Celadon Tea Set by Darin R. Gehrke Ceramic at the Ceramics in Brooklyn Autumnware Show

Sunday’s Autumnware Show, curated by Ceramics in Brooklyn for the Minds over Matter series at the Old American Factory (Makers) Market, featured  many talented and unique ceramic artists.  The celadon green of this teapot drew me to the wooden table of Darin R. Gehrke of DRG Ceramics.  Gehrke’s work has a distinctly Asian sensibility in the colors, decorative details, and the objects themselves.  His style combines the “looseness” of the Japanese style with the structure of the traditional Chinese traditional.  This combination of great ceramic traditions is not something you see every day.  From his artisic standpoint, Gehrke has the benefit of seeing the beauty and value in each of these styles and combining them to come up with designs featuring the most beautiful, and often practical, aspects of both.

Gherke is a studio potter with the TriBeCa Potters and teaches advanced adult ceramic classes at the Educational Alliance Art School.

Darin R. Gehrke Ceramics

Ceramics in Brooklyn

Minds over Matter, The (Makers Market) at the Old American Can Factory

Chicken Biscuit from Pies-n-Thighs at the Madison Square Market

Don’t let the inclement weather prevent you from going to the markets this weekend!  Put on your wellies, grab an umbrella, and go!  In addition to the fantastic weekly artisan, farmer, food, and flea markets around the city, there are several special events taking place.  Most of them are indoors too!

Tonight, October 1, 2010:

First Friday at the Loom:  First Fridays are back!  Meet and mingle at The Shops at The Loom in Bushwick.  See the works from local designers at the Better than Jam Coop, many of whom sell at the artisan markets. The Bushwick Print Lab (and special guests) will be making silkscreen prints LIVE in water-based textile inks.  If you bring a garment, they’ll print right on it for you!  Check here for details.

Greenpoint Open Studios:  This weekend event opens Friday night and runs through Sunday evening.  It features “open studios for over 150 artists collaborating with many local galleries and businesses to exhibit shows and performances throughout the weekend.”

Madison Square Market:  This market features handmade artisans selling everything from clothing and jewelry to toys and artwork  So many great things to look at, and don’t hesitate to ask the sellers about their products!  Plus, the food vendors are fantastic (like the chicken biscuit in the photo from Pies-n-Thighs)!  This market runs 7 days a week through October 23.

Saturday, October 2, 2010:

Crafts on Columbus:  This pillar of the craft fairs opens this weekend.  Stroll through the booths select from the high quality crafts.  It runs for three weekends through October 17.

Jersey City Craft Mafia and Art House Productions:  This event features 20 artists with wonderful handmade wares, plus loads more activities, including craft demos, and a showcase of the work by Kayt Hester’s surreal work using hand-ripped masking tape.  It goes Saturday and Sunday, 12PM – 6PM.  Free admission.

Greenpoint Open Studios

Madison Square Market

If you are in Washington, DC this weekend, many New York artisans are participating in Crafty Bastards!

Sunday, October 3

Ceramics in Brooklyn:  I’m very excited about this event, a one-day sale of contemporary ceramics made by Brooklyn artists.  It is the second event of its type, and part of Minds over Matter at the (Makers) Market a series of ten weekly shows of handmade products made of a different material each week.

Crafts on Columbus

Greenpoint Open Studios

Jersey City Craft Mafia and Art House Productions

Madison Square Market

See You at the Markets!