…is right around the corner and I am freaking out! This show is on it’s 38th year and is a high caliber art show/festival with high caliber artists. I am working on oval lidded textured vessels with textured slabs, stamping and underglaze graphics. I am focused on the detail of each piece while expressing some recent thoughts about life and it’s cycle.

“This highly acclaimed fine art exhibit and sale is well known as one of the premier shows in the Southeastern United States. Space has grown from one gallery to six galleries throughout the facility featuring original paintings, wood, sculpture, ceramics, glass, photography and jewelry. This year’s judge, will be awarding over $7,000 in prize money to the outstanding artists in the show.”

I am honored to be a part of show with such a top-notch reputation.

Texture Vessel

Front of new textured vessel

Masons water birth

Creating art is healing and I realize I have been internally processing my mothers death for sometime now. There is a special connection with mothers and daughters, something I never realized until my mother was gone. As you will soon see, this body of work will continue the thread of my Memory Pockets but come in a different form with new glaze accents.

Right now I am focused on the concept of mending and reconnection. (more to come)

Saltwater Ceramics at Florida Craftsman

Recently Saltwater Ceramics was accepted into the beautiful Florida Craftsmen Gallery. This gallery is located in downtown St. Petersburg Florida and has a warm and inviting showroom with top-notch works of art from professional artists within Florida. It was founded in 1952 to promote the vitality of crafts throughout Florida. The mission of the Florida Craftsmen is to broaden the public’s understanding and appreciation of fine-craft. They have recently extended the occupancy to include additional storefront retail space. The new 1,900-square-foot space features 14-foot ceilings, a storage area and a preparatory room. It will be used for rotating regional, national and international free craft exhibitions.

On November 25th (of course) Vitale Studio and Local 662 Present: Black Friday
Curated by: Sarah Gail Hutcherson. Black Friday is an Art Show featuring over 40 local artists and designers.
An evening fashion show with Frank Strunk III and MisRed.

All work in the show is $199 and under and will include my new series of work, Memory Pockets.
Buy LOCAL for the holiday season!

The Local 662
662 Central Ave
Saint Petersburg, FL

Charlie is on a new adventure! He has just opened his new studio at 2924 Central Ave N. St. Pete Florida 33712. While he will always be a great friend an fan of mine, he now has is own brand: Charlie Parker Pottery. He has planned a great website that should be up soon! Stay tuned…

Laura Irmis handbuilding

On October 1-3, Laura Irmis will be demonstrating wheel throwing at Folkfest St. Pete in the Cakewalk Artists’ Co-op booth which will be placed in front of the gallery for the entire event.  Folkfest is an annual street fair that will take place on Central Avenue between 11th and 13th Streets. Featuring art, music and food.  This years fair is set to attract collectors from around the country, as well as locals looking to enjoy great live music from the Indigo Girls and other national acts.

Laura Irmis balances her career as a graphic designer with her work in ceramics.  Her pieces are often inspired by the palettes and shapes of undersea life but recently she has been moved by personal struggles and life events. She has been a guest artist at Creative Clay for several months has become inspired by her students. She has learned that the greatest achievement isn’t the end product rather the entire creative process.  She has become “more relaxed” with her techniques and truly enjoys the growing process as an artitst. Her most recent work is filled with handbuilt vessels and textured pieces of clay stitched, pulled and bonded together to give a concept of soft cloth, something completely new for Laura. This body of work will be displayed at Cakewalk, during Folkfest weekend, in the back classroom inside the gallery.

Cakewalk’s co-op began in November of 2009 and has since grown as a thriving community of local artists. Visit Cakewalk’s booths during Folkfest for a live demonstration of wheel throwing.  The family-friendly demonstrations will be a fun way to see artistic ceramic pieces developed from start to finish.

Finding time to create art is a challenge when you have another job or income source. But when your full time job is being a professional artist, creative opportunities often present themselves.  Sometimes in unexpected, touching ways!

During this summer Charlie and Laura were both asked to be guest artists at Creative Clay, a local cultural art center in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. Since its inception in 1995, the vibrant energy and creative spirit exhibited by Creative Clay’s community of artists and enthusiasts have fueled its transformation into one of the most dynamic nonprofit art centers in the Tampa Bay area. Their mission is to make the arts accessible for Tampa Bay residents regardless of age, gender, ability and/or race. Creative Clay has succeeded in providing local artists with developmental, physical and/or emotional disabilities opportunities to pursue the creative arts.

Both Charlie and Laura learned a lot working and interacting with the Creative Clay students, Laura was inspired to begin a new phase in her style of work.
One of the biggest events for Creative Clay is right around the corner, the 4th annual FOLKFEST. With a headliner of the Indigo Girls, this year there is expected to be over 20,000 attendees.  During this festival, Laura will be at the Cakewalk Artist Co-op booth giving demos and selling her work. Make sure you stop by and see how her recent experiences with Creative Clay has transformed her art.

As potters, daydreaming is part of our job….Come see what we’ve dreamt up this summer at our inaugural summer art show this Saturday.

From stunning big bowls created by Charlie Parker to surface treated vessels created by Laura Irmis we, at Saltwater Ceramics, turn our daydreams into reality.

Join us for our inaugural summer art show Saturday, July 10th, 5pm-8:30pm
at Cakewalk Artists’ Co-op:
• Saltwater Ceramics art show
• Silent art auction for The Seabird Sanctuary
• Pottery demonstrations
• A Seabird Sanctuary presentation
• Delicious tropical tiki punch & expressive
hula hoop dance entertainment
Open to the public!

Cakewalk Artists’ Co-op
1114 Central Ave. N
St. Petersburg, FL 33709

During the art show, a silent auction will be held for The Seabird Sanctuary.