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Get in touch with your ancestors
Bead-making class returns this spring!
Register for our spring Beads, Buttons, and Pendants class, set for Sundays, April 12-May 17, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, and become part of an age-old tradition.
Did you know that humans may have adorned themselves with beads as long as 100,000 years ago? Archaeologists believe they have discovered the world's oldest beads in a limestone cave in eastern Morocco. The beads are marine shells covered with red ochre, a kind of clay, and perforated for stringing.
As archaeology professor Nick Barton explains, this discovery is significant because it "...confirms a long suspected pattern that humans with modern symbolic behaviour were present from a very early stage..."
In this class you'll not only learn how to make your own clay beads, buttons, and pendants, you also make jewelry with them that you can wear home from the final class.
 | Necklace by
Jill McGregor |
Students in the previous Beads, Buttons, and Pendants classes have made a remarkable and creative variety of beads and jewelry, such as this necklace by Yourist student Jill McGregor. Jill says about the experience that it was a "great class" and that she "enjoyed exploring another dimension of clay work."
All of our early Spring classes, including Beads, Buttons and Pendants, are open for registration, so sign up now to reserve your place.
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A potter's life
Yourist teacher at The American Made ShowIf you've seen the January issue of Ceramics Monthly, then you probably recognized a piece from Sarah and Thomas Gelsanliter's One Acre Ceramics studio in the magazine's exposure section. It accompanied an announcement of the couple's exhibit at "The American Made Show" on January 16-19 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Sarah, who teaches the Intermediate Wheel Throwing class at Yourist Studio Gallery, gives us an inside look at this show and describes how it fits into the Gelsanliters' lives as artists.
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Jar from One Acre
Ceramics studio
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"Thomas and I work together in our tile and pottery studio. The American Made Show is a wholesale show, and this is the third year we have participated in it. At the show, we take orders from galleries and stores across the country and book our production calendar for the first 4-5 months of the year. It's very different from a retail art fair - it's not open to the public and the only people in the aisles are either buyers or artists.
"It's always interesting to talk to the buyers and hear what's selling well for them and what products they're looking for. We catch up with buyers who have ordered from us in the past, and we meet lots of new gallery owners.
 | | A closer look at the lid |
"The show has over 700 artists in it, and I love to see all the different artwork and meet new artists too. We always get a lot of great info from the other artists. Clay is just a small portion of the show - there is a ton of glass, jewelry, wood, fibers, and mixed media work to see.
"Wholesale is about 40% of our business so this show is really important to us. Selling wholesale allows us to spend more time in the studio and less time traveling to art fairs which works well for us with our young kids. We still do about 8 art fairs a year and also sell work through studio sales and our website. Custom work and teaching classes and workshops rounds out our business."
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Potter's quick tip
Smoothing the rims of hand-built cups
Q. I really struggle to get the rims of my hand-built cups smooth so people will want to drink out of them. Can you give me any ideas for making this process easier?
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| | Pieces by Nancy Bulkley with really smooth rims |
A. Yourist teacher Nancy Bulkley recommends that you smooth rim edges before forming your cups. As she explains, "After you've cut a cup shape but while it is still flat on the table, take a moment to smooth the rim edge. You can do this with your finger and just a dab or water, or lay a thin piece of plastic over the rim edge and run your finger over it. Smooth both sides of the edge, flipping the clay over so both corners of the cut edge are smooth. If you take care of the rim while your cup shape is flat on the table, you'll be able to smooth the rim much faster and easier than when your cup has been formed into a cylinder. Your cup rims will be smooth and inviting, and your cups won't be pushed to the back of the cabinet because they are too sharp to drink out of."
