October 1-2
Omaha North Hills Pottery Tour
Big Table Studios, 17171 County Rd 25, Herman; Too Far North Wines and Wine Tasting, 111 N. 14th St., Fort Calhoun; Dennison Pottery, 13210 N. 47th St., Omaha; Florence Mill, 9102 N. 30th St., Omaha
FREE
Omahanorthhillspotterytour.com
Catch the fall breeze and maybe a teapot this weekend at the annual pottery tour featuring 16 regional and national potteries within a 30-mile stretch. The potters are in their own digs; you may chat with them, watch them throw clay, and you can shop and taste local wine. Liz Vercruysse and John Martelle show off their Japanese anagama-style kiln, creating contemporary forms with ancient wood-fire techniques. They’ll host Minnesota ceramisists JD Jorgensen and Zac Spates and Iowan Doug Schroeder at Big Table Studios. Down the road at Dennison Pottery, John Dennison and guests Mike Bose of Iowa and Missourians Naomi Keller and David Harris display sculpted lizards, geometric forms, hidden chambers and birded libs with live jazz to boot. Florence Mill hosts Susan McGilvrey, Tom Quest, Julie Kinkade and Tracy Shell of Omaha and Bill Gossman of Minnesota with styles from bright earthenware to sculpted horses, vases and stamped plates. Too Far North hosts Eric Knoche of North Carolina and his sculptural work and Travis Hinton of South Dakota and his expressive functional ware, with a wine tasting too.
Sally Deskins