NEW ZEALAND POTTER VOLUME I NUMBER 2 DECEMBER I958 EARRY

BRICKELL CONTENTS NEW ZEALANDAPOTTER

Editorial Page 1 A Chan-3e of Emphasis — David Driver 3 This issue is published 3-: Wellington by the Thanks 6 Committee organising the New Zealand Studio Thoughts from an Architect - E. A. Plishke 7 Potters' Second Exhibition. An Engli 3‘31 Exhibition — C. L. Bailey 10 The Exhibition 17 Designed by: Doreen Blumhardt Balance Sheet 25 News from Peter Stichbury 2.6 Edited by: Helen Mason Schools 29 29 Everest Street, Khandallah, Wellington News 30 Advice from a Senior Potter 31 Volume One Number Two December 1958 - K. Pleydell-Bouverie Exhibitions 32 Schools of Thought - Roy Cowan 33 Extract from a Letter — C. L. Bailey 38 The New Zealand Studio Potters' Second Exhibition is now over, but from it several points emerge. The vigour of the whole Show surprised us all and demonstrated most forcibly that pottery as a form of art and a form of self= expression is here to stay. From the criticisms printed in this issue it is evident that our chief fault is not lack of enthusiasm but of practicability. This magazine was originally produced in connection with the New Zealand Studio Potters' Second The Selection Committee’s initial work of reject- Exhibition and subscribers helped to finance the ing nearly fortyfive per cent. of the pots sub- Show. Next year we intend to carry on the mitted means that we have set for ourselves a magazine. If you are not one of the original sub— reasonably high standard, which is something Art scribers but would like to take out a subscription, Societies have failed to do in their'Exhibitions. please write to the Editor and we will contact you when the future policy has been decided. Single Another point demonstrated is that potters can copies of Nos. 1 and 2 may be obtained from the con Operate and work together. Without the Editor for 2/6d post free. financial help of potters throughout New Zealand and the physical help of most Wellington potters, the Show could never have functioned at all. The result was an Exhibition which was well— designed and displayed, at which two—thirds of 2. the pots were sold, and which attracted an attendance A CHANGE OF EMPHASIS 0 Observations from of over a thousand people. a Selection Committee Member. David D rive r Now we ask ourselves where we are going. For many of us the joy of creating a pot is enough, for others who wish to go further there is no side- Where do we start ? That"s the first question stepping the fact that sooner or later we have to that comes to mind as I sit down to write these settle down and discipline ourselves into acquiring few notes. But it’s also a very obvious first the skill necessary to produce serviceable, well- question for a selection committee faced with designed pots for use in daily living. an array of nearly 300 entries for a pottery exhibition - on tables, on the floor, on a desk in another room, on a shelf and a window seat in the entrance hall. It was an impressive array, with so much of it reaching a standard higher than we'd dare to hope for. But this was good, for we'd been asked to be sufficiently ruthless in our rejections to maintain the whole exhibition at as high a standard as possible. ‘Where, then, did we start ?

Our starting point was, of course, to ask our— selves certain basic questions relating to such things as: the potter's mastery over his material and method — the quality of his throw- ing, coiling, moulding or sculpturing of the clay; the apprOpriateness of the glaze or other finish; the relationship of colour, texture or decoration to shape; the suita- bility of form for intended function. And how did the pots answer to this test ? Un- doubtedly the majority of rejections were made because of technical deficiencies, particularly in throwing and glazing. There were also functional failures - beakers which were rough round the edge and would rasp the lips when in use; jug handles which gave insufficient grip for the size of the jug; mugs that were awkward to hold; sets of beakers, bowls, mugs and so 5. 4'

his everyday living a the jugs, mugs, teapots, on ,which were so far from matching that they beakers, dessert bowls, platters and so on. stood as individual pieces rather than as sets. I’m sure that Leach is appreciated as much or The greatest successes, on the other hand, were more for the semi—mass=produced ware his bowls, plates and vases == or just “pots“ more studio turns out as for his individual pieces, or less straight from the wheel. Indeed it which tend to be more in the nature of collect- may well be that the success of some potters orsP items. arose from the fact that they had not attempted some of the more difficult forms, for there was a noticeable lack of spouts, handles, lids and Could this be a guide for future exhibitions ? matching sets. Because of this there was Could potters produce a greater variety of work perhaps more credit due to the potters who by doing some things that are in themselves a attempted such things, even if not always suc-= little more tedious or repetitious ? Could cessfully, than to those Whose whole eight entries there be more emphasis on articles for every= were acceptable but consisted only of bowls and day use = on l'handleability” = and so enCOurage vases. in a wider public a feel for fine craftsmanship which will have a leavening effect in other fields Zealand potters A potter who had achieved some degree of excell— of design as well ? Can New caused by import restric- ence in thrdwing individual pots, was heard to take up the challenge some of our finer remark when required for the first time to make tions and fill the gaps in the growing public a number of items alike “Mine all look like in- shops, so helping to maintain apparent dividual pieces". Undoubtedly the discipline interest in good design which has been imports ? necessary to make successfully a set of bowls, during the last few years of freer beakers, mugs or cups and saucers is a stiff one, but one that must bring its reward in an impr0ved sureness of technique. Likewise, it's worth No doubt these challenges will be taken up. Then taking up the challenge of making a lid that the next exhibition will show forth more of the fits or a spout that pours well and doesn't drip. qualities evident in one very small group of Certainly these are all items of everyday use and entries in this last show - the sculpture. there's an element of repetition in making them. Though only a handful of entries, there were Perhaps a potter is reluctant to take time for certain pieces among them (particularly some of these when his greatest satisfaction comes from the wall sculpture) which were outstanding for the individual pot which as likely as not will their originality, imaginativeness, vitality be an object of decoration in itself rather than and variety. If these qualities pervade serve any utilitarian purpose. His enjoyment the work of each exhibitOr, next year's show- comes largely from the feel of the pot in the mak= ing will itself be more varied, vital, imaginative ing of it. But the satisfaction of the user is and original. It will appeal to a still also worthy of consideration. And the pots he wider public and will outdistance even the feels most are those which he handles as part of remarkable achievements of 1958. T H A N K S Blumhardt, Lee Thomson and Helen Mason, who found any talent they possessed for organisation, carpentry, photography, hospitality, was used to We acknowledge with gratitude the work of :== the full.

