Come to the pottery

Wesleyan Potters to hold Key Member Show opening Sept. 27 MIDDLETOWN >> Wesleyan Potters Gallery Shop’s featured Key Member Show opens on Sept. 27, featuring the pottery of Arline Edmonds, Ann Broderick and Vicki Zwelling and the jewelry of Deborah Strano

Wesleyan Potters Gallery Shop is located at 350 South Main Street, Middletown.

According to its website, Wesleyan Potters, Inc. is a non-profit cooperative guild founded in 1948 to promote the learning and development of skills in crafts. It offers classes in three different media: weaving, metalsmithing and ceramics. Its weaving studio is equipped with 30 looms and a jewelry studio is fully equipped and has recently acquired new enameling kilns.

The pottery program now serves 144 students in nine classes. The pottery studio is equipped with 18 pottery wheels, two slab rollers, two extruders, two glazing booths, and generous working space and tools for handbuilding.

The studio has two gas kilns, seven electric kilns for bisqueware, a raku kiln and a newly rebuilt soda kiln.

Classes are typically nine weeks long, and sessions are offered year round in winter, spring, summer and fall on a lottery basis.

Instructors design classes to accommodate all levels of

experience and skill. Additionally, Wesleyan Potters offers jewelry, ceramics, weaving and basketry workshops, which feature demonstrations and hands- on experiences with nation- ally known craftspeople. Youth classes are available for children ranging from grade school to high school.

The gallery and shop exhibit and sell a constantly changing display of fine handcrafts by Wesleyan Potters members and especially talented outside craftspeople. Items are sold at a range of prices and staff members are available to help shoppers. Customer service extends to arranging special commission work; some members offer small jewelry repairs.

Visitors are welcome by appointment made in advance; call 860-347-5925.

The program is supported in part from the Department of Economic and Community Development, Connecticut Office of the Arts which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Events are free and open to the public.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO A botanical bowl is included in the new show at Wesleyan Potters.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO A creative approach to a timepiece by Deb Strano is part of the newest exhibition and sale at Wesleyan Potters in Middletown.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Jewelry such as this silver piece by Deb Stephan is part of Wesleyan Potters’ upcoming show and sale in Middletown.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO A ceramic piece by Ann Broderick is one of many to be found at Wesleyan Potters’ upcoming show in Middletown.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO A pot by Vicky Zwelling, part of the upcoming Key Members show at Wesleyan Potters in Middletown.