March 1997 1 2 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997

Volume 45

Number 3

A world of expres­ sion smaller than a cone box; “Pickup Truck” by Eric FEATURES Sneddon from the “International 35 Freedom s Just Another Word by Sumi von Dassow Orton Cone Box Show.” Ron Fondaw’s adobe 39 Ron Fondaw by L. Robin Rice 49 sculpture stretches perceptual boundaries 43 Wayne Bates by Sandy Miller Sasso on mass and weight. 39 with The Process by Wayne Bates 49 International Cone Box Show

55 Nova Scotia’s Year of Clay by Jim Weaver

60 Floral Imagery on Raku Fans by Marcia Jestaedt

62 The Fugitive Blue Chun by Emman Okunna

64 Nicholas Seidner

92 Studio and Showroom Organization by Dick Lehman

97 Birth of a Clay Place by Gail McCarthy

Wood-fired soda-glazed ware developed during a year-long residency at the Archie Bray Foundation. 64

Nova Scotia celebrates daywork The cover:Wayne Bates past and present; demonstrating sgraffito pitcher and cups through engobes on by Sara MacMillan. porcelain; see page 43. Photo: Gordon Andrus 55

March 1997 3 UP FRONT

12 Robin Stark Editor Ruth C. Butler 12 Toshiko Takaezu Workshop by Phyllis Blair Clark Associate EditorKim Nagorski Art Director Randy Wax 14 English Crafts Production ManagerSteve Hecker 14 Shigeru Miyamoto Production SpecialistChristopher Figurelli Circulation ManagerMary R. Hopkins 16 Marilyn W. Simon Assistant Circulation ManagerMary £. May Advertising ManagerConnie Belcher 16 Jennie Hernandez-St. John Publishing ConsultantSpencer L. Davis PublisherMark Mecklenborg 18 Majolica on the Internet by Brian Kemp Editorial, Advertising and Circulation Offices 20 Paul Sherman by Richard Zakin 735 Ceramic Place 20 Night of 101 Cups Post Office Box 6102 Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102 20 Installing Sanctum 1 by Aaron Lee Benson Telephone: (614) 523-1660 Fax: (614) 891-8960 22 Jae Won Lee E-mail: [email protected] 24 Movement: European Ceramics [email protected] circulation@ceramicsmonthly. org

24 Jacqueline Davidson Ceramics Monthly (ISSN 0009-0328) is published monthly, except July and August, by the American Ceramic Society, 735 24 Gary Erickson Ceramic Place, Westerville, Ohio 43081. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, Ohio. Subscription Rates: One year $24, two years $44, three years $60. Add $10 per year for subscriptions outside the U.S.A. In DEPARTMENTS Canada, add GST (registration number R123994618). Change of Address: Please give us four weeks advance notice. Send the magazine address label as well as your new address to: 8 Letters Ceramics Monthly, Circulation Department, Post Office Box 26 New Books 6102, Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102. Contributors: Manuscripts, announcements, news releases, 67 Call For Entries photographs, color transparencies (including 35mm slides), graphic illustrations and digital TIFF or EPS images are wel­ 67 International Exhibitions come and will be considered for publication. Mail submissions 67 United States Exhibitions to Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 6102, Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102. We also accept unillustrated materials faxed to 67 Regional Exhibitions (614) 891-8960. 68 Fairs, Festivals and Sales Writing and Photographic Guidelines: Printed information on standards and procedures for submitting materials is available 70 Suggestions upon request. Indexing: An index of each year’s feature articles appears in the 74 Calendar December issue. Additionally, Ceramics Monthly articles are 74 Conferences indexed in the Art Index. Printed, online and CD-ROM (com­ puter) indexing is available through Wilsonline, 950 University 74 Solo Exhibitions Avenue, Bronx, New York 10452; Information Access Com­ pany, 362 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, California 94404; and 76 Group Ceramics Exhibitions from daai (design and applied arts index), Design Documenta­ 79 Ceramics in Multimedia Exhibitions tion, Woodlands, Stone Cross, Mayfield, East Sussex, TN20 6EJ, England. These services are also available through your 82 Fairs, Festivals and Sales local library. 84 Workshops Copies and Reprints: Microfiche, 16mm and 35mm microfilm copies, and xerographic reprints are available to subscribers from 87 International Events University Microfilms, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106. 88 Questions Back Issues: When available, back issues are $5 each, postage 101 Classified Advertising paid. Write for a list. Postmaster: Send address changes toCeramics Monthly, P.O. 104 Comment: Box 6102, Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102. Form 3579 re­ A Lesson in Clay by Linda Vozar Sweet quested. Copyright © 1997 104 Index to Advertisers The American Ceramic Society All rights reserved

4 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 5

handmade; “handmade” means made by He also stated that “when creative work is Letters hand and should not be confused with ma­ given too much verbalization, too much chine-made work. These customers are not intellectual justification, it begins to be sus­ simply buying the object: they care that a pect.” I think that is the case in point. It Truth in Marketing person actually touched that work—wove thewould have been better for CM to have left Regarding Jonathan Kaplan’s Comment yarns, carved the wood, hammered the silver, well enough alone and let the photo of the (January 1997): For the seventy-twelfth time. formed the clay. If they did not care about work communicate whatever it could—let It’s really not always an argument of product this, they would shop at Crate and Barrel or the work be judged on its own terms, not superiority, though throwing does have a Wal-Mart. with a crutch of esoteric verbiage. qualitative element—nonidentical pieces. It’s Some press-molded pots so skillfully Kurt Wild, River Falls, Wis. also not always an argument of product value incorporate throwing lines or an added though if supply and demand is at all true, “flaw” that even potters can’t tell that the Cover Asset then the small, nonindustrial studio will pots were not thrown on a wheel. Not only Covers that show a potter doing some­ always provide naturally limited editions. do I feel that this work is not made by hand, thing specific, sometimes in hislher own No, to most potters such as myself who but I also feel that it is dishonest. Can a surroundings, are a special asset, and there have remained small scale and individual, the craftsperson really categorize press-molded orhave been a lot of them lately. The December argument has always been one of truth in slip-cast pots as made by hand? The fact that 1995 cover image (Mark Nafziger slip trail­ marketing. Industry is invading the retail many are being passed off as hand-thrown is ing) was an instructional gem, as well as a shows whose marketing strength is, and very upsetting to those of us who still do beautiful shot. whose contractual demands are, attempting throw by hand. Constance Sherman, Garrison, N.Y. to limit participation to whom they and their For those designerslartistslpotters (what­ buying public believe to be individual artists. ever Mr. Kaplan wants to call them) who are The Nose Knows If this is not true, then: 1) Why don’t using their industrial processes for a good In all art, as in beauty, everything has its large studios, with mass-produced ware, reason, not just to make a lot of apparently place and opinions are like nose holes—we all proudly display their means of production forhand-thrown work faster, good for them. I got ’em and they all smell! the buying public to see? I’m always glad to applaud creative or progressive ways of deal­ Liza Mulieri, Arlington, Tex. have my customers see a photo of me at my ing with clay, and I hope there will always be wheel because I know that it represents people stretching ideas about how to use thisOverhauled Overalls for Students exactly what they think they are buying from marvelous material. A fun thing I have in my classroom is a me. 2) Why do the mass-produced pieces Sara Baker, Unityville, Pa. collection of 30 or more overalls in various purposely maintain the illusion of hand- sizes. My mom who lives in Gothenburg, made-ness (e.g., throwing lines)? Words to Pot By? Nebraska, calls her neighbors and asks for If you know your work doesn’t fit the I came...... Veni donations of old overalls that need patching. criteria or expectations of the retail show you I saw...... Vidi She then takes time to patch them, and write want to do, but you know that you have I conquered...... Vici the name of the donating farmer on the adequately disguised the means of produc­ I bought...... Visa inside pocket. My students and I love to tion, or you Imow the show to be incapable I ate ...... Vegi receive these care boxes filled with overalls. of policing itself, do you have the strength of I wedged ...... Wegi That way they stay clean in their high-school character to not enter it anyway? The dirty Or just veni, vegi, wegi (I came, I ate, I classes, plus we can see who donated each secret is that retail shows outshine any other wedged). pair. I personally feel the teens get a message marketing outlet, but with this built-in Connie Harter-Bagley, East Machias, Me. that others care about young people, plus it catch—if you can produce too much you connects my home state to Florida. probably don’t belong—and the only thing Verbiage Crutch Donna Torrance, Naples, Fla. standing between this huge market and your In the January Ceramics Monthly on product is your character. page 47 next to the photo of Val Cushing’s Studio Set-Up John Bauman, Warsaw, Ind. covered jar, the caption reads “his work is We’re setting up our “dream studio” and intended ‘to communicate an emotional would really like to see more photos and Jonathan Kaplan’s Comment in the warmth, a feeling for humanity and a sen­ articles showing how other artists have laid January CM does not address the main suous connection to all the intimate, out their work areas and equipment. Where problem with many uses of industrial pro­ personal and human implications inherent do they fire? Where do they dry their ware? duction techniques, such as slip casting or in pottery forms.’” Daryl Baird, Loveland, Colo. press molding. While I agree with him that Wow! All that expected from a covered there is room for all of these techniques, and jar? Isn’t that a bit overblown and stretching Coo Coo Cachoo to limit the scope of what potters can be is expectations? What happened to simply Here’s to you, Ms. Robinson! Loved your narrow minded, I feel that many of the hoping to “communicate beauty,” as comment [“Defending Small,” February people using them are, in fact, abusing them Cushing said in his keynote address to the 1997 CM] and I couldn’t agree more. and essentially cheating their customers. 1996 NCECA [National Council on Educa­ Judy Teener Kahn, Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. When customers walk into a craft store or tion for the Ceramic Arts] conference? gallery, most of them assume that the work is The 1996 NCECA Journal includes this Big Guy Pots address in which Cushing also expresses Regarding Delia Robinson’s “big guy Share your thoughts with other readers. All letters concern about placing too much “emphasis pots”: We’re all searching for validation. must be signed, but names will be withheld on on talk and what the work is ‘about.’” He Why would the world of ceramics be any request. Mail to The Editor; Ceramics Monthly, quotes Maureen Mullarkey who said: “If a different than any other facet of our patriar­ Post Office Box 6102, Westerville, Ohio 43086- work is alive, it will speak on its own. If it is a chal society? 6102; fax to (614) 891-8960; or e-mail dead thing, no explanation or words will I’ve come up with a new genre—“girly editorial@ceramicsmonthly. org invigorate it.” girl” art. Delia’s whistles can become part of

8 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 9 Letters tion of the craftlprofession. I also like to see entering a competition such as this. Come prices on the pieces. on, let’s be realistic and bring the beauty back John Congdon, Des Moines, Iowa to pottery where it belongs. Granted, there it. The glass ceiling is slathered with slip.The will always be Andy Warhol lovers, but bottom line is always, “Show me the money!”Bring Beauty Back diversity is part of art. Raku is great, as is salt It’s not a pleasant realization, but one thatUpon receiving the January issue of CM, glaze, but in selecting pieces, please show must be recognized and worked with. Ce­ I could not help but be amused when I some imagination. ramic deities should come in all genders— turned to pages 52 and 53. When I entered Mark Baldwin, Moreno Valley, Calif. and sizes. Good luck, ladies. this competition, it was my belief that juror Patty Fernandez, North Hills, Calif. Catharine Hiersoux was interested in pottery Bowled Over that depicted art. While I am not a sore loser, Wow! I’m bowled over. Who’da thunk Business Concerns I would be extremely embarrassed to pass offthat two artists in the same issue (December I like to see articles that involve the busi­ some of the pieces that won as art! In my 1996) would give clear technical details of ness side of ceramics. It’s an area that is opinion, this was kindergarten work and their work process and then tell us what they neglected in most of the educational institu­ should be left in the potter’s field. were trying to communicate in a few simple tions but is very important for the continua­ This discourages the true artist from words without any “art speak”? Could it be that if you loiow what you and your art are about that gobbledygook isn’t necessary? Brian Ransom and Jane Larson make very different and beautiful works of art that make me painfully aware of the limitations of photos. I long to see both of their works in the real dimensions of sight and touch. I hope that we will be able to hear from more artists who so openly share ^//without any unfathomable or impenetrable filters. Julie Skaw, Uncasville, Conn.

Potters’ Profiles When it comes to the potters' profiles, I would like to read more about how they create their art, not so much about who they know or met. Kelly Pinet, Ottawa, Kans.

Sit Back and Enjoy I appreciate the fact that CM covers all aspects of daywork...from the strictly func­ tional to the purely artistic, from the strug­ gling beginner to the polished professional. I also enjoy the Letters section, although I wish some would not be so critical about the nature of some works that are published. Better to sit back and enjoy the vast diversity of what each individual perceives as art. It is what makes us as artists more interesting. Linda Derossett, Clarksville, Tenn.

Kiln Song All you little clay creations, sing to me as you emerge from the kiln. So many shapes bursting into song—from my inner-eye image, through my hands, and into clay. You go mutely into the fire and become forever changed. Ready for the world now, you come forth singing your “kiln-song.” Peg Brady, Kirkwood, Mo.

More Raku This is the only magazine I read cover to cover, and I buy 12 to 15 magazines a month. The suggestions are great. How about more on low-fire and raku? Raku is what we’re seeing in the ski resort towns’ art- store windows in this area. Susan Erikson, Craig, Colo.

10 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 11 Up Front

Robin Stark “City Series—Desert Forms,” an exhibition of ceramic sculp­ ture by Nevada artist Robin Stark, was on view recently at the Green Valley Library Gallery in Henderson, Nevada. “Las Vegas is one of the few desert cities, and this phenomenon makes for dynamic contrasts,” Stark observed. “The city is a thriving, pulsing metropolitan mecca centered in the middle of a vast, serene, seemingly desolate desert. As individuals relocate to this area, they create a new sense of culture, and thus a new city with its own tensions dealing with needs, values and goals. These tensions juxtaposed against the natural serenity of the desert are poignant. “As an abstract artist, I’m drawn to examine, observe and recreate this juxtaposition of seemingly contrasting issues and elements,” she continued. “I interpret this vision into ceramic sculpture, which in its very nature reaffirms this viewpoint. These handbuilt pieces reflect this cultural direction through the movement of form, palette of colors and surface texture.” Stark believes that it “is important as an artist to contribute vision/observations and to offer the community new ways of looking at our surroundings, our values, our relationships and our directions into the future. Las Vegas is an area catapulted

Toshiko Takaezu quick drying the wheel-thrown base for a large pot by dropping in lighted crumpled paper.

throwing several small bowls off the hump. She explained that while each bowl was made to function and appeared the same, each was different. Carefully evaluating every bowl before cutting it off the hump, she went on to say that she enjoys making bowls because they require little thought, and creating them is like a dance movement. She then began making a small closed form, while discussing the idea of timing and its importance in her life. There is a right time to do things, she believes, and a right time to change. It may be time to cook or work in her garden or make pots. All are important to her; all require the same creativity, she says. Nearing completion of the 12-inch-high piece, she plugged the top with a tiny wad of clay, then refined the form by pad­ dling and smoothing areas that, to her eye, needed attention. She then asked the group if they thought this was a perfect pot; Robin Stark’s “Heart’s Desire #2,” 24 inches in height; when the answer was affirmative, she asked if she should cut the at Green Valley Library, Henderson, Nevada. pot open to see if indeed it was perfect. The audience again replied yes, and she proceeded to cut it into expansion and growth, creating a sense of chaos and in half with her wire. A perfect pot was revealed, leaving the tension. To creatively illustrate the effect this condition has on group with a feeling of regret about the decision to cut it in half. the individual spirit as well as the dynamics of the community Later in the workshop, when the “Should I cut it?” question was is my goal.” posed, the audience answered with an overwhelming no. Going on to throw another closed form, Takaezu discussed Toshiko Takaezu Workshop the humbleness she feels when unloading a kiln. She makes the by Phyllis Blair Clark piece, but the clay, the time, the stacking, the atmosphere, the Clay artist Toshiko Takaezu began a recent workshop at firing, all affect the pot and can turn it into something beautiful. Goshen College in Indiana with her warm-up exercise of After the firing, though, she feels it is no longer truly hers. To her, the unfired pots are still alive—still hers. After the bisque You are invited to send news and photos/slides about people or events firing, she considers them dead; the glazing and/or decoration ofinterest. We will be pleased to consider them for publication in this bring them back to life. column. Mail submissions to Up Front, Ceramics Monthly Post The afternoon session began with the throwing of the base Office Box 6102, Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102. for one of the large ovoid forms for which Takaezu is so well

12 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 13 Up Front Scoring both the top of the vessel and a thick, flattened coil, she proceeded to attach the coil, smoothing it downward on the inside and outside at the same time, then pulling the wall up several more inches. Wrapping several small clay balls in twists of paper (to prevent them from sticking to the pot), she dropped them into the pot. This practice came about by accident; she once dropped a trimming scrap into a vessel, only to find that it made a wonderful sound after firing. At this phase of the construction, she sometimes writes messages on the inside of the piece. WTien asked why, she replied, “because I like to.” If the pot is ever broken, she likes the idea that someone may find the message and relate to her through it. Completing the form the following morning required more coils, more fire, and a hair dryer. Finally, the form was closed. Then torching was required to firm the rounded addition so that Takaezu could paddle and smooth the clay until the desired form was achieved. The worlcshop finished with the trimming of the bowls thrown the previous day. Though she usually bisques forms prior to decorating them, she decorated the greenware because of the limited time available. She believes the brushstroke is an important and integral part of the work, forming another link between the pot and its maker. As she noted at a slide lecture following the first day’s session, Takaezu is determined to remain fluid, to keep searching and learning—about copper red glazes, for instance, or ash glazes (applewood ash is her favorite), slip trailing, and more.

English Crafts “Crafts of England,” an exhibition featuring works by eight potters, was presented through February 27 at the Works Gallery in Philadelphia. The artists—Gordon Baldwin, Joanna Drying the freshly thrown wall with a blowtorch during a workshop at Goshen College, Indiana. known. Aided by clay artist and chair of the Goshen College Art Department, Marvin Bartel, she formed a thick coil to attach and throw for the second phase of the cylinder. She commented that when making large pots, she feels almost drawn into the pot, linked physically and emotionally. When asked what makes a good ceramics teacher, Takaezu replied that one must enjoy teaching as well as making ones own work. A good teacher must be prepared to give individual attention, be inspirational, get excited and get the students “hepped up.” One must be involved—make them eager to learn, be sensitive to their thoughts and needs, and have the confidence to say no and the ability to change your mind. She then outlined her plan for a beginners three-week class. The first week, students should make five mugs with handles, in Morgan Hall teaset, glazed terra cotta; at the any method they are able. During the second week, they should Works Gallery, Philadelphia. glaze the mugs, each with a different oxide. The third week is a critique session. She also said a teacher should make up creative Constantinidis, Morgan Hall, Walter Keeler, Jennifer Lee, John projects, such as designing a piece with a movable part. Teach­ Maltby, Elspeth Owen and Takeshi Yasuda—all work with the ing is like making pots, she concluded—you never know quite vessel, exploring form, surface and color in various ways. how to do it, but you do it. To dry the large piece, she crumpled small paper wads, lit Shigeru Miyamoto one with a match, then dropped it into the bottom of the vessel, In honor of his receipt of the Catharine E. B. Cox Award for which was about 2 feet tall at this point. Warning participants Excellence in the Visual Arts, sculpture and effigy vessels by to not try this at home, she proceeded to drop paper into the Hawaii artist Shigeru Miyamoto were exhibited through Janu­ fire. When she was satisfied with the firmness of the piece, she ary 19 at the Honolulu Academy of Arts’ Second Floor Galler­ carefully removed the paper ash, laid it on a dry newspaper on ies. After receiving his master of arts degree in ceramics and the floor, folded it and placed it in a pail of water. sculpture from San Jose State University in California,

14 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 15 Up Front

Miyamoto traveled around the world for almost seven years before moving to Hawaii in 1979. While living there, he has become intrigued by Polynesian sculpture. “Spirit Catcher,” shown here, is a result of this interest. The base of the sculpture is in the form of a simplified house. “Miyamoto believes that a dwelling, an aspect of life central to all cultures around the world, contains ones ‘bag­ gage,’” notes Jennifer Saville, curator of Western art. “In this case, the house springs from one perfect 90° corner— Miyamotos cornerstone’—and starts to distort and lean, reflecting the continuing shifts in his or anyone’s life. “Miyamoto also realizes that a hand is one of the most fundamental symbols of humanity,” she continues. “For him, it is a symbol of greeting and openness.’ Instead of using a hand-

Marilyn W. Simon’s “Sunrise, Sunset,” 19½ inches in height, stoneware and raku clay; at Artforms Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

son, [Arizona],” according to Simon. The handbuilt piece was brushed with black copper oxide, then with white terra sigillata. A stain was added to the terra sigillata, and the combination was applied to some areas to produce a sunset effect. After a Cone 06 bisque firing, the form was fired to Cone 10.

Jennie Hernandez-St. John Decorated vessels by Kansas clay artist Jennie Hernandez- St. John were featured recently at the Jayne Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri. While her work has taken many directions over the years, “the one thing that I always hold true to is the issue of

Shigeru Miyamoto’s “Spirit Catcher,” 31 inches in height, glazed stoneware; at Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawaii. print in this work, however, Miyamoto used a cast of his own left hand, open and flat, pushing upward out of the top surface Jennie Hernandez-St. John bowl, 6 inches in height; of the work. By being on top, it gathers in the forces of the at the Jayne Gallery, Kansas City, Missouri. universe,’ he says; it is a spirit catcher.’” function,” Hernandez-St. John noted. “Function gives me a Marilyn W. Simon boundary to work within, even though this function may vary Raku and wood-fired sculpture by Pennsylvania artist Marilyn in its terms. W. Simon was presented recently at Artforms Gallery, an artists’ “Whether it be a dinnerware set, vase, chair or a mural cooperative in Philadelphia. Several of the exhibited works, such installation, it all has a purpose in the development of the as “Sunrise, Sunset” shown here, were influenced by the form,” she continued. “The basic structure of any form deter­ “warmth, closeness and calm of the rolling mountains of Tuc- mines its posture, how we attach the appendages determines its

16 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 17 Up Front For their written assignment, “The History and Develop­ ment of Majolica,” I gave the students a list of reference books, then introduced them to e-mail and the Internet. Extra credit balance, and how we deal with an individual piece and how that was given if they included e-mail and Internet hard copy as an piece becomes part of a greater whole determines the overall appendix to their assignment. They were all encouraged to relationship of the work.” subscribe to CLAYART, and were given demonstrations on how Decoration is as important as structure to Hernandez-St. to use search engines like WebCrawler™, Lycos™ and Ya- John. “While working with flowers for several years, I realized the great attention to detail nature mastered,” she explained, “and I strive to conquer the essence of such beauty as I reflect my own interpretations of flowers and organic growth in the decoration. To me, the decoration is like spreading a garden where color, texture and light become essential.”

