January - Looking Forward to 2021!
Welcome to my vision of Pennsylvania Redware. I hand make this pottery in the traditions of the Pennsylvania German potters.
Pottery is meant to be touched and you can feel the design scratched into the surface of my sgraffito pieces. My tulips, birds and hearts are inspired by Pennsylvania German folk art of all kinds. I use a rolling pin, molds for shaping the clay into plates and bowls, a coggle wheel to decorate the edges and handcrafted tin cookie cutters for the ornaments. The pieces are fired in an electric kiln rather than the traditional wood-fired kiln.
I am a Master Artisan with the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen and listed in the Directory of Traditional American Crafts presented by Early American Life magazine.
My favorite Pennsylvania German saying is "Lieben und Geliebt zu werden Ist die Gröst Freud auf Erden” Translation = "To love and be loved is the greatest joy on earth"
News
New YouTube video - BCTV.org's program "Your Berks Craftsmen" recorded via Zoom in July
I am listed in the 2020 Directory of American Crafts sponsored by the Early American Life magazine.
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* Pottery Classes / Workshops *
Learn about and make your own Pennsylvania German Redware.
Classes are tailored for age group and private instruction is available.
Currently offering classes held on my patio.
In the future I will again offer classes in my studio -
One day sgraffito class and a two day redware class.
More detail is available on the Workshops page
I am offering sgraffito classes on my patio - good weather required. We would be outside where we can sit more than 6 feet apart without masks. I have room for 2 students that are in the same bubble, because you will sit next to each other. I will be offering heart ornaments, 7 and 10 inch plates. Details on the Workshop page.
Scheduled for 2021 will be posted in the new year
Learn the art of scratching on clay to create your special plate - an ancient technique the Pennsylvania German potters' used to decorate their fancy pieces of pottery.
All materials, tools and idea books are provided.
* Early American Life Magazine *
I am included in the 2020 Directory of Traditional American Crafts.
My sgraffito bowl is featured in the August 2017 issue.
* The Studio *
The studio is located on the outskirts of Macungie, Pennsylvania
The original portion of this one and a half story house was built in the mid-1700's; before the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.
