pottery Tour next weekend, be sure to watch for their signs along the side of the road. Take a quick detour and follow the signs. It’s worth the trip. They’re in a cool, slightly run-down, old farmhouse with pots in every room of the place! And most likely, you’ll even be greeted by their friendly golden retreiver!

When you do stop by to see them, be sure to say hi for me… and then ask them how they came up with the “brilliant” name for their pottery. You may just be surprised… and then buy some great pots!!!

To see more work & information about the Rogue Potters,
click on the LINK on the right side column of this blog page.

Just one week from today… THE FUN BEGINS!!!

And by all means, you need to go up to Minnesota for the big Pottery Tour!!!
It’s all of the “big names”you’ve loved for years. Fifty incredible potters all within an easy driving distance. I will be going up for the Pottery Tour this year with my “best art fair assistants ever!!!”… yes, my parents are coming with me for a weekend full of incredible pottery! We’ll be doing a little shopping, a little driving, a little gathering of inspiration and a lot of chatting with the artists.

For more information, maps & details about the potters, click here for MinnesotaPotters.com.

Just two weeks from today…
We’ll be headed up to see some of my favorite potters in St. Croix River Valley Pottery Tour. Bob Briscoe, Matt Metz, Suze Lindsay, Steven Hill, Delores Fortuna, Sylvie Granatelli… and many more! There are seven studio locations open to the public, with talented potters everywhere… from everywhere. Three days of fun – and SO many great pots to see!!! Friday, Saturday & Sunday… yep, Mother’s Day Weekend! And yes, I’m headed north with my Mom & Dad for the weekend. Some added quality time with my parents!

As an added bonus, this year there will be seven new potters added to the Pottery Tour.
It’s always fun to see some new people, new pots & new ideas on the tour.

Ani Lasten – from Takoma Park, Maryland

Dan Finnegan – from Fredericksburg, Virginia

Ernest Miller – from Minneapolis, Minnesota

George Rector – from Cullowhee, North Carolina

Hannah McAndrew – all the way from Scotland!!!

Mike Helke – from River Falls, Wisconsin

Sarah Jaeger – from Helena, Montana

Wouldn’t it be great to some day break into the cool crowd and make it on to this “New Potters” list for big Pottery Tour? Dare to dream… dare to dream…

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!

So when Kristen came into the studio last weekend with her adorable son AJ,
she wanted to buy a new mug. So she “shopped” off my studio shelves while
AJ was making his ornaments. And when she had found just the right one…
I wrapped it up and it was a sudden & surprise birthday present for Kristen!!!

Hope you like your new mug Kristen… and that you have a wonderful birthday today!

So apparently I’m not the only one who has heard enough of the Righteous Brothers?!
And enough references to that movie from the early 90’s that shall remain nameless?

Click here to see the “Zero Ghost Tolerance Policy” video.
It’s pretty short… and hysterically funny! Ya’ gotta love a good Buster moment!!!
Thanks for the video suggestion DeAnn! Too funny.

We potters have all been plagued with every reference imaginable from that scene
in “Ghost” where Patrick Swayze & Demi Moore are getting all hot & bothered while
throwing pottery on a wheel. You know the scene… and then “Unchained Melody”
plays in the background. Making it an all-too-memorable movie moment that no one
seems to forget. We hear about it all the time.

As it if were even possible, and you’ve forgotten… click here for the “Ghost” video!

And now, just when you thought that maybe “Ghost” had been forgotten…
“Glee” has brought it that scene back! Sure, not quite so sexy. But still.

So now we’ll be hearing that “unchained” reference again… now from a whole new,
younger generation who may have never even heard of “Ghost.” Great. Just great.

When faced with a roof full of empty bowls at Lillstreet’s “Empty Bowls Project”…
how do you choose? It’s especially tough when there are already far too many bowls
in my life. Most of them my own. Do I really need another one?! And the answer is
“of course I do.” Especially when you see one that catches your eye… and it’s made
by a friend! So here’s my new empty bowl…

I was pretty sure that it was made by Jay Strommen… remember?… the guy I posted
about a week ago? The one with the really cool wall pieces at the Bridgeport Art Center?!
If you missed that blog post, click here.

All of the clues pointed towards Jay and his partner Gina. The clay looks like Jay’s…
dark brown, gritty, chunky, with a ton of particles in it. The tea bowl shape looks very
Jay-like as well. The stamped “chop” signature looked familiar, but I wasn’t sure.

The clincher was the word LUNAR painted on the bottom in white slip. I remembered
that Gina’s company is “Lunar Media.” it all seemed too coincidental. But I went with
my gut picked this one… knowing that it just had to be from Jay & Gina.

And it was. I contacted Gina and she confirmed that it is indeed a Jay Strommen
original. Jay actually referred to it as one of their “lunar lovelies.” And I agree.
I liked it because it was beautiful… I love it even more now that I know
a friend made it!!!

Sometimes I wonder if anyone even reads this blog.
I my ramblings and photos are being seen by anyone, or if it’s just for me?
But then every once in awhile you get a note, a comment, an email that makes it all
worthwhile. That confirms that someone is out there reading… and caring. And that
maybe in some small way my blog is affecting & inspiring someone out there.

Well, today was one of those days. I received this message through my Facebook page.
It’s from a potter named Sam that checked in with me on my blog a few years ago.
Over the years, she’s posted a few comments now & again. It’s so great to see where her
work has gone. How much she’s progressed. How you can see her joy & confidence. And
that somewhere in there are a few “inspirations” from me. Or at least I’d like to think so…

So here’s her Facebook message regarding her bowl making endeavors.
Apparently she’s involved in an “Empty Bowls” project as well. And she’s been busy
making bowls for the annual event.

“You inspired me two years ago when I began this bowl making journey. Now I’m
up to three hundred bowls each year as my style has become so popular that more
and more people want one. They have actually had to turn people away this year
because they can only seat 300. I’m also the local poster child for our bowls event too.
Have a great year Gary!”

Love the stamping. The slip trailing. The split rim. The detailing. You know
how I love it when people go “a bit over the top”… too much is never too much!

Thank you Sam for sharing. Your bowls are beautiful…
and I LOVE that your doing what you love to do. It shows. And for sharing
your love with others. Especially those 300 people who will get one of your bowls!