Majolica on the Internet by Brian Kemp Singapore is placing a great deal of emphasis on information technology (IT), and the Singapore Ministry of Education plans to spend millions of dollars to ensure that every primary and secondary student will have access to a computer by the turn of the century. Teachers in the schools are being retrained to keep up with developments, and trainee teachers are being encour­ aged to develop their computer skills. As a ceramics lecturer at Nanyang Technological University, National Institute of Education (NIE), I have taken the logical step of introducing IT into the ceramics modules. It is impor­ tant to note that NIE is a teacher-training institution and we do not offer fine arts degrees. Art is only a small component of the diploma and degree courses, and the students will only have 90 hours of studio practice in ceramics. Most students show an interest in learning to throw on the wheel but because of other commitments, they find it difficult to spend the necessary time to develop their skills. With this in mind, I decided to combine wheel throwing and the computer into a one-semester (12-week) program for a third-year class. I chose the topic of majolica glazing and as­ signed five wheel-throwing topics, one handbuilding topic, a Ow Yeong Kah Mun lidded pot, approximately 7 inches written paper and a glaze exercise. Each studio session was three in height, wheel-thrown terra cotta with majolica glaze, hours, so this meant that if they were to progress in developing oxidation fired to 1100°C (2012°F) in an electric kiln. their throwing skills, they had to put in the extra hours. It wasn’t long before the ceramics studio became a drop-in center, with hoo™. Soon, they began exchanging website addresses with students working long into the night. each other. It became a real challenge to see who could come up with a new website with information on majolica. It was necessary for me to log a lot of computer hours in preparation for the assignment. I surfed the Net, following leads so that I could offer suggestions to any student who was having trouble finding relevant sites. I used CLAYART to put out a request for help from potters with experience in majolica techniques who would be willing to answer questions from the students. The response was great. I was able to provide a list of names and e-mail addresses of potters from many countries. Initially, the students were hesitant to ask what they thought might be trivial questions, but the anonymity of the screen quickly removed their shyness. They were soon downloading notes on wheel throwing from Bill Geisinger, Tony Hansens notes on “Making Majolica Work,” and Linda Arbuckles notes on majolica from the CLAYART archives. One of the first people to offer help, Arbuckle, a professor at the University of Florida, is an authority on majolica. She even took the time to mail a set of her updated notes and a selection of slides of her work. Third-year B.A. students with their finished works from Suddenly, the students understood what majolica was all about. “Project Majolica” at Nanyang Technological Univer­ For the glaze assignment, the students were required to find sity, National Institute of Education, in Singapore. two majolica glazes via e-mail or the Internet and modify them

18 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 19 Up Front Sherman is never content with a single effect when 20 will do. One surface develops into another, reminding me of the kind of energy one sees in an insect hive or a section of pond water if one looks closely. They are explorations. by simple additions or subtractions to become “personal” glazes. These were put on test tiles, fired, and the results written down. Night of 101 Cups It was great to see the excitement and hear the discussion as they “Night of 101 Cups,” a silent auction and sale of 101 ceramic compared the fired results. cups, grossed $60,000 to benefit the Ceramic Arts Foundation Meanwhile, their throwing and trimming skills were slowly as well as the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. Held at developing, and they began to make lids and add handles. I was Garth Clark and Mary Ryan galleries in New York City, the really amazed at just how quickly they improved. At the same time, they began to take far more care with their glazing and decorating. On several occasions when I asked why they were doing something in a particular way, they would answer, “Tony said so in his notes,” or “That’s what Linda said you should do.” Gradually, I ceased to be their teacher and became a bemused bystander. They were teaching themselves and one another, and there was self-generated desire to progress. When their decora­ tion showed pinholes, for instance, they dove for their notes or shot off an e-mail inquiry before asking my opinion. Their final assignment took the form of a two-day display- cum-exhibition in the Raffles Foyer Gallery at the university. Publicity was sent out via e-mail and each student was respon­ sible for displaying his or her best pieces. It gave each a sense of control as well as a sense of achievement when other students saw the work that had been produced in 12 short weeks. As a positive learning experience, the project was far more successful than I had imagined. It surpassed the objectives I had set. The students now realize that with application they can achieve difficult new sldlls, and they have developed a self- reliance and confidence that, as a lecturer working alone, I could never have given them. Their horizons have broadened through the Internet and they are prepared to seek other opinions and accept other points of view.

Ah-Leon’s “Log Cup,”7V* inches in height, stoneware; Paul Sherman at Garth Clark Gallery, New York City. by Richard Zakin A series of large conelike vessel shapes by Fulton, New York, event featured cups created not only by ceramists but by other artist Paul Sherman was exhibited recently at the gallery of the artists, such as painter Donald Sultan, and by celebrities, such as Art Association of Oswego (New York). The best part of his actor Robin Williams and activist Gloria Steinem. work lies in its almost fanatical attention to details. Each square Installing Sanctum 1 by Aaron Lee Benson When the Rome (Georgia) Area Council for the Arts pur­ chased my large-scale architectural piece “Sanctum 1 ” to give to the city, its proposed location—at the intersection of three highways as they enter the city—demanded that it be structur­ ally sound. I began with what I feel is an essential rule for large architectural works: create the entire work as a whole. This would offer structural stability as well as overall strength. Even though the idea is sound, accomplishing it is extremely difficult and takes an extraordinary amount of planning, which must Paul Sherman’s “Hydnocerus Series IV-#2,” 4 feet in take place before any part of the work is begun. length, coil-built earthenware; at the Art Association I decided that an internal framework was essential. To of Oswego (New York). accommodate an internal skeleton, each module of the work had to have openings that matched the opening of the module inch is part of a rich tapestry packed with life and energy. He above and below it, as well as those to the right and left of it. I uses various stains, engobes and glazes to finish his surfaces, decided to make the internal skeleton out of steel rebar. This which are always complex and restless, marked by sinuous would be a strong inner component, but its rigidity also added swellings, desertlike grit or openings that reveal a complex new problems. interior structure. These surfaces are especially involving, for I began by embedding a steel plate—one for each column— they exhibit the same restless variation and shifting patterns that with cleats into freshly poured concrete. Welded to each plate we see in nature. was a 1 -inch-diameter piece of rebar the length of which was the

20 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 21 Up Front went out of business, so I was stuck trying to find a new adhe­ sive that would meet all my standards. I finally settled on a slow-drying industrial product that came in a tube similar to caulking compound. Because the adhesive was slow drying, it gave off flammable fumes. As one of the workers was welding at the top of the lintel, a piece of red-hot steel fell down into the column below him. The column exploded like a 12-foot pipe bomb. Fumes trapped in the column needed only a spark to ignite them. The force, although not strong enough to hurt anyone, did destroy one whole column. Looking closely at the end of the lintel, one can see the carbon marks left by the explosion. Fortunately, I had made plenty of spare modules in case of damage during transporting or, in this case, explosion. When I made a decision to work large, I also made a deci­ sion to tackle enormous technical problems. These problems must be met and solved as each one comes along. It can be The clay modules were installed over rebar welded to steel plates that had been embedded in a concrete slab. rewarding, because with each failure or success, my aesthetic and technical skills advance, thereby advancing my work. highest point of the work over that par­ Jae Won Lee ticular plate. Ceramic sculpture by Korean artist Jae Won Lee was exhibited The different recently at the Jane Hartsook Gallery of Greenwich House modules of the work Pottery in New York City. Having moved to the United States were then lowered over the rebar, with the rebar passing through the holes in the modules. As each module was set in As each module was placed over place, a ½6-inch steel the rebar, a steel plate was plate with a hole in the added, then welded to the rebar. center was dropped down the rebar and placed on top of the module. The plate was then welded to the rebar and an industrial adhesive was liberally applied to the joining surfaces. Jae Won Lee’s “A Stacked Memory,” 3 inches in height, porcelain, top layer was reduction/soda fired to Cone 10, No matter how many times you draw it, no matter how bottom layers were wood/soda fired to Cone 10; at Jane many times you think it through, there are still things that can Hartsook Gallery, Greenwich House Pottery, New York City. go wrong. Some things go very wrong, as was the case in the construction of this piece. I had been using a fast-drying epoxy from Korea, Won Lee now feels like an outsider in both coun­ adhesive for some time, but the company that manufactured it tries. “My sense of‘home’ is in a spectrum of emotions,” she explains, “a deep feeling of alienation, homelessness or awareness of non-belonging to any place. Born in one place and living in another, I often feel obliged to react to two cultures at once. I no longer have the sense of belonging to one culture, one place or one country.” Korean traditional art has now become an important way for Lee to preserve her sense of identity. “Yearning for belonging, wholeness, rootedness, I seek to reestablish bonds with female forebears through their handiwork,” she notes. “Through this symbol of Korean womanhood, steeped in the ancient heritage, I search for my own space in my adopted nation. “Loving the language of literature,” Lee keeps a journal; however, “often the language I use is exclusively visual,” she says. “Then Aaron Lee Benson’s “Sanctum 1,” 19 feet in height, installed at the A. W. Ledbetter my journal becomes a sequence of small Exchange on Highway 411, at the entrance to Rome, Georgia. ceramic boxes....! wish my ceramic contain-

22 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 23 Up Front describe the position of ceramics toward the end of the 20th century, as well as offer fresh stimulus to ceramics in Europe.

ers to express a voice that is gently shaded with hope and also Jacqueline Davidson tinged with despair. I want my message, in its empathy, sim­ “Variations,” an exhibition of a series of sculptural forms by plicity and sensitivity, to evoke a sense of isolation.” To further California artist Jacqueline Davidson, was presented recently at this isolation, Lee’s boxes are “closed, sealed or wrapped. Maybe Mendocino (California) Art Center Showcase Gallery. The 18 they are enveloped. The viewer remains a spectator.” pieces in the series were inspired by a photograph of an antique Trying to connect with her feelings about life, memory and Japanese axe. “The elegance of that curved edge fired my intimate thought through clay, Lee observes that “the ceramic boxes that I am making are a metaphor and a personification of myself, people or cultures. I want to contain multiple levels of reference and association having to do with distilled emotion....To me, art is a reflection of the human experience. All daily tensions, conflicts and confusion that seem at the time to distract me secretly replenish the source of inspiration.”

Movement: European Ceramics “Movement: European Ceramics ’96,” a juried exhibition of works by 70 artists from 17 countries, was on view through February 9 at Keramion in Frechen, Germany. Built especially for the ceramics collection of industrialist Gottfried Cremer, the Keramion opened in 1971. Since then, it has held numer­ ous exhibitions; however, this was the first to be juried. “Movement” commemorated the 25 th anniversary of the Keramion, as well as Cremer s 90th birthday. It was intended to

Jacqueline Davidson’s “Variations,” 21 inches in height, clay and wood; at Mendocino (California) Art Center Showcase Gallery.

imagination and I realized that by broadening the cutting edge, I would achieve a rocking form, thus adding the dynamics of motion to normally static sculpture,” Davidson explained. Gary Erickson “Natural Rhythms,” an installation of abstract organic forms by Minnesota artist Gary Erictaon, was on view through February 15 at Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center, Macalester College, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Coil built from earthenware, his forms

Gary Erickson’s “Remolino,” 18 inches in height, coil- built earthenware, with encaustic; at Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center, Macalester College, Saint Paul, Minnesota.

make “nonspecific reference to objects found in nature, the Peteris Martinsons’ “Figure,” approximately 21 human figure, and the rhythmic energy found in music and inches in height; at Keramion, Frechen, Germany. dance,” Erickson explains.

24 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 25 the cosmopolitan and colorful Tang, was New Books built upon highly principled rationality, which paid a great deal of respect to the classics of the Chinese Ceramics Confiician tradition, hence art served a pri­ marily moral and didactic purpose. In the A New Comprehensive Survey from the ceramic industry, this strikingly intellectual Asian Art Museum of San Francisco concept led artists to seek a perfect harmony by He Li of monochrome glaze colors with the shapes Well-illustrated with examples from the on which they were used. No other dynasty collection of the Asian Art Museum of San created such cool-toned, disciplined serenity Francisco, this historical survey covers ce­ in ceramics. The purity and the subtleties of ramics produced in China from the NeolithicSong wares have been highly praised in Chi­ period (circa 6000-2000 B.C.) to the Re­ nese literature, through the use of such phrases public (early 20th century). The first En­ as ‘resembling jade, silver, snow or ice.’” glish-language study to incorporate informa­ Song kilns account for 75% of all kilns tion recently published in China regarding established throughout China, says Li; their the country’s ancient kiln sites and recent products “are divided into several categories theories about the re­ according to their style and place of produc­ lationships between tion: ding (white glaze), yaozhou (celadon), various kilns, it “pre­ jun (flambe glaze) and cizhou (decorated in sents a range of wares white and black) in the north, and jingdezhen of superb quality span­ (pale blu€),jizhou (decorated in polychrome ning the centuries... glazes) and jian (dark glazes) in the south. In and including types of practice, however, all kilns produced wares in every kind—imperial a variety of glazes.” and provincial, deco­ Ceramics of the Ming dynasty (1368- rative and practical, 1644) are covered in the third section. Dur­ funerary and ceremonial, and those made foring the Ming period, Jingdezhen became the export to the West.” center of the porcelain industry in China. The book is broken down chronologically “Producing wares in the greatest quantities into four parts, beginning with a section and the widest variety, and serving the largest spanning the Neolithic period to the Five markets, the Jingdezhen kilns manufactured, Dynasties (A.D. 906-960). This includes the in equal proportions, goods as tribute to the period during which the famous “under­ court, for everyday use and for export. Trib­ ground army” was created. Though it lasted ute wares were used by the court as diplo­ only 15 years, the Qin dynasty (221—206 matic gifts or as official rewards....In the 16th B.C.) “played an important role in China’s century, the number of tribute wares made history, providing a foundation for later po­ annually at Jingdezhen reached approximately litical and cultural centralization and 100.000 pieces. expansion....Industries producing architec­ “The high cost of kiln construction, con­ tural ceramics and terra-cotta models were centration of labor, high taxation, plus the enlarged..., in part to facilitate the construc­ expense of shipping goods to the capital tion of [ruler] Shihuang’s palace and tomb. placed a considerable strain on the Jingdezhen Abundant hollow bricks, along with rectan­ craftsmen, who regularly rose in rebellion gular and round tiles, were found among the during the late Ming,” Li continues. “Only Qin palace ruins at Xianyang, Shaanxi. about 20 imperial factories were established “The mass-production process employed in Jingdezhen at the beginning of the dy­ to create the emperor’s underground army nasty, but by the 1420s the number of facto­ started with the preparation of clay, molded ries had increased to 56. In 1540, more than into a basic shape,” explains Li. “Refined clay10.000 people were actively involved in the was then applied to the surface to allow production of ceramics.” individual details to be hand-sculpted. The Section four covers production from the execution of the figures was precisely planned,Qing dynasty to the Republic (1644-early and various different skills would have been 20th century). “Making copies of classical required, depending on the complexity of types became a tradition during the Qing and particular pieces. The practice of combining still continues in China today,” explains the a mass-production process with individual author. “The revival of antique types in­ artistic treatment was a characteristic feature cluded monochrome glazed wares, as well as of Qin official ceramic manufacture.” blue-and-white and polychrome-decorated Section two describes the ceramics from pieces. Qing imitations, mainly of wares dat­ the Liao (947-1124), Northern and South­ ing from the Song and the Ming periods, ern Song (960-1279), and Yuan dynasties were sometimes given the Qing reign-marks, (1279-1368). “Song culture, unlike that of or the original Ming reign-marks, or were

26 CERAMICS MONTHLY

New Books

without any marks.” 352 pages, including chronology of China, glossary, bibliography, list of museums with major collections of Chinese ceramics, list of Chinese characters, and index. 706 color and 175 black-and- white photographs; 6 maps. $95. Rizzoli International Publications, 300 Park Avenue, South, New York, New York 10010.

Ciro Fornaro “The urgency of his visions and his ideas allow him to create shapes of a stimulating and mobile resonance,” observes Maria Ferr, ceramic design instructor at the Institute of Art in Bologna, in one of three essays in this bilingual monograph on Italian ceramist Ciro Fornaro. “His activity does not show itself as affirmation of pat­ terns, but as trial of existence in a produc­ tive system, a direct link between man and the object of his work, man and nature.” Working in a stu­ dio located in a cave in a natural canyon, Fornaro “sometimes fo­ cuses on knots of strength, on space move­ ments, on masses, on threadlike structures, on chromatisms or plastic transparencies. He uses various [materials]: gres [stoneware], refractories, steel....The aesthetic language grows, multiplies, breaks, but even in the transformation, it produces a peculiar charm that characterizes itself: it is the color of shape, material, animated by a circularity that comes out in every work and connects one element to another.” 80 pages, including bibliogra­ phy and index of words. 59 color and 22 black-and-white photographs; 30 sketches. US$40, includes postage and handling. Diagramma Studioeffe di Ciro Fornaro, Via Crispi 89, 74023 Grottaglie (Ta), ITALY; telephone/fax (99) 5665012.

Arts and the Internet A Guide to the Revolution by V. A. Shiva “Through the Internet, any artist can reach a viewing audience that, up to this point, could be only reached by showing at big-city galleries..., advertising in expensive magazines and newspapers, or having articles in those same publications,” notes the author of this guide. “Any art form, be it visual, performance or written, will benefit from the use of the Internet and the WWW.” After a look at the development of the Internet and the World Wide Web, along

28 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 29 New Books

with an explanation of how they both work, Shiva describes the tools used to access online news and discussion groups, directories and mailing lists, as well as web sites. For example, WWW search engines “are powerful tools for finding web sites based on user-defined crite­ ria. The criterion for most search engines is a word or a set of words. “There are many search engines on the Internet WWW,” he continues. “The two earliest were Yahoo and Web Crawler... .These and other search engines do not cost anything to use. Similar to WWW directories, [they] make money through corporate and business advertising.” How to access the Net is explained next: what types of hardware and software are needed, where to buy them, etc. The author then looks at creating and finding a home for a web site, plus the desirable characteristics of a site, such as fast display of graphics and text, ease of navigation, two-way communication and ordering information, and frequent up­ dates or content changes. “Cyberpublicity” and selling online are also discussed, as is finding jobs through the Internet. Shiva then considers collaborative art online and distance learning. “For artists, [distance learning] offers a way of sharing knowledge with a worldwide audience,” he states. “Imagine [be­ ing able to teach] a student thousands of miles away.” In conclusion, the book addresses how to protect yourself against crime on the Internet, censorship and copyright issues, as well as the cultural effects of the Net. Five ways of protecting copyrighted material are identified, includ­ ing using a copyright statement and using the power of the Internet community. “Internet culture abides by ‘netiquette,’ which may itself serve to keep the violator of copyright in check,” Shiva notes. “If someone submits an infringing posting to a newsgroup, for ex­ ample, the Internet’s response is egalitarian and swift: the poster may be publicly flamed, privately chastised or even added to the user’s ‘bozo filter,’ and henceforth blocked from that user.” 208 pages, including an appendix on list of web sites, Internet access via NETCOM, and Very Special Arts, plus glos­ sary and index. $18.95, softcover. Available at bookstores or Allworth Press, 10 East 23rd Street, Suite400, New York, New York 10010; telephone (800) 491-2808.

30 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 31

34 CERAMICS MONTHLY “Kings of Sea and Sky,” 7½ inches in height, wheel thrown and coil built, burnished, brushed with terra sigillata, bisqued to Cone 018, smoked. Freedom’s Just Another Word by Sumi von Dassow

Newsweek columnist George F. Will re­ bearable heat, the firing would have all forms of open burning are banned in cently pooh-poohed the song lyrics finished. The kiln had been taking longer my county. “freedom’s just another word for nothing and longer to reach temperature, but 14 Talcing advantage of the situation, I left to lose.” I can assure him from per­ hours should have been enough, so I abandoned glazes and began coil build­ sonal experience that Janice Joplin was turned it off by hand. ing pots from red clay, burnishing the right and he is wrong. A couple of sum­ The problem was the kiln was in need surfaces, applying terra sigillata, and firing mers ago, when my electric kiln refused of new elements, but I didn’t have enough them wrapped in newspaper in my elec­ to fire any longer to Cone 6,1 gained the money to replace them just then. Besides, tric kiln. These techniques are derived freedom to experiment with element-dam­ I’d always disliked glazing and longed to from the art of Pueblo potters of the aging combustion firing, and I haven’t use my electric kiln to smoke-fire bur­ Southwestern United States. Neither the replaced those elements yet. nished pots. wheel nor glazes are indigenous to My last glaze firing took place on the Until then, concerns about damage to America, and the best Native American hottest day of summer. I loaded my kiln the elements had restrained me. At the pottery is still coil built and burnished. and turned it on in the evening, hoping time, I didn’t belong to a co-op or know Burnished pottery seems natural and that before the morning climbed to un­ any potters with gas or raku kilns—and yet exotic to one who is used to glazes.

March 1997 35 The surface of a burnished pot is more tactilely inviting than cold, hard, slippery glazeware. A burnished surface is porous, thus warmer to the touch than a glazed one, while the clays earthy hues enhance this impression of warmth. A potter with a tendency toward per­ fectionism can rest assured that a glaze mishap is not going to ruin a burnished pot—no glazes will crawl or drip the wrong way, no bits of softbrick will em­ bed themselves into a molten surface. This is liberating to one spending many hours lovingly forming and decorating a pot prior to consigning it to a kiln. Once you’ve decided to burnish, the choice to coil build follows easily. The coil-built form with its slight asymme­ tries lends itself naturally to burnishing. Just as a hard coating of brightly colored glass seems appropriate on the machined roundness of a thrown pot, the imperfect curves and lines of a coiled pot demand to remain uncovered. By coil building, “Lords of Wind and Water,” 8 inches in height, burnished the potter is free to create any shape de­ earthenware with terra sigillata brushwork, smoke fired. sired—a pot can have two necks, like the traditional Hopi wedding jar, or it can have an oval, square or triangular body. Some Pueblo potters finish by firing ate an object that cannot be experienced back to see the pattern floating on top. I their work entirely black, using the black- all at once, something that people can want the pattern to draw their eyes around on-black effect of matt slip on the highly look at again and again and always see the form. In sum, I want to create a pot polished background achieved in a smoth­ something new. I want people to appreci­ that will, as much as a simple object can, ered combustion firing. An incompletely ate the satiny smoothness of the burnished interact with its viewers. smothered fire only partially blackens a surface. I want them to look into the Experimenting with the kiln lent great pot. Whenever smoke penetrates a bur­ depths of the reflective surface, then pull freedom to my work. Responsibility to a nished surface, the result is a pot ranging in color from deep velvety black to bright orange, an orange all the brighter in con­ trast to the black. This conjunction of coil building, burnishing and smoke firing allows the potter to achieve a disciplined yet unpredictable piece. My work does not directly refer to Southwest tradition, despite borrowing elements of technique from Pueblo pot­ ters. It cannot be pigeonholed as South­ western on the basis of burnishing and smoke firing. In fact, many of my forms seem closer in spirit to Hans Coper than to Maria Martinez, with decoration more reminiscent of the style of the Indians of the Pacific Northwest coast where I grew up. Other decorative styles that have influenced me are European folk pottery, Moslem tile work and early Mediterra­ Rather than making a small pinchpot as a base for coil building, von Dassow nean unglazed pottery. prefers to throw a bottomless dome. Once the top of the dome has been When working, I don’t consciously closed, the surface can be rounded think about influences; the goal is to cre­ and smoothed with a rib.

