New Show at the Gallery

"Fish, Freaks & Friends"

Clay sculpture by Alan Bennett

Opening reception March 9, 2012

5:30 PM to8:30 PM

Clay and Paper Gallery of Art’s show of clay sculpture by Alan Bennett called “Fish, Freaks, and Friends opens Friday March 9, 2012. Opening night will be a reception featuring Alan Bennett’s sculpture from 5:30 to 8:30 PM. Alan will be present for the reception and available to discuss his artwork. The show continues until April 22, 2012.

Alan Bennett’s art is about the his love for sea creatures and the process to create them. When Alan was five, he caught a bluegill. He thought it was so beautiful that he kept it in his pocket where his mother found it several days later when she did the laundry.

Experiences in or around the water and growing up with Jacques Cousteau specials strongly influenced his work. The process starts with a series of sketches. He uses stoneware clay or porcelain to make the basic forms. These forms are manipulated, hollowed out and added to. The teeth and eyes are made out of porcelain. The pieces are bisque fired. Glazes are applied by dipping, spraying and by brush. The pieces are then glazed fired. The work is about form, expression, color, texture, and movement.
There are three basic ways he glazes his sculpture:
Fish Glaze: This magnesium carbonate glaze shrinks more clay body during the firing process. The finished glaze has a dry scaly texture with pastel color.
Raku: A technique from an ancient Japanese tradition. The pieces are pulled out of the kiln when they are red hot and smothered with sawdust. The end product has a variety of blacks and grays in the clay body and elegant crackle patterns in glossy glaze that tend to have rich, bright colors.
Crystal Glazes: Specially prepared glazes, high in zinc, are applied to porcelain pieces. They are fired to 2300 Degrees, Fahrenheit, and then “soaked” at a lower temperature for three hours or more. This creates an environment conducive to growing crystals in the glaze. The end result is amazing combination of crystal shapes, colors and sizes that never come out the same way twice as the crystals are always different.
Alan received an MFA in Ceramics from Ohio State University and a BFA in drawing and painting from Arizona State University.

2nd Friday of every month

Dunedin Wine/Art Walk

5:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Over 40 downtown shops participating. A great opportunity to shop Delightful Dunedin.

$10.00 wristband entitles you to store discounts and wine tastings at many shops downtown Dunedin including

Clay and Paper Gallery of Art. Wristbands may be purchased at the gallery.

 

Fourth Annual “Tour De Clay”
Pottery Tour Kicks Off In Palm Harbor

This year’s Tour De Clay of Tampa Bay will be held on Saturday, December 10th and Sunday, December 11th. It is sure to please those who have attended the tour in the past as well as those who are experiencing it for the very first time. Tour De Clay will take you through six pottery studios that span three counties and will feature the work of 20 potters.

The fourth annual pottery studio tour “Tour De Clay of Tampa Bay” will explore 6 pottery studios: 2 studios in Palm Harbor; 1 in Tampa; 1 in Lutz; 1 in Odessa; and 1 in San Antonio. The tour’s 20 clay artists will be present at the various studios throughout the Tampa Bay area to discuss their works and answer questions. The studios will be open to the public free of charge Saturday, Dec. 10th from 9-5 and Sunday, Dec. 11th from 11-4. You will want to plan your trip to make it to all 6 stops.

Two of the six pottery studios on the tour are located right here in Palm Harbor and will kick off the tour at 9am Saturday, Dec. 10th with kiln openings, pottery demonstrations, and displays filled to the brim with beautiful pottery. These studios will house the works of Ira Burhans, Glenn Woods, and as well as the works of guest artists John Moore, Andy Smith and William Kidd. All three guest artists are award winning potters.

New this year, Tour De Clay Gives Back to Their Community. Each studio has chosen one or more organizations to donate an amazing pot for a lotto type auction. During the tour you can buy $5 tickets for the chance to win your favorite auction item. Each studio sells tickets for their auction item. Winners will be selected Sunday at 4 PM. Winners need not be present. 100% of ticket sales go to the respective organization.

Due to the popularity of the kiln openings, this year every studio will have kiln openings on Saturday, December 11th. The kiln openings will begin in the Palm Harbor studios followed by the Tampa studio, then Lutz and Odessa with the finale at the San Antonio studio. The kiln openings are staggered so you can experience the openings in all 6 studios. What are kiln openings? Opening a kiln that has just been fired and cool enough to open is like Christmas morning – some good and some not so good. You can be there to witness the opening of many different types of kilns to see what surprises await the anxious potter.


Kiln Opening Schedules:
The first kiln opening will happen at 9:00 a.m. at the Pottery Boys Studio location (30 Bogie Lane, Palm Harbor, FL).

