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New By Kathy McCutcheon SA Staff Writer If you have noticed lately in
Co-owners Kasey Fleming and Amy Brown, Kasey's aunt, have brought to
Amy is married to John Brown and they have a son, Jake. Fleming, the mother
of two boys, Jack and P.J. and is married to Jeff, has been teaching china
painting in her home to six students since last year. She first learned china
painting from Dot Bostrom in Kasey's husband Jeff bought her a kiln in December of 2005 as a surprise. He knew the kiln would make it easier for her to fire her students' artwork. She was so surprised when she saw the freight truck pull up in her driveway. "I never dreamed that the small group painting in my kitchen would lead to this wonderful opportunity for Amy and I." For those who know nothing about china painting or ceramics, a kiln is used to fire porcelain and ceramic pieces once they have been painted. Depending on how detailed and intricate the piece is determines on how many fires must be done. "We have 42 students enrolled now, so we had to invest in another kiln. It is large enough for the two of us to sit in it!" Amy laughed. "We now have a total of three kilns so we can fire the pieces and return them to our students in a reasonable time frame, sometimes the next day." In pottery design, the turnaround on a finished produ Fleming said she has always been interested in ceramics, so much so, that she used to visit the studio where the famous Gayle Pittman ceramic designs are created. "I have gone to observe the artists for the last 12 years. Her pieces are wellknown and sell in many gifts shops across the country." Kasey's mother-in-law, Norma Fleming of Red Level, has been involved with ceramics forever. "My mother-in-law has more than 5,000 molds and pours all of her greenware. The poured molds become the greenware which is painted. After it has been poured and fired, the greenware has to be cleaned and prepared. "Amy and I clean and prepare the greenware, but some of our students like to prepare their own which also saves them an extra fee. Kasey said, "Last Christmas, we had so many orders for our "Old World Santa's" and nativity scenes along with special orders, and not including our students projects, that we had to ask our husbands to help prep the greenware and glaze the projects we were working on." Kasey chuckled, "It has become a family affair." "Our husbands are our two best helpers,'' said Amy. "Every couple of weeks or sooner if needed, Amy and I pack up the children and head to Red Level to pick up the pieces my mother-in-law has poured. The drive usually takes us two hours one way. We load the car, visit a while and select new molds for our future projects." When asked who was the most creative, without hesitation, Amy said, "Kasey is. She amazes me with some of her designs. She can draw anything that comes to her mind." Kasey replied, "I have to give credit to my daddy, Jackie Chastain, for my creativity and talent. He can sit down and draw anything, even a portrait while you are just sitting there." "But don't let Aunt Amy fool you. She has some of the family talent too, after all, she is my daddy's sister. I may be a little more creative but Amy is the perfectionist. Nothing gets by her." In the studio, they offer a large variety of pieces to purchase which include plates, bowls, casserole dishes, roosters, rabbits and eggs to name just a few. Greenware that has been cleaned and prepared costs just a little more. There are many different techniques in ceramics including paint mediums and glazes which are water-based and lead free. Projects can be done freehand or by stenciling designs on ceramic pieces with a regular pencil. Students arrive about 20 minutes before class time, choose their greenware, decide on a design and if they need to purchase paints or glazes. The shop is set up to seat 24 students and classes are conducted on Monday and Thursday evenings, from 6-8 and Tuesday morning, 9-11. The studio is open all day on Tuesdays for students to paint, purchase greenware, paints or to just stop in and look around. (Visitors are welcome too.) Students may work at the studio or take their artwork home to complete. Experienced students usually come in to purchase greenware or to consult on creative ideas and work on their pieces at home. "We offer birthday parties for children to paint and create their own designs. We're always amazed at how quiet children become when they are earnestly working on a project.
"Patty Cake Pottery" will be offered on the first Saturday of each month, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Children of all ages, are asked to put their hands and sometimes footprints on a plate and write the date and their name. "It makes a great keepsake and they are proud and happy that they are the one's who created it," said Amy. "Amy and I have a few more ideas we want to incorporate later, as the business grows but we are still at the experimental stage right now." "We invite everyone to stop by and visit us. If the light is on, knock on the door, if we are not teaching a class, we are preparing the greenware or firing class projects and will be glad to show you around." They also offer completed ceramic pieces for sale at the studio and will take orders for custom pieces that Amy and Kasey will be glad to design. "If you have seen something in a magazine or book, we will be glad to try and reproduce it to suit your taste and decor. "Kasey just designed the Pine City Collection which consists of three pine trees that we have put on a plate, a cross and a bowl. We hope to add new pieces each year," said Amy. On Friday, Feb. 16 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. there will be an open house and ribbon cutting and the public is invited to visit the studio. For information regarding lessons, call 246- 0102. When asked how did you get the clever name for the store, Kasey said, "From Bible School. Our theme was 'Lets Get ALL Fired Up For Jesus.' Our hopes are to get the public 'ALL Fired Up' to come in and see what we are ALL about." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"All Fired Up" is a new pottery design and ceramic studio that has recently
opened to the public. 
ct is usually one fire, sometimes two.
"Bridal showers are also another new concept. We suggest inviting at least 12
ladies and having them paint the same design on plates and bowls to complete the
bride's selections. All the cookware is oven and dishwasher safe."