Happy & Merry Holiday Wishes

The studio remains open December 22nd - December 24th, 10 am - 5 pm.
Click on the link below if you need directions, or simply give me a call at (250) 748 3811

www.margitnellemann.com/contact.php

We are open again Saturday December 26 & 27, 10 am - 4 pm.

Wishing you a very blissful holiday season. May the new year bring joy and peace.

and the teapot goes to .....

Yesterday was International Tea Day and at the end of the day while mulling over a cup of tea I sat down with all the entries I have received during this past month and drew a number.
The lucky winner of this year's Win a Teapot draw is:

Pamela Welgan of Vancouver, BC

Pamela gets to take home a teapot hot off the kiln similar to the one in the picture.
Congratulations!

Thanks to all of you for participating and playing. I look forward to International Tea Day 2010 when we will do it again.

Happy International Tea Day!

I know, I know. It is getting kind of late and I have been meaning to share a moment all day. I have been glazing teapots and cups and drinking tea most of the day. Hope you have enjoyed many a lovely cup today thinking of all the great tea workers across the globe. I am forever thankful for their contribution to the wonderful world of tea.
Stay tuned for the teapot draw. I will be back with more....

Working on it

The little tea creatures just keep coming. I started working on these teapots before heading into Vancouver for the Circle Craft Fair. They have been patiently waiting for me to come back to the studio to give them life. Two firings to go and they are off into their new worlds.

CLAY + GLASS exhibit and sale

4th annual Artfarm open studio CLAY + GLASS exhibit and sale

Margit Nellemann HANDBUILT CERAMICS
decorative and functional clay pieces
ranging from distinctive lamps to vases
to exceptional teapots & tea ware

KilnArt Glass Studio
Jo Ludwig's palm-of-the-hand sized glittering glass vessels
and Peggy Brackett's finely crafted colourful glass jewellery

+featuring also luscious local teas and a wide variety of locally made decadent sweets+

SATURDAY + SUNDAY DECEMBER 5 + 6 10am – 5pm
8350 richards trail (westholme end) north cowichan
250.748.3811
www.artfarm.ca

Back at it

After two exciting and busy weekends in Vancouver and Victoria, it was nice to come home and set up the studio again. I really enjoyed meeting everyone who stopped by my booth during the two shows.
I am back claying and hope to complete another couple of firings before our up-coming open house Dec 5+6.

Fair Season

Just back from a great Circle Craft Show in Vancouver this past weekend, I am already gearing up for my next show. This coming weekend, I will be at the Out-of-Hand fair in Victoria. Do come by for a visit if you are anywhere near Southern Vancouver Island.
Remember to put your name in the draw for one of my teapots.
See you at the Crystal Gardens November 20 - 22.
The hours are:
Friday 12–9
Saturday 10–6
Sunday 10–5
http://www.outofhand.ca/

Studio Hours

So we are off to Vancouver for the Circle Craft Christmas Fair. The show starts Wednesday Nov 11 and runs until Sunday Nov 15. After Circle Craft, I will be in Victoria for the Out-of-Hand Christmas Show, Nov 20-22.
My studio and gallery will be closed during these two fairs. I will look forward to seeing you during the shows and at my studio starting again Nov 26. Don't forget to come by my booth to sign up for the teapot draw.

Win a Teapot

I have decided to turn last year's 'Win a Teapot' into an annual affair.
In honour of International Tea Day December 15, I will draw for one of my teapots (similar to the one in the picture). What you need to do to enter is to come and see me at the Circle Craft Christmas Fair in Vancouver, Nov 11-15, 2009, Out-of-Hand in Victoria, Nov 20-22, or at our Open House here at the Artfarm, Dec 5-6.
See the following links for more information -
www.circlecraft.net/page129.htm
www.outofhand.ca
www.artfarm.ca
The draw will take place at my studio December 15 and I will post the winner here on the blog.

a lot of building going on

After a very full summer with farming, tea and a lot of studio visits, late summer came and went in a heartbeat. It's hard to believe but the christmas fair season has arrived.
My studio is upside down with last minute projects. I am working around the clock creating, firing and glazing. There just aren't enough hours and minutes in the day. It seems like late night firings have become the norm.