Mr. Geoffrey Nees, who designed the layout of the And all the minders and potters who lent a. hand New Zealand Studio PottersP Second Exhibition, at necessary moments. and what is more, spent most of a weekend setting it up for us. A record in colour film of as many of the pots as The Selection Committee, Mrs. Joan Macarthur, possible was taken by Dr. Barrow. These may David Driver and Keith Lowe, , who spent many be borrowed by interested groups. Apply to exacting hours in setting a standard for the Show. the Editor.

Denny Garrett, Adult Education Schools Tutor, whose genius as unpacker and general carrier smoothed the way at many hectic moments. THOUGHTS FROM AN ARCHITECT ON THE STUDIO POTTER TODAY The National and Regional Councils of Adult Education, whose help in lending space for the E, A, Pli shke selecting and for the storing of pots was invaluable.

Roy Cowan, whose work with hammer and saw First of all I am not a potter and I do not know and constant help at all crucial times was most anything about the technical or chemical side of valuable. this craft. The only justification for my hav— ing any Opinion on pottery is the fact that since my student days I have loved it. The fact that Bill Stewart, Training College student, who pottery is one of the most ancient crafts, with shared in all the toil and is learning young the perhaps the least interference from modern tech— differing aspects of a potter's life. nology, gives it a unique position. The only parallel is perhaps the uninterrupted tradition Freda Anderson, who kept her head and the cash of hand weaving. The secret of the charm of straight on the opening night, and also prepared hand woven fabrics or hand thrown pots springs the Catalogue. from a creative activity and with that we are also at the root of the satisfaction which The Exhibition Committee,, Terry Barrow, Doreen people derive from making pots. 9.

It is a fact that any artistic activity goes back West does not mean that we ourselves could to periods akin to its own mood in order to de— really successfully design a house in one of rive encouragement and strength therefrom; these styles and in doing so still create a for instance the Free Raphaelites to paintings positive atmosphere and frame for our way and painted before Raphael; William Morris to the mood of living. In some ways it would always uninterrupted tradition of medieval craft, and be a sort of stage setting superimposed on our to Eastern pottery, unaffected by present-day life. To recognize the essential the Industrial Revolution. This going back to qualities in the old and to translate them into previous periods not only gives strength and a work which has also the vitality and charac= encouragement to the artist but also has an teristics of our time seems to me the task of inherent weakness —= the weakness of any kind of any artist. eclecticism, any acceptance of the forms of other periods for today's artistic expression. In this case the pots may be very skilful and fine reinterpretations of eastern work by western It is one of the most impressive signs of the minds. In contrast to this perhaps is the sincerity of the group of potters who exhibited effort to make something which is free and more in their second exhibition that they succeeded independent of these forms in order to give more up to a point in avoiding the dangers of direct expression to the mood of our time. It is eclecticism. But nonemthe=less looking at the obvious that to strike out on one's own in order to exhibition the three different orientations of do that leads to more mistakes than if one keeps the potters were clearly represented in their within the strict limits of established tradition. work. And then of course there is the work But on the other hand the result may be more which does not closely adhere to one of these alive. A good pot like any good work of art or schools but is combining in various degrees craft requires a synthesis of vitality and form, qualities of the old traditions with the feel and otherwise it may either remain primitive or bem frame of mind of our generation. come me re empty formalism.

The same problem may become clearer in archi= tecture. We all agree that previous periods In a young country, so far away from historic have produced very beautiful houses and that it centres of great tradition, it seems natural can still be very agreeable to live in an old that the potter as much as any creative man Georgian or Regency house. Or again, one of would feel tempted and challenged to find an my most prized books is Yoshida's publication expression in his work which is in accord with on the Japanese house, brOught out by Wasmuth the feel and mode of living of the country. Any in 1935. But the fact that we are enchanted form of eclecticism is to him the only and quite by the beauty of these old houses of the East or necessary training ground of any modern pottery. 10. 11.

