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Handmade Pottery

Maker Stories

Inside the Artist’s Studio with Brian Giniewski

March 6, 2018

Brian in his studio; photos by Royce Brown

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—home of the cheesesteak (and its vegan offshoots), the Liberty Bell, and fellow marketing team member Morgan. I’d only been once, in middle school, when all I cared about was seeing the house where “The Real World: Philadelphia” was filmed, before my trip down in December to tour the studio of ceramic artist Brian Giniewski. In a far-off corner of the city once known as a center for textile production, Brian makes delightfully drippy vessels perfect for housing fully-loaded scoops of ice cream, each glazed in tantalizing shades like “pop rox,” “creamsicle,” “saffron,” and “peach.” I know they’re made of clay, but I’ve gotta be honest: they made me hungry—and actually, they still do. But I digress.

Drippy Ice Cream Bowls | UncommonGoods

 Accompanied by my trusty companion, Royce, I followed Brian through the halls of Globe Dye Works, a yarn-dying factory-turned-artistic community that houses tenants like the Philadelphia Wooden Boat Factory, Rival Bros. Coffee (I had some, and it was quite good), and, of course, the artist himself. Remnants of the building’s industrial days lined the path to Brian’s workspace, where a seemingly endless supply of shiny, textured mugs, plates, and planters mingled with tools of the trade. After a tour of his sunny studio, Brian threw a quick piece for us—an act that may as well have been magic to me—and invited us both to indulge in “Cake Time,” a staff tradition that pretty much speaks for itself. One slice of chocolaty cheesecake and a good old-fashioned sit-down later, Royce and I took our leave, equipped with a handwritten list of must-try Philly lunch spots (tehina milkshake, anyone?) and a directive to stop by Field, a plant-centric pop-up in Philly’s hip Fishtown neighborhood, for First Friday.

Itching to know more about the guy behind our Drippy Ice Cream Bowls? Read on for our Q&A with Brian, plus a selection of photos from our visit to his space.

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Maker Stories

Uncommon Impact: Help Elephants & Sip Coffee with this Handmade Mug

February 16, 2018

When you think “activism,” you may not think “handmade pottery.” Thanks to the work of longtime maker JoAnn Stratakos, we’d encourage you to broaden your horizons. Best known around these parts as the creator of Elwood, our de facto mascot, JoAnn’s latest creation—the Protect the Elephants Mug—harnesses cuteness for a cause. For every mug sold, we’re donating $5 to the PAMS Foundation, an organization dedicated to conservation efforts, including the protection of elephants, in faraway Tanzania.

From left to right: Ryan, JoAnn’s Production Supervisor, throws a Protect the Elephants Mug on the wheel; mugs get their handles; and glazed mugs wait to be fired in JoAnn’s Effort, Pennsylvania, studio

Why PAMS? We asked JoAnn that very question. “The MudCrew and I came about the PAMS Foundation through a social media post about Wayne Lotter,” she told us. But if “the MudCrew” is JoAnn’s nickname for her staff, then who’s Wayne? The former director and co-founder of PAMS, that’s who. Killed in the line of duty last year in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Wayne founded PAMS in 2009 alongside fellow conservationists Ally Namangaya and Krissie Clark. It’s believed that Wayne—who received death threats throughout his career—was murdered for his anti-poaching work.

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Maker Stories

This Just In-spiration: Meet
Sarah Beth Elkins

September 18, 2017

When it comes to the creative realm, Sarah Beth Elkins has done a little bit of everything, from book-binding to teaching high schoolers graphic design, but her true passion lies in one thing: clay. Now a professional potter working from her home studio north of Houston, Texas, Sarah Beth molds mounds of the pliable stuff into playful mugs, bowls, and even earrings, not to mention the lovely, lighthearted Berry Colander that’s now available for purchase at UncommonGoods.

