Leslie Ceramic Supply Co., Inc. Blog

Roscoe Ceramic Gallery

2011-12-19T15:50:00.000-08:00

Derek Van Beers' fantastic gallery in the Uptown district of Oakland has several great shows lined up. Be sure to check them out. Stay tuned to the website here.

Christa Assad: Carhartt “Everyday Icon” Campaign

2011-10-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

Leslie customer Christa Assad was photographed at Leslie's for Carhartt's “Everyday Icon” campaign. Visit her website here.

Christa left this great comment:

"Christa Assadsaid...: thanks, Leslie's, for continuing to deliver great product and the friendliest service around! when Carhartt asked where i wanted to shoot the "materials scene", of course i thought of Leslie's Ceramics! i heart you!
xo
christa"

Thanks Christa!

Schedule for this Saturday, October 22nd Ceramics Festival

2011-10-19T16:36:00.000-07:00

___________________________________________________________________________________
Schedule:
7:30 - 8:15 Coffee and Set Up
8:15 - 9:15 Michelle Gregor
9:45 - 10:45 Forest L. Middleton
11:15 - 12:15 Eric Struck
12:15 - 1:15 Lunch
1:30 - 2:30 Susan Dannenfelser
3:00 - 4:00 Sandy Simon
4:30 Raffle!

Raku firing, Kids N Clay, Pottery Texture Queen, Fingerlakes slipcasting, etc. all day
___________________________________________________________________________________

Torch Enameling Workshop: November 5th

2011-10-05T14:25:00.001-07:00

November 5th - Torch Enameling on Copper Workshop with Steven James

No kiln? No problem! Learn how to use your butane torch to hand-fire enamel onto metal. Create a variety of fused-glass designs -- pendants, matching earrings, and charms for a bracelet -- while learning the instructor’s tips and tricks he only shares in class. With enameling, the design ideas are endless and the outcomes are completely unique every time you fire! For maximum firing time, bring your own torch or share one of the instructor’s, and learn just how far you can take your creativity.
12:00 pm to 3 pm - Fee: $55 plus a $15 fee for supplies (paid to instructor day of workshop)
Students will also receive a 10% discount on anything in the store the day of the workshop.

Dragon Flameware made with Toki Flameclay

2011-09-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

Leslie customer Ericka Wingerter just created a website about the Flameware dishes that she makes with Leslie's Toki Flameclay. Her website has some beautiful pictures and expounds the advantages of Toki Flameclay. Here is what she has to say about her cookware, which she call Dragon Flameware:

Dragon Flameware can withstand 800 degree heat.

Ceramic cookware enhances food flavor and keeps dishes hotter longer.

Dragon Flameware is easy to clean.

Non-Scratch, Non-Toxic Ceramic Glaze Surface.

Dragon Flameware is versatile. It works in pizza ovens, regular ovens, and dishwashers. On stovetops, BBQs, open flames, and on your table.

Dragon Flameware is non-toxic – with no trace metals or chemicals leaching from the cooking surface.

Dragon Flameware is beautiful and one of a kind!

Read More about her pottery and see more photos at http://dragonflameware.com/

Happy Glaze on Sale Now

2011-09-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Glaze on Sale!

Just in time for the new school year all pints will be on sale:

BUY ONE GET ONE FREE
ONLY $4.50 PER PINT

September 1st to the 17th

Leslie’s new Happy Glazes are:

Economical
Colorful
Glossy
Transparent
Made in Berkeley

They also have a wide variety of applications and work great at Low Fire temperatures (cone 06-05-04) or at Mid Fire (cone 5-6). In addition they look fantastic when raku fired. Come by the store to check out the test tiles and pick up some Happy Glaze.

Creature / Portrait Head Workshop with Bob Carpenter

2011-09-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

Creature / Portrait Head Workshop
Just in time for Halloween! In this workshop you will discover basic human facial anatomy and proportions and build a portrait or creature head. You will explore the hand building process including tools and techniques. Bob will demonstrate for you crucial armature techniques while you learn how to build life-sized ceramic sculptures and prevent them from exploding in the kiln. Be prepared for an afternoon of challenges and laughs. All skill levels are welcome!
10:30 am to 4 pm with a half hour break. Fee: $60
Bring photos or sketches for reference and any tools you might need. As always dress to mess.

