Spinning my Way to Inner Peace

Saturday Arts and Crafts Market

Rita S. Ryan 239 7481

Rita's Pottery is made with everyday use in mind.
Beautiful-Simple-Elegant and Fully Functional.

Created just for you, each piece is food-safe.

Serving dishes are simply beautiful and can be

displayed as Pieces of art.

Each piece is created for you to use on your table,

and carefully in your oven, fired at 2180 + degrees

You may bake in these bowls.

Caution is suggested as pottery, particularly plates,

need to be warmed up slowly to avoid thermal shock.

The rule of thumb is;

Never take a very cold pot and place it in a very hot oven.

I hope you enjoy your pretty

pottery as much as I have enjoyed making it just for you!

Make an appointment to come by
and visit with the “potter” for a throwing demo.

Plan a pottery party

Invite your friends to experience the wonder of clay.
Pottery Parties:

My place or yours.

I provide clay experience and all firings

I will throw a pot with you and your friends
hands on together to create a fun functional piece
A timeless memory
Great entertainment for any occasion
Call: 239 7481

Red it's the New Blue

Rita Ryan Pottery will be at the following 2009 Craft shows

Nov 13th (Friday)

25th Annual Modrall Sperling Craft Show

7:30am to 4pm

Downtown @ 500 fourth St. NW

corner of 4th and Roma 1st floor lobby

of the Bank of America Centre Bldg.

Silent Acution to Benifit St. Martin's Hospitality Center

22 local vendors with gifts and treats for everyone on your holiday list!

November 14th (Sat.)

Cleveland Arts and; Crafts, 6910 Natalie NE, Albq. 9am-4pm

Nov. 21st and 22nd (Sat. and Sun.)

Clear Light Cedar Co., 7 miles east of I-25 Placitas Exit 8am-4pm

December 5th (Sat.)

La Cueva H.S. 7801 Wilshire Ave NE, Albq. 9am-4pm

December 12th (Sat.)

Eisenhower Craft Show 11001 Camero Ave. NE, Albq. 9am-4pm

Rita S. Ryan “Pretty Little Pieces of Art” 239-7481

Some people believe art comes from your inner desires,
I believe art comes like life,
through God in you.

Ever wonder how long did it take me to make that pot?

I first discovered pottery in 1981, I wondered into a nice quaint pottery studio at the Heights Community Center in Albuquerque. The pottery teacher invited me in and here I am 28 years later answering questions like “How long, How much, and Why not.”

Let’s start with the pottery studio I built at my home in Rio Rancho. Counting two awesome potters wheels a super great slab-roller, custom hand built wedging table, and Skutt electric kiln, these are just a few of the tools of the trade. The electric bill, clay and glaze costs are nominal compared to the amount of time I spend creating each piece just for you.

One of the main things I had to learn is what clay body fit which glaze and exactly how much would that clay shrink to make a 9” plate! Very important to know, what temperature to fire what clay at! The clay has to be wedged (sliced and slammed down onto a canvas-covered wedging area) then kneaded to remove any air bubbles. This is done for each pot. The clay is then thrown on the wheel or rolled into a slab and a functional art piece is started. After it is made and in its leather hard state, it can be trimmed. Decorations might be added designs drawn in or cutouts done and clay additions such as handles are made separately and added on. Next, each piece gets slowly dried until it is ready for the kiln. Next, I load the kiln carefully and I warm the kiln for 4 hours to insure the pieces are completely dry so moisture in the clay won’t explode pieces in the kiln firing. Then I do what is called a bisque firing, the temperature reaches 1880 degrees F. After the work is cool, I unload it, clean up any rough edges on pots, then I have to thoroughly clean each piece to get it ready for glazing, this insures no dust particles are left on the bisqued clay so when fired the glaze will adhere nice and smooth and not crawl. Most pieces of pottery I hand brush on three to four coats of glaze, and larger pieces get dipped and then edges wiped clean so glaze will not run and stick to the kiln shelves. Some pieces have up to four different glazes hand brushed on. Once the glazing process is complete, I carry everything outside to the kiln and load it. And fire, even with all this preparation I still have the occasional glaze disaster, where the glaze will run faster and farther then I expect and stick to the kiln shelf during the firing process. I end up losing the piece and grinding the kiln shelf with a hand held grinder, another handy potter’s tool.

