Crooksville Pottery Mug

 While exploring in an old Antique Shop in Barnesville, Ohio the other day I found an interesting old mug. It is hefty like a shorter beer stein, glazed white on the inside and brown on the outside. The raised imagery is of a man smoking a pipe on one side and a windmill on the other.
Resaearching the piece I was led to The Burley and Winter Pottery Co. which worked out of Crooksville, Ohio. They made pottery from the 1830's into the 1930's and the mugs were made around the turn of the century. (also pictured is a large 12 gallon crock that I found at an auction years ago that was made by the same company...)
This is one reason that I love being a potter here... drinking coffee from a mug that was made one hundred years ago in this area... you can't beat that!

Happy New Year and New Beginnings!

It is now 2013, the year of the Golden Snake. Hopefully a good year is ahead for all of us.
 Last year we focused on setting the groundwork for our future. Tearing down, and cleaning up the old house (which we of course used in the last firing of the Kiln) helped begin a new movement in our lives. This year we can now focus on the building of our home...
Thanks to our friend Steve Long who provided the winch and the help in pulling down the house. Melanie Steffl Thompson does a good job of filming & narrating.
Here's to 2013!!

Just in Time for Christmas

While we were traveling in Ireland, I had to find a potter to visit. So we visited Coolavokig Pottery in West Co. Cork, which has the oldest wood-fired Kiln in Ireland (built in 1977). It is a traditional two chambered climbing Kiln. A beautiful Kiln...

We pulled up and met with Meredith Flandreau and she showed us around the Kiln and their wonderfully quaint shop. Very nice people with a beautiful setting for making pottery! Here is a link to their website: Coolavokig Pottery

So just in time for Christmas, a package was delivered to my door from Meredith in Ireland which contained this wonderful wood-fired "Failte" plate! (Failte means welcome in Gaelic)

 Thank you so much Meredith and we hope to visit you guys again!

Anagama Video

Here is a short video done by my fiend Phil Cole about the building and firing of my Anagama Kiln. We used this for the "Resilience" Exhibition opening back in November.

Magical Ireland

We were lucky enough to spend one week in Ireland this last November! What a wonderful experience...

Christmas Shopping?

This Holiday Season my work can still be seen and purchased in a few locations.

Main Street Gallery in St. Clairsville: (here is a link with info, hours, and directions) http://placestobeintheov.blogspot.com/2012/03/main-street-gallery.html

Wheeling Artisan Center in Wheeling, WV: (here is a link with info, hours, and directions) http://www.artisancenter.com/

Or feel free to contact me through my email: silverfoxpots@gmail.com
We can set up an appointment and I can show you the Ramsey Anagama Kiln!

4th Annual Pottery Sale!!!

Join us at the Black Sheep Vineyard on Saturday November 24th from 1:00 till 5:00 for our annual pottery sale! We will be featuring new work by both Ben and Melanie Steffl Thompson from the Ramsey Anagama Kiln.                                                                     

Stay for the evening at the Vineyard and be entertained by music from the Gypsy Cowboys, starting at 7:30!

Here is a map for directions to Black Sheep Vineyard. Or check out their website for more info: www.blacksheepvineyard.com