Asteroid Day: Meteorite Mug Auction and Donation + Asteroid Cup Giveaway

What is Asteroid Day?

We decided not to wish you a “Happy Asteroid Day!” because it’s not really a celebratory day. It’s an international day for the science community to educate and raise awareness on the seriousness of asteroid collisions with Earth. June 30th was chosen to be International Asteroid Day for a reason.

June 30, 1908:

Referred to as the “Tunguska Event,” an asteroid exploded over a Siberian forest causing mass devastation. It was a mystery to natives for decades on what caused this explosion, until scientists stepped in. It’s the largest impact event on Earth ever recorded during human history.  

“You kind of want to know how to move asteroids around – that’s a good thing to be able to do, because one day we’re going to find one with our name on it.”

– Neil deGrasse Tyson

Our friends at StarTalk created a video with some of the best reasons for why it’s important to care about asteroid research. Dr. Tyson is an important science communicator, but he also has a soft spot for art (shown by The Starry Night painting reproduction hanging in his office or the Copper Red Mug that snuck into this interview):

Here at Cherrico Pottery, we donate regularly to The Planetary Society as members and periodically for additional research and understanding of asteroids. You can hear straight from them about the importance of asteroid defense in this video they launched today:

The dinosaurs didn’t have a space program…

We also donate to The B612 Foundation, which is an organization that helps protect Earth from asteroid impacts. We would prefer to not end up like earlier Earth inhabitants, especially since, “It is a statistical certainty that one day the Earth will get hit by a large asteroid.”

Joel Cherrico used inspiration from the cosmos to create amazingly unique Meteorite Mugs. Joel actually models all his Meteorite Mugs after the meteorite named The Willamette Meteorite, located in the American Museum of Natural History.

Here’s your chance to purchase a Meteorite Mug and donate to Asteroid Research and Defense.

  • This Meteorite Mug is being auctioned off on eBay with 50% of the profit being donated to The B612 Foundation in honor of Asteroid Day.

 Giveaways: 9 Free Pots, $290+ Value

 – “Asteroid Cup” $165+ value

–  Set of 4 “Cosmic Shot Cups” going out to 2 different winners:

($126 value: $48 retail + $15 packing and shipping each)

 

You can win this free Asteroid Cup and a set of these Cosmic Shot Cups in honor of Asteroid Day. Simply answer the question below in our comments to enter:

How has science impacted your life?

Leave a comment below before Friday 7/7 telling us how scientific classes, scientific discoveries, or science in general has impacted your life. We’ll pick the best 3 comments and give the winners this Asteroid Cup and 2 sets of shot cups, totally free!

To enter, you must leave one, genuine comment, or the moderator will not approve your comment or include you in the giveaway. Please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Please allow 24-48 hours for your comment to appear. You must also be on our email newsletter distribution list to qualify, so please make sure you are okay with receiving our email newsletter before you leave a comment. We will pick winners Friday around 2pm Central and you will receive the pottery shipped to you nearly anywhere globally, totally free. *ENDED: Congrats to our winners Nancy, Valerie, and Lou. Thanks so much to everyone for participating!

Father’s Day, 2017: Reflection and Two Pottery Giveaways

*This is a guest blog post, edited by Joel Cherrico and written by John Fink: CSB/SJU Marketing Intern at Cherrico Pottery. 

Interesting facts about Father’s Day:

  • Father’s Day is the 4th largest card-sending occasion with 72 million sent annually.
  • The average person spends about $115.57 on presents for their father, which totals to about $12,700,000,000 a year.
  • Claude Monet is widely considered the father of Impressionism. Monet’s art represents nature abstractly, in ways that communicate far more beauty than what human eyes can see.
“Water-Lily Pond and Weeping Willow” by Claude Monet, next to a Cosmic Mug surrounded by a Star Cluster in the Large Magellanic Cloud, captured by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.

“A father is neither an anchor to hold us back, nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way.” – Unknown

Joel Cherrico’s father, Gene Cherrico, played an important role during one of his most defining life moments.

Joel and his dad were on a road trip just before he launched “Cherrico Pottery” back in 2010. Joel was hesitant about taking on the risk of starting his own company, investing his $3,000 of savings and committing to a small business loan after graduation, instead of getting a job like all of his friends.

“Owning your own business is one of the best ways to personal wealth.” – Gene Cherrico

Without Papa Cherrico’s wise words of wisdom, and his love and support, Cosmic Mugs might never have existed.

“I can discover something in the Universe, but if I didn’t do it, somebody else after me will discover that exact same thing. Whereas in the Arts, what you create, no one who was ever born before you or will be born from your death onwards, will ever compose exactly the same thing you did.” – Neil deGrasse Tyson

You can learn more about the origins of Cosmic Mugs from Joel’s authorship for American Craft Council: “A Potter’s Journey.” Learn why Joel chose an art major, how he developed a business plan, launched a small business and has operated his pottery business for seven+ years in this American Craft Council “Web Exclusive” blog series:

A Potter’s Journey

Another person who Joel drew inspiration from while growing his business was Robert Herjavec.

Herjavec is an immigrant from Croatia who owns a world renowned computer security company in Canada. He is most known for being a “Shark” on the hit TV show “Shark Tank” (Joel has repeatedly submitted 1st and 2nd round applications to the show). In the video below, Robert shared his story of his father’s immense sacrifices to give him a better life.

Also in honor of Father’s Day, we’re launching two pottery giveaways:

  • Giveaway #1 is for new Cosmic Mug and Moon Mug customers.
  • Giveaway #2 is for everyone.

Giveaway #1 of 2: “Lunar Bowl” $325+ value

*(ENDED 11pm 6/19/2017. Winner: Sherry E.)

Today and tomorrow only, we are releasing all of our current stock of Cosmic Mugs and our current stock of Moon Mugs. Anyone who buys one or more of these new Cosmic Mugs or Moon Mugs released today and tomorrow will be entered into a drawing. One random customer will win this lunar bowl, included with their order at no extra charge.

If they’re sold out or too expensive for you, don’t worry! Joel will be releasing more Cosmic Mugs, including $79 Random Cosmic Mugs, $49 Flawed Cosmic Mugs and Moon Mugs before July. Stay tuned! For you pottery fans who are waiting for these great deals and on a budget, we’ve got something special for you too.

 Giveaway #2 of 2: Free World Record Pottery

You can win one of three pieces of art history from Joel’s epic achievement with the Guinness World Records™ title for ‘most pots thrown in one hour by an individual.’ Simply answer the questions below in our comments to enter:

What is the most valuable lesson your father taught you? How did it shape you into the person you are today? 

If you didn’t grow up with a father, please feel free to leave a comment about a lesson any other important person in your life taught you. Leave a comment below before this Friday telling us. We’ll pick the best 3 comments and give each winner a random World Record Pot and even more pottery ($767.00 value: $159 World Record Pottery + $20 packing and shipping average each, Spiral Bowl for $185 + $20 shipping, a copy of “A Potter’s Book” by Bernard Leach at $25 average value) given to 5 random winners, totally free!

To enter, you must leave one, genuine comment, or the moderator will not approve your comment or include you in the giveaway. Please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Please allow 24-48 hours for your comment to appear. You must also be on our email newsletter distribution list to qualify, so please make sure you are okay with receiving our email newsletter before you leave a comment. We will pick winners Friday around 2pm Central and you will receive the pottery shipped to you nearly anywhere globally, totally free. *ENDED: Congrats to our winners Carol, Jerry, Olivia, Ashlei and Steph. Thanks so much to everyone for participating!