Uptown Clay

Jon Loer and Sheryl Grassie

Minneapolis, MN

www.Uptownclay.com

2017 booth # 67D

Uptown Clay is a collaborative of 15 ceramic artists working in clay on Harriet Ave. just off the Midtown Greenway. We represent a gamut of ages, genders, and viewpoints with the shared objective of creating work in the ceramic medium. Most of us create functional ceramics, using a variety of techniques to arrive at a finished product. All of us are part time artists, who live and work in the urban neighborhood. Our work is sold selectively at a handful of shows.

For the Loring Park Art Festival we will feature the work of two artists; Jon Loer and Sheryl Grassie. Sheryl creates stoneware ceramics on the pottery wheel, while Jon’s work is primarily hand built or cast ceramics. Both of these artists has been practicing their craft for over 20 years and have not sold at the Loring Park Art Festival before. Our price points range from $5.00- $60.00. Our modestly priced work is meant to be used and enjoyed by people in their daily lives.

© Jon Loer

© Sheryl Grassie

Genevieve Loso

Genevieve Loso Pottery

Chaska, MN

2023 Booth #102

I create wheel-thrown functional pottery using primarily white stoneware. Experimenting with various forms and glazes keeps me enamored with the limitless possibilities of clay. I enjoy contrasting colors and textures within a piece. Recently, I have been inspired by building materials. I have been incorporating the patterns, textures, and repetition of tiles and flooring in my work. Sometimes this is accomplished by pressing a pattern into clay, painting, or spraying on glazes. My works have a finished quality to them; they are light, trimmed, and fired to cone 6.

© Genevieve Loso

Gregg Rasmusson

St Louis, MO

www.grceramics.com

© Gregg Rasmusson

2018 booth #13

Wheel thrown pottery in which I draw patterns onto each piece, then carve the patterns into the clay. After they have been glazed and fired I fill in the carved lines with grout.

Adama Sow

Ceramicsow

Hopkins, MN

www.ceramicsow.com

2023 Booth # 146

Adama Sow is a ceramist who originates from Senegal (West Africa). This master on the potter's wheel has been working with clay for more than twenty years now. After finishing high school and already inspired by his big brother Alpha Sow who also was a ceramist, Adama decided to go the Fine Art School of Dakar (Senegal) where he obtained his diploma in ceramics in 1987. As a rookie in the art world, Mr. Sow astonished everyone by the quality of his first exhibition at the Historic Museum of Goree in Dakar in 1989. During the next five years, he worked in Soumbedioune Ceramics and in his workshop in the capital city of Senegal. Also, he offered classes to both adults and children. In 1995, his thirst for Art took him to Germany where he attended the ceramics school in Horgrenzhausen.

© Adama Sow

Blayze Buseth

Fergus Falls, MN

blayzebuseth.com

2018 booth # 

I use porcelain to create a variety of handmade artwork. Some of my artwork includes fine relief carving.

© Blayze Buseth

Phillip Smith

PotterSmiths

Minneapolis, MN

2017 booth #.

I create an imaginarium, a place where a user or viewer can go, to experience a different time, and, place. I create a forum for personal improvisation. Memory and imagination provide us a perspective of reality, and of the complexity of our lives. I am stimulated by an ever growing body of knowledge of man’s innate abilities and the effect of color on our emotions.

My process includes the use of stoneware and porcelain clays. My work is formed on a wheel and altered, as well as hand formed. I use slips, stains, and glaze for my color palette. I fire in a soda atmosphere to “cone 10” or 2300 F. My work is vitreous and durable.

© Phillip Smith

Paul Hofrenning

Shino pottery

Edina, MN

2017 booth # 114

I have always found comfort and enjoyment when working with my hands. When I discovered pottery in college, it became a match and I found myself being able to create work that was transpiring and satisfying. Pottery has always been what centers me. I have been drawn to Japanese and Korean pottery.

About half of my work is wheel thrown, carved and altered and the other half of my work is handbuilt textured pottery that is highly tactile.

I work with both high fire stoneware and raku. I really enjoy working with raku and am doing more and more with that process.

Upon a lot of research I started to make my own glazes and create my pieces from my own perspective with an Asian influence. Over the years I have been inspired to create work that has a strong sculptural feel to it as well as a strong tactile feel to the piece at the same time.

I try to only make work that I like myself and hopefully still find a market for my work that also enjoy what I do.

© Paul Hofrenning

Ed Brownlee

Edsware

Kalamazoo, MI

2023 Booth #2

Functional stoneware art with brightly glazed folk imagery referencing animation and art history

© Ed Brownlee

Peter Jadoonath

Shafer, MN

www.peterjadoonathpottery.com

2018 booth #87

Functional Stoneware Pottery. Shapes are wheel thrown, altered, carved, glazed and fired in a gas reduction kiln. My goal is to create sturdy shapes that focus on texture, gesture, and a sculptural presence.

