A Message from Raisin Studio

HAPPY HOLIDAYS and NEW YEAR

from Raisin Studio

Objects of Our Lives Ceramics

A pop-up store, "Objects of Our Lives," run by two gracious Turkish entrepreneurs has brought a minimalist, artisan crafted esthetic to downtown Princeton.

Deniz and Guniz Engur hosted a holiday party in the space last night, and as I have met the couple and attended some "Creative-Teas" there, I was on their email list and was invited.









So, I dressed in my classic Japanese jacket and walked there, hoping to at last have a good look at all their wares and to socialize.

Creative people, collectors and Turkish expatriates were there, and a long table set with edible delicacies.

I conversed with an architect, a jeweler and the parent of one of my art students from years ago, while trying not to spill red wine on my jacket. I did anyway. Fortunately, it is a tie-dyed pattern with reds and browns - it will blend right in.











I also photographed some of the ceramics that are for sale there, but in that party setting did not document what I was photographing, so I will not credit the artists at the risk of an error.







Nevertheless, these are some of the pieces that I admired in the store. An invitation extended to me by the jeweler to a show of her work along with that of a ceramic artist's promises to provide more impressions or fodder to inspire next year's work in Raisin studio.

Weekend High in Raisin Studio

Saturday the second day of December I opened my studio as a gallery.  There were old and new ceramics - some early pieces from our basement in 2008 were there as well as the latest Edgy bowls and plates.

My sister came down from Brooklyn to help. She stayed in the back room, the shed actually, but transformed into a wrapping station and there she bubble wrapped and bagged. She was kept pretty busy because people came and people bought.

This took me by surprise. Previous "Open Studios" were not so well attended, but signs, press releases, an email blast, postcards tacked up or handed out, all must have helped to make this one a successful sale.

Neighbors, friends, passing strangers kept coming and all, seriously, all of them were kindness itself. They commented on the garden, the studio and my work in such positive terms, I was more than pleased.











And the next day the same. Two wonderful days, I'd say two days that were among the best of my life. I felt loved. Not really, literally loved, but the sum of all those people being so nice, it was like love. My heart was full. I am grateful.