A Time of Ending and Renewal

After a few days of stumbling about tired and befuddled we're starting to catch up on our sleep and recover from the last two months of 2016. We really packed in the shows and markets and are ready for a quieter few months. For us this is time to recuperate and clean up - physically, psychically and literally. We're going to take a little time away to run wild with our dogs on the beach and generate excitement for the new year ahead.

Winter Storm at Delta Ponds, Eugene, Oregon

We are hugely thankful that we have completed another year making something like a living from what we enjoy doing. We are thankful for all of you who have come to our markets and shows and purchased from galleries and online. You are essential to our livelihood. We hope to bring new pieces into existence in 2017 that will fill you with a bit of joy.

Throwing Pots as Therapy

It's hard to convey the ups and downs of the past week. Last weekend's Wildfire Pottery Show in Bend was an utter pleasure. A great group of potters who all pitched in to put on this small but powerful clay showcase and sale. As a first year participant it was such a positive experience. We can only hope that schedules and weather allow this to become a regular feature in our calendar.

But . . . then it was back to home and back to reality. With a serious bang. Everyone worldwide has likely heard more than enough about the U.S. elections so what can we add?

Thankfully our Clayfolk Pottery Show & Sale debut is so near there has been little time to mourn or fear what 2017 has in store. Just keep on throwing. Repressive, narrow conservative regimes historically have led to great art and revolution, repressive, narrow conservative regimes historically have led to great art and revolution, repressive, narrow conservative regimes historically have led to great art and revolution. Just keep saying it and make it happen. 

Over the Cascades

We're finally making it over the Cascades. We hope any of you who made it to Sunriver Art Fair this summer and realized we didn't will give us another chance and come to Wildfire. This is a new venture for us and we're excited to be taking part in this show. Don't know what to expect but if all else fails Bend has some great beers and ciders so this weekend will be enjoyable one way or another.   

Red Hot Silverton Fine Arts Festival

We're facing the hottest few days of the summer so far and they time perfectly with Silverton Fine Arts Festival. We thank the stewards of Coolidge-McClaine Park for keeping the park wonderfully well treed. We know from the past few years that it's a cool(er) oasis during the August heat so we stiffen our upper lips and get on with it. We hope the 100+ degree temperatures forecast for Saturday don't put off the citizens of Silverton and beyond. But if it's too much to bear hold on until Sunday when the temperature is predicted to drop to a heavenly 89. 

Howl and Whistle Flower Farm

We have a side project, we have Howl and Whistle Flower Farm. Why not? All that time outside digging and sowing has finally paid off and we're rich in flowers. We're keeping it chemical free, local and small scale. You can find our flowers sharing space with our pottery at Booth 133 Eugene Saturday Market. 

On the Road Again

Next stop on the Whistle Post Pottery show circuit - Art in the Park, Lake Oswego. This is a brand new show for us so we go curious and completely unsure what to expect. What we do know, if the weather forecast can be trusted, is we're not having a repeat of the hell hot temperatures we endured this time last year. For that alone we are eternally grateful. We'll be in Booth B9. See you there?

Nothing Says Spring Like a Teapot

Winter passed in a blink of an eye and long before spring officially arrived we were out of hibernation. Eugene Saturday Market is well underway and we've already got four markets under our belts. We've moved booth locations and are now at booth 133. It's still on the west block but we back onto the fountain and can be seen from Oak Street. It feels sunnier and busier and we've had a few people ask if we're new so wondering if we've been a bit off the beaten path for the last six years?

Another sign of spring is Ceramic Showcase in Portland, which is just days away (gulp.) This Friday, April 29 is opening day and we will be there in booth 36 through Sunday. We have some new pieces that we're particularly excited about, including our favorite teapot in the photo above. If we don't sell him he'll just have to come back home. Oh well.

This springy weather has got us so motivated that we will be covering both Portland and Eugene this Saturday, April 30. If anyone in the Willamatte Valley suddenly needs a mug they should be able to find one of us if they get on the I-5 and head north or south.