The Pot Shop

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The Pot Shop

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Keeping you posted of what's new at The Pot Shop. Visit us at www.AlexisMoyerPottery.com Open daily by coincidence or by appointment.

The Pot Shop is a working studio pottery in beautiful Anderson Valley featuring the ceramic art of Alexis Moyer. Located on Highway 128 in Philo, visitors are welcome to come see the art being made and purchase works from the gallery.

10/31/2026

I Won an Award!
A few weeks ago, I shared my experience of being a juror for an art. It was a big job looking through all of the entries and selecting what I felt were the very best pieces for the show.

This week I’m turning the tables and sharing what it is like to be an artist submitting my work to a show.

Entering juried shows is part of how we artists get our work out into the world to connect with new collectors as well as a way for us to meet each other. So, through both the joy of acceptances and the disappointments of rejections we persevere and enter.

The first step is choosing which shows to enter. To do this we peruse the ‘calls for entries’ websites. This is kind of like looking through the want ads in the newspaper and thinking, ‘I could do that job’, or ‘nope, not that one’. Each call has a description of what the show’s theme and requirements are as well as a statement about the person(s) doing the jurying. We read through these and choose shows which seem to be the best fit for our work.

Sometimes I choose to enter a show because I feel that one of my sculptures fits especially well with the theme and other times it is the juror who I think might connect with what I do and choose to let me in.

Next comes the waiting for the jury results to come out. One builds up a thick skin over the years with the rejection and acceptance letters that arrive. Having been a juror, I know it’s not personal, and often there are just more excellent pieces than the show can hold, but it’s never fun to get turned down.

I’ve been lucky this fall, getting into both shows I entered. The first show, titled ‘Finely Crafted’, is at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts and opened last weekend. As the name states it is all beautifully executed craft pieces – in this case it’s mostly ceramics although there are some outstanding wood and glass pieces in the show as well. I’m honored to be included in this show.

The piece of mine that was juried in is called, ‘Women’s Rights’. It is a vintage meat slicer -very sharp! with a lovely patina of time on its surface. I’ve paired it with a loaf of lunchmeat labeled ‘women’s rights’ that’s being sliced up onto a plate. The slices of clay lunchmeat were actually made with the slicer so the slicer truly works.

I was honored to receive a Director's Choice Award. Jamienne Studley, the director who selected my piece, has a long history of civil rights policy advocacy and the message of my piece really resonated with her. I am thrilled to have my piece and its message recognized in this way.

The other show I’m in during November is in Rancho Cordova, CA and it is titled the 60th Annual Mother Lode Art Exhibition. This show features 136 pieces in the full range of mediums. The piece I had accepted is my sculpture of raccoons playing hide and seek in a tea pot titled, ‘Rascal Raccoons’.

I entered this show because of the juror statement that accompanied the call for entries. The juror, Debra Kreck Harnish, is a lifelong creative recycler and part of her statement said, “There’s something special about working with objects that have a prior life… I love figuring out how the discarded can be reused.”
This sentiment of hers fit so well with what I try to do in my mixed media pieces – telling a new story for an object no longer in use, and thereby giving it a new purpose. I felt like this show would have a place for me.

There’s no crystal ball that lets us know for sure which shows we should enter, but it’s always fun to toss one’s entry into the mix and see what happens.

I have to say it does feel good to be picked though!

Do you have a time when you felt honored to be picked?

https://mailchi.mp/2e51363cbce4/i-won-an-award

10/24/2026

Mr. Oktoberfest

Every fall, b**r drinkers around the world celebrate Oktoberfest, but Oktoberfest is about more than just the b**r.

The celebration didn’t start off as the drinking event we now think of when we hear ‘Oktoberfest’. Originally, in 1810, Bavaria’s King Maximillian I. Joseph declared a 2-day festival in mid-October to celebrate the wedding of his son, Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese. Of course, free b**r was served, but the event was actually a wedding celebration.

It was so successful that it became an annual event in Munich and grew over the years to include parades and other contests. In celebration of this German tradition – and since we don’t need too much of an excuse to get together for a party - the event spread to the United States and has evolved into the celebrations we have each fall. They feature German food, traditional clothes, fun competitions and of course b**r.
I’m not a b**r drinker but the rest of the activities all sound like a lot of fun. Over the years, I’ve gone to some fun Oktoberfest parties with friends. There’s never a wrong reason to get together for an afternoon of good food and friendship!

