KOBO Gallery
604 South Jackson Street
Seattle , WA  98104
(206) 381-3000
  Marlene Jack 

Simple Cup Show 2015
Showcasing ceramic artists from North America and Japan 

O pening sale:  Saturday, November 7, 2015
Draw a number as early as 6:30pm. 
The  Cup Show lottery sale will begin at 7:00pm.
Cups can be previewed on Friday, November 6.  
 
There will be no sales before the opening on Saturday. 
 
  Takashi Hara


9th Annual Simple Cup Invitational
KOBO Gallery (at Higo) 
604 South Jackson Street
Seattle, WA (map)
(206) 381-3000 
Over 200 cups have arrived from all across North America and Japan: the Simple Cup Show is opening in less than two weeks ! This annual tradition has generated a tremendous amount of interest over the last nine years, with the Seattle Times noting this as a "Recommended Arts Event " for the last several years.
People line up to come to this show. This is an amazing opportunity to see a wide variety of cups from many nationally and internationally known ceramic artists. Participating
artists were invited to send in 2-4 cups for the show.

The 2015 Simple Cup Show is curated by Peter Olsen , Executive Director of Seward Park Clay Studio, and Binko Bisbee, KOBO Gallery.   This year several guest curators including, Bruce Cochrane, Kurt Weiser, Kevin Snipes, Jae Won Lee, Jeff Oestreich, Juliane Shibata, Steve Godfrey, and Robin Hominik helped bring new faces to our  9th Annual Cup Show.  Momoko Otani (Japan) selects her team from Japan. The show will run from November 7 through December 2015.
 
 
Please go to the KOBO Blog  for our  interview with
curator, Peter Olsen talking about the 2015 Simple Cup Show.


Austin Riddle

Details about show and sale
  
The Simple Cup Show showcases a wonderful survey of contemporary interpretations of the cup.  With each year there is much excitement generated to see the work of a new crop of juried artists. Our hope in bringing this show to KOBO is to showcase the functional work by notable ceramic artists from North America and Japan.  
 
  
  Julia Galloway


  
Why the lottery? 
  
We sell the cups in a lottery system, which allows everyone to have a fair chance to buy one of their favorite cups.  
  
We ask that you will join us in expanding the spread of the creative spirit, and support our hope that these wonderful functional pieces be made available to many people. The lottery system allows everyone to buy at least one of their favorite cups.

The cup show sale begins Saturday, November 7th at the opening reception. 
 
 
  
  Jonah Amadeus


How does the lottery work?  
  
Arrive early to have a chance to enjoy a glass of wine and look over 200+ cups that have arrived from around the country and Japan. Starting at 6:30pm, all who want to participate in the lottery/sale will draw number from a hat. At 7:00pm, we will let numbers 1-10 have a few minutes to pick their one favorite cup to buy. A few minutes later, the second group of 10 will get one pick, each, then the third group of 10 will pick one cup and so on. Peter Olsen, curator of the Cup Show will explain and direct the sale.

Once we get through the complete round of the lottery and everyone with a number has had a chance to pick one favorite cup, the sale will then be opened up allowing anyone to purchase any of the available remaining cups.

To give everyone a chance to see the work that has been sent from far and wide, all sold cups will be exhibited for two weeks through Saturday 11/21.  After that date, all purchased pieces may be taken home and enjoyed!

KOBO reopens after the opening on Sunday, November 8, 12pm - 6pm. Any unsold cups are available to anyone at that time. 
   


Simple Cup Show Awards
  
We are continuing three awards this year!

2015 Seward Park Clay Purchase Award   
This cup will be selected and purchased by the Seward Park Clay Studio for their permanent collection.

2015 People's Choice -  Best of Show Award 
This cup will be selected by the attendees of the show.  Votes are accepted up to through 11/30. The sponsor for this award is the Clay Art Center of Tacoma. 
 
2015 KOBO Gallery Best of Show Award  
The KOBO team will make a selection of one of our favorite cups. 

Thank you, Clay Art Center for sponsoring the 9th Simple Cup Show People's Choice Award!  



