Lots of new ceramic bowls and mugs by James Guggina

What a splash of color in this new group of James Guggina pottery that just came in! And everytime I see his pottery, I'm amazed at his technique of carving designs into the black border and his use of many different patterns. Right now, I'm finishing up a pottery class at Exeter Fine Crafts in NH and I've tried just a little bit of this sgraffito carving technique and it was impossible for me to have that kind of a steady hand and precision. Six colors, hundreds of black and white patterns!

Beautiful lace bowls

Visiting Newburyport one evening, potter Joy Friedman stopped by our gallery (and peered in the window as we were closed). Lucky for me, she sent me a nice email and shared pictures of her work. Now having her lace bowls here in person, they are even more amazing. Wheel-thrown, stoneware, some with scalloped edges, individually pierced, one-of-a-kind. When she sits down to cut out a lace bowl, even though she may have a motif in mind, the rhythm and the design emerge spontaneously as she works. We just love these -- and they would make a special wedding present.

A long-awaited new potter

Many years ago I found James Guggina's pottery and began purchasing it for myself.  I was drawn to the colors and the overall look of the pottery. Some say it's a bit southwestern, but I think if you're a color junkie at all, you'll be drawn to it. The colors are clear (not muddy) and bright. Perfect for a happy kitchen! Each piece has two colors (inside and outside) and a unique black sgraffito detail. For various reasons, we weren't able to carry it until now. So, today, I am very excited that we will now be carrying some of his work here. I hope you like it too!

*What is Sgraffito? It's the technique of incising through a layer of slip to the clay below. In James' case, this design is different on each piece. If you look closely, you'll see he has dozens of designs and each bowl and plate has a different pattern.

Iris Minc, Purple Sage Pottery videos

We have a new pottery video interview/demonstration on our website. We've been selling the ceramic work of Iris Minc, owner of Purple Sage Pottery in Merrimac, Mass., for awhile now, and we sat down with her while she was throwing teacups on her pottery wheel. She talks about wheel thrown and slab pottery, her different glazes, and the kiln firing process. If you're new to pottery and would like to learn more about the work involved, from a local potter too, this is is terrific and fascinatng information.The interview is divided into four videos (one about her, and three about the craft). Click here to go to the videos page.