The First Annual Open Studio Show and Sale

Sponsored By:  The Arlington Artists Alliance

On Saturday, October 15, 2011, I, along with 15 other Arlington Artists Alliance members www.arlingtonartistsalliance.org  opened our working studios to the general public.  We had 15 different artists and 12 different studios located around Arlington, County Virginia and Falls Church.  The tour included 3 commercial studios and 8 private homes.   Considering that this was the first time we sponsored such an event,  it turned out to be a surprising success! We also worked under a rather compressed time frame.  

Here are a couple of shots of my basement show room all cleaned up and ready for the general public.  

I purchased 6 pedestals in three different heights and two different dimensions.  (12" x 12" and 15" x 15" ) These are fantastic.  Easy to assemble, easy to store, easy to maintain, and easy to transport to other venues.  Very good price too!  

 I managed to locate a previously owned,  beautiful, white leather contemporary sofa on Craigs list. ( a very cool story)   Turned out the previous owner was also a ceramic artist. Very small world.   Finally got rid of the the 30 year old red plaid sofa.  Really did a lot to change the character of the basement from a "Man Cave" (not that there's anything wrong with that) to more of a "Gallery" ambiance. 

Here is the Bonsai Pot collection.  I happened to be one of the Finalists in the First North American Bonsai Pot competition several years ago.  That particular pot is currently in the bonsai pot collection at the National Arboretum in Washington D.C.  But here are several others. 

If I choose to have another Open Studio Tour and it is in the winter, I can still put a nice cozy fire in the fire place and serve some Hot Toddy's.  

         

It took me over a week working almost 8 hours a day to clean up the mess caused by the flooding in the adjacent room and the nearby carpet. Major storms invaded the area  the previous week! 

What a lot of work!  It was especially difficult to get rid of the “musty” smell.  But I persevered, and everything smelled nice.  OK perhaps not nice, but not as bad and obnoxious.  October 15^th was an absolutely beautiful (albeit WINDY) day and I was able to leave the basement door open.   We did loose several of our Orange and Yellow Balloons!  I also set out the mouse traps that night to catch any little visitors who might have found their way inside the house. 

Before the public entered the “show room” area of the basement they had to walk down the exterior basement steps into the actual “working studio” portion of the basement.  I had things labeled and cleaned up.  This worked very well.  I did not want the general public in the private part of my home.  (Security issue) Not that I have anything worth stealing.  We still have analog TV (not that I watch much TV )  and I can't even use my laptop on the internet.  

 

I don’t even want to show photos of my work space.  Looks depressing!  Gosh how can anyone work in there you would exclaim???  Maybe some other time I’ll share some photos. 

It is your typical 1930's basement.  Designed to be a basement not a place to actually use.  ( “Pocked marked” and  cracked cement floors, Exposed pipes in the ceiling, Hanging florescent shop lights, Exposed  floor joists above their heads, Cinder block walls with Peeling paint , Hot water heater, Noisy boiler, Old cement laundry tubs and Husbands work bench-  Your get the picture) Then the public then entered the well lit and clean show room.

Here I am demonstrating my Shimpo extruder.  Other equipment in my studio includes:   24 inch North Star- Slab roller, 5 inch North Star-extruder, a monster 12 inch - Bailey Extruder , Brent Pottery wheel.

   

Here I'm extruding  some "straps" which will eventually be made into a coil pot.   OMG that machine has changed my life!  Great piece of equipment!  I’ll discuss my method of working in later blogs. This has different dies which can easily be changed so that I can also make coils.  The clay comes out like butter. 

 Because I do a lot of extruding my preference for the clay is that it have a higher water content than most manufacture's currently produce.  I  use recycled clay obtained from local studios.  (The clay is free!!! It's actually "clay slop")  If I did not own the pug mill I would not be able to properly process all the clay.

Sorry to get off topic but I'll have more on my working process and studio set up later. 

A week after the Studio tour we had a follow up meeting of lessons learned and discuss what to do next (if anything). 

At the meeting;  it was agreed to begin planning another event for fall 2012.  Probably also in October.  We all agreed that it was a huge success in that if forced us to clean up our spaces and complete all those unfinished art projects piled up in the corners of the house.   One of the most overlooked benefits was that each artist was forced to do some self promotion and be able to talk about the process of making their art. This is one area  that many artists are not comfortable discussing:  Talking with strangers about “how” they actually  make their art and the creative processes which occur.  Most of the time we don’t really understand it ourselves; it just happens.  

We hope to grow the number of participating artists and especially increase the representation from the south part of Arlington County.   We will be forming working groups after the new year.  I guess I’ll be the chair person again??? 

One very special opportunity presented itself when LeAnn Kalita  (long time AAA artist and member) was asked to write an article about planning an event such as this and the problems which occur.  She did a fantastic job and the timing could not have been better.  It came out at the same time as our  event!!!  Take a look at  October 2011 issue of Élan magazine.  I actually had my urn “Under The Ocean” photo published.  I was thrilled.  See:  www.arlingtonartistsalliance.org/Events/studiotour/Elan.pdf.  Our event also appeared in their calendar section. Photos of artwork from participating artists also appeared in print and really helped promote this event and the artists.  We can’t thank LeAnn and Élan Magazine enough for all their support. 

I'll need to take a couple of weeks break from any further postings as I MUST focus on getting ready for xmas sales and shows.  

More later. Thanks for visiting.  Marcia

Non-Traditional Cremation Urns and Jars-Stoneware

Made In Mud - Decorative Ceramics

“Non-Traditional” Cremation Urns and Jars

For Pets and People

Marcia Koski Finnerty

Made in USA

                                                        “Rusty Gears” $425.00

      For automotive mechanic.