K-12 Teachers: this class is designed for you and your students!

Bob Carpenter earned his Bachelors of Fine Art in Sculpture at The Academy of Art University in 2010. Since graduation he has been tutoring students in design, concept, building technique, finishing technique and photography. Bob has extensive knowledge of the ceramic process as well as mold making and techniques. You can find him and his works at www.BobboDaGreen.com

Seed Balls made with Ceramic Clay

2011-08-22T11:03:00.000-07:00

Seed Ball Fever

Recently we have had a surge of inquiries from customers wanting to know if we have clay suitable to make seed balls. Of course we do. We usually recommend dry powdered Red Art Clay as it mixes more readily with the seeds and other ingredients and is just pure clay. We sell it in 1 lb, 5 lbs, 10 lbs, 25 lbs, 50 lbs, and up. Look at our Raw Material pricelist for prices here.

October 22nd Ceramic Festival Raffle

2011-08-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

Many prizes will be raffled off at 4 PM, including a Shimpo VL Lite Potters Wheel generously donated by Shimpo Ceramics, Toki Rocket Kiln, IMCO Clay, Leslie Clays & Glazes, and many more prizes.

All proceeds will be donated to The Richmond Art Center and Berkeley Art Center.

1 ticket: $5
3 tickets: $10
8 tickets: $20

Visit or Call Leslie Ceramics to buy tickets!

Leslie Ceramics and IMCO Clay Co Present: Open House Ceramics Festival

2011-08-01T16:32:00.000-07:00

OPEN HOUSE CERAMICS FESTIVAL
Saturday, October 22, 2011
7:30 - 4:30
FREE ADMISSION
Hosted by Leslie Ceramics
& IMCO, Industrial Minerals Co.
DEMONSTRATIONS, EXHIBITS, DISPLAYS

Featuring demonstrations by:

Sandy Simon: Functional Vessels

Forrest Lesch-Middelton: Image Transfer on Pottery

Eric Struck: Throwing Large Pots

Susan Dannenfelser: Tile Making

Also you can participate in Raku firings with:

Lenny Larson – Ceramic Services: Raku Firing

And for the kids:

Kids ‘N’ Clay: Wheel and Sculpting

Also featuring tables and presentations from:

Lynn Wood: Pottery Texture Queen Texture Mats

Arturo Maldonado: Cress Mfg.

Karen Wise: Shimpo Ceramics

They have graciously donated a VL-lite pottery wheel like this one to be raffled off.

Richard Whittaker: Works & Conversations

Ann Hatch & Braden Weeks Earp: The Workshop Residence

Diana Bohn: Potters for Peace

Richmond Art Center

The Berkeley Art Center

And much more!
Many prizes will be raffled off at 4 PM, including a
VL Lite Potters Wheel generously donated by Shimpo Ceramics.
All proceeds will be donated to
The Richmond Art Center and Berkeley Art Center.

Lynn Wood Clay Texture Mat Workshop July 16th

2011-06-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

We have a very exciting workshop coming up with Lynn Wood, the Pottery Texture Queen. You will learn how she makes her amazing work using rubber texture mats that she designs and makes. Learn this easy yet exciting way to embellish your work. This can be another great tool in your toolbox.

Slab-O-Rama

Hands on workshop at Leslie Ceramics in Berkeley
July 16th
Clay Texture Workshop – ~~$70~~ NOW ONLY $60!
10:00 am to 4:30 pm (w/ break for lunch)

In this hands on workshop, we will explore both the use of slabs and textures. Projects will include a variety of items from plates to cups to vases. Goals will be to make some things, have fun, and take away a number of skills and ideas into the future. All skill levels welcome.

Contact Leslie's to register 510-524-7363
Visit Leslie's website to see all workshops here.