I picked up this horn shaped pewter tankard and in celebration of the season, was inspired to make an Oktoberfest reveler enjoying a birdbath in his b**r. I’ve discovered there is actually a whole trend around b**r baths for skincare. Here is what I found out about it:
Hops, the flowers used in b**r brewing, are known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. They’re said to help soothe irritated skin and combat free radicals, which are the culprits behind premature aging.

Yeast, particularly brewer's yeast, is packed with B vitamins, proteins and minerals. It’s often hailed as a powerhouse for maintaining healthy skin, potentially aiding in reducing acne, boosting collagen production, and improving skin elasticity.

Malt, which is made from germinated cereal grains, is rich in enzymes and vitamins that can promote skin hydration. Together, these components create a nutrient-rich bath that seems to promise smoother, softer, and more radiant skin.

So, there you go, if b**r drinking isn’t for you, you can always use it on your skin instead.

My ‘Mr. Oktoberfest’ could be the spokesman for the line!
https://mailchi.mp/b45e1b25ba44/mr-oktoberfest

10/23/2026

My online workshop “Building Ceramic Totems’ is almost ready to launch. I’m so excited to share it with everyone. If you haven’t already signed up for a VIP early bird discount please send me your email so I can send you a discount code when the class launches.

10/17/2026

https://mailchi.mp/2216ba47b059/what-makes-a-classic

What Makes a Classic?

I read an interesting article this week that was about how we read and observe for deeper meaning vs. how we read or look for content. The idea was that we return to the ‘classics’ over and over while ‘content’ we generally only look at once. The example they gave was that we don’t re-read yesterday’s newspaper but we will read a classic novel many times, finding new meanings and insights with each reading.

This made me think about art as well. We don’t look at a classic painting by Monet or Van Gogh one time and feel like once was enough. We revisit those masterpieces many times and each time find that we are moved by them in new ways all over again.

But not all artworks or books move us in this way. So, what really makes something into a classic – into something we want to return to?
In my own art collection, my favorite pieces - those that I would call my classics - continue to bring me joy and meaning every day even though I’ve lived with some of them for many years. Each time I see them they feed my soul, making me feel better for looking at them. They bring me comfort and joy.

Not every piece of art can do this for me, but the ones that really resonate with me do this magical thing of bringing joy out of nowhere just for me.

To me these pieces are my personal classics.

Children read and listen to their favorite stories over and over again. It’s not that children don’t remember how the story ends so they want to hear it again. They know exactly where the story goes but still enjoy repeating the journey in their imagination, just as adults do when we read a favorite book again. We already know the ending but we want to savor the journey again.

Maybe there is something comforting and safe in the repetition? Maybe the familiarity makes room for us to explore deeper within ourselves? No matter the reason, we begin as children developing our own collection of personal classics. I still remember my favorite children’s books and I’m sure you remember yours too.

As adults we continue building these personal classic collections of art and literature. Our favorites that continue to bring us joy throughout our lives.

Friendships are like this too. Friends who become our ‘classics’ bring us joy and comfort. We look forward to seeing them just like we look forward to seeing a favorite piece of art.

Not every friend fits this role any more than every book is one you want to reread or every artwork moves you. But those people who we really connect with are every bit as much of a classic in our lives as the masterpieces in the art world.

So, enjoy those classic moments. Savor a good book many times, gaze at an artwork and let it carry you to new places, and enjoy the people in your life who really see you and let you truly be with them and they with you.

What is classic in your life?

https://mailchi.mp/2216ba47b059/what-makes-a-classic

10/10/2026

Let’s Be Superheroes!

Fall has arrived and it’s time to start planning Halloween festivities. I’ve seen some impressive yard displays already!

There is something very fun about putting on a costume and becoming someone else for a little while. Whether you decide to be a super hero or a tootsie roll there is fun to be had wearing that costume and letting yourself take on a different persona for a while.

My mom often made my costumes and I in turn loved making costumes for my girls when they were little. Over the years they went as everything from a sunflower to a mermaid to a horse. We had lions and princesses and fancy ladies. No simple sheet-over-the-head ghost costumes for my two!