If you desire a cremation urn or jar that screams here are the ashes of my deceased (fill in the blank) then this is not the place for you.  If you want something a little more, individual, edgy, sculptural, or unique, then you’ve come to the right place.  If you were looking for an urn which more appropriately  reflects the “quirky spirit of an  individual, or that one of a kind” personality of a loved one or pet then I can help design a special ceramic container that more closely reflects those characteristics.  I of course am happy to help with a more traditional style container if that is your wish. However, you might be happier with other traditional cremation urns/jar manufacturers, and to be honest they can probably make one cheaper, and faster.  My urns are made from high fire stoneware clay in my studio located in Arlington, Virginia.  My urns/jars are:  Frost proof, dishwasher safe and food safe except where noted.   

Under the Ocean-$450

For the Scuba Diver

Jewel of the Potomac-$335.00

If “Bling” is your thing?

My paradigm is that a container should fulfill three requirements:  1. Be expertly crafted and designed.  2.  Last an eternity, 3.  Say something meaningful about the individual it was made for, the artist who made it, and the culture/society where it was made.

My basis for this approach comes from the field of archeology. How do archeologists learn about the deeds of people, the activities of past societies and customs of long gone cultures?  In many instances these bits of information & knowledge are gleaned from excavations of graves, tombs, and funerary objects.  Consequently, I, as an artist hope to construct/design objects that will last an eternity, teach people about the accomplishments of the deceased, and say something about our culture. A cremation Jar/Urn can serve many purposes during its life.  Use it as a dog treat jar or cookie jar until it is needed for the final job.  Display it proudly as a work of art.  Use it and enjoy it while you are living as well as when you are dead.    My jars are food safe, & dishwasher

safe.  They can be reused again and again.

 

The Hand-$365.00

             This individual worked as a hand therapist?

I encourage YOU to contribute to the actual design process.  This is what separates my urns from others.  It is not just a brass plaque glued to the outside of a generic brass or wooden box, but rather a container imbued with the spirit of the deceased.  When discovered in a 1,000 years, archeologists will know something more than just a name of some random deceased person,  but will understand the personality and something about  their accomplishments.  Share the foibles about the deceased.  Laugh over their jokes, or cherish their compassion towards family and friends. We can work together to design a suitable container which memorializes their individual spirit.

Red Ruby $345.00

Regards, Marcia Koski Finnerty

Made In Mud – Decorative Ceramics

Non-Traditional Cremation Urns and Jars.

My construction method: 

I use high fire stoneware clays fired in an electric kiln.   My two methods are:  Slab and Extruder.  The extruder squeezes the clay  through a die.  I use simple geometric shapes to begin with and then alter as required according to your specifications of design and size.  Hollow extruded shapes include:  Squares, Circles, Cloverleaves, & Triangles.

 

Aquatic Fossils

$375.00

From these few simple basic hollow shapes an infinite number of other shapes can be constructed.  I can carve,  impress, paddle, rearrange add to and redefine the basic shape.  At the appropriate time, a flat slab is rolled out and added to make the bottom.  I often add design elements to the interior and to the inside bottom.  Seams are reinforced. Another slab is rolled out for the top and the lid, with it’s supporting structures are added.   The lid is designed such that it can be glued and permanently sealed at a later date if desired.  The lids are also designed such that the knobs can be customized.  Often individuals choose to select items of a personal nature which can be affixed to the lid and function as a knob.  Examples have included shotgun shell casings, rocks,/stones, fish hooks, golf balls, Lego’s , baby shoes, sea shells,  the list goes on etc.  If it can be glued or screwed to the top it can be attached.   

Mixed Clay-Agate Boxes $375.00 / Each

Shown with  a selection of optional knobs

If no type of knob is specified, I use a “generic, “plain” metal knob (brass, or brushed nickel) screwed onto the lid which is removable so that you can attach or glue a knob of your choice and customize to your needs at a later date. In the mean time it is completely serviceable for everyday needs.

Ok so now you are interested in learning more about exactly how to proceed in this endeavor.

Q.  First question one usually asks is about price.  How much is this going to cost?

Rock Bottom Example:

10” x 10” x 10”square = (100 cubic inches=100 lbs) smooth surface with a generic screwed on  metal knob, one color= $145.00 (includes, shipping via UPS, & packing) (Fall 2011)

Q.  Second Question is :  How do I know what size urn to purchase?

Very easy:  One cubic inch = 1 lb of body weight at time of death.

Q.  How do I calculate the volume? 

Volume (in cubic inches) = length x height x width

So a 50 lb dog might require a 50 cubic inch container.  A square box of dimensions 5” x 5” x 5” =125 cubic inches would hold the ashes of a 125 lb dog.  More than enough for a 50 lb dog. 

For this purpose a smaller:  4” x 4”x 4” =64 cubic inches  would be perfectly acceptable for a 50 lb dog and serve the purpose quite well.  Some individuals are requesting the urn be large enough to contain the ashes of themselves and their beloved pet (s).    Not a problem. It’s their choice.

The price for my urns are based on size and amount of surface decoration.  Larger= higher cost. If a lot of design elements are required, complex surface designs, multi firings for color then those are going to cost more.  So large complex designs will cost more than smaller, smooth surface and simple colors.  These urns are designed to be individual sculptural works of art in and of themselves, suitable for display and of museum quality.  Because they also may happen to serve as a final resting place for your loved one should not diminish their artistic qualities as stand alone sculpture.

Tree Stump-$450.00

For your Dog and You?