From PotteryTextureQueen.com:
"The texture queen has had clay as a joy in her life since early childhood. The ability to play and explore the endless possibilities with this medium, furthers her creative pleasure.

As the queen’s career developed, so did her joy of including texture in her work. She has been influenced by texture in everyday life. She especially draws inspiration from nature, textiles, and architecture. Finding beauty in the details, she has become quite passionate about texture, in fact, one could say she is a texture fanatic.

And now she has developed her own line of texture stamps for potters. These are large (7”X9”) unmounted patterned rubber stamps. They work well on both slabs and thrown work. Currently 22 different patterns are available.

Email the texture queen at: potterytexturequeen@yahoo.com"

These are pictures of the a couple of the clay texture mats which the Queen makes.

"Splicing Forms of Nature and Science" by Jos Sances and Daniel Galvez

2011-06-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

Daniel Galvez and Jos Sances have recently completed a mural titled Splicing Forms of Nature and Science at Skyline College, San Bruno, California. They have worked independently as successful, professional artists for over thirty years each. As a collaborative team, our partnership creates a unique skill-set profile that includes monumental site-specific projects, graphic and digital design, exceptional drawing and painting skills, carving and glazing handmade tile and a wide range of public projects from etched stainless steel to oil on canvas painting to digital ceramic tile.

Leslie Ceramics advised Sances and Galvez on technical issues related to the glazing and firing of the ceramic mural components, that were fired in a TOKI 99 kiln.

"When addressing new interpretive site-specific artwork, we initiate dialogue to explore theme, content and medium while devising a strategy for involving community, administrators and architects to assist in furthering the design parameters. We have successfully completed such projects as the interpretive dual canvas murals for the U.S. Department of the Interior’s 150th Anniversary in their Washington, DC headquarters building, the 165’ digital tile installation for Alameda County’s Juvenile Justice Center in San Leandro, the 3-panel mixed media installation for the African American Museum and Library in Oakland, the 700 square foot digital tile and hand-carved tile art installation for the new Castro Valley Library along with many others." (Visit Sances' website here to see some pictures)

"It gives us great satisfaction to design work that has been developed through interaction and dialogue with interested stakeholders in creating artwork that reflects their vision and values in meaningful content."

Daniel Galvez has created numerous public works ranging in scale from 128 square feet to 128,000 square feet. Most recently he created twelve etched stainless steel elevator doors highlighting the natural habitats of Richmond’s shoreline and creeks/woodland parks along with an interpretive artwork on the City’s history and renaissance for the City of Richmond’s Civic Center Renovation Project. Previous works include a 12 x 66’ painting honoring the life of Malcolm X for the City of New York at the Audubon Ballroom and a $250,000 project with two collaborating artists for four 200’ long interpretive and historical murals on Highway 680 underpass walls in Dublin, CA.

Jos is founder and the art director of Alliance Graphics, begun in 1989 it has grown into a successful, union screenprint and design shop. Over the years Jos has designed and printed thousands of posters and t-shirts for hundreds of progressive causes, while at the same time maintaining a steady output of art which address issues and ideas which concern him. In 2010 the Library of Congress aquired 487 prints from Sances which represented a broad overveiw of his thiry years of printmaking. Before Alliance Graphics, he co-founded Mission Grafica at the Mission Cultural Center in 1980 and worked there until1988.

During the past 15 years Mural and Public Art has been Jos's passion. He has painted murals at the Oakland Coliseum and tile mural commissions at the new Juvenile Justice Center in San Leandro, CA; AMTRAK/BART Station, Richmond, CA, the Sixteenth Street BART station in San Francisco.Two tile murals were completed in 2009, at the new Library in Castro Valley and Arnett Watson Apartments in San Francisco. In 2010 with Daniel Galvez, Jos completed a huge 7000 sq.ft Mural for a new Recreation Center at Ira Jenkins Park in Oakland and also a Etched Stainless Steel and Ceramic Mural for Skyline College in San Bruno, CA. Jos is proudly a founding and lifelong member of the Great Tortilla Conspiracy.

