CAEA Winner of Toki Kiln donated by Leslie Ceramics!

We just received this picture in a lovely email from Susan Wuerer, President of the California Art Education Association:

Dear John,
Thank you so much for your wonderful support of CAEA and it's teachers. We are so grateful for your generosity in donating the kiln, but also in giving workshops, which people really enjoyed. I am sending you some pictures. This one is with the kiln winner, Edie Christensen.
Sincerely,
Susan Wuerer,
President,
California Art Education Association



CAEA:The California Arts Education Conference, was held last month at the Double Tree Hotel, San Jose, California. 300-400 elementary, middle and high school level teachers from around the state participated in a variety of art classes, such as monoprint techniques, painting, and ceramics, as well as inspirational lectures on art and education. There was a wide exchange of notes exchanged by teachers related to art curriculum development in an effort to advance art education. With art education budgets being dramatically cut across the state, the CAEA event plays an important role in sustaining and growing the arts in California. For artists interested in teaching classes for next years CAEA event in Bakersfield, contact Susan Manbeian, Fremont District Art Chair, 510-668-1360.

Pictured here is Leslie's owner John Toki with a participant of one of the workshops.

Ceramic Wine Fermenting Tanks

The following is an excerpt from Free Run Press: news & views from Saracina vineyards/ fall 2010

It describes wine fermenting tanks that are glazed with Leslie Ceramic Glazes. U-series underglazes and N-1 clear were used to paint broad bands of color on the exterior of the tanks. They are fired in huge kilns which soak the clay for 20 hours at 2029 degrees! Leslie's owner John Toki has provided extensive technical information during the development of the wine tanks.

"'It's the future...it's now,' pronounced Saracina Winemaker Alex
MacGregor, in describing the enormous, custom-made clay
fermenting and storage vessels that literally rolled into the Saracina winery this month. Experimenting with these 3000-
pound, custom-designed tubular tanks represents a natural evolution at our CCOF-certified winery and takes a step beyond the concrete tanks that have recently enjoyed some cache among
wine producers.
In 2009, John Fetzer, Mission Clay Products Owner Bryan Vansell, and Adjunct Professor at California College of the Arts (CCA) John Toki hatched the idea of modifying commercial clay
pipes, normally used for water systems in major metropolitan areas, for wine fermentation and storage. They recognized that fired clay was an ideal natural substance in which to ferment and
store wine. Clay pipes have a life-span of hundreds, even thousands of years, as demonstrated by the functional water pipes found at Pompeii and Ephesus in Turkey. Unlike clay amphorae that were used by the Greeks and Romans to store their wines, our tanks have a simple, tubular shape which make them ergonomically easy to move and echo the traditional shape
of modern stainless wine tanks.


Mission Clay Products, the largest commercial manufacturer of clay pipes in the country, was interested in expanding into new
industries and volunteered to produce these "beta" custom vessels. Vansell admits, "Over a 12-month period, we made 50 to create 6 that matched John Fetzer's specifications." He also
plans to include a wireless thermocouple inside so that our
winemaker can monitor the inside temperatures from his
computer.
Consulting with MacGregor regarding the properties he sought in traditional stainless steel tanks, Mission Clay's team designed
tubular clay vessels, some standing nine feet high, sealed the interior with beeswax for natural waterproofing, and applied non-toxic glazes (Leslie's!) to provide an aesthetically interesting surface
design. The clay allows the juice to breathe during the
fermentation process.


Not satisfied with functionality alone, CCA student Travis McFlynn, created figurative sculptures to sit atop the lids of the largest tanks. These tanks will be buried in the ground to sustain
the cool temperatures needed to ferment and store the wine, while the sculptural lids will protrude above the surface for easy
access.
Wine making, commerce, artistry and craftsmanship all came
together in this pioneering project."

Book Signing for MARY TUTHILL LINDHEIM book on January 15, 2011

We are excited to announce this event because Mary Tuthill Lindheim was a longtime Leslie Ceramics customer.


You are warmly invited to a book signing at Leslie Ceramics Supply on Saturday, January 15, 2011, 3-5 pm. We celebrate the publication of MARY TUTHILL LINDHEIM: ART AND INSPIRATION. This beautifully illustrated art book, the first on Lindheim, details her creative output and activism on behalf of ceramics in the Bay Area. Lindheim (1912-2004) entered ceramics in 1946 as a student of Antonio Prieto and was a leading figure for the next 25 years. Abby Wasserman, essayist and the book’s editor, and Richard Whittaker, editor of works and conversations, will share thoughts about why Lindheim’s life and example are still important today. There will be food and wine, and an exhibit of Lindheim artworks will be up through January.