Fun loving dogs, Chester and Winston, certainly cut dashing figures in their Halloween costumes as Super Heros, Batman and Robin. When I was commissioned to sculpt them, we looked through their owner’s phone at pictures to help us choose a pose and also so that I could get to know their personalities a bit. This really helps me to capture the spirit of who I’m sculpting. When we came across the photos of the two of them in their Halloween costumes we were all so delighted that we knew this was what the sculpture needed to be.

While these two were a lot of fun to sculpt, they presented a bit of a challenge too, especially Winston, who is very fluffy. I wasn’t able to capture the wispiness of his fur but I think I caught his personality pretty well. They just tickle my heart every time I look back at them.

How lucky we are to have our own furry ‘Superheroes’ that warm our hearts, bring us comfort and keep us entertained every day!

My daughter, Amanda, needs a Super Hero. She has a new Microsite through the National Kidney Registry to help in her search for a kidney donor. So, this week I’m asking you to be her Super Hero by reading her story and sharing the link to it far and wide through your social media and email connections. Somewhere out there is the person that will be able to save my precious daughter’s life. Here is the LINK https://nkr.org/WXA957

I’ve said it before but it’s worth repeating, donating my kidney was the best thing I ever did. I am grateful every day that I did it and that it was successful for everyone in our chain. Saving a life is the greatest gift you can give. I’m happy to talk to you about my experience and there is lots of information available on her Microsite too.

I think it is important to remember that each of us can be a hero to someone in our own way. It will make the world a better and kinder place if we all tap into our Super Powers and find a way to do some good.
Thank you for helping us in our search.

How will you use your super powers this week?

https://mailchi.mp/e01b51bc5a75/lets-be-super-heroes

10/03/2026

The Magic Suitcase

In the Harry Potter stories, there are a number of magic places that hold much more than they should – a car trunk that can fit as many trunks and suitcases as they have, a tent that looks like a regular tent from the outside but is a spacious place once you go inside, etc.

I am lucky to have a magic suitcase that works like that too.

My suitcase, not surprisingly, came out of my mom’s magic closet. This is the closet that I emptied of coats after she passed, only to find coats in there again – and the same color coats to boot! I actually called my friend who I had given the first batch to just to make sure I had actually delivered them. I have no idea where the second set came from, so to me it is the magic closet. I imagine that if I need a coat this winter, I can just manifest it into that closet!

I’ve used my magic suitcase twice now and both times it has held way more than it should have. It’s funny because it’s not a large suitcase. When I watch for it on the baggage carrousel there are so many much larger pieces of luggage riding the circuit.

My suitcase actually looks quite petit by comparison and I always think I should get a bigger one since they all cost the same to check. But somehow, I don’t think I could get much more into a bigger bag, or maybe mine just helps me reach my limit on how many things one needs to be moving around.

I did have a good shopping haul this visit to Louisianna and I’m excited to create sculptures to go into the new finds. I am especially excited about 2 ch*****ne flutes that are engraved for the Bonaparte krewe for Mardi Gras. Looking through their website, I see the ‘kings’ all wear a fancy hat like Napolean so I’m going to give my animal inhabitant one as well. The queen will have a more modest tiara. In the end the pair will represent the royalty from the parade.

I also found a sweet set of aperitif glasses that I see filled with frogs – should be a colorful set! And, finally, I found a set of ch*****ne coupes that I have been searching for the past few trips. These have an interesting stem that I think will clean up really beautifully. So much joy here!

It always makes me happy to find new pieces to inspire me. I love turning these odd finds into whimsical pieces that just make us all smile.

What simple thing brings you joy?