Cowichan Valley Wine & Culinary Festival

Later today we will be setting up for the Cowichan Wine and Culinary Festival, September 19+20, 11am - 5pm. This year we have a booth at Cherry Point Vineyards along with Quails Nest Studios and several other Cowichan artists. I will be showcasing my work as well as our wonderful Artfarm loose leaf teas. There will be tea for sampling so come by my booth for some tea after your wine.
For more information, please check out the links below.

http://www.artfarm.ca
http://www.cherrypointvineyards.com/index.php
http://wines.cowichan.net/video2009.htm

Teapot Exhibit

The Old School House Arts Centre in Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island is hosting a four-week exhibit with my teapot creations. The opening reception is Wednesday August 26 from 7 pm - 9 pm. For more information, please go to
http://www.theoldschoolhouse.org/exhibitions/current2.htm
or send me a line.
I am looking forward to seeing you there for wine, or tea.

Carrot Teapot

I think this is what happens when you focus all your energy in one area.
For most of the summer I have been creating new teapots in preparation for an upcoming teapot exhibit.
And I had to laugh when I pulled a carrot the other day.
Even the carrots are creating teapots now.

Visions

The hollyhocks outside my studio just opened up today. Somehow, they know how to put on a show for the Visions Art Studio Tour.
I am delighted to be opening the studio yet again for another Cowichan Valley art tour and to be featuring new clay work designs.
The tour runs Thursday July 2 to Monday July 6, 10 am - 5 pm. For more information and a detailed map of this year's participating artists, go to www.visionsarttour.ca

Sunday July 5 coincides with our weekly tea tastings at the farm. Please join us for a complimentary tea tasting during the Visions tour. Looking forward to seeing you.

Gardening

I love gardening. This time of year is wonderfully intense. Everything is growing a mile a minute and I am racing to get more things in the ground. After a couple of years of serious soil building and weeding I am now the proud garden mom of carrots, radishes, spinach, arugula, peas, beans, squash. Then, of course, there are the larger more serious crops like garlic, potatoes and herbs. We have lots of fresh herbs that I look forward to harvesting, drying and turning into tea when they are all ready.

Tea Tastings

This coming Sunday (May 24th) is the fourth in a row of summer tea tastings. These fun and informal events allow you to try a variety of different teas. Our tea menu is ever expanding and we are always happy to hear from you, to learn more about your favourite teas and recommendations. We will serve up three different teas accompanied by some locally produced sweets.

The weekend promises lots of sunshine so come on out to the Artfarm for a fun taste of what we do here. We have herbal infusions on the menu and if it gets really hot we will likely put one on ice for you.

- - - - - - -
Tea Tastings Sunday 2 - 5 pm throughout the summer. Price per tasting is $ 5.00/person.
Artfarm
8350 Richards Trail, Duncan BC V9L 6B4

For more information, go to www.artfarm.ca or give us a call @ 250.748.3811

Keeping the lid on

It's spring time here at the Artfarm. We are getting our gardens growing, we are seeding & weeding, cutting & mowing. We are at the Duncan Farmer's Market Saturdays. I am working on all kinds of new pieces, the tea bar is stock piled with many, many wonderful new teas and our Sundays are dedicated to tea tastings.
Good thing tea drinking helps you keep the lid on....

See you at the market

This year, we decided to sign up for the Duncan Farmer's Market. Every Saturday from 10 am - 4 pm you will find me at the market with freshly blended teas, teas to sample and, of course, with some of my tea related ceramics. Later on, when our produce is ready we will also be selling that at the market. Can't wait for our fresh greens.
Also, do come by my booth for a cuppa.....

A Taste of Tea

This coming Sunday (May 3rd), we are starting a series of tea tastings at the Artfarm - www.artfarm.ca.
'Black Teas of India - Darjeeling, Assam & Nilgiri' is the title of our first tasting.

