I've been doing a lot of painting recently. It all started when we got two large orders for hand-painted pitchers, so I was working on those for a while. Then Hurricane Irene hit, and we were without power for a full week! I couldn't do much work in the studio, so I spent all my days painting pitchers. It's interesting how the designs evolved. I began doing my usual flowers/geometric shapes. Then I started really examining other types of flowers to see if I could draw them. Suddenly I had pitchers without geometric shapes (what I used to think of as my signature) and only flowers: geraniums, daisies, lilies, roses, hydrangea, etc. Then I started geometric shapes again, but with a more checkerboard look to them. Now I have shelves and shelves full of pitchers, both round and disk shaped. And not one of them is the same; each pitcher is unique! And finally both large orders are filled, with some to spare!
Upcoming Shows
Today we will be exhibiting at the Bellefonte Arts & Crafts Show in Bellefonte, PA. Hours are 10am to 8pm today, and 10am to 5pm tomorrow.We will also be exhibiting at the Suffield Arts & Crafts Show in Suffield, CT on September 9 and 10.If you're in the area of either, stop by our booth!
Jean Elton through the Decades: The 80's
When we last left them, it was 1979 and Bill and Lois of Jean Elton Studio had moved to Hanover, New Hampshire. Bill was studying for his MBA and Lois continued her pottery.In 1980, Bill graduated from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and they moved to Simsbury, CT. They lived in an old house and transformed their basement into a pottery studio consisting of two potter's wheels and a small, portable kiln outside (this was the same kiln that had been with them in Germany!). Eventually, they outgrew this kiln so Bill built a larger gas kiln outside.
In 1982, their daughter was born but even as new parents, they kept up with their pottery!In 1983, they moved to McLean, VA, where they lived in a one-bedroom, furnished apartment. They had to put their kiln and wheels in storage for several years at this point, but they continued their pottery at the Fairfax County Rec Center, of which they have very fond memories. Some of the dinnerware sets they made there are still in their kitchen to this day (as you can see after the jump).
At this point, Lois did the large pots below. Each coil is rolled by hand and placed on top of each other one by one. Then she would take a small stone and smooth the whole surface. She had a friend with a farm, who allowed her to dig a hole outside and fire both pots inside it. She filled the hole with leaves, twigs, and newspapers, put a sheet of metal on top, and allowed it to burn for two days. This is called “Pitfire Pottery.”
Bill remembers: “I came home from work one day only to see the back yard smoldering in several places. Alarmed, I asked Lois about it. She calmly replied that she was pitfiring. She had dug holes in our backyard to accomplish this!”Then, in 1986, they moved to Bridgeport, CT and while there, they took a short break from pottery. But in 1987, they moved to a house with a large, unfinished basement. In their minds, they saw a pottery studio down there, so in went their two wheels and the same portable kiln that was with them in Germany!They spent the rest of the 80s in that same house, slowly making improvements to their basement pottery studio.Check back later for more pictures of their 80‘s pottery, as well as Jean Elton through the Decades: The 90s to read more about their growing studio and the evolution of their pottery.
An Eventful First Half!
The first half of the year 2011 has been an eventful one for us here at Jean Elton Studio!
- In case you aren't following us on Facebook, you may not have realized that in addition to our online store and gallery, we are also now selling on Etsy! We made our first sale within days of opening, and are excited to see where this will lead us. In looking through the various ceramics, pottery, and other houseware items, we have found that our pieces are very unique. It is rare to find such colorful, vibrant, and useful items made from such durable stoneware!
- We are also selling many of our pieces at a ceramics retail store in Sheffield, MA. It is at the same location where we buy many of our supplies, including our tons of clay! This is now the second retail location to sell Jean Elton (remember Space?).
- We have already completed a large, customized order, and are in the middle of several more! People who know what they want for Christmas gifts have let us know early in order to guarantee they will be done on time.
It's exciting to see what the rest of the year will bring!
Jean Elton through the Decades: The 70's cont'd
This is an addendum to our last post, Jean Elton through the Decades: The 70's.In 1978, while living in Quechee, NH, Bill attempted Raku in a garbage can in the back of the house. First he put sawdust on the bottom of the can, then placed the piece inside, added more sawdust, then lit it on fire. He put the top back on and left it for about an hour. Unfortunately, when he went to open it up, the flames shot way up to the side of the house and almost caught on fire! Because the fire is starved for oxygen in the garbage can, when the lid is eventually opened, it shoots up very high.Bill says, "The house in Quechee was built on a slope with the garage down below in the back and the main living area and kitchen one floor up (but on street level out front). We did the Raku just outside of the garage. Once, when we were finished Rakuing for the day, we went upstairs to the living area to host a few friends over for lunch. As I went to the kitchen to help prepare lunch, I noticed flames outside the kitechen window and rushed down to see the garbage can I thought I had shut up tight was burning madly with 15 foot flames coming out of it making them visiable at the upper stories of the house. Needless to say, I was a little more careful with Raking after that."For more Jean Elton through the Decades, keep checking back in the next few days for The 80's!
