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About Purple Clay Imports


Purple Clay Imports is a member of the American Orchid Society.

Our advertisements appear in AOS Orchids Magazine.

Member of Illinois Orchid Society and regulars at IOS shows.

We exhibit throughout the country. Our planters have won awards and are often featured in the press.

We look forward to serving you.
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"We were surrounded by pots...pots as far as the eye could see."

The three of us shared this horizon as we stood on the banks of the Yangtze river... and the horizon remained unchanged as we walked the back streets of "the pottery production center" of China. With our respect for material and fine craftsmanship, we knew we had found "gold" when we discovered the purple clay pottery.

Thanks to our personal connections with artisians working in Yixing, China we are pleased to offer you our selection of hand made ceramic plant containers.
Purple Clay Imports was founded in 2000
by these three artists from Chicago.

Chris Campbell
Chris is a well-known Interior Designer working for an established firm in Chicago, IL. He is a designer for "Re-Defined Furniture".

Visit his web site at www.redefineddesignchicago.com

Xiaosheng Bi
Mr. Bi was raised near Xian, China's ancient capital. As a young man he worked at the Xian Craft Art Research Institute where he traveled throughout the country to study and document folk art.

In 1989, he earned his Masters degree at Qinghua University, Beijing. In 1997 Mr. Bi immigrated to the USA and soon established himself as a teacher in the Chicago area. In 2004 he moved to the Washington, D.C. area. Mr. Bi has won several awards in the USA for his fine porcelain bowls.

Mary Seyfarth
Associate Professor, Art and Design, Columbia College, Chicago, IL. MFA Univiversity of Illinois., Champaign-Urbana, IL.

Nationally exhibited potter and sculptor. She has won awards for her ceramic "sculptural cups" hand made from purple clay. She has exhibited for 4 individual seasons at "Pier Walk", Navy Pier, Chicago, IL.

View some of Mary's artwork here.
About Our Planters

• Purple clay planters are wheel-thrown and hand-carved by skilled artisans. They are made from the same material as the world reknowned Yixing tea pots.

• Puple clay is more durable than any fine terra cotta clay.

• Purple clay is naturally porous stomeware clay.

• Rich in iron oxide, the clay comes in three natural colors: red, yellow and purple.

Red
Purple
Yellow
• Purple clay planters are burnished and not glazed to maintain porosity.

• The underside of each planter is stamped with the artisans "chop".

• Look for "Purple Clay USA".


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