The glaze firing takes approximately 7 hours to fire to mid-range cone 5-6 the final firing temperature is somewhere around 2185 degrees F. Cooling takes another 24 hours. And as tempted as I am I do not peek into the kiln until the temperature has fallen below 120 degrees.
After the kiln cools, each piece has to be inventoried, priced, packed up and loaded into the car. I drive to the market/craft show and sell my work. Did I mention I am often up at 4 am to do this task?

I also put in countless advertising hours on the computer, printing brochures, signs, handouts, and business cards. I’d like to also mention all of the beautiful photography you see of my pretty little pieces of art I take myself, another job I have mastered. I have learned to be a tax accountant, web designer and superb one woman sales person. I have juried into many fine art shows, and donated more items than I can count to local charities, at 100% cost to me. This just touches on the highlights of being a potter, there are so many other costs involved including the emotional costs, and I spend so much time loving each piece of pottery I some times forget to nurture my relationships. 28 years later I am always amazed at how beautiful each piece is that leaves my studio and I am so incredibly grateful to God for giving me this passion for clay art.
So when you figure out how long, how much and why, let me know please.

Rita S. Ryan
Pretty Little Pieces of Art

Special Lavender design by: Rita Ryan

Lavender in the Village

Was a Huge Success

"Thank you all who came by to support my art"

Bowls Can Be Fun

Pretty Little Pitcher

Bread Baker / Tray

Bake Bread on this Oven Safe Tray
Use as Table Decoration
Adorned with Candles

Stunning Hand Built Bowl
Great for Parties or Every Day Use
Glazed in Green Shino and Clear

Hearts Alive!

Heart Dishes are made with the outside showing a natural clay surface
Glazed on the inside, Food Safe
Dishwasher and Oven safe

Wheel Thrown Heart Dish

Wheel Thrown Stunning Heart Dishes
Glaze's Shown Red-Gold
Available in
Turquoise, Blue, Green, Teal
White, Dark red

Hand Built Leaf Platter

Large Leaf Platter
Glazed in Green and Blue

Hand Built Bowl

Food Safe / Oven Safe
Beautiful Bowl glazed in Red-Gold

Pottery Wheel Throwing Demo

This Saturday May 9th.

Market hours 7am to 11am
Rita Ryan will be Demonstrating:

Throwing ikebana vases on a potters wheel.

Los Ranchos Growers/Crafters Market 8AM Demo Time!
On Rio Grande Blvd. Just north of Chavez Rd. near the Tennis Courts.

Shop With The Artist Event

Come on down to Cravin' Cookies and More....
Saturday May 16th from 10am to 2pm
Cravin' Cookies ... and More!
10420 Fourth Street NWAlbuquerque, NM 87114 (505) 298-2597
Rita's pottery includes beautiful and unique plates, platters, Ikebana vases, and other fabulous creations such as her fun soap dishes recently featured on HGTV!

Ikebana Vase w/frog pin

Gift of the Kiln

Vase - Lavender design work by Rita S. Ryan

Fall Leaf Plate

High Fire Sq Plate Set

Wall Plaque in Progress

Handbuilt Fanciful Pottery Plate

Special made Trophies for VVKC 08 Dog Show

Dip & Chip

Lovely Handbuilt Vases

Fanciful Functional Pottery

Rita's Pottery Garden Shows

Find Rita's Beautiful Pottery

The Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque

Growers / Crafters Market

On Rio Grande Blvd. north of Chavez

by the tennis courts.

StageCoach Purses "a little art vase shaped like a purse"

Stop By the Los Ranchos Farmers Market

This Saturday. April 11th 2009

to see Rita's latest pottery vases.

StageCoach: A fully inspirational piece created with New Mexico's

beautiful sand, sky, and mountains in mind.

Stage (inspired by Rita's teleivision experience HTGV spot)
Coach (inspired by my daughters favorite purse)

Contact: Rita 505-239-7481
(please no solications)

Clay Opening

by: Rita S. Ryan

The opening of the kiln is the most remarkable experience I have with clay. The clay goes into the kiln as an ugly duckling and comes out as a beautiful swan. Seeing all the glittery, pretty colors is like having a birthday each and every day, each pot wrapped in fancy gift paper and a bow. Not ever really knowing what the results will be adds to the excitement of trying new colors and ideas, every lift of the kiln lid is an adventure. Certainly, it taps my inner child.
Another aspect that occurs in the throwing stage of clay is called “opening” at this moment of opening a wheel thrown piece, instinctively the potter knows if a pot will be worthy to end up being glazed or tossed in the recycle bin!

