Research: The Rosenfield Collection

Today I made an amazing discovery, the collection of David and Louise Rosenfield.

1,891 works by 418 artists
And you know that is only a little bit of what this couple has collected.

This is an amazing resource that I will be using both as a curator and as an artist. 

Collections are very personal and often are not opened up for viewing like this. The is a history to each of these objects that comes from the maker, and then there is the history and story of the collector. I have been lucky enough to visit a few homes with impressive collections and and what I usually enjoy the most is listening to the story of how the piece was acquired.  Couples that collect together are especially dear as each acquisition is a moment in their relationship, part of their collective history.

New: At Schaller

Discovery: Derek Au

 Derek Au is an American ceramist based in Jingdezhen China

Derek will be showing at The Clay Studio next season and I cannot wait! His pieces are inspired by tinware, origami and Song Dynasty Qingbai ware. Each piece is made from slabs that are folded into the forms. Au uses templates he draws using traditional tinware makers tools. He then uses the templates to make the clay forms.

 

These are such delicate forms, i cant wait to hold them!

Focus: Vases and Chocolate

 

We are starting a new series of online exhibitions at The Clay Studio called Focus.

 

 Focus is an extension of our brick and mortar shop. Objects are pulled from our display shelves and cabinets or fresh new work from makers both familiar and new are grouped to tell a story, visualize an idea or explore a form or theme.

 

 Now you can experience our shop at home.

These tangible, tactile objects are made to experience, made for use, for YOUR home.

 

Focus/Shop: Vases and Chocolate

May features 62 vases each with an bar organic bar of chocolate sized for sharing.

Discovery: Daniel Ricardo Teran

Ok, so this is not exactly a new discovery for me, but it may well be for you. My sweethearts best work ever is now online at AKAR. It looks amazing. Well done Daniel.

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.