36 CERAMICS MONTHLY piece of equipment had hampered my creativity; I was struggling, without know­ ing it, simply to maintain an interest in clay. Freedom to misuse the ldln has re­ kindled the flame of enthusiasm. I’ve re­ discovered creative joy and, as a bonus, my new work sells better than my old and fares better in juried competitions. I use a smooth Cone 6 commercial clay. It might seem to make more sense to use a low-fire clay for burnished work, but low-fire clays tend to be soft and chalky and easily scratched if fired below their maturing temperatures. This par­ ticular clay is surprisingly sturdy even at Cone 018. Another reason not to use a low-fire clay is that nonclay materials added by the manufacturer to lower the maturing temperature tend to make these clays difficult to coil build. Coil building is a slow process; it makes all the differ­ ence having an easily workable clay. I was taught to start a coil-built pot by making a small pinchpot as the base, then adding coils, but found this to be tedious and repetitive. An easier way is to throw a 6-inch-high bottomless dome to serve as the base of the pot. When the thrown dome section is stiff enough to handle, I “Four Horses,” 121/4 inches in height, thrown and coiled earthenware, burnished, brushed with terra sigillata, smoked. turn it upside down and add coils to the top edge. I work with the pot in a puki-—the Indian word for a shallow bowl with no foot, only a rounded bottom, which spins freely on the work surface. It can func­ tion as a sort of extremely primitive wheel; while coil building, I can hold the coil in one hand and pinch with the other, with­ out having to stop and turn the pot. WTien the pot is dry, I sand it smooth, then burnish with a stone. Burnishing is a two-step process that can take two or three hours for a large pot, and once started must be finished without interruption. The first step is to moisten the whole pot lightly, then to re­ wet small patches and rub with the stone until the clay becomes smooth and takes on a dull sheen. It is important to start at the rim, do the whole rim, then rub all the way around just below the rim, con­ tinuing in a spiral pattern from the rim toward the foot, because once a burnished patch has dried, it scratches if it is rubbed again with the stone. This is the reason After the dome has become stiff enough to handle, it is that, once you begin, you can’t stop until turned upside down and placed inpuki a (a footless bowl finished. Working in a spiral pattern en­ that spins freely on the work surface). sures that you are never working on a

March 1997 37 Because the puki turns freely, a coil can be held with one hand and joined with the other without stopping to turn the pot. Wet burnishing is begun at the rim and spiraled downward to avoid scratching burnished patches that have dried.

patch adjacent to a section that has com­ hotter a burnished pot is fired, the duller pletely dried. the surface becomes. Firing is thus a com­ The second step is to immediately promise between strength and beauty. I cover the entire pot with a light coating choose to bisque fire to Cone 018, at of vegetable oil. This soal^s in and leaves a which point the clay sounds fired when whitish scum on the surface. Rubbed again tapped and is not easily scratched, but with the stone, the clay takes on a high retains most of its sheen. The bisqued pot gloss. I still marvel at the sight of plain is then wrapped in one or two sheets of clay polished so finely it reflects one s face newspaper, then in a loose double layer of like a mirror. aluminum foil. After a brief firing, the Once the pot is burnished, I sketch a result is a pot with a surface that varies design with a felt-tip pen—which doesn’t from brick red to deep black, with the scratch the delicate surface and the ink terra sigillata pattern varying in color from burns out at a low temperature—then bright orange to silvery black. paint with terra sigillata made from Ce­ Only then does the pot come to life. dar Heights Redart Clay (see Sandi Pieran- The firing in the “modified saggar,” as I tozzi’s recipe in the February 1993 CM). sometimes call my aluminum-foil wrap­ Since the burnished surface is very smooth Terra sigillata is applied over a design ping, is like a bolt of lightning awakening (and somewhat greasy from the oil) and sketched with a felt-tip pen. the inert clay. the terra sigillata tends to rub off easily, I Of course, the use of an electric kiln mix in a small amount of CMC solution for saggar firing voids its warranty and to make it stick. To make the solution, thus can’t be recommended. I now use a add 30 grams of CMC gum to a quart of chamois, so I have to be careful. I also am gas kiln for this smoking step when pos­ boiling water, and continue to boil until careful working with unfired burnished sible. The use of a kiln, rather than the it is dissolved. This solution is mixed by pottery, as it picks up fingerprints, and a more traditional open fire, pit or saw- half teaspoons into the batch of terra drop of water or a stray drip of terra dust-filled container, gives greater control sigillata until a brushed application can’t sigillata will damage the burnish. over the final result and protection from be rubbed off with a finger. Too much Because it is the alignment of clay cracking due to thermal shock. Saving CMC, and the terra sigillata can no longer platelets that gives a burnished pot its one or two pots in this way could easily be burnished easily just by rubbing with a sheen, and firing fuses these platelets, the pay for new elements! A

38 CERAMICS MONTHLY “Mygon,” 12 feet in height, commercial adobe blocks, installed in California in 1984; Fondaw has since done some maintenance on the structure, although its future is uncertain, due to recent earthquake damage. Ron Fondaw by L. Robin Rice

^^culptor Ron Fondaw is a one-man library of shapes.” Over the past ten is very similar to the conceptual basis of dialectic, exploring the potential of clay years, these simple masses have been a building. Pots are architecture.” in conjunction with nonplastic materi­ integrated into indoor and outdoor Moving from pots to a kind of archi­ als. “Its useful to be a ceramist,” he says. adobe sculptures installed at various lo­ tectural sculpture, Fondaw now works “There’s a certain confidence that comes cations in the U.S. and in Denmark. with adobe, a mixture of unfired clay from knowing that you can make some­ Fondaw was introduced to clay when stabilized with a material like concrete thing from nothing.” assigned the job of mixing it as a work- or emulsified asphalt. One recipe he Fondaw, an art professor at Wash­ study student at Memphis College of uses is ½ clay, ½ sand and ½ cement ington University in Saint Louis, Mis­ Art. (He later earned an M.FA. at the mixed with straw or grass. He also in­ souri, explains that “wood comes in University of Illinois at Urbana). Al­ corporates materials indigenous to the milled boards; steel, in specified shapes. though he began by throwing pots, his area of construction. “There’s a differ­ A pre-formed shape comes with a his­ “ideas grew out of that knowledge and ence in the texture of the mixture de­ tory or process. You have to bring ev­ took me away from concerns of utility. pending on what is available at the site. erything to clay; it has no intrinsic form. The making of things helps me see the In Georgia, you’ve got a lot of clay to There’s no other material that goes connection to something greater than work with. In Florida, you’ve got a lot through so many metamorphoses while my own ego.” of sand in the soil. These differences you’re working on it.” As a teacher of ceramics, “I try to influence the look and feeling of the From his “vocabulary” of rigid mate­ talk about the pot as a skin that is finished work.” rials, including wood, steel, iron, cop­ stretched to express the volume inside— The adobe is usually manually mixed per, concrete and plaster, he fashions “a the essential conceptual idea of all pots in wheelbarrow-sized batches. Fondaw

March 1997 39 sometimes uses a mortar mixer, but pre­ fers to be more directly involved: “I like to mix it with my feet [while wearing rubber boots]. I like to water it down, chop up the straw and get in there and stomp around on it. In todays culture, physical work is not valued very much, especially in the academic environment, but I like that sense of accomplishment that comes from being physically en­ gaged. There’s a kind of information you get from this direct contact that I don’t get in any other way.” When designing adobe sculpture, Fondaw tries “to take the local land­ scape into consideration and to relate the geometry of the structure to the sensuous qualities of landscape in ways that make it look like it’s growing out of the landscape or in stark contrast to it.” The walls of “Mygon” (1984), Fondaw’s first adobe structure, are made of commercial adobe blocks, a blunt challenge to the vista of the rolling Cali­ fornia hills that surround them. The “Yattoo,” 8 feet in height, installed at the Library Cultural 24-foot-long fortresslike walls are rein­ Center in Chicago; construction materials were salvaged from the site of a burned-out church and contain blackened forced with a buttress that comes to a dirt, cigarette butts, bottle caps and springs. sharp point at ground level. At the re­ quest of the owner, Fondaw has done some maintenance on “Mygon,” though its future is uncertain due to recent earth­ quake damage. For later structures, Fondaw aban­ doned blocks in favor of hand-formed adobe. Sometimes he builds an arma­ ture of plywood covered with lath. This approach is not traditional but based on contemporary building methods. He also uses the ancient technique of rammed earth, which is still used in the Middle East and by the Dogon people of Africa. A wooden form acts as a mold into which a mixture of adobe is rammed to create a solid. Fondaw likes this “honest sense of mass.” Recent works like “Taukka,” a rammed-adobe structure at Art Park in Lewiston, New York, are intended to be temporary. “They are very ephemeral. They could last three weeks, six months “Taukka,” 12 feet in height, solid-cast adobe with colored veneer, or a year. Adobe requires annual up­ installed at Art Park in Lewiston, New York; focusing on the idea that keep unless it’s protected. I’m focusing permanence is a relative term, Fondaw describes his recent works as on the fact that permanence is a relative “very ephemeral. They could last three weeks, six months or a year.”

40 CERAMICS MONTHLY Ron Fondaw adding adobe to the wire armature for “Namtab,” 12 feet in height; one of his favorite shapes for his sculpture installations is a cone or funnel form.

term. These artifacts are evidence of art- Highly tactile, the surfaces are a crude making activity. This activity is what is form of fresco: layer upon layer of pig­ most important. The fact that the works ment mixed with plaster and cement are ephemeral emphasizes the act and are scraped, gouged and allowed to scale de-emphasizes the object.” away to reveal hidden undercoats, as He also relishes the challenge of work­ many as 12 veneers of alternating col­ ing in the public eye. “I want to explore ors. “At times,” he says, “I use stencils of every facet of who I am. What can I do? cardboard or whatever is available. Af­ What can I experience? Studio art-mak- ter this surface sets up, I come back ing was becoming very safe, very clois­ with knives, hatchet, picks and grinders tered. I started looldng at musicians, to ‘draw’ into these layers. There is no dancers and actors. These artists have to plan; I work intuitively, responding to make art, say, at 7 P.M. Friday night, no the object before me. As I scrape away, I For “Taukka,” Fondaw constructed a matter what. I wanted that edge. I am excavating the colors underneath. wooden “mold” into which a mixture of wanted the pressure of having to make The surface dries, cracks and chips. This adobe was rammed. this thing work—not being able to wad becomes part of the vocabulary of sur­ it up and throw it away if it didn’t. It face that informs the piece. demands more from me as an artist.” “The material for ‘Yattoo’ in Chi­ Colors and textures flow from his cago came from a burned-out church forms. “Often I see big surfaces as an site containing blackened dirt, cigarette opportunity to draw.” Fondaws bold butts, bottle caps and springs. These use of curving pastels, Harlequin black- things became embedded in the sur­ and-white rectangles and parallel stripes face, telling us they have had a life. is complex and playful. They’re not sterile, clean, austere shapes.

March 1997 41 “I’m fascinated with how the surface of an object can change the meaning of a shape. Take two 1 -foot cubes and imag­ ine one is polished stainless steel and the other is chicken feathers. They’re the same shape but because of the dif­ ferent surface they have different mean­ ings. That’s very much what my work is about: what I call the patina of age. It tells of its use and history. “A lot of times I will just make shapes with no preconception of where they’ll end up. I build them and sometimes have them around for six months to a year. I distill the visible world down to Layers of pigment (mixed with plaster and cement) are often applied the essential or primal shapes. It’s a way over stencils (of cardboard or whatever is available): Fondaw is “fascinated with how the surface of an object can change the meaning of a shape.” of learning about the world around me.” One of Fondaw’s favorites is a cone or funnel form. Often it is composed of The openness and implied solidity massive to be firmly planted on the clay cast or pressed into a mold. Some­ of the “skeletal volumes” permit him to ground. In my work, I try to challenge times it stands en pointe like a tornado juxtapose and layer what some psy­ that notion. I do that by putting masses dancing across the landscape. Sometimes chologists of perception call “shape up high and having them meet the it rests on a broad base like a stationary primitives,” basic forms that contrast ground plane at a knife edge, at a tan­ tepee. Supported by an iron framework, dramatically with the apparent density gent or even to be completely suspended. the cone may be rigid or it can slump, of clay. In reality, Fondaw’s forms are It’s a primal reaction in us as viewers to becoming curving and tuberous. thinner and lighter than they appear. be drawn to them and to be a little wary Fondaw incorporates wire and steel “It’s about our learned notion of the that they may fall. as fluid linear elements. He speaks of predictability of mass and weight, and “I don’t consciously set out to cross himself “drawing” in space with a welded its learned association to the ground boundaries. I don’t consciously set out road grid. “It’s a quick way to build. I plane,” Fondaw says of his sculpture. to make vessels, though I think most of cut and weave it like a basket.” “We expect things that are heavy and my work retains that quality of a vessel even when it becomes a building. I still think a building is a vessel.” Fondaw has used the word “fusion” more than once to describe his work. It’s appropriate. One obvious reference is to the fusion of earth materials: met­ als, clay and even slate on occasion. His work also embraces polarities like solid/ void, positive/negative, controlled/un- controlled. It embodies a sense of his­ tory, of weathering, which fuses the technologies and traditions of the past with today’s realities. Even his defini­ tion of art as an activity traverses the cycles of creation and destruction. Fondaw’s adobe sculptures also illus­ trate the way in which vision itself fuses several kinds of perceived information: a deconstruction of the geometric ele­ “Tymon,” 16 feet in height, adobe applied over a plywood armature, surfaced with layers of pigment that are scraped ments that form perceptual wholes and and gouged to reveal undercoats of alternating colors, a reformulation of perceptual experi­ installed in Houston, Texas. ence into a new whole. ▲

42 CERAMICS MONTHLY Wayne Bates by Sandy Miller Sasso

“X-Large Platter,” 18 inches in diameter, wheel-thrown porcelain, with sgraffito decoration through engobes, by Wayne Bates, Murray, Kentucky.

s a child growing up in firing the kilns. He then went northeastern Georgia, on to earn a graduate degree A in ceramics at the University .Kentucky potter Wayne of Georgia in Athens, com­ Bates Jmew nothing of the rich pletely immersing himself in traditions of art and craft. He the Leach stoneware aesthetic. did his first carving for a While in Athens, Bates also middle-school art project. To­ had access to the Peabody day, he looks back upon that Collection of Archaeology experience as extremely impor­ and its extensive assortment tant in shaping his mature of drawings of Native Ameri­ work, especially when carving can and South American pot­ sgraffito lines on leather-hard tery. He took classes in the pots, solving puzzles of geom­ history of ceramics with an etry and creating new ones. To alleviate back strain, Bates throws emphasis in pre-Columbian at an elevated wheel. After completing the eighth pottery as well. Continued grade, Bates moved to Ten­ study of the history of ceram­ nessee, but there was no art It was while he was an undergraduate ics has very much influenced his work as program at the local high school. During (majoring in painting) at Union Univer­ a studio potter, allowing him to, as he those years, he worked on several farms, sity in Jackson, Tennessee, that Bates first puts it, “swim in a very deep and wide acquiring the skills needed to make and began working in clay. Encouraged by river of experience.” fix things—learning welding, woodwork­ his teacher, Bates taught himself how to During the summer of 1969, he ing, as well as how to take engines apart use the potter’s wheel, and took over served as kiln supervisor at the Haystack and put them back together.

March 1997 43 Bates’ red-roofed house and studio were built on a hill overlooking the Blood River.

Mountain School of Crafts in Maine. western Kentucky, he set up his one- While there, he met William Daley, who man Blood River Studio. Since that time, later hired Bates to teach at the Philadel­ he has successfully sold his work through phia College of Art. shops, galleries and craft fairs. Bates stayed in Philadelphia from Bates currently works with Grolleg 1970 to 1978, cochairing the crafts de­ porcelain. Though the clay is unforgiv- partment with Daley for three of those years. Also during this time, Bates was ceramics consultant to the historic Spiral lines and concentric Moravian Tile Works in Doylestown, rings are incised as Pennsylvania, where he supervised the the wheel turns. reactivation of tile production.

clarity and sees the limitless possibilities of embellishing simple, elegant forms. It is also important to Bates that his Ball-clay-based engobes are bowls be useful and that they be used. trailed, brushed and sprayed “My best shot is to make things that are on leather-hard ware. really beautiful and that people are going to use.” Though the Industrial Revolu­ tion “freed the craftsman from the sla­ ing, the trade-off is its whiteness and very of making utilitarian objects,” he translucency. His pieces, mostly bowls, feels that the attributes of functional ob­ platters and vases, are sprayed or brushed jects separate them from painting or with engobes, then carved with hand­ sculpture and that those attributes—in­ made tools to reveal the white clay body timacy, connection to a purpose, and beneath. He refers to this process as “look­connection to ritual—are celebratory. A After trimming on a foam ing for the white.” rubber chuck, each piece is Ring and spiral patterns are devel­ signed and dated. oped by painting and carving as the pot rotates on the wheel. These patterns reflect simple geometric strategies. “These With New York just a train ride away, are not about emotions or feelings; they he was able to visit museums frequently. are more about getting a plan and figuring His interest in traditional forms was in­ it out. They are about the intellect,” Bates creased by seeing pots at the Museum of says. “This is not to diminish them, and the American Indian. He particularly when I look at them I do get feelings, enjoyed the pots by the Mimbres Indi­ but they are derived from a more me­ ans who, he explains, “had all the strate­ chanical origin.” gies worked out as to how to divide a Bates looks upon all his work as being circle.” Later, when his work led him to part of a continuum, constantly evolv­ carving lines within the spherical space ing, multidimensional. Each pot is kin of the bowl, he recognized a kinship with to the one before and the one after; thus their vision. the necessity to make many pieces. Other sgraffito lines are In 1978, tired of academia and urban Viewed in this way, production pottery, incised freehand, “somewhat life, Bates decided to set up a studio and with its inherent repetition and order, impulsively” so that Bates can become a production potter. Moving to suits him. He is a purist who strives for “follow” their lead.

44 CERAMICS MONTHLY PHOTOS: BOB BARRETT, WAYNE BATES, BERNARD KANE, ALBERT SPERATH lhuh t a be pge ad de­ and pugged been has it Although hn hs lryhsdid sufficiently, dried has slurry this When oxi­ 6 Cone at translucent and vitreous person shop has to buy some services. I services. buy some has to shop person The Process the mostcost-effectiveuseofmylabor. be to clay prepared buying found have plaster. the dry and warm to tapes heat plastic­ and wet-strength optimum for particles the compact and de-air further on al y w poesn. one- A processing. own my all doing internal with cast were which bats, ing dry­ plaster (80 into decanted screened then mesh), wet is that slurry a into recycled are scraps throwing the All ity. to mill pug a through it put I aired, 15%. about is shrinkage and dation, is It kaolin. Grolleg on based celain of formulating my own clay bodies and bodies clay own my formulating of it isrepuggedwithnewclay. March 1997 hs ytm a eovd fe years after evolved has system This I use a commercially prepared por­ prepared commercially a use I “Medium Platter,”11inchesin diameter,porcelainwithsgraffitocarvingthrough by WayneBates engobes, clearglazed,firedtoCone 6. yet toreceiveabadboxofclay. egt Oe datg o uig pug a using of advantage One weight. tnig p r enn, n ter ca­ their and throw leaning, or up usually standing potters folk Southern stories I have heard from others, I have I others, from heard have I stories horror the despite else; someone to trol rc he ta i oe 2 yas old. years 25 over is that wheel tric ferent weights. A small bowl begins as begins bowl small A weights. ferent dif­ for lengths different at marked be can that clay of slug uniform the is mill n. t s bc ad e svr ht I that saver leg recommend foreveryone. and back a is It ing. throw­ when leaning or standing tate facili­ to wheel sit-down my modified reers spandecades,soseveralyearsagoI Its biggestdrawbackisturningovercon­ 1 ½pounds,andIwillgetasmuch All my pots are thrown on an elec­ an on thrown are pots my All l m pouto wr i szd by sized is ware production my All Throwing ut s motn a te ecnae is percentage the as important as Just variety of sizes and surfaces to work on work to surfaces and sizes of variety ih y intr ad h ya, s put is year, the and signature my with All my engobes use a Spinks clay called clay Spinks a use engobes my All a are there so pieces larger and smaller no with possible as thought ofmeasuring. it of out bowl o wn te ot lsi ad whitest and plastic most the want you ig rsue n h rm y extending by rim the on pressure ting shaped likeadoughnut;itpreventsput­ over­ for largest down upside the be will platters but all day, throwing a of end the By hours. two than less in over turned are bowls small the Often ing. dry­ quick is porcelain with working of advantage big A and orders. load the eventually kiln the out balance to and ware sothewetengobe shrinkagehas to gels, extenders, frits, include often and on thebottom. is stillupsidedown,asmalldesign, along piece the While shape. bowl the into up chuck rubber foam a the on do I trimming day, next The drying. night at 50% and hardly go below 40% clay. 40% below go hardly and 50% at start engobes my of Most whatever. or lessclay, tend tohave clay. Engobes rily prima­ tend tobe composition Slips by the differencebetweenslipsandengobes. il ok bt f o tik f engobes of think you if but work, will lenger ballclays. or 50% least at with type clay ball a be should it means This find. can you clay engobe, or slip a For clay. of type the C&C, a blend of Champion and Chal­ and Champion of blend a C&C, 1 iron. no or than little containing and micron smaller particles the of more evn mr ro fr te ingredi­ other for room more leaving plastic more The speak. to so up, catch ns Ms o m clr cm from come commercial glazestains.Frits,fillers colors and my of Most ents. shrinks—thus it more the clay, ball the as beingclosertoglazesthanslips, addi­ colorant used.Notallcommercial stains the on depending added, are retardants and can’tproduce allthecolororbril- glazes not are Engobes colors. right the produce them of most make can tives hr ses o e ofso a to as confusion be to seems There of mixture a throw I session, Each apy y noe t leather-hard to engobes my apply I Engobes 45 liance that a glaze can, but they can be UG-35 French Green Engobe applied to wet, leather-hard or bone- (Cone 6) dry clay. I usually apply engobes (using French Green Stain 6219 ...... 25 % a variety of brushes and trailers and, Wollastonite...... 10 occasionally, a spray gun) to the leather- Frit 3134 (Ferro)...... 15 hard pot while it is spinning on the C&C Clay...... 50 wheel head. 100% The following engobes are mixed with Mason stains: UPR-13a Pansy Purple Engobe (Cone 6) UBL-35 Black Engobe Pansy Purple Stain 6385 ...... 30% Bates’ fiber-lined propane kiln is fired (Cone 6) slowly using only 4 ounces of pressure Wollastonite...... 10 to reach Cone 6. Black Stain 6600 ...... 30 % Nepheline Syenite...... 10 Frit 3134 (Ferro)...... 30 C&C Clay...... 50 UPR-31 Deep Orchid Engobe C&C Clay...... 40 100% 100% (Cone 6) UR-27 Crimson Engobe Deep Orchid Stain 6303 ...... 30% UB-30 Cobalt Blue Engobe (Cone 6) Wollastonite...... 10 (Cone 6) Crimson Stain 6006...... 20% Nepheline Syenite...... 10 Blue Stain 6313 ...... 10 % Wollastonite...... 20 C&C Clay...... 50 C&C Clay...... 50 Frit 3134 (Ferro)...... 20 100% Flint...... 40 C&C Clay...... 40 100% 100% UG-34 Copper Green Engobe (Cone 6) UB-30 Mazerine Blue Engobe UG-41 Chartreuse Engobe Copper Carbonate...... 30 % (Cone 6) (Cone 6) Wollastonite...... 10 Mazerine Stain 6300 ...... 20 % Chartreuse Stain 6236...... 30% Nepheline Syenite...... 10 C&C Clay...... 60 Frit 3134 (Ferro)...... 20 C&C Clay...... 40 Flint...... 20 C&C Clay...... 50% Flint...... 10 100% 100% 100%

“Medium Bowl,” 11 inches in diameter, wheel-thrown Grolleg porcelain, with trailed and brushed engobes, clear glazed, fired to Cone 6 in oxidation.

