An odd ad and a persuasive owner brought Karin Kraemer to Superior 10 years ago. The potter had been renting space at the Duluth Art Institute, and was feeling cramped. So she answered the ad and met Jeff Heller, owner of the Trade and Commerce Building. He talked her into moving her business, Duluth Pottery, across the bridge.
"I was the first artist here," Kraemer said. But she wasn't the last. Today, the former city hall building is a hive of artistry -- from pottery and artisan breads to beadwork and painting.
"Every time we have had an event, more people get interested in being here and it kind of just filled the place up," Kraemer said. The owners advertise and set up events together.
"We're all separate businesses but we work together for a lot of things," the potter said.
The community attitude, Kraemer said, has been fabulous.
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"I think we've proven that stuff is happening in Superior," she said. "There's a lot going on here."
Appreciating art every day is one of Kraemer's passions. Her work fits that theme perfectly -- brightly colored cups, bowls and pitchers meant to be used and unique hand-painted tiles. The bulk of her work is Maiolica pottery, earthenware pieces colored with an ancient glaze process that dates back to early Persia.
Pieces feature whimsical fish, striped bees and other natural subjects. Kraemer says she gets many of the inspirations for the artwork from her West Duluth garden or walks in the woods. While she dabbles in stoneware, porcelain and other firing techniques, she's devoting the bulk of her time to Maiolica. And, these, days, she's also doing a lot of bowling ... potter style.
"Every Wednesday, it's chaos," she said. The artist is opening her Duluth Pottery Superior Division studio to the public from noon to 6 p.m. every Wednesday through April 6. Visitors can paint a bowl for the Empty Bowl fundraiser, which supports Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank. While she's been providing bowls to the event for years, this is the first time she's given the public a chance to take part.
"What's fun is all these different folks come in, either people I know who are artists or just folks that wander in and heard about it, and it's a really neat mix of people," she said. "We all get to know each other a little bit and you know drink a little coffee and have some fun while we're doing it."
About eight years ago, Kraemer branched out into custom tile work. Today, her artistic tiles are featured in kitchens and bathrooms throughout the area. Each is a one-of-a-kind painting that gets grouted into place. The artist wasn't sure she would like doing custom work, but it has been rewarding.
"It actually has been fun," she said.
There are two things you won't find in a Kraemer piece, whether it's a tile or a bowl.
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"I realized the other day there's two things I don't do, moose and four-wheelers," Kraemer said.
Connecting people with art is another of the artist's goals. She is part of the Superior Public Art Creating Community Environments (spaces) group, which pulls business owners, the Business Improvement District and area artists together to bridge art and commerce with community. The group will be opening phantom galleries in empty storefronts along Tower Avenue this spring. They are also involved in the Back Door Project.
"In 2013 they're ripping up Tower," Kraemer said. "By then we want all the back doors and entryways to all the businesses downtown to be vibrant and wonderful and full of art and exciting to go in so people won't stop shopping there."
And she encouraged everyone to tap their artistic side. Making art, she said, is good for you.
"People want to learn to do things rather than acquire them because it's an interesting way to live your life," Kraemer said. "You're using a different part of yourself and everything else works different."
They could start by stopping by Duluth Pottery Superior Division on a Wednesday afternoon.
"They'll definitely meet some interesting people," Kraemer said.
Duluth Pottery is located at 916 Hammond Ave. in the lower level of the Trade and Commerce Building, formerly the city hall building. For more information, call (715) 399-0921, e-mail karin@duluthpottery.com or look it up online at www.duluthpottery.com/ .
