Holiday Pottery Sale

New Local Potters at the Holiday Pottery Sale (or pdf with photos)

November 8, 2011 Salt Lake City, UT

The annual Holiday Pottery Sale turns 12 this year, and it continues to attract new and exciting local potters.  Our new potters include Clark Marshall, Ani Ostendorff, Joshua Flicker, and Heath Montgomery.  All are new to the Holiday Pottery Sale this year, but have been working on their craft for years.

Clark Marshall blends functional pottery with a love of the calligraphy of ancient texts. "While doing research in Italy, I kept reading old texts and was fascinated by their artistry." Clark uses screen printing techniques to transfer the texts as design elements onto his pottery. He has a degree in ceramics from Utah State University, and a Masters Degree in Art History from Syracuse University in Florence. He has been working in clay since he was 16. In recent months, his work has included high-fire water soluble metal salts. The salts offer a wide variety of pastels that are otherwise impossible on high fire functional wares. "I’m excited for the holiday sale, because save only one other venue, it will be the first occasion I have had to exhibit my work publicly. Moreover, the holiday sale will be my first opportunity to show my work specifically to clay enthusiasts." 

Ani Ostendorff combines functionality with creative design to build unique pieces of pottery. Often she combines wheel thrown techniques with handbuilding to construct distinctive shapes. Many pieces are layered with multiple glazes, slips and stains.  Ani makes an all ceramic travel mug with a twist off lid.  Ani was also featured in the book "Regretsy" for her "Peeing Planter".  She has a degree in Design and Art Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  She teaches ceramics and other art classes at a local high school.

Joshua Flicker works mainly in two contrasting styles.  In the first, he combines light and dark clay bodies together and carves away layers to reveal the patterns from within.  The result is a very organic look.  In the second, he uses molds made from found objects to create vessel forms with a very industrial aesthetic.  Joshua has a BFA in Art Education with an emphasis in Sculptural Ceramics.  For the last six and a half years he has been teaching art at Park City High School and is continuously developing his craft.  Joshua was an invited artist to both the Salt Lake Arts Festival, and Art Fair Jackson Hole, this past summer and has also shown his work in the Downtown Arts/Farmers Market at Pioneer Park, Craft Lake City, The People's Market, and within the Sweet Branch of the Salt Lake City Library.

Heath Montgomery creates fun and unique works, from carved incense burners to gnome homes and bowls decorated with little skulls on the rim.  “I love to wheel throw and hand build a variety of forms and then add or tool all sorts of designs into my work.”  He has been working in clay since 2004, learning from local teachers and workshops and is now teaching locally.  He adds that he “can't wait for the Holiday Pottery Sale.  I have been attending the show for several years, it's the best time to see and buy the greatest pottery in Utah.”

In total, there will be over 25 Utah potters with a wide range of items from practical pottery to decorative and sculptural pieces.  The sale is held every year on the Friday and Saturday of Thanksgiving Weekend from 10 AM to 5 PM.  It will be at the Sugarhouse Garden Center, 1602 E 2100 South, in the North-East corner of Sugarhouse Park.  Plenty of free parking is available and admission to the sale is free.  A full listing of the artists can be found at HolidayPotterySale.com.

The event will include a silent auction of wares donated by the potters of Clay Arts, Utah.  All of the proceeds from this auction go to help fund educational programs sponsored by Clay Arts, Utah.

The show’s sponsor, Clay Arts, Utah, is a statewide non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to education and advancement of the clay arts.  Members range from professional potters to students and supporters of the arts, brought together by the desire to see the clay arts remain strong in our communities.

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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact William James or refer to the Clay Arts, Utah web site at www.ClayArtsUtah.org or the sale web site at www.HolidayPotterySale.com.

William James, Holiday Sale Chairman and President of Clay Arts, Utah

Cell: 801-898-8507

Email: bill@megamicrobe.com

2010 Press Release....