With one look at Sarah Beth’s adorable berry bowl, we here at UG fell quickly in love with her careful craftsmanship and whimsical touch, and we wanted to give her a proper welcome to the family with her very own post in our This Just In-spiration series. Read on for our Q&A with Sarah Beth, touching on her time as a teacher, her day-to-day life in the studio, and much, much more.

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Maker Stories

This Just In-Spiration: Meet Alison Evans

February 1, 2016

Alison Evans | UncommonGoods

Our makers never fail to motivate us, encourage our creativity, and fill us with inspiration. So, when a new design enters our assortment, we’re always excited to learn more about the people behind the product.

What gets an artist going and keeps them creating is certainly worth sharing, and every great connection starts with a simple introduction. Meet Alison Evans, the artist behind our new Oyster Porcelain Dishware Collection.Oyster Porcelain Dishware Collection | UncommonGoods
When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
When I was 14, I took a computer programing class and a pottery class (among other classes) and realized that sitting in front of computer was no fun. I wanted to have a job that was physically demanding and creative. At that time, I thought to myself – maybe I should become a potter?

Alison Evans | UncommonGoods
What was the most exciting thing about becoming a professional artist?
I’ve always been very goal-oriented, so to make a living doing what I love and being able to check that off of my list in my 20s was a big accomplishment.

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Maker Stories

This Just In-spiration: Meet Shandi & Casey McConnell

July 27, 2015

Our makers never fail to motivate us, encourage our creativity, and fill us with inspiration. So, when a new design enters our assortment, we’re always excited to learn more about the people behind the product.

What gets an artist going and keeps them creating is certainly worth sharing, and every great connection starts with a simple introduction. Meet Shandi and Casey McConnell, designers of the Envelope Wall Vase.

Somewhere between throwing pottery and hanging out with their two small children, Shandi found some time to tell us a bit about their business and designs.

PicMonkey Collage
When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
As far back as I can remember I’ve always had a love for drawing, painting and making. My mom loved art and encouraged my creativity from early on. As a little girl I remember entering coloring contests from the paper and winning a gallon of ice cream from the local Hinky Dinky grocery store. During middle school I took woodworking classes which opened my eyes to the world of making objects in 3D. Surprisingly it wasn’t until college that I even touched clay.

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What was the most exciting thing about becoming a professional artist?
I can still remember the feeling of selling my work for the very first time at a local art show. I couldn’t believe that people were actually giving me money for my work, by the end of the show I had done pretty well and knew this was what I am meant to do. Being able to make a living doing what we love is extremely rewarding in so many ways. I love the freedom that comes with making what I want, working when I want, and being able to take time for life as it happens and not living with a schedule.

PicMonkey Collage

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What does your typical day in the studio look like?

Oh boy, or should I say boys! With a 2 year old and 8 month old there is no typical day!

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It’s a mad house scramble in the morning with one of us just trying to get into the studio. Once one of us makes it out there the days work is prepped by slab roller, extruding or making lists to glaze or throw. We then pack any orders that need shipped for the day then head back out to work on clay. Casey and I take turns between hanging out with the boys and working in the studio all day long. I probably change my clothes 10 times a day. We’ve become more focused with our work; there is a lot less design/play time right now but studio time is still a happy and peaceful place. I tell myself this craziness is temporary!

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Is there a trinket, talisman, or other inspirational object you keep near?
I do have quite the collection of Buddha figures. They remind me of our travels and the genuine full of life people we’ve met around the world. Having them around brings me to a good place.

PicMonkey Collage

What quote or mantra keeps your motivated?
I have a lot of them but here are some of my favorites:
“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” – Susan Sontag
“Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“You’ve got to be true to yourself.” And a poster that hangs in my studio: “Every day you inspire people you have never met.”

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What are your most essential tools?
For myself it’s the slab roller and my handmade stamps. Casey has a fettling knife that he HAS to use; the studio gets torn apart if it’s misplaced. It now has an easier to spot red painted handle after it was lost for a few days.

