VanGo Pottery™ is in Phoenix Business Journal!

Close-up: Mom takes pottery parties on the road
Phoenix Business Journal - by Kaivan Mangouri
Date: Thursday, November 11, 2010, 2:07pm MST


Sheri Geiss was working full time and raising 9-year-old twins when she took a giant leap of faith.

The single mom wanted to spend more time with her children, so she quit her job at Anthem College in 2005 and launched VanGo Pottery LLC from her home.

Geiss uses her van to cater pottery-painting parties at schools, assisted living centers and residences. VanGo was ranked No. 119 on Startup Nation’s 2010 list of 200 Leading Moms in Business, released Oct. 11.

Geiss, who has a fine arts degree, originally wanted to purchase a studio for her business. But the cumbersome overhead helped her decide that a mobile business would give her the flexibility she wanted and enable her to spend more time with her daughters.

She now works alongside her twins — who, at 14, have become artists in their own right, she said.

“I almost had to put the brakes on, and I have to remind myself why I did this if I’m getting too busy,” Geiss said. “But the caveat to that is, now that my daughters are a little older, I’m looking into franchising.”

Competition in the area has dropped in recent years because of the recession, she said, adding her low-overhead business model now is in a prime position. She plans to expand the business within the next year.

“There’s a lot involved, and through my research and talking with people I realized that I really just need to hire people or a company to do (franchising) for me,” Geiss said.

In the meantime, she’s glad for the experience the business has given her family, including exposure to entrepreneurism.

For more: www.vangopottery.com


Read more: http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/print-edition/2010/11/12/close-up-mom-takes-pottery-parties-on.html

VanGo Pottery™ Wins Top Honors in Mom Business Competition

Phoenix, AZ – October 11, 2010– From among thousands of contestants, VanGo Pottery™ has been ranked #119 in StartupNation.com’s 2010 Leading Moms in Business competition (www.startupnation.com/leading-moms-in-business), sponsored by Infusionsoft (www.infusionsoft.com).

Over 709,000 votes were cast in support of the 2010 contestants, reflecting immense interest and supportiveness for moms building businesses at the same time they tend to their families.

“There’s been a sea change among moms as they’ve come to realize that adding entrepreneurship to their lives brings exhilaration and immense gratification, not to mention supplemental—sometimes primary—income to their families in these dicey economic times,” says Rich Sloan, chief startupologist and co-founder of StartupNation.

“We are so grateful for our wonderful clients and friends! You make our job fun,” said owner, Sheri Geiss. The winner’s profile for VanGo Pottery™ can be found at http://www.startupnation.com/leading-moms-in-business/contestant/7608/index.php.

The 2010 Leading Moms in Business ranking, conducted in collaboration with Ladies Who Launch (www.ladieswholaunch.com) and The National Association for Moms in Business (www.mibn.org), highlights some of the dominant trends, motivations and attributes among moms in business. They include:
• A great eye for providing attractive discounts, coupons, savings and value, all especially important to consumer moms of the recession era.
• A likelihood to come up with innovative products and solutions to address the challenging maze of motherhood. It’s an environment that demands resourcefulness.
• Conscience-driven business, where “doing well” is just fine, but the real rush comes from doing good.
• The attraction of being your own boss looms large for moms wanting to take control they just can’t find in a day job.
• Sustainable solutions and responsible business practices are increasingly paramount.
• Making the most of social media for business benefit is seemingly a birthright for the socially adept moms.

The full results of the 2010 Leading Moms in Business ranking are available on StartupNation’s website at http://www.startupnation.com/leading-moms-in-business.

VanGo Pottery™ - Taking Environmental Responsibility Seriously

A client recently commented that my paint brushes were very clean. I replied that my staff and I make it a point to keep them clean and that I still have many of the same brushes from when I started the business, five years ago. That got me thinking about how important it has been for me to reuse and recycle as often as I can.

I’ve reused the same red, plastic cups for rinsing brushes for five years. When wrapping and boxing my clients’ pottery, I reuse the packaging from supply shipments I have received. Many of the molds and design tools used in my clay handbuilding classes are throwaway household items and thrift store finds. And because the kiln uses a great deal of electricity, I coordinate my firings to be as energy-efficient as possible. In addition, several vendors have adopted “green” practices as well.

There are lots of little things we, at VanGo Pottery, do on a daily basis to reuse, recycle, and eliminate waste. And we will continue to look for ways to incorporate sustainable practices into our business model. I am proud to be a part of the global movement to make environmentally responsible choices.

VanGo Pottery™ is ON FIRE!

Pardon the pun, but we are on fire!

VanGo Pottery™ is a contestant in the 2010 StartupNation Leading Moms in Business Competition, a competition that recognizes mom-owned businesses nationwide:

“Everybody knows one. Like a super hero, she balances running a family with the heroics of running her own business. We’re talking about moms in business, of course. And now, StartupNation is conducting its second annual ranking of these astonishing entrepreneurs and the businesses they run.

But, how do we know who’s the best of the best? We’re leaving that in part to you. Over the next few [weeks], it’ll be your daily votes that determine the top 200 Leading Moms in Business. In addition our judges will determine special awards and accolades for moms within the top 200 who deserve special recognition.”

