Cover: Kristen Kieffer Undergraduate Showcase NCECA National Student Juried Show Debra Oliva s technique for creating etched surfaces America’s Most Trusted Glazes™ Potter’s Choice Cone 5-6

3 New Glazes PC-57 Smokey Merlot PC-48 Art Deco Green PC-21 Arctic Blue

amaco.com www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 1 2 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 3 4 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 5 MONTHLY Editorial [email protected] ceramic arts telephone: (614) 794-5867 fax: (614) 891-8960 editor Sherman Hall associate editor Holly Goring associate editor Jessica Knapp editorial assistant Erin Pfeifer technical editor Dave Finkelnburg bookstore online editor Jennifer Poellot Harnetty Advertising/Classifi eds [email protected] telephone: (614) 794-5834 fax: (614) 891-8960 [email protected] telephone: (614) 794-5843 advertising manager Mona Thiel NEW advertising services Jan Moloney Marketing telephone: (614) 794-5809 marketing manager Steve Hecker Subscriptions/Circulation customer service: (800) 342-3594 Naked Raku and Related [email protected] Bare Clay Techniques Design/Production production editor Melissa Bury production assistant Kevin Davison Edited by Eduardo Lazo design Boismier John Design $29.95 Editorial and advertising offices 600 Cleveland Ave., Suite 210 Naked Raku and Westerville, Ohio 43082 If you’ve been waiting for the definitive Publisher Charles Spahr Related Bare Clay book on naked raku, your wait is over. Editorial Advisory Board Linda Arbuckle; Professor, Ceramics, Univ. of Florida Techniques Here is a book resulting from years Scott Bennett; Sculptor, Birmingham, Alabama of studio work, workshop presenta- Val Cushing; Studio Potter, New York Dick Lehman; Studio Potter, Indiana tions, conversations, and research. Meira Mathison; Director, Metchosin Art School, Canada It’s the bringing together of a variety of Bernard Pucker; Director, Pucker Gallery, Boston Phil Rogers; Potter and Author, Wales approaches from artists with differing Jan Schachter; Potter, California skill sets and technical abilities. Years Mark Shapiro; Worthington, Massachusetts Eduardo Lazo, Editor Susan York; Santa Fe, New Mexico Contributors steven branfman in the planning and writing, there’s Kate and Will Jacobson Ceramics Monthly (ISSN 0009-0328) is published monthly, Wally Asselberghs Linda and Charlie riggs now a single authoritative source for except July and August, by Ceramic Publications Company; a Amber Aguirre Dana bilello-barrow subsidiary of The American Ceramic Society, 600 Cleveland Ave., David Lazo information on the practice of this Suite 210, Westerville, Ohio 43082; www.ceramics.org. Periodicals postage paid at Westerville, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. exemplary alternative firing technique. Opinions expressed are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent those of the editors or The American Ceramic Society. The publisher makes no claim as to the food safety of pub- lished glaze recipes. Readers should refer to MSDS (material safety data sheets) for all raw materials, and should take all appropriate recommended safety measures, according to toxicity ratings. From a Slab of Clay subscription rates: One year $34.95, two years $59.95. Canada: One year $49, two years $89. International: One year $60, two years $99. By Daryl E. Baird back issues: When available, back issues are $7.50 each, $29.95 plus $3 shipping/handling; $8 for expedited shipping (UPS 2-day air); and $9 for shipping outside North America. Allow 4–6 weeks for delivery. Working with clay slabs offers more change of address: Please give us four weeks advance From a Slab of Clay notice. Send the magazine address label as well as your new opportunities than any other forming address to: Ceramics Monthly, Circulation Department, P.O. Box 15699, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5699. process. From small dishes and plates contributors: Writing and photographic guidelines are available online at www.ceramicsmonthly.org. to architectural installations, slabs indexing: Visit the Ceramics Monthly website at www.ceramicsmonthly.org to search an index of article titles and can be used to create any form, any artists’ names. Feature articles are also indexed in the Art Index, size. Daryl Baird explores slab work daai (design and applied arts index). copies: Authorization to photocopy items for internal in depth with information on how to or personal use beyond the limits of Sections 107 or 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law is granted by The American Ceramic get started, the tools, equipment and Society, ISSN 0009-0328, provided that the appropriate fee supplies you need, as well as tips and is paid directly to Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Eduardo Lazo Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923, USA; (978) 750-8400; Amber Aguirre techniques shared through a series Wally Asselberghs www.copyright.com. Prior to photocopying items for classroom Dana Bilello-Barrow Stephen Branfman use, please contact Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. of demonstrations from simple tiles to Kate & Will Jacobson This consent does not extend to copying items for general Linda & Charlie Riggs distribution, or for advertising or promotional purposes, or to Daryl E. Baird complex boxes. republishing items in whole or in part in any work in any format. Please direct republication or special copying permission requests to the Publisher, The Ceramic Publications Company; a subsidiary of The American Ceramic Society, 600 Cleveland Ave., Suite 210, Westerville, Ohio 43082, USA. postmaster: Send address changes to Ceramics Monthly, P.O. Box 15699, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5699. Form 3579 requested. www.ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore Copyright © 2012, The Ceramic Publications Company; a subsidiary of The American Ceramic Society. All rights reserved. www.ceramicsmonthly.org