https://mailchi.mp/147a7db5d702/the-magic-suitcase

09/26/2026

The Hideout
In honor of the 3 (or possibly 4) little ‘Bambinos’ - it’s hard to get a firm count as they are in constant motion - in my pond I made a small sculpture to celebrate the little dudes.
It’s built in a tall skinny brass pot with a lid that’s about 8 inches tall. I have no idea what it was used for originally but it makes a great gator hiding place.
The little gators have been fun to watch this trip because they are less wary than older alligators who generally keep their distance, even when they are watching me.
Maybe these little guys just feel especially safe in the small pond instead of being in the big bayou out back, I’ve even had one swim along with me this week as I peddled my boat around. The others are a little more timid, and watch me from under the dock. I can see their heads following my peddling progress around and around.
I wonder if they just sense that they don’t need to be afraid of me? Perhaps their little brains already know that they will grow up to be formidable creatures and others will fear them so they just start out with that brave attitude. Kind of a ‘king of the jungle’ thing.
Alvin, the big guy who was giving me a bit of pause last week as I cleared around the pond, seems to have moved out. I think I may have w**d eaten his nesting spot. I don’t feel bad though as it gives the little dudes more freedom to swim around without being eaten. Also, the turtles can get up onto the banks to sun themselves which they can’t do when the pond edges are overgrown with water plants and grasses.
Beyond the pond is a big area that looks kind of like a corn field but it is actually a crawfish farm. The alligators love to make their way across the road and into the farm for a little gourmet snack that they can’t get in the bayou. That’s too far for my little dudes to venture so they have to make due with pond fish instead.
I’m sharing a link to a friend’s story this week about how we can see things as opportunities and find joy in them or as problems which bring dread. It’s interesting to think about the idea that we can reframe situations in this way. I share this because sometimes when I share my alligator stories people wonder why I’m not afraid to go out with the alligators. But sharing the pond with them brings me nothing but happiness and joy. I guess that's the choice that I've made.
‘Whatever we're facing, the choice to shift our orientation is ours to make.’
Where do you choose joy in your life?

09/19/2026

Greetings from Louisiana
It is such a complete ‘change of venue’ to be working in Louisiana for a couple of weeks. I was greeted the first day by my little friend, Bambino. He’s grown some since I last saw him but he’s still a cute little guy. Notice how long his legs are! There is a fish that’s about 5 inches long that seems to swim with him. Maybe the two of them are the inspiration for another children’s story? This one could be set underwater.
Alvin, our bigger gator, was a little aggressive on our first day together. I had to take a few steps back a couple of times as he surged toward me in the pond acting like he was going to launch himself onto the shore. Luckily, he was just posturing to let me know I was in his territory and we worked out a friendly compromise pretty quickly.
The studio is full of treasures I’ve stock piled that are waiting to be used so it was easy, and lots of fun, to get right to work. I started making a selection of pieces that I’ll try to take back to California – luckily, I came with a mostly empty suitcase this time.
One piece in particular caught my attention, first for its beautiful shape and then for the little hole drilled in the bottom of the pitcher. I’m not sure why someone did that but it immediately made me think of using it as a totem pole base.
I’ve been working hard on creating my “Building Totems” online workshop back home so maybe I just had totems on the brain.
In honor of being in Louisiana I decided to make it into a water animal story with each character escaping being eaten by the one below. It begins with an octopus followed by a fish and finally a frog. I think it is quite playful and will be a delightful mini totem when it’s finished. Here’s a little video showing you my progress. One never knows when inspiration will strike.
I hope I can get the pieces at least through the first firing before I have to head home. It will be one more project for the suitcase!
What has a vacation inspired you to do?
https://mailchi.mp/89e01ec486cf/greetings-from-louisiana

09/12/2026

Life in the Garage

I’m currently in my 38th year at The Pot Shop so I thought I’d share a bit about my journey to get here in the first place and what keeps me faithfully attached to my studio.

When artists are first starting out, we set up work places for ourselves where ever we can, corners of rooms with a work table etc., where ever we can find a spot. But pottery isn’t a kitchen table type of art that can be done without a dedicated space, so potters always seem to start out in a garage. That’s what I did. First it was the garage of my parent’s house while I was in art school. I got lucky because my mom did pottery before she went back to work, so there was already a wheel and kiln stored in the garage which I happily dusted off for my own use.

Next, I moved into my very own spot. It was a 30 x 30 unit in a small industrial complex in San Leandro. My neighbors were mostly mechanics so I guess it was a different type of garage situation. There was a boat builder there too – my closest link to a fellow artist - and we had a good time together.

It was here that I acquired the wheel I’m still using 40 years later. Another one of my neighbors in the complex had a metal salvage operation. They mostly picked up and resold metal office furnishings and shelving but one day they came giddily into my studio saying they had something I might be interested in. Let me tell you, I couldn’t get out my wallet fast enough when I saw that kick wheel. It was just like the one I’d ‘borrowed’ from my mom’s garage!

