Clayfolk is Back!

Covered Jar by Rhoda Fleischman

Feats of clay by several Jacksonville area clay artists will tempt holiday shoppers at the Clayfolk Show and Sale on November 18th, 19th, and 20th—the weekend before Thanksgiving. “It’s the largest pottery show in our region,” says Clayfolk president Shirley Huft. “Our show is where you can easily find those hard-to-find holiday gifts.” She adds, “The hard part will be making choices!” Indeed, the event will feature a variety of functional and whimsical work by more than 60 artists who are always delighted to answer questions or just talk about their work.

Jacksonville Potter Ray Foster

Expect to find some items priced at less than $10—and some much more. Indeed, a few unique sculptural pieces and large decorative platters will go home with shoppers willing to pay a few hundred dollars for clay art items that capture their hearts. Yet not everything will have a price tag: The show will also feature music, demonstrations, and a kids’ clay area. And with luck, you just may win a gift certificate that you can apply to purchases of artwork.

Susan Roden - raku

The accompanying photos illustrate the range of the work you will see. As you browse the show, look for Jacksonville artists, including Dennis Meiners, Brian Christoffersen, John Dodero, Juyle Lennert, Susan and Steve Casaleggio, and Ray Foster. For a more extensive preview, you can visit a virtual gallery of Clayfolk members’ work online at http://www.clayfolk.org/gallery.htm.

The Clayfolk group began in the mid-70s as a small potters’ guild in Southern Oregon, organized to share ideas about hand-crafting techniques, glazing, firing, and marketing. Today that group has grown into an organization representing over 130 ceramic artists, still primarily from Southern Oregon and Northern California, but also from Roseburg, Eugene, Corvallis, Bend, Portland, and beyond. As the name of the group implies, all Clayfolk members work in clay—a medium that lends itself to a wide spectrum of techniques and temperatures, ranging from raku pots with metallic-luster glazes that mature at a relatively cool 1800 degrees, up the temperature scale to earthenware, stoneware, and translucent porcelain pieces that vitrify at the white-hot temperature of the stars.

Jim Keith - Frog Mug

Aside from its guild concerns, Clayfolk uses a portion of sales at the November show to fund the Ellice T. Johnston Scholarship—honoring one of the group’s founders. The scholarship is awarded annually to a student studying the ceramic arts. In addition, through donations of time and pottery pieces, Clayfolk members support Empty Bowls, a project that raises funds for local hunger programs. The organization also purchases books about ceramics for the local library system.

Clayfolk welcomes new members—anyone working in the clay arts, from students and hobbyists to professional ceramists. Further information about membership, is available on the Clayfolk Web site: http://www.clayfolk.org/joinus.htm.

Robert Johnson - mug

This year’s Clayfolk Show and Sale will be held at the Medford Armory, easily accessible from I-5 at the South Medford exit. Doors will open on Friday, November 18^th, at 4, closing at 9 pm. The event continues on Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm, and ends its run on Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm.