Arts & Entertainment

They Make It Out Of Clay

Two members of the Metro Detroit Jewish community
make their Potters Market debut this weekend.

Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News

throwing," Migdal says.
"Clay allows me to be creative and free
flowing, and the camaraderie of the other
enorahs in abstract shapes will
students makes for a great learning envi-
be available at the upcoming
ronment where all of us can push our own
35th annual Potters Market, the
boundaries and set goals."
largest pottery sale of its kind in the coun-
Migdal, who is single and lived
try.
in Southfield before moving to West
Brian Migdal of West Bloomfield will
Bloomfield, is a graduate of West
show his religious objects and other pieces
Bloomfield High School. Although he went
as he joins some 135 ceramic artists Friday- to Michigan State University and then
Sunday, Dec. 3-5, at the OF & CW Union
graduated from the Palmer College of
Hall in Madison Heights.
Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, he decided
Nearly 40,000 pieces of pottery —
he wanted to see the world and found work
including vases, platters, tiles, mugs, jew-
as a flight attendant to fulfill that goal.
elry, sculpture and lamps — will be on sale
Hobby projects have placed his pottery
during the event presented by the advanced at various charity shows, including those
ceramic students at Oakland Community
benefiting scouting programs and the Fort
College in Royal Oak and guest potters.
Street Church in Detroit. His religious affili-
"The menorahs will be among 60 pieces
ation is with the Downtown Synagogue.
I will be showing': says Migdal, a flight
"I can spend one or two days a week
attendant who pursues pottery as a hobby.
working on pottery: Migdal says. "I've
"Mostly, I'll have functional stoneware,
enjoyed giving wheel demonstrations at the
bowls with wider rims and smaller feet.
Farmington Hills Festival of the Arts."
"I'm partial to the Japanese style of
Ellen Kates, who lives in Bingham Farms
ceramics and work with an outdoor gas
and is a member of Temple Kol Ami in West
kiln because the firing of the clay is not as
Bloomfield, also will be showing functional
controlled. It's surprising to see how the
pottery — dinnerware, bowls, platters,
glazes interact without oxygen and turn out mugs — but more traditional in appear-
more earthy colors, browns and reds."
ance.
Migdal, 40-ish and in his first Potters
She is another artist making her Potters
Market, has been taking classes at the 0CC
Market debut.
Orchard Ridge campus since 1991.
"I recently retired as an administrative
"Before that, I went to a friend's pot-
assistant at the West Bloomfield Public
tery class at the Birmingham Bloomfield
Library, and I go to the 0CC pottery studio
Art Center and liked the process of wheel
four days a week:' says Kates, 71 and work-

M

Nate Bloom
Special to the Jewish News

Screen Notes
Kristen Scott Thomas stars in the
I critically acclaimed French film
Leaving, opening Friday, Dec. 3, as a
woman who is bored with her staid
co ) life as the wife of a prosperous doc-
tor and the mother
of their children. She
has an affair with
an immigrant ex-con
working on her prop-
erty. Racked with
guilt, she confesses
her infidelity to her
Gainsbourg
husband (Yvan Attal,
and Attal
45). He strikes back

G

7;

48

December 2 • 2010

in ways that turn the film into some-
thing of a thriller.
Attal has long been an important
actor and director in the French
cinema. His life-partner is actress
Charlotte Gainsbourg, 39, with
whom he has two children.
It's interesting to note that Thomas'
ex-husband is a French Jewish gyne-
cologist, with whom she has three
children. The 17-year
marriage ended in
2005 amid rumors of
her infidelity with a
British actor.
Cannibal Girls, the
first film by Toronto
native Ivan Reitman
Ivan Reitman
(Ghostbusters), 64, has

Ellen Kates at work in OCC's

Brian Migdal with his
ing toward a degree
ceramics studio in Royal
"doughnut" vase, created for
in ceramics. "The stu-
Oak, where she creates her
the Potters Market
dio has a special air
functional pottery
filtration system that
makes it a healthy
Kates, whose work has been part of area
place to work."
holiday fairs. "There's a flow of ideas."
Kates, who had been a fashion executive
The Potters Market prices all objects
at Bloomingdale's in New York City during
between $5-$400. The section known as
the 1960s, moved to Massachusetts and
the bulk area has pottery priced between $5
enrolled in a pottery class in 1971 as her
and $25 for mugs, tiles, garden art, whimsi-
husband, Stephen, made a job change in the cal pieces and vessels.
field of marketing and advertising.
Artists receive 85 per cent of the sale
Two years later, Kates opened the
price of each item. Fifteen percent returns
Clayworks, a storefront gallery with a studio.
to the Royal Oak ceramics studio to pur-
"I went from dressing in suits and heels
chase equipment and materials.
to wearing long underwear and coveralls,"
"The advantage of this sale is that we
says Kates, who was a retailing major at
constantly restock': says Alan Paulson,
Green Mountain College in Vermont. "I
director of the 0CC Ceramics Program.
heated the studio/store with a wood stove
"Having enough of the same item in order
and even split the wood for it myself. My
to restock is a requirement for the artists.
manicured nails were a thing of the past."
"If a shopper finds an item on display
Kates operated the Clayworks for five
but would like to get it in a different size or
years and also sold her pottery at art fairs
color, it is only necessary to go to the cus-
and galleries in the Boston area. Twenty-
tomer service area to find what is available
five years ago, Kates and her husband
in the stock room."
moved to Michigan.
"I love the feel of the clay in my hands':
The 35th annual Potters Market will
says Kates, who will be showing hundreds
be held Friday-Sunday, Dec. 3-5, at
of pieces. "I also like that while working
the OF & CW Union Hall, 876 Horace
with the clay, it's easy to forget about every-
Brown Dr., in Madison Heights. Hours
thing else."
are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6
Kates, whose grown daughter urged her
p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
to take classes for credit, enjoys associating
Sunday. Free admission and parking.
with the other students.
A special preview sale takes place 6-9
"There are quite a few good potters at
p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2. $10. (248) 246-
OCC, and I watch how they do things:' says
2686; www.thepottersmarket.com .

just been released
on DVD. This low
budget spoof of
horror flicks has
acquired something
of a cult following. It
stars Eugene Levy,
63, Andrea Martin
Levy and
and the late Robert
Martin
Ulrich. One critic
in Cannibals
says that Levy looks
like "a Jewish Frank Zappa" in this
early role.

Midler And Fry
If you happen to get cable station
BBC America, tune in to the episode
of the Graham Norton Show air-
ing 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4 (there

Bette Midler

Stephen Fry

will be an encore
showing at 1 a.m.
Saturday, Dec. 5).
Norton usually
runs a very enter-
taining talk show. He
has a limited number
of guests and gives
them a lot of time to
really show off their
wit and other talents.
His Dec. 4 guests
are two very witty
people: Bette Midler,
64, and British actor/
comedian/writer
Stephen Fry, 53
(Fry's late mother
was Jewish). Li