6 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org $1559 $1679

$925 $985 $1049

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 7 contentsseptember 2012 volume 60, number 7

editorial

10 From the Editor Sherman Hall 12 Letters techno file

14 Boron in Glazes by Matt Katz Sources of boron are no longer dominated by Gerstley borate, and it can be a highly predictable glaze material once it’s fully understood. tips and tools

16 Paper Clay Slabs by Diane Gee Making paper clay reclaim slabs in bulk saves time and space while avoiding the rotten moldy smell typical of aging, wet paper clay. exposure 18 Images from Current and Upcoming Exhibitions reviews 44 NCECA 2012 National Student Juried Exhibition A variety of functional and sculptural works from up and coming student artists were on view during the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) conference at the University of Washington’s Jacob Lawrence Gallery, in Seattle, Washington. Reviewed by Tony Merino 49 Tranquility and Understatement: Young-jae Lee The first solo exhibition in the US by this Korean-born, resident of Germany reveals the ways she has blended various influences in the development of her functional forms and glazes. Reviewed by Paul McAllister 52 Offerings: Ani Kasten The vessels and sculptures in this exhibition at the Clay Studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, rewarded close and careful study, revealing well-considered formal relationships, intricate interiors and textures, and subtle, sometimes sparkling, glazes. Reviewed by Andrea Marquis resources 77 Call for Entries Information on submitting work for exhibitions, fairs, and festivals. 78 Classifieds Looking to buy? Looking to sell? Look no further. 36 79 Index to Advertisers spotlight 80 History Lesson Justin Teilhet’s vessel, from the Fin series, Michelle Erickson’s residency at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 13 in. (33 cm) in height, wheel-thrown London, England, focuses on discovering how historical works were made, with glaze. and on the way she brings those influences into her contemporary pieces.

8 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org clay culture 28 Ceramic Water Filters Beverly Pillers, chair of the Potters for Peace board of directors talks about the recent recognition of the organization’s Ceramic Water Filter Factory program. It uses local materials, artisans, and workers to make ceramic water filters that provide rural communities worldwide with clean drinking water.

32 A New/Classic Spin by Cristy Bertini The first bike-powered potter’s wheel, made by John George, appeared in an issue of Ceramics Monthly back in the late ‘70s. Recently, Helen D’Angelo, a young potter looking for a way to keep making work after graduating from college, got in touch with the inventor, tweaked the plans, and is now pedaling her own pots.

34 Wedgwoodn t by Holly Goring The silhouettes of the forms that Michael Eden makes may be familiar, but the techniques, finishes, and concepts he uses are way beyond what Josiah could have envisioned. studio visit 36 Justin Teilhet, Yellow Springs, Ohio The secluded and wooded setting of this western Ohio studio proves to be the best tool this potter has as he works on his seventh successful body of work. features

40 Kristen Kieffer: The Impact of Daily Elegance by Lauren Karle Kieffer’s highly decorated, yet also highly functional work shows that ornament has a place and function of its own in daily life that we shouldn’t discount.

54 Threads of Inspiration: Etched Clay by Debra Oliva Drawing inspiration from a samurai warrior’s suit, Oliva shows how she uses carving to explore patterns and textures on her functional forms. 58 Undergraduate Showcase 58 Joon Park, Boston College 59 Mimi McPartlan, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred 59 Shae Bishop, Kansas City Art Institute 60 Spring Montes, San Jose State University 60 Emily Connell, Kansas City Art Institute 61 Mike Kern, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater 61 Evan D. Pomerantz, Arizona State University 62 Roberto Lugo, Kansas City Art Institute 62 Maret Miller, Kansas City Art Institute recipes 12 Brisco Alkaline Glaze, Drobnock Cullet Glaze 52 15 The Perfect Cone 04 Gloss 16 Barbro berg s Paper Clay cover: Kristen Kieffer’s small covered jars, 9 in. (23 cm) in height, wheel-thrown and altered porcelain with slip-trailed, Ani Kasten’s Blue Green Offering Vessel, slip-sponged, and decoration, fired to cone 7 in 17 in. (43 cm) in height, and oxidation, 2012. porcelain, 2012. Courtesy of the Clay Studio.

