CircaCeramics's Profile

Bio

★ It's that time of year again! Please read below for our quick format on how to place a special/custom order - Any questions at all, do ask - We're pretty quick with the replies :)

★ Where are the Magnets? Tabs? They're in our new shop, thatwhichisnot.etsy.com - Still us, only with smaller things :)
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Hi there, prospective customer :)

If you see an image or design that you like, but would rather have it in another colour, available shape or both we encourage you to contact us - Chances are we can make it for you!

Tell us what shape, the colour and the design, and we'll get back to you with:

►a completion date
►the price change (if any)
►any other charges (screen fees, setup fees) if applicable

If we need clarification on anything we'll contact you - It's that easy :)

► And very important: Please check your Conversations here on Etsy when you login, as this is how we will be in contact with you the entire time!

Nancy + Andy
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Hi there! All our vitals are below - Please take the time to read (or carefully skim) through.

♥ We had the honor & privilege to have been chosen as an Etsy Featured Seller while we were in Baltimore in February 2008 (22-25). You can find our interview here:
http://www.etsy.com/featured_seller.php?featured_user_id=81916

★ Last of 2009's events!

November

♥ DIY Trunk Show
Sat. the 21st, Chicago!
More info here:
http://www.diytrunkshow.com/

♥ Art vs. Craft: Round 9
Sat. the 28th, Milwaukee!
more info here:
http://www.artvscraftmke.com/

December

♥ The Renegade Holiday Sale
5+6, Chicago!
more info here:
http://www.renegadecraft.com/holiday-chicago

► WHO ARE WE?

You can read & see images about us here on Etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/thisHandmadeLife/article/open-studio-circa-ceramics/234/
This is one of the nicest write-ups we've had :)

Circa Ceramics is a two-person (Andy Witt & Nancy Pizarro) studio that came to be in the fall of 1999, when we began designing & making a line of tableware & accessories with an emphasis on functionality, colour, and fun.

Our specialties lie in the shape design and the decoration - consistent, usable shapes with the liberty to mix and match the ware with regards to design elements and colour.

We hope you find our ware exciting to look at, as well as useful!

We continue to create pieces in our north-side Chicago studio, and our work is available to the masses primarily through Etsy, art/craft festivals and the occasional open studio weekend.

► HOW WE DO IT.

★ Please note: All of our porcelain ware is food, dishwasher + microwave safe - We fire our images into the glaze, ensuring that they are indelible - Very different from using a paint marker or pen and using a home oven to adhere (or cure, or heat set) the image to the ware surface.

★ Everything in our shop is made by us, start to finish - Incredible, right?
Well, read on then :)

We use a variety of hand & machine processes to make the pieces; you can see stages of some of our work in progress and our machines (some of which we made ourselves!) in our Flickr account:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/circaceramics/

We've recently (as of Fall 2009) completed the switch to all porcelain for everything we make, including our magnets and tabs (which you can now find in our second shop http://www.thatwhichisnot.etsy.com).

All of the functional ware (cups, bowls and plates, art tiles) shown here are made with porcelain clay.

Itty Bitty Cylinders and the Cylinders are made using porcelain slip.

The Pendants, Tabs & Magnets are made using porcelain clay - See them all here:
http://www.thatwhichisnot.etsy.com

The hand painted decorations are done using some commercially made underglazes and glazes and some we've formulated ourselves. The decals, made by us, are either screenprinted with a traditional screen or Print Gocco screens and overglazes.

★ And yes, they're all FIRED on, not BAKED on, meaning they won't rub off - They are one with the glaze :) You can even use a Scotchbrite scrubbie dish sponge, and unless you've got a bionic industrial strength arm, that won't do a darn thing to our ware, except clean it up for you.

Any doubts, please do contact us!

► CONTACTING US.

We can always be contacted via convo here on Etsy or via email: circaceramics [!at] sbcglobal.net

Need to speak to Andy or Nancy? Studio number = 773.404.1655

► SPECIAL ORDERS.

We're happy to take requests! Before contacting us, think about the shape you want, the colour and the design (the imagery). We'll get back to you with the pricing (if there's a change), estimated time of completion, and any other questions we may have.

► SITES TO SEE.

www.circaceramics.com = Our info/link hub

http://www.flickr.com/photos/circaceramics/
= images of our processes, works in progress and projects

http://circaceramics.blogspot.com/
Informative? Perhaps. A place to document general observations and occurrences in our life as a ceramics studio? Definitely.

♥ oh, just peep on us via the Twitter:
http://twitter.com/CircaCeramics

♥ We are members of the following Etsy Street Team:

Chicago Style Crafters: http://www.chicagostylecrafters.com/

► male, April 13; female, July 4 :)