AN ENGLISH EXHIBITION vying with Huddersfield and Warrington, Jarrow and Sheffield, Stoke and Liverpool, for the honour Professor C. L. Bailey of being the supreme graveyard of the spirit, that the Guild should have its centre and hold its exhibitions, seeking through creative hands to save the life of the spirit. I kept thinking of this I thought you would like to have my impressions when I left and went out into the twilight of noon from this little world of bright vision. of the 1958 Exhibition of the Red Rose Guild of God truly moves in necessary, if mysterious, Craftsmen that I saw last week in Manchester. I ways. saw it, but not Manchester ».' It was, as usual, a dim outline seen through a thick miasma of murk compounded of smoke, rain, and fog =- Manchester In all there were thirty—five potters exhibiting, smog indeed. But in the midst of this indes== two or three of them modellers, the rest potters cribable ugliness was this glorious exhibition. I in the ordinary sense of the term. Iviany of the groped my way to the Whitworth Art Gallery, now names of these are household WOrds to New Zealand a constituent of the University of Manchester, and potters; many are new names. And among the new for many years the venue of the Guild. (The names are, in my opinion, some of the best, or at Guild itself was formed in 1921 and within the least the most promising potters. I was im- first five years of its existence it was joined mensely cheered by this for two reasons. Several by a group of potters who have left their mark good judges had told me there were few good young on English potting a Staite Murray, Katherine potters coming on, and this judgment I found to Pleydell- Bouverie, Bernard Leach. Today it be unnecessarily gloomy. And I found in this would be fair enough to say that the potters are exhibition in Manchester a general decline in the its mainstay. Certainly the exhibition I saw work of the established leaders in English potting, was mainly of pots, with weaving, woodcrafts such although of the 310 entries, the "old guard” as carving and furniture, and silver-awork as contributed 22 of the 25 pots that I singled out subsidiaries = and some of it splendid indeed.) as the best in the Show. (I deliberately left I must confess that as I made out the contours of out as ”eligible" the regular domestic pots of the Whitwo rth, after groping past the black= soot the , almost but not quite as com- Museum and the grimy collection of buildings that petent as ever). added up to the University of Manchester, my heart sank with the anticipation of a joylessness that would match it all. In fact I was ill prepared for the wondrous joy that I — and the hundreds of My "'25 best” were as follows: (1 «3: Z) a vase Mancunians thronging inside =- experienced when with wax resist decoration, and a covered pot, face to face with the feast of creativeness within° with slip and wax resist, by Frederick Casson. There is somethingVI almost symbolic in the fact that it is in anchester of all places, Casson has developed a cheerful and satisfying treatment for red clay that combines gaiety and 12. 13. strength of character. He is one of the few pot "outside her personality" ? Her wax potters who can be fresh and bright without ’93:i resist struck me as downright unpleasant. facetious, His pots are predominantly white But these two fluted pieces .' They are pots that linger in the mind. with blucmgrey brushwo rk applied with freedom (10, 11,12,13,14) A and restraint (if you can imagine the combination).. superb run of pots by Henry Hammond, all (3, 4 & 5) a decorated bowl, a pint mug, and a stoneware - a vase, a plate, a honey pot, and two mugs. teapot, by the Davises, consummately thrown and in The honey pot was a little thing, ginger-jar their very best style Generally speaking I shape, in oatmeal biscuit, un- glazed and thought the other pieces from the Crowan Pottery decorated by a hauntingly beautiful were muddy, and rather spiritless, and not in piece of iron- rust brushwork, like a spray of bamboo. the mood of what we have come to accept as the This was the choicest pot in the best thrown pots in the world, However I whole show, my No. 1. And it was selling should hasten to add that the little celadon teapot for 25/— I. (15, 16 and 17) Three with cane handle was perfect, and I would be great pots by Bernard Leach. One was a prepared to take a bet that it is the most delight” large olive coloured raw glaze jar bellying ful teapot that has ever been potted, (6) A fine sharply at the equator, and engraved with a bow] nearmporcelain I would think, celadon satisfying motif through to the biscuit. This "F/i'ih iron decoration and blue, by Derek Emms, was one of Leach's very best things, and usable This Staffordshire potter is a strong worker who to boot, which is more than Can be said for too seems to owe much, in his approach, to Leach, many of his personal pieces. Much of and Michael Cardew° His throw-u Leach's work of the last few years has been ing has strength and character, but there is a forced and uninspired - but this is a veritable tendency for his wax resist treatment to be masterpiece. Two others, (from an offer- rather contrived and his decoration pointlessly ing of 19 pieces) were almost as impressive, and unceramically geometrical. (7) A a large tenmoku fluted jar, and a fluted stone— modest, honest, and downright usable cylinder vase ware vase, also tenmoku. Apart from these in stoneware with wax resist, by Arthur Griffith, three, superb in any company, the rest of his The passion for usability shown by this potter work seemed to be evidence of a decline both has much to teach to many exhibiting in this show ,- in touch and vision. (18) A strongly potted and in New Zealand too J (8 82 9) Two pieces stoneware stew pot by Michael Leach. There by Marianne Hale (de Trey), a fluted white is strength and a clarity of concept in the work of bowl and a fluted white vase, feminine and this potter and with it much promise for the personal, and consummately potted. She future. I cannot say the same for David exhibited a lot, but most of it disappointed me. Leach's work. He displayed a lot, almost She does not seem happy in her larger pieces, all of it red clay covered with a grey-brown slip and her black ware lacked the very personal quality with bright-cut decoration cut with spide ry line. that one generally finds in her pots. I wonder His work is unmanly in character, more like the if potting under her late husband's name instead potting of a dainty and too fastidious woman. of her own, as was her custom, has caused her to (19) An odd, but attractive little square-patted 14. 15. bottle by William Marshall. I was somewhat and purposeful - a tallish cylindrical vase in irritated by the clutter of odd bottles from several stoneware, tapering in slightly towards the top hands in the Leach Pottery — Janet Leach, (and definitely usable 3), and with a variegated Bernard Leach and William Marshall. Only brown and rust glaze effect, combed with a William Marshall's had point and personality. series of strokes down one side; and a great It is a good piece, but does it redeem the rather two foot tall pot slightly bellied at midpoint, mediocre recent work I have seen from this mag- and terminating in a nice square shoulder nificent potter ? Why has he lost his touch ? rising to a useful 2 inch neck, the sides of the At his best he is the best here - only Cardew in pot cut into faces, and the whole in a mottled Africa excelling him. (20 and 21) Among a grey and rust glaze. rather disappointing group from Katherine Pleydell- Bouverie was a glorious off-white stoneware bowl, with a carved pattern, ridicu— lously underpriced at two guineas. Another These are the twentyfive best as far as my own bowl in grey=green ash glaze, with a regular preferences are concerned. cut pattern trellis-like. Most of her pieces were tiny unusable things, narrow-necked bottles or pin bowls. Unusability, despite all the arguments about beautfy-in—itself, I still find a vice in a pot. (22 and 23) Two delightful pots by a potter completely unknown to me - Harold Thornton. Here is a man worth watch= ing. All my life I will remember his little Japanese style winebottle with black sprig brush PATRICDA DERRIN decoration, a pot of great piquancy and character. How representative of English potting would this And a stoneware bowl with woodash glaze and a exhibition be ? There are few well-known potters rim treated with an iron-washed brush kept me who were not represented. Two immediately come coming back again and again to look at it. I to mind, and both of them New Zealanders working like this man's work immensely. It is the sort in London (at the Central School of Arts and of potting I would like to do myself. Looking Crafts) - William Newland and Kenneth Clark. at it I had a feeling of having seen his work before, NOrah Braden, Eleanor Whittall, John Shelley, until I realised that I was looking at the embodi- Raymond Finch, Rosemary Wren, Margaret Leach ment of my own criteria of good potting. (Z4 and 25) were not there. But by and large I would think it a Two entirely successful pots by Geoffrey Whiting. not unfair crOSs section of English potting at the He exhibited a lot of pots, more than any other present time. How then does it compare for potter, but though I have for long admired his vitality and quality with New Zealand potting ? work, most of it disappointed me in this exhibition. England has a population of about 50 million, Too often the form was hesitant and uncertain, too New Zealand about 2% million. I am bound to say lifeless, fatty—flabby. But these two were grand that the compariSOn tends to be in favour of New 16.