46 CERAMICS MONTHLY UP-34 Coral Engobe Sgraffito get dull, but I discovered that by re­ (Cone 6) Of all the processes I use for making moving the temper from a pocket-watch Coral Stain 6090 ...... 30 % pots, none is as artistically satisfying as spring I could make a small loop to Wollastonite...... 10 the sgraffito carving. After days of prepa­ attach to a handle. Since this spring is Frit 3134 (Ferro)...... 10 ration, I will have 50 or 60 leather-hard flat and thin, it stays the same sharpness C&C Clay...... 50 pots under cover waiting for my mark. as it wears away, and actually gets better 100% I have many themes that interest me with use. Someone once estimated that and will usually, somewhat impulsively, I carve over 2 miles of sgraffito lines per UPR-30 Lavender Engobe strike a line into the engobe and follow year, and I wear out ten or twelve loops (Cone 6) its lead. I am still amazed at the varia­ a year, so the disappearance of the old- Lavender Stain 6319 ...... 25% tions that can occur within a theme and fashioned pocket watch concerns me. Frit 3134 (Ferro)...... 35 continually look to see what other alter­ C&C Clay...... 40 ations I can make. Glazing 100% Although I take orders from shops The translucent glaze that covers the and galleries, they only order “items,” engobes is what I call color neutral be­ UP-49 Hot Pink Engobe such as small bowls, large platters, etc. cause it can allow a wide range of colors (Cone 6) This frees me to do whatever design and does not dissolve any of them. Oc­ Pink Stain 6020 ...... 20 % with whatever colors that interest me. I casionally, I also use a high lithium or Frit 3134 (Ferro)...... 40 do ask the shops and galleries for clues more matt glaze to alter the engobe. C&C Clay...... 40 to what they like in my work, but more The back of each pot is covered with a 100% often I make what I want. Many of my solid color glaze that incorporates the accounts seem to like this system, as same stain as the engobe on the front of UY-28 Titanium Yellow Engobe each new order will in some way be the pot. This gives what I call a corre­ (Cone 6) different from the last. spondence from front to back. Although Titanium Yellow Stain 6485 ...... 30% My carving tools are found or made, the back has no engobe or sgraffito work, Frit 3134 (Ferro)...... 10 and are common to most ceramics stu­ it will have the same color sense but Nepheline Syenite...... 10 dios, though I do make one tool that is none of the design. C&C Clay...... 50 somewhat unusual. I have never found The following three glazes are used 100% a sgraffito tool that doesn’t eventually over the engobes:

“Small Bowl,” 9 inches in diameter, wheel thrown from 1½ pounds of porcelain, with sgraffito decoration through stained engobes.

March 1997 47 “X-Large Platter,” 18 inches in diameter, with freehand sgraffito carving through trailed and brushed engobes, by Wayne Bates.

Satin Matt Clear R-1002 Color variations of R-1000 are achieved RM-42 French Green: (Cone 6) with additions of Mason stains: French Green Stain 6219 ...... 6.0 % Gerstley Borate...... 9 % RM-82 Titanium Yellow: Strontium Carbonate...... 14 RM-54 Black: Titanium Yellow Stain 6485 ... 10.0 % Wollastonite...... 14 Black Stain 6600...... 6.0 % Zircopax...... 5.0% Nepheline Syenite...... 35 RM-41 Seal Brown: Edgar Plastic Kaolin...... 9 Seal Brown Stain 6153 ...... 10.0% Firing Flint...... 19 RM-53 Cobalt Blue: The kiln is steel jacketed, fiber lined 100% Blue Stain 6313 ...... 5.0% and propane fired. It has about 35 cu­ RM-34 Pansy Purple: bic feet of stacking space, and is used Shiny Clear GTB-1 Glaze Pansy Purple Stain 6385 ...... 10.0% for both bisque and glaze firings. The (Cone 6) RM-37 Deep Turquoise: size allows a very short turn-around time; Whiting...... 8% Turquoise Stain 6390 ...... 10.0% if anything is wrong with the clay, glaze Gerstley Borate...... 27 RM-47 Chartreuse: or engobes, it shows up quickly. The Nepheline Syenite...... 39 Chartreuse Stain 6236 ...... 10.0% burners are venturi type with safety Edgar Plastic Kaolin...... 8 RM-55 Coral: shutoffs. Because of the kilns tightness, Flint...... 18 Coral Stain 6090 ...... 15.0% I use only 4 ounces of pressure to fire to 100% Wollastonite...... 10.0% Cone 6. I begin a glaze firing in the Frit 3134 (Ferro)...... 5.0% evening and let the temperature build R-1000 Matt Glaze RM-50 Yellow: overnight to about 1900°F. In the morn­ (Cone 6) Yellow Stain 6481 ...... 5.0% ing, the pressure is increased to 4 ounces Barium Carbonate...... 15.2% Frit 3195 (Ferro) ...... 5.0% and the damper is slowly pushed in Gerstley Borate...... 10.2 RM-44 Crimson: until there is good positive pressure but Wollastonite...... 15.2 Crimson Stain 6006 ...... 10.0% no reduction. The temperature is al­ Nepheline Syenite...... 38.7 RM-62 Lavender: lowed to drift up to Cone 6, which Edgar Plastic Kaolin...... 10.2 Lavender Stain 6319 ...... 10.0% occurs around 2:00 or 3:00 P.M. This Flint...... 10.5 Wollastonite...... 10.0% lazy firing lets the interface between clay, 100.0% Frit 3195 (Ferro) ...... 10.0% engobe and glaze fully mature.

48 CERAMICS MONTHLY International Cone Box Show

I he second biennial “International Orton Cone Box Show” was presented recently at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas. All entries were required to fit inside a 3x3x6-inch Orton cone box. Nearly 800 works by 400 artists from 18 countries were submitted for review by jurors Karen Karnes, studio potter, Morgan, Vermont; Judith S. Schwartz, ceramics professor, New York University; and Brad Schwieger, faculty artist, Ohio University, Athens. Selecting 178 works for exhibit, the three jurors “were impressed by the power created by these small objects. They were small enough to fit inside a cone box, but they were monumental in their variety of form, surface, texture, idea, technique and feeling. “The only connection was, in fact, their scale, yet few of the objects ap­ peared to reflect the restrictions of the box,” they concurred. “Some demanded an intimate look and needed to be hand held. Others were such strong forms that intimacy would have seemed an intrusion of their space. The range of expression represented a microcosm of “Cone Temple” by Thimo Pimentel, contemporary ceramics: the vessel, so­ Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. cial criticism, humor and the figure.” ▲

“Francois, Nigel, Pepe and Me” by James Kasper, Tipton, Iowa; $100 purchase award winner.

March 1997 49 “Four Cats and a Fish” by Yeung Yuk-Kan, “Beggar Bob” by Fortova Blazena, Breda, Netherlands. Liberec, Czech Republic.

“Chest with Lizards11 by Lotta Hedin, Copenhagen, Denmark.

50 CERAMICS MONTHLY “Still Going” by Inge Balch, Baldwin City, Kansas.

“O.B.#1” by Daniel R. Neish, Seattle, Washington; “Double Drip” by Dick Lehman, $100 purchase award winner. Goshen, Indiana.

March 1997 “Teapot #2” by Ester I. Ikeda, Manhattan, Kansas; $100 purchase award winner.

“Urban Condo” by Karen Sullivan, Claremont, California.

52 CERAMICS MONTHLY “In the Tea Room” by Gerry Wallace, Orinda, California; “Recent Fotography of America” by Wolfgang Vegas, $100 purchase award winner. Caracas-Sabanda Grande, Venezuela.

“Forbidden Fruit” by Keisuke Mizuno, Tempe, Arizona; $100 purchase award winner.

March 1997 53 “Burnished Egg Orange” by Roland Summer, Velden, Austria.

“Nerikomi” by Hedy Beinert, Shreveport, Louisiana: $100 purchase award winner.

“Creamer and Sugar” by Elizabeth Lurie, Farmington Hills, Michigan; shown from the “International Orton Cone Box Show” at Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas.

54 CERAMICS MONTHLY Nova Scotia’s Year of Clay by Jim Weaver

y\lthough there have been studio pot­ ters and other ceramics artists working in Nova Scotia since the 1930s, it was not until 1991 when the Potters Guild was founded that they have had any formal ties. Just five years later, the guild sponsored the most ambitious and suc­ cessful series of clay art events in the provinces history. Annually since 1989, the Nova Scotia Department of Educa­ tion and Culture has highlighted a par­ ticular craft medium through a series of exhibitions and workshops that focus “The Bachelor,” 1 meter square (approximately 40 inches square), public attention on provincial crafts­ tile mural, earthenware with terra sigillata and majolica brushwork, 2 people and their work. In 1996, clay by Peter Bustin; from “A Metre—The Art of Tile.” was chosen, and the government agency turned to the 50-member Potters Guild to help organize and coordinate a 12- month program called “Hands on Clay—The Year of Earth and Fire.” More than two dozen clay-related events were presented by various groups and institutions throughout Nova Scotia. A small exhibition at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in downtown Halifax was a logical starting point. Called “Potters of Our Past,” it offered a glimpse of the past and a guide to the present. Before this century, daywork in Nova Scotia was largely confined to bricks, drainage tiles, flowerpots and household crocks. But when Alice Hagen, a china-painting artist from Halifax, began making pottery in the 1930s and saw in it the possibility of employment for Nova Scotians, inter­ est began to grow. Hagen operated a school in Mahone Bay for many years, and trained many of the province s early potters. One of her last students was Homer Lord who, in 1949, became the first teacher in the ceramics department of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD). Lord and the college “Metre Quartered,” 1 meter square (approximately 40 inches square), had a significant impact on the growth architectural ornament, glazed weatherproof body, by Doug Bamford; of ceramic arts in the province. from “A Metre2 —The Art of Tile.”

March 1997 56

by KristaBennett;from“AMetre “Cod Fountain,”4feetinheight, glazedweatherproofbody, 2 —The ArtofTile.” EAIS MONTHLY CERAMICS

PHOTOS: JULIAN BEVERIDGE, SHANNON BOYD, ROBIN CLARKE, STEVE FARMER, ALEX GARANT, SARAH MACMILLAN In 1969, Walter Ostrom, a Buffalo, New York, artist with unconventional ideas, joined the ceramics program at NSCAD and later became its director. As had Alice Hagen and Homer Lord before him, Ostrom broke new ground and attracted students from through­ out Canada and the United States. The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia presented “The Advocacy of Pottery,” an exhibi­ tion of works by Ostrom and his former students last summer. Curated by Anne West, the Ostrom exhibition presented the personal achievements of a man who, early in his career, had rejected pottery as having little artistic value, only to become a studio potter of the first order. More­ over, by the inclusion of works by Ostrom proteges, one could easily see that he has passed to a new generation of artists not only his techniques, but also his philosophy—if you make it to be art, then it’s art regardless of its form Glazed stoneware dinner plate, 10½ inches in diameter, or function. fired to Cone 6 in oxidation, by Jack Ouellette; Across Halifax Harbor at the Mu­ from “Invitation to Dinner.” nicipal Heritage Museum, Dartmouth, two invitational exhibitions presented by the Potters Guild ran simultaneously: “Invitation to Dinner,” curated by Liz Mason, was both a contemporary and a historic look at the role clay objects have played in facilitating and enhanc­ ing our dining experience. An 18-foot- long table covered with a jade-green cloth provided the display surface for 14 place settings, plus serving pieces and candelabra. In an adjoining gallery was “A Metre2—The Art of Tile,” which in-

Dinner plate, 10 inches in diameter, Cone 6 oxidation porcelain, by Louise Pentz; from “Invitation to Dinner.”

Plate, 11 inches in diameter, goblet and bowl, Cone 10 oxidation porcelain, by Cornelius Klattenhoff; from “Invitation to Dinner.”

March 1997 eluded works by ten Nova Scotia ce­ ramists who took their assignment to produce work from tiles to new creative heights. Each artist was challenged to stretch the viewers understanding of what clay tile is. Back in Halifax, at the Mary E. Black Gallery of the Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design, was an exhibition of contemporary daywork curated by Pe­ ter Powning and Gloria Hickey. Thirty- two potters/ceramics artists from the province were chosen to participate in “From the Ground Up.” This show of­ fered viewers a chance to admire both the well-honed talents and techniques of mid-career ceramists, as well as the energy and creative instincts of emerg­ ing artists. After this “Year of Earth and Fire,” there can be no question that outstand­ ing daywork is taking place in Nova Scotia. Through the efforts of the Pot­ ters Guild and others, the answer is now well documented. A

“Fish Bowl,” 10 inches in diameter, earthenware with : slips by Pat Foote; from “From the Ground Up.”

Porcelain teapot, 8 inches in height, fired to Cone 8 in oxidation, by Sarah MacMillan: from “From the Ground Up.”

“Blue Fruit Basket,” 17 inches long, glazed stoneware, by Shannon Boyd; from “From the Ground Up.”

CERAMICS MONTHLY “City Scape,” 8½ inches in height, handbuilt earthenware with slips, by Jan Anthony; from “From the Ground Up.”

March 1997 59 “Bird of Paradise Fan,” 26 inches wide, slab-formed tiles, raku fired, by Marcia Jestaedt, Bowie, Maryland.

Floral Imagery on Raku Fans by Marcia Jestaedt

^^oducing raku fans with floral motifs ing pin, there is no way to show differ­ for it to be complete so that I can refer is not something I deliberately set out ent views and angles. to it for proper shadings when glazing. to do, but rather something that has To continue in this direction, I had The drawing is then placed upside down evolved over the past six or seven years. to work with drawings. I have been on a light table and the reverse image, I began with tile fans that were some­ drawing since I was a very young child;excluding the shading, traced on the what abstract in design, then moved on however, I had never studied flowers back. A sheet of newsprint is then placed to a traditional fan shape decorated with and am not a gardener. So I began look­ on top of this reverse image and the impressed leaves and flowers. I became ing at and collecting books, photo­ outline is once again traced. This sepa­ quite intrigued with the thought of us­ graphs, seed catalogs, greeting cards— rate reverse image is used to transfer the ing floral motifs, but knew that press­ anything with flowers on it. I also drawing to the clay. ing actual flowers was not the answer. sketched or photographed flowers at bo­ I then roll out the clay and, using a Aside from the fact that the flowers lost tanical gardens and at a friend’s garden. template, cut out the fan shape. Next, a great deal of their original appearance Each fan image now begins as a full- the newsprint image is inked by going and definition when pressed with a roll­ scale, full-color drawing. It is necessary over it with a soluble ink pen. The inked

60 CERAMICS MONTHLY PHOTOS: JOEL BREGER & ASSOCIATES, FRED JESTAEDT

drawing is placed upside down on the clay and gently rubbed. I work across the drawing, checking as I go, until the ink has been completely transferred. Templates are then used to cut the fan into five tiles. The tiles are set aside A pencil image on newsprint is inked by going over it with a soluble-ink pen until almost leather hard. At this point then transferred to the clay slab by rubbing gently. the edges are smoothed and the draw­ ing is incised with a sgraffito tool; any additional carving, surface texturing and sprigging are also done. Since most of my fans have sprig­ ging on them, they cannot be dried between plasterboard. Instead, I place the five pieces on plasterboard, weight down all the edges with commercial tile shards to prevent warping, and cover with plastic sheeting. After about three days, the pieces are transferred to a slat­ ted wooden shelf, and again weighted Templates are used to cut the down and covered with plastic. slab into five tiles. After a bisque firing, the image is redrawn with pencil in the sgraffito lines in order to facilitate glazing. Commer­ cial Cone 06-04 glazes are used because of the wide choice available and consis­ tency in colors. They are applied in a painterly manner, combining several colors to achieve the depth and shading needed to give the flowers and leaves a three-dimensional quality. After glazing, the tiles are fired on edge in an electric kiln to 1850°F, then removed for postfire reduction in birch leaves. Finally, they are attached to ½- inch birch plywood with a commercial floor- and wall-tile adhesive. I do not know how long I will con­ tinue working with the floral motif. However, for the present, I have found flowers to be an endless source of inspi­ ration and am challenged by the re­ creation of their images with clay, glazes Commercial Cone 06-04 glazes are applied in a painterly manner, and fire. A and the tiles are fired on edge in an electric kiln.

March 1997 61 The Fugitive Blue Chun by Emman Okunna

f^rhaps as many varied descriptions tain, any rules on how to produce them markable improvement over earlier tests, have been given of Chun (Jun) glazes as must be purely empirical, based on ob­ because for the first time blue color was there are potters. Frank Hammer in The servation and on evidence.” evident. We suspected at this point that Potters Dictionary of Materials and Tech­ Our first consideration was that the two factors may have been responsible niques speaks of Chun as “a feldspathic materials from which ashes would be for nonachievement of blue color all pale blue opalescent glaze on a buff made should be easily available and in along: the amount of feldspar used may body.” However, in Oriental Glazes, fairly large quantities to provide a con­ have been quite high (40%); and the Nigel Wood disagrees, noting that they sistent source. Ashes were therefore made Enugu sand may still have had clay in it are not correctly termed feldspathic: from rice husks and corncobs, which and so invariably increased the amount “Only about 30% of feldspar would were collected from nearby Achalla and of clay in the recipe. But there was still have been needed to provide the 5% to Ugwuoba. Large quantities of kitchen no way of telling the exact amount of 6% of potash and soda found in North­ ash were collected from a bakery here in these materials. ern (China) Chuns. Even less would Awka as well. A similar recipe (marked Z) in which suffice, as most Chuns show a high All ashes were washed four times and kitchen ash was substituted with corn­ P205 content typical of glazes contain­ passed through 60-, 80- and 100-mesh cob ash was made up and blended ing ash—and most ashes contain some screens. They were then dried, labeled against recipe W using the “eleven potash. This means that the Chun glazes and stored for use. blend” biaxial method. The tests were are not feldspathic in the strictest sense, Biaxial and triaxial blends were mixed applied over an iron glaze (temmoku)— since 50% feldspar is usually held to be and fired to 1280°C (2336°F) in both a practice Cardew suggested would have the lower limit for feldspathic glazes. oxidizing and reducing atmospheres. the effect of bringing the Chun to life. Wood also suggests that the blue opal­ The results largely indicated that the escence of Chuns is favored by phos­ Making Blue Chuns corncob ash is more siliceous than the phorous, lead oxide and boric oxide from There would be little use in giving a kitchen ash, as most of the tests were colemanite. complete description of all tests carried underfired where they were applied In Pioneer Pottery; Michael Cardew out, as it will perhaps be sufficient to thickly. Only the 50:50 mixture of the recognizes that “the opalescent colors of indicate the limits or amounts of mate­ two recipes showed a comparatively Chun glazes...and their causes remain a rials used. Our first recipes were based stronger blue. These results and a fur­ matter of conjecture.” He believed they on Katharine Pleydell-Bouveries recipe ther reappraisal of the materials led to are optical colors produced by what he of 40% ash, 40% feldspar and 20% the decision to use both corncob ash described as a “suspension of liquid in clay. This recipe was modified slightly and kitchen ash in the same glaze batch liquid (or rather glass in glass).” Ac­ to bring in some minor ingredients— (as had been done with rice husk ash cording to Cardew, wood ash, talc and clay to help keep the glaze materials in and kitchen ash), which yielded the fol­ some sort of frit are thought by some suspension; talc (3Mg0«4Si02*H20) to lowing recipe: potters to favor Chun colors. introduce the magnesium oxide (MgO) Chun Glaze Test AF Daniel Rhodes (Clay and Glazes for necessary for producing blues, and (Cone 10) the Potter) suggested that a glaze con­ Enugu sand (levigated from Enugu clay) Corncob Ash...... 40% taining 4% to 8% bone ash and about to introduce more silica (Si0 ) into the 2 Kitchen Ash...... 20 1 % or less iron oxide will yield a bluish glaze batch. Talc...... 10 opalescent color if fired in a heavily Our first significant result was ob­ Potash Feldspar...... 30 reduced atmosphere. tained by introducing both hard and 100 % In all these descriptions the com­ soft ash into the following recipe: Add: Sieved Enugu Sand...... 5 % mon denominator has been the blue Chun Glaze Test W opalescence, a quality that characterizes This recipe was also blended against (Cone 10) and distinguishes the Chuns from recipe W, and the tests again applied Rice Husk Ash...... 40 % among all Oriental ash glazes. over an iron glaze. The results were most Kitchen Ash...... 20 The following results of tests con­ exciting, and represented a break­ Talc...... 10 ducted at Nnamdi Azikiwe University through. All 11 tests produced dense Potash Feldspar...... 30 in Awka, Nigeria, indicate several pos­ Chun glazes, remarkably including the sible ways by which Chun glazes could 100% one that was the same as test recipe W, Add: Sieved Enugu Sand...... 5 % be developed. which had earlier produced only a weak- The glaze melted, producing a rather ish blue. However, the glazes were fluid. Empirical Approach strange yellow Chun, with a very weak When the glaze was applied over an As Cardew aptly reasoned, “Since blue—an indication of a high lime glaze. iron slip (deliberately made rich in iron the theory of these colors is still uncer­ However, the result represented a re­ and silica but low in alumina), instead

62 CERAMICS MONTHLY Wheel-thrown stoneware vase, 4 inches in height, with Chun glaze over iron-rich slip, fired to Cone 10 in oxidation.

of the temmoku glaze, the running was Conclusion that took a long time as a result of cured. It had also become bluer. Our experience shows that Chun power failure. It is perhaps noteworthy that dupli­ glazes remain rather fugitive, given such The thickness of application is also cates of these tests were also fired in variables as firing cycle and ash materi­ of great importance, as some glazes that reduction, and these results were re­ als. For example, the same recipe (W) were dipped thin tended to go transpar­ markable, too. The tests that had pro­ that turned out a dense Chun in one ent even when fired correctly. duced blue colors in the oxidation firing test had earlier produced yellow Chuns While the Chun effect may not be now turned out fluid white-blue gloss with very weak blue color. uncommon with glazes that have been Chuns with yellow specks. We suspect Obviously, a number of factors are fluxed with ash, the fact is that the tem­ these specks to be lime crystals, as they critical in the making of Chun glazes: perature range at which the colloidal appeared more along the area of the prolonged firing at high temperature particles exist is small and only under biaxial blend that had more of the corn­ would cause the silica and phosphorus controlled circumstances do they sur­ cob ash, and so suggested that the corn­ to go into solution, turning the glaze vive to give a blue, usually in places cob ash is not as siliceous as the rice transparent. Another effect of prolonged where the glaze is thick. Whatever ap­ husk ash. Therefore, the corncob ash firing was noted when recipe AF, which proach is adopted, the making of these may not be a direct substitute of the had produced a dense white emulsion Chun glazes demands quite a lot of the rice husk ash. in one test, turned out yellow in a firing potters patience. ▲

March 1997 63 Nicholas Seidner

solo exhibition of wood-fired, soda- glazed functional ware by Vermont art­ ist Nicholas Seidner—the culmination of a year-long residency at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana— was featured recently at the Bray. The residency allowed Seidner to work “in the studio on a full-time basis for the first time. As a result, what was once a small family of pots grew into a more diverse extended family of utilitarian objects,” he noted. “Tape resisting my pots while glaz­ ing has become a new approach for Casserole, 7 inches in height, soda-glazed white stoneware me,” he continued. These “patterns and with tape-resisted decoration, wood fired, $50. shapes allow ‘openings’ through to the clay surface. I believe this enhances the tactile quality of a pot already intended to be held and touched.” Repetitive designs on Seidner’s pots refer to industrially designed objects, while going beyond “the mundane ste­ rility of these products to introduce a playful spirit.” A

Cutlery drainer, 6 inches in height, white stoneware, with tape-resisted glaze, wood fired, $25.

“Salt and Pepper Shaker Set,” 5 inches in height, soda-glazed white stoneware, wood fired, $60, by Nicholas Seidner, Middletown Springs, Vermont.

