Seagrove Potters for Peace:Turning Stoneware into Schools

On Saturday the 14th of August we will once again be participating with our fellow Seagrove Potters in raising money for The Central Asia Institute.

Mark made a nice tall mug  good for anything you would like to put in it- hot or cold.
This mug is our family favorite.
My Mother, Mark's dad,  My sister Lee and BIL Tony rarely drink or drank out of anything but one of these mugs.
I have one of the first ones Mark ever made in 1983 and it is still one of my very favorites.
There are 10 in a variety of glazes for sale.

I have made a standard mug style I like for drinking tea.
This is the mug I reach for on those cold mornings for my cup of tea.
It seems just right for one tea bag and because the shape pulls in a bit it seems to keep the tea warm.
I will have 10 in a variety of glazes.

Beverly, who works with us and for us from time to time, was excited to make something to sell as well.
Beverly is by day the webmaster for the NC Zoo.
By night and weekends she makes pottery.
Beverly will have 7 tall tumblers for sale.

Also joining us and here to run the shop that day will be Laurie Abela from Abela Soaps and Bodyworks.
Laurie is a retired nurse who makes wonderful soap, eye pillows and other things.
Laurie has made a special Green Tea Soap to sell on Saturday.

All the pottery is signed with Seagrove Potters for Peace, the year, the maker and a peace sign.
Remember- there are no early sales.
Sales start at 9 am and go through 5 pm
Go to the website and print a list of the participating potters to carry with you.
You will need to drive from shop to shop, but what is life, if not an adventure.
We hope to see you on Saturday!
M

Crozet Va

We are almost packed and ready to roll out of here tomorrow for a craft show.

We are headed to Crozet Va. for the fall show.

It is a beautiful spot in the Va. mountains.

I am looking forward to seeing some Va. mountains and with a little luck there will be some color in the leaves.

I love fall....

The display is packed and I am doing the last minute things that need to be done.

Oh, don't forget the --------whatever.

Last time we did a show I forgot to pack the cloths for the tables so we ended up at a fabric store.

The store here in Whynot will be open and running as we leave Beverly here in charge while we are gone.

There is still a lot to do and I had better get cracking.

I hope you all watched the Craft in America last night.

It was really good.

If you could not see it I hope you will find a copy to watch.

The viewing party I helped with last night raised about 1500.00 for the North Carolina Pottery Center.

I hope to have a final count when we get back.

And, if you are in Seagrove, the North Carolina Pottery Center needs to be on your places to go list. ( along with Whynot Pottery!)

M

Raku the bunny

Yesterday I was wondering what to post and all I could think of was the letter P.
P for pottery
p is for peaches
P for purple eggplant ( cheating a little here)
P for purpose
P for well you get the picture.
Today I have moved past the p's and wonder if I should go straight to the R's.
( you noticed the rabbit didn't you- we'll get back to him.)

The pots, note the p, have all been glazed.
All we have to do is load them up to fire.
But- we need to take a break.
So we are leaving Beverly in charge for today and tomorrow while we get some non pottery things done. Then we will load the kiln next week and fire.

Beverly came to me a year or more back to ask if I would teach her to make pots.
I said," no- go to school. "
We have two program close by at the community colleges one south of us and one north of us. There is another west of us, not as close by.
They will, for the price of tuition, teach you the basics.
They all have a wheel for you, clay, glaze materials and an instructor.
That is what Mark and I both did.
You get what you can from the classes, learning from other students and then move on to a better program, an apprenticeship, or strike out on your own.

I ran into Beverly while I was at a show this past spring.
What are you doing?
I am taking classes.
How is that going?
Good-
Come see me now and let's work on some hand building together.
She did and we are still working on some hand building when she can take time away from her job.
Why wait you ask?
Well, now Beverly knows how to handle clay.
It is the first step in making pots in my book.
The clay is it's own beast.
Some clays need to be handled with gloves, others just need a little push.
And still others just need to be avoided at all cost.
I don't have to start at the beginning . She knows the language and we can move on.
She is still taking classes and I am encouraging her to move to the Community College with a bit more structure to the classes.
Last week she sent me a picture of her bunny, Raku.
In the email she said she let's him out to exercise and he runs all over the house and then settles down around the base of a vase made by Mark.


How can I not love this rabbit? He is a fan.
So keep your facebook fans- We at, Whynot Pottery, are ready to adopt Raku as our number one fan!.