2012 Highland Park Pottery Tour

The 2012 Highland Park Pottery Tour is coming on December 8 and 9. You'll be able to meet the potters in person and hopefully buy our work. There will be refreshments at each location. Weather permitting, it's even possible to walk to all the stops, though on-street parking is usually not difficult in Highland Park.
Visit www.highlandparkpotterytour.com for more information.

2012 Bryant Street Festival

On Sunday, June 3, I will once again be setting up a little table on Bryant Street in Highland Park (Pittsburgh, PA) for the 2012 Bryant Street Festival. The small street festival is in conjunction with the annual Highland Park Yard Sale, which is a spectacle to behold.

This year should be better than ever, with new restaurants now open on Bryant Street such as Teppanyaki Kyoto, who will hopefully be offering some interesting and delicious snack items. I'm sure the ladies at the Smiling Banana Leaf will be selling amazing Thai food, as well.

So come out and say hello if you're in the neighborhood.

(Now it's time for me to make some coffee mugs... I always obsess over the things I want to make at this time of the year, namely tea bowls. Then when this event comes up, I mainly have are Asian-style tea cups and the few coffee mugs that I bring sell out in the first hour.)

2012 Holiday Wrap Up

Now that the holiday shopping season is over, I feel it's a good time to reflect on the past few weeks. They've been busy to say the least. The main event was the Highland Park Pottery Tour, where I opened my home to the public. In many ways it felt like a huge step in becoming a part of the global ceramics community. Several times in the past few weeks while I prepared for the sale, I imagined potters throughout the ages preparing their homes for such sales. I felt a kinship with these people, and realized how it's as much a part of the culture as throwing on the wheel. 

Another interesting community related thought is how fortunate I am to have met so many of my customers. In the past few years I've sold a good number of pieces to strangers over the internet. With some exceptions, I don't have much interaction with online customers. But meeting people face to face, hearing about what they'll do with my pottery, and how happy it will make them (or their gift recipient) is as rewarding as the money they spend. And I've also made some new friends in the process.

And finally, from an artistic standpoint, this season has been especially valuable for the inspiration, encouragement and critical feedback I've gained. Now I can't wait to get back into the studio in 2012.

Highland Park Pottery Tour 2011

I'm so excited to be a part of the inaugural Highland Park Pottery Tour, I can't fully express myself here. The people involved in this project are simply world class, both artistically and personally. I also have a ton of respect for the Union Project, and if I were in need of a new ceramics studio to work at, the UP would be my first choice.

So, on with the details... Five potters (myself included) will host sales in their homes on December 10, 2011 from noon til 7pm. Each of us will invite one or two potters from outside the Highland Park area to join us. In my case, I have the pleasure of hosting the lovely and talented Yoko Sekino-Bové.

Here's a Google map of the tour: http://g.co/maps/u8c4x

Visit highlandparkpotterytour.wordpress.com for more info.

Gifts from the Guild 2011

Once again, Manchester Craftsmen's Guild is hosting its annual art sale, Gifts from the Guild.


On December 2-4 you can visit the MCG ceramics studio and purchase a handcrafted gift made by students and staff (including Amanda Wolf, Keith Hershberger and myself). 40% of all sales go directly towards youth and arts programming.

• Friday from 10 am – 6 pm
• Saturday from 2 pm – 10 pm
• Sunday from 12 noon – 4 pm

In conjunction with A Billy Taylor Tribute presented by JazzMobile, December 3 & 4, 2011.

Holiday Gift Show 2011

I'll have a small table of ceramics for sale at my friend Lisa's house on December 10th. I made some pieces special for this event, value priced at $15 or less.

Lisa is a great craftsperson, and she's also got good taste. I especially like the fact that she's not afraid to share her opinion, even if it means being critical. At my last sale, she looked at my assortment of tumblers and said, "If these had handles, I would buy one."

So, just for this sale, I've made a bunch of small mugs. I have a hunch the host is going to want one!

Bryant Street Festival

I have to admit, on some days I wish I lived somewhere else. But on most days, I love my neighborhood. Every year, the entire neighborhood of Highland Park engages in becoming one giant yard sale. And as a part of the festivities, the main business district plays host to a quaint little festival. I'll be a part of the Bryant Street Festival this year, selling pottery, of course.