About the Skyline Project: Sances says, "When I first visited the site at Skyline College I was struck by the view of the ocean from the hills and it got me thinking about the mission of Skyline College, which is essentially teaching technical skills, illustrated by the harsh, modern buildings which dot the campus and the beautiful, natural Pacifica setting in which it was nestled. I decided to create a project which juxtaposed the technical and the natural and show how the two can integrate. We used etched stainless steel triangles to demonstrate the hardness and accuracy on science and hand-made, hand-painted tiles to represent the warmth of the natural world. Going even deeper, we filled the geometric steel triangles with spheres, circles and other softer, more natural lines resulting in a piece which reveals how nature and science complement each other."

More on Chanda Beck

2011-06-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

Check out this article about Chanda Beck's Ezme Designs from Vagabond SF's blog. It has some very nice photos.
You'd better sign up for her workshop now....
Workshops at Leslie Ceramics

Chanda Beck Workshops coming up!

2011-05-31T12:14:00.000-07:00

June 11th: Tile making workshop with Chanda Beck ezmedesigns.com
Tile-Making 101
Here are some images of some tile commissions:

More info and how to sign up.
Website
Etsy Shop
Flickr Page

Karl McDade Workshop: May 28th

2011-05-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Karl McDade Workshop is FULL! Thank you everyone for signing up. Hopefully we can convince Karl to teach another one.

Here is the process that Karl will be teaching on May 28th at Leslie Ceramics in Berkeley. Go to our workshops page on our website for details and how to sign up.

Go to Karl's website here to see some of the finished work.

Check out this testimonial and pictures from Karl's workshop at CCACA last year:
dancingclay.blogspot.com

History

2011-03-24T12:44:00.000-07:00

Cybelle Rowe Show this weekend in Sacramento

2011-02-10T16:34:00.000-08:00

Leslie Ceramics would like to announce a 50 work show of artist Cybelle Rowe titled "This Woman's Work."
Spaning 7 years and featuring work in ceramic, bronze, plastic and wall works on canvas, the show is being held at the Art Foundry Gallery in Sacramento.
The show opened on the 2nd Feb and runs til March 5th. Official opening is on this Saturday the 12th at 6pm.

Succesful Booksigning and Talk January 15th

2011-01-25T15:05:00.000-08:00

Leslie's would like to thank Abby Wasserman and Richard Whitaker and everyone who came out for such a great event. Here are a couple of pictures from the booksigning.

L: Abby Wasserman, editor-author, Mary Tuthill Lindheim: Art and Inspiration

Exhibit of Mary Lindheim ceramics at Leslie Ceramic Supply. The exhibit will remain up for a few more weeks and will later travel to the Richmond Art Center.

L to R: Richard Whittaker, Abby Wasserman and John Toki at the Jan. 15th event for Mary Tuthill Lindheim: Art and Inspiration

Announcing Art Show with Leslie's Owner John Toki

2011-01-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

Journey of the soul: An exhibition of sculpture, painting, collage & prints
Larry Stefl * John Toki * Pamela Stefl Toki
January 18 - February 25, 2011
Craft & Cultrual Arts Gallery
State of California Office Building-Atrium * 1515 Clay Oakland, CA 94612
Thursday, January 20 - Reception, 5-8 pm
Thursday, February 17 - Concert with Larry Stefl Jazz Trio, 5-7 pm Artists' Talk 7-8 pm

Gallery Hours 10 am - 5 pm Monday through Friday

CAEA Winner of Toki Kiln donated by Leslie Ceramics!

2010-12-27T14:00:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-27T13:37:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-16T11:05:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-12-02T13:29:00.001-08:00

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

2010-11-23T12:33:00.000-08:00

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

2010-09-23T16:47:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

“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

2010-06-03T15:46:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-10T11:14:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-02-08T14:17:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-28T16:52:00.000-08:00

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!

Leslie's New Blog

2009-02-16T13:04:00.001-08:00