Invite VanGo Pottery™ to Your Next Mommy and Me Event!

Hey moms, are you looking for a fun activity to do with your Mom and Me Playgroup? Then please consider a pottery painting party with the staff of VanGo Pottery™ as your hosts. We will come to the location of your choice – your home, church, park, community center, you name it! – and provide everything needed to entertain your group with pottery painting fun.

The kiddos can paint plates or other dinnerware items and then embellish them with their very own handprint. The finished pieces not only become beautiful works of art, but are precious heirlooms that can be used and treasured for years to come.

Or we can read one of your favorite stories and then paint an item related to the story. One of our favorites, “Eat Your Peas,” by Kes Gray and Nick Sharratt, is a hilarious story about a mother who tries EVERYTHING to get her daughter to eat her peas, one of which is the promise of ice cream. At the end of the story, moms and kids can get together and paint an ice cream bowl for the special occasions in their lives.

We have lots of ideas and suggestions for your group. Please call our studio at 602.468.3136 for more information.

Thrift Store Inspiration

Recently, I was with a friend engaging in one of my favorite past times: thrift store shopping. If you’re like me, you don’t need a reason to shop in thrift stores. It’s simply fun to browse through aisle after aisle of knickknacks and whatnots that others no longer want with the goal of finding a hidden treasure at a fraction of the original cost.

During this particular outing, I came across a small ceramic goblet that caught my eye. It quickly went from merely “eye catching” to “must have.” Though the photo in this article doesn’t do it justice (I blame it on poor lighting and a crummy cell phone camera), it does provide a semblance of what my new found treasure looked like.

The goblet was quite small, only a few inches tall by a few inches wide. The colors consisted of varying shades of blues and browns with a whimsical, fish-like object on either side. It was truly a fun little piece that was worthy of shelf space on the curio in my family room.

As I was applauding myself for having found such a cute piece at such a great price—$2 during the half-off sale—my friend pointed out a chip in the goblet’s rim. It wasn’t a huge chip, but the goblet was so small that the chip became significant. Rats! I found myself trying to overlook the defect and thinking of how I could display it so that the chip would not be seen.

Just as I had convinced myself, again, that I should make the purchase, my friend took it from me and politely advised me against it. She told me I could make one myself—a better one! One with no chip. And in true friend fashion, she went on to “remind” me about my artistic abilities and talent. And with that, the decision was made. I am now in the process of making my own cute little goblet (perhaps, a series) and all it took was a little inspiration from a thrift store find and the gentle nudging of a wonderful friend.

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!

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™ teams with Make-A-Wish

We recently got together with the families and staff of the Make-A-Wish Foundation® for a day of pottery painting fun. Participants painted star-shaped dishes and ornaments to present to Wish donors and sponsors. It was a great day of painting, creativity, and fun!

The mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation®, headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, is to “…grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.” They have been granting wishes since 1980.

We are inspired by the wonderful work they are doing and hope you will be, too. To learm more about the Make-A-Wish Foundation® or how you can share the power of a wish,® check out their website: http://www.wish.org/.