Ginny August And Betsy Gardiner Celebrate Twenty Years At Farmington Valley Arts Center
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| Betsey Gardiner |
This Friday evening, November 16th, 2012,
The Pottery Spectrum will be open to the public during the annual kick off of
Candlelight Season at The Farmington Valley Arts Center is Avon, CT
Ginny August and
Betsy Gardiner are celebrating their 20th year at
The Farmington Valley Center and are getting ready to observe this special milestone with a studio packed with stunning ceramics, functional pottery, decorative arts, holiday and nature inspired pottery and more.
Pottery Inspired By Nature
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| Betsy Gardiner |
I took a tour of the studio yesterday and fell in love with so many pieces. Betsy likes to work close to nature and has many delightful dishes, vessels, cups, serving pieces with leaf motifs and other earthy influences.
New Ceramic Series With Stamped Designs
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| Ginny August |
Ginny has just completed an exquisite white and patterned pottery series which involves the techniques of stamping designs onto your work.
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| Betsy Gardiner |
What Is The Difference Between Pottery And Ceramics?
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| Betsy Gardiner |
These gals have been at their craft for a long time, so I asked Betsy and Ginny... what is the difference between the terms "pottery" and "ceramics" ? After our brief chat, I was so fascinated about the topic that I did some more homework. Here is what I learned. Pottery generally refers to containers or vessels made from clay. Potters can "throw" clay on a wheel or build pots by hand. Commercial pottery is mass produced in factories. Studio pottery is crafted by artisans who have mastered their own individual style.
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| Ginny August |
What Are Ceramics?
Ceramics is an umbrella term referring to materials which are completely changed by heat. Earthenware, Stoneware, Porcelain, Bone china are examples of whiteware ceramics.
Ceramics are used both in industry as well as for the home. For example, pipes and roof tiles can be ceramic, but so can tableware and cookware. Clay is not the only material used in making ceramics. Industrial ceramics might include such materials as silica carbide and zirconium oxide.
Functional Pottery At The Pottery Spectrum
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| Ginny August |
At the Pottery Spectrum you will find tableware, cookware, tiles, figurative sculptures such as angels, masks etc. made from clay. Ginny and Betsy are often seen at the wheel with their denim pottery aprons busy at work. The process of preparing the clay, forming the object, decorating or stamping the piece, glazing and firing is a long journey. As you will see in these photos, Ginny and Betsy are quite accomplished at their craft.
Artful Giving: HowAbout Pottery For The Holidays
As I was photographing these beautiful works of art, I really appreciated just how lovely the holidays would be with a table set with handmade bowls, platters, serving dishes. There are many color palettes and styles to choose from.
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| Ginny August |
This year at The Farmington Valley Arts Center the theme is Artful Giving. For sure, the ceramics and pottery at The Pottery Spectrum are special gifts for the holidays ....a studio not to miss.
Candlelight event starts Friday evening, November 16th and continues the following day with Saturday daytime hours. See poster below for schedule and events.
C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of
I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at
dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website,
CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists
