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By: Danielle Kearns As a PYOP studio, we have to outsource our pottery as bisque, which means the clay has already been molded and fired once before we receive it so that you can paint it upon your visit. There are a handful of distributors around the country, but most notably, we use Gare, Inc. located in Haverhill, Massachusetts. I recently got to take a tour and training at the facility, and I got a glimpse into the inner workings of the corporation and the things that make Gare one of our favorite businesses to work with. local, family-run business Gare, Inc. is located just 2 hours North of us in Haverhill, Massachusetts. The facility includes offices, plenty of art samples, paint tank mixing vats, loading docks, warehouses, and the best crew around. The majority of the team has been there for 10, 20, and even 30+ years. Not only do they feel like a family, some of them are even related and married. You can feel the tight-knit energy as soon as you walk in the door, and they are just the nicest folk around! craftsmanship Robert Sharp is the man behind all of the molds. He has been with Gare for over 30 years, taking over for his father after his retirement. He hand carves and hand shapes all of pieces to create the molds that then become the bisque pottery extensive + versatile colors An array of extensive colors. Most notably, they provide our Fun Strokes, pottery glazes, and speciality glazes. They will soon be releasing their new acrylic line! seasonal favorites + idea inspiration! Gare is releasing new bisque options every year, and our most popular items are those seasonal favorites! This year, Gare released their vintage tree with pick-up truck, which became an instant hit. It even included a light kit! We got a sneak peak into the 2019 holiday line, and there’s more where that came from! Gare also gives us as a studio ideas, concepts, and new techniques for every holiday. They currently have their Spring products posted! gare fest We just attended Gare Fest East 2019, which was an awesome way of networking with other PYOP studios, meeting the staff of Gare, touring the facility, and learning about new techniques and tools. We also got a sneak peak at new items that will be coming down the pike throughout the year that we are excited to bring to all of you. We met some of their gold star employees and would like to give them a shout out and thank them for their generosity and education.
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By: Danielle Kearns A few weeks back, we had a 90s theme night at the claypen. I was in my element. I am a 90s kid at heart, and had way too much fun revisiting all the highlights of the era. And what’s even better? Some of those things are still around and well to this day! Did you hear that they tried to remove Friends from Netflix and it cost them a million to keep it available for streaming because people were going to boycott the service? It might seem crazy, but people feel really strongly when something from their youth is readily available to them, and then suddenly, might not be. It is the ultimate comfort blanket for any bad day. It is the familiar that we can quote backwards and forwards and bond over as a generation. While preparing for the event, I couldn’t-help-but-Carrie-Bradshaw wonder what the main icons would be that stuck out for these different groups of people. What for me was a decade filled with Girl Power and the launch of the internet, others remember the launch of Starbucks and the rise of Boy Band Power. Here are my best tips to throwing a proper 90’s theme party:
By: Danielle Kearns The local craft beer scene has completely exploded over the past few years and I am all for it. There are now over 50 breweries in the state who are doing their best to cater to the growing interest, and I have made it my personal mission to visit as many of them as I can. Each time I feel like I’ve made a dent, a new place seems to pop up. I have visited a good portion over the years, but have made it a tradition to indulge in a flight upon each inaugural trip. I highly recommend this practice as it gives you a good sense of the scope and flavors they are playing around with. From there, I choose my favorite to order a full pint of. I recently visited Alvarium Beer Company in New Britain. It was on a Sunday, which has now become synonymous with brunching and day-drinking, so needless to say, the place was absolutely packed! I made my way through their draft list… strictly as “research,” of course. Their flat screen menu was rotating behind the bar with their most up-to-date tap list, kept up to date with the help of UNTAPPD. The current menu includes 14 beers, ranging from IPAs, ales, Hefs, sours, and lagers -- as well as a rotating guest tap and snacks from The Drunken Alpaca. We are so excited to announce that we will be hosting our first brewery collaboration with Alvarium this month, so mark your calendar and save your spot now, because spots are already starting to fill. During the event, a member of the Alvarium team will be at the studio pouring some of their current selections while you are painting any piece of pottery of your choice, but knowing we’ll have some professional drinkers in the house, we are sure to stock up on some appropriate drink-ware including wine tumblers, shot glasses, and beer steins. But you can truly paint whatever you want that evening and enjoy the ambience and tastings all the same. save the date: friday, march 15th Pre-registration is required. This is a 21+ event. **Registration costs covers your Studio Fee + use of silk screens. It also reserves your seat! You will pay for your pottery of choice same night. a management mention We’re hoping this is the start of many more collaborations for us in the future, especially with other small and local businesses. If you might be interested in planning an event with us, contact our Events Coordinator, Cait. We can also come to you! That’s right -catered claypen is available for team bonding, networking, fundraisers, events, and more. Inquiries can be submitted to our owner, Sophia. |
authorHi! I'm the resident blogger here at the claypen. Let's create something special, unique, and creative together full of love and heART. Feel free to comment with questions, requests, or future ideas. -Dani 
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