Creative Christmas Gift Ideas: Local pottery

It can be difficult finding good quality, artsy gifts. So I thought that I would share with you some of my favorite artists and other creative gift ideas. Hopeful it will help you quickly find a special and unique gift. Please feel free to send some of your suggestions my way too.


First up: Bridgman Pottery
I have a small collection of Bridgman pottery that I highly treasure and enjoy. Every morning, I have my coffee in my favorite bridgman mug. I have a small soup bowl that I use all the time that is more precious to me than any of the ones in my china cabinet. Best of all, all her pottery is functional and food-safe, as well as safe to use in the oven, microwave, and dishwasher. Melissa is having a pre-holiday sale at her home in midtown and I strongly suggest that you go.


Bridgman Pottery Pre-Holiday Pottery Sale
Friday, November 12 at 5:30p to 9 pm
Saturday, November 13 at 10a to 4pm
719 Dickinson St., Memphis, TN

This is my favorite mug. It has a button fern detail. 

If there was a house fire, l'm grabbing this mug.

Find it @:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/bridgmanpottery
The Trolley Stop Market - 704 Madison Avenue, Memphis, TN 38103

Are you thinking about ordering some Fudge for Christmas?

I know. It's only the first week of November. You've just calmed down from your Halloween sugar high. Christmas still seems like a long ways off. Heck, there's Thanksgiving to worry about. But if you're thinking about ordering an original Fudge painting for yourself or a loved one, you should probably get that order in now. I'm not trying to drive up sales here. I'm just being honest. Painting isn't my full time job so the 7 weeks between now and Christmas really isnt much time for me to finish a bunch of new paintings. So if you want that commissioned painting for Christmas and not the New Year. You should email this professional procrastinator artist real soon.

Thanks!
Richard

Fudge Freebie

Chester Cards Sets - now available

4"x5.5" folded cards, blank inside, envelopes included

set of 5 = $8. set of ten cards = $15. set of 20 = $30. shipping is extra.

That's right. I'm offering a free 5 pack of Chester Cards - picture of your choice. To enter, leave a comment on this blog post with your favorite of the 8 designs pictured above. The winner will be randomly selected on Monday.

Here are the title's from left to right:

Top row
1. Blown Away
2. Instructions Not Included
3. Crossroads
4. Waiting for a Reply
Bottom row
5. Letting It Out
6. Ready to Go
7. Release
8. Proper Postage

Union University to have their first Arts, Culture & Theology Conference

Just saw this posted on Continuum's website and thought i would repost it here. Looks really interesting:

Union University’s First Arts, Culture & Theology Conference
April 8th & 9th, 2011,
The tentative cost is $80 for the two day event. 

Friday April 8th

1:00 – Welcome/ Introduction to the Conference: Artists and Union University Art Professors Haelim Allen & Melinda Eckley
1:15 – Introductory Addresses: Dr. David Dockery, Union University President and author or editor of more than thirty books; & Dr. Steve Halla, Artist, Writer and Union University Assistant Professor of Art
2:00 – Worship through the arts: Michael Card, Contemporary Christian Musician
2:30 – First Plenary Speaker: Nigel Goodwin, Executive Director of Genesis Arts Trust- London, UK
3:15 – Worship through the arts: Ballet Rejoice Dance Troupe
4:00 – Dinner Break (on your own)

6:00 – Second Plenary Speaker: Dr. Dan Siedell, Art Historian, Curator, Writer, Speaker, and Assistant Professor of Art History – University of Nebraska
7:20 – Worship through the arts: Union University Music Department presentation
8:00 – Art Event & Gallery Opening: Wayne Adams, Artist

Saturday April 9th

8:50 – Opening Comments: Dr. Carla Sanderson, Union Provost
9:00 – Morning Devotion: Michael Card
9:30 – 15 Minute Vignettes:

• Dr. David Taylor, Arts Pastor, Hope Chapel Artistic Advisor, and Resident Fellow Hill Country Institute for Contemporary Christianity, Austin, TX
• Dr. Paul Shockley, Associate Professor of Bible and Theology at the College of Biblical Studies-Houston
• Michael Winter, Gallery Director, The 930 Art Center Gallery, Louisville, KY
• Dr. Taylor Worley, Union University Assistant Professor of Christian Thought & Tradition

10:40 – Worship through Art: Union University Theater Department
11:00 – Panel Discussion (all speakers) with Q & A
11:30 – Third Plenary Speaker: Mary McCleary, Artist & Regent’s Professor of Art Emeritus – Stephen F. Austin State University
12:30 – Lunch (we provide)
1:30 – Worship Service
2:00 – Closing Comments: Dr Gene Fant, Union University VP for Academic Services and Author of “God as Author: Toward a Christian Approach to Narrative”

Fudge on display at Kemmons Wilson Family Center for Good Grief (finally!)

It's so good to finally see my painting "Not Alone" hanging up at the Baptist Trinity Hospice House & Kemmons Wilson Family Center for Good Grief. At a whopping 8ft tall and 9ft wide, it's the largest painting that I've ever done and the first corporate commissioned piece. 

The sketch i did back in May for this project. (Above) It took me over 3 months to complete the 2 panels. And then I had to wait on the construction to be completed so that it could be installed. It's very cool to finally see it set together (Below). I don't have a wall tall enough in my house to hang them stacked together. 

You can see it for yourself by attending the open house this Saturday. Details below.

Open house: 

Baptist Trinity Hospice House & Kemmons Wilson Family Center for Good Grief
Saturday, Oct. 30 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
1520 W. Poplar Ave., Collierville, TN 38017
located on the campus of Baptist Memorial Hospital -Colllierville

Baptist is celebrating the upcoming opening of our residential hospice house with a community event this Saturday. You'll be able to tour the new house, which will be the first of its kind in the area: http://bit.ly/clUdu6

Chester makes a cameo appearance in Susan's video

Thank You From Susan Isaacs from Save Blue Like Jazz on Vimeo.

That's right! Incredible, funny actress/author Susan Isaacs has 3 of my paintings and you can see them all in the background of this video she made. How cool is that!

In case you're wondering more about Save Blue Like Jazz (the movie) and would like to donate to it (there is still time!), here's a link.