Please help VanGo Pottery™ place in the top 200 Mom-owned businesses by voting here:

http://www.startupnation.com/leading-moms-in-business/contestant/7608/index.php

You can vote once a day, every day, but voting ends August 31, 2010. Thank you for your support!

VanGo Pottery™ is Now on Facebook!

It’s been a busy year for us at VanGo Pottery™ and we are grateful to all our wonderful clients that have kept us busy. You can stay on top of the latest happenings at VanGo Pottery™ by becoming a fan on Facebook.

To connect with us on Facebook, please click the "VanGo Pottery on Facebook" link in the upper right corner, in the green Link List box.

Process Art

Lots of great things have been happening at VanGo Pottery™ since my last post. In addition to working with our regular clients, we’ve had the pleasure of meeting and working with many new groups, including Girl Scout troupes, church groups, mom’s groups, business groups, and school groups. It’s always great fun watching people come together to make art. It seems that no matter what is going on in the outside world, given the opportunity to create, most people are transformed to a place of calm and ingenuity. Walls come down and barriers are broken.

This month, children in our preschool classes had the opportunity to learn about tile art and mosaics. We studied several tile muralists and then the kiddos got busy creating their own tile masterpieces. They sketched out several designs, developed their own color palettes, and then painted their tiles. Once completed, the tiles were affixed to a beautiful wooden tray, to be used for serving special meals to the special people in their lives.

The tile project, and most all of my projects focus on the process rather than the end product. Because learning styles are as unique as the child (or grown-up), I let the student be my guide. Where more attention is needed, more attention is given and vice-versa. Through trial and error (and a little guidance), the student discovers his or her own process and builds confidence to pursue the next project. How can the end result be anything less than spectacular?!

Until next time, Peace, Love, and Pottery!

April, 2010 Art History / Pottery Classes for Middle School - High School Students

Overview: Have you ever struggled with coming up with ideas for creating new art? One approach is to borrow ideas from other artists and then mix those ideas with your own to create something new. In this project, you will research the life and work of an artist of choice (past or present). You will then create and paint a clay tile that combines something you learned from studying your chosen artist’s work with your own style. Completed tiles will be glazed and fired and then mounted in a wooden frame that can be used as a trivet or hung on the wall.

Research: Prior to the first studio class, students should select an artist that they would like to learn more about. They should research their chosen artist using the Internet and other local sources, paying special attention to the subjects, style, and influences in the artist’s work. They should write a short, 1-page synopsis of what they learned, especially with regard to style and technique, as these will be key to creating the tile project. Students should come to the first class prepared to discuss what they learned.

Studio Time: Studio time will consist of three sessions of varying lengths. Our cozy home studio is located near the SR51 and Thomas Road in Phoenix, AZ.

Session 1 – 2.5 hours: (Wednesday, April 7, 2:00 – 4:30) During the first studio session, we will discuss each student’s artist and then students will sketch the tile’s design. Students will then make the tile out of clay, based on their design.

Session 2 – 2 hours: (Wednesday, April 21, 2:00 – 4:00) During the second studio session, students will reassess their original design and then paint their tile, based on the original design and any new modifications.

Session 3 – 1.5 hours: (Wednesday, April 28, 2:00 – 3:30) During the third studio session, the completed (framed) tiles will be returned to students to be critiqued by the group. Students will then create an artist’s statement discussing what their work is about and how it reflects what they learned through studying their artist’s work. (Note: At the start of class, students will be given guidelines for constructive critiquing and creating an artist’s statement.)

Cost: The cost is $40 and includes all class/studio time, materials, and firings. Payment is requested at the first class.

Registration: Please contact us with any questions and/or to register – 602.468.3136 or contact@VanGoPottery.com. The deadline for registration is March 22, 2010 and seating is limited.

VanGo Pottery™ offers Ceramics Classes at our Phoenix, AZ Studio!

We, at VanGo Pottery,™ love playing with clay. There’s nothing like having a ball of clay in your hands and forming it into something amazing and beautiful. And while there is plenty of great equipment available to help with your pottery making adventure, using just your hands a few basic tools can produce beautiful works of art with a purpose.

Three basic handbuilding techniques are pinch, coil, and slab. Utilizing one or a combination of these techniques can yield awesome results. In slab construction, start with a ball of clay and use a rolling pin to roll the clay out onto a flat, canvas-covered surface. Roll in several directions to achieve uniform thickness in the clay. Once your slab is the desired thickness, cut out shapes as needed to construct your piece.

One of our favorite projects is the soda can birdhouse, inspired by our friends at Mayco (www.Maycocolors.com). Using a soda can (or any can of a similar shape and size), wrap a freshly rolled and cut slab around the can. Join the ends together using a coil and slurry. Cut a circular shape from the slab (the size of the can opening) to affix to the bottom. Cut leaf shapes and attach to the top for the roof. Cut an opening in any shape for the bird to enter the birdhouse and make a small hole with a pencil under the opening for a perch. Once the clay has been fired, the birdhouse can be painted and fired again. Use a stick for the perch and hang outside with cord or wire.

We are excited about our class offerings held at our cozy home studio, located in Phoenix, Az. We also have programs for homeschoolers at your location or ours. Hours vary and studio visits are by appointment. Please call us today to learn more about our classes: 602.468.3136.