Our biggest day of the year is almost here, Saturday, October 12, 2019. Kilns are being loaded all around the studio. This is the only time of year when having 13 kilns becomes a challenge. We are talking calendars, deadlines, clay drying, and more. It is a beautiful dance of potters with pots in process. Enjoy a few images and videos of just some of the things you can expect at our Multi Kiln Opening Celebration.
Yesterday, I loaded the Kazegama, our wood ash kiln, with bottles, sculptures and more. It was a lovely sunny day with my wonderful team, George (my hubby) and Leonora Lev, a new student, clay enthusiast and now friend. We worked in perfect harmony and loaded the kiln with a seamless ease.
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Sarah and George Loading Kazegama ![]()
Kazegama Kiln Loaded
We had our inaugural firing of the portable, Rolland downdraft gas kiln last week. What a beautiful kiln and wonderful team. I plan to fire and unload her again next week for our event.
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George and Sarah Rolland, Melanie Roberston, Leonora Lev, Duffy Baum ![]()
George Rolland and the Rolland Kiln
Judi Harwood is making vessels of all shapes and sizes.
In this video you see her loading a mummy saggar firing. You can hear her and her team having a great time loading the tumble staked mummy saggars. Are you intrigued? Judi will be unloading mummy saggar pots at 11 am on our big day and later that day she will be demonstrating horsehair firing with Melanie Robertson.
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Tori Motyl has been busy digging, processing and making pots. She uses clay discovered in her yard in Burnsville. On our big day, Tori will have everything from small raw clay pumpkins to large pots fired in electric kilns with thick slips and monochromatic colors of grey and white.
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Tori Motyl’s Pumpkins ![]()
Tori Working with Wild Clay
Julia Mann is working on her Elemental ladies for our “Women of Influence” exhibition that opens in the gallery on the same day.
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The flurry of activity around the studio is sure to make our celebration a great day! So, in honor of all our supporters we are planning an exquisite give away drawing the day of the festivities. Every resident potter is giving a piece from their body of work, in total seven pieces, to be given to one winner of our drawing. Here’s a sneak peek at five of the seven pieces in the gift.
We will fill the courtyard and back parking lot of Riverview Station with tents for all the festivities. We are planning three demonstration stations. Multiple tents filled with pots created by us in every firing technique from alternative firings, oxidation and reduction firings, raw clay firings and wood ash firings. If you don’t know what these are you will learn all about it at our event.
Bring the family, plan to spend the day and take home some wonderful pots. We have chairs but you might want to bring one along.
I hope to see you here!
Sarah
Sarah Wells Rolland
The Village Potters Clay Center/Founder and Owner