Read more about the book on Abby Wasserman's website here.


And of course we have the books for sale in the store!




Read about her on Wikipedia here: MARY TUTHILL LINDHEIM

Super Huge Kiln Blow Out Sale!

The kiln sale from a couple of months ago is back with a vengence. Now kilns are on sale for between 40 and 60% off! Several front loading kilns are included in the sale at 50% off list. Many people prefer top loading kilns as they are easier on their backs and normally they cost considerably more than a top loading kiln. There are also a few glass fusing kilns at great prices including a Skutt GM-22 Clam Shell glass fusing kiln at an unbelievable 50% off.
Contact Leslie Ceramics at 510-524-7363 for more info.
Also visit us at: LeslieCeramics.com

Sale runs through the end of the year.

Don't miss this amazing opportunity to own a new kiln at an unbelievable price.
Here is a link to a list of the kilns.


Paragon Dragon - Front loading 9 cu ft Interior - list: $6,025.00 Now 50% off @ $3,012.50 Save: $3,012.50


Paragon TNF Kiln J-14-1 - 13.5 x 13 x 8.75" - List: $1,700.00 Now 50% off @ $850.00 Save: $850.00


Nabertherm Kiln MF 5 Glass/Enameling kiln - List: $1,690.00 Now 50% off @ $845.00 Save: $845.00


Nabertherm HO70/R 17 x 15 x 16" - List: $4,080.00 Now 50% off @ $2,040.00 Save: $2,040.00


Nabertherm N150 - Front loading 18 x 21 x 23" - List: $8,505.00 Now: 50% off @ $4,252.50 Save: $4,252.50


Nabertherm N440 - Front loading 15.9 Cu. Ft. 208v 3 ph - List: $16,930.00 Now: 40% off @ $10,158.00 Save: $6,772.00


Nabertherm N140 - Front loading 4.9 cu. ft.- List: $6,425.00 Now: 50% off @ $3,212.50 Save: $3,212.50


Nabertherm Top 190 6.7 cu. ft. - List: $4,010.00 Now: 50% off @ $2,005.00 Save: $2,005.00


Skutt Glass GM-22 CS - 4.35 cu. ft. List: $2,930.00 Now: 50% off @ $1,465.00 Save: $1,465.00


Olympic 129E - 120 v - 11 x 9" 20 amp breaker - List: $820.00 Now: 50% off @ $410.00 Save: $410.00


Olympic 129 - 120 v - 11 x 9" 20 amp breaker - List: $630.00 Now 50% off @ $315.00 Save: $315.00


Paragon TNF23-3 - 5.10 CU.FT. - List: $2,020.00 Now 40% off @ $1,212.00 Save: $808.00

Paragon Janus 27 - 8.11 CU.FT. Glass and Ceramic - List: $2,860.00 Now 40% off @ $1,716.00 Save: $1,144.00

Paragon Viking 283 - 10.57 CU.FT. - List: $1,699.00 Now 60% off @ $679.60 Save: $1,019.40

Paragon GL18TSD - 2.40 CU.FT. Glass Fusing kiln - List: $2,225.00 Now 40% off @ $1,335.00 Save: $890.00

Cress Glass 87E - 120v 30 amp 6.76 x 17.5" - List: $1,025.00 Now 40% off @ $615.00 Save: $410.00

Nabertherm Raku Model 100 - 3.6 cu. ft. - List: $4,580.00 Now 50% off @ $2,290.00 Save: $2,290.00

Skutt 1027 208v - 7 cu. ft. - List: $2,595.00 40% off @ $1,557.00 Save: $1,038.00

Cress A4HBR - Test Kiln, 120v - List: $495.00 Now 50% off @ $247.50 Save: $247.50

Nabertherm F30 - Glass Fusing kiln - List: $2,440.00 Now 30% off @ $1,708.00 Save: $732.00

OPENrestaurant Presents OPENwater features Leslie Ceramics Glaze

As part of an ongoing collaboration with artist Travis McFlynn and Building Products, Leslie Ceramics underglazes as well as lowfire N-Glazes were used for some large scale water dispensers manufactured by Building Products. You can see the U-5 Navy Underglaze as well as N-60 Valentine Red clearly in the pictures. The pipes dispensed water from local sources in the Bay Area. Here is a description of the event from SFMOMA's Blog :
"OPENrestaurant Presents OPENwater at St. George Spirits Saturday, November 13, 2010, 3:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 14, 2010, 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
St. George Spirits, 2601 Monarch Street, Alameda