Zealand potters. In a pOpulation of 50 million England, I felt, has not six potters better than Photographs of individual pots by T. Burrow. Len Castle and Helen Mason; and I find more vitality in the work of Minna Bondy, Barry Brickell, Peter Stichbury and Terry Barrow, and more personality and growth, than I found in the general run of potters exhibiting in the Red Rose Guild. This, I believe, is in part due to the greater directness of life in the less sophisti— cated society, in part to the closeness of the earthy Japanese influence on New Zealand potters, in part to the character of the New Zealander, accustomed to improvising with and exploiting local materials, and in part to fruitful contacts with the very greatest masters of potting in England - Bernard Leach, Michael Cardew, Katherine PleydellaBouverie, especially these three. Most of the craftsmen potters exhibitin: uirek Snisex. Helen Mason. at Manchester seek to livej‘oy their potting; in Salt-glazed stoneware. Cat. l19. Stoneware. Limestone glaze. New Zealand, almost without exception, potting Cat. 86. is for love, as it were, and not for livelihood. This raises the highly controversial question of which group is creatively freer. Against all my instinct, and against my Wishes even, I think that today, taking the two societies as they are and the general quality of life within them, the initiative lies with the group of New Zealand amateurs. I do not expect anyone to agree with me. I wonder what Len castle would say about this, with his unique experience of having potted in the two worlds ?

3.50

awn ~ Minna Bondy. . firJU‘“ flirtin Beck. . I" stoneware. Light celadon. \ Contrasting glazed/unglazed stoneware. Cat. 33. Cot. l2. « r2

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Hazel McCaugnern. Unglazed slipware. Cat. 82.

oc'bm Inez Rennie 5‘. Earthenware ice bucket. Green. Cat. i06.

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Another visitor to the Exnibition examines a very practical item. The teapot (Cat. I33) was made at the Leacn Pottery by Mr. Peter Stichbury of Auckland. A patch of cobalt slip ‘ has been laced b di in over a wax—resist _¢; 4 Patricia Perrin. Murlal “00d?“ pattern. p ( y pp 9) Earthenware. Blue-green glaze. . . Unglazed stoneware. (Photograph Evening Post). a, Cat 99 5, non. eat. 9a.