64 CERAMICS MONTHLY

66 CERAMICS MONTHLY awards of 1000 SFr (approximately US$735) and May 1 entry deadline Call for Entries 1 award of 500 SFr (approximately US$365). Kent, Ohio “RKSU Alumni Exhibition in Application Deadline for Exhibitions, Contact Musee de Carouge, Mairie de Carouge, Crafts” (September—November). Juried from slides Case postale, CH-1227 Carouge. of 4 available pieces (include details), resume and Fairs, Festivals and Sales artist’s statement. Jurors: K. Browne, H. Halem, United States Exhibitions J. Lessman-Moss and K. Mangus. Contact Kirk Mangus, Coordinator of Crafts, School of Art, March 10 entry deadline Kent State University, Kent 44242; or telephone International Exhibitions Fayetteville, Arkansas “ 15th Annual Women’s (330) 672-2192, fax (330) 672-4729. National Juried Art Exhibition” (June 1—July 10), Portland, Oregon “The Box: Third Annual March 5 entry deadline open to works in all media. Juried from slides. Invitational Exhibition” (August 7-30), open to Komatsu, Japan “Kutani International Deco­ Sponsored by the Northwest Arkansas branch of all interpretations of the box in format and/or rative Ceramics Competition ’97” Designs on the National League of American Pen Women. concept. Juried from slides (with SASE), resume Paper Category (October 3—12), open to designs For prospectus, send SASE to Rae Dunn, Art Chair, and artist’s statement. Contact BonaKeane Gal­ for the decoration of a large (36 centimeters in 297 Holland Dr., Farmington, Arkansas 72730. lery, 205 Southwest Pine Street, Portland 97204. diameter) porcelain plate using only the following March 14 entry deadline Portland, Oregon “Mother Earth.. .Our Chang­ colors: red, deep blue, yellow, green, purple, un­ University Park, Pennsylvania “Crafts National ing World” (June 1-15), open to all media except derglaze blue, rust, gold, silver. Juried from design 31” (June 1-July 20). Juried from slides. Juror: jewelry and photography. Juried from up to 3 on paper. No fee. Entrants can apply to both Bill Daley, ceramist/professor emeritus, Univer­ slides. Fee: $20. Awards: $1700. Send SASE to categories (see below). Awards: 1 grand prize, sity of the Arts, Philadelphia. Fee: $20 for 3 Blaze Gallery, 228 S.W. First, Portland 97204. 3,000,000 yen (approximately US$25,500); 1 entries. Awards: $3000. For prospectus, send SASE May 2 entry deadline sub-grand prize, 1,000,000 yen (approximately to Crafts National 31, Zoller Gallery, 210 Patterson Staten Island, New York “Staten Island Bien­ US$8500); and 3 gold prizes, 500,000 yen (ap­ Building, Penn State University, University Park nial Juried Craft Exhibition” (July 25—January 4, proximately US$4250). Contact the Executive 16802; or telephone (814) 865-0444. 1998). Juried from slides. Cash awards. For pro­ Committee, International Decorative Ceramics March 19 entry deadline spectus, send SASE to Staten Island Institute of Fair ’97, Komatsu City Hall, 91 Konmade-machi, Lincoln, California “Feats of Clay X” (May Arts and Sciences, Department CM, 75 Stuyvesant Komatsu, Ishikawa 923; or fax 81-761-23-2000, 21-June 14). Juried from slides. Juror: Ken Place, Staten Island 10301-1998. e-mail http://www.nsknet.or.jp/komatsu/iroe/ Ferguson. Cash and purchase awards. For pro­ June 1 entry deadline March 9 entry deadline spectus, send legal-size SASE to Lincoln Arts, Post Appleton, Wisconsin “The Native American Sacramento, California “Matrix International Office Box 1166, Lincoln 95648. Experience” (October 3-December 13), open to ’97” (April 9-May 2). Juried from slides. Fee: $8 March 26 entry deadline works by Native American artists; will select 4—6. per work; up to 5 entries. Awards: $25 hono­ Greensburg and Youngwood, Pennsylvania Juried from 4—6 slides plus resume and artist’s rarium to each accepted artist, plus cash awards. “Westmoreland Art Nationals” (June 2-15 and statement. Contact the Appleton Art Center, 130 For prospectus, send SASE to Matrix Gallery, 1518 July 3-6). Juried from slides. Awards: $23,000; North Morrison Street, Appleton 54911; or tele­ Del Paso Boulevard, Sacramento 95815. best of both shows, $1000; best of each, $700. phone (414) 733-4089. April 5 entry deadline Send legal-size SASE with 64<£ stamp to West­ June 14 entry deadline Komatsu, Japan “Kutani International Deco­ moreland Art Nationals, RD 2, Box355A, Latrobe, Burlington, Vermont “The Ubiquitous Bowl rative Ceramics Competition ’97” Ceramic Works Pennsylvania 15650. III” (September 19-October 27). Juried from up Category (October 3—12), open to earthenware or April 1 entry deadline to 6 slides. Entry fee: $10. For prospectus, send porcelain works decorated with overglaze and/or Portland, Oregon “The Mirror as a Reflector of SASE to Vermont State Craft Center, Frog Hollow underglaze. Juried from 2 slides. No fee. Entrants Viewer and Artist” (June 6-29), open to mirrors on the Marketplace, 85 Church Street, Burlington can apply to both categories (see above). Awards: and sculpture that incorporate mirrors. Juried 05401; or telephone (802) 863-6458. 1 grand prize, 3,000,000 yen (approximately from slides (with SASE), resume and artist’s state­ June 20 entry deadline US$25,500); 1 sub-grand prize, 1,000,000 yen ment. Contact BonaKeane Gallery, 205 South­ Florence, Alabama “Kennedy-Douglass Cen­ (approximately US$8500); and 3 gold prizes, west Pine Street, Portland 97204. ter for the Arts 1997 Monarch National Ceramic 500,000 yen (approximately US$4250). For fur­ Appleton, Wisconsin “Let the Games Begin” Competition” (September 8—October 17). Juried ther information, contact the Executive Commit­ (August 15—September 27), open to games made from slides. Fee: $15 for up to 3 works. Awards: tee, International Decorative Ceramics Fair ’97, in any medium. Juried from slides, proposal, almost $5000. For prospectus, send SASE to Ken- Komatsu City Hall, 91 Konmade-machi, Komat­ resume and artist’s statement. Contact the Apple­ nedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, Ceramic Com­ su, Ishikawa 923; or fax 81-761-23-2000, e-mail ton Art Center, 130 North Morrison Street, petition, 217 E. Tuscaloosa St., Florence 35630. http://www.nsknet.or.jp/komatsu/iroe/ Appleton 54911; or telephone (414) 733-4089. Middlebury, Vermont“Folk Expressions” (Sep­ May 1 entry deadline April 3 entry deadline tember 12-November 2), open to all media. Ju­ Nyon, Switzerland “Fifth Triennial of Porce­ Tampa, Florida “Soft, Hard, Rough, Smooth ried from slides or photos. Fee: $10 for up to 6 lain” (June 19-October 11, 1998). Juried from Exhibition (May 3-June 27), open to works that entries. Send SASE to Vermont State Craft Center, slides. Awards include first prize of 10,000 SFr can or must be perceived by more than one of the Frog Hollow, One Mill Street, Middlebury 05753; (approximately US$7350). Contact International senses. Juried from slides. Entry fee: $25. For or telephone (802) 388-3177. Triennial of Porcelain, Secretary’s Office, 18, ch. application, send SASE to Artists Unlimited, Soft, du Pelard, 1197 Prangins, Switzerland; telephone Hard, Rough, Smooth Exhibition, 223 N. 12th Regional Exhibitions or fax (41) 21-801-70-71. St., Tampa 33602; or telephone (813) 229-5958. June 1 entry deadline April 4 entry deadline March 10 entry deadline Carouge, Switzerland “International Ceramic Tempe, Arizona “Tempe Tea Party” (May 23— Winston-Salem, North Carolina “Spotlight ’97” Competition” (September 27-November 30 and July 27), open to craft and sculpture depicting or (June 21-August 3), open to craft artists, 18 years December-January 1998), open to terra-cotta, including the teapot form and/or related items, or older, residing in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, glazed earthenware, stoneware or porcelain works such as cups, saucers, etc. Juried from 3 slides Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Caro­ up to 30 centimeters (approximately 12 inches) in (including 2 detail) per work. Fee: $20 for up to lina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and height depicting three chess men: the pawn, king 5 entries. Awards: $1000. Jurors: Heather Line- West Virginia. Juried from slides of up to 3 works. and a third piece left to the individual’s choice. berry, head curator, Arizona State University Art Juror: Kate Carmel, chief curator and assistant Juried from 2 slides of the work entered and short Museum; and Kurt Weiser, professor of ceramics, director of Curatorial Affairs, American Craft resume (30 lines maximum). Awards: 7500 SFr Arizona State University. For prospectus, send Museum. Entry fee: $18. For prospectus, contact (approximately US$5500), first place; plus 2 self-addressed mailing label and stamp to Tempe Kelly Persons, Piedmont Craftsmen, 1204 Arts Center, Post Office Box 549, Tempe 85280- Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem 27104; or tele­ Regional exhibitions must be open to more than one 0549; or telephone (602) 968-0888. phone (910) 725-1516. state. Send announcements of juried exhibitions, fairs, April 16 entry deadline May 2 entry deadline festivals and sales at least four months before the Milwaukee, Wisconsin “Metamorphosis: A Ju­ Kingston, Rhode Island “Earthworks: Open event’s entry deadline (add one month for listings in ried Exhibit” (May 18—June 13). Juried from Juried Clay Annual” (May 8-24), open to current July and two months for those in August) to Call for slides. Fee: $20 for up to 3 slides. For prospectus, and former Rhode Island residents or students. Entries, Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 6102, send SASE to Constance Lindholm Fine Art, 3955 Juried from actual work. Juror: Mary Barringer. Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102. Fax (614) 891- North Prospect, Milwaukee 53211; or, for further Fee: $5 per entry; up to 6 entries. Cash awards. For 8960; e-mail [email protected] information, telephone (414) 964-6220. prospectus, send #10 SASE to Earthworks, South

March 1997 67 Milwaukee, Wisconsin “Morning Glory Craft Call for Entries Fair” (August9—10).Juriedfrom4 slides. Awards: $1000. Send SASE to Barb Pelowski, 8040 South 66th Street, Franklin, Wisconsin 53132. County Art Association, 2587 Kingstown Road, Sheboygan, Wisconsin* 27 th Outdoor Arts Fes­ Kingston 02881. tival” (July 19-20). Juried from 5 slides of work. Entry fee: $15. Booth fee: $70 for a lOxlO-foot Fairs, Festivals and Sales space. Contact John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Post Office Box 489, Sheboygan 53082-0489; or March 10 entry deadline telephone (414) 458-6144. Guilford, Connecticut “The 40th Annual April 5 entry deadline Guilford Handcrafts Exposition” (July 17-19). Chautauqua, New York “Crafts Festivals ’97” Juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $20. Booth fee: (July 11-13 and/or August 15-17). Juried from 3 $360 or $410 for aOx 1 12-foot space. Cash awards. slides of work plus 1 of display. Entry fee: $ 10 per For application, send SASE to 40th Guilford show. Booth fee: $150 per show. For prospectus, Handcrafts Exposition, Post Office Box 589, send business-size SASE to Devon Taylor, Festivals Guilford 06437. Director, Chautauqua Crafts Alliance, Post Of­ March 12 entry deadline fice Box 89, Mayville, New York 14757-0089. Madison, Wisconsin “Art Fair on the Square” April 15 entry deadline (July 12-13). Juried from slides. Entry fee: $24. Chicago, Illinois “Chicago’s New East Side Booth fee: $265. No commission. Contact the ArtWorks” (August 15-17). Juried from 4 slides. Madison Art Center, 211 State Street, Madison Fee: $15. Booth fee: $235 fora 10x12-foot space; 53703; or telephone (608) 257-0158. $260 for a corner space. Contact Chicago’s New March 14 entry deadline East Side ArtWorks, Post Office Box 470620, Findlay, Ohio “Findlay Area Arts Festival” Chicago 60647; telephone (312) 551 -9290 or fax (June 7-8). Juried from 3 slides of work, resume (312) 541-1271. and cover letter describing proposed work (with Pontiac, Michigan “Art Birmingham in legal-size SASE). Entry fee: $5. Booth fee: $60 for Pontiac” (June 7-8). Juried from 4 slides of work a 10x10-foot space; $85 for a 7x8-foot, sheltered plus 1 of booth (with business-size SASE). Entry space (limited). Awards: $4750. For application, fee: $25. Booth fee: $230 fora 10x10 space; $440 contact Findlay Area Arts Council, 112 West for a 10x20; corner, extra $50. Contact Art Bir­ Front Street, Findlay 45840; or telephone (419) mingham in Pontiac, 23534 Van Horn, Browns- 422-3412, fax (419) 422-2765. town, Michigan 48134; telephone (313) 783- March 15 entry deadline 3830 or fax (313) 783-3852. Clinton, Iowa* hit in the Park” (June 14-15). Dublin, Ohio “Dublin Women’s Club Festi­ Juried from 4 slides of work plus 1 of display. val of the Arts” (September 6—7). Juried from a Entry fee: $5. Booth fee: $70 for a 12x12-foot minimum of 5 slides/photos of work plus 1 of space. No commission. Cash awards. SendSASE to display (with SASE). Fee: $75, refundable if not Art in the Park, Box 2164, Clinton 52733; or accepted into show. Awards. Contact Marlie telephone Carol Glahn (319) 259-8308. Morin, 8131 Crossgate Ct., N, Dublin 43017. March 19 entry deadline May 1 entry deadline Lincoln, California “Lincoln Clayfest” (May Columbus, Indiana “Chautauqua of the Arts” 17).Juried from slides or photos. Booth fee:$50 (September 20-21). Juried from 3 slides of work for a 10x10-foot space;$65 for a 10x20.For plus 1 of display (with SASE). Entry fee: $10. application, send legal-size SASE to Lincoln Booth fees vary. Contact Dixie McDonough, Clayfest, Post Office Box 154, Lincoln95648; Chautauqua for of the Arts, 1119 West Main Street, further information, telephone(916) 645-6000.Madison, Indiana 47250-3013. March 30 entry deadline Richmond, Virginia “ 3 3rd Annual Hand Work­ Portland, Oregon “Art in the Pearl” (August shop Craft and Design Show” (November 7-9). 30-September 1). Juried from 5 slides. Fee: $15. Juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $15.Booth fee: Booth fee: $300 for a 10x10-foot space. No $275for a 10x10-foot space;$410 for a 10x15; commission. For prospectus, send SASE to Art in $550for a 10x20.For application, contact the the Pearl, Post Office Box 629, West Linn, Or­ Hand Workshop, 1812West Main Street, Rich­ egon 97068. mond 23220; or telephone(804) 353-0094, fax March 31 entry deadline (804) 353-8018. La Jolla, California “1997 La Jolla Festival of May 5 entry deadline the Arts and Food Faire” (June 14-15). Juried Tampa Bay, Florida “ACC Craft Fair” (De­ from photos. For application, send SASE to La Jolla cember 5-7). Juried from slides. For application, Festival of the Arts and Food Faire Artist Com­ contact American Craft Council, 21 South Eltings mittee, 4130 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 10717, Corner Road, Highland, New York 12528; or San Diego, California 92037. telephone (800) 836-3470. April 1 entry deadline Charlotte, North Carolina “ACC Craft Fair” Saint Louis, Missouri “Saint Louis Art Fair” (December 11-14). Juried from slides. For appli­ (September 5-7). Juried from 4 slides of work cation, contact American Craft Council, 21 South plus 1 of display. Entry fee: $20. Awards: $18,000. Eltings Corner Road, Highland, New York 12528; For prospectus, send name and address to Saint or telephone (800) 836-3470. Louis Art Fair, 2 Mark Twain Circle, Saint Louis Bellevue, Washington “ACC Craft Fair” (Sep­ 63105; or telephone (314) 863-0278. tember 19-21). Juried from slides. For applica­ Morristown, New Jersey “21st Annual Mor­ tion, contact American Craft Council, 21 South ristown CraftMarket” (October 24-26). Juried Eltings Corner Road, Highland, New York 12528; from 5 slides. Fee: $20. For application, send SASE or telephone (800) 836-3470. to Morristown CraftMarket-CM, Post Office Box May 16 entry deadline 2305, Morristown 07962. Boston, Massachusetts “Crafts at the Castle” Spokane, Washington1 Inland Craft Warnings” (December 5-9). Juried from 5 slides. Fee: $25. (October 24-26). Juried from 5 slides and 1-page Booth fee: $500-$725. For application, send name resume (with SASE). For application form, send and address to Gretchen Keyworth, Crafts at the business-size SASE to G. Freuen, Inland Craft Castle, Family Service of Greater Boston, 34½ Warnings, 15205 Shady Slope Rd., Spokane Beacon Street, Boston 02108; fax (617) 523- 99208; or fax (509) 466-5218. 3034, or e-mail www.fsgb.org

68 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 69 found the solution. I use a bass guitar string, tube out and remove the paper.—Glen B. Suggestions attaching each end to the curve of a 3-inch U Blakley, Saint George, Utah From Readers bolt. A piece of metal spanning the end of each U bolt (which is held in place with nuts)Softbrick Tile Setters gives a ready grip. Not only does the wire not Inexpensive tile setters can be made by Studio Foot Wear break when cutting a platter from a bat, but cutting corresponding grooves in two Rubber gardening shoes are great in the my fingers are no longer sore from the wire. —softbrick, as illustrated. This can be done studio. They keep your feet clean and dry, Mona Arritt, Huntington, W.Va. and can be washed off as often as needed.— Janet Lipow, Riverside, Conn. Slab Slip When building a slab pot by wrapping it Platter Cut-off Wires around a cylindrical form, such as a rug or I have begun throwing large platters this paper tube, cover the tube with newspaper past year and had gone through more cut-off and tuck in the ends. After the pot is con­ wires than I care to mention when I finally structed, it is then a simple matter to lift the

easily by making two parallel 1-inch-deep cuts with an old saw, then scraping out the grooves by making several passes over each with a handheld chisel or screwdriver. Once the grooves are established, the bricks should be cleaned thoroughly (a vacuum works well), and a kiln wash (such as 50% alumina and 50% kaolin) applied inside the grooves. Tile can then be placed in the setters and fired. An added benefit to using grooved softbricks as tile setters is that it is possible to fire tiles of various sizes.—Dwain Naragon, Westfield, III.

Wadding Mold Drill a series of holes with a carpenter’s countersink into a block of pottery plaster to make a great press mold for salt-firing wad­ ding (stilts). The resulting small cone shapes elevate pieces well and are reusable if bisqued first.—Robert Ellert, Blachly, Ore.

Cleanup Brush A 3-inch paintbrush makes an excellent cleanup tool. With a little water, you can easily wash away the most resistant silica packed into bucket crevices or on tools. Mine doubles as the kiln-wash brush, as I use it solely for clays.—John Feesey, Rossland, Brit­ ish Columbia

Recycled Ribs and Scrapers I use my outdated college meal card as a rib and general cleaning/scraping tool. Ex­ pired credit and ATM cards can be used as ribs and scrapers as well.—Joanna Marino, Bellingham, Mass.

Tracking Work Maintaining an old-fashioned index card file box and a 3x5-inch card for each piece

70 CERAMICS MONTHLY

Suggestions plastic triangles that draftsmen use to keep pencils from rolling off the board. You can buy these triangles at office or art allows me to keep track of everything from supply stores for about 25 <£ each. They come start to finish. I date each card, record iden­ in a number of colors so you can even color tifying information and update at every stage,code your tools.—Bonnie Fleck, Temple Ter­ moving the card through categories in the race, Fla. box. The categories include “created,” “trimmed,” “bisqued,” “glazed” and “com­ Rattling Ratdes pleted.” Additionally, I have sections for For perfect rattling rattles or maracas, “ideas,” “glazes” and “requests.” Recording bisque several pea-sized clay balls to seal into the information takes moments and saves a the greenware. If the balls are not bisqued lot of search time in the class/studio.—-Janet first, they have a tendency to clump together; Lipow, Riverside, Conn. then, after the rattle is fired, an unpleasant clunking sound is produced instead of a nice Recycled Kitchen Tools rolling, rattling sound. Shop the housewares section of your local Experiment with the sound by varying the second-hand store for inexpensive kitchen size of the balls and using two to three times utensils that can be given a second life in youras many as you normally use.—-Jeannie Cole, studio. Rubber spatulas, plastic scrapers, Broomfield, Colo. wooden spoons and mallets are in abun­ dance. Garlic presses make fun little extrud­ Dispensing Grog ers. Egg beaters can be attached to an electric We often place grog under large, heavy drill for low-volume mixing. Sieves and strain­pieces to allow expansion and contraction ers always come in handy. And don’t forget amovement during firing. A neat and tidy way dishrack for storing them all.—Van Moore, to dispense the grog (or sand) is from a College Park, Md. “retired” dish detergent bottle that has been thoroughly rinsed and dried. The grains of Drip Guard grog or sand will flow neatly and evenly in a When throwing on a wheel without a directable stream through the reclosable bottle splash pan, put a water bucket with a wire top, which does not need to be modified in handle and a large sponge next to the wheel any way. head to catch any errant drips or splashes. Other powders that we have dispensed Simply allow the handle to drop down over this way include dry ash (onto wet glazes) and the sponge, securing it to the side of the talc (into press molds). The bottle’s contents bucket, then align with the wheel head.—-Jeffcan be easily labeled with a permanent Oestreich, Taylors Falls, Minn. marker.—Ellen Baker, Glacier, Wash.