The second kiln opening will happen at 10:00 a.m. at the Clay and Paper studio location (110 Peterson Lane, Palm Harbor, FL)

The third kiln opening will happen at 12 noon at the Rising Sun Pottery studio location (600 North Delaware Ave., Tampa, FL)

The fourth kiln opening will happen at 2:00 p.m. at the Wellman and Welsch Pottery location (17202 Whirley Road, Lutz, FL)

The fifth kiln opening at 3:00 p.m. is not at kiln opening but a kiln ground breaking and discussion on the type of kiln that will be built at the Hidden Lake Pottery location (16705 Hutchinson Road, Odessa, FL)

Last, but certainly not least, the final kiln opening will happen at 5:00 p.m. at the San Antonio Pottery studio location (11903 Curley Road, San Antonio, FL). And if that was not enough excitement, pottery demonstrations are planned to take place at each studio throughout Saturday and Sunday. There will be food and refreshments at most of the studios.

* A special treat this year at Clay and Paper Studio in Palm Harbor - John Moore will be firing up his raku kiln both days. Get a birds eye view of the flame from our upper deck while sipping a glass of wine or beer. Also, Ira Burhans will have a second kiln opening on Sunday at 1 PM.

Tour De Clay is sponsored by the Florida West Coast Ceramic Society, established in 2007. This Ceramic Society was formed by a group of clay artists and potters who share an intense passion for ceramics; a passion reflected both in the works they produce and in their deep appreciation for ceramic arts. They are excited to host its third annual exhibition featuring the ceramic work of eighteen artists. Potters from Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, and Pinellas counties, and six guest artists will participate in the Tour De Clay. Throughout this tour you will find work such as: bowls, cups, plates, vases, teapots, and other decorative or functional ware.

Featured Pottery Studios Include:
Pottery Boys Clay Studio located at: 30 Bogie Lane / Palm Harbor, FL 34683
Owners Glenn Woods and Keith Herbrand will be joined by guest artists Andy Smith and William Kidd. Kiln opening scheduled for Saturday at 9:00 a.m. with pottery demonstrations throughout Saturday and Sunday. Sweets and treats.

Donations to benefit Dunedin Fine Art Center's Scholarship Program, Suncoast Hospice, and a local chapter of the American Cancer Society. Call for more information 727-736-4870.

Clay and Paper Studio located at: 110 Peterson Ave. / Palm Harbor, FL 34683

Owner Ira Burhans will be joined by guest artist John Moore.. Kiln opening scheduled for Saturday at 10:00 a.m., making big pot demonstrations by Ira Burhans and raku horse hair firings by John Moore throughout Saturday and Sunday. A second kiln opening on Sunday at 1 PM. Refreshments and snacks.

Donation pot to benefit the construction of

Call for more information 727-772-9570.

Rising Sun Pottery located at: 600 North Delaware Ave., Tampa, FL
Owner Peter Streit will be joined by Joshua Streit and guest artist Richard Walbart. Kiln opening scheduled for Saturday at 12:00 noon and pottery demonstrations throughout Saturday and Sunday. Live music, great food.

Donation to benefit The Spring of Tampa Bay - Domestic Violence Prevention.

Call for more information 813-253-6055.

Wellman and Welsch Pottery located at: 17202 Whirley Road, Lutz, FL
Owners Harry Welsch and Kim Welman will be joined by guest artist John Kellum. Kiln opening scheduled for Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Throwing and raku demonstrations Saturday and Sunday. Refreshments.

Donation to benefit Animal Coalition of Tampa (free/cheep spay and neuter).

Call for more information 813-961-7106.

Hidden Lake Pottery located at: 16705 Hutchinson Road, Odessa, FL
Owners Kim Kirchman and Mark Fehl will be joined by ceramic artists Kimberli Cummings, Chuck McGee and LC McGee and guest artist Jonathan Barnes. Kiln opening scheduled for Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and pottery demonstrations throughout Saturday and Sunday.

Donation to benefit Big Cat Rescue in Citrus Park.

Call for more information 813-920-4341.

San Antonio Pottery located at:11903 Curley Road / San Antonio, FL
Owner Jack Boyle will be joined by ceramic artist: McKenzie Smith and guest artist MicheleGinouves and Susan Livingston. Kiln opening scheduled for Saturday at 5:00 p.m. followed by music and refreshments. Pottery demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday.
Donation to benefit WMNF 88.5fm a listener sponsored radio station.

Call for more information 352-588-4228.

For more information, a map, and written directions to the studios pickup a poster/brochure at Clay and Paper Gallery of Art in Dunedin or go to: www.tampatourdeclay.com.

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