March 1998 1 2 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1998 Volume 46 Number 3 Wheel-thrown stoneware forms by Toshiko Takaezu at the American Craft FEATURES Inlaid-slip-decorated Museum in vessel by Eileen New York City. 37 Form and Energy Goldenberg. 37 The Work of Toshiko Takaezu by Tony Dubis Merino 75 39 George Wright Oregon Potters’ Friend and Inventor Extraordinaire by Janet Buskirk 43 Bennett Bean Playing by His Rules by Karen S. Chambers with Making a Bean Pot 47 The Perfect Clay Body? by JejfZamek A guide to formulating clay bodies 49 A Conversation with Phil and Terri Mayhew by Ann Wells Cone 16 functional porcelain Intellectually driven work by William Parry. 54 Collecting Maniaby Thomas G. Turnquist A personal look at the joy pots can bring 63 57 Ordering Chaos by Dannon Rhudy Innovative handbuilding with textured slabs with The Process "Hair of the Dog" clay 63 William Parry maker George Wright. The Medium Is Insistent by Richard Zakin 39 67 David Atamanchuk by Joel Perron Work by a Canadian artist grounded in Japanese style 70 Clayarters International by CarolJ. Ratliff Online discussion group shows marketing sawy 75 Inspirations by Eileen P. Goldenberg Basket built from textured Diverse sources spark creativity slabs by Dannon Rhudy. The cover: New Jersey 108 Suggestive Symbols by David Benge 57 artist Bennett Bean; see Eclectic images on slip-cast, press-molded sculpture page 43. March 1998 3 UP FRONT 12 The Senator Throws a Party by Nan Krutchkoff Dinnerware commissioned from Seattle ceramist Carol Gouthro 12 Billy Ray Hussey EditorRuth C. Butler Individual work based on traditional North Carolina folkware 12 International Competition in Switzerland Associate EditorKim Nagorski Juried exhibition at the Musee de Carouge Assistant EditorConnie Belcher 14 Todd Burns Editorial AssistantElaine Jebsen Soda-fired pots at the SOFA Gallery in Bloomington, Indiana Art Director Randy Wax 14 Made by Men by Carda Burke Production SpecialistRobin Chukes Work by 36 male artists at Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon Advertising ManagerSteve Hecker 14 Debra Belcher Chako Circulation AdministratorMary R. Hopkins Small-scale chairs at the 1812 Arctic Gallery in Virginia Beach Circulation AdministratorMary E. May 16 On Their Own Publisher Mark Mecklenborg Works by artists who are not affiliated with a gallery 16 Lisa Reinertson Editorial, Advertising and Circulation Offices Figure sculpture at John Natsoulas Gallery in Davis, California 735 Ceramic Place 16 Eric Van Eimeren Post Office Box 6102 Whimsical vessels at the Holter Museum in Helena, Montana Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102 18 Don Fritz Telephone: (614) 523-1660 Raku books at Catharine Clark Gallery in San Francisco Fax: (614) 891-8960 18 Thorvald Bindesboll E-mail:[email protected] Turn-of-the-century work at the Museet PA Koldinghus in Denmark [email protected] [email protected] 18 Rural Wisconsin Ceramics [email protected] Work by isolated artists at the Bloomington Art Center in Minnesota 20 Porcelain Juried National Website: www.ceramicsmonthly.org Vessels by 19 artists at Shoestring Gallery in Rochester Ceramics Monthly (ISSN 0009-0328) is published monthly, 20 Pre-Columbian Art at the Mint Museum except July and August, by The American Ceramic Society, 735 Permanent collection on display Ceramic Place, Westerville, Ohio 43081. Periodicals postage 22 Amy Briggs by Stephen Robison paid at Westerville, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. Salt-glazed pottery at the Appalachian Center for Crafts Opinions expressed are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent those of the editors or The American 22 John A. Davis Ceramic Society. Functional ware at Geoffrey Diner Gallery in Washington, D.C. Subscription Rates: One year $26, two years $49, three years 24 David Gilhooly $70. Add $ 12 per year for subscriptions outside North America. Satirical daywork at the Solomon Dubnick Gallery in Sacramento In Canada, add GST (registration number R123994618). 24 Teapot VIII Change of Address: Please give us four weeks advance notice. Tea ware at Gallery Alexander in San Diego Send the magazine address label as well as your new address to: Ceramics Monthly, Circulation Department, PO Box 6102, 24 Midwest Clay Guild 25th Anniversary Westerville, OH 43086-6102. Three-day show and sale of members’ works Contributors: Writing and photographic guidelines are avail­ 26 David Tell, 1945-1998 able on request. Mail manuscripts and visual support (photo­ graphs, slides, transparencies, drawings, etc.) toCeramics Monthly, 26 John W. Logan, 1942-1997 735 Ceramic PL, PO Box 6102, Westerville, OH 43086-6102. We also accept unillustrated texts faxed to (614) 891-8960, or e-mailed to [email protected] DEPARTMENTS Indexing: An index of each year’s feature articles appears in 8 Letters the December issue. Feature articles are also indexed in the 30 New Books Art Index and daai (design and applied arts index), available 78 Call For Entries through public and university libraries. 