Clay Collective 9th Annual Spring Pottery Tour

Clay Collective 9th Annual Spring Pottery Tour

Published On: Sunday, April 18, 2021By Categories: General News, The ArtsTags: , , , , , , , ,

A Beautiful Tradition

A  beautiful tradition returns that is virtually as old as the ground you walk on when you visit the Clay Collective 9th Annual Pottery Tour and bring home works of art made by regionally and nationally renowned potters this spring.

2 blue and brown plates with pie and circular design by Mark Skudlarek, Cambridge Woodfired Pottery

Mark Skudlarek, Cambridge Woodfired Pottery

Come to the country and enjoy beautiful art!

On May 1 and May 2, The members of the Clay Collective and 11 guest potters will open their studios to the public for a free self-guided driving tour. The studios are all within a short distance of each other, nestled in picturesque Eastern Dane and Western Jefferson Counties (only 45 minutes west of Milwaukee, 30 minutes southeast of Madison and two hours north of Chicago).

This spring pottery tour is the perfect time to take in the area’s freshly green and budding landscape and is a great opportunity for pottery lovers and people curious about the craft to see and handle thousands of pots, from mugs and plates, vases and teapots, to decorative vessels and sculpture. It is also a chance to visit with the potters and learn more about the ideas, processes and tools involved in the creation of their work.

Whether you are someone who is looking for a new piece of pottery on which to serve food, in which to display flowers, for a gift, or to add to your collection, this spring tour provides a wealth of different kinds of work to choose from ranging from high-fired stoneware and porcelain to low temperature pit-fired pottery.

Rick Hintze pottery, beige cup, Spring Pottery Tour

Rick Hintze, Johnson Creek Clay Studio, LLC

Where do YOUR plates come from?

“It’s enriching not only knowing who grew your food and where it’s from, but knowing where the plate it’s served on came from, and how it was made,” said Mark Skudlarek of Cambridge Wood-fired Pottery, one of the Collective’s founding potters.

250 Years of Experience

The Clay Collective, a group of 9 potters based in South Central WI, boasts more than a combined total of 250 years of experience and wide variety of traditions. The Collective formed in 2012 to bring more pottery to the public by showcasing their art in the studios where it was created. Together, they represent styles in pottery ranging from Arts and Crafts to rustic wood-fired pottery.

Each time you choose to use one of Skudlarek’s plates or Rick Hintze’s bowls, you’ll remember that lovely spring day when you explored where they were made and learned what inspired the potters to use that color or pattern that caught your eye.

Learn More

Want to know when the next Clay Collective event will take place? Join our mailing list or Like us on Facebook.

Examples of their work, maps to their studios and more information can be found at  their website http://www.theclaycollective.org/ and on their Facebook page.

The potters of the Clay Collective want you to know that they take the pandemic seriously and the health and well being of our audience continues to be a top priority. Even with the roll out of the vaccines, they will follow Covid 19 guidelines and procedures to ensure your safety.

  • Masks required at all locations
  • Hand sanitizer and masks will be available
  • They will be sanitizing through out the day
  • They ask that you follow CDC physical distance guidelines
  • Weather permitting and where space allows, pots will be displayed outdoors at most locations.
  • Venmo and PayPal offered at some locations for no contact sales
  • There will be no food or snacks

For additional information, please contact Mark Skudlarek at 608-333-1585 or [email protected].

Carol Sapienza is the board Secretary of the Jefferson County Tourism Council representing Cambridge & Oakland.

Cambridge Wood-fired Pottery was established in 1989 with the simple intent of making functional wood-fired pottery inspired by the shapes and practices of Asian and European folk pottery. With the assistance of my current apprentice Brendan Kelley, I fire twice a year producing a wide range of functional tableware and garden pots.

PLEASE FOLLOW & LIKE US! :)

Winners of local gift cards

Congratulations to our March Winner!

Shannon K. from Jefferson, WI
won a $25 gift certificate to Sprouting Acres!

  • Twice Baked Pottery
  • Premier Bank
    Fort Community Credit Union
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