So come on out and do a little bargain hunting. Then stop buy and buy some expensive pottery from me! Ha ha. Actually, I plan to have some "value priced" pieces for sale, in addition to my latest functional work.

Holiday Gift Show in Highland Park

She took one year off due to that little thing known as "the miracle of childbirth" but my friend Lisa is back in business this holiday season. She'll be opening her beautiful home to the public on December 4th and 5th, showcasing her crafts, along with mine and those of a handful of other talented Pittsburgh-area artists.

I personally will be showcasing some of my older items and less expensive pieces, all priced to move at $4 to $15.

Visit OneStarAway.com for more information.

Gifts from the Guild - Holiday Arts Sale

Gifts from the Guild, the annual MCG Youth & Arts holiday arts sale will take place December 3-5, 2010. Staff and student artworks will be available for sale, including ceramics, photography, screen printed t-shirts, jewelry, stained glass and handmade cards. Proceeds support MCG  Youth & Arts programming. Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted.

• Friday December 3, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
• Saturday December 4, 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• Sunday December 5, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Visit www.mcgyouthandarts.org for more info.

Gifts from the Guild - 2009 Holiday Arts Sale

Please come down to the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild the weekend of December 18th through 20th, where I'll be selling pottery as part of the annual holiday arts sale. A portion of the proceeds benefit youth arts education. And in addition to my work, you'll find a lot of great pieces from our students and my very talented coworkers.

Click here for directions.

I Made It! Market for the Holidays

I'll once again be selling ceramics at I Made It! Market on Saturday, December 5th from noon to 5 p.m. at the Union Project. 

It's been quite a while since I've shown or sold anything I've made, so hopefully those of you who come out will be impressed with the progress I've made.

I also anticipate having one of my prodigious students there to help run the table, so this time around I'll have more time to check out the other vendors' work.

The Wolf

It's about high time I posted something about Amanda on this blog. She's one of my favorite people in the world, and someone who's taught me a great deal about pottery, teaching and life in general. Wise beyond her years, The Wolf is dedicated to her pottery, her students, her fiancé and her two Boston terriers, Molly and Tucker—not necessarily in that order.

She's also involved in virtually every piece of pottery I make, since she fires the kilns at MCG.

Go see her at the Three Rivers Arts Festival this weekend, where she'll be selling some wonderful pieces of functional pottery, as well as some decorative ceramic art and jewelry.

UPDATE: The Wolf now has her very own blog!

I Made It! Cozy Crafts Market - June 7th @ the JCC

Yes, I know the Arts Festival is going on, and there's a yard sale bonanza in Highland Park, but that's no reason not to come out to the I Made It! Market at the Jewish Community Center in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

Interestingly, while I've never been to a synagogue, according to the rules of Judaism, I'm 100% Jewish. That's because my mother, her mother, and every woman in my family going back to the beginning of time was Jewish. Who knew it could be so easy?

Perhaps even more interestingly, my father's mother was Jewish, but as an adult he became a born-again atheist. My mother, on the other hand, became a born-again Christian.

But on the subject of ceramics, I'll have some new pieces fresh from the kiln. Some are soda-fired, some are reduction fired. Most are drinking vessels, but I've got a few really sweet large bowls and plates.

I hope to see you there!

Art All Night

I forgot to post this earlier, but I've got a piece for sale at Art All Night. Art All Night is a really great event, one worth participating in and supporting. There are no fees, no jury and no censorship. It's a true community event that celebrates creativity and diversity.

My entry is just a small, carved raku vase. I'm pretty sure it sold—or at least somebody made an offer.

I was pretty happy to see several of my students participating. Some took a little arm-twisting. Others, like my boys in the Lil Kiziguwaz hip-hop troop were anxious to perform live.

Craft Sales VS Online Sales

Selling my ceramics in person is awesome. Selling ceramics online... Not so great.

In person, people get to touch things. Pottery is very much about how things feel, and that can't be expressed online.

I haven't sold anything on Etsy in months. I made a month's rent in one afternoon at this recent craft fair.

When I ship ceramics, despite my best attempts to package things for Armageddon, it's inevitable that every so often, things get broken. Neither USPS or UPS has ever paid for the damages. In person, I wrap the pottery in newspaper and people carefully carry them home.

Finally, as much as it's nice to hear some feedback over the internet, there's nothing more satisfying than seeing how happy a customer is face to face.