Lieblingsenkelin* (favourite granddaughter) Nicki Thoss, a highly talented ceramicist (and talented at pretty much any and everything she turns her hand to, actually, be it paper flowers, hand-printed Xmas cards or espressi) runs Kombinat, an excellent art gallery in Höhr-Grenzenhausen.

Her own work obviously, but also a wide range of product from ceramicists from around the country.

And everything’s good.

When I go to a pottery market, I walk through and I can see at a distance what’s not good/sort-of-OK/good/thisneedsacloserlook.

Nicki’s gallery is the latter.

She also had a fabulous selection of Christmas decorations from what was East Germany (she was born in Gera and the name of the gallery is very tongue in cheek reference to her heritage) which weren’t really for sale, but Mrs MDP got dispensation and hoovered up a couple of items that even I liked.

Worth a visit. For sure.

• Lieblingsenkelin. A couple of years back, they had an event with drinks and food and no-one to wash the dishes. Given my significant experience in this highly skilled field (worked at a top hotel in precisely this area of expertise in New Zealand during school holidays back in the 1960s), I jumped in, got things organised logistically and provided a steady stream of meticulously cleaned plates and glass to the front line.
  Someone comes barging into my place of work where Nicki was helping out and exclaimed “Nicki! This must be your dad! How wonderful”
  
  “Nah” I said “I’m Grandad Johannes. Pleased to meet you”
  
  Which I could be.
  
  At a squeeze.
  
  It’s become our in joke and a pretty good running gag

17 Dec This entry was published on 17 December, 2024 at 09:00. It’s filed under Art, Away, Christmas, Cool stuff, Culture, DNQM (DEFINITELY not quite Mainz) and tagged Höhr-Grenzhausen, kombinat, nicole thoss. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.