Disclaimer: I am not a writer!

I have spent the last few days adding the new beautiful French collection to the Emilia Ceramics website.  It is a time-consuming and emotionally exhausting process for two reasons: First, I am not a writer!  Sure I have done some writing in my past, you know things like a senior thesis on racial disparities in education and... umm... a lot of journal writing while living abroad.  But I've never written for a magazine or newspaper.  And as my friends know, I don't even send long emails.  I am more of a 'get the point across' kind of writer. 

The second reason writing about these ceramic pieces is hard is because I feel such an emotional connection to them.  I sit here, looking at this stunning bowl, analyzing how it was thrown by hand (maybe even by someone who welcomed me into their home and cooked me dinner) and how it was then individually painted, following the artist's creative inspiration.  And all this occurred in a far-off  corner of Provence, before it was packed up and sent halfway around the world.  No wonder these descriptions take me a little time and energy.  And no wonder I often find myself thinking, "maybe I shouldn't sell this one.  Maybe I should just keep it for myself."  I love these pieces... each for its own imperfections, special glazes and unique story. 

I'm not really complaining.  I am grateful for the opportunity to share these truly extraordinary works of art with all of you and writing about their beauty is just part of that.  All I ask is that you cut me a little slack when I write too casually or too passionately or make grammatical errors.  I haven't been formally trained and I'm way to attached to each piece to be held responsible for my mistakes. 

Here's my most recent description of an awesome large bowl by Sylvie Duriez called Moody Blond.  (My exhaustion is probably most apparent in the ridiculous names I give these pieces).  Please keep in mind that I've been doing this for hours now and I do truly love this bowl. 

Check out all that has made it to the website so far -- The Emilia Ceramics French Collection. (There will me more!!)  And don't forget to click on "About the Artist" to learn more about each piece's history.

Talavera Vázquez - In Hot Demand!!

While my mind has been preoccupied by French pottery lately (shipment to arrive any day now!), my customers are still very much focused on my Mexican collection, especially the contemporary pieces from Talavera Vázquez.  In the last few months, their work has emerged as my best sellers... both among peers living in small, sparsely decorated apartments, as well as among seasoned collectors from around the country.  Needless to say, it's time for a new order.  I've attached photos of a few pieces that have been in especially hot demand lately.  To see the current Vázquez collection, click here.

And please feel free to offer me your thoughts on sizes, colors, styles, etc. if you'd like to influence my new order.  I always appreciate suggestions!!  You can write a comment below or email me directly.

Blue Striped Tibor - Currently Sold Out (was $128)

Orange ZigZag Lamp - Currently Sold Out (was $185) 

 Small Candle Holders - Currently Sold Out (was $36 a pair)

Small Cristina Vase - $68

Paloma Serving Dish - $148

Last Week: Andalucia

Wow, I can't believe my big buying trip is coming to an end!  I had a great time driving down the coast from Valencia on Tuesday and then spent Wednesday exploring the Cazorla National Park.  This area produces 10% of the world's olive oil, which is not difficult to believe -- the olive groves stretch out in every direction, as far as the eye can see.  Beautiful.

On Thursday, I headed for Sevilla, but made two pottery stops on the way.  The first was impromptu... the hotel owner in Cazorla had mentioned that I really should stop in the nearby town of Ubeda to visit La Alfareria Tito... and I am so glad I did.  Check out some photos of the store I walked into:

I soon met Melchor Tito, who drove me from his store to a small workshop, where there are only 2 work stations: one for Melchor Tito Sr. (first photo below) and one for Melchor Tito Jr.  Talk about a close father-son relationship, these two work together everyday, crafting, painting, and firing their unique ceramic artwork.

I also got a tour and explanation of the traditional (and very elaborate) Arabic firing process they use.  They have the oldest Arabic kiln in all of Europe (that's still functioning) and using it means carefully packing it to capacity, then closely monitoring its progress for the 30 hours it's cooking!  They keep an eye on the heat, section by section, and add kindling (for which they use, not surprisingly, dried olive branches) to certain areas as needed.  Here's Melchor Jr. showing me the tunnel-like entry through which they add kindling.

The whole process is super labor-intensive, which means they only do it once a year.  But the result is beautiful - strong, mineral-based glazes, from rich evergreen and golden honey, to deep cobalt.  It did not take me long to decide Alfareria Tito would make a great addition to the Emilia Ceramics collection!

My next stop was Hermanos Granados in Lucena, a small town near Cordoba.  Because of my detour to Alfareria Tito (and the fact that Melchor Tito was very outgoing and wanted to tell me every detail about his craft), I arrived about 3 hours later than I had expected.  Luckily, Isidoro Granados turned out to be the exact opposite of Melchor Tito -- extremely quiet and only interested in showing me what I asked to be shown.  Here's Isidoro, holding a pitcher.  We joked about how this huge pitcher made him appear even smaller than he really is (probably less than five feet tall). Standing next to me had the same effect!

Despite his shyness, Isidoro was very welcoming.  He answered all my questions and introduced me to the rest of his family (aka, his coworkers).  I had actually visited the Granados family 8 years ago, when I was living in Sevilla and just getting interested in the idea of importing ceramics.  It was great to see their work again in person, as they employ a very traditional Andalusian style that I love.  It's rustic, with a truly functional look and feel.

With that, I ended the pottery portion of my trip and focused my energy on enjoying my old stomping grounds in Sevilla.  It's been awesome toback in this most beautiful and energetic city!  Here are a few parting shots of the Cathedral and of course, my favorite bartenders in Sevilla.

I'll be home Wednesday -- hope to see or hear from you soon!