In the Paper!
We were happy to be a part of the Fairfield Arts and Crafts Fair this past weekend. Even though we did not make our goal for the show, it was still a lovely day to just be outside! The weather was beautiful, the other vendors very pleasant, and our family and friends came to just spend some time with us. And last but not least, a writer for the local paper liked our display, so we ended up in the paper!
Exhibitor Lois Barker, of Jean Elton Studio, offering platters, cups and dinnerware, was pleased to be at the fair for a second year. "We like to support local art and events," she said. "All our items are handmade at our Fairfield studio. It's a great day today and we hope people will turn out to shop, especially for their deserving moms."
For the full article (and the picture!), click here.
A Glowing Review
We always knew our mugs were "happy" but we were thrilled to receive the following letter that confirmed that they make other people happy as well!
YES, THE MUGS JUST ARRIVED AND I AM BUSY UNWRAPPING THEM!!! They are sitting all over our counter and I LOVE THEM ALL!!! Makes me want to keep them all for myself......not selfish either but definitely the red mug with the handle is MINE!!! AND, I LOVE that platter! IF it were not so late I would call you but it is after ten there and I never call anyone after 9:00 PM unless it is an emergency. To be perfectly honest, I am so excited I would consider this event an emergency call to shout in your ear how happy I am with your work...but Ken took the phone from my hand! LOVE IT LOVE IT! What great packing, you really have all this down to a fine art! We are impressed!!May I share a little secret with you? Since we arrived home from my oldest brother's funeral I have been so emotional and mourning in a dark pit like I have never experienced before. It all happened so suddenly and without warning: the reality finally hit me that now I am the only survivor of our generation of seven children. The "Alone" feeling has been devastating.BUT, this evening as the door bell rang and Fed EX delivered your package, I was filled with excitement as I began opening the box and seeing the platter my heart literally jumped with joy!! As each mug was opened my whole world seemed to get brighter and I felt a new joy with each new box! Sweet Lois, please KNOW your beautiful work has literally helped me turn the corner to a new world where I can once again truly praise the Lord with confidence and KNOW that HE is going to make me whole again! Just knowing you, the artist and having access to this beautiful, unusual hand made tableware to share with others makes my heart dance with joy. You truly have made my day today and most certainly the timing could not have been better! To see the light come on lifting me out of that dark pit is truly the Lord's doing through you! Oh praise the Lord, I can hardly wait to show the Bible study girls, a unique mug for each lady!Thank you for brightening up my world but more for bringing healing to my heart! A heart that is filled with love and gratitude for you and your God given talent!I truly love you,Mary
Mystery Letters Plate
As we announced earlier, we are new grandparents and wanted to do something special for our granddaughter. And what is it we do best? Pottery! We decided to create a large plate for her (it's actually bigger than her at this point!) and paint a customized design on it. Do you see the name hidden in the design?
We are excited about this plate, because we feel like it would make a beautiful customizable gift! The "Mystery Letters" design wouldn't have to be only on plates. You could order it on any of our pieces!
BRM Hearts of Hope
On March 31, we were happy to be in attendance of the Bridgeport Rescue Mission's Hearts of Hope Women's Benefit. For months, we had been preparing hand-painted square plates that would be the centerpieces of each table, as well as gifts for people in attendance. You can see some of them on Facebook; each one of the nearly 200 that we prepared for them is unique!
The event benefits the Mission's long-term recovery program and emergency shelter for women in Fairfield County. An opportunity to give will be presented during the program.
For more pictures of the event, click here.
Maternity Leave
Not only do I want to take this opportunity, as the writer of this blog, to explain its lack of recent posts, but also to show other fun ways of using your Jean Elton dinnerware!
Over a week ago now, I gave birth to my first child (and in the process, made the founders and managers of Jean Elton grandparents)! And as other parents of newborns can attest, I have been kept very busy as I get used to my new schedule and responsibilities. But don't think that means no more posts! We will soon be continuing to provide behind-the-scenes pictures and current events at Jean Elton on this blog as usual.And in that vein, let me show you how we've incorporated Jean Elton into our nursery! And maybe give you a couple ideas when you are decorating your next room.
Our stamped square plates add some decoration to the walls of our nursery. We color coordinated them to suit the colors we used on the walls and other pieces in the room (pink and green). At some point, we may replace these with plates customized with the baby's name.
This wall-hanging is also on the wall in the nursery. It adds some color and hopefully, can be used to help our daughter learn her alphabet some day!