Maker Stories, The Uncommon Life

This Just In-spiration: Meet Bubba Jones

July 6, 2015

Our makers never fail to motivate us, encourage our creativity, and fill us with inspiration. So, when a new design enters our assortment, we’re always excited to learn more about the person behind the product.

What gets an artist going and keeps them creating is certainly worth sharing, and every great connection starts with a simple introduction. Meet Bubba Jones, designer of our Tankard Stein.

Bubba Jones | Tankard Stein | UncommonGoods

Bubba Jones is a bit like the Lone Ranger on a mission to bring pots to the people.

When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
Ever since I was little I made things with my hands.  Whatever was around I built with and made into things that fed my imagination.  I have been to art school and been an artist; now I want to be a potter.

What was the most exciting thing about becoming a professional artist?
Cash flow is the most exciting thing about being a pro, a lot like a roller coaster ride, very exciting.

Tankard Stein | UncommonGoods

What does your typical day in the studio look like?
You do what the pots tell you to do.  If the cups are dry enough for handles, do that, if not sit down at the wheel and make more.  On a good day you can make pots in the morning and finish them in the evening.

Bubba Jones |  Tankard Stein | UncommonGoods

Is there a trinket, talisman, or other inspirational object you keep near? If so, what is it and what does it mean to you?
There is my kiln god, I call Maui, who has watched over every one of my electric kiln firings since 1994.  Firing is a complicated process with so many overlapping subtle variables that it really does appear to work by a combination of careful attention, practice and magic, no matter how long you have been doing it or how much you pay attention to the science behind what is happening.  As a result, traditional potteries from many different cultures use talismans and kiln gods to watch over their firings.

Bubba Jones | UncommonGoods

Maui the kiln God

Imagine you just showed your work to a kindergartner for the first time. What do you think they would say?
Can I put chocolate milk in here?

What quote or mantra keeps you motivated?
Making pottery is a process of training the intuition.

What are your most essential tools?
My potters wheel, my kiln and my hands.

 

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The Uncommon Life

What a Crock…of Compost!

April 14, 2011

Earth Month is in full swing, and we’re excited to see so many of our readers pledging to make positive changes!

The response to our Compost Crock Giveaway was fantastic, and we want to thank everyone who entered. Congratulations to our winners:

Jennifer, who won the Simplify crock with her Facebook pledge, says that she “Just started composting!!”

Candra posted her comment, “I already compost, and pledge to continue! I am really getting interested in vermiculture, and plan to start later this year, too” and won the Grow crock.

Ceramic Countertop Compost Container

Speaking of vermiculture, take a look at our Worm Factory, and check out FindWorms.com to learn more!

Or go worm hunting on a rainy day with the help of the Blunt Umbrella. Not able to venture outdoors at the moment? Read up on some of the talented UncommonGoods artists helping to keep the planet green, like Beth Mueller, creator of the compost crocks, and Marty Stevens-Heebner, who’s recycled paper handbags are environmentally friendly and fashionable!

The Uncommon Life

Earth Month Giveaway: Compost Crock

April 8, 2011

Composting is a great way to prevent organic waste from ending up in landfills; it also provides a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers for your lawn, garden or houseplants.

Of course, not everyone has the space for a big outdoor compost bin. Fortunately, composting doesn’t always have to start outside.

In honor of Earth Month, we’re giving away Beth Mueller’s Ceramic Countertop Compost Container. These handmade crocks don’t take up too much space, so they’re perfect for apartments, trailer homes and other small living quarters. Once your small container is full, take it to a larger bin in your yard, or community compost center.

Entering to win is easy; just leave a comment sharing your pledge to compost. We’ll choose one winner to receive a “Grow” crock and one to receive a “Simplify” crock.

Already compost? You can:

1.) Pledge to advocate composting to your friends, family and community.
2.) Start a composting program at school or work.
3.) Promise to take home your organic scraps for composting after dining out—don’t forget to bring a reusable container and skip the doggie bag!

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