September 21, 2007
Highwater Family Reunion a Big Hit
Friends, neighbors and fellow potters gathered on the banks of the French Broad River last week to celebrate a milestone birthday, reconnect with old friends, and meet new ones.
Highwater Clays’ annual Open House featured demos by Jim Skutt of Skutt Kiln, Po-Wen Liu representing Nidec-Shimpo, Diana Farris from Amaco, and Richard Arnfield from Spectrum Glazes. Po’s demonstration was so popular that many people stayed afterward to talk to him about issues he touched on during his talk.
“I think this was one of my best demo ever,” he said, adding that he enjoyed talking with Highwater customers and meeting staff. “It turned out great.”
“Both of my sessions were the largest I’ve conducted,” said Jim Skutt. “I received a lot of compliments fom your great customers and enjoyed talking to everyone,” he said, adding that both customers and Highwater staff were very kind.
“It was wonderful to see everyone,” Highwater co-founder Brian McCarthy said. “I think everyone had a great time and people are already getting excited about next year.”
“Nick is a real crowd pleaser,” Brian said of Nick Joerling’s demonstration. “He’s very funny and has been a great friend of Highwater for years … we really appreciate his participation.”
(Photo: Past Odyssey instructor and Highwater favorite Nick Joerling captivated a near capacity room on Sept. 15. Click photo to see larger version.) Read a recent story about the Highwater family that appeared in the Asheville Citizen Times.
New Colors for Cone 10
Highwater Clays tests all new glazes on its own clays to ensure customers know how their work will turn out.
The new cone 10 glazes from Spectrum offer customers a much wider range of colors and textures than have been available in the past, declares Highwater customer service specialist Hayley Smith.
“They even look better in real life than in the color chart,” said Highwater technician Jennifer Hoolihan. The glazes come in gloss finish, satin and matte.
The glazes have been tested on Highwater’s Helios porcelain in oxidation and Hoolihan said she was impressed with the glazes’ rich pallet.
“It’s really nice that they’re offered in pint sizes since a lot of potters will want to use these glazes for accents,” she said. Three coats of glazes have been applied to all test tiles.
E-mail our customer service representatives to order or ask more questions.
Wheel of Fortune
We received a wining guess for the Highwater Clays’ Gets Around Contest. Readers from around the United States played along with us, though the winner is local potter Marian Parkes (pictured with owner Jonathan St. Onge at our Highwater store).
Marian has taken classes at Odyssey and nearby Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Be Part of the Highwater Picture
Share your video – Media Window Player, Quicktime or AVI file – and win a Highwater Clays’ hat, apron or T-shirt.
Only customers using one of the products we carry are eligible. The winning video will be featured on Highwater Clay’s Web site with a link back to your site. This is a great opportunity to showcase your work.
Send your video to randy@highwaterclays.com
Other Happenings!
Highwater is a major sponsor for an exhibition exploring functional work by potters who studied at Black Mountain College in the 1950s.
Events run from Oct. 3 until Nov. 30 and include the following:
Wednesday, Oct. 3 - An Uneasy Relationship: The Leach School, Black Mountain, and Traditional North Carolina Pottery, a presentation by Mark Hewitt, North Carolina potter and writer.
Thursday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m. – Filmmaker Lucy Phenix presents a Sneak Preview of her new documentary From the Inside: The Work of Karen Karnes. (See Photo to the right.)
Saturday, Nov. 10, 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. - How to love this world: Poetry by Hand and Heart a workshop with Paulus Berensohn.
Friday, Nov. 30, 8 p.m. – A Dialogue with David Weinrib, Black Mountain College Potter.
A rare opportunity to hear first-hand about the Black Mountain College pottery program and the amazing artists who worked at the school in the early 1950s as well as the post-BMC experimental community at Stony Point, NY.
(See Warren MacKenzie's "Box" to the left)
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