© Peter Jadoonath

Kirk Niehouse

Marshalltown, IA

2023 Booth #82

I create wheel thrown and hand built pottery that are functional stoneware or Raku fired ceramics. The functional pottery is made with stoneware clay. My Raku pieces are either traditional American Raku and Horse Hair Raku. The Raku pieces are made from a white Raku clay that after being fired once is then glazed and refired then at 1800 degrees removed from the kiln place in barrels full of leaves. Once the leaves are on fire, lids are placed on the can smothering the fire burning up the air in the can creating coppers and other colors on the surface of the pots.
The horse hair pots are made from a mix of porcelain and Raku clay. After being fired once the pieces are fired again to 1400 degrees, at that point they are removed hot from the kiln. The hair from the horses tail is laid on the pots. The hair burns on the hot pottery creating a black design of lines on the surface of the pot.

© Kirk Niehouse

Chris and Sue Holmquist

Holmquist Pottery

Northfield, MN

holmquistpots.com

2022 Booth #132

Holmquist pottery is a husband/wife collaboration between Sue and Chris Holmquist. They create pottery with original whimsical imagery. The pots are made by Chris and the images are painted in ceramic underglazes by Sue. Both Sue and Chris draw up the designs that are painted. Their goal is to create well designed pots that make you smile!

Creator of the Loring Park Art Festival 2016 Postcard 

© Chris Holmquist

© Chris Holmquist

Kathy Maves

Elk Mound, WI

www.kathymaves.com

2017 booth # 141

© Kathy Maves

Earthenware pottery with red clay, white slip, underglazes, and a clear gloss glaze. Marbled monoprints use ceramic oil-based paint and computer-generated paper cuts as a relief image.

Chad Jerzak

© Chad Jerzak

Nowthen, MN
www.chadjerzakpottery.com
2021 Booth #91

My mission as a ceramic artist is to continually explore alternative firing techniques. The processes of Raku and Barrel firing allow for much experimentation and create a sense of adventure in firing pottery. My focus is to create graceful ceramic forms where I allow the power of the flames to produce their spontaneous effects. These firing techniques tend to create pottery that is left to chance and can yield fantastic and exciting results. Many of my greatest influences in design come from the natural world, and assert the idea of a pottery surface that is meant to create a “Mysterious Presence”.

Bruce Kaupanger

© Bruce Kaupanger

Spring Creek Clay,Etc
Rice Lake, WI
BruceKaupanger.com
2019 booth #92

I do Raku pottery and add horsehair to each piece- Underglazes are added to the pot before it is bisque fired-A clear glaze is used on the pot so the underglaze colors will come through- After the hot pot comes out of the glaze kiln horsehair is added creating a carbon trail design.  When my Raku pots dry I spray them with colored underglazes.  After bisque firing, I paint a clear glaze on the pot; this allows the  underglaze color to come through,  When the hot pot comes out of the glaze kiln I put it in a bucket of sawdust then apply horsehair.

Born and raised in Stoughton Wisconsin.  I graduated from UW-Eau Claire with a BA in 1969 and from UW-Superior with a MA in 1975.  Taught art in the Rice Lake Wisconsin School District for 33 years.   Retired in 2002 and have been making lots of pots ever since.  I am blessed with a wonderful understanding family.  Life is GOOD !!                                                                                                                                             

© Bruce Kaupanger

© Bruce Kaupanger

© Bruce Kaupanger

Wendy Penta

© Wendy Penta

Stone Hollow Tile
Blaine, MN
2021 Booth #32

Wendy Penta has been creating tile for 18 years. Suitable for installation or hanging as simple work of art.
Hand forming shapes attached to simple slabs gives 3 dimensional effect, new are wall pockets, and constantly evolving glazes.

Nicholas Kosack

Minneapolis, MN
2017 booth #

My sculptural work begins as wheel thrown forms and are then manipulated before drying to create their distinct flowing curves and various textures. This work is an exploration of tensions, finding a point between intentionality and spontaneity, structure and fluidity. While also wheel thrown, my functional work aims for a more humble elegance which preserves the shapes and textures formed by fingers in clay. I like to think of it as a gift from my fingers to yours.

© Nicholas Kosack

Bridget Donahue

Excelsior, MN
www.bridgetdonahue.com
2018 booth #127

Red earthenware, thrown, hand-built, and tiles. The piece is first decorated with bright colored slip, carved and or textured, then fired the first time. Slip is then applied again and rubbed off to enhance the textured area. The piece is then glaze and fired again. Tiles are mounted on canvas-covered plywood, painted to highlight the colors of the tiles, and then framed in painted wood frames.

© Bridget Donahue

Paul Corbin

©Paul Corbin

Decorah, IA
2017 booth # 33

Paul Corbin creates high fire white stoneware.