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