About the Cannon Clay Cooperative and the Cannon River Clay Tour
In 2014, eleven artists in the Northfield area gathered around a campfire at Eureka Pots to establish the Cannon Clay Cooperative and begin planning the first tour, which took place two years later. Members of the Cooperative aspire to represent a variety of professionals working in the field – from functional and production potters to sculptors and installation artists – in order to showcase a rich diversity of work. The Cooperative seeks to build community through their interactions with the public; support emerging artists by inviting them to display work; and encourage the public to support local businesses, restaurants, and breweries during their visit to Northfield.
Cannon Clay Cooperative (Hosts):
Kelly Connole, Joel Froehle, James LaChance, Glynnis Lessing, Donovan Palmquist, Colleen Riley, and Barbara Zaveruha
Collectively, the participating artists have been featured in Ceramics Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated, and Ceramics Arts Daily articles and videos; received regional grants and national awards; exhibited nationally and held residencies across the states; and have taught or currently teach at area schools, colleges, universities, and craft centers across the U.S. Raku-fired tiles, wood-fired vessels, sculpted creatures, functional ware, and wall pieces are just some of what tour-goers will discover.
Location: Three artist’s studios in and around Northfield, Minnesota
● Connole Studio: 315 Oak St, Northfield, MN
● Eureka Pots: 27607 Grenada Ave, Farmington, MN
● Larchill Farm: 31679 Dahomey Ave, Northfield, MN
Cannon Clay Cooperative’s Mission statement
To promote the ceramic arts in the Northfield area and help support the diverse range of makers in the region as well as build community through: interaction with the public, coordination of educational workshops and events and partnership with local businesses.
To support, educate and integrate newcomers to the field of ceramics arts by offering several Emerging Artist opportunities at each stop on our annual art tour. Emerging artists learn what is involved in being a professional ceramic artist through participation in the tour, working closely with Cannon Clay Cooperative mentors, having the opportunity to view a wide range of professional ceramic work while interacting with and learning from the artists that created it.