Ceramics wizardy comes to the Ranchos

Mary Ann Crosby has always had a penchant for the mythical.

"I've always liked wizards and dragons," she said.

The 52-year-old Gardnerville Ranchos resident has a penchant for fired clay, too. She's been pouring, painting and firing ceramics since she was 12 years old, following in the footsteps of her mother who operated her own ceramics business.

From Crosby's two loves sprang Sapphire Wizard Fired Arts, a paint-it-yourself ceramics studio that opened in the Ranchos last month.

Pale bisque dragons, unicorns and sorceresses adorn the shelves of the new shop, along with plates, teapots and more traditional pottery items.

Below the shelves stretch tables where customers can paint. Using the four kilns in the back of the store, Crosby and her staff fire and glaze the painted items for their customers.

Finished products are for sale in the front of the store, but the main focus of Sapphire Wizard is the creative studio atmosphere.

"You don't have to fall into any category to do ceramics," Crosby said. "Anyone can create beautiful masterpieces."

Crosby said she's establishing a nice mix of customers. She's talking to daycare centers about her "paint me a story" program, in which students read children's books and then paint figures from the stories.

She's also finding customers who are ceramic aficionados, and are just happy to have a place to work.

"A lot of people want to make gifts for their friends and families," she said.

Crosby pours the ceramic molds herself, semi-firing them to make the bisque, but she said customers aren't limited to what's displayed.

"You supply the idea, and we provide encouragement for your idea to become a reality," she said.

Crosby is especially proud of an eagle head bookend she designed. What looks like a complex paint job is simple, she said, using tracing patterns and other methods.

"Customers may use the studio, our brushes, paints, sponges, stamps, stencils, and any other supplies the entire day," Crosby said. "There is no hourly fee, just a low studio fee of $5 for children 12 and under and $7 for all others."

Crosby will also offer fused-glass jewelry making in the future.

Sapphire Wizard Fired Arts is located at 811 Short Court, Suite A. Business hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Call 265-6972 for more information.