February 2004
Vol. 6 No. 2

New angle for 2004 photo contest
Contest Rules
What are the elements of a winning photo
500: That magic number
Collectors’ Corner: Pottery from old catalogs to be retired
Down on the Farm
 

New angle for
2004 photo contest

Swirling Leaves
Cabinet Vase
(click to view larger image)

Those of you who’ve been reading this newsletter for at least a year know that we have had a photo contest for collectors for the past 2 years. We will have another photo contest this year, but the “focus” (excuse the pun) will be slightly different in 2004.

The photos submitted for the 2002 and 2003 contests were intended for use in our catalog. This year, we will be publishing a supplement to Catalog #8 rather than a full-blown catalog. Due to size and format constraints, we may not be able to use any contest photos in the supplement.

If you purchased a 2004 Collectors’ Calendar, you probably noticed that all of the featured photos came from last year’s photo contest. We received so many great photos in 2003 that we wanted to use more of them than would fit in the catalog, and the calendar  provided a fitting showcase. We also were able to feature some of the contest photos in our print advertising.

This year, the “focus” of the contest will be to find great photos to use in the 2005 Collectors’ Calendar, in our print advertising, and on our web site. We will choose 20 winning photos that will  be featured in the calendar, on our web site, in our newsletter, and/or in our print advertising.

The prizes will be different, this year too. The winners will receive one of the first 20 Swirling Leaves Cabinet Vases, a new piece that will be introduced in the 2004 catalog supplement.  Only the first 20 pieces of this design will be numbered (#/20), and the winners will receive one of these special  numbered pieces.

All entrants will receive a 2005 Collectors’ Calendar.

Please read and carefully follow the contest rules outlined below. Please put your name, address, and telephone number on the back of each photo or on each CD. Photos and CD’s will not be returned. Mail your entry to:

Photo Contest
Ephraim Faience Pottery
PO Box 168
Deerfield, WI  53531-0168

The deadline for entry is March 31, 2004. All entries must be postmarked by that date. A postcard will be sent confirming receipt of your entry. EFP is not responsible for lost, damaged, or misdirected mail.

Good luck, and have fun shooting!
 

Contest Rules

All the pottery and/or tile appearing in the photo must be Ephraim Faience. Photos that include other types of pottery or tile will not be considered.

All photos must be free of any copyright and must represent the entrant’s own private residence.

You may submit as many photos as you wish, but no more than 1 winning photo per entrant will be chosen.

Photos may be submitted in either traditional print or digital format.

Digital photos may be saved in either .jpg or .tiff formats. Other formats are not acceptable. Digital photos should be taken at the highest resolution possible and should not be compressed. Photos should be at least 600 pixels wide. Digital photos must be sent on a CD, accompanied by a good-quality color printout.  Emailed photos will NOT be accepted.

By entering the contest, you agree to give EFP permission to use your photo in our 2005 Collectors’ Calendar, on our web site, in our newsletter, and in our print ads, as well as for any other promotional purposes EFP chooses.

EFP employees and members of their households may not enter the contest.

By entering photos into this contest, you certify your acceptance of and adherence to these rules.

What are the elements of a
winning photo?

• Winning photos are clear and sharp and are of a high enough quality to reproduce in print.

• Winning photos present the pottery and/or tiles in an attractive light.

• Winning photos reflect  the lifestyle and/or personal style of the collector/homeowner.

• Winning photos create a mood and/or evoke pleasant memories or emotions in the viewer.

Winning photos from the 2002 and 2003 contests can be viewed by clicking on these links:

• 2002 contest
• 2003 contest

500: That magic number

The number 500 is to Ephraim Pottery what midnight was to Cinderella—the arrival of that dreaded moment when the magic disappears. Since each of our designs is a limited edition, they are, by their very nature, limited. No more than 500 first-quality pieces of any of our designs will ever exist. When we’ve received the order for that 500th piece, the magic stops.

These magical vases are about to disappear. They are rapidly approaching completion of their limited editions of 500 pieces. If you’ve been wanting one of these vases, please call our office at 888-704-POTS and place your order as soon as possible. If the edition is filled when you call, we will try to help you locate a retailer who may have the piece you want.

#004 Bungalow Rose Vase
#062 Iris Star Cabinet Vase
#127 Monona Vase

Click here to view photos and details for these pieces.

Collectors’ Corner:
Pottery from old catalogs to be retired

We are retiring 8 more pieces of pottery from previous catalogs. If you’ve had your eye on these pieces for awhile, now is the time to order them.  The deadline to order these pieces is 5:00 p.m. CST on March 19th, 2004. You will not be able to order these pieces from us after the deadline, so please call 888-704-POTS now to place your order.

#010 Rhinoceros Beetle Vase
#014 Oak Park Vase
#106 Fish Creek Bowl
#109 Deco Beetle Vase
#802 Perennial Vase
#809 Rolled Arrowroot Vase
#922 Brussels Vase
#924 Yellow Iris Vase

Click here to view photos and details for these pieces.

Down on the Farm
by Kristin Zanetti

Winter in Wisconsin is, well, winter. It’s what you’d expect winter to be - cold and windy and snowy. There’s not much going on outside. The trees and grasses appear lifeless, with their bare twigs in various shades of gray and brown. Folks tune in to the local news mainly to get reports on snow forecasts, wind chills and road conditions. After all, ya gotta know which parka to wear when you head out to work, and whether or not you need to wear a hat. Unless you’re into winter sports, hibernating is the order of the day. After all, who really wants to go out when the wind chill’s -20°F? Curling up with a good book and a hot cup of tea is infinitely more appealing.

In striking contrast to what’s (not) going on outside, newness and creativity abound in the studio at this time of year. The dead of winter has become the best time to experiment with new forms, designs, and glazes. With the holiday rush over,  January becomes the time to play again with the clay. Spurred on by the dual goals of taking as many new pieces as possible to the Grove Park Arts and Crafts Conference (see box on page 1) and creating pieces for the next catalog, ideas flow as hot and fast as chicken soup at a New York deli during flu season.

Inside the studio, if you were careful to stay away from the windows with their snowy vistas, you’d think it was spring. New forms rise daily from the potters’ wheels, springing organically from lumps of clay like tulips pushing up through the cold earth. Flowers and leaves begin to grow on pots. Birds and bears make their appearance, as if returning from migration or hibernation. Oh, and the colors! The warm greens, yellows, and blues hold the promise of spring.

It just goes to show that even  if the world appears drab and gray on the outside, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way on the inside. Winter is the perfect time to turn inward and search for creative ways to fill one’s soul. Making soup, scrapbooking, and redecorating are a few of my favorite winter activities. Heck, this year my husband and I went so far as to buy new living room furniture! Of course, you don’t have to get that crazy, and it’s not about spending money. Simply giving some of your attention to what gives you pleasure and hope is a reminder that winter, even a winter of the soul, is just a temporary state. Spring is coming, I can assure you. I’ve already seen it in the studio.