I haven’t really figured out what I want out of clay nor, might I add, what the clay wants out of me. I did manage to build a studio in my home by adding on a room. There doesn't ever seem to be enough time in the day to do all I would like in clay. I can't tell you how much time I take cleaning before creating, it’s a “clean freak thing” It's like making the bed before you go to sleep. The results may be intangible, but there is no better feeling than working in a clean space. I absolutely love having my own space to create.

My mornings are spent analyzing futures markets. I believe my analytical skills are the best asset I have with my clay projects, I can really look through a piece with an objective eye.

There are many great potters here in NM and one thing they all have in common is sharing. Potters are by far the most generous group of people (aside from Lutherans and their food) that I've ever run across and I am happy to be considered a potter!

Rita S. Ryan
Clay Artist

Pocket Vase

Just Add: Water and flowers and a tiny bit of love.........

Contact Information:
Rita Ryan
1- 8009995845 (@ my day job) weekdays 6am mst to noon
505 239 7481 verizon wireless cell users cell/ to cell/ call is free
(no solititations thank you)

Find Rita Saturday mornings during the growing season starting in April
At: The Village of Los Ranchos Growers/Crafters Market on Rio Grande Blvd.
Just north of Chavez rd.

Coffee Table Bowls

Who says Art has to match the sofa!

Beautiful (food safe) Coffee table bowls can be used for decoration and hung on the wall. Placed on a plate stand and tucked into the corner of a fireplace mantel or tossed on your coffee table with the daily news!

Fanciful Functional pottery is the goal here..oven safe..food safe....

Use: Bake a wonderful loaf of bread, serve nachos with melted cheese, or just serve some lovely home baked cookies in this colorful creation your wish is its command!

$100.00 includes tax and shipping to most of the U.S.

Contact: Rita Ryan 505 239 7481

"Funky Soap Dish"

Rita S. Ryan
Clay Art is Clever!

If you missed the show,
you can read all about it on
HGTV "That's Clever"

web site.

Epergne

by: Rita S. Ryan

Hearts on Fire!

Special Hearts on Fire!

Fancy Heart Stoneware bowls

Soap Dishes

Rita's High Fire Stoneware Funky Soap dishes $20 each

Artist: Rita S. Ryan

Rita S. Ryan

High Fire Stoneware Platter

This Beautiful Cobalt Blue Platter
is oven and dishwasher safe.

Fishy Platter

Wall Art

Oven Safe

Keep your appetisers nice and warm in the oven until ready to serve.

Wall Art

Ikebana Wall plaque:

approx size 12 x 8 inches

Online Degrees

"Nagiere Vase" for Ikebana

Clay art in simple form......

