Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Clay dyed clothes?

I was perusing one of my clothing magazines this morning and spied this. Being the wife of a potter, I could not help but laugh! All of Diana's clothes are clay dyed. Darn, now why didn't I come up with marketing idea? Maybe it's not too late. Bring me all of your white cotton things and I'll dye them terra cotta for you and you can save on the shipping charges. LOL-Christina

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Spring planting time!

March 17, 2012
Hello Kersey  Clay Fans!
Well we had a humdinger of a party on the opening of March 10th! So many of you made it here despite the afternoon downpours-Thank you! 
We had so much fun talking to you all that we forgot to take photos. Next time, we will appoint someone to do this for us.  In case you missed the show- there are still plenty of fun artworks to see here besides Diana’s beautiful pots.  GeorgieCunningham has created some interesting nouveaux objets d'art papier  pour la table as has her contemporary, Paula Cox.  And of course, Jane Bishop's vibrant and vintage designer linens set off any table arrangement whether your taste is classical, or nouveaux/funk. 

The show ends March 31 and we will be sad to see their art leave the premises- so please get down here when you can.  
Our hours are: Tues- Friday 11-6 and Sat 12-4pm.

Aside from the preparations for the
Fiesta Arts Fair
April 21, 10:00am-6:00pm, April 22, 11:00am-5:00pm
Southwest School of Art, 300 Augusta

that Diana is preparing for, she has also tasked me to remind you all that spring is here and now is a good time to try out our line of Ollas. In case you have not heard what this is, I am posting the info sheet that Diana created last year when she began making Ollas for our Olmos Park Terrace Community Garden.

We used the Ollas in our home as well as in the community garden during the horrible 2011 drought and we managed to get a decent crop of veggies without draining the aquifer! Also, we diminished the need for frequent watering- they really are a time-saver! And if you enjoy traveling, then you can fill them up and leave town for a week with no fear of dehydration.

Ollas, otherwise known as pitcher irrigation
The cost is $45.00 per Olla plus tax. Properly cared for, they should last a very long time. Ours are into their second year of use.

Here is her handout:
OLLA Irrigation
Ollas (pronounced “oya”) are porous clay pots that have been fired in a kiln and then are buried underground.  The body of the pot is left unglazed and the top, exposed portion and lid are glazed. When filled with water, the clay pot turns into an amazing high-tech device. The micro-pores of the clay pot allow water to seep into the surrounding soil. The water seepage is regulated by the water needs of any nearby plant. When the plant's water demands have been fulfilled and the soil is moist, the water seepage from the clay pot will stop. When the soil becomes dry, water seepage will begin again. This seepage is controlled by soil moisture tension. It's automatic irrigation without timers or electronic sensors!
How to Use:
1.       Bury your olla in the ground or in the center of a larger container up to the glazed portion of its neck.
2.       Place seeds or plants around the circumference of the olla. Fill the olla with water and place the glazed lid over the top to prevent evaporation and mosquitoes.
3.       Continue to water the seeds or plants daily for a week or two to help get them established, then switch to just adding water to the olla. Mulch around the plants and olla to further prevent evaporation.
4.       It is hard to estimate how often you will need to add water to the olla. Variables are: # of plants, amount of rainfall, types of plants, etc.  Based on my experience, and using one bell pepper or tomato plant per olla, I only needed to add water about every 5-7 days during the drought of 2011!
Advantages of Olla Irrigation:
ü  Good for soil structure. Because water is not poured onto the soil, the seed bed stays loose and plenty of air can circulate.
ü  Surface soil in clay pot irrigation remains dry, thereby reducing weed proliferation and direct evaporation!!
ü  System inherently checks against over-irrigation.
ü  Much smaller quantities of water and less frequent watering required, reducing the amount of labor and time needed to garden.
ü  Saves on the amount of fertilizer if it is added in clay pots and is absorbed as a solute via water movement to the plants.
ü  Clay pots have been proven to reduce water use without reducing yields.
Maintenance:
1.       Always keep pots wet by not allowing water to deplete beyond 25% capacity.  This will counteract possible clogging and enhance water flow out of the clay pot.
2.       Long irrigation intervals entailing total depletion of the pots should be avoided as this will encourage clogging particularly if the water is highly carbonated.
3.       An acid (hydrochloric or vinegar) should be used to unblock the system if clogged.

Christina






Wednesday, March 7, 2012

This exhibit will be sweet and delicious and promises to be a treat for all who attend! This year we have four new artists that are going to make this exhibit not to be missed!