From 2 pm - 5 pm you will be able to sample a minimum of three different fair trade and organic teas with an assortment of tea inspired sweets. Tea seminars on the various teas offered on the hour (2:00 pm, 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm).
Price of admission is $5.00.
To avoid disappointment, we recommend that you reserve a spot. Call 250 748 3811 for more information.

These tea tastings and seminars will run every Sunday throughout the summer.

A Big Pot of Tea

I am having great fun at stretching my teapot limits these days making anything from cute, little teapots to really large pots. This one is for the serious tea fanatic.

Another Pot

Here is one of the more recent tea sets. Just love creating these little tea families...

New Teapots

In August, I have a teapot exhibit coming up in in Qualicum Beach here on Vancouver Island. This means I have been working on teapots for a while now. It also means I will be doing the same for another while still. I really enjoy making teapots. I find their uniqueness amusing and their functionality attractive.
Here is one of the recent additions -

Snowy Tofino - Sunny Cowichan

Last week, just before the beginning of a very busy season, and to celebrate Victor's birthday, we decided to go to Tofino for a little break. It was all very Tofino - windy, gorgeous, sandy, exhilarating and then...... it snowed! If you know Tofino and the West Coast you know how rare this is. It was odd to watch the snow falling on the beach. We enjoyed it, as did the dogs.
A few days after we got back to Cowichan, Spring arrived and we have been enjoying all the early budding. The garlic is out of the ground, peas, spinach and arugula on the way. The daffys are gracing the outside of the studio. Ahh, does it feel good!

New Inspirations

I have just returned full of new ideas and inspiration from a trip to Denmark. I went to visit my family on the island of Fyn. I also had a chance to walk the streets of Copenhagen. The old city core of Copenhagen is as beautiful as ever. Being the tea fanatic that I am, I truly rejoiced in the tea houses of Copenhagen. Some new, some that have been around for close to two centuries. Tante T is one of the more recent additions. In 2008, Tante T was voted best tea house in Copenhagen. Check out their website for more information - http://www.tante-t.dk

Thank You!

A belated thank you to all of you to came to see us at the Victoria Tea Festival. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and hope you did too. It was such a busy and successful event that we found ourselves with little time to chat and entertain. But we look forward to seeing you again - soon.

Just a reminder.....

The Victoria Tea Festival is just around the corner. Come see me this coming weekend, February 14+15. I am in booth No. 40 upstairs in beautiful Crystal Garden.
For more information www.victoriateafestival.com

The hours are 12:00 - 5:00 pm Saurday and Sunday.
See you there.

Tea, Tea, Tea

I am so busy making teapots these days that I have been neglecting my blog.
February 14+15 I will be at The Victoria Tea Festival with an array of loose leaf teas and teapots. Come join me at the festival. I will look forward to serving you some of our new and exciting organic teas.
The event is at 713 Douglas Street (Crystal Garden) in Victoria, BC.
Come thirsty and hungry as there will be teas and goodies galore.
For more information go to -
http://www.victoriateafestival.com/

Up for Grabs

In December, in connection with International Tea Day, I decided to draw for one of my teapots. The only requirement to enter was the purchase of any type of fair trade, organic tea that we carry here at the Artfarm. Well, a week or so into this fun little draw we got bombarded by Mother Nature. We had more snow than we know how to handle on the coast and I had to shut down the studio and gallery. Unfortunately, the teapot draw disappeared from the radar. But the snow is mostly gone now, our driveway is accessible and the studio is open again. So I have decided to extend the draw until the end of January.
And here it is - if you come by the studio before January 31 during my regular open hours (Thursday - Sunday 10 am - 4 pm), I will happily enter your name to the draw.
Visit my website - www.margitnellemann.com - for directions to the studio.

Soon enough ......

So we got about one meter of snow in a matter of three or so snowstorms. It was unusually cold for the west coast. For a while it didn't seem like it was going anywhere until the pineapple express arrived with mild temperatures and lots of rain. Now we are wading through slush and more slush. And I am thinking of sunny spring days, of starting my seeds, of the garden and of the lush summer beauty outside the studio....

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
As this past year has come to a close, a heartfelt thank you for being a part of growing the Artfarm.
Here is to a healthful and prosperous 2009. We look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Margit & Victor