Appetizer Plate

Fancy Spoon Rest

Soap dish

Ikebana Bud Vase

Deviled Egg Tray

Contemporary Ikebana Container

Artist Rita Ryan's One-Woman Business Won't Compromise on Quality

-->By Amanda Stevens Of the Journal

The dancing woman in the home studio that has Billy Idol's "White Wedding" blasting from the stereo is Rita Ryan, doing what she loves: working. "It makes you feel like a kid. I get to play," Ryan, a clay artist said. "I get to make money, and I get to play." Ryan owns, operates and creates the merchandise for her out-of-home business, Rita's Pottery Garden, based in Rio Rancho. Wanting to keep her business small, Ryan has no intention of expanding beyond her capabilities. "I don't intend on employing anyone else. I like the solitude. I get along with myself good ... I don't want someone ruining my chi here. It's a very happy, relaxing place," she said. Creating everything from soap holders to large platters, Ryan prides herself on creating only unique, functional pottery. "I have an idea of what I want to make, and that's pretty little functional pots. If you want a cookiecutter made in china toothbrush holder, go to Wal-Mart." Ryan said she has refused several requests for items such as toothbrush holders and butter keepers, but tries to keep an open mind for ideas. "I'm not opposed to ideas ... I made (butter keepers) for a while, but I hate making them because I haven't found a way to make them unique. If I'm going to make it, I want them to be really special," she said. These "pretty little functional pots" can be found at the Los Ranchos Growers' Market on Saturdays. Rita Ryan started her pottery business in 1991 after she witnessed two women arguing over a piece of her work at the Los Ranchos Growers' Market. "Ladies at the farmers market started fighting over a pot and I thought, 'I have something really good here.' " From that point on, Ryan said she can barely keep up with the ideas she has and the requests she gets for more of her creations. "I just can't make enough stuff," she said. "People are looking for more and more and I can only do so much ... There just isn't enough time to make everything I want to make." Even though Ryan's creations sometimes sell faster than she can make them, she still has standards for her work. "I expect a little bit of perfection," she said. "If I look at a piece and there's something wrong with it, I'd rather not make it at all if it doesn't fit my idea of what I wanted to look at. "The person looking at that piece on their coffee table will appreciate your thinking about perfection when you were making it."

A few things to know...
Due to e-mail spammers using my pottery blog to try further their pathetic carreers I have pulled my e-mail address from this blog. However, If you would like to speak to me in person about any of my pottery you may call me, and Yes, talk to a real person.
Please keep in mind I do not ship pottery unless a minimum of $100 is met, as I am just not set up for shipping. Please also, keep in mind also that 98% of what you see on this blog has already been sold, It seems as though my pretty little pots are quite popular here in NM and about the time I get around to making a few they sell awfully quick, I am not a production potter so If you see something you would like me to attempt to duplicate just remember it will created with "artistic discretion"

please call my other office aka my real job! M-F 6am - Noon toll free at 1- 800- 999- 5845
or better yet visit "The Land of Enchantment" and my studio in Rio Rancho, NM

"Party Azul" Hand Built Beautiful Coffee Table Bowl Sold $95

"Desert Harmony" $70

Platter w/handles (SOLD)

Fancy Platter - SOLD $90

"As Seen on HGTV" "That's Clever" .... Funky Soap Dishes $20 ea.

Rita S. Ryan Member RRAA

Crazy Artists Post from -- Jan 20th 2006

After working all day yesterday at the commodities office, My dream of being an actress was about to come true (Now, there’s something you didn’t know about me) HGTV film crew came to my studio at my house to film me making pottery for their “That’s Clever” show.

It was grueling……. smiling every two minutes for the 6 hours of filming, jumping in and out of the camera for action shots, by the end of the day (10:00 at night) I was reduced to a babbling idiot.

I did manage to embrace all the folly of the show, dancing for the camera, threatening jesters with my rolling pin. Swinging in the hammocks, the outdoor shots were fun; My dog was the real star of the show.

I did get the two pieces made a funky soap dish and a “Nagiere” vase, they both looked good.

Having four people and two cameras in your face at close range for that long of time was much more nerve racking than I could have ever anticipated. I consider myself an outgoing person, confident about my art but I just could not keep up the pace of stop and go filming. Switching between working and talking, my brain just could not adjust I either wanted to talk or work and I felt kind of like a ping-pong ball bouncing around my studio.

I laughed hysterically at the blundering blubbery words that were coming out of my mouth, You should have heard me try to say “Bone Dry” after 5 or six try’s we gave it up and I said “Green Ware” the term for clay that has not been fired yet. And if by some miracle I got the shot perfect, then just my luck the cameraman messed up on his end and we had to start over, too many times to count.

I tried my best to stay positive and perky to the end. And not to worry about the CRAZY LADY THEY JUST FILMED After about 4 hours I was ready to fall over, and I had not even started on the main project, my vase! I was amazed at how hard the crew and the producer had to work to keep on task, and I have a new respect for this type of work, it is so much more than one can imagine. I no longer wish to be an actress, my commodities job fits me perfectly, I Praise God for his wisdom…and I pray daily for GREAT Editors.

I am so looking forward to getting back to my solitude in my nice quite studio.

A view into some God thoughts.......

Click here for a view into my hidden garden of God thoughts.......