How does water flow in the Bay Area? OPENwater, SFMOMA's latest collaboration with the artists, chefs, and educators who make up OPENrestaurant, settles at St. George Spirits, a large distillery on the former Alameda Navy base, for two days of culinary proposals and exploration. With video, a 3-D sound environment, panel discussions, and informal encounters with artists, fishermen, biologists, and preservationists, OPENwater will create an immersive experience focusing on the Bay-Delta's food, water, politics, ecology, and art."
For further reading visit this link from CCA.

Free Giant Pot Demo this Saturday at Leslie's

FREE demo this Saturday at Leslies starting at 10am!
Eusebio Lozano and Tony Perry will be demonstrating Large Pot Throwing techniques that utilize 25-100lbs of clay.



There are also tentative time lines for starting classes that involve basic beginner throwing techniques on the wheel. Please give us your feedback on what times work best for those interested in attending these kinds of classes.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 5-8 pm or 6-9 pm or 7-10 pm or Saturday, Sunday anytime between 10am and 8pm.

Please contact the store if you are interested and let us know which days and times would work best for you.

Reminder about The Ceramics Annual of America

Just a heads up to ceramics fans out there; this is happening in San Francisco next month.
September 10-12, 2010

Friday: 10am-8pm

Saturday: 10am-8pm

Sunday: 10am-6pm

Opening Reception

Thursday, September 9: 5pm-9pm

From their website:
"The Ceramics Annual of America (CAA) is an unparalleled exhibition, the first event of its kind in the United States. On par with events like the Korea World Ceramic Biennale, or the Ceramics Biennial at the Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza, Italy, CAA will showcase one of the largest and most diverse exhibitions of ceramic art in North America."

More Info:

"Organized by the California Ceramics Cooperative, a group of
invested regional ceramic artists, CAA will bring together an
impressive number of the nation’s top ceramic artists, instructors and
collectors. The Cooperative’s mission is to establish an exhibition
to promote the artwork of ceramic artists in the region, thereby
increasing exposure of the artists’ work and creating a larger market
for the ceramic medium. Major ceramic art annuals or biennials exist
in 27 countries, including Italy, Taiwan and Korea, and we believe now
is the time for us to move forward with organizing one in the United
States. The Ceramics Annual of America, expected to be an
unprecedented event of its kind in this country, will provide a venue
for regional and national artists working in the clay medium to show
their work to a broader group of collectors.

The inaugural exhibition is scheduled for September 2010 in Herbst
Pavilion at Ft. Mason. Ft. Mason, as the site chosen for this event,
embodies the essence of San Francisco—its nearness to nature, combined
with the novel architecture, gives a nod to the past and offers a dose
of the different. Fr. Mason offers one of the few San Francisco
waterfront venue rentals and is a major draw for national and
international visitors to the city. Herbst Pavilion, a 30,000 square
ft. hall, can accommodate as many as 3,000 visitors."

Their website is:
CeramicsAnnual.org

Contact Information

Phone: 1.877.459.9CAA

Email: ceramicsannual@gmail.com


Some of the artists:
Bill Abright
Amber Aguirre
Richard Akers
Steven Allen
Lauren Ari
Wesley Anderegg
Donna Billick
Jennifer Brazelton
Lisa Clague
Annette Corcoran
Nuala Creed
Michele Collier
Amy Evans McClure
Jon Gariepy
Michelle Gregor
Arthur Gonzalez
Wesley Horn
Susannah Israel
Jeremy Jernegan
Francisco "Pancho" Jiménez
Margaret Keelan
Coeleen Kiebert
Eusebio Lozano
Antonia Lawson
Mattie Leeds
Carmen Lang
Kathryn McBride
Kevin Nierman
Kathy Pallie
Lisa Reinertson
Gail Ritchie
Andy Ruble
Cybele Rowe
Juan Santiago
Tiffany Schmierer
Barbara Sebastian
Cynthia Siegel
Peggy Snider
Nancy Selvin
Bar Shacterman
Leslie Smith
Patrick Siler
Shannon Sullivan
Glenn Takai
Anne Stryke
Claudia Tarantino
Clayton Thiel
Rogelio Urena
Derik Van Beers
Susan Whitmore
Cindy Williamson
Guangzhen Po Zhou
Wanxin Zhang

“PIT FIRE”

Summer Sessions Available

Host: Tony Perry

When: TBA 8am-sunset (sunset roughly 6-8pm)

Once 8 eight persons have signed the sign-up sheet and provided a deposit a date will be set within two to three weeks, on a FRIDAY.