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NEW ZEALAND STUDIO POT TERS' SEC-CPD EXHIBITION Receipts and Payments Account

Subscriptions 55. 10. C Rent of Architectural Sales Catalogues 23. 18. G Centre Gallery 1.2. Commission on sales Commis sion to

(150% of $261.4. 6) 39. 4. 1 Gallery 12. 12.. C'.‘ Advertising in Press 8. 15. Printingr Catalogues

8: Invitations 29. U1 C‘- Insurance \0 Preparation of stands 19.17. 0 Less sale oftimber 5. 5. 1 l4. .11 Freight on unaccepte 3. pots 3. Wall photo 3. Colour film for

records uni—I Postages (-x Presentation pot for designer of show 0

Freight on unsold pots (w

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Balance 2 co CLJ—i—‘l—‘W £118.12. 1 £11 i—-‘

FEW ZEALAND POTTER VOL. 1. NO. I. Receipts and Payments Account

Aivertising l5. 0. Printing 2 <‘“" Sales at Exhibition 9. 7. TVping o

Other Sales 8. 12. Duplimats 8: Ribbon -,.s A young visitor to the Exhibition Balance 10. 2. Postage & Envs. \o

N admires an NNoxoxo eart henware cat 0 t. 103) £43. 2.. LOI-PH‘QV" made by Juliet Peter. ( a (Photograph Evening Post). BALANCE SHEET Surplus from Cost to Exhibition Exhibition 21. l 6. 8 of Vol. I No. I.

N. Z. POTTER 10. [\J

Bal. for Vol. I No. 2° 11. O\

, £21.16. 8 £21.. ‘ 26. 27.

Leach, Rosemary NEWS FROM PETER STICHBURY (Present Ballantyne, Bernard and Janet Cottie Burland - Holder of Fellowship Award from Association of Wren, Sir John Wedgewood, who talked to us New Zealand Art Societies). these but a few of the peeple As well we had and filled us with information. visit to Sir Alan a barbecue, a Raku firing, a lot .' Greetings to all our New Zealand potter friends ' Barlow‘s collection a the It 18 almost impossible to tell of all the happen- ' ings- of our first year away in a few paragraphs - suff1c1ent to say that we are thoroughly gnjoymg van, which was to life and all that it has brought us of late. In April we purchased a small for the next few become our travelling hotel Continent - ten weeks, months. We "did" the Seven exciting - though not nearl lono - miles all told. ten countries, ten thousand monthsat the Leach Pottery wheze I 53:11:1115:1t France, Germany, Italy, Spain (wonderful place), of the time throwing, or trying to throw, standard Sweden, Holland, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, ware. . Occasionally some of this was accepted in Spain we had Belgium. At a pueblo pottery for firing .‘ Helpful discussions with Bernard language difficulties, a most amusing time with Leach on form, and interesting anecdotes from him a we managed to but wonderful people to visit on past experiences. Much help from Bill pottery and pro= find out everything about their Marshall on throwing techniques and form of were most curious, much cesses, and they in turn standard wares. Exciting kiln firings and Openin 5 — a complete story to our amusement and delight With an occasional individual pot to be happy abouE and galleries at in itself. Superb museums Eigegnngqnlpeolile such as Janet Leach, Atsuya - Amsterdam, The Munich, Copenhagen, Vatican, Brazafl a,to worke With.rom Denmark and Eleanor from at Vallauris (we haven‘t Hague. Picasso pottery of seeing the quite recovered from the shock but perhaps the "pottery" made in Vallauris Visits to six potters Diane (my wife) worked at a local school for a memory will fade ...... ) time, and also as "mother's help” with a local =- Kahler, Zeuther, Mohl, or potteries in Denmark Interesting pottery family — a grand aid to finances. Winter time Erickson, 'Lyngaard, Toft. in St. in the American, Ives of course , but far better than the at the World Fair in Brussels summer with plus three pots in the streets. its hordes of t0ur'ists cluttering‘ the Japanese, Spanish sections, of our Con— Russian section. The highlight of Van Gogh tinental museums was the Exhibition