White with red gold accent.... Ikebana $45
Ikebana prices vary $40 to $110

Nagiere: "Tossed in Flowers"
The Art of Japanese Flower Arranging in contemporary form
by Rita S. Ryan

Wheel Thrown Egg Trays

High Fire Stoneware beautiful plate for
deviled eggs will be the hit of the party!
Egg Trays vary in price and size platter size like this one average $55

Plate inspired by NC potter "Cat Jarosz" Posted by Hello

Woven bowls take about 3 hours to roll out the clay and cut the strips and piece together. The result is a very large decorative piece perfect for a coffee table, or centerpiece.
Prices average $110 & up

Epergne in Clay

Epergne: (A-Pern)
An Epergne is described as a centerpiece which may be used to serve food (nuts and candies) as well as display flowers. Most often a piece like this would be used for decoration only. Epergnes were originally made on both sides of the Atlantic, with perhaps the fanciest coming from France. The English made epergnes as early as the 1860's in Sheffield plate. Brass versions made their appearance in the Orient in the last century. The carnival glass makers of this century contributed some of the most colorful versions including the fountain epergne. Rita S. Ryan Presents: "Epergne in Clay" a unique beautiful representation piece.

Ikebana vase 3 stem

NMPCA - Member

Large woven bowl. Heat in oven, use for serving hot bread or rolls. Use as a beautiful fruit bowl or coffee table bowl. $108 SOLD

The Way of The Flower

Contemporary Ikebana Vase

Large Mottle Blue "Nagiere" (tall container for flowers) Nageire literally means "tossed-in flowers," which are arranged in a narrow-mouthed, tall container without using kenzan, or needlepoint holder(s). Frogs are not used to hold the flowers, Instead, Rita uses 5 slim stems on a long narrow base to to hold either individual or multiple flowers and plants.
$99 (SOLD)

Stained glass window is the look on this medium size vase glazed in blue and rg. Again the picture does not present all the beauty of this vase. (SOLD) $78

Ikebana (5 stem) white & gun metal green

Deviled Egg Tray
other colors -blue, shino & teal

Epergne in Clay

Mottle blue ikebana pointy edges

Ikebana's small to medium size Blue and gun-metal green average price $45

Heart dishes (small & sweet) wonderful for candy, or jewlery, food safe you can even use them in the microwave $18 includes shipping.

Delicate large ikebana mottle-blue and red-gold

Large Ikebana, two oriental curves blue & red-gold $68 (SOLD)

Large Ikebana Mottle blue and Red-gold

Large Round ikebana White & Rg

“The way of the flower”

IKEBANA (ē-kāy-bănă) “The way of the flower” The exquisite art of Japanese flower arrangement, has captivated people throughout the world for centuries. Ikebana, is more than simply putting flowers in an art form. Its heart and beauty result from vibrant color and graceful lines, Its meaning, hidden in the total form of the arrangement. Choice of flowers is guided by desire to create harmony between the flower and container. The three basic sprays of flowers are to signify, heaven, earth and mankind. The key consideration is to use as few stems and leaves as possible in composing elegant contours that highlight the flower’s beauty. The Vase, (hanaire or nagiere) becomes very much a part of the arrangement.

Clay Artist Rita Ryan Presents:

Contemporary Ikebana

The Art of Flower arranging made simple.
Member NM Potters and Clay Artists Association NMPCA
http://www.nmpotters.org/studiotour/ritaryan.htm

High Fire Stoneware Blue & Rg Med.& small bowl set

Beautiful High Fire Stoneware Blue & Rg

Rita's Functional bowls are all food safe
and can be used in the oven, and dishwasher.

God's Dizzy One?

Now we are on our way to the high life at 5,200 feet above sea level, it's a wonder that I'm not labeled the dizzy one in our family. My life in Sunny NM started in Feb. 1981; I came here on a wing and a prayer, visited with my dear brother David who always seemed to be traveling to exotic places. David left, I stayed, worked hard, played harder, I traveled to mysterious deserts filled with ancient ruins and artifacts, ghosts of past lives loom everywhere here. The call of the mountains tweaked my soul; hiking became a love hate relationship with my body.

Please don't ask me about that motorcycle or the wreck. I was so young and impressed by all the beauty surrounding me. Where did my life at the mall go? I'm screaming Guacamole at the top of my lungs at 10,800 ft., hiking the Grand Canyon, camping uner the stars, and skiing down a black diamond hill fearing for my life. My life was wandering about into unknown territories, then, poking my head into an open door I happened upon my future in clay.

