Love: Jeni's Ice Cream

So if anyone is in search of that last minute, absolutely perfect present, let me offer this advise: Jeni's Ice Cream is definitely the way to go.

Daniel and I stopped in Columbus on the way back from Kansas City and showed him the best thing about that town.

 

Jeni and Charley started their company in 2002 and now have seven stores. They use local, sustainable ingredients from the milk that comes from grass fed cows to the mint that is grown by a local farmer. Current ingredients include local vodka, local Gouda and fair traded African vanilla.

They make there own macaroons, waffle cones and fudge sauce

Jenis has flavors like salty caramel, Queen City Cayenne, Bourbon Buttered Pecan, Oakvale Young Gouda with Vodka-Plumped Cranberries, Goat Cheese with Cognac Fig Sauce.

This girl was amazing. Dan and I asked for a few tastes before we decided on a flavor and boy did she indulge us. She even gave us about 10 other tastes that she said we just HAD to try. We left with many little spoons to reuse in the studio.

I met Jeni through my Ohio Pal Michelle Maguire. Michelle designed Jeni's logo and also makes fantastic art. The prints on the wall are polaroids that Michelle took and then enlarges into these canvases. You can see more of michelles work at the site Pretty Patti (named for her mother). This couple were enjoying their ice cream under a great light made by an OSU glass artist. Anyway, the best thing about Jeni's (or the best thing for us non Ohio dwellers) is that they ship!! you can get Jeni's from Columbus to your door in two days!! I HIGHLY recommend it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit: Rain and Pauls House

While in Kansas City, my good friends Rain Harris and Paul Donnelly invited us over for dinner. They have a great apartment stuffed with amazing things the two have collected over the years. I snapped a few shots and they were nice enough to let me share images of the evening and their lovely home.

This is one of my favorite things in their house. It is crammed with amazing pots .

This mug was a new addition to their collection and i love it. I forget the makers name but i am going to have to get one for myself! also a lovely Ingrid Bathe bowl (I have one of these already, my go-to ice cream dish)

There are always really good cocktails to be had in the Donnelly/Harris household. Lots of these were picked up while the pair were still in Philly.

Before Paul moved to Alfred and Rain to Columbus, the couple had a very Victorian apartment. This included the heaviest couch in the world. Apparently Alfred and Kansas City are both meccas for danish modern furniture, hence the and really good look.

My favorite Crystal Boger ever.

Rain, Paul and Meredith Host

Tom Binger getting to know Olive, Merediths french bulldog. It was a lovely evening and I miss these pals very much.

Shopping: Kansas City Thrift

Kansas City was thrift store HEAVEN. I forget the name of this place but will find out.

I snagged these two pieces for our new living room (still in wallpaper scrapping mode but soon!)

I think they just need a light sanding and wax and perfecto - new coffee tables

Plastic stir sticks, from the days when airlines gave you booze, and a stick to stir it with.

Then there was this lovely shop called Mash Handmade.

I thought that the way they displayed every thing was really cute and well thought out. I am taking notes.

These were to wright a message in a bottle/test tube. Came with paper and pencil. Cute.

Visit: Kansas City Studios

This past Summer Daniel and I took a trip to Kansas City and stayed with our pals Rain Harris, Paul Donnelly and Meredith Host. We got a sneak peek at their Studios and I am finally getting time to post it here.

Rain works with a lot of parts. She amasses them in her studio and then builds her wall pieces. I want to see what these become.

Meredith is working with underglaze and layering using paper stencils. She has been collecting toilet paper for the patterns that each type has. These are transferred to her pieces using silk screens.

Greenware waiting for the bisque.

Rain on the computer

Merediths pieces get soooo many layers. Here pots are waiting for a decal firing.

Worker bees (Meredith and Jessica)

Meredith agreed to let me show the world how she keeps her wheel.

Folded Pigs

At the time Paul was working toward his show at Sherry Leedy Gallery.

I love that paul is combining hand building, throwing and slipcasting.

Jessica sorts out Rains life and Daniel wrestles with Franklin, the most gigantic dog I ever met.

Sneak Peek: Gifted

Gifted: The Clay Studios Annual Holiday Exhibition

So this year I got to pick all the artists in this fantastic show. The work for Novembers part is almost all here and we have been photographing like crazy. Visit the shop and see what you like best. I would love to know what you all think. These images are just a few of the fantastic pieces that we have.

The most amazing part is that this year all of the pieces sent by 70+ artists will be put into our online shop. So all you ceramic fiends put there can get  your mittens on them.

And just because I love you sooooo much.....if you purchase from the shop and enter this code during check out meltmyheart   You Can Get 10% OFF

Participating artists include: Jennifer Allen, Kurt Anderson, Ingrid Bathe, Nick Bivins, Birdie Boone, Yasha Butler, Jeff Campana,Rebecca Chappell, Michael Connelly, Sam Chung, Circa Ceramic Tile, Steven Colby, Melissa Crotty, Marc Digeros, Paul Donnelly, David Eichelberger, Heather Mae Erickson, Marty Fielding,Ryan Greenheck, Future Retrieval, Molly Hatch, Lana Heckendorn, Matt Hyleck, Hiroe Hanazono, Rain Harris Jewelry, Bryan Hopkins, Stepanka Horlakova, Meredith Host, Brad Johnson, Gretchen Kramp Tile, Jeff Kleckner, Simon Levin, Motawil Tile, Ruchika Madan, Jennifer Martin, Lorna Meaden, Jenny Mendez, Michelle Miller, Joyce Nagata, Kathryn Narrow, Brooke Noble, Sean O'Connell, Lisa Orr, Doug Peltzman, Joe Pintz, Adam Posnak, Kari Radasch, Pete Scherzer, Kevin Snipes, Doug Spalding, Shawn Spangler, Emily Schroeder, Andy Shaw, Charlie Tefft, Munemitsu Taguchi, Daniel Ricardo Teran, Shoko Teruyama, Sue Tirrell, Holly Walker, Debbie Williams, Tara Wilson and Gwendolyn Yoppolo.

New Things: Welcome to the Family

I just brought this mug home to meet the family. It was made by Maria Dondero and holds a latte and a half. Maria had a show of new work at TCS last year and was an absolute delight to work with.  I will enjoy using this mug.

Travel: Skipping Town

While we have two new shows opening this Friday at The Clay Studio, I will be in Kansas City at Red Star Studios. Ceramic Arts Daily wishes they were gonna be there too.

I will be there for Daniels show but also will be hanging out with pals Meredith Host, Rain Harris and Paul Donnelly. Stay tuned for sneak peaks of their studios and latest work as well as pictures from Daniels opening and general Kansas City tourist shots. 

Discovery: Makoto Kagoshima

I just discovered Japanese artist Makoto Kagoshima thanks to a plate a day and I am kinda in love. I think I connect with the floral imagery as it is sort of make-believe like the flowers and berries I draw. 

The images are from an exhibition at biotape in Japan. Thanks to Jollygoo for the instal images.

Work: Flora At Schaller Gallery

Check out the work in this show. Schaller Gallery is a relatively new online ceramics gallery that has already had shows of many really good artists, some of whom I have been trying to get at TCS for a while. Let me know who you like best in this exhibition.