Nothing is meant to be perfect. Not one of us is a perfect human. We are not perfect parents, we don’t have perfect kids, our homes are not in perfect shape, and the pumpkin outside our home is not a perfect shape. (It may even have a wart or two on it).  This Herald contributor is far from perfect. But by-and-by it is all perfectly, okay. We all have imperfections and that’s what makes us unique.

The same thing goes for artists and potters when creating art and handmade pottery. Not all art or pottery pieces are meant to be perfect. ‘Nearly Perfect’ pieces give the pieces character, personality, and just that little tiny bit of something that makes you love the piece even more. My mother always says to our family in a very loving way, “You are perfectly imperfect.” It’s a reminder that we don’t need to be perfect to be worthy of love and respect. It’s about embracing our flaws and imperfections, and understanding that they are a part of what makes us unique and special. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  

That brings us back to the Peekskill Clay Studios at The Hat Factory located at 1000 North Division Street where for one day, and one day only, Peekskill Clay Studios will hold their annual Nearly Perfect Pottery sale this coming Saturday, October 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

There you will find the one-of-a-kind handmade pieces of pottery made right there in the studio by artists learning their craft. Attendees can find vases, mugs, bowls, plates, platters, planters, covered dishes, and all kinds of ‘nearly perfect’ clay objects.  

Yes, the pieces will have subtle imperfections. Yes, they will be deeply discounted as a result. Yes, you can grab a great handmade gift for a coworker, friend, family or yourself before the rush of the holidays. Yes, they will be beautiful, stunning and become the art piece that everyone talks about. Yes, it will become one of your favorite treasures. And yes, it will be perfectly imperfect.   

The Nearly Perfect Pottery Sale will happen just outside the Peekskill Clay Studios beneath large tents. In the case of inclement weather, the sale will be moved inside to suite #13A at the Hat Factory. All of the works are made by Peekskill Clay Studios members. This year, 12–15 artists will be participating including: Lise Prown, Judyth Stavans, Carol Fessler, Paula Zaccaro, Andi Ostrowe, Karen Timko, Geesun Lee, Michael Porfido, Tara Busse, Jessica Dubin, Melanie Kahn and Christine White. Don’t miss out on this one day event and grab a fantastic piece of functional art at deeply discounted rates. As an added incentive, for any purchase over $25, there will be a $5 bonus table where shoppers can grab an extra piece of pottery for an additional $5.

Peekskill Clay Studios

Peekskill Clay Studios, located at The Hat Factory in Peekskill, is one of the region’s premier clay art facilities. They offer a full range of adult and children’s classes as well as membership space available for experienced clay artists. The Studio features state of the art equipment and one of the area’s only reduction gas kilns. 

Peekskill Clay Studios opened in 2010 and was the brainchild of Ben Green, the owner of the Hat Factory. Ben loved working in clay as a college student and wanted to create a place where local clay enthusiasts could work and learn. Since then, the Studio has expanded organically over the past 23 years, adding studio space whenever it became available.

Currently, there are over 30 artist members and they offer six classes a week to an enthusiastic and dedicated group of students. Since the pandemic, interest in pottery has grown exponentially. Because the space is small, the classes are small but the benefit of that is that students get more one-on-one time learning the craft from an extremely patient and experienced teaching staff. As a result, there is a waitlist for folks who want to take classes. To learn more about the Peekskill Clay Studios or classes visit the Peekskill Clay Studios Website, and follow them on Facebook, and Instagram.

Don’t forget to let the artists at the Nearly Perfect Pottery Sale know you read about it in the Peekskill Herald.

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