2015 Top Ten List

Top 10 highlights from a year full of challenges, successes and profound joy!
By all accounts 2015 was a stellar year.

1. The release of what our fans have called “the strongest collection yet!” The 2015 collection is both larger and more diverse than years past. Highlights from the group include two winning Artist Anniversary Limited Edition Pieces – Laura’s Vase and The Nasturtium Pitcher. For those of you who are curious, our best selling piece is the Walden Pond.
   
2. The growth of our studio, especially in the addition of two new artists, Alek Schroeder & Allison Jelenchick. Collaboration is paramount at Ephraim Pottery and we are  thrilled to widen our perspective through the creative lenses, hands and hearts of these young artists.
3. The tremendous success of our special holiday pottery. The Winter Holiday Series Pine Bough Pitcher was an instant hit.  Thanks to the hustle of our artists we achieved creation and delivery on each of these elaborate pieces by Dec 16th. The Fairytale Birdhouse Ornaments, Juniper Finial Ornaments and Vintage Onion Ornaments were also hugely adored and purchased in unprecedented numbers. That’s a lot of holiday cheer!
4. Studio tours! We love opening our studio doors and sharing our unique processes. What happens at Ephraim Pottery is by no means common in this modern world and every single visitor leaves with an expanded appreciation for what it means to create by hand. Fair warning, if you visit our studio in 2016 you will likely find yourself disdaining mass produced goods and favoring work which celebrates handmade. Your definition of “perfection” may even move from clean/exact/uniform to an exciting place where a visible trace of the process is ideal. Check our Wabi-Sabi Blog post for more thoughts on this idea.
5. The release of four endearing Reserve Editions: The Mini Rose Jars, The Spring Peepers Bowl, The Seahorses’ Cove Vase and The Welcome the Night Bowl. With each of these numbered edition pieces our artists collaborated, sharing in their mastery of ceramics and using innovation to produce compelling new designs.
6. The Autumnal Experimental Pottery Party at the Studio Gallery. This event gave us reason to celebrate one of our favorite motifs, bats. The artists really had fun creating an impressive number of experimental bat pieces for the party. As with all our Studio Gallery events we had artists on hand to chat with visitors and food to share. We greatly appreciate these communal gatherings and the time to connect with collectors. Thank you to all who attended!
7. The continued success of Ephraim Pottery West. The number of people who have visited our delightful California Gallery, located along the central coast in Cambria, keeps growing and growing. Also ever expanding  is the inspiration our artists take from California. Pieces with poppies, coastal landscapes, bridges and craggy old oaks all stem from our love of the California scenery.
8. The completion of a fan built design. This summer we asked you to help us brainstorm ideas for a unity themed vase. We wanted a subject matter that would symbolize the coming together of people in many ways – a vase to commemorate marriage, anniversaries, friendship, family, spiritual union, and peace. You put forth many wonderful ideas. The studio took your ideas and designed a few of them into vase forms. Amongst these designs, the concept of two trees that grow, branch, and come together won out as the preferred piece. The resulting design, The Unity Tree Vase, will be available through Sept, 2016.
9. The creating of the The Drifter Movie We had a little fun with this one!
10. The MPTV crew from Around the Corner with John McGivern filmed our studio, gallery and staff for a Lake Mills episode which will air Jan 28, 2016. It will be fun to see our quant little town getting some attention and to see ourselves on camera…Ephraim Pottery was founded in 1996, so 2016 marks our 20th anniversary! We have some big plans to celebrate this momentous year, which we view as a bridge from our past extending into our future.

    May your 2016 be full of good health, happiness and creativity in abundance!
    Happy New Year from all of us at Ephraim Pottery.