My official Clay resume reads as follows: Rita Ryan walked into an open door at the Heights Community Center one hot summer day in 1981. There she met her future. Rita Ryan began making pottery with teacher Penne Roberts at the Heights Community Center that day. Learning both hand-building and wheel skills. Then after taking a break from clay from 1988 to 1999 to raise two wonderful children Rita found her self starting all over again in the spring of 1999 with clay classes at Mudfish Pottery. Then more classes at the Heights Center with Penne and finally classes with Corrales Potter Dan Feibig. After 2 years of re-inventing her pottery skills Rita started to sell at the local growers market, feedback was terrific and when local customers were fighting over her pottery at her booth, Rita decided that making pottery was just what the doctor ordered to relieve her stressful days as a Commodity Futures Broker.

Rita spends every spare minute of her very busy schedule making what she describes simply as “Pretty Little Pieces of Art”.

Some who read this will know this is the long and short of my adventure in clay, each day is a new discovery, a new realization of God’s plan for me which I believe is highly apparent.

So here I am, flawed and fascinated.

Booth #92

Ever wonder what it’s like to participate in a 10-day craft show? Let me tell you about the 2004 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Tender Loving Arts and Crafts put on a fine art show at the north end of the balloon field this year. The large white tent had great presence and the pretty pink banner on top of the tent, announcing the fine crafts inside, was alluring.

Throngs of bleary-eyed people flooded the tent, yet early morning sales were few, and far between. Nature took its course, rain came and little rivers rolled through our crafty spaces. Electricity took its turn around the tent; lights flickered and failed for several days. A big burly electrician plowed through the crafters booths searching for culprit plugs, pottery crashed to the floor in the space behind mine. Finally enough generators are running to manage the juice flow.

Never mind about the cold weather that was certainly manageable. Never mind about the 3:30 am wake up call, I normally get up at 4:30 am anyway. No big deal. The greatest disappointment came from the idea planted in our brains that the product would fly off the shelves. It didn’t take long to figure out that 90% of the people wandering around in circles either had no intention of purchasing anything or were just incapable of conscientious thought so early in the day. Most were just killing time until the balloons inflated. This was my first and last big show. For every 500 people who stopped and said wonderful things like, “This is the prettiest pottery I have ever seen,” one would buy a piece. Imagine how wonderful I felt when one very sweet customer came back and said how sorry she was to have left my booth in the first place. Since then, she had gone to every booth including the Rio Grande Art tent and had not seen anything so beautiful. I was like a proud peacock, feathers out all purple and shiny.

I couldn’t tell you what the best part of the fiesta was, the happy balloons filling up with hot air or the precious, precocious children that came in flocks. I pretended I was on vacation and ate yummy Philly beef sandwiches, fudge and exotic banana lattes. Yes, I did make a profit. No, it was not the large sum I had imagined. Several wonderful things came about from this long and weary show. I became a better potter by the sheer large number of pots I made for this venture.

I met some wonderful people including a bright young lady who very much reminded me of myself at a younger age. A year in planning and I did it, I really did it. And I can say I did, just not exactly my way.

Rita S. Ryan

Clay Artist

Rita’s Pottery Garden Studio is located in Rio Rancho, NM

http://www.ritaspots.blogspot.com/

Rita's Pottery Garden
Pretty Little Pots
to Lift your Heart
Up Up and Away!

Outstanding colors create a sea and sand peaceful look to this fancy edge Ikebana vase.

Contemporary Ikebana

Beautiful small vase glaze stunning blue over white

"Epergne in Clay"

Epergne: (A-Pern)

An Epergne is described as a centerpiece which may be used to serve food (nuts and candies)
as well as display flowers. Most often a piece like this would be used for decoration only.
Epergnes were originally made on both sides of the Atlantic, with perhaps the fanciest coming from France. The English made epergnes as early as the 1860's in Sheffield plate. Brass versions made their appearance in the Orient in the last century. The carnival glass makers of this century contributed some of the most colorful versions including the fountain epergne.
Rita S. Ryan Presents:
"Epergne in Clay" a unique beautiful representation piece.