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    • Pretty for the People

    8.31.2010

    Labels: | 1 comments



    Today is a good day. We got new boxes with a new design here at Matt and Dave's Clays! I really like them and think they are pretty sexy, if I do say so myself.




    Unfortunately, those of us who order directly from our website, you know that you are stuck with the USPS flat rate box  (Their regulations, not mine). So, to see these boxes in your own studio, you are going to have to ask your local clay supplier to carry Matt and Dave's Clays.




    Also, our back to school sale continues! It has been a rousing success so far and we know that not everyone is settled into their studio just yet. So hop on over to the website and get your clays.

    *Update. 
    I'm sorry to say that because of the rousing success of our sale we are currently out of The Coup body. We Still have Coup Cast Away Slip and Coup Stuck up, but get yours while it lasts. 


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    For a limited time, Matt and Dave's Clays is having a back to school sale!
    Right now, you can stock up on both our high temperature Porcelain for the People and our mid-temperature body, The Coup!
    Even better, our Cast Away, casting slip and Stuck Up, building and attaching slip are also on sale.
    Get all your clay supplies for the new school year or just to stock up your studio.
    Our amazing clays are only $24 for 30 pounds, shipped.
    Cast Away can be sent to you for only $35
    You too will be Stuck Up for just $9
    Head over to our website now.

    Thinsparation

    8.30.2010

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    This piece comes from  Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, by student Sharona Merlin has designed a flattened cup and saucer. I Love the way it looks and I guess it could work as a demitasse. 



    Via
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    For a limited time, Matt and Dave's Clays is having a back to school sale!
    Right now, you can stock up on both our high temperature Porcelain for the People and our mid-temperature body, The Coup!
    Even better, our Cast Away, casting slip and Stuck Up, building and attaching slip are also on sale.
    Get all your clay supplies for the new school year or just to stock up your studio.
    Our amazing clays are only $24 for 30 pounds, shipped.
    Cast Away can be sent to you for only $35
    You too will be Stuck Up for just $9
    Head over to our website now.

    Shake It Up!

    8.27.2010

    Labels: | 0 comments

    Via
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    For a limited time, Matt and Dave's Clays is having a back to school sale!
    Right now, you can stock up on both our high temperature Porcelain for the People and our mid-temperature body, The Coup!
    Even better, our Cast Away, casting slip and Stuck Up, building and attaching slip are also on sale.
    Get all your clay supplies for the new school year or just to stock up your studio.
    Our amazing clays are only $24 for 30 pounds, shipped.
    Cast Away can be sent to you for only $35
    You too will be Stuck Up for just $9
    Head over to our website now.

    Scratchers

    8.26.2010

    Labels: | 0 comments


    This "Cuppa" tea set by design student Jo Westrop features a scratch off silver coating. This way you can create your own designs as you go. 


    Nice until the coating is gone. Unfortunately I have learned this lesson in my own studio. If you are going to create work with an investigative process, it has to have a great payoff.


     Via
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    For a limited time, Matt and Dave's Clays is having a back to school sale!
    Right now, you can stock up on both our high temperature Porcelain for the People and our mid-temperature body, The Coup!
    Even better, our Cast Away, casting slip and Stuck Up, building and attaching slip are also on sale.
    Get all your clay supplies for the new school year or just to stock up your studio.
    Our amazing clays are only $24 for 30 pounds, shipped.
    Cast Away can be sent to you for only $35
    You too will be Stuck Up for just $9
    Head over to our website now.

    Good News, Bad News

    8.25.2010

    Labels: | 0 comments




     It seems that there has been a break in the porcelain theft case that we have been keeping an eye on.

    -
    From the BBC


    "Police investigating a £1m burglary at an East Sussex country mansion have charged a man from West Yorkshire.The porcelain burglary, which was the subject of a Crimewatch appeal, happened at Firle Place in Lewes in July 2009.The estate has been the home of the Gage family for more than 500 years and is used as a film and TV location.Sussex Police said Graham Harkin, 58, of Wakefield, will appear before Lewes magistrates on 1 September."


    -
    We can all breathe a sigh of relief. Our multi-millions dollar ceramics collections are again safe.


    Unfortunately our mold libraries are now under threat. 
    -


    Search underway for suspect in White City pottery theft
    By Bryan Navarro

    August 19, 2010

    WHITE CITY, Ore. - Investigators are searching for a suspect(s) who allegedly stole $400,000 worth of pottery from a White City woman last month.

    Jackson County Sheriff's Office detectives says 3,000 to 4,000 individual pottery molds were stolen in mid-July from a warehouse outside Robin Crowley's home.

    The stolen molds could be worth as much as $100 each because they are no longer produced and could be considered collectibles. Officials say that because the molds are specialized items, they would only be valuable to someone in the business.

    "I've put too much into this already. I'm not giving up on this dream, and I was really upset that someone just came up and took it," Crowley said.

    Anyone with information is asked to call the Jackson County Sheriff's Office tipline at 541-774-8333.

