The Best Gifts are Hand Made Keeping It Real

We love giving hand-made gifts to our friends and family. There is no greater satisfaction than someone’s appreciation for our efforts and creativity. Gifts like these are undoubtedly treasured, and with good reason; they are one-of-a-kind pieces, made from the heart and sometimes specifically made with our loved one in mind.
There are so many ways to create these extraordinary gifts, whether home-baked sweets, carved wood, hand-crafted jewelry, quilts or soaps, or, the ever increasing in popularity, hand-built ceramics and pottery. As a matter of fact, in this high-tech world we live in, there is a great resurgence of returning to this ancient and very low-tech art form.
Pottery can last a lifetime. If you think of all the items in your home and garden that are made from clay, you will realize what a versatile medium clay really is. Dishes, vases, serving trays, ring holders, covered casserole bakers, jewelry, garden planters and bird feeders are just a few examples of what we can make with our hands. We can choose the shape, size and colors to suit the décor and taste of our friends. Who doesn’t love using their favorite mug in their morning coffee ritual?
It’s fun to make ceramic items when you have the right tools, equipment and skills. Clay can be easily formed by hand by pinching, coiling or rolling slabs. Clay can also be “thrown” into vessels, bowls and plates on the potter’s wheel. Have you ever watched a live potter’s wheel demonstration? It’s mesmerizing and fascinating to see how quickly a ball of clay can take shape. Once the clay is formed, it’s fun to decorate and add texture to the surface. Finally, glazing the pieces transforms them into spectacular gems.
Join the movement to create and give hand-made gifts. It goes along with buying American, choosing locally grown produce, eating organic, supporting small businesses and keeping it real.
If you’d like to take ceramics classes and make your own treasures, call us for more information. Enrollment for the next session begins mid-July. You can reach us at 661-260-2274, find us online: www.casiceramics.com and visit the studio: Ceramic Artist Studio, Inc. 22504 6th Street, Old Town Newhall. Follow us on social media @casiceramics.