Ruth and Aaron met sort of by happenstance.  Ruth was throwing a birthday party and enlisted Aaron’s help for the event.  The two found a creative camaraderie that has been unstoppable ever since.  Ruth was looking for a second career after leaving the business world to raise her family.  Aaron, who Ruth credits as the creative force behind FOUND while she handles more of the business side, was looking to get out of event planning and focus on his interest in interior design.  Their collaboration has been a perfect partnership and has created great success in FOUND.

FOUND, located at 3433 West Alabama, Suite B, in Houston, TX, offers one of kind home furnishings and accessories as well as one on one design ideas for any space.  They know that as a smaller business that there is no way that they can compete with the larger box stores.  But the thing is, they don’t want to! Originally they started out with all Vintage/Antique items, but have expanded their inventory to include newer works as well.  They seek out artist with one of a kind work both locally and nationally.  They bring together the old and the new to complement each other or even create something entirely original.  By pairing unexpected or contrasting textures, colors and materials, they create not only interest, but a truly comfortable feel that is “home”.

The Empty Bowls Project, is an international grassroots movement fighting to end hunger.  The idea being to raise money and aweness for the hungry through the arts. Artist, Craftspeople, Educators, Students, and others work with the community to create hand crafted bowls.  The bowls are filled with soup and bread – A meal similar to one you might have at a shelter or food bank.  In exchange for a donation, people are invited to share a simple meal to help raise money and awareness for those who might not have quite enough to eat.  Patrons get to keep their bowl as a memento – something to remind them of the many other bowls in this world that might still be empty.

Each Empty Bowls event is individually organized.  So this means that all the money goes directly to the local community where it is held. You can check here to see if there is an Empty Bowls event happening near you.

So who would have thought that we would have to go all the way to New York City to meet a gem from right here in our own beloved Omaha, NE??!!  Not us.  But that is exactly what happened.  While at the New York International Gift Fair a few months back who should come strolling over to our booth, but Amy Sporrer, owner of Spruce Interiors and Gifts.  And we couldn’t be more delighted to have our work in her amazing store.  

After living on the East Coast and running a similar store for 10 years, Amy decided she not only needed a change, but that she wanted to be her own boss.  So with an amazing amount of gusto and support from nearby family Amy decided that Omaha was the place to settle down and set up shop.  After finding the perfect location, just off the beaten path at 5022 Leavenworth Street, Spruce opened in September 2012 and has something for everyone.

Spruce is an eclectic mix that ranges from objects for the home – pillows, lamps, tables – to the perfect gift for the hostest with the mostest or that guy at work that you only kinda know who’s birthday is tomorrow.  Amy works hard to offer things that you can’t find just anywhere.  You will discover bold contemporary graphics, lots of colors and textures, and a mix of materials that change seasonally to keep things fresh.  And while your eye is dancing from one fabulous thing to the next you will be inspired by little “love notes” that are anchored around the store.  Things like, “Be yourself.  Everyone else is already taken” or “Why not have a big life?”  Amy not only offers amazing products in her store, but at home services for design inspiration if you need to “Spruce up” your current look.  Customers get personal care and attention that only a small shop can offer.

So if you live in or are visiting Omaha, make sure to stop by and say hello to Amy at Spruce.  If you aren’t in the area, then we challenge you to take a new way home or walk another block over just to see what is there.  You never know what local gem is waiting to be discovered.  And when you find it, don’t just keep it to yourself, share the love.  Amy believes, “if you are good to people, they will be good to you.”  We couldn’t agree with her more.

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A few weeks ago Tracy was feverishly making plates for a couple of Plate Project workshops at the Fremont Area Art Association (FAAA) and the Fremont Middle School in, where else, Fremont, NE.  The workshops were a big success, and actually led to the addition of an “extra” workshop at the end of the month.  The finished pieces, about 60 plates so far, will be on display and for sale during the month of September at Gallery 92 West (Gallery B), which is part of the FAAA.  Tracy and Jesse will also be showing work in Gallery A. So you can see two great shows at the same time.  The exhibition will open August 27th and run through September 28th, with the opening reception on Friday, September 12th from 5 – 7 pm.  So save the date!  But the best part about all of this is that 100% of the plate sales (that’s right, all of it) will go directly to the Fremont area Back Pack Program through Food Bank for the Heartland.

As artists, we know how important community art centers are, and we have enjoyed partnering with the FAAA and Gallery 92 West.  Started in 1960 as a non-profit organization, the Fremont Area Art Association was organized to promote the appreciation and development of visual art in and around the Fremont area.  For more than 50 years they have been an active part of the community encouraging cooperation and communication among artists, art teachers, art students, craftsmen, publishers, and others engaged in the visual arts; providing a registry for artists; holding exhibitions and competitions; and promoting the study and appreciation of the arts by the public.  They offer workshops and classes in a variety of media for children and adults.  And have a new exhibition every month, ranging from children’s creations to local artist to nationally recognized talent and admission is always free.  We sincerely appreciate their generosity with this project.

One of the goals of the Plate Project is to create a context in which kids can make a real contribution in helping hungry children in their very own community.  The idea that a child might not have anything to eat on the weekends isn’t something that most kids think about, unless that kid is you.  During the workshops, Tracy gently discusses this tough topic with the children, who are wonderful at empathizing and are eager to help.  A lot of them are unaware that some of their classmates are the ones that these plates will be helping.  When they realize that they can truly make a difference not only in their community, but to another child just like themself, it not only creates a powerful purpose, but also a lasting impression.

These little lasting impressions are what, or maybe more like who, are going to help us end child hunger.

A couple of weeks ago we showed you some images of this piece and the process invovled in making it.  Here is a nice shot of the finished vase form in white.  The subtle pooling of the glaze along that bottom edge is just gorgeous.

Of course our Clementine Porcelain t-shirts are our favs, but this tee comes in a close second.  And we couldn’t agree with it more.

Who doesn’t like a good tease??!!  Clementine Porcelain is gonna make some medium sized changes very soon, but we aren’t telling you what just yet.  So stay tuned to see what’s coming up!  And in the mean time, here is a super cute polar bear cub.

Tracy has been hard at work on a new long vase form, just in time for Spring.  Above is the first completed piece from the new mold, fresh from the kiln.  It will be available in a variety of surfaces and colors, just like all of our wares.  We will have them in our shop as soon as we can, so keep checking back.

Here is a sneak peak into a little bit of the process involved to make each peice.  Each mold is made of several pieces that come together to make one form.  One of the sides and bottom are seen here.

It is hard to tell in the finished piece, but here you can see the cut outs for all the pretty flowers.

]]> http://clementineporcelain.com/new-form/feed/ 0 http://clementineporcelain.com/dreaming-of-spring/ http://clementineporcelain.com/dreaming-of-spring/#comments Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:48:59 +0000 Clementine http://clementineporcelain.com/?p=968

Like everyone around here, this last bit of cold snowy weather seems to have our bodies trapped in winter, while our head and hearts are filled with warm thoughts of Spring.  So to encourage Spring to come out and play, here is a picture of a pink cow that we had a chance to meet on our vacation last year.  This fine pink bovine was an “attraction” at a local candy store in the middle of nowhere in Northern Florida.  Check out that fantastic Clementine Porcelain t-shirt.  Road trips are awesome!

If you are in the Fremont area and know a creative kid (or maybe YOU are that creative kid!) then please reserve your spot here (pdf) as space is limited.

Can’t wait to see your creations!