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About OMax Ceramics

By C. Wellman From my personal library. 'The Potter's Professional Handbook' by Steven Branfman Click image to purchase from Amazon.com   The complete guide to defining, identifying and establishing yourself in the craft community. "Running a studio is not an easy task. Understanding the creative side  is one thing, but establishing wholesale, retail, consignment accounts, working with shipping, suppliers and marketing - hey, a potter needs some help here! That's where this book came into my life in 1999 - hot off the press!     Branfman is not talking about a hobby craft businesses and hobbyist exhibitions. His information goes far beyond that, giving solid "how to" information to professional potters.     "By the foolish man's mistakes, the wise man corrects his own". Branfman gives good guidance (providing ways to avoid pitfalls) in this book as he cleverly weaves a path of success for subsequent potters to navigate. The book appears to be grounded in Steven's experiences with the business side of his own studio as he gives sound advice on building your own equipment/equipment selection, maintenance of equipment, establishing yourself as a business, defining your production and identifying your market to ways of measuring success. The Potter's Professional Handbook is  reader friendly and sits on my studio shelves as an every ready and well used reference book." -- Christine Can you guess what Christine Wellman and OMax Ceramics (Bermuda) have in common? They both have birthdays in February!!!! However, 2005 was a biggy for OMax which celebrated its 11th anniversary. Just think – a borrowed wheel situated in the doorway of the homestead storage garage in Pembroke led to the financing of a wheel, kiln and pottery supplies which birthed the origins of OMax Ceramics studio! In those early days, Christine spent timeless days in the studio situated in the woods of Admiralty House (one of Bermuda’s historic national parks) secretly throwing clay in order to hone the skills necessary for the studio’s growth and establishment as one of Bermuda’s best! In 1997, Canadian potter and NSCAD Ceramics graduate, Michelene Lewis, dedicated four weeks of her time to sharing her insites in clay and her specific knowledge of production pottery with Christine. That meeting of minds helped to fine tune the already existing production line and manifest the level of throwing efficiency which took the studio to the next level. On-going participation in Anderson Ranch pottery workshops (in Colorado) continues to strengthen skills and build a zest for exploration even more. That’s saying plenty for a fine artist who graduated magna cum laude majoring in painting and minoring in printmaking! Nonetheless, the cross-over from the fine arts to the fine crafts is a journey well travelled by more artists than can be listed here. 11 years later, OMax Ceramics functional tableware is available through our e-Shop for your added convenience. Order from the comfort of your home and we will deliver to your door though our DHL carrier. While in Bermuda you can view and purchase our tableware from the following places: 1. The Dockyard Craft Market 2. The Bermuda Arts Centre in Dockyard 3. The Littlest Drawbridge Shop, Dockyard ClockTower Mall 4. The Visitors’ Centre Gift Shop, Botanical Gardens 5. Carole Holdings Studio - Front Street, Hamilton & St. Georges 6. The National Trust Confederate Museum Gift Shop, St. Georges 7. Bermuda Beauty Crafts, Penno’s Wharf, St. Georges