Handmade Tile Association June 2007 Newsletter

Main Body
Tile Festival Update
Smoke and Mirrors
Mercury Mosaics was featured in the Star Tribune
Next HTA Meeting July 17th

Side Bar
Tile employment at Deb LeAir Studio
Tile Tour and tile making workshop at the U of M
Tile tours in Duluth

Tile Festival update
We have only one outdoor space available as of June 1st and half of the indoor spaces have been spoken for.   If you are interested in registering for the event please do so before the space is gone. 

The MN Tile Festival marketing committee is starting to develop a comprehensive short and long term plan to grow the festival in attendance, sales, and exposure.   The key in the plan is taking the grass roots of the organization energy and harnessing it to make sure every member brings patrons to the MN Tile Festival.  The more attendees we have at the festival the more potential for people to purchase tiles and educated people on the possibilities of tile. Since this is the eighth year of the HTA directory and the 6th annual tile festival many people have heard of the HTA and the MN Tile Festival.  The challenge is to engage the public and show them how diverse and affordable tile is either for projects in their homes or as art. 
The MN Tile Festival is the tile community's major event and it is imperative we use that weekend to talk and show people the potential of great tile and all its uses.   Keep building your mailing and e-mail lists, consider creating special opportunities for your mailing list and HTA members to come and see you at the festival.   Do you offer discounts for HTA or American Swedish Institute, members?  Have you developed a full range of price points so people can afford to collect your work until they can buy the large pieces?   Are you teaching a class, workshop our giving a tour of tile after the tile festival?  If not there still is a little time to develop plans with the Edina Art Center, Northern Clay Center, or other organizations you have worked with in the past.  Make the tile festival work for you by creating opportunities before, during and after the show.   If you want to help please contact the HTA and tell us what you would like to see done and what you can do to improve the Great MN Tile Festival.

Smoke and Mirrors
Opening reception with the artists:
June, 9th, 6pm to 9pm
Gallery Show runs: June 6th thru September 29th
Clay Squared to Infinity hours: Monday through Saturday, 11am - 5pm

Clay Squared to Infinity is pleased to bring together two of the most venerated women tile artists in the Upper Midwest, Laura McCaul and Sharra Frank. Their show, "Smoke and Mirrors", will feature Laura's signature smoke fired Blackware handmade tiles and Sharra's Cinderella-esque ornately elegant mosaic mirrors.
You are invited to our opening reception.
Remember HTA members receive a once a year 10% off discount at Clay Squared to Infinity!

Mercury Mosaics was featured in the Star Tribune Home+garden section on May 23rd 2007. This was a feature of the ASID showcase home on Summit Avenue in St. Paul. You can see the home Wed- Sun. Through June 17th 318 Summit Ave
Tickets $25 call 612-336-9296
www.mspmag.com

Next Handmade Tile Association Meeting
When: Tuesday July 17th 2007
Where: Thomp Arts Lucy Gantz Studio
Northrup King Building 1500 Jackson St NE
Suite #394
Call for directions: 612-929-9490
Time: 6 pm

Agenda:
Mn Tile Festival Marketing Committee report
Press releases - Nancy Sartor will talk about how to write a press release. Nancy did the publicity for Art - A - Whirl. She has worked for numerous newspapers and is a professional writer. Nancy is also the HTA's annual directory professional proof reader.

Pot Luck

Tile employment at Deb LeAir Studio
Does anyone know of a person who is looking for a some work over the summer?  Perhaps an art student or someone interested in clay maybe even you?  I am looking for some help during June, July and August and perhaps into the future.  I have a heavy schedule this year and could use help with rolling out (with slab roller) and cutting tiles, helping to paint tiles and pots and  odd jobs around the studio.  The hours will vary but probably be around 10-20 per week.  Call Deb LeAir at 651-793-3426   

Tile Tour and tile making workshop at the U of M
Ceramics Squared: The Art of Tiles
Date: Tuesday, June 26, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. cost $125 each; discounts apply for University of Minnesota Alumni Association members and Circle of Scholars members.

To register, please visit www.cce.umn.edu/curiosity or call 612-624-4000.

To see full information on the tour and workshop go to the events page

Tile tours in Duluth
Karin Kraemer is using her knowledge gained from creating the tile map of the Twin Ports. She led a Downtown Terra Cotta tour last weekend, with the fiber guild.  She
charged by the person with lunch included.  It took about 2 hours, and I
would love to do it for small or large groups. If you are interested in getting a group together and get a tour of tiles in Duluth and Superior contact Karin at karin@duluthpottery.com