A Visit to Bailey's

I have been buying supplies from Bailey's in Kingston, NY for years now online, but when I get a chance, I shop in person. I was driving up to the Adirondacks this week, so I stopped in on the way back to New Jersey.

Bailey's is in the industrial part of Kingston, right by the railroad tracks. In fact, a freight train hoo- hooted and rumbled by as I had my total tallied up in the office. The cars had an incredible "surface" and "patina," of age, paint and rust that was extremely inspiring to me since had just been contemplating glaze samples looking for interesting effects.




Even more inspiring though was the very fine collection of pottery inside the store. Famous potters, many that I recognized, though unlabeled, were mostly inside glass display cases. A few were out on the office window sills and on side tables, able to be touched and maybe lifted to feel their weight, which I confess I did. This is the case that you first see as you enter. There are more inside the building and they are three times as big as this one - MANY wonderful pieces.

I bought 100 pounds of Tucker's brown, speckled clay, and glazes to replenish, new glazes to try, some corks, and a blow sprayer.










I entered a raffle for clay supplies and from the Christmas tree in the show room got to choose a tool from those hanging there. A free gift!


The warehouse guys filled my order immediately, loaded it into my Subaru and I was off - driving like mad down the NY Thruway, like a freight train headed south.

Good Night Raisin Studio

My first ever Open Studio happened today. The day was thankfully less frigid than past days, but the fire outside was still welcome. My loyal spouse kept it burning briskly and supplied some accordion notes to mingle with the smoke. The sun was shining while we had cake outside for Kai's birthday, and was warm enough to melt the ice-cream. Yes, nice weather.

In between all that, friends came, some new, some old, a neighbor or two that I knew, and neighbors I had never met. No one said that they saw my flyers uptown, but there were people who saw the sign on the street and came in to check out Raisin Studio.

THANK YOU, everyone who came, and all of you who responded so kindly with positive comments.
Not everyone bought something, but everyone gave me something on a higher level: good, creative energy. It was fun, a little tiring, but I am still planning on, for all of you who were away or too busy on Thanksgiving weekend:

OPEN STUDIO II - DEC 8, 11:00-5:00