Holiday Shopping Saturdays at the NKB

My studio will be open the next three Saturdays! Stop by December 3, 10 and 17 from Noon-4pm. Other studios in the building will be open as well. Shop handmade • Shop local! Help keep NE Mpls a vibrant arts district—we really appreciate your business!!!!
I have a great selection of pottery, art tiles and ornaments available.
Click here for a list of studios open Dec. 3 in the building.

From Inspiration to Decoration

I get a lot of questions about how I get my ideas and develop my ceramic designs. While I get a lot of my source material for the illustrations from vintage quilts and textiles, I am always looking for bits and pieces of inspiration everywhere. I like to take little visual treasures that strike me and reinterpret to be fresh and new while still speaking to the original material. I thought I'd share my creative process on a new plate design from inspiration to final fired art piece. A while back I picked up an old coffee table book on trees at the thrift store and loved some of the illustrations showing the tree bare and with full leaves.

I spend some time sketching to come up with a design that I'm happy with and then draw a final sketch at the scale I need for the piece I'm planning to put it on.

Then I make a pattern using a piece of clear vinyl shower curtain liner. This way I can see through the pattern to place it on the piece and can reuse it over and over without it wearing out.

Once I've transferred the design, I "stitch" it onto the plate while the clay is still leatherhard and add slip dots for texture. Each stitch and dot is applied individually, by hand. I don't use any kind of roller or transfer or stamp like many people assume.

After drying, I then paint on underglazes, bisque fire, stain and wash, glaze and fire again. My process is time intensive and has MANY steps to achieve the result I want.

The final plate after firing in my electric kiln. I'm calling this design "Winter into Spring". I think I may apply it to some tile designs and it's also making me feel inspired to create a four seasons series in the future.

Hope this helps show the work that goes into making a piece of my handmade pottery. It is a lot of work, but it is a labor of love and it's worth it when the first fired pot comes out of the kiln.

You can find them for sale here in my etsy shop!

Or, visit my studio for First Thursday in the Northrup King Building, studio 394 this upcoming Thursday, June 2 from 5-9 pm. Check out the new sculpure garden outside the building and enjoy a Root Beer Float courtesy of the building. Then come in and enjoy looking at some great art.

It's Art-A-Whirl This Weekend...and I'm up on my Soapbox

This upcoming weekend is Art-A-Whirl 2011 in Northeast Minnepolis. Art-A-Whirl is the largest open studio and gallery tour in the United States. We are super lucky to have such a diverse and energetic art community here! When you come to Art-A-Whirl, you are seeing artists studios, seeing how and where the work is made, talking directly to the artists and often buying directly from the artist or at least close to the source. This is a really fun, interesting and unique event. Most of the artists spend months making work and getting ready to invite the public into their studios and galleries.

I usually try to be an optimistic and cheerful marketer, but I'm just going to get up my soapbox for a few minutes. Most of the artists I know work HARD and spend long hours designing and making work, marketing and selling. And often selling for less than our work is worth. Yes, we are very lucky to get to do what we LOVE, but it is our job and most of us can't just do it "for fun"...we actually have to pay the bills and make a living. And, unfortunately a lot of us are feeling the economy just like everyone else and are struggling.

So, if you value having such a rich art scene right here in Northeast Minneapolis, now is the time to come out and support us. Come to look around, talk to us, and hopefully spend some money. You can feel good about spreading the love around in your local community and ensure that we're still here down the road making beautiful things for your homes. It would be a really boring place to live if the only places left to buy art were big box stores.

Event Hours:
Friday, May 20 • 5-10pm
Saturday, May 21 • Noon-8pm
Sunday, May 22 • Noon-5pm

More information:
Northrup King Building (Find me in studio 394)
www.emilydyer.com

-Emily

Art-A-Whirl • May 14-16, 2010

Join us in our studio for Art-A-Whirl 2010, the country's largest open studio tour sponsored by the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association. Here at the Northrup King Building, Art-A-Whirl is a chance to gain free admission into the working studios of over 200 artists working in nearly every art medium. You could spend a whole day in our building and still not see everything. Free parking. Plus, studios and galleries will be open throughout Northeast. Come get to know this rich arts district.

Friday, May 14th – 5:00-10:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 15th – Noon-8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 16th -Noon-5:00 p.m.

I have lots of work on the shelves as I've been stocking up to get ready for summer shows. Stop by to see what I've been up to! Also in my studio, #394, terra cotta sculpture and encaustic works by Claudia Poser, whimsical ocarinas by Lucy Grantz and mosaic work by Linda Mix Yates. Also, see a series of new collaborative mosaic works that Linda and I have been working on using my handmade tiles.

Most studios serve refreshments, and the Magic Bus will be outside the main entrance of the building for more serious food! Or, try some of Northeast's amazing eateries.

Northrup King Building
1500 Jackson St. NE • Studio #394
Minneapolis, MN 55413

www.northrupkingbuilding.com for directions and building info.
www.nemaa.org for event details.

Hope to see you there!

A Little Music for the Soul

I was just downloading photos from my camera and came across this photo from our holiday open studio event. My father-in-law brought over his accordian and played music outside our studio! This kind of thing makes me realize how lucky I am to have such close and supportive family. I know I couldn't be trying to make my living as an artist without them!!!!

Open Studio December 13 -- NKB Holiday Art Market

My studio (#394) will be open this Saturday, Dec. 13, from noon-5pm for Northrup King Building's Holiday Art Market. Stop by for snacks, cookies and hot tea. This is a wonderful, relaxed shopping atmosphere a far cry from the mall. Our studio features my pottery, tiles and ornaments, Lucy's whistles and Claudia's terra cotta sculpture and jewelry. Find lots of other unique locally made gift items throughout the building.

As a special treat, my father-in-law will be stopping by to add to the festivities by playing accordian music for your enjoyment. He'll start playing at around 1:30 and play 'til he's tired!

Also, put your name in a drawing to win one of my handmade ceramic globe ornaments. I'll be drawing the winner after the shopping hours on Sat., Dec. 20. Hope to see you!

A Little Bird Told me...

that studios will be open in the Northrup King Building this Thursday, Dec. 4 from 5-9 p.m. as well as Saturday, Dec. 6 from 12-5 p.m. Stop by my studio (#394) to do some holiday shopping in a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere away from the malls. I'll have a good selection of dishes, ornaments (including these sweet little birds) and some of my new tiles. Find lots of other great gift ideas throughout the building! We'll have snacks, cookies and hot tea.