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    For a limited time, Matt and Dave's Clays is having a back to school sale!
    Right now, you can stock up on both our high temperature Porcelain for the People and our mid-temperature body, The Coup!
    Even better, our Cast Away, casting slip and Stuck Up, building and attaching slip are also on sale.
    Get all your clay supplies for the new school year or just to stock up your studio.
    Our amazing clays are only $24 for 30 pounds, shipped.
    Cast Away can be sent to you for only $35
    You too will be Stuck Up for just $9
    Head over to our website now.

    But I am Uzbek.....In my dreams.

    8.23.2010

    Labels: | 0 comments

    True Dat. 
    Link
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    For a limited time, Matt and Dave's Clays is having a back to school sale!
    Right now, you can stock up on both our high temperature Porcelain for the People and our mid-temperature body, The Coup!
    Even better, our Cast Away, casting slip and Stuck Up, building and attaching slip are also on sale.
    Get all your clay supplies for the new school year or just to stock up your studio.
    Our amazing clays are only $24 for 30 pounds, shipped.
    Cast Away can be sent to you for only $35
    You too will be Stuck Up for just $9
    Head over to our website now.

    Fanny and Zooey

    8.20.2010

    Labels: | 3 comments



    If you so choose, you could own J.D. Salinger's...Toilet. 
    No, I'm not proud of myself. 
    But, hey. It's Friday!
    Have a good weekend everyone. 


    Link


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    For a limited time, Matt and Dave's Clays is having a back to school sale!
    Right now, you can stock up on both our high temperature Porcelain for the People and our mid-temperature body, The Coup!
    Even better, our Cast Away, casting slip and Stuck Up, building and attaching slip are also on sale.
    Get all your clay supplies for the new school year or just to stock up your studio.
    Our amazing clays are only $24 for 30 pounds, shipped.
    Cast Away can be sent to you for only $35
    You too will be Stuck Up for just $9
    Head over to our website now.

    Un-Bear-ably Cute

    8.19.2010

    Labels: | 0 comments



    Aggggghhhhhh. too cute!


    With a serious message. 
    And it is a salt and pepper shaker to boot!


    Link
    Via
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    For a limited time, Matt and Dave's Clays is having a back to school sale!
    Right now, you can stock up on both our high temperature Porcelain for the People and our mid-temperature body, The Coup!
    Even better, our Cast Away, casting slip and Stuck Up, building and attaching slip are also on sale.
    Get all your clay supplies for the new school year or just to stock up your studio.
    Our amazing clays are only $24 for 30 pounds, shipped.
    Cast Away can be sent to you for only $35
    You too will be Stuck Up for just $9
    Head over to our website now.

    Back to School Sale!

    8.18.2010

    Labels: | 2 comments

    For a limited time, Matt and Dave's Clays is having a back to school sale!


    "No way" you say?
    Way, we say!


    Right now, you can stock up on both our high temperature Porcelain for the People and our mid-temperature body, The Coup!
    Even better, our Cast Away, casting slip and Stuck Up, building and attaching slip are also on sale.
    Get all your clay supplies for the new school year or just to stock up your studio.
    Our amazing clays are only $24 for 30 pounds, shipped.
    Cast Away can be sent to you for only $35
    You too will be Stuck Up for just $9
    Head over to our website now.
    www.mattanddavesclays.com






     

    Nomskulls

    8.17.2010

    Labels: | 0 comments


    I love it when a product comes with the punny name pre-installed. 
    Of course we had the skull pincushion, not to long ago. So we need one more skull item, for the hat trick.
    Via. 


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    Clowning Around

    8.12.2010

    Labels: | 1 comments



    I love these jars. There is something about the simplicity of shape and materials that really satisfies me. Designer Thomas Kral states that they are inspired by a clown noses.




    That said, I don't think I need to know the source. I understand that Mr. Kral wants to share his inspiration , but I think that sometimes when talking about our work, we need to follow the trope, "Less history, more mystery".


    Link 
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    Balloonatic

    8.11.2010

    Labels: | 0 comments



    This porcelain balloon stuck in a tree, functions as a bird house. Quite nice. 


    via 
    link
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    Dunkin Dounuts

    8.10.2010

    Labels: | 2 comments



    ...or cookies. 


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    Splish Splash

    8.09.2010

    Labels: | 1 comments



    Mrs. Rose and I have been busy on our summer project, renovating the downstairs bathroom. This weekend we laid the wall tile. It took from Friday night till late Sunday afternoon, basically evaporating the entire weekend, but we are really happy with the results. Of course the tiles are all from Mrs. Rose's employer Trikeenan Tileworks. and are all seconds. As all ceramists know, the seconds are always just as good as the firsts, with more personality.


    As you may know we bought our first house last Fall and we have been moving through the house making it our own. It was mostly a lot of wall paper stripping, changing out fixtures, drywall and paint. Once that was done we started gutting. We started at the beginning of June and in two months have made it pretty far. With the help of our friend Dan we have completely changed the room.