Where: Dillon Beach California (for travel maps go to “dillonbeach.com”)

Fee: $250.00


What you get: All materials to conduct and perform the pit fire for your work. Wood, wood shavings, dung, salt and any other items pertaining to the firing and coloration that occurs within the pit are provided. The majority of the digging and pit operations will be handled for you. Thus far every piece fired in a pit created by Tony and Eusebio has survived the day with awesome results. See display at Leslies.

Piece criteria: The ceramic pieces cannot be more than eight inches tall and wide for this event and there will be a limit of six pieces. The deposit will ensure that sufficient materials are obtained to accommodate your work.

What to bring: Each person is responsible for providing their own food and beverage for the days’ event as well as any other items needed for a long day at the beach. Your ceramic pieces to be fired, terra sig applied and bisqued at cone 010.

*If you so choose to bring your own wood it cannot be treated by any chemicals, painted or have nails or screws within. Wood from trees cannot exceed 8-10 inches in diameter or be longer than 1 ½ feet. Raw lumber such as 2x4, 2x6 or 4x4 cannot exceed two feet in length or be treated, painted or contain nails and screws.

Time line and process: All pieces to be fired in the pit will be placed on the designated tarp no later than 8:00am. This is to ensure the pit is prepared to the proper size in order to accommodate the pieces to be fired. The digging will begin at roughly 8:15am and all that have pieces to be fired will participate to some extent if you choose to. Upon completion of the pit being dug Tony and Eusebio will be the only ones permitted within the pit to lay out the wood shavings, pieces, dung, wood, salt and other materials pertaining to the firing. All who have pieces are asked to please assist in staging wood for the firing. Once loading of the pit is complete it will be set ablaze. The firing will last the entire day so get comfy. Once the fire dies down Tony and Eusebio will be the only ones unloading and staging work on the outskirts of the pit. Once the pit is fully unloaded please assist in the removal of any broken pieces and all debris from within the pit and then refilling the hole created, optional.

NOTE: Tony & Eusebio are not responsible for any items that do not survive the firing but will however take all actions to prevent breakage of your work. It is recommended that you utilize Soldate 60, Rods Bod or Leslies Vanilla clay for your ceramic pieces in order to provide a better chance of pit fire survival. You are however allowed to use whatever clay you desire.


Ask Tony or Eusebio at Leslie Ceramic Supply for more information.

Tony 510.760.0905 cohiba1370@yahoo.com

Eusebio 510.524.7363 webbs108@yahoo.com

New Kiln Installed at Ruby's Clay Studio

Leslie's just installed a brand new Ceramic Services Kiln over at Ruby's Clay Studio in San Francisco. Lenny Larson from Ceramic Services came up and helped weld the kiln together on site at Ruby's. The kiln is a CS36 cu.ft. downdraft kiln with an electronic controller.

Here is a before shot:

And here is the kiln after installation:

Leslie Customer Mark Goudy

Berkeley artist and Leslie customer Mark Goudy is featured in the latest Ceramics Monthly for their Emerging Artists Series. He was kind enough to honor us by bringing the piece shown in the magazine as well as another beautiful work to display in the store. They both illustrate amazing use of soluble salt decoration. Please stop by the store to see his work in person.
His website where you can see his work and contact him:
Thundercloud Studio

Ceramics Annual of America

Just a heads up to ceramics fans out there; this is happening in San Francisco this fall. From their website:
"The Ceramics Annual of America (CAA) is an unparalleled exhibition, the first event of its kind in the United States. On par with events like the Korea World Ceramic Biennale, or the Ceramics Biennial at the Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza, Italy, CAA will showcase one of the largest and most diverse exhibitions of ceramic art in North America."

