A letter from parents

A Happy New Year!

Thank you for supporting STARworks Ceramics and hope it's going to be a great year for everyone.

We received a nice letter from a person whose child took pottery making class at STARworks Ceramics last year, and we want to reference it because it's very good news.

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My oldest son and I made a visit to STARworks this summer with Communities in School. While there he made this great Pirate Jug that he was very proud of. He then entered it in the NC State Fair under the 4-H Division and won 2nd place with it. Donny said that he saw our picture on one of the boards that were set for display when he was doing the tour during the Annual Meeting. I thought you could let them know how well he enjoyed it and also how successful he was. I wish I had thought to take him back and do Christmas presents for people. Tell them that can be an angle for next year for them.

Thanks,

Lynn

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Congratulations! and we are so glad to hear it.

STARworks Ceramics want to continue these kind of hands-on pottery programs for local children for future. Your any support, donation, suggestion and helpful opinion are needed.

Holiday Info

STARworks Ceramics will be closed
from Dec 19th (Sat), 2009
to January 3rd (Sun), 2010.
We are sorry for inconvenience.

Have a great holidays and a happy new year!

STARworks Ceramics

Happy Birthday

Today, Dec 17th is Takuro's Birthday. We had a pot luck lunch in our office and it was fun lunch with our colleagues. He became 37 years old.

Takuro Shibata started working for Yadkin Pee Dee Lakes Project in July, 2005 and set up STARworks Ceramics Materials & Research several months later.

STARworks Ceramics area, March 2005

We visited STARworks building with Nancy in March 2005, it's several months before he started working, and we were very surprised how big it was. In the airplane on the way to go back to Japan, Takuro was really worried how his ceramic business could grow. When he started, he had one bloom and swept up the huge floor day and day. If I were him, it might have been hopeless work, but he didn't gave up. It's been over four years so far, and we think he made it possible.

Happy birthday Takuro and let's grow more gray hair!

Demonstration and Lecture

Clayworks Guild invited STARworks Ceramics to their Guest Artist Lecture/Visit event, and we went there on Wednesday, December 9th. Hitomi Shibata, Studio Manager of STARworks Ceramics gave Japanese Teapot making demonstration for potters, then Takuro Shibata gave a slide lecture about STARworks Ceramics programs. Santiago Ramirez talked about our NC local clays and gave clay samples for people. It was fun night and we enjoyed talking to people who want to know more about what STARworks Ceramics is doing. Thank you very much for inviting us and also we are looking forward to working with you in the future.

More about Clayworks Guild:
http://www.ncclayworks.org

In addition, Sasha Bakaric who is one of the guild member wrote an article about our demo and lecture, and we would like to reference it here. Thanks a lot, Emily and Sasha!

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On Wednesday, Dec 9th, Ronni Theeman hosted our meeting in her beautiful home in Governor's Club. Thank you Ronni!

There was no business meeting since we had a busy schedule. We enjoyed tasty dishes and gave a toast to a successful year. Many members participated in a gift exchange.

This year we had to rush a little to give our guest speakers enough time for their presentation. Japanesse natives Hitomi Akebi Shibata, Takuro Shibata gave us a very attractive and educational presentation. Hitomi showed us how she assembles beautiful Japanese style teapots. We all admired her steady hand and relaxed and very precise style of working.Takuro, director of Starworks Ceramics did a slide presentation on the couples' journey from Japan to Massacusests to Star, NC. Star is very close to us (1.5h from Durham) and it would make a nice day trip.

Thank you Starworks for clay samples. It will be nice to test our local clay. If you missed this meeting or if you would like to find out more about our guest or about Starworks please visit:
www.starworksnc.org

Happy holidays!

Sasha Bakaric
Durham, NC
www.SashaCeramics.com

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STARworks Ceramics can visit and give demo/ lecture for potters guild, group, and schools. Please contact us if you are interested.

Students Pots unloaded

STARworks Ceramics had a school group on Nov 18th and they made small dish with our NC local clay. It's dried, bisqued, glazed and fired. Today we open the kiln and everything looks good.

STARworks Ceramics wants to continue these kind of hands-on pottery programs for local children for future. Your any support, donation, suggestion and helpful opinion are needed.

Materials arrived 12/7

It's been low stock in our warehouse, but we finally got materials arrived this afternoon. We have lots of Highwater premix clays and dry materials. STARworks Ceramics Supply Shop will be closed form Dec 19th until after new year, so please email/call your order to us as soon as possible.

SW Ceramics Original T-shirts

You might have seen our original T-shirts at Celebration of Seagrove Potters, and Takuro Shibata, the director of STARworks Ceramics designed it and Evan Morgan, Wet Dog Glass made them.

There is a phrase in front and it said "Kikuneri Sannen" in Japanese. It literally means " Spiral wedging clay takes three years to learn" and it implies "don't be too confident, but be patient and keep practice". It's common proverb of pottery villages in Japan because Japanese potters believe clay is the most important element for pottery making.

E-Yakimono net has an article of clay and also has nice photos.
http://www.e-yakimono.net/guide/html/clays.html

There are a little bit left over T-shirts in our supply shop and please let us know if you are interested in.