    Let's see if I can remember all the changes. After demo, we cut a hole into our perfectly good wall. The old bathroom had neither a window or a vent fan. So we added both.  I won't act like I had anything to do with it except the conceptualization. Dan and Mrs.Rose, did the cutting and installation. That said it was still quite a nerve racking process, where there once was wall, now there is window. We then insulated wall and cased out the window. Dan then replaced all the electrical in the room and installed the new light and fan. 

    Rose and I took it upon ourselves to do all the new plumbing. Thanks to these shark bite connections and PEX plastic plumbing it was a breeze. Then it was on to the Drywall and Cement board, and the Tiling that we have today. There were a bunch of small jobs in there that had to get done but that was the major stuff. 

    Just a few more jobs left. Sealing and grouting, install the in floor heating, floor tile, redo the drain lines and then final installation of the fixtures and accessories. All in all I have to say that I am really happy with the tile job.


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    Heart Breaker

    8.05.2010

    Labels: | 1 comments


    This vessel is called a secret keeper. Designed by Agnieszka Mazur and Dorota Skalska it is meant to be broken to reveal the secrets that are kept inside.


    I just like that it is shaped like a real heart... so romantic. 




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    Gehry Head.

    8.04.2010

    Labels: | 1 comments

    Frank Gehry Tries His Hand at Curating a Ceramics Exhibition

    By Steve Delahoyde on Jul 27, 2010 07:04 AM
    0727geceram.jpg
    Outside of architecture, Frank Gehry has occasionally dabbled in other things, like designing chairs, making jewelry for Tiffany's, and acting as an unpaid spokesmodel for those "F*&k Frank Gehry" shirts from a few years back. Now he can add "curator" to his resume, as this weekend marked the opening of his exhibition, "Frank Gehry Selects: A Group Show of Ceramics" at the Frank Lloyd Gallery in Santa Barbara, California. Gehry's interest in ceramics predates his focused involvement in architecture, starting when he took a class in college and his professor, the artist Glen Lukens, recognized his talent and enthusiasm for building and design. Since then, and in apparent honor of Lukens, Gehry has remained a collector and champion of ceramics, some of his collection (and pieces of his own work) now finding its way into this exhibition that will run until August 21st. Here's a bit:
    This exhibition grew out of a conversation between Frank Lloyd and Frank Gehry. It started as a casual idea, and grew into an exhibition -- works chosen by Gehry, by people that he knows and respects. It marks an opportunity to see a variety of approaches to ceramic art, in a selection by a world-class architect. The exhibit also demonstrates, once again, the integration of the ceramic arts into the larger world of Southern California art and architecture.
    For more reading, here's the LA Times talking to both Lloyd and Gehry about the exhibition.


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    Table the Motion

    8.03.2010

    Labels: | 1 comments


    This table by designer Elad Kashi is actually a collection of plates held together by a wooden frame. 
    It really does make the clean up a lot easier.




    Via


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    Let's Create

    8.02.2010

    Labels: | 3 comments



    The idea of pottery as a game had never occurred to me. But to the people of Infinite Dreams, it was the perfect subject for a new iPad game. Let's Create: Pottery HD is a game they developed, where you have to create and decorate pottery to play the game. It may sound a little cheesy to those of us who do this for a living. But I'm sure Need for Speed seems weird to Formula 1 drivers. 




    In the game, you play a Roman potter responsible for filling the orders of your customers. You are given specific shapes and surfaces that the customers request and you have to create them. You get paid depending on how accurately you recreate the shape. You can then use your money to buy new decorating techniques. Pretty simple and amazingly engaging. To me as a game, it is in the realm of Tetris. Wherein, you are just trying to match shapes and use your visual judgement to perfectly mimic the shapes in front of you.  For someone like myself who likes playing games, but I am not particularly fond of a game where you are under pressure of a ticking clock or Zombie attack. 





    This game is meditative and as far as creating pots, the user interface is fairly realistic.  Of course for those of us who work on the wheel, it is not a tactile experience. When Mrs. Rose saw me playing, she said " Oh, that's cheating" Because to pull and shape the pot, you drag your finger across the profile. It is not a two handed, interior/exterior shaping like we are used to. That said, the challenge of  working the clay and the movement is realistic enough to be enjoyable. You pull up, collar and shape like you normally would. 





    There are some things that the experienced potter will not like, but I think they do not limit the enjoyment of the game. 
    A) There are no tools and no trimming. so what ever shaping you do, is just from shaping on the wheel. 
    B) No matter how hard I try, I couldn't get the clay on the wheel to collapse. It can pick up a wobble is you do not shape symmetrically. but it will not fall over. I understand why they did this, because it would anger people to have their clay constantly collapsing, But it would add a level of realism. 
    C) The decorating and firing functions are generic, the "Kiln" is just the same spinning wheel, with a red tint and a brick background. The decorating, is really just tempplated and does not have the subtlety of the shaping mechanics. 




    That said, I really enjoyed the game. It is a new type of challenge, that may have a bright future in the realm of gaming. 


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