- indescri- paintings and drawings at Amsterdam A highlight of this period was the Pottery Confer- a trip to .' Then back to England with :Zice at Pendley Manor in Tring - orcanised by bable photograph and permission obtained to wggliay Pigldhouse with ninety people: from eve ry- Cambridge, and Mediaeval pottery in the Fitzwilliam - Michael cmerful personalities to lecture to us English a Ethnology Museums. Then RiChardso ew, a Vital person; Sir Albert Archaeology and short in some places by inclement n,~ R. A. , a controversial figure; David tour of Britain, cut 28. 29. weather, but still a lot accomplished. A SCHOOLS wenderful collection of mediaeval pottery at the Nottingham Museum. Avisit to Stoke on Trent, Springfield Road, CRAFT CENTRE INC. 9 116 to to see and the pottery pottery schools Christchurch. Two five day where Michael Cardew worked. Allowed to pull the Craft Centre for for teachers will be held in out all Cardew's old pots from here and there, of twelve puplls at each wash off the dust and photograph them. A a maximum number The dates are from 29th December thorough exploration of the old kiln and pottery. school, to inclusive; and 20th January Then down to St. Ives for a few days and final to 2nd January sive. farewells to all there. A visit to Harry Davis 24th inclu at Crowan Pottery - to stand amazed at his later than 12th I) Replies must be received not pottery and organisation. To gloat with him in rotation, and will be treated strictly Over new glazes made from local raw materials December entirely. What a man .' And how grand to have To teach the principles of making a water wheel to work everything. Vie then AIMS; earthenware. _ . visited Mrs. Cardew at Wenford Bridge, to bask the To help beginner teachers With in her personality and thoroughly explore knowledge of how to start pottery Michael's pottery and kilns — the huge bottle help the making in schools... and to kiln and round downdraught for stoneware. Won— the . more experienced to improve derful place this - used to be the old pub at design; standard of craftsmanship and" Wenford, with many OJ. all of Michael Cardew‘s pots to To help in the making and de51gn handle and photograph. On the way back to Lon- the necessary equipment, don we visited Katherine Pleydell-Bouverie and £5. Norah Braden who was staying with her - charming Fee for the course will be and interesting people Withiuperb pots to;hp__w us. a school with Len The Napier Group are planning 1959. Castle commencing 5th January, . '1 l A} School arranged by the \ w“? G: th Art and Design g: ‘. held in Auckland \x .3 (t: i j: , Egfilfliirducation Centre will be 1959. The Pottery all? P E Y E K 1 _ 7r _ from 12th to 23rd January, Len Castle and Barry We hOpe 0 visit other potters and to spend a Group will be taken by on the use of local . great amount of time in the London Museums in Brickell, with emphasis glazing and the packing the few weeks left to us before going to Nigeria. materials, decoration; We fly there on the 5th October - what adven- and firing of kilns, tures await us there we can only imagine as yet. electric Wheel in good condi= Our appetites have certainly been whetted by FOR SALE: Small Price £15. Ring the tales told to us by Michael and Mrs. Cardew tions two wheelheads. write 53 Barnard St. Wellington. - we will just have to be patient. Davin. 40w869, or 30. 31.

1\ EW S ADVICE FROM A SENIOR POTTER

i(3cs pm.‘.-~‘ stepnens,:“ ‘; Katherine Pl eyde11= Bouve rie lolig~stand1ng«w —‘ ‘Dunedin' potter, nas1oeen experimenting with ,V a red stoneware I... “V 1'. . body maue ll m Ciago Y clays. W e hope to see the Don't expect much of the ash recipes in the results at next year's Exhibition, in Auckland. “Po tter's Book“. They are good for a wood- fired kiln (which I was using when Leach wrote ”tr. {LEI. Terrev”c, F“ u W anganui,' IS’ leader1 of an the book) but rather a headache in an oil—fired rs at the Technical. College. kiln, as far as my experience goes. If I may Stoneware 1 s n' 5 IDCLLPZ'ITI with ash glazes, usin-T suggest it I should try :=- fromV 2"'- to.p /' ’ n. » .c 1 ' 1 g OJ. tnorn, manuka, a ‘, or: bracken 9 Igrass audtc-oacor. , ' _. He has three electric Linne-[‘3 s 211i‘ ca.7 11. " imself,' s “ and which' fire' to A. Wood ash 5 or B. Ash 20 i.),1 112— (1L t }"t'__.atesti '1' A “ous are' for an‘ 011=--f1re:1' ' down-I Felspar 6 Felspar 45 uraugn-t : 1.11 now 12:18.: he has accumulated the Quartz 4 Quartz 15 ' ating bricks and liners. Mr. Terrey China clay 1 China clay 10 :ina painting colours, gold and lustres, Ball. clay 1 Ball clay 10 erglaze colours. His address is‘ street. Wanganui.' (all parts by weight) Betty .Rapson, Auckland potter and stalwart~ of many a Summer School, has left on an extended trip overseas with her sister Marjorie. Their Oil. firing seems to require a higher percentage first port of call is Mexico. of quartz (or other silica) and felspsr {or similar material:) I, cat explain this but: certainly in my kiln, and also in electric and gas muffle kilns that Ihave tried; the old for= mulae tend to come out rather dry and pitted. Of course you may not find thisg but if you do, try something round these formulae. About 10 per cent. Wengerfs frit 323 2’0: you can use any frit you may have) brings the temperature down quite a bit without altering the quality if you in L'lme last issue’ . Stocktons inadvertently find. the temperature troublesome. Roughly 12600 :1 their 1. . . included list of agenmes that of Winchcombe without frit and 12300 = 409C « h; It} “nk; Pam-1c;otterv. h_ T111'3 agency;0' actually belongs to perhaps a little less. Six/lefties usually ,, . .z tierce Oi the Art of the Potter, Victoria the ware at a slightly lower temp: lurl“ than street, Auckland. open kilnso 33. 32.