Trapping Trimmings Weighing Small Amounts To keep trimming scraps from flying When I do glaze tests, I use one-half the everywhere, construct a collar from 1-inch- recipe (a 50-gram batch). Sometimes this thick upholstery foam. Purchase a piece that means it is very difficult to weigh the colorant; is a couple of inches longer than the circum­ e.g., cobalt oxide. To solve the problem, I mix ference of the wheel pan, and about 6 inches 5 grams of colorant in 20 milliliters water and wide. Overlap and glue the ends, making sure 5 milliliters CMC (to help with suspension the resulting loop fits snugly around the pan. for a short time). When trimming, simply slide the foam ring Using a 1-, 2- or 3-milliliter syringe, I around the wheel pan and...voila...no more measure the correct amount, writing on the scraps taking flight.—Irene Baker, Victoria, container the colorant measurement: 1 gram B.C., Canada = 5 milliliters; 0.5 gram = 2.5 milliliters; 0.1 gram = 0.5 milliliter; 0.01 gram = 0.05 Canvas Flats milliliter.—Kuniko Fujisaki, Baton Rouge, La. For large, flat-bottomed pieces, I use a circle of heavy canvas the same size of the Dollars for Your Ideas wheel head and secure it with an inch-and-a- Ceramics Monthly pays $10for each sugges­ half-wide band of slip around the circumfer­ tion published; submissions are welcome indi­ ence. No need to use a cut-ofFwire. Just peel vidually or in quantity. Include an illustration off the canvas when the pot is firm enough.—or photograph to accompany your suggestion Gigi Sharpe, Wyndmoor, Penn. and we willpay $10 more if wepublish it. Mail ideas to Suggestions, Ceramics Monthly, Post Tool Stops Office Box 6102, Westerville, Ohio 43086- Tools keep rolling away? Too slippery 6102; fax to (614) 891-8960; or e-mail to when wet? Try sliding on one of those soft editorial@ceramicsmonthly. org

CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 73 Wyoming, Laramie April 7-19 “International Calendar Ceramics Symposium.” Contact Phyllis Kloda, Univ. ofWyoming, P. O. Box 3138, Fine Arts Bldg., Events to Attend—Conferences, Rm. 229, Laramie 82071; or [email protected] Exhibitions, Workshops, Fairs Canada, Ontario, London May 23-25 “Form, Function and Philosophy,” Fusion’s annual con­ ference, will include slide presentations and dem­ onstrations with Wayne Ngan and Ellen Shankin. Conferences Fee: Can$250 (approximately US$180); students/ seniors, Can$215 (approximately US$ 155); mem­ Hawaii, Honolulu March 19—24“ Aha Hana Lima bers, Can$195 (approximately US$140). Lodg­ (A Gathering of Crafts),” Hawaii Craftsmen’s ing is available. Contact Fusion: The Ontario annual workshop series, includes slide lectures, Clay and Glass Association, Gardener’s Cottage, exhibition and workshops with four guest artists, 225 Confederation Drive, Scarborough, Ontario including Karen Koblitz, potter and tile maker. MIG 1B2; or telephone (416) 438-8946, fax Telephone (808) 596-8128. (416) 438-0192. Kentucky, Louisville March 21-22 “Craft Mar­ Canada, Ontario, Toronto April 23—26 “The keting in a Changing Environment” will include Makers of Masterpieces: Romance and Reality,” keynote address by Carol Sedestrom Ross, direc­ the seventh annual Decorative Arts Institute, will tor of craft marketing for George Little Manage­ include lectures, panel discussions and workshops, ment, plus workshops on booth design, pricing, exploring the complex and changing relationships financial planning, writing a business plan, and between the designers of objects and the artisans computers. Registration deadline: March 14. Fee/ who make them, from medieval times to the end 2 days: Kentucky residents, $45; nonresidents, of the 20th century. Fee: Can$325 (approxi­ $60; students, $30. Fee/1 day: residents, $30; mately US$230); members/seniors, Can$275 (ap­ nonresidents, $45; students, $15. For further in­ proximately US$195); full-time students, formation, telephone the Kentucky Art and Craft Can$160 (approximately US$115). For further Foundation, (502) 589-0102. information, contact the Royal Ontario Museum, Maryland, Baltimore June 27-29 “Cermatech (416) 586-8080. ’97,” a technical conference and trade show for England, London April l6“QX^y Books, Pots and studio potters and ceramic manufacturers, will Prints: Conceptual Shifts and the Mona Lisa,” include technical solution sessions, workshops, conference in conjunction with “Hot off the Press” marketing/retail sessions and exhibitions. For fur­ exhibition, will include lectures by Stephanie ther information, contact Ceramic Manufactur­ Brown, Les Lawrence, Grayson Perry and Linda ers Association, 1100-H Brandywine Boulevard, Sandino. Contact Sarah Mossop, Gallery Educa­ Post Office Box 2188, Zanesville, Ohio 43702- tion Officer, Craft Council, 44a Pentonville Road, 2188; or telephone (614) 452-4541, fax (614) London N1 9BY; or Paul Scott, No. 2, Holly 452-2552. Cottage, Blencogo, Wigton, Cumbria CA7 OBZ. Nevada, Las Vegas April2-5 “Guilty Pleasures,” Or contact Les Lawrence, 2097 Valley View Bou­ National Council on Education for the Ceramic levard, El Cajon, California 92019; telephone Arts annual conference. Contact Regina Brown, (619) 447-6504. Executive Secretary, NCECA,Post Office Box May 10 “London Clay: Urban Studio Ceramics” 1677,Bandon, Oregon 97411; or telephone (800) will include lectures on the first 50 years of studio 99-NCECA. pottery, Lucie Rie and Hans Coper’s London North Carolina, Asheboro March 7-9 “10th years, ceramics in the London art schools in the North Carolina Potters Conference” will include 1950s and ’60s, contemporary architectural ce­ sessions with Linda Dixon and Drew Krouse, and ramics, and London as a provincial capital; plus a Jeff Oestreich, plus Mary-Ann Prack, Ann Riggs, panel discussion. Fee: £38 (approximately US$60), Tim Turner and David Voorhees. Limited space. includes lunch, coffee and tea. For tickets, send For further information, contact Randolph Arts SASE to London Clay Conference, Box Office, Guild, (910) 629-0399. Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, North Carolina, Winston-Salem June 21-22 South Kensington, London SW7 2RL. “Revisiting the Community of Crafts,” an Amer­ ican Craft Council Southeast Region mini-con- Solo Exhibitions ference, will include workshops, studio tours and the “Spotlight ’97” exhibition. For further infor­ Arizona, Scottsdale March 14 Tammy Garcia; at mation, contact Kelly Persons, Piedmont Crafts­ Gallery 10, 7045 Third Avenue. men, 1204 Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem Arizona, Sun City through March 16 Christine 27104; or telephone (910) 725-1516. Pendergrass; at Sun Cities Museum of Art, 17425 Pennsylvania, Philadelphia April 12 “Ch’ing North 115th Avenue. Ceramics: Acquisition and Transformation,” ad­ Arizona, Tucson through March 8 Linda Brewer, dressing the issue of Chinese ceramics acquisition handbuilt animal figures; at Pink Adobe Gallery, during the 17th to early 20th centuries. Speakers 6538 East Tanque Verde Road. include Julia Curtis, Chuimei Ho, Stephen Little, California, San Francisco through March 23 Beatrice Rosemary Scott and Jan Stuart. Also includes the Wood, “The Lustre of 104”; at the San Francisco exhibition “Solid Bone and Luminous Flesh: Craft and Folk Art Museum, Landmark Building Ch’ing Dynasty Ceramics.” Fee: $30; museum A, Fort Mason. members, students, seniors, $20. For further in­ through May 13 Robert Arneson, “Self Self-Por- formation, contact Emilie Bretz, Division of Edu­ trayed”; at the San Francisco Museum of Modern cation, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Art, 151 Third Street. 19101-7646; or telephone (215) 684-7605. California, Santa Monica through March 8 John Mason, sculpture and drawings for monumental Send announcements of conferences, exhibitions, ju­ sculpture; at Frank Lloyd Gallery, 2525 Michigan ried fairs, workshops and other events at least two Avenue, B5B. months before the month of opening (add one month D.C, Washington March 2-July 6 Ah-Leon, for listings in July; two months for those in August) to “Bridge: Illusion in Clay”; at Arthur M. Sackler Calendar, Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 6102, Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 1050 Indepen­ Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102. Fax (614) 891- dence Avenue, Southwest. 8960; [email protected] Indiana, Bloomington through March 15 Mag-

74 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 75 Calendar

dalene Odundo, “Ceramic Gestures”; at the Indi­ ana University Museum of Art. Kansas, Emporia March 3—28 Dale Allison- Hartley, “Clay and Paper”; at the Emporia Arts Council. Louisiana, New Orleans April 1—30 Gregory Zeorlin sculpture; at Cole Pratt Gallery, 3800 Magazine Street. Massachusetts, Northampton March 22-April 27Emmett Leader, “Judaica”; at Ferrin Gallery, 179 Main. Michigan, East Lansing through March 25Martha Rosenfeld, “Out of This World,” ceramic sculp­ ture and paintings; at Mackerel Sky Gallery of Contemporary Craft, Ann Street Plaza, 217 Ann Street. Michigan, Ferndale March 8-April 19 Tony Hepburn, “Towards Hybridity”; at Revolution, 23257 Woodward Avenue. Michigan, Pontiac through March 28 Thom Bohnert; at Shaw Guido Gallery, 7 N. Saginaw St. Montana, Helena March 7-April 6 Betsy Rosenmiller; at Holter Museum of Art, 12 East Lawrence Street. New Hampshire, Bow through March 20 Cheryl Haynes, “ripple splash drip”; at the Open Studio, 557 Route 3-A. New York, New York through March 22 Bradley Sunnarborg installation and drawings; at Jane Hartsook Gallery, Greenwich House Pottery, 16 Jones Street. through April 5 “Russian Design from Old to New,” porcelain eggs by Yuri Petrochenkov; at the Forbes Magazine Galleries, 62 Fifth Avenue. Oregon, Medford March 7-April ItfMitch Lyons, “Clay Monoprints”; at Rogue Gallery, 40 South Bartlett Street. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia March 7-30 Leroy Johnson, mixed-media sculptures. Philip Cornelius, porcelain vessels based on the teapot. Alison Paschke. April 4—27 Beth J. Leggiere. Kevin Mullavey; at the Clay Studio, 139 North Second Street. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh through April 23 Dale Huffman, new work. March 28-May 21 David White, English majolica. April 25—June 18 James Brashear, wood-fired ceramics; at the Clay Place, 5416 Walnut Street. April 7-May 2 Winnie Owens-Hart, contempo­ rary vessels and sculpture; at Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, 1815 Metropolitan Street. Tennessee, Smithville March3-31 Helen Phillips, sculpture. April 21-May 3 Bret Tadlock, B.F.A. senior exhibition; at Appalachian Center for Crafts, 1560 Craft Center Drive. Texas, Abilene through March dTLee Akins, vessels and sculpture; at Amy Graves Ryan Fine Arts Gallery, McMurry University. Texas, Houston April 26-May 31 Douglas Kenney, relief tiles and large plates; at Artables Gallery, 2625 Colquitt. Washington, Kirkland through April 6 Jeanne Waters, sculpture; at Anderson Glover Gallery, 303 Kirkland Avenue. Wisconsin, Milwaukee March 1-31 Lady Kathleen E, Ferguson-Huntington, “Move Over Faberge,” 12 small ceramic and mixed-media sculp­ tures; at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, 273 East Erie Street.

Group Ceramics Exhibitions California, Berkeley through April 1 Exhibition of works by Randy and Jan Johnston; at Trax Gal­ lery, 1306 Third Street. Continued

76 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 77 Museum Collection”; at the Crocker Art Mu­ Florida, Tallahassee through March 23 “Phillip Calendar seum, 216 0 Street. Ward Memorial Ceramics Exhibition”; at the California, San Francisco through March 12 LeMoyne Art Foundation, 125 N. Gadsden St. “Smashing Clay,” with ceramic sculpture by Ri­ Georgia, Roswell through March 14 “Fireworks,” California, Claremont through March 23 “53rd chard Burkett, Lisa Clague, Kelly Connole, Mitch ceramics by Rachel Jones, Ellen McManus and Ceramic Annual Exhibition”; at Ruth Chandler Durkee, Steve Frederick, Joanne Hayakawa, Les Margaret Patterson; at the Potters Guild, 603 Williamson Gallery, Scripps College, Eleventh Lawrence, Hunter McGee, Mark Messenger, Joel Atlanta Street. and Columbia streets. Mesnikoff, Marie T. Rodes, Eric Van Eimeren Illinois, Carbondale April23—May 31 “Clay Cup California, Davis April 4-May 3 “1997 Califor­ and Fred Yee; at Bucheon Gallery, 355 Hayes St. VI”; at University Museum, Southern Illinois nia Clay Competition”; at the Artery, 207 G St. California, Santa Cruz March 8—April 27 “Time University at Carbondale. California, La Jolla through March 29 “Ceramic and Place: 50 Years of Santa Cruz Studio Ceram­ Illinois, Chicago through March 30“ Eighteenth- Artists of San Diego” juried exhibition; at Gallery ics”; at the Museum of Art and History, McPherson Century French Vincennes-Sevres Porcelain”; at Alexander, 7850 Girard Avenue. Center, 705 Front Street. Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave. California, Riverside March 29-April 26“\nttT- Florida, Coral Gables through March 23“ Formed Maryland, Baltimore through April 4 “Shades of national Collegiate Ceramic Competition”; at in Clay: Florida Ceramic Artists,” with works by Shino.” April 11-May 17 “Edges and Bound­ Riverside Art Museum, 3425 Seventh Street. Susan Banks, Dan Gunderson, John Foster, Russ aries,” ceramics by rural Maryland artists; at Bal­ California, Sacramento through March 30 “Ce­ Gustafson-Hilton, Pete Kuentzel, Harvey Sadow timore Clayworks, 5706 Smith Avenue. ramic Sculpture.” through Spring “Essays in Por­ and Nan Smith; at the New Gallery, University of Maryland, Rockville through March 7 “Ceramic celain: Recent Ceramics from the Crocker Art Miami, 1300 Campo Sano Dr. Sculpture Invitational: Go Figure,” with works by Sergei Isupov, Marilyn Lysohir, Kirk Mangus, Donna Polseno and Patrick Siler; at Montgomery College, Rockville Campus Art Building, 51 Mannakee Street. Massachusetts, Boston March 1-April 27 “Five Perspectives,” focusing on five areas of ceramics: formal, narrative, figurative, functional and cul­ tural influences; will include works by Adrian Arleo, Jill Bonovitz, Robert Brady, Indira Freitas Johnson, Randy Johnston, Jun Kaneko and Matt Nolen; at the Society of Arts and Crafts, 175 Newbury Street. March 3—April 25 “Emerging Artists • Clay”; at the Society of Arts and Crafts, 101 Arch Street. Massachusetts, Ipswich March 1-31 “Ocean- lines. ” April 5—3 0“T iles, T ables and T ableaux”; at Ocmulgee Pottery and Gallery, 317 High Street, Route 1A. Massachusetts, Lexington March2-29“The State of Clay,” juried exhibition of works by Massachu­ setts artists; at the Lexington Arts and Crafts Society, 130 Waltham Street. Massachusetts, Worcester April 4-May 70 Exhi­ bition of pottery by resident artist Robbie Lobell plus Mary Barringer and Scott Goldberg; at Worcester Center for Crafts, 25 Sagamore Road. Minnesota, Bloomington April25—June 14“Fire in the Woods”; at Bloomington Art Center, 10206 Penn Avenue, South. Minnesota, Saint Paul March 14-May 2 Installa­ tions by Steven Thurston and Janet Williams; at Northern Clay Center, 2375 University Ave., W. Nevada, Las Vegas through April 11 “1997 NCECA Clay National”; at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas Barrick Museum. New Jersey, Newark through Spring 1997 “The Printed Pot: Transfer-Printed Ceramics, 1750-1990”; at the Newark Museum, 49 Wash­ ington Street. New York, New York through March 5 “Tile: Art and Environment,” works by Lynda Curtis, Frank Giorgini, Edith Gwathemy, Thomas Lollar, Sylvia Netzer, Liz Rudey, Richard Rudich, Judith Block Solomon, Julie Tesser, Susan Tunick and Bruce Winn; at Bank Street College of Education Exhi­ bition Space, 610 West 112 Street. March 19-26“Ceramic Sculpture from Han and Tang China”; at Eskenazi, Ltd., 28 E. 78th St. April 3—May 3 “Artists on Their Own,” juried exhibition of nonrepresented artists; at Jane Hartsook Gallery, Greenwich House Pottery, 16 Jones Street. New York, Rochester March 7-29“ The Cushings: Father and Son,” works by Val and Eric Cushing; at Shoestring Gallery, Brighton Commons at Twelve Corners, 1855 Monroe Avenue. North Carolina, Asheville through March 26Ex­ hibition of ceramics by Peter and J udy Rose; at the Folk Art Center, Milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

78 CERAMICS MONTHLY North Carolina, Charlotte through August 24 “Florida’s National Endowment for the Arts and Iowa, Ames March 9-April 20 “Clay, Fiber, Pa­ “The Ceramic Art of North Carolina”; at Mint Southern Arts Federation Grant Award Recipi­ per, Glass, Metal and Wood Exhibition”; at Oc­ Museum of Art, 2730 Randolph Road. ents Exhibition,” including ceramics by Linda tagon Center for the Arts, 427 Douglas Avenue. Ohio, Wooster March 20-April 12 “Functional Arbuckle, Christine Federighi, Peter Kuentzel, Kansas, Topeka March 29-April 30 “Topeka Ceramics 1997,” exhibition of works by 25 pot­ Sang Roberson and Nan Smith; at Florida Crafts­ Competition 21”; at Gallery of Fine Arts, Topeka ters from across the United States; at Wayne men Gallery, 501 Central Avenue. and Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 South­ Center for the Arts, 237 South Walnut Street. Florida, Tampa through March 31 “8th Annual west Tenth Avenue. Pennsylvania, Millersville March 3-April 11 “Go Black and White Exhibition”; at Artists Unlim­ Kansas, Wichita March 1-April 3 “Art Show at Figure,” exhibition of figurative ceramics by Har­ ited, the Channel District, 223 N. 12th St. the Dog Show”; at the Foyer Gallery, Century II ris Nathan, Elyse Saperstein and Lanse Stover; at Georgia, Atlanta through April Exhibition cel­ Convention Center. the Sykes Gallery, Millersville University. ebrating 20th anniversary of the Decorative Art April 4-6 “Art Show at the Dog Show”; at the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia through April 30“ Solid Acquisition Trust; at the High Musuem of Art, Sunflower Cluster Dog Shows, Kansas Coliseum. Bone and Luminous Flesh: Ch’ing Dynasty Ce­ 1280 Peachtree Street, Northeast. Massachusetts, Northampton through March 30 ramics”; at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Ben­ Illinois, Chicago through May 10 “Eighth Annual “Celestial Seasonings: A Loose Interpretation II”; jamin Franklin Parkway. Teapots, Fun, Funky and Functional”; at Chiar­ at Ferrin Gallery, 179 Main. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh through March 26Jerry oscuro Galleries, 700 N. Michigan Ave. Massachusetts, Wellesley through July 14 “In­ Meek and Troy Meek, “Two Generations in Clay,” Illinois, Galesburg March 15-April5“?>1 st GALEX spiring Reform: Boston’s Arts and Crafts Move­ crystalline-glazed porcelain and raku; at the Clay National Exhibition/Competition”; at Galesburg ment”; at Davis Museum, Wellesley College, 106 Place, 5416 Walnut Street. Civic Art Center, 114 East Main Street. Central Street. Continued Texas, El Paso April 11-May 11 “From the Ground Up XVI,” juried exhibition of ceramics by re­ gional artists; at Los Paisanos Gallery, Chamizal National Park. Texas, Houston through March 22 ssels,” ex­ hibition ofworks by Judy Adams, Huey Beckham, V. Chin, John Foelber, Ritva Grunberg, Roy Hanscom, Joyce Jo, Tom Lammons, Monti Mayrend, Betty Polifka, Michael Unger; at Foelber Gallery, 706 Richmond. Texas, Lubbock March 7—28“Clay on the Wall”; at FOVA Gallery, Texas Tech University. Vermont, Montpelier through March 29“Spout it Out—An Exhibition of Teapots” made by New England artists, through April30 “Mud Season; a Statewide High School Ceramics Show”; at the Vermont Clay Studio, 24 Main Street. Virginia, Alexandria March 6—30 “Kiln Club Annual Juried Show”; at Scope Gallery, Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 North Union Street. Wyoming, Cheyenne March 1-April 1 “Clay Out West,” with works by Adrian Arleo, John Balistreri, Barbara Grygutis, Leah Hardy, Lola Logsdon, Brad Miller, Robert Stout and Richard Swanson; at the Laramie County Community College Fine Arts Gallery. Ceramics in Multimedia Exhibitions Arizona, Mesa April 29-May 31 “Vaguely Famil­ iar”; at Galeria Mesa, 155 North Center. Arizona, Sun City through April 20“ From China”; at Sun Cities Art Museum, 17425 N. 115th Ave. California, Palm Springs March 11-April 13 “28th Annual Juried Exhibition”; at Palm Springs Desert Museum, 101 Museum Drive. California, San Francisco March29—June 1 “Earth and Air,” includes ceramics by Ronna Neuen- schwander and Margaret Ford; at the San Fran­ cisco Craft and Folk Art Museum, Landmark Building A, Fort Mason. Colorado, Colorado Springs through March 12 “Urban Interpretations in Fiber, Clay, Photogra­ phy and Metals,” with ceramics by Daniel Ander­ son, Mary Jo Bole, Syd Carpenter and Matt Nolen; at Coburn Art Gallery at the Colorado College, Worner Campus Center, 902 North Cascade. D.C., Washington through April ^“Splendors of Imperial China: Treasures from the National Pal­ ace Museum, Taipei”; at the National Gallery of Art, Fourth St. at Constitution Ave., NW. through May 1 “An Invitation to Tea”; at the Freer Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution. Florida, Orlando March 21—May 4 Two-person exhibition including ceramic sculpture and an environmental installation by Barbara Sorensen; at Orlando City Hall’s Terrace Gallery, 400 South Orange Avenue. Florida, Saint Petersburg March 7-April 18

March 1997 79 Calendar

Massachusetts, Worcester March 14—April 26 “New Traditions ’97 Visiting Artists Exhibition,” including ceramics by Val Cushing; at Worcester Center for Crafts, 25 Sagamore Road. Montana, Helena March 7-April 27 “Curatorial Choice: A Northwest Survey,” including ceramics by Kerry Moosman; at Holter Museum of Art, 12 East Lawrence Street. New Mexico, Albuquerquethrough May 5>“Those Who Can, Teach It,” exhibition of works by staff members of the Very Special Arts New Mexico Enabled Arts Center, including ceramics byjoelle Baum, Richard Garriott-Stejskal and artist-in- residence Eddie Dominguez; at Very Special Arts Gallery, 2015 Yale Boulevard, Southeast. New York, Albany through May ^“Contempo­ rary New York State Crafts”; at the New York State Museum. New York, Bronx through April 2“Four Women in Form,” including ceramics by Ada Pilar Cruz and Kukull Velarde; at Hostos Art Gallery, Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture, 450 Grand Concourse. New York, Brooklyn through May 18 “Mistress of the House, Mistress of Heaven: Women in An­ cient Egypt”; at the Brooklyn Museum, 200 East­ ern Parkway. New York, Jamestown through March 15 “PhotoNominal ’97”; at the Forum Gallery, Jamestown Community College, 525 Falconer Street. New York, New Rochelle through March 30“Wit, Whimsy and Humor,” including ceramics by Justin Novak and Jose Vermeersch; at the Castle Gallery, College of New Rochelle. New York, New York April 10—June 29 “Master- works: Italian Design, 1960-1994,” part one of a two-part exhibition, this first exhibit examines work from the 1960s and ’70s; at the Bard Gradu­ ate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, 18 West 86th Street. North Carolina, Asheville through March 30“Sz- lections from the Guild’s Permanent Collection of Craft Objects.” April 6-May 25 “Annual Haywood Community College Graduating Stu­ dents Exhibition.” “New Members of the South­ ern Highland Craft Guild”; at the Folk Art Cen­ ter, Milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. April 18-July 5“A Hundred Mile Radius: Asheville, a Focal Point in the American Craft Movement”; at Blue Spiral 1, 38 Biltmore Avenue. Ohio, Akron through April 6 “Craft in the Ma­ chine Age 1920-1945”; at the Akron Art Mu­ seum, 70 East Market Street. Ohio, Columbus through March 6“Art Nouveau: 1890-1910.” March 16-April 13 “Contemporary Works of Faith ’97”; at Schumacher Gallery, Fourth Floor Library, Capital University. through April“\\7xh Student Exhibition”; at the Columbus College of Art and Design, V-Hall, Beaton Hall and Joseph V. Canzani Center. Ohio, Mansfield March 9-April 6 “Annual All- Ohio Juried Art Exhibition 1997”; at Pearl Conard Art Gallery, the Ohio State University at Mansfield, 1680 University Drive. Ohio, Toledo through May 11 “British Art Trea­ sures from Russian Imperial Collections in the Hermitage”; at the Toledo Museum of Art, 2445 Monroe Street. Oregon, Portland April 3-30 “Bauhaus Exhibi­ tion”; at Contemporary Crafts Gallery, 3934 Southwest Corbett Avenue. Tennessee, SmithvilleApril 1—30“ Emerging Pro­ fessional Artists Exhibition,” including ceramics by Steve Robison and Megan Walborn; at Appa-

80 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 81 Calendar

lachian Center for Crafts, 1560 Craft Center Dr. Texas, Dallas March 14-April 6 “Animal Krackers,” including ceramics by Randy Brodnax, Tom Edwards, Belinda Gabriel, Kate Jacobson, Susie Moody; at Carlyn Galerie, 6137 Luther Ln. Texas, Lubbock March3—April 18 “Metals, Etc.,” juried jewelry and metals exhibition; at Lubbock Fine Arts Center, 2600 Avenue P. Utah, Cedar City^4pnl3-25“56th Annual Exhi­ bition”; at Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, South­ ern Utah University, 351 West Center. Utah, Salt Lake City through April 6 “Utah Arts Council’s Visual Arts Fellowship Award Finalists 1997: A View of Eight,” including ceramics by Cynthia Jeppson; at the Salt Lake Art Center, 20 South West Temple. Virginia, Norfolk ylpri/25- June 29“ & Kzx. Center 7th Annual Mid-Atlantic Art Exhibition”; at d’Art Center, 125 College Place. West Virginia, Huntington March 16-June 8 “1997 Exhibition 280”; at Huntington Museum of Art, 2033 McCoy Road. Wisconsin, Oconomowoc through May 10 The “Eighth Annual Teapots, Fun, Funky and Func­ tional”; at Oconomowoc Gallery, 157 East Wis­ consin Avenue.