More Info:

"Organized by the California Ceramics Cooperative, a group of
invested regional ceramic artists, CAA will bring together an
impressive number of the nation’s top ceramic artists, instructors and
collectors. The Cooperative’s mission is to establish an exhibition
to promote the artwork of ceramic artists in the region, thereby
increasing exposure of the artists’ work and creating a larger market
for the ceramic medium. Major ceramic art annuals or biennials exist
in 27 countries, including Italy, Taiwan and Korea, and we believe now
is the time for us to move forward with organizing one in the United
States. The Ceramics Annual of America, expected to be an
unprecedented event of its kind in this country, will provide a venue
for regional and national artists working in the clay medium to show
their work to a broader group of collectors.

The inaugural exhibition is scheduled for September 2010 in Herbst
Pavilion at Ft. Mason. Ft. Mason, as the site chosen for this event,
embodies the essence of San Francisco—its nearness to nature, combined
with the novel architecture, gives a nod to the past and offers a dose
of the different. Fr. Mason offers one of the few San Francisco
waterfront venue rentals and is a major draw for national and
international visitors to the city. Herbst Pavilion, a 30,000 square
ft. hall, can accommodate as many as 3,000 visitors."

Their website is:
CeramicsAnnual.org

P.S. If you have an ceramics event in the Bay Area you want to promote let us know and we will review it for publication on the blog. Thanks!

P.P.S. If you would like your ceramics blog or website listed in our links let us know what it is and we will add it.

Paragon Microwave Kiln Demonstration

Paragon asked the pros here at Leslie's to develop a Raku firing process for their microwave kiln. After a few tests we managed to raku and even bisque in the kiln. See the youtube video here:




Here are some details from the paragon website:
Paragon MagicFuse Microwave Kiln

Paragon’s exciting MagicFuse kiln fires inside a microwave oven to glass fusing temperatures. This is the perfect way to introduce yourself and your loved ones to the amazing world of glass fused jewelry. Create stunning jewelry that your family and friends will treasure. Experiment with the huge selection of stained glass colors available from your local glass supplier. The microwave oven

The MagicFuse requires a microwave oven, which is not included. The voltage, watts, and amps shown in the specifications below are for a typical 1100 watt microwave oven. Since the MagicFuse does not contain heating elements, the electrical specs will vary depending on the microwave you own and the country where you live.

If you remove the MagicFuse kiln after the glass has fused, the heat will not build up inside the microwave oven. The MagicFuse reaches higher temperatures than you will ever encounter in your kitchen. But the firing is so rapid that the heat does not have time to work its way to the outside surface of the kiln.

You can fire the MagicFuse in the same microwave oven you use for cooking as long as you clean the microwave oven after each fusing session. If, however, you fire ceramic fiber paper, you might want to fire glass in a separate oven. This is because the fiber paper produces fumes.

Controlling heat distribution

Firing the MagicFuse kiln on the microwave's food rotator tray produces better heat distribution inside the kiln than firing without the tray. However, in some microwaves the rotator tray jerks as it turns, moving glass pieces out of position. If this is a problem with your microwave, either use a different microwave, or remove the rotator tray and rollers from the microwave. If you cannot remove the rotator parts, then turn the rotator tray upside-down, and place 3 of the ½" ceramic posts that came with your kiln on the tray.

Accessories included with the kiln

Includes 6 - ½” ceramic posts, glass separator, and a 15-page 5 1/2” x 8 1/2” instruction manual. (You can read the manual on-line by clicking the link near the bottom of this page.) Place the kiln on 3 posts inside the microwave and on the other 3 posts for cooling.

Extra supplies you will need

Microwave oven with metal interior that is at least 8" tall inside, 12" x 12" ceramic tile or ceramic kiln shelf, heat-resistant gloves, 1" paint brush for applying glass separator, notebook for keeping firing records, glass cutter, and clear safety glasses.



If you are interested in a magic fuse kiln we carry them at Leslie ceramics as well as all the other equipment and raku glazes you will need to fire it. Get your own today.

Toki Kilns are here!

The easiest to use kiln controller on the market today. Program your kiln in under 12 seconds!

Easy to read, easy to program, and designed to make firing as easy as possible.


• Saves Time

• Excellent for teachers

• Professional Ceramist

• Beginners to Advanced

For more info go to:

TokiKilns.com

Anouncing Leslie Ceramic Supply's newest Clay

Wiggle White is here. Due to some problems with some lowfire white bodies made by other companies Leslie Ceramics has developed a new Low Fire White. Unlike Leslie's ever popular Spirit White Clay Wiggle White has no grog making it very smooth. However it still has same great working properties and dependability that you would expect from Leslie Ceramics. Come get a bag today!