Clay Art Center, Inc.  
2636 Pioneer Way East  
Tacoma, WA 98404  
253 922-5342  

 
2014 Seward Park Purchase Award  
Michael Hunt and Naomi Dalglish / Bakersville, NC



 
2014 People's Choice Award 
Sarah Magar / Missoula, MT
 

 
2014 Guest Curator's Award   
Kevin Snipes / Chicago, IL



  
2015 Simple Cup Show Artists
 
USA  
Jennifer Allen / Morgantown, WV
Matt Allison / Seattle, WA
Jonah Amadeus / Phoenix, AZ
Peter Beasecker / Syracuse, NY
Pat Burns + Andy Balmer / Portland, OR
Linda Christianson / Lindstrom, MN
Bruce Cochran / Tronto, ON
Israel Davis / East Grand Rapids, MI
Joe Davis / Portland, OR
Marc Digeros / Los Angeles, CA
Lukas Easton / Anchorage, AK
Amy Fields / Portland, OR
Maggie Finlayson / Penland, NC
Julia Galloway / Missoula, MT
Steve Godfrey / Anchorage, AK
Gracia Isabel Gómez / Ontario, Canada
Damian Grava/ Seattle, WA
Charlotte Grenier / Lansing, MI
Miriam Griffin / Missoula, MT
Takashi Hara / Tempe, AZ
Giselle Hicks / Helena, MT
Robin Hominkiuk / Ridgefield, WA
Michael Hunt + Naomi Dalglish
 / Bakersville, NC
Marlene Jack / Barhamsville, VA
Scott Jelich / Anchorage, AK
Matt Kelleher / Marshall, NC
Joshua Kuensting / Rock Hill, SC
Eva Kwong / Kent, OH
Jae Won Lee / Mason, MI
Ron Linn / Portland, OR
Becky + Steve Lloyd / Clyde, NC
Beth Lo / Missoula, MT
Sarah Magar / Missoula, MT
John McLaughlin / Portland, OR
Melissa Mencini / Austin, TX
Stephen Mickey / Brush Prarie, WA
Ikuko Miklowski / Lakewood, OH
Jeffry Mitchell / Seattle, WA 
  		    
Lindsey Oesterritter / Manassas, VA
Jeff Oestreich / Taylors Falls, MN
Peter Olsen / Seattle, WA
Reid Ozaki / Seattle, WA
Sarah Jewell Olsen / Huntington, WV
Marsha Owen / Raleigh, NC
Chris Pate / Portland, OR
Ken Pincus / Portland, OR
Joseph Pintz / Columbia, MO
Austin Riddle / Salt Lake City, UT
Marcelina Salazar / Chatsworth, ON
Akira Satake / Ashville, NC
Chris Scamehorn / Edmonds, WA
Emily Schroeder-Willis / Chicago, IL
Juliane Shibata / Northfield, MN
Sandy Simon / Berkley, CA
Heather Smit / Keswick, Ontario
Kevin Snipes / Chicago, IL
Shoko Teruyama / Alfred, NY
Shane Weaver / Toronto, ON
Kurt Weiser / Tempe, AZ
Cheng'ou Yu / Ontario, Canada


JAPAN 
Ken Aoki / Osaka, Japan
Sumiko Aoki / Shigaraki, Japan
Taro Ashida / Kyoto, Japan
Momoko Otani / Shigaraki, Japan
Tetsuya Otani / Shigaraki, Japan
Hiroe Yamada / Osaka, Japan
Shigeki Yamada / Hyogo, Japan
Yoji Yamada / Shiga, Japan
 

Yours sincerely,  

Peter Olsen 
Executive Director, Seward Park Clay Studio 
(206) 722-6342

Binko Chiong-Bisbee 
Co-owner/Director of KOBO 
(206) 381-3000   
 

Seward Park Clay Studio - Located in the most beautiful of Seattle's parks, Seward Park Clay Studio has been a vital element in the Northwest's visual arts community since 1969. We serve more than 5000 people every year through our classes, our workshops and lecture series, our annual sales and our collaborative shows with local galleries.  Our mission is to promote the growth of the ceramic arts, and we welcome your participation in helping us showcase the work of significant North American and International potters. 
www.sewardparkart.org

KOBO Gallery (at HIGO)
KOBO -- meaning "artist's workspace" in Japanese -- is an artisan gallery in Seattle, WA featuring Japanese and Northwest fine crafts, art, and design.

KOBO Gallery is located in the the former Higo Variety Store in Seattle's Japantown. Exhibitions are held monthly featuring art, design and examples of fine craftsmanship.

  Gracia Gomez