Happy Thanksgiving from VanGo Pottery™

Wow, it’s been 3 months since my last post! Like most people, we at VanGo Pottery have been very busy and will continue being busy through this holiday season. With that, I would like to say that I’m thankful for being busy—it means business is good! I would also like to thank our wonderful clients for the opportunity to serve them, especially during these difficult economic times. It seems many are in need of a healthy reprieve from all that is going on these days.

During the month of November, a favorite preschool project is creating turkey handprint plates. Using our rim dinner plate, along with the child’s handprint and imagination, children create their very own personalized Thanksgiving Plates. We like to ask the children what they are thankful for, so we can write it on their plates. One of my favorite responses was, “I’m thankful for Rainbows and Fruit Loops.” Leave it to a 3-year-old to tell it like it is—it puts a smile on my face every time.

Happy Thanksgiving to ALL!

VanGo Pottery™ Offers Art Enrichment Classes

VanGo Pottery offers art enrichment classes to children of all ages—from preschoolers to middle school and beyond. At a recent class, we presented our preschoolers with fun, age-appropriate information about artist, Jackson Pollock. Then the children were given a pottery “canvas” (in this case, a medium size serving dish) along with a variety of paint and tools so they could paint in the action painting style of Pollock.

The children had great fun squirting, throwing, rolling, and splattering paint at their serving dishes, all the while learning about different painting styles. One child commented to his mother at pickup, “Mommy, this was really fun. I want to do this at home.” After looking at the paint-filled tables and floor, mom replied, “Well honey, this is why we do VanGo Pottery classes. So you can learn and have fun and I don’t have to clean up the mess!”

Spice Up Your next Bridal or Baby Shower with VanGo Pottery™

Bridal and baby showers are a great way to honor and support Moms- and Brides-to-be. But let’s face it, sometimes the usual shower games are not so fun and are often the dreaded part of the festivities.

Why not break away from the shower routine and offer your guests a fun, unique activity—pottery painting! And with the help of your friends at VanGo Pottery™ we can bring the fun and creativity of a pottery studio to you.

Bridal shower guests can paint dinnerware or home décor items in the Guest of Honor’s favorite colors. Baby shower guests can paint trinkets for the baby’s room. Or, how about matching mom and baby tea sets. The possibilities are endless and much more fun than guessing mommy’s tummy size. Less embarrassing, too.

So put away the diaper pins and tape measurer and call VanGo Pottery at 602.468.3136. We have tons of ideas to help make your next shower extraordinary!

Happy Employees are Productive Employees!

It’s no secret that happy employees are productive employees and are less likely to take unscheduled days off. That said, why not show your employees your appreciation by hosting a pottery painting event at your workplace.

VanGo Pottery™ will come to your place of business (or other favorite venue) and provide everything you and your employees need for an afternoon of fun. We offer several teambuilding projects that will help build camaraderie and strengthen the team dynamic. Sometimes simply having fun and sharing a common experience are perfect for groups and teams.

Call VanGo Pottery™ at 602.468.3136 to learn more about our teambuilding activities.

VanGo Pottery brings Pottery Painting Fun to the Children of KinderCare

We recently had the pleasure of working with the staff and children of several KinderCare centers located in the west valley. Let me say, I was very impressed! The centers were exceptionally clean and well stocked with educational and fun goodies for the kids. The teachers were professional and interacted well with the children, which probably had a lot to do with why the children were so well-behaved.

We provided the pottery, paints, design tools, and guidance, while the children brought their imaginations and creativity. The children—preschool and school-aged—had a great time creating their beautiful masterpieces and now have priceless family “heirlooms” that can be used and treasured forever.

Save Money on Gas AND Have Fun: Leave the Driving to VanGo Pottery!

With the cost of gas continually on the rise, many of us are opting to cut back on entertainment expenses as a way to save money. VanGo Pottery™ provides a way for you to save money on gas AND have some fun!

When you host a party or event at your home or favorite venue, VanGo Pottery™ will bring all the fun and excitement of a pottery studio to you. We provide everything you need: a variety of pottery pieces; a huge selection of paints and glazes; design tools; staff assistance; and glazing and firing. What’s more, we deliver the finished pieces to you and we never charge a studio fee! Please contact our studio or visit our website for more information.