SCHOC LS OF THOUGHT EXHIBITIONS Roy C ow an

The New Group held their Sixth Exhibition in Dunedin from September 22 to October 3 in the my wife and I were On Our return to New Zealand Public Library Hall. Helen Dawson exhibited which stoneware impressed by the rapidity with stoneware, John Blackman painting and drawin This impression had become established here. John Middleditch carving, painting and drawings Second New Zealani is strengthened on viewing the Guest artists were painters M . T . W 0011 in which stoneware Studio Pottersi Exhibition; and Judith Weston. aStOH more gene rally provides the larger and I think successful part of the shown N0vember - December. . The wo rk of Wellin' ton potters at New Vision Arts and Crafts, Takapugna. especially This predominance of stoneware? ultimately from December lst - 19th, 1958. Auckland Society stoneware of types deriving seems to be a of Arts are holding an Arts and Crafts Chinese and Japanese models, in New Zealand. A Exhibition. special condition of pottery of contemporary similar collection of the work much more earthen~ potters in England would contain other than wheel- ware and more ceramic articles stoneware there would be thrown pots. Amongst the in form and tex~ much work in which experiments decoration ture or in the use of figurative quite away from what would have carried the work Oriental Tradition» ELl‘LAEETH MRV‘HE3ON might be called the CORRESPONDENCE: We have had two replies =- predominance ? Why should we have this particular from Professor Bailey and Roy Cowan - to the production, for It is not a matter of facility of article on in Vol. 1 No. 1 by Dr. is easy to produce, one cannot say that the ware Barrow. We asked Roy Cowan to expand his easily obtained. or that suitable bodies are letter into an article. Roy Cowan, painter-=potter ascribed to the A good deal of course can be of Wellington, won a Fellowship from the Association Murray, influence of potters such as Staite of New Zealand Art Societies and spent l953=55 Bernard Leach Katherine Pleydell— Bouverie, :tudying painting and lithography at the Slade of, the most influen~ (his book must surely be one tchool. .HIS wife, Juliet Peter, at the same of pottery), tial ever written on the practice Slcniie studied pottery part—time at the Hammersmith I think Len Castle and within New Zealand, kil 00 of Art. They brought back an electric in this direction, has done much to set the tide n and Since their return have been enlivening personal influence but there is more to it than 9°”n Circles with thei. r amus1nA- E and excellently dOne earthenware,. alone, 3 4,. ‘35.

exemplified by In New Zealand, is a compare-=- towards the abstract =- very well catalogue. While tively new thing, launched in a country where the pot which appeared on the function as a vase, there is a dearth of tradition, a lack of ex= this pot would undoubtedly amples, and a great mass of unsatisfying it appears to be an object for contemplation. or not, the commercial ware. In such relatively hostile rather than for use. But abstract the general conditions it is quite common for artists who qualities of form and texture, and a handmade ObJeCt are interested in launching a new art form to suggestion that here we have to the adhere to some code or manifesto by which they of utter permanence, give satisfaction re is an undere at once seek a discipline, limit themselves to beholder, especially when the synthetic, certain approaches, or confine their attack lying reaction to the large roles the play in our ,. upon the problems of art to some comparatively the machine finished and the shiny one of the diff1= narrow front. lives. And here by the way lies culties of earthenware pottery, for while the . stoneware procedure leads straight to satisfying This, our present problem, is similar in kind of . qualities of texture and substance, those to that which faced pioneer studio potters in earthenware result too easily in unsympathetic England some years ago. Confronted by the surfaces -= some earthenware pieces in our jungle or of late Victorian art, they found a con=~ Exhibition resembled glassware or metal, genial set of ideas embodied in certain kinds of they were so shiny as to seem to have little Chinese and Japanese stoneware, from which substance at all. they could derive a discipline. Simple forms, carefully considered, materials which in them= may in part be selves provide a richness of texture, a restricted Thus, our liking for stoneware certain unsympatheo range of colours, the virtual (and to some ex-= ascribed to reaction against A similar tent forced) abandonment tic elements in our surroundings. of figurative decoration, of and a robustness of a kind which need not rule reaction is involved in the appreciation out subtleties, characterise the best work of Tachiste or Action Painting. these pioneers ,and of their New Zealand counter— parts. In the making and the appreciation of stoneware, a further reaction may be descried in the limita— especially figurative decor— Something very like the manifesto of this kind tion of decoration, stoneware potters do not of art is to be found in the article on Hamada tion. In New Zealand only a few near abstract in the first issue of this journal. In this draw, or they apply In this, they are in part article, there is one point of particular con- strokes or patches. sea of inappropriate . trast between precept and practice. It is said reacting against the on most commerc1al ware, that the beauty of pottery finds fullest ex- realistic ornament found good sense and pression in relation to utility, but the recent and also, they show considerable exhibition suggests rather a strong trend sensibility. 36. 37.

