The CAG (Ceramic Artist Guild) will be presenting a series of workshop/seminars to train experienced Ceramists to become certified judges for sanctioned ceramic competitions.

If you have a background in ceramics and would like to participate and expand your own horizons, you may want to consider becoming a judge.

Some of the upcoming class locations and dates include:

PHOENIX, AZ - 3/18
BOISE, ID - APRIL
VALLEJO, CA - 6/10
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - 6/15
DENVER, CO - 6/18
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - 6/22
ATLANTA, GA - 6/26
WASHINGTON, DC - 6/29
BOSTON, MA - 7/1
BUFFALO, NY - 7/5 (Including our friends in Toronto, Canada)
LACROSSE, WI - 7/8
BISMARK, ND - 7/10
BOISE, ID - PHASE II CLASS - 7/14

The CAG is also offering portions of the three phase training seminar online for those who are unable to personally attend a live session.

You can find out more about these training sessions by clicking here.

I encourage you to sign up early as space is limited.

As you know, I went to the recent Atlanta Show. While there, I had the opportunity to add a few more molds to my already bulging storehouse of items. Yes, it is an addiction, what can I say? However, who can really blame me? All of the Doc Holliday molds I picked up have been discontinued, so I just could not pass them up - could you have?

When they are dry enough to cast - about a week from now, I will be able to provide bisque, greenware or finished items for the following acquisitions:

Doc Holliday - Santa on Polar Bear
Doc Holliday 1777 - Protector of Innocence (Dragon with female rider)
Doc Holliday 1836 - Angel of Peace (Angel riding Lion wi/lamb)
Doc Holliday 1939 - Large Plain Gourd Birdhouse
Doc Holliday 1741 - Dragon Plant tenders
Doc Holliday 516 - Unicorn Pillow Vase
Doc Holliday 1874 - Moon Maiden (with dragon)
Crest 167 - large bottle slumper to make glass slump molds.

After having been closed down for the winter, I am now gearing up for my ’season’; so its time to get your orders in before things get busy around here.

Send any inquiries re these molds or any of my other 5000 plus molds via the contact us link on this page.

I was greatly saddened to find that many of my favorite glazes and underglazes are being discontinued.

Mayco/Ceramichrome and Duncan are discontinuing a large number of their products. What is left will be a very small selection which I find very limiting to my creativity.

I understand part of why they are cutting back. It is the economy and the fact that the ceramics industry has fallen into a real depression. If a product does not sell, they cannot keep producing it. It is up to the consumer to support the manufacturers. The same thing has been happening to the mold manufacturers and the suppliers of all related ceramic products. That has been happening with all the ceramic shops that have gone out of business over the past few years.

This is a very sad thing and I hope that all of you will make a concerted effort to help revitalize the ceramics industry with your enthusiasm, support and efforts. We all have to fight forward and do what we can to support all aspects of this industry.

Knowing that many great products will no longer be available, I encourage you to contact your favorite suppliers and even new suppliers and stock up on any of your favorites that you find are being discontinued.

Go paint something today — have fun in the mud

I was very excited to attend the annual Ceramic Show in Atlanta this past weekend.

It was wonderful to see an increase in exhibits as well as the number of people attending. Ceramics is indeed growing again.

Walking down the aisles, I was inspired to present a number of new products and new themes to this site and will do so over the course of the next few weeks, so check here frequently to see what is revealed.

There were many new molds, exciting techniques and new products (well, new to me). Hopefully, they will be new to you and will excite you as they excited me.