December Open Studio Schedule & Events

'Tis the season' has officially begun, and December is upon us filled with special events and studio schedule changes.

For members, please know that some 'closed' days may still have time available - if you're finishing up holiday gifts we'll work out the kiln timing to make sure you get as much through as possible.

For anyone just wanting to visit the studio, if you can't make it during the posted hours, feel free to contact me to make an appointment.

Some of our highlighted dates:

Friday, December 4, 6-9pm: Echo Gallery at Biltmore Park is having a Holiday Open House to celebrate the season and to welcome some new guest artists. I'll have a smattering of new work in the gallery, and in addition to member artists Genie Maples, Laurie McCarriar, Barbara Fisher, Susan Webb Lee, Anna Koloseike and Susan Finer, come check out the work of guest artists Heather Tinnaro, Becca Floyd, Cindy Walton, Tekla, Alex Stevens and Brian Fireman. Come for a nibble and a cuppa, and see some incredible work by some of our area's finest!

Sunday, December 6, 12-6pm: The Big Crafty is back! I'll be at a table downtown at Pack Place with other Big Crafty types, and I'll be featuring super-savings on some great holiday gift ideas that will directly benefit the recent vet bills for Lissa the Wonder Dog and Studio Mascot. Actually, just about ALL sales go directly to benefit that cause right now!

Saturday, December 12, 12-8pm: The 2nd Saturday Holiday Artist Market is happy to coincide with the 2nd East West Asheville Holiday Art Walk which is proudly joining forces with the FIRST annual Shop West Asheville event! All to say that there will be a whole lotta fun, sales and holiday festivities all through West Asheville! And at Crazy Green Studios, I'll be hosting an abbreviated 2nd Saturday Market. My guests include Gabriel Shaffer, Glasswear NC, Piece Blossom, Lady Di Creations and Renee Gaudet. We'll have a raffle, some light refreshments and general holiday cheer abounding!

All of December and a bit beyond: in Decatur, GA is having its annual Holiday Studio Sale, and if you've already gone, plan to go back as I'll be sending work down in December to join the show!

digging out to dig in...

It was quite a weekend - 2nd Saturday continues to have growing lessons, all of which make the next one even better, and it continues to give me the opportunity to meet and talk to some very cool people, both vendors and the neighbors and visitors who come to see us. Each month, we grow, in all sorts of ways and directions, and I'm grateful to be a part of it.

Sunday was a beautiful day to be in a live market, and the steady stream of people going by and through the booth was complimented by a lovely breeze that always had me grateful and cool! This was my first Big Crafty, and it was great to be a part of such a creative and eclectic group of artists, and to talk to so many folks from near and far - not only about my work, but about the joys and benefits of the live market experience. Thanks again to Brandy & Justin for putting together and running a superb event - if I'm fortunate to get into another, I'm planning a booth bud so I can get around to see more of the other Crafties, but you'll never hear me complain because I was too busy to leave my booth!

Fellow potter and friend Anthony did turn up right at the end and gave the most appreciated help in taking the booth down - it was a smooth day from start to finish, so much so that I didn't even notice how exhausted I was until I was at home! Seemed like it was the long-awaited exhale from the past month of production work, firing cycle, show prep and the events themselves.

So Monday was a bit of catch up and easing back into a new cycle of work. I also welcomed new assistant Brittany, who jumped right in to help me clear out some of the hurricane that hit the studio last week. She even got a little time to get on the wheel too!

welcome Brittany!

So yesterday through this afternoon has been slow unpacking, more hiking with the pup, dittering about town and coming down from the firing-into-show cycle. Next up is to sort out the production list for the next cycle: mugs for Izzy's, back stock for Roots, Sparrow, Clingman and the ChoLo. But the bulk of the next cycle is dedicated to a new and exciting venture. More about that when there's more to say ...

Also on the docket is preparing for a one-on-one workshop next week, that I'm very excited about. More on that soon too...

Announcing Asheville Street Markets!

Asheville Street Markets is the collaborative creation of Howard Street Handmade, Big Crafty, 2nd Saturday Artist Market, People's Market, and Lexington Bazaar! Click on the link above and bookmark this blog as your resource for ongoing opportunities for live markets for art, crafts, clothing, housewares, indie art, gifts, you name it!

2nd Saturday Artist Market and Crazy Green Studios are proud to be a part of Asheville Street Markets, and to help promote live markets for artists of all sorts! If you're looking for that perfect gift, or looking for what to so with visiting friends or relatives - check out the blog for links to events practically every weekend!

And be sure to check out Asheville Street Market members at the upcoming Howard Street Handmade Market - this Saturday at the corner of Howard Street and Haywood, next door to Short Street Cakes!