Custom Pottery Pieces from VanGo Pottery™

So, you want a unique gift for a friend or relative, but you just don’t have the time (or patience) to paint that special something for that special someone? Why not hire the talented artists of VanGo Pottery to create a one-of-a-kind gift for you. Under your direction, we will create the perfect gift to commemorate that special occasion. This is a great way to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, wedding/baby showers, holidays, you name it! The cost is $25/hour plus the cost of the pottery piece(s) you select. Please call our studio for more information: 602.468.3136.

VanGo Pottery™ Offers Senior Enrichment Workshops

At VanGo Pottery, our belief is that expression through art is not only a wonderful outlet for creativity, but is also a great way to keep the mind engaged and stimulated, no matter what your age. As a result, we created a program that brings the fun of pottery painting and clay building to senior centers and retirement communities throughout the valley. Here is just a small sampling of what some of our clients have said about our program:

As a Dementia/Alzheimers community we offer a variety of activities that can stimulate our residents’ abilities. VanGo Pottery, with Sheri has been a true blessing to Huger Mercy Living Center. So many of our residents who say they cannot paint or do crafts come alive when they look at their projects. The families are also impressed with their loved one's projects. They are amazed at the retained or newly created abilities through the VanGo Pottery program! We love Sheri and her wonderful daughters for making sure that they always put our residents’ needs at the top of their list with easy instructions, calm attitudes, patience, and a loving and gracious spirit of giving. Thanks, Sheri for placing smiles on our residents faces every time you come!

Virginia Enriquez
Huger Mercy Living Center
Activity Coordinator



For the past two years, Sheri Geiss of VanGo Pottery, has been facilitating a "Pots, Paint & Clay" workshop twice a month at the JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment in Phoenix. She has a caring and wonderful way of relating to the participants and encourages them in their creativity and self-expression. Sheri provides unfinished pottery pieces or clay, and all other materials and firing necessary to create a beautiful finished product that each person can be proud of. The smiles on the faces of the workshop participants tell it all!

Bunny Shuch, Program Manager

JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment

VanGo Pottery™ Solves the Birthday Party Entertainment Dilemma!

Looking for something fun and different to do at your child’s next birthday party? Then consider having a pottery painting party with VanGo Pottery™! We will come to the location of your choice and provide everything you need to entertain your guests with pottery painting fun. And with spring right around the corner, it is the perfect time of year to plan an outdoor party in your backyard or at your favorite park.

Boxes, boxes, and more boxes!
One of our most popular birthday party packages allows you to choose from a huge assortment of boxes. The boxes come in a variety of shapes and are not only fun to paint, but are great for storing your child’s favorite trinkets and knick knacks. The cost is $15 - $20 per box (plus tax) and includes all of the following:

· Choice of box
· Extensive use of our paints, glazes, and design tools
· Staff assistance for up to 2 hours
· Cleanup
· Glazing and firing
· Delivery of your finished pieces

And with no studio fees, moms and dads can help children paint their pieces at no additional charge. For more information and to book your party, please call 602.468.3136.

VanGo Pottery Sponsors St. Mary’s Food Bank Empty Bowls Event

This is not new news, but since I just started the VanGo Pottery Blog, I thought I’d share some “old news” with you. In September of 2007, we had the opportunity to co-sponsor the first annual St. Mary’s Food Bank Empty Bowls event. On September 13th, we, along with several local VIPs and celebrities, showed up at St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix for a day of pottery painting fun. Each painter chose their favorite shaped bowl, and let their creativity be their guide. Once all the bowls were painted, we took them to our studio to be glazed and fired. On October 19th, 2007, the bowls were auctioned off at the Flagstaff Mall with the proceeds benefiting the Food Bank in Flagstaff.

Some of the celebrities we had the pleasure of working with included: 3TV’s (http://www.azfamily.com/) Suzanne Bissett, Scott Pasmore, and Dan Davis; KPHO CBS 5’s (http://www.kpho.com/index.html) Diana Sullivan; as well as Arizona icon Pat McMahon (http://news.ktar.com/?sid=616174&nid=244), and Roger Clyne of Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers (http://www.azpeacemakers.com/).

Everyone had a great time creating their masterpieces and the fundraiser was a wonderful success.

Welcome to the VanGo Pottery Blog!

This is our very first blog. Please check back often to find out what's happening at VanGo Pottery in Phoenix, AZ. Check out our website: http://www.vangopottery.com/.