It's a kingdom of light and bright colors. The atmosphere gets the creative juices flowing, and the end result -- a personalized vase, plate or picture frame -- breathes with the spirit of The Latest Glaze. \nBill and Mary Jo Benedict wanted to try something new and different. She has been a first and second grade teacher for the past 26 years. He worked with adults with disabilities for 25 years. The result of their joint venture are two locations of The Latest Glaze, a paint-your-own-pottery studio that gives young and old, IU students and not, the opportunity to paint various pieces of pottery as gifts or just because.\nOn a friend's tip, the Benedicts opened their first studio on S. College Mall Rd. The studio is similar to other studios of its kind found in larger cities. The first contemporary ceramic studios first appeared in New York City about 1993, according to the Contemporary Ceramics Studio Association Web site. The CCSA estimates that approximately 2.5 million people visited contemporary ceramic studios in 2001.\n"We thought that the market would be right in Bloomington," Bill said. "Sooner or later, there was going to be a studio like this here. We were afraid someone would beat us to it."\nThe older location at 1316 S. College Mall Rd. has been in operation for about three-and-a-half years, whereas the newer Kirkwood studio in the Carmichael Center opened in September 2001 to accommodate IU students and larger groups. Mary Jo even went on sabbatical from teaching to work full time at the studio. She missed teaching and went back to the classroom this school year, but still gives a lot of her time to The Latest Glaze.
POTTERY FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS\nThe Benedicts have made their studio both affordable and comfortable for college students. One can bring music, food, drinks -- anything to make the place feel just like home. \n"I go to the Latest Glaze because I like getting away from my school work and my job," said junior Karen Stone, who is a frequent patron of the studio. "It gives me a way to relax and to use my creative side."\nThere are over a couple hundred different pieces to be painted, Bill said. These are updated regularly. The studio also receives new pieces designed specifically for various holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Channukah.\n"We have everything for people to personalize their piece: paints, brushes, stencils, stamps," Bill said.\nThe affordable factor is important to the IU campus as well. The pieces range from $7 to $40, with most pieces in the $7 to $15 range. When the Kirkwood location opened, the owners changed the studio fee to a special discount price for students. The regular studio fee for adults is $8 an hour. This includes the painting supplies and the kiln firing. For students, it is $6 an hour. The Benedicts said they hoped this discount price would bring more students to their new location. \n"I think we've had good impact on the IU campus. The University recognizes us as a very viable and fun business," Bill said. "It's been neat to see something star from the very beginning; it's very rewarding."
EVENTS\nMidnight Madness isn't only for IU basketball anymore. The Friday night pottery party sees a diverse gathering of avid art fans. The event, alternated between the College Mall and the Kirkwood locations, is every Friday from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Anyone can come into the studio and paint for four hours for only $8.\nOther events the Latest Glaze hosts include parties for all ages: kids' birthday parties, women's meetings, sorority and fraternity house meetings and art classes. Some American Sign Language classes like to come to the Latest Glaze to practice communication in the context of a studio, Bill said. The students have the class lecture in the studio. They learn diverse ASL terms for everything pertaining to ceramics and then set to painting the piece they picked. An ASL class has been coming to The Latest Glaze for the past three years when the studio opened.\n"I hope there has been a positive impact. People who come here are excited about being creative," Bill said. "We provide a nice environment that can be very interactive, creative and fun."\nThe Kirkwood location opened its doors specifically to accommodate these types of gatherings. It is larger and can therefore fit more people. This location has a separate party room. The older studio on College Mall Road had to be closed sometimes to the outside public because of the large parties people wanted to hold, Bill said. Parties usually require reservations. Kids under 12 paint for half the studio rate, as do groups of seven or more.
THE PROCESS\nFreshman Teri Gepfert has been working at the Latest Glaze since August. She said she loves the flexibility this job allows her. Part of her job is to walk the patrons through the process of creating pottery, especially if they have never been to the Latest Glaze or a similar studio in another city before. \nThe first step is to select the piece.\n"My personal favorites are the picture frames," Gepfert said. "They are easy to paint and to add my own design to."\nNext, one needs to wash the piece of pottery with a sponge. Then, one can choose the paints -- it is important to remember that darks go best over lights. Paints in reverse order -- lights over darks, will not show up. The patron's studio time starts once he or she actually begins to paint the chosen piece. The selection of the piece and the color scheme do not count as part of the studio time. Once the patron is finished with his or her piece, it is dipped in clear glaze and fired in one of three kilns at both locations. The firing process ensures that all the items are food and dishwasher safe and fully functional. The pieces can be picked up three or four days later. \n"I think The Latest Glaze is a great way to go with groups," Stone said. "It's a place where people can relax and have fun with their friends"