Fairs, Festivals and Sales Arizona, Phoenix March 15— 16“Heritage Square Clay Fair”; at Heritage Square. Arizona, Scottsdale March 7—9“The Scottsdale Arts Festival”; on Scottsdale Civic Center. California, San Francisco March 14—16 “Con­ temporary Crafts Market”; at the Pavilions at Fort Mason, Buchanan and Marina Boulevard. California, Santa Monica March 14-16“ Arts of Pacific Asia”; at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, corner of Pico and Main streets. May 3-5“Contemporary Crafts Market”; at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, corner of Pico and Main streets. California, Sierra Madre March 16 “Wistaria Festival Art Faire”; along Sierra Madre Boulevard and at Kersting Court. D.C., Washington April 24—27 “Smithsonian Craft Show”; at the National Building Museum, 401 F Street, Northwest. April26-27“Festival of Craft Education”; in the Grand Salon, Renwick Gallery, National Mu­ seum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Florida, Leesburg March 8—9 “20th Annual Leesburg Art Festival”; at Venetian Gardens on Lake Harris. Georgia, Atlanta March 15—16 “ACC Craft Fair Atlanta”; at the Georgia Dome. Maryland, Gaithersburg April 11-13 “Sugarloaf Art Fair”; at Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Maryland, Timonium April 25—27 “Sugarloaf Art Fair”; at Maryland State Fairgrounds. Michigan, Novi April 18-20“Sugarloaf Art Fair”; at Novi Expo Center. Minnesota, Saint Paul April 11-13 “ACC Craft Fair Saint Paul”; at Saint Paul Civic Center. New York, Long Island April 4-6“ 13th Annual Spring Fling Crafts Festival”; at Nassau Coli­ seum. Ohio, Cuyahoga Falls April26-28“Blossom Arts and Crafts Festival”; at Blossom Music Center. Pennsylvania, Fort Washington March 21—23 “Sugarloaf Art Fair”; at Fort Washington Expo Center. Virginia, Blacksburg April 4—6 “26th Annual Brush Mountain Arts and Crafts Fair”; at Rector Fieldhouse, Virginia Tech campus.Continued

82 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 83 Calendar

Virginia, Manassas May 2-^“SugarloafArt Fair”; at Prince William County Fairgrounds. Wisconsin, Stevens Point April 6“25th Annual Festival of the Arts”; at the Interior Courtyard, Fine Arts Building, University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point.

Workshops California, Claremont April 12-13 Slide presen­ tation and demonstration with Paul Soldner. Contact Soldner Workshop, do Scripps College Art Department, 1030 North Columbia, Claremont 91711; or telephone (909) 607-4435. Connecticut, Brookfield April 6 “Successful Handle Making” with Bill Van Gilder. April 19 “Mold Making for the Potter” with Lynn Peters. April 26-27 “Tableware: Function and Decora­ tion” with Anita Griffith and Bob Parrott. May3- 4 “Action Throwing and Altering Techniques” with Peter Callas. Contact the Brookfield Craft Center, P. O. Box 122, Rte. 25, Brookfield06804; telephone (203) 775-4526. D.C., Washington March 15-16Demonstration with Silvie Granatelli. April 5-6Demonstration with Robert Briscoe. April 19-20 Demonstration with Sam Taylor. Contact Hinckley Pottery, 1707 Kalorama Road, Northwest, Washington, D.C. 20009; or telephone (202) 745-7055. Florida, DeLand March 27 Slide lecture and handbuilding workshop with Jack Earl. Tele­ phone the Stetson University Artists and Lectur­ ers Committee, (904) 822-7266. Florida, Gainesville March 6-7 “Florida Potters Guild Visiting Artist Workshop,” demonstration and lecture with Michael Corney. March 20—21 “Figurative Abstractions in Clay,” demonstration and lecture with Susan Banks. No fee. Contact Florida Potters Guild, University of Florida Ce­ ramics Department, 302 FAC, Gainesville 32611 - 5801; telephone (352) 392-0228 or e-mail [email protected] Florida, Sopchoppy May 19-24 “A Spirited Ap­ proach to Clay” with George Griffin, individual­ ized stoneware, single-fire oxidation, fast-fire wood, plus business as an art form of self-expression. Limited to 4 participants. Fee: $350, includes materials and firing; $400, includes materials, firing and lodging. Contact George Griffin, 1 Suncat Ridge Road, Sopchoppy 32358; or tele­ phone (904) 962-9311. Florida, West Palm Beach March 10-14 “No Compromise with Gravity” with Harvey Sadow. Contact Armory Art Center, 1703 South Lake Avenue, West Palm Beach 33401; or telephone (888) 276-6791. Hawaii, Maui, Makawao April 18-19 A session with Walter Ostrom. April 19-20 A session with Warren MacKenzie. Fee/session: $88. Contact the Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center, 2841 Baldwin Avenue, Makawao, Hawaii 96768; or telephone (808) 572-6560, fax (808) 572-2750. Illinois, Elk Grove Village April 18-19 “First Annual Firing Fest” with Gary Greenberg and David B. Harton, raku and pit firing, plus foil firing and chicken cooking. Participants should bring up to 3 bisqued works. May 76-77“Altered Wheel-thrown Forms” with Harris Deller. Con­ tact A.R.T. Studio Clay Company, 1555 Louis Avenue, Elk Grove Village 60007; or telephone (800) 323-0212; in Illinois, (847) 593-6060; e- mail http:Wwww.artclay.com Maine, Portland March 1, 8, 15, 22 “Majolica” with Margaret Ryan. Fee: $35 per week; $120 for 4 sessions. March 29 Slide presentation and dem-

84 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 85 19“Clay into Spirit” with Anita Griffith. Contact Calendar Horizons, 108 N. Main St., Sunderland, Massa­ chusetts 01375; or telephone (413) 665-0300. New York, Bellmore May 3, 4, 10, 17, 18 “Tile onstration with Yuji Yasui, throwing large pots. Workshop” with Rick Aliperti, making wall art, Fee: $35. Contact Portland Pottery, 118 Wash­ plaster casting for reproduction, raku or oxidation ington Avenue, Portland 04101; or telephone firing. Fee: $140, includes materials. Registration (207) 772-4334. deadline: April 25. Contact Rick Aliperti, the Maryland, Baltimore April5-(T‘Majolica Work­ Pottery Court, 210 Howell Street, Bellmore 11710; shop” with Margery Pozefsky. Participants should or telephone (516) 785-6247. bring bisqued terra-cotta pots and paint brushes. New York, New York March 8 Master workshop Bisqued tiles will be provided. Fee: $100; mem­ with Syd Carpenter. Contact YWCA Craft Stu­ bers, $90. May 10-11 “Wood Firing for Stu­ dents League, (212) 735-9731. dents” with Sarah Barnes. Fee: $90; members, New York, Rochester March 13 Slide presenta­ $80. For further information, telephone Balti­ tion and discussion with Val Cushing. Free. For more Clayworks, (410) 578-1919. further information, telephone Julie Rowe at Shoe­ Massachusetts, Plymouth May 10-11 A hands- string Gallery, (716) 271-3886. on session with John Leach. Location: Plimoth North Carolina, Bailey April 26 Glazing and Plantation. For further information, telephone firing workshop using copper matt and Hawaiian (508) 746-1622, ext. 371; for technical informa­ Blue glazes with Charlie Riggs. Fee: $35, includes tion, telephone Debbie Mason (617) 837-5125. lunch. Participants must bring 2-3 bisqued pieces. Massachusetts, StockbridgeMarch 15— 7£T“Neri- For further information, telephone Jackie Allen, komi Workshop” with Naomi Lindenfeld. April (919) 859-6847 or (919) 387-5750; or Dan Finch, 14-20 “Spring Intensive for Clay Artists and (919) 235-4664. Jewelers,” including sessions with clay artist Karon North Carolina, Brasstown March 16-22 “The Doherty. Contact Interlaken School of Art, Post Art of Raku” with Lynn Jenkins; fee: $238. March Office Box 1400, Stockbridge 01262; or tele­ 30—April 5“Folk Pottery Techniques” with Nancy phone (413) 298-5252. Martindale; fee: $238. April6-72“Handbuilding Massachusetts, Williamsburgylpnl26-2#“Work- and Slab Construction” with Judy Robkin. May ing with Colored Clays: A Japanese Approach to 11-77“Clay Vessels with Natural Materials” with the Vessel” with Debbie Freed. “An ‘A to Z’ of Lenore Vanderkooi. May 18-24 “Creative Hand- Glazing: Decorating Techniques and the Basics of building with Earthenware Clay” with Mary Glaze Chemistry” with Sandy Farrell. May 10-12 Dashiell. May 25—31 “Porcelain: On the Wheel “Get Hot! Alternative Firing and Decorating Tech­ and Under the Brush” with David Voorhees. Fee niques” with Bob Green. For further information, per session (unless noted above): $244. Contact contact Horizons, 108 North Main Street, John C. Campbell Folk School, Route 1, Box Sunderland, Massachusetts 01375; or telephone 14A, Brasstown 28902; telephone (800) 365- (413) 665-0300. 5724 or (704) 837-2775, or fax (704) 837-8637. Massachusetts, Worcester April 12-13 Demon­ Ohio, Cincinnati April26SYi&e presentation and stration of throwing, trimming, assembling and demonstration with David Hergesheimer. Fee: decorating with Val Cushing. Contact Worcester $25; Craft Guild of Greater Cincinnati members, Center for Crafts, 25 Sagamore Road, Worcester $15. Location: Mount Saint Joseph. Telephone 01605; or telephone (508) 753-8183, fax (508) Jane Bresser (513) 261-3753. 797-5626, e-mail [email protected] Ohio, Wooster April9-12 “Functional Ceramics Michigan, Kalamazoo April 11—12 Slide lecture Workshop” with Linda Arbuckle and Richard and demonstration with Byron Temple. Work­ Aerni, plus Steven Blankenbeker, Cary Hulin and shop fee: $60. Friday slide lecture is free. Contact Kathy Koop. Fee: $135, includes 4 meals and Steve Keerl, Kalamazoo Institute of Art, 314 South exhibition catalog; full-time students, $70. Con­ Park Street, Kalamazoo 49007; or telephone (616) tact Phyllis Blair Clark, 102 Oakmont Court, 349-7775. Wooster 44691. Michigan, Oxford May 16Slide lecture with John Pennsylvania, Philadelphia March 14—16 Lec­ Leach. Location: Pewabic Pottery. May 17-18 A ture (March 14) and workshop (March 15-16) demonstration of throwing pots for use in the with Philip Cornelius. Lecture location: Moore kitchen with John Leach. For further informa­ College of Art and Design. For further informa­ tion, telephone John Hartom and Lisa Blackburn, tion, contact the Clay Studio, 139 North Second Imagine Group, (810) 628-4842 or Paul Young, Street, Philadelphia 19106; or telephone (215) (810) 798-2625. 925-3453. Missouri, Kansas City March 22—23 A session Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh April 18—20 Lecture with Susanne Stephenson, constructing vessels (April 18) and workshop (April 19-20) with from thrown parts, using colored slips and vitre­ Winnie Owens-Hart. Advanced registration re­ ous engobes. Fee: $60. Contact Tom Schiller, c/o quired. Contact the Manchester Craftsmen’s Kansas City Clay Guild, 606 West 39th, Kansas Guild, 1815 Metropolitan Street, Pittsburgh City 64145; telephone (816) 453-0708 or (816) 15233; or telephone (412) 322-1773. 561-1686. Rhode Island, Kingston May 4 “Handbuilding” Nevada, Las Vegas March 29-31 Demonstration with Mary Barringer. Fee: $40; members, $35. of making functional/nonfunctional porcelain Contact South County Art Association, 2587 work, plus loading, firing and unloading kiln, Kingstown Road, Kingston 02881; or telephone with Tom Coleman and Paul Geil. Fee: $160. For (401) 783-2195. further information, contact Coleman Clay Stu­ South Carolina, Charleston March 17—21 “Sculp­ dio and Gallery, 6230 Greyhound Lane, Suite E, tural Vessels” with Anne Hirondelle. Fee: $295. Las Vegas 89122; telephone Tom or Elaine Contact the Gibbes Museum of Art Studio, 76 Coleman (702) 451-1981. Queen Street, Charleston 29401; or telephone New Mexico, Albuquerque April 26 A session (803) 577-7275 (MasterCard, Visa accepted). with Eddie Dominguez. Fee: $35. Registration Tennessee, Gatlinburg March 3-7 “Ceramics: deadline: April 11. All skill levels. Contact Rich­ Form, Surface and Color” with David L. Gamble ard Garriott-Stejskal, Very Special Arts New and Steve Howell. March 10-l4“The Vase, Raku Mexico, 2015 Yale Boulevard, Southeast, Albu­ Fired” with Jim Connell. March 17—21 “Earthen­ querque 87106; or telephone (505) 245-8545. ware: Exploration of Form” with Jane Dillon. New Mexico, Albuquerque to Santa FeApril 12— March24-28“Thinking Beyond the Wheel” with

86 CERAMICS MONTHLY Ellen Shankin. Contact Arrowmont School of March 4-27 Exhibition of ceramics by Kate Arts and Crafts, Post Office Box 567, 556 Park­ Malone, “Fruits of Imagination”; at Dover Street way, Gatlinburg 37738; telephone (423) 436- Gallery, 13 Dover Street. 5860 or fax (423) 430-4101. March 6-April 20 “Hot off the Press” at Crafts Texas, Abilene March 6 Workshop on vessel- Council Gallery, 44a Pentonville Road. forming techniques, plus slide presentation and England, Oxford through March 12 “Political lecture, with Lee Akins. Location: McMurry Uni­ Pots,” exhibition including ceramics by Steve versity. For further information, telephone (915) Dixon, Martin Moore and Grayson Perry; at 691-6403. Oxford Gallery, 23 High Street. Texas, Dawson March 14— /^“Handmade Tiles” France, Sevres March 4 “La faience de Marseille with Chula Ross Sanchez. Fee: $235. Contact de la donation Pierre et Lison Jourdan Barry,” Camille Pendleton, Rancho dos Equis Creative lecture with Jean-Gabriel Peyre. April 1 “Voyage Center, Box 458, Dawson 76639; or telephone imaginaire aux pays du grand feu,” lecture with (817) 578-1396 or Lydia Brandy (817) 678- Edouard Williamson. May 6 “La collection 3683. ceramique d’Horace Walpole,” lecture with Bet Texas, Lubbock April 26—27 Slide lecture and Mac Leod. Contact Societe des amis du Musee hands-on workshop with Randy Brodnax and National de Ceramique, Place de la Manufacture. James Watkins, throwing, handbuilding, glazing, France, Vallauris through March 30 “Trois ans sculpture; plus raku, reduction, oxidation, smoke, d’Acquisitions”; at Musee Magnelli, Musee de la wood and salt firing. Participants should bring Ceramique de Vallauris, Place de la Liberation. bisqueware. Fee: $50. Camping sites available. Greece, Corfu May 14—June 14 “Industrial Ce­ For further information, contact Jeanie Jones, ramics” with Turker Ozdogan, aesthetic and tech­ School of Art, Route 10-Box 93, Lubbock 79404; nical development of tableware and figurines, or telephone (806) 745-6018. model design and mold making, multiple produc­ Washington, Bellingham April 18-19 Slide lec­ tion processes, decoration. Instruction in English ture and workshop with George McCauley. Fee: and Turkish. Intermediate and advanced. Fee: $35; slides only, $4. Contact Carly Ramsey, Good $4400, includes materials, firing, lodging, airfare Earth Pottery, 1000 Harris, Bellingham 98225; from JFK airport to Athens and ground transpor­ or telephone (360) 671-3998. tation; plus $25 application fee. Contact the Washington, Tacoma March 28—29 “Porcelain George Washington University, Summer, Special Workshop” with Dick Luster. Fee: $66; center and International Programs, 2121 Eye Street, members, $60. Telephone the Art Center at Northwest, Suite 602F, Washington, D.C. 20052; Manitou, (206) 591-5484. or telephone ceramics program, (202) 994-9059 Wisconsin, River Falls April 5 “Creating the or art department, 994-8065. Successful Arts Business.” Registration deadline: Jamaica, Falmouth April 23-May ^Pottery work­ March 27. Contact the Continuing Education shop with Doug Casebeer and David Pinto. Loca­ Extension, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, tion: Good Hope Pottery. Contact Anderson (800) 228-5607. Ranch Arts Center, Post Office Box 5598, Wyoming, Cheyenne March 5 Lecture/workshop Snowmass Village, Colorado 81615; or telephone with Lola Logsdon. March 12 Lecture/workshop (970) 923-3181, fax (970) 923-3871. with Leah Hardy. March 17 Lecture/workshop Korea, Seoul April 1-8 Exhibition of works by six with Adrian Arleo. Free. Contact the Fine Arts artists, including ceramics by Douglas Kenney; at Gallery, Laramie County Community College, To Art Space. 1400 E. College Dr., Cheyenne82007; telephone Mexico, Oaxaca March 6-14 “From the Zapotec (307) 778-LCCC. Tradition and Beyond” with Bob Green. Contact Horizons, 108-P North Main Street, Sunderland, International Events Massachusetts 01375; or telephone (413) 665- 0300, fax (413) 665-4141. Canada, British Columbia, Richmond April 24- Mexico, Todos Santos (lower Baja California) May 26 “Terre en Transit,” biennial Canadian March 10-14“ A Matter of Surface” with Barbara ceramics exhibition; at Richmond Art Gallery. Campbell-Moffitt. March 17-21 “Vessel with an Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver May 23- Artifact Approach” with Patrick Crabb. March 25Workshop with John Leach. Telephone Gillian 24-28 “A»R*T: Attitudes in Raku Technology” McMillian, B.C. Potter’s Guild, (604) 937-7696 with Patrick Crabb. Contact Hands-On Work­ or fax (604) 669-5627. shops, P. O. Box 512, Bosque, New Mexico Canada, Ontario, Sarnia through March 29“Raku- 87006; telephone Ginny Hoyt (505) 861-3137. Sarnia Style,” exhibition of ceramics by Dave Netherlands, Delft March 8-April 19 Stoneware Dunk, Jo-Ann Gillis, Bonnie Parsons and Sheila heads by Marion Askjaer Veld; at Gallery Terra Smith; at Gallery Lambton, Christina Street. Keramiek, Nieuwstraat 7. Canada, Ontario, Toronto through August 3“ Con­ Netherlands, Maastricht March 8-16 “The Eu­ tainers of Beauty: Eighteenth Century Flower ropean Fine Art Fair (TEFAF Maastricht)”; at Vessels”; at the George R. Gardiner Museum of Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre. Ceramic Art Shop, 100 Queen’s Park. Netherlands, Oosterbeek March 31—April 28 May 2—4 Workshop with John Leach. Telephone Exhibition of ceramics by Sonja Landweer and Sherherezade Alam, (416) 260-1190 or fax (416) Deirdre McLoughlin; at Galerie Amphora, Van 260-1261. Oudenallenstraat 3. England, Chichester March9-13“ Sculptural Ce­ Scotland, Edinburgh March—April Rosann ramics” with T essa Fuchs.March 30—April 4“ Gen­ Cherubini, “Wondrous Stories”; at Cowgate Art eral Pottery—Handbuilding and Throwing” with Gallery. Alison Sandeman. April 4—6 “Musical Earthen­ Spain, Leon through March 31 “Salt and Soda,” ware Instruments” with Neil Ions. April 13—18 exhibition of ceramics by Jose Antonio Sarmiento; “Sculptural Pots for Plants” with Gordon Cooke. at Galeria Azul, San Cibrian de Ardon. Contact the College Office, West Dean College, Wales, Rhayader May 26-31 “Throwing and West Dean, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0QZ; Finishing” with Phil Rogers. Fee: £240 (approxi­ or telephone (24) 381-1301, fax (24) 381-1343. mately US$375), includes materials, firing and England, London through March 73 Exhibition of lunch. Beginning through advanced. Contact Phil works by Lucie Rie. March 19-April 24 Exhibi­ Rogers, Marston Pottery, Lower Cefn Faes, tion of works by Hans Coper; at Galerie Besson, Rhayader, Powys LD6 5LT; or telephone (597) 15 Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond Street. 810875.

March 1997 87 There are a number of important issues in this of a gram of mixed glaze. By weighing the bisque Questions question; perhaps the best way to provide an before glazing, then the glazed piece before firing, Answered by the CM Technical Staff answer is to start with some basics. You ask, what the weight of applied glaze and its cost can be is a fair price for one’s work? One person’s concept computed. These are what can be referred to as of fair may not necessarily agree with another’s. direct costs. What is fair may not enable you to keep your You could also ascribe a decorating factor, say Q I recently had two ofmy pots selectedfor a show studio open and work at a profit. It is a useful of some dollar value for each color used, if appli­ that is put on by a large company. They have asked exercise to know how much time you put into cable, or so much for gold luster, for a decal, for two prices: 1. The retail sales price, which your work, then ascribe a certain dollar value to whatever. Indirect costs are everything else that includes only reproduction rights for promotional your time, say, on an hourly basis. While this is goes into the making of the piece, also known as purposes (packaging, advertising and promotional purely subjective, it can provide some benchmark your overhead load, from electricity to advertis­ materials). ” 2. “Theprice for all reproduction rights for a pricing structure. ing, bank charges to insurance, and on and on. whatsoever, which also includes three-dimensional It is also fairly easy to figure out your cost of And, if you work with your accountant or book­ reproduction. ” materials. You may know how much clay it takes keeper, they can accurately calculate your indirect Do you have any idea how one works out a fair to make a piece by actually weighing it. The glaze costs as a percentage of your direct costs. price? I would appreciate any advice you can give on cost can be computed by figuring the cost of your Profit can be figured as another percentage, or this.—M.D. glaze batch, and then figuring out the actual cost computed into your actual direct cost of labor. If you work alone, your labor can be said to be your profit. For those who work with assistants or employees, labor is a direct cost. Wholesale work is subject to what is called “keystone,” whereby the shop or gallery owner doubles your selling price to them and adds a percentage for packing and shipping. So for the 2- quart casserole that you have sold to the gallery for say $25, expect to see the same piece in the $55- $60 range. And, on your wholesale price of $25, you must show a profit after deducting both your direct and indirect costs. Most potters probably still use a more intuitive approach by seeing what the market will bear, then establishing a comfortable price within that range. Seeing what the competition is charging and pricing your wares accordingly may not be a very analytical approach, but it no doubt helps to keep your work competitive. And I am sure that for some potters price is not an issue and, as such, is purely arbitrary. Reproduction rights are another issue alto­ gether. First, you need to find out what exactly is your client’s definition of reproduction. The ac­ tual piece? A photograph or an image of the work on CD-ROM? What is meant by “promotional purposes”? The second question seems to include all of the first, plus reproduction of the actual piece. While there are certainly many approaches to deciding how to charge, one could settle on either a flat fee for all the reproduction rights, inclusive of all the points above; or a combination flat fee for the rights for everything exclusive of the three-dimen­ sional reproduction. For this, I would expect a cash royalty for each one sold. In my experience, there are no set ways for this. Each situation requires a different and specific agreement. It is important to be as clear and concise as possible with your client, and to secure the agreement in writing. Once you decide which way to proceed, you might wish to explore the issues of control over these rights. It seems to me that once you have

Subscribers’ questions are welcome and those of general interest will be answered in this column. Due to the volume received, letters may not be answered personally. Address the Technical Staff, Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 6102, Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102; fax (614) 891- 8960 or [email protected]

88 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 89 Questions

agreed on financial remuneration for the rights for reproduction, whatever they may be, you have also signed over and relinquished any control you may have over the work. These are thorny issues, and it might also be prudent to seek legal counsel. Jonathan Kaplan Ceramic Design Group Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Q I have a copy o/Glaze Projects: A Formulary of Leadless Glazes by Richard Behrens and am trying to make a Bristol glaze that callsfor Ferro frit3223:

Bristol Glaze VI (Cone 4) Zinc Oxide...... 9.2% Nepheline Syenite...... 26.4 Frit3223 (Ferro) ...... 32.4 Kaolin...... 14.4 Flint...... 17.6 100.0% Ive looked in several large ceramics supply catalogs, but haven t found it. Is it still available? And if it isn ¾ what would be a suitable replacement?—R.S. Well that recipe lead me on quite a long chase. First, the glaze is quite unusual in that every other Bristol glaze I found had some calcium oxide in it. This leads to a special problem—finding a frit that is still in production with no CaO. Frits 3223 and 3185 are no longer in production. This type of frit was used for bonding abrasives and they were not recommended for glazes. I finally found one that I could use to duplicate the glaze, though—Ferro frit 3227, with a percent analysis of K^O 4.1,

Na2013.9,Al2O315.6, B 2O3 28.5 and SiO2 37.9. I used glaze calculation software to come up with the following durable, food-safe recipes: Revised Bristol Glaze A (Cone 4) Zinc Oxide...... 9.25% Frit 3227 (Ferro)...... 31.50 Nepheline Syenite...... 18.25 Edgar Plastic Kaolin...... 6.75 Flint...... 34.25 100.00% Revised Bristol Glaze B (Cone 4) Zinc Oxide...... 9.25% Frit 3227 (Ferro)...... 31.25 Nepheline Syenite...... 18.00 Kentucky Ball Clay (OM 4)...... 9.25 Flint...... 32.25 100.00% A word of caution: The expansion of this glaze is on the low side. It may be a pot buster on some clays under some circumstances. Test it by glazing the inside only of a thin-walled cylinder; after firing, freeze it and look for shivering with a magnifying glass. It will most likely be okay if used on the inside and outside of the same pot. Ron Roy Studio Potter/Consultant Toronto, Ontario

90 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 91 Studio and Showroom Organization by Dick Lehman

As a production potter, I had long wished that I would someday have the opportunity and the means to build a new studio to my specifications. For years, I had lived within the design con­ straints of “existing space.” I wanted the chance to start from scratch, to design the space my way; however, the cost of construction remained formidable, and the opportunity to build elusive. The devastating news that my studio build­ ing had been condemned (in an emi­ nent domain take-over by the county) actually gave me that opportunity— although not on the terms that I had originally envisioned. Given just 60 days to vacate my stu­ dio, I had no time to build. Instead, I hastily moved into a vintage (1890s), brick, three-story factory building (of “slow-burning-mill” construction). The space was completely wide open, so I was able to design the entire studio as I eventually wanted to have it, but had the luxury of implementing the design as I could afford it—incrementally over a period of years. What has finally emerged is very much like the original vision; however, having the experience of actually work­ ing in the developing space over a pe­ riod of years gave me the opportunity to fine tune many details. In the end, this made the space far more useful and efficient than it would have been had I needed to make all the decisions in the turmoil and disruption of those first weeks or months following the forced move. Let me describe the space, high­ lighting various aspects that, over the years, have been most useful in maxi­ mizing both production and retail sales. Originally, I shared this mammoth 60,000-square-foot building with only one other business—a hardwood furni­ ture manufacturer. Over the interven­ ing years, other shops have joined us, creating a “collection of producing art­ ists and craftspeople.” Today, there are 19 shops housed in what has come to be called the Old Bag Factory.