Photograph by David Velez Felix
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Brief notices
Clay community digestA surface decoration technique you won't be able to resist: Enliven the surfaces of your ceramic pieces by decorating them using wax resist. In our upcoming Tool Time class on Sunday, February 8, at 4:30 pm, Kay will demonstrate and explain the technique of decorating ceramic surfaces using wax resist. This class is free and open to the public. There's no need to register in advance; just come to the studio at class time. Outstanding color resource: If you find choosing colors for glazing a challenge and color theory makes your head spin, you'll discover a wealth of inspiration at Jessica Colaluca's website, DesignSeeds. Jessica creates breathtaking color palettes based on photographs from nature. When asked if it's okay to use her palettes, Jessica says "yes...please do! Design Seeds are created to inspire. you are welcome to use the color combinations in your designs, art, home remodel, crafts, or wedding palettes."
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I'm a little teapot
Throwing miniature teapots
Master potter John Britt demonstrates in nine minutes how to throw a tiny teapot off the hump, including the body, the lid, and the spout; how to pull a handle for it; and how to assemble all the parts.
At the end of the video, John gives viewers a homework assignment. Better get started now!
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Flame-painted pottery
In search of Theophilus Brouwer
You never know what you'll learn about pottery from the PBS program Antiques Roadshow. In a recent episode, art dealer David Rago appraised a vase by Theophilus Brouwer, a rather obscure Arts and Crafts movement potter whose work is much sought after today. Brouwer is credited with inventing open kiln glazing, a process that produced the exquisite flame-painted glazes for which he is admired.
Brouwer has been described as a Renaissance man who worked in many media. Besides being a potter, he was a talented sculptor, woodcarver, carpenter, architect, and oil painter. Brouwer designed his home, The Castle, a landmark where his studio was also located. It's even said that he succeeded in building concrete boats that actually floated. |
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Next cone 10 firing - tentative schedule
 Load: Thursday, February 26
Fire: Friday, February 27
Unload: Tuesday, March 3
These dates are tentative and depend on having enough work ready for firing.
Lend a hand with the firing and learn all about the process while you do. To volunteer, give Kay a call at 734-662-4914.
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Tool time class
A surface decoration technique you won't be able to resist. Join us at the studio on Sunday, February 8, at 4:30 pm for a show-and-tell from Kay on how to decorate your ceramic surfaces using wax resist. This class is free and open to the public. No registration is required in advance. Just come to the studio at class time.
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Upcoming classes
Registration is now open for early spring classes. Sign up now on our web site.
Beginning/Cont. Wheel Throwing
Mar 9-Apr 13Mondays, 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Instructor: Kevan O. Wilson Mar 12-Apr 16Thursdays, 12:30 to 2:30 pm. Instructor: Nancy Bulkley Mar 12-Apr 16Thursdays, 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Instructor: Kay Yourist Intermediate
Wheel Throwing
Mar 31-Jun 2 Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Instructor: Sarah Gelsanliter
Mar 7-Apr 11Saturdays, 9:30 to 11:30 am. Instructor: Nancy Bulkley
Beads, Buttons, and Pendants
Apr 12-May 17
Sundays. 11:00 am to
1:00 pm. Instructor: Jeanine Center
Feb 14, Mar 14
Saturdays, 1:00 to 2:30 pm. Instructor: Shannon Nelson
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Special occasion in your future?
"Hang on, honey. I just need to finish this last place setting before we leave for the church. "While we ceramic artists may seem wedded to our clay, this happy bride-to-be is actually enjoying a bachelorette party thrown for her at the studio by her friends. An encounter with clay at Yourist studio is the perfect event for your small group celebration or team building outing. For more information, give Kay a call at 734-662-4914.
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Our January issue
January just flew by, but you can still catch up with the January Yourist Studio Gallery newsletter. It includes a summary of what the Yourist Studio Gallery community achieved in 2014, a recap of the 2014 Holiday Sale-with a photo collage, a tip for fixing wax resist boo-boos, and brief updates from the local clay community. And you won't want to miss the special video about screen printing and floofing on clay. |
Yourist Studio Gallery
Inspiring classes and workshops for new and experienced students
Bright, modern, fully equipped community studio workspace
Comprehensive selection of pottery tools for sale
Gallery exhibiting the works of celebrated artists
1133 Broadway Ann Arbor, MI 734.662.4914 |
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