When it came time to move out of my parent’s house, I talked them into letting me build a studio off of the back of our family cabin in Pescadero so I could live and work there. They were so supportive of my art – a true blessing for any artist – and so I designed my little studio there and figured out how to take a project from my drafting board and actually build it. That was a steep learning curve but I got it done! My years as an architecture major at Cal Poly paid off and I was pretty proud of myself for actually building it, and very grateful for the help from friends and neighbors along the way. ‘It takes a village’ to build a studio as it turns out.

Then came the move to Philo. After art school I spent a summer in Greece and was intrigued by little shops I saw that sold pottery in the front half and had a potter painting the glazes onto the pieces in the back. It seemed like the perfect arrangement to be able to create and sell from the same location. The seed was planted for what came to be my own converted garage/gas station, The Pot Shop. I was sorry to leave the Pescadero studio but the gas station was exactly what I had been imagining the perfect studio would look like.

I love getting to meet people who stop by The Pot Shop while passing through Anderson Valley on their way to or from the Mendocino coast. It’s likely I met you there, but if we met someplace else, I invite you to stop by the studio. It’s fun to see art in action and I love having visitors.

So here I am, 40 years from where I started, still in a garage, and still convinced that I’ve had the best possible artistic journey for me. I’m glad to have shared part of it with you and look forward to your next visit.

How did you end up where you are now?

https://mailchi.mp/477c0e6339ac/life-in-the-garage

09/05/2026

Facing the Jury
This week I had the honor of being on a jury panel for an art gallery show. I had never sat on this side of the table so it has been interesting and informative to see things from the other side.
Juried art shows are one of the ways we artists get our work out into the public. We look at show listings, ‘call for artists’, which are probably similar to acting audition listings, and decide which ones feel like a good fit for what we do.
After we narrow down the choices to what fits our work, we then decide if we have a particular piece or two that are an especially good fit for the theme of the show. Then we have a look at the juror. Is it someone whose work we know? If so, would they like ours? If we don’t know their work, we look at their bio and think, would this person choose my work? Notice it’s not personal – the juror will never know that I entered specifically, they just have a look at the exact piece I’ve entered and choose it or not.
So, if all that seems to be a likely or even possible match, we send off our entry fee and jpegs, cross our fingers and hope we get picked.
This week I was the picker. All of the pieces in the pool matched the theme, which was a broad one of ‘colorful’. And all of the pieces had a pretty high level of technical mastery of what they presented. So how to narrow down the field into my picks for the show? A lot of it came down to choosing what I felt were the ‘best’ pieces – yes, my personal opinion. What resonated most with me emotionally.
Some were so outstanding technically that I had to give them a yes vote. Others maybe could have been a little better executed but their theme was really compelling so those got an easy yes as well. The rest sat in a place where very little separated the yes’s from the no’s and it made me realize how subjective the jury process really is. I’ve always intuitively known this but it was good for me to really experience this.
I guess the best thing an artist can do is to create one of those pieces that the juror just can’t pass up. Wait, isn’t that the way we feel about all of the pieces we make and love? Anyway, it’s a good reminder to have while I await the jury results from the shows I’ve entered with what I think were my best matched pieces.
For September I have a show at Edgewater Gallery featuring my new lamps. It’s so nice to see them with their shades on, in a clean space, where I can really appreciate them. The show will be up all month – or until they’re all gone – so stop by the gallery if you’re in Fort Bragg. I’ll also add them to my website store so you can have a closer look. (No pressure, that’s just the easiest place to put them since I don’t normally make lamps so they don’t have a dedicated page on my site.)
Zone-0 is also still running for the month at ACCI Gallery in Berkeley. I got to stop in the other day and there are some interesting pieces in the show. All media, not just ceramic.
So have a great week and remember that if you feel judged, it’s just one person’s opinion. Don’t let it discourage you from following your own path.
PS. The Totem Building Workshop I’m creating is coming along nicely. It will be a few more months before it’s released because I have to finish the totem that goes along with the class. If you’re interested in being on the VIP ‘Early Bird Discount’ list and haven’t already sent me your email please send it here.

https://mailchi.mp/ff829b866cb6/facing-the-jury

Address

7450 Highway 128
Philo, CA
95466

Telephone

+17074893406

Website

http://www.AlexisMoyerPottery.com/

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