92 CERAMICS MONTHLY 1) Car Kiln 2) Large-quantity Glaze Buckets on Wheels 3) Spray Booth 4) Kiln Track 5) Extruder 6) Storage 7) Tool Bench 8) Fenced Raku Area 9) Rolling Ware Carts 10) Photo Booth 11) Electric Kiln 12) Mixer 13) Exhaust 14) Hammer Mill 15) Wet Clay Storage 16) Glaze Chemicals 17) Loading Entrance 18) Supplies and Accessories Storage 19) Wet Clay 20) Wheel 21) Slab Roller 22) Trim Wheel 23) Porcelain Wedging Table 24) Stoneware Pug Mill 25) Porcelain Pug Mill 26) Stoneware Wedging Table 27) Bats 28) Glazing Table 29) Glaze Storage 30) Restroom with Shower 31) Office 32) File 33) Desk 34) Check-Out Counter 35) Gallery with Pedestal Display 36) Dry Clay Storage 37) Wet Porcelain Storage 38) Packing Area 39) Dinnerware Table Display 40) Storage 41) Old Vault Showroom 42) Airlock Entry Way 43) Secondary Entrance to Complex 44) To Ramp 45) Showroom with Display Units 30 and 80 Inches in Height 46) Main Entrance to Pottery

March 1997 93 As customers enter and pass through the entryway, a look to the left would reveal the 5000-square-foot showroom of the custom hardwood furniture manufacturer. Looking toward the far end of the furniture showroom, they would be able to see directly into my pottery studio. The line of sight takes a customers eyes directly into the show­ room space and back into the well- lighted gallery space. Because the 1300-square-foot show­ room and gallery space is rectangular, I have located the display units toward the outside walls to maintain a feeling of openness. Part of the showroom uti­ lizes an “old records vault” complete with heavy steel doors and combina­ tion locks—just part of the charm of an Trimming tools are organzied in PVC pipes glued to a castered table, old building such as this. The display units, which hold ap­ proximately 2500 finished pieces, are made of cherry. I designed half of them pating just how much and what Icind of privacy if I am working on something I with built-in lighting and glass shelv­ customer assistance is needed. would rather the customers not see ing. The rest are lighted by a halogen 1 should note that all the sales in the (making a bank deposit, for example). track system in the ceiling. showroom are made by those of us who Often we sit in the back of the stu­ The half walls and low 30-inch-tall make the ware. I currently employ three dio for lunch, somewhat out of the view display units that ring the gallery space other potters. Usually the sales respon­ of customers, but with enough visibility allow customers to see into the studio sibilities are shared equally, although for us to see customers who need assis­ space where we potters are working (and, whose turn it is to assist may be deter­ tance. In this way, the studio can re­ in turn, allow us to see the customers). mined by something as simple as who main open over the lunch hour when it For the few areas in the showroom that has the driest hands. Over the course of is most convenient for many of our are out of our direct line of sight, I the year, the Old Bag Factory has nearly local customers to quicldy stop by to installed rounded mirrors. These are ef­ 140,000 visitors. Of that total amount, make a purchase. fective not so much as a security mea­ nearly 10,000 visit the pottery. The gallery itself is reasonably well sure or to deter shoplifting, but rather This commitment to making and lighted all the time. However, the halo­ to make it possible for us to be aware of selling has had a huge impact on how gen track-lighting system is activated by where people are in the showroom and the showroom and studio were arranged. a motion sensor. When a customer walks to determine whether sales assistance All the throwing wheels are situated so into or near the gallery, the sensors acti­ might be in order. that each potter can see, by looking vate lights. I can see at least two benefits As an interesting aside, I should men­ through windows and doorways, and to this arrangement: the first is the en­ tion the flooring, which is made up of can be seen immediately by customers ergy savings achieved by not lighting three rather squeaky 1-inch-thick layers entering the showroom. A smile or nod the gallery when no one is in it. Sec­ of pecan wood. Aside from their charm, from 35 feet away may be our first ondly, there is that sort of “taaa-daaah” the squeaks generate a bit of marketing contact with visitors; however, if a cus­ feeling experienced by the customer as information as well. As we have listened tomer stays in the pottery for more than the lights come on. And if for some to people walking in the showroom over a few minutes, one of us will make reason I am out of direct sight of the the years, we have learned to distin­ formal contact. gallery at that moment, the lights alert guish the separate and distinct “gaits” of Similarly, the office is laid out in me to the customer s presence. first-time visitors, repeat customers, such a way that I can be working at my The check-out counter is located very shoppers on a mission to buy a gift, and desk and still, through windows, see the near to both the office and the studio time-killers. While not infallible, these entire showroom and gallery area. workspace. If I am in the office, it is just audible clues actually assist us in antici­ Miniblinds in those windows allow for a few steps out to help a customer with

94 CERAMICS MONTHLY a sale. And, of course, by having the messy) allows us to see all the individual The photo booth is normally used as sales area very near the workspace, it tools at a glance. a storage room, filled with wheeled ware gives increased security to the cash reg­ Another benefit to this way of orga­ carts when it is not in service. It is an ister, and eliminates needless extra steps nizing tools is that it also allows us to easy task to remove the ware carts, relo­ to make sales. see when something is missing. More cate the castered strobe, softbox and Not shown in the floor plan are the than once we have noticed a trimming boom, and lower the pulley-controlled 24x48-inch wheeled carts that each pot­ tool or metal rib missing, and found it photo backdrop. In less than 10 min­ ter uses. These are useful in moving clay among the trimmings—before it was utes, the photo booth is operational, from storage to pug mill (we always pug dumped into the barrel of scraps des­ and at the end of the photo session, it what we are going to use just before we tined for the hammer mill. (Only one may be fully restored to storage space in throw with it), and from pug mill to trimming tool has actually gotten into another 10 minutes. throwing area. the hammer mill and, based on that Having easy access to a photo booth There are at least two other tools, one experience, I have ruefully con­ has been a real blessing. It is not a par­ which are absolutely indispensable, that cluded that it is much better to find ticularly high-tech or expensive arrange­ do not show up explicitly on the floor tools beforehand than to fish out all the ment; most of the equipment I have plan: The first is a cut-off tool I made to “parts” afterward.) made or have picked up as used equip­ fit the end of the pug mills. As the pug I have tried to put casters on every­ ment at camera swap meets. But the exits the mill, it moves forward on stain- thing in the studio that can reasonably arrangement affords me the setting in less-steel rollers (found at the local scrap- be moved. As a result, all the throwing which to make publication-quality im­ metal yard for a small price). Hinged carts, the ware carts, a glazing table, the ages at any time. above the rollers is a variably spaced trimming tool cart, and all the large I also find that I am more apt to series of cut-off wires. These may be glaze buckets are on casters. keep better photographic records of my arranged to cut at any interval, and are I learned about the blessing of glaze work since it is so easy to do. And the simply tightened in place with wing buckets on casters from my potter friend economy is astounding. With a consis­ nuts. When the pug reaches the desired Phil Yordy, who works in Saint Jacobs, tent set-up, the results are always of length, the wires are pulled down to cut Ontario, Canada. His studio is on the predictable high quality. Rather than 4-6 pieces at one time. ground floor of six connected grain si- paying $75-$ 100 per pot, we can easily For smaller amounts, the 4-inch-di- los. There are no straight walls in his set up and shoot 20-30 pieces in an ameter pug size is a little inconvenient entire space (a problem for display units, evening for only the cost of the film and (the slices are so narrow as to be difficult etc.); however, when glazing, he simply processing. (If we are in a rush for slides to use). To cut smaller weights, I clamp wheels ware on carts into one silo where to enter a show or competition, an a wire to the end of the pug barrel, all the glaze buckets are within easy evening of photography followed by using a kind of “vise-grip” tool. This reach in a circle around him—much dropping the film off at an overnight allows me to split the pug into two halves before cutting to length. (For I have tried to put casters on everything in the studio even smaller weights, I clamp on a cut­ ter, which splits the pug into four pieces that can reasonably be moved. As a result, all the throwing carts, before it is cut to length.) the ware carts, a glazing table, the trimming tool cart, The second indispensable tool is a small rolling cart, which holds all of our and all the large glaze buckets are on casters. trimming tools and trimming accesso­ ries. At a liquidation sale, I purchased a better than a line of buckets. The ar­ processor can have the finished slides in slide-projector cart (simply a four- rangement saves many steps. our hands by 4:00 the next afternoon.) castered stand with a small table top on Since I have no silo, I decided to put Materials storage, and clay and glaze it). I added a piece of plywood to en­ my buckets on casters and encircle my­ mixing areas are located in separate large the table top and to this glued, in self for glazing. And it is easy to wheel rooms on the south side of the studio. A upright positions, a series of PVC pipe the buckets back to a storage area when ramp allows clay supplies to be forklifted of varying diameters to hold the trim­ they are not in use. right to the loading entrance, then ming tools that we use. I say this tool The car kiln is located near the glaz­ quickly wheeled into storage areas. Pack­ cart is indispensable because it takes ing area to minimize movement of pots age services can use the same entrance what is normally a messy, cluttered box between glazing and loading. For the for the delivery of supplies. full of tools, and organizes them in a same reason, the glaze spray booth is The clay mixer, hammer mill, elec­ fashion that (while it still may be a bit located adjacent to the kiln. tric lain and glaze materials/station are

March 1997 95 Pug cut-off tool: As the extruded pug moves forward on stainless-steel rollers, a wire clamped onto the end of the pug mill slices it in half vertically: then infinitely adjustable cut-off wires (tightened in place with wing nuts on a hinged lid) are pulled down to slice the halved pug into specified throwing weights.

located in the southwestern-most room. from contaminating work in progress areas in the state for tourism. Conse­ This may appear to be an odd combi­ and glaze materials. quently, while 70% of sales are from nation of items. However, the decision We do quite a bit of shipping, some­ regional customers, a growing amount was driven by the need for these pro­ times for people who come into the comes from tourists. The toll-free tele­ cesses to have access to the good-quality studio to purchase gifts for others, but phone number and reasonably priced exhaust system located in this room. more often to people who telephone in shipping are real conveniences for them, Wet-clay storage occupies parts of orders. As a service to customers, I haveand a boon to our business as well. three of the auxiliary storage rooms on a toll-free number. The volume of sales Your convictions and preferences the south end of the studio. We attempt that this generates more than pays for about sales, marketing, production, to keep at least a four-month supply of the fee. And it is, I trust, an appreciated space needs and work style are likely to clay mixed and aging. part of customer service. be different than mine. Your personal Finally, I have located the packing I do not publish a catalog picturing temperament and budget are likely to area as far from the production areas as our pots so nearly all phone orders come imply different organizational decisions. possible. This decision keeps the inevi­ from previous customers who know But I hope that what I have shared here table mess, which always seems to ac­ what we offer. The northern part of will be useful in helping you make the company the use of packing materials, Indiana is one of the fastest growing most of what you have to work with. A

96 CERAMICS MONTHLY Birth of a Clay Place by Gail McCarthy

\^dyssey, Center for the Ceramic Arts, After the physical setup was deter­ Since western North Carolina has in Asheville, North Carolina, opened mined, the process of structuring the attracted potters for many years, excel­ its doors in August of 1994. Its mission class schedule, finding the right teach­ lent teachers are available on either a is multifaceted: to offer classes in clay to ers and recruiting students began. The one-time or an ongoing basis. Our core beginners, to schedule workshops for first session included a total of four of regular instructors, including Steven experienced potters, to enhance educa­ classes targeted at the general public: Forbes-deSoule, Don Davis, Mary Kay tional opportunities for teachers and to one class in handbuilding, two classes Botkins, Leah Leitson, Mark Burleson create a new group of educated collec­ in beginning wheel throwing and one and Frank Southecorvo, is supple­ tors from the general public. class in intermediate wheel throwing. mented by one-time teachers who offer As owners of Highwater Clays, Inc., Anticipating that most students would original and unusual perspectives, in­ a regional clay manufacturer and dis­ have daytime jobs, we included three cluding tile work, garden planters, mold tributor of equipment, materials and evening classes and one morning class making and extruded forms. supplies, my husband, Brian, and I had in the original schedule. Steven Forbes-deSoule regularly long dreamed of establishing a facility Getting the word out and develop­ teaches a class in wheel throwing for that would offer clayworking classes for ing a mailing list were the next chal- both the beginner and the student with beginners as well as the more a little experience, while Don experienced alike. The real­ Davis teaches classes for the ization of that dream began more experienced thrower. when our company ran out Leah Leitson teaches throw­ of space. During a search for ing and handbuilding, while temporary storage space, I Mary Kay Botkins teaches discovered the empty and di­ evening handbuilding classes. lapidated building that was And Frank Southecorvo is in to become Odyssey. charge of the childrens pro­ Several months of discus­ gram—a series of classes for sion with city permit officials home-schooled children is followed, then renovation offered during the day, as well started in the early spring. as after-school classes for stu­ Brian acted as chief designer, Resistance,” 50 inches in length, silk-screen decal dents from more traditional while I acted as contractor. on cast porcelain, by Mark Burleson. schooling situations. At the same time, we began a The first workshop de­ search for a director of the new school. lenges. A number of public-service an­ signed for experienced potters was with The first director was Don Davis, a nouncements and press releases were Jane Peiser, a Penland artist whose work studio potter living in the Asheville area. sent out to radio/television stations and in colored porcelain clays is appreciated He had the task of making an educa­ newspapers in the area. Paid advertising worldwide. She shared slides of her work tional facility out of the newly reno­ was also placed in the local newspapers. and demonstrated her millefiori tech­ vated space. The name Odyssey, Center The first classes filled quickly, so an­ nique during a one-day session in Sep­ for the Ceramic Arts, was chosen as an other class was added. Today, the Odys­ tember 1994. apt description of the adventure we were sey mailing list numbers over 1000. The first summer session at Odyssey ready to embark upon. included a series of intensive workshops. A glaze room, a wheel-throwing class­ The idea was to offer two- to three-day room, a handbuilding classroom, a kiln workshops on specific issues, as well as yard, storage areas and private studio one- to two-week workshops focusing areas for both the director and future on raku and glaze problems. This mini- studio assistants were created without workshop approach was a mixed suc­ erecting walls, using portable shelving cess, however. It was difficult for both to locate and define each area. The re­ beginners and experienced potters to sult is separate workspaces that are open, commit to week-long or two-week-long well lit, airy and flexible. And the wheel- workshops. Since then, workshops have throwing and handbuilding areas can been limited to a shorter format. be easily converted into a demonstra­ Creamer and sugar, 5¾ inches in When a fall 1995 workshop with tion area seating over 90 participants at height, soda-fired porcelain, Canadian potter and author Robin special workshops. by Leah Leitson. Hopper was announced, interest was

March 1997 97 overwhelming. Registration closed months beforehand and there was a waiting list. Fortunately, everyone ex­ pressing an interest in attending the workshop eventually was enrolled. Another goal at Odyssey is educat­ “Just for Kids” class in progress. Instructors and student unloading a kiln. ing educators. Special workshops de­ signed for teachers interested in new classroom methods and in continuing clay education can be taken for renewal credit through the North Carolina De­ partment of Education. Each year, sev­ eral two-day workshops for teachers are scheduled. Teachers from the area schools also bring their students to Odyssey on field trips. These provide experiences in handbuilding, wheel throwing, glazing and raku firing for students of all ages and capabilities. A program is also in place for younger children and teens. “Just for Kids” classes introduce participants to the basics of handbuilding and wheel throwing, as well as decoration and glazing. This pro­ gram also includes a parent-child class and will soon have a senior adult-child class as well. Another important part of Odysseys makeup is its resident studio assistant program. In exchange for studio space, learning opportunities, discounts on equipment and supplies, along with some income possibilities, studio assis­ tants contribute a maximum of ten hours of work per week to the studio. In addition to basic cleaning duties, they help with kiln firings and glaze mixing, as well as new equipment construction and support for workshop leaders. A studio assistant residency at Odys­ sey is intended to be a transition be­ tween finishing a formal education and setting up a working studio of ones own, a time and a space to foster cre­ ativity, take risks and develop skills. Two of the first resident assistants—one a functional potter and the other a sculp­ tor—have since established their own working studios. Todays studio assistants include Mat­ thew Brock, who came to Odyssey with “Teapot with Stand,” 24 inches in height, wheel-thrown porcelain with oxide sprays an A.A. from the University of Hartford and glaze trailing, and handbuilt terra cotta, by Don Davis.

98 CERAMICS MONTHLY in Hartford, Connecticut, and a B.A. from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington; Fruzsi Toen- niessen, B.A. in Fine Arts from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana; and Kate Wofford, B.F.A. from the University of Georgia in Athens. The future for Odyssey looks busy, exciting and full of possibilities. After getting things off to a good start, Don Davis stepped down as director to re­ turn to his studio work full time, and the position has since been filled by Mark Burleson. A native of western North Carolina, Mark returned to the Asheville area af­ ter receiving a master s degree from Mills College in Oakland. His recent work is in mixed media, with an emphasis on surface design. Plans are in place for the facility to grow along with its course offerings. For example, last fall, an outdoor kiln shed was built to add gas-reduction firing capability. Ultimately, Odyssey will offer a complete array of firing op­ tions to its students and resident pot­ ters, including oxidation, reduction, raku, sawdust and salt. The goal is to establish a facility capable of offering the space and equipment to allow all who come to meet new challenges. A “Self-Portrait,” 13 inches in height, slab-built porcelain, by Mary Kay Botkins.

Raku demonstration outside the studio.

Lidded jar with raku-fired slip resist and acrylics, 15 inches in height, accented with attached malachite stone, by Steven Forbes-deSoule.

March 1997 99 100 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 101 102 CERAMICS MONTHLY March 1997 103 Upstairs at the kitchen sink, we filled a bucket “A few people stop in. The curious ones. Comment with hot water and lugged it down the cellar Sometimes they buy.” stairs. The dining room door stayed open, She seemed discouraged that after work­ A Lesson in Clay but the heat never followed us down. The ing there for two years, more people didn’t by Linda Vozar Sweet hot bucket of water soon turned cold. I want her plates and bowls and weed pots. would rub my hands together for warmth as She wanted to show her work to an expert. I sat down at the homemade kick wheel. A critique, she called it. I didn’t like the I had a beginner’s eye, an innocent eye. Many years later, I found myself working sound of the word. Every off-centered, wobbly pot looked good under similar conditions—in a lean-to wood­ She invited a well-known local artist to to me, fresh and full of potential. My pot­ shed suitable only for warm months. In the her house to critique her work. He owned tery teacher would just shake her head and winter, I still tried to work by hauling hot an art gallery full of exquisite things. He say, “You won’t want to keep that one.” water to my wheel. By then, I had a tena­ designed jewelry and made abstract paint­ Of course I wanted to keep it; I was cious hold on clay. A little cold weather ings. How could I tell her to pick someone exhilarated by what I’d made. I dropped the wouldn’t stop me. less critical? And what did I know anyway? I last wet attempt onto the plaster wedging My teacher was eager to share all she was only a teenage student. board, then my teacher worked the lumpy knew. Centering was the hardest part, she The man came to her house but “he was mass into a ball and dropped it into a plastic warned me. It wouldn’t come easily. If you not encouraging,” she told me. “He said I bag. The spinning wheel came clean with a couldn’t center the clay, you’d never make a have to separate the pot from the thing it sits thick sponge, the tray with a rubber rib. I good pot. on. He didn’t say anything was good.” Her scooped up the dark wet slurry and plopped My hands wobbled over the lumpy voice dropped, “I guess it’s back to the wheel.” it into the slip bucket to be recycled. mound on the spinning wheel head. I pushed That summer, I went off to Mexico with My splattered jeans wore the smeared down from the top and in on the sides, and 13 other high school students. In the Oaxaca fingerprints of the evening’s work. I had the clay ran a little smoother under my fin­ market, I bought three pieces from a potter pushed the cuffs of my shirt up to my el­ gers. It wasn’t centered, but I didn’t know who was displaying his ware on the bare bows, but they didn’t stay clean. Those the difference. I pushed a little dent in the ground. In the meantime, my teacher gave splotchy clothes made me feel good. I mound. Putting one hand on the inside of up on the idea of a career as a potter and couldn’t wait to touch clay again, to hold it the pot and the other on the outside, I tried decided to go to nursing school. in my hands. to bring up the walls. A sort of pot emerged I went to work at the art gallery for the That was my first lesson. I was 16, and magically in my hands. But not the shape I man with the critical eye. Despite my had arranged to baby-sit my teacher’s chil­ wanted. The clay found its own form and teacher’s experience, pottery had lost none dren in exchange for weekly instruction. Ev­ collapsed in my hands. I didn’t care. The of its allure for me. I knew I had found a ery Tuesday evening, I worked in the dim, whole experience left me feeling happy. satisfying path to creativity—clay. drafty cellar of her house. The cold from the A sign hung in my teacher’s front win­ dirt floor reached inside my shoes. The low dow: Handmade Pottery for Sale. “Do you The author Linda Vozar Sweet is a writer ceiling was only inches above our heads. get much business?” I asked her. and potter in Jemez Springs, New Mexico.

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