Our Name Is Mud is a little plaster store
located at 506 Amsterdam in NYC, between 84th and
85th streets. They can be reachted at 212 579 5575, in addition to their hours they also take party bookings and such. Their hours are 11:30 - 8:00
Tuesday - Saturday, 11:30 - 6:00 Sunday and
Monday. In addition, from 5-10 on Thursday
nights,
no children allowed and you may bring
your own food or
booze.
Their shelves are
stocked with white plaster objects: coasters,
teacups, saucers, vases, piggy banks, treasure
boxes. You paint them. They charge you for both
the item you choose to decorate, and your
painting time, in 1/2 hour increments. If you go
the week of your birthday, painting time is free.
On Two for Tuesdays, if you paint two items, again:
free painting time. I can't say whether they're
cheap, I haven't been to many of these sorts of
places.
I went with my sister once. We both
went for the same vase, small and curvaceous,
blank. I had a picture in my mind of what I wanted,
she looked at the paints and picked whatever
appealed to her. I liked O.N.I.M, because it gave me
an excuse to feel artistic, with concrete proof
afterward. Of course, my sister thought she could
never make a pretty thing again in her lifetime.
When you are finished painting your plasterpiece,
(or pieces, or set) they send them to the kiln to
be glazed and fired. You can pick it up a week later,
oven/microwave/dishwasher safe. If you have not time
to finish, or an initial layer of paint needs to
dry before completion, you can leave it there and
they'll have it waiting when you come back.
Obviously,
besides for the item you end up with, it's just a nice way
to sit with friends, relaxed and talking, but creating at
the same time. And it's interesting to see what people
choose.