78 International Exhibitions Copies and Reprints: Searchable databases and document 80 United States Exhibitions delivery are available through Information Access Company, 362 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA 94404; and through Univer­ 80 Regional Exhibitions sity Microfilms, 300 N. 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The code for users of the Trans­ 96 Workshops actional Reporting Service is 0009-0328/97 US$5.00 + $0.50. 102 International Events Back Issues: When available, back issues are $7 each, includes 106 Questions shipping and handling; $10 each outside North America. 115 Classified Advertising Postmaster: Send address changes toCeramics Monthly, PO Box 118 Comment: 6102, Westerville, OH 43086-6102. Form 3579 requested. Copyright © 1998 Workshop Fantasies by Marilyn Chadwick The American Ceramic Society 120 Index to Advertisers All rights reserved 4 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1998 5 and appreciates beauty,” as Hluch states, What about the possibility of problems Letters nearly as much as it craves feeling and sub­ from minimal exposure on a regular basis? stance. One could easily argue that more There is no scientific evidence of chronic compelling than Hluch’s flower is the ab­ exposure problems. A precept of all good sence of that flower, plucked from our grasp. scientific investigation is that studies can False Art Assumptions Dan Keegan, Kansas City, Mo. prove only true, not false, assumptions. Kevin Hluch has wandered out on a very As repeated in all the articles I’ve written slippery slope in his argument for a “beauty Slap Happy about ceramic materials, knowledge of health revolution” in art (January 1998 CM). He is Lately, I had been realizing some of my hazards is paramount to safe handling. I on firmer ground when he quotes Yanagi: disenchantment with American functional believe that it is a disservice to the field to “Beauty is a kind of mystery.” Hluch would pottery is the rootlessness with which most of present unbalanced reporting of the relative have been better off leaving it at that. It is a us fumble along trying to produce something risk we actually face while making pots. At fine definition that keeps the door open for “new” or “important.” I found Kim Elling­ first, when the boy called “Wolf!” everyone artistic and viewer interpretation. Unfortu­ ton’s experience with the history in his own listened; soon, no one listened. nately, he uses a flower as an example of backyard, as well as those beautifully func­ JeffZamek, Southampton, Mass. “unexplainable beauty.” Not exactly, I sus­ tional pots that are the result, quite moving. pect, what Yanagi had in mind. A few weeks ago, I serendipitously had a Picking Up an Education Hluch also makes false assumptions about conversation with a potter in my area about I am an engineer who is also a potter. I motives behind contemporary art, artists and local clays. Ellington’s article in the February appreciate the technical articles very much commerce. He attempts to reduce contempo­ issue brought me up short, like a slap in the because I am trying to pick up a ceramics rary art to sniveling, sophomoric attempts to face. Thanks for the slap, Kim, and more education “secondhand.” I consider the be different, radical and confrontational. power to you! technical material, as well as the aesthetic Contemporary art is not just a quest for Mark Rossier, Boulder, Colo. material, very informative, well written and novelty. It is a search for meaning in our to the point. Now, if CM could just tell me lives, for unique interpretations of our exist­ Frits 146, 154 and 156 how to change careers! ence, and a search for new ways to define our General Color & Chemical Company is a Chris Moratz, Gardiner, N.Y. humanness. Can it be difficult to understand? producer of ceramic frits and colors for the As difficult as life itself. Is it always successful? ceramics industry. We normally sell our frits No Special Orders Hardly. But that is not the point. It is the in 50-pound bags, but due to the interest I was looking through some old papers journey that counts. Fortunately, young and generated by Robert Pearson’s article in the and found this note from 1979. It reminded unheralded artists are often supported by November 1997 issue of Ceramics Monthly, me just exactly why I do not do special orders those who can afford to take a leap of faith we have put together several purchase options anymore.