modern There is a fundamental difficulty in drawing on New Zealand, we have neither a strong or decorating: pottery. Simply, we are cut off trend in art nor have we the collections of by our tradition from the means of doing it well, pottery. This lack tends to hear more upon and we are separated from the museums which the decorative arts and in particular upon contain the examples we need to study. earthenware which might carry decoration, and this difficulty in turn may tend to confirm the potters in their attachment to Since the Renaissance, and the subsequent esta— more sensitive trend in stoneware. blishment of academies, we have been taught to the abstract see and draw in the system of light, shade and shadow and. perSpective. Ultimately We come The real danger, I believe, is that this attache- to see Nature only as we are taught, and in this ment to certain kinds of stoneware, with those prOCess our eyes are gently but finally Closed rules of excellence, may harden into an to the qualities of. those arts which depend for academicism. .When the enjoyment of an art their realisation on the handling of surfaces form is bolstered by the taking up of a moral rather than upon illusions of depth. By this position, those concerned are in danger of . means, we lost the ability to construct fine becoming blinded to the qualities of other art in mosaics or stained glass windows (there was forms. This element seems to be present above, no loss of the technical knowledge), and lost the article on Hamada I have mentioned also the ability to put designs of vitality upon in phrases such as that which suggests that good pottery. The finest pottery design, approp- results may come from the use of local materials riate to the medium and to the shape, requires in a "direct and honest way”. This, I submit, g an acute apprehension of nature and the ability is not so much a formula for excellence in to transform or to draw out the quintessential pottery, as an expression of delight in a partic= nature of what is seen. Ofwcourse, the ular style of pottery, couched in terms of museums contain the works of art of those moral approbation. Can we really say “that cultures in which this approach is preserved, a Sung vase is more “honest" than an Italian but, lacking understanding we see them only as Majolica jug or a Nazca clay vessel ? Would dead things in a glass case. Mr. Hamada‘s work somehow be less satisfactOry if he did not live quite where the clay was ? \ At this point, the modern movement in art be— mined comes effective. There is a weakening of the Beaux- Arts tradition and the redisc0very of the such c0mparisons are invalid. Each value of surface pattern in painting, and with this, Of course, corresponds to a different aspect of we can again experience real appreciation of the art form spirit, and ultimately, the only arts of foreign and historic cultures, and are the human of any importance 'is the quality of the able to learn how to organise shapes and surfaces. quality artistic intelligence which is at work when the At least, this is the position in Europe. In article is made. 38. 39.

with pur= Colin Bailey is Head of the Department of very hard for the studio potter torpot he chooses to Education at Victoria University of Wellington. poseful conviction. Any form emerging from At present on sabbatical leave in London, he make is, by and large, a form actually need and his family spent several months flyingto a “spurious need. ” He doesn‘t person who England via the East and Europe. A great the pot he makes, nor does the way that the lover of pots, Professor Bailey is help and buys or is given it, in the same pot made. counsellor to many New Zealand potters. neolithic potter really needed a and create; While in London he is attending night classes The studio potter‘s need is to make needed. This in pottery. The Bailey family return to it is not the “pot-=itself" that is out of the Wellington early next February. is a very important point because need or the obvious use for the "pot—itself" explains why comes the essential form. This neurotic so many pots of studio potters are like are going, aimless people, not knowing where they behaviour. and purposeless in their restless EXTRACT FROM A LETTER for a long This feeling has been growing in me a point, why form Professor C. L. Bailey time now; it explains, up to and always interests me more than glaze satis~ decoration; it explains too, why I find the faction in the honest utilitarianism of remote past, or of I_have read Terry's article on Hamada several primitive potters of the today. I would like times and it has made me think a lot. I begin unsophisticated societies this point I could help to realise that his analysis of Hamada goes far to think that by hammering Zealand potters that to explain my own constant penetration backwards a21ittle in convincing New use and purpose before to the beginnings of potting history to find their hands must feel Not a pot, but a pot to pots made purely for use, in eras and among peo- approaching the clay. iris, to hold dark- ples who made cooking utensils and storage con— hold zinnias, to hold tall each pot formed for tainers rather than works oficonscious art. stalked quince blossom, need, and each significantly They were not studio potters, bless them, con- an envisioned and felt would offend many cerned in the first place with their own urge to different. I know this to lie in aesthetic create. They were primarily concerned with potters who claim beauty no function. This is making something to hold stew, or to cash in on elements that need have Murray's pots or the community's love of stew. Or outs. Or the my real objection to Staite the explanation of dried heads of enemies. Or the fainily poleccat most of them; and this is Cardew's. skins to keep from the moth. Or to hold your my boundless admiration for Michael ones, potted estimable grandmother's bones when dead. To 0 The greatest pots are the modest stealing the right back into the era of pre- conscious potting g to do a utilitarian job without admire those ceramic is to_ me a revelation in the matte r of th - show. Do we any longer lation of use to form: That is why it ies rseo 40. effronteries of the Ming period within which no MATERIALS POTTERY flower, pitiful production of paltry nature could et Zealand Agent for :— attention long enough to give delight ? The goodg MAVIS J ACK, New pot — that is in this instance the pot good for LTD. , Stoke—on- WILLIAM PODMORE 8: SONS flowers - effaces itself to become essential to quality clay bodies, Trent, Suppliers of highest the flowers, like a good accompanist becomes art to leading glazes, frits, Oxides and stains of the singer and the song. The good pot is P I manufacturers British and Continental ceramic always understated, with some with—held beauty and schools and to countless hobby potters something held back to be felt hidden in the forrri be beaten for throughout the world° Cannot but sought for by the watcher. I have often looked quality and price, at pots haying this quality; pots that are mysterious KILNS and brooding, haunting in their silent modesty and BRICESCO ELE C TRIC Ceramic Service Co, magic with the love that made them. There are a Manufactured by The British studio and hobby potters few such in the King Edward VII Gallery in the Ltd. and used by discerning 30 Art and British Museum and I go to them every day to look and Over 60 Education Authorities, Special Hospital at them while I am here, drawn to them by the Teachers' Training Colleges, and Industrial mystery of their mood. Development Centres, Research Laboratories. 1250°C from Bricesco Kilns firing to 1100°C and Main New Zealand £52., 10, 0 to £285, C, I, F, For further par= Ports. Larger kilns available. Mavis Jack, ticulars write to: 4A Tulloch Street, Wanganui.

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