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 9 from the editor respond to [email protected]

Guess how many drafts of this letter I have written—go ahead, guess. of yourself that it can be, then others will likely see that and find a Okay, it’s a trick question, because that first sentence has never been great deal of satisfaction that they can get out of it. rewritten. Other parts have been extensively rewritten, but you’d nev- So, to put this to the test, I suggest you check out the work of er know it (I hope) because this is the final product. And in the end, our cover artist, Kristen Kieffer (p. 40) to get an idea of the level who cares? Well, as the writer, I care. And in the case of visual cre- to which a maker can master every part of the process. Then go ations like and sculpture, the maker cares. For instance, how look at this year’s Undergraduate Showcase (p. 58). It highlights many mugs did you several people with a lot have to make (assum- of passion, and it’s clear ing you make mugs) they’ve deeply invested before you got it right? themselves in their work It’s difficult to answer, (one in particular actu- because you may have ally putting himself had the form (body, lip, physically into it). Of foot, and handle) just 1 course, there are many right, and then spent other examples in this so much time testing issue, and I won’t list and re-testing a glaze them all (that’s what until you figured out the table of contents is how to tweak it and for—p. 8), and I’m sure apply it and fire it just that each and every one right, that the answer of you could find an to that question could example of something include all the mugs you 2 3 that, for you, contra- made over the course of As promised in my last letter, here are the initial results from my summer bottle-glass glaze dicts this claim. So, it’s several months. test. 1 Procure several empty green bottles through whatever means seems best to you (I fine if you’d like to point suggest enlisting the help of several friends). 2 Crush said bottles using a very heavy object If you told someone (I used a sledge hammer in a bucket). 3 Screen the result through an 80-mesh sieve, mix that those out, but it would it took you months to screened cullet (60%) with spodumene (20%) and EPK kaolin (20%), and fire to cone 6. be preferable to me if get that mug right, they you look for and point may look at you as if they thought you were inept, and they might out those pieces or bodies of work that resonate with you precisely wonder why you would waste so much time at something you are because you can see the investment of the maker in the work. Of clearly not very good at. Except that’s exactly how we get good, isn’t course this is not the only (and certainly not the primary) criteria it? And what about customers, do they care? When asked by potential for judging creative endeavors, but I think it’s a good exercise for customers how long it took to make something, I’ve heard a lot of makers, and I’d like to know what you take from it. folks respond with “30 years,” or some similarly lengthy period of As always, I’m never quite sure what I’ll get when I ask for time. When the late Bob Ross—host of the PBS series The Joy of feedback , but if you check out the letters on page 12, you’ll find a Painting—was asked how long it took him to make a painting, he few of the better examples of what can result. In my last letter, in said, “It took me 20 years—and 2 minutes,” meaning it took him the June/July/August issue, I explained that I was experimenting 20 years to learn how to paint a picture in 2 minutes. I think the with bottle glass to make glazes. And because I am trying to be less same could be said for throwing mugs—or any particular form, for of a glutton for punishment when it comes to testing ideas in the that matter. studio, I asked for feedback from those out there who were willing And there is always something we need to work on, isn’t there— to try this experiment with me. Thankfully, Bryce Brisco and George unless we’re okay with just coasting along and not improving much. Drobnock came through not only with their process for cullet glazes, Based on what I’ve heard from a lot of you, I’m going to go ahead but recipes and images to boot! and assume that laziness does not, in large part, define the reader- ship of this magazine (you may applaud whenever your ego feels sufficiently inflated). Pandering aside, I do think it takes a certain tenacity to master the craft of ceramics. It needs to be tied to intellect, and most certainly to passion, because if it matters enough to you to put in the effort necessary to make your work the best reflection Sherman Hall

10 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org UPGRADE YOUR KILN

➊ Save Money L&L Kilns last years longer because the hard element holders protect the brick. Also we protect the electronic controls by keeping them away from the heat. Everything about the kiln is built with EXTRA materials and care. We don’t cost less but you get a lot more for your money.

➋ Eminently Repairable Anyone can fix an L&L Kiln with a screwdriver and a wrench. Our unique hard ceramic element holders make changing elements something even a novice can do. Servicing an L&L control panel is a dream - it pulls down and stays perpendicular to the kiln - for easy viewing and working.

➌ Shop! 1) Google “L&L Kilns”! 2) Call toll free 877.468.5456 and ask for a recommended Distributor. 3) See hotkilns.com/distributors for a listing of Authorized L&L Distributors.

L&L Kiln’s patented hard ceramic element holders protect your kiln. Toll Free: 877.468.5456 Swedesboro, NJ 08085

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 11 letters email [email protected]

Heat it up I have tested different brands, both mixed I read the letter in the June/July/August issue and individually, and have found that Bud- about going back to plastic wrappers: please weiser bottle glass does not foam or craze, as don’t. We have enough mountains of plastic, other brands of bottle glass do, and it also and it seems like it is about time to start sav- burns more or less clear in a salt atmosphere. ing resources. The folk potters of the American South Simple tip for removing labels on maga- who could not afford, or didn’t have access to, zine covers (and boxes that you can recycle for processed silica and feldspar were some of the shipping): Get a hair dryer, heat up the label, first to use cullet, typically made from waster and it will peel right off. If you live in India- glass, broken bottles and window panes. napolis, you can set it on the pavement; just Mixed with a little red clay and some wood make sure to get it before it catches on fire. ash, it makes a beautiful, runny alkaline glaze. Jim Kemp, Greenwood, Indiana Brisco AlkAline GlAze Drobnock Blue Cullet Glaze Cone 10 From Glass to Glazes Mixed Wood Ash ...... 33 % glaze used clear bottle glass that was ham- In response to the June/July/August From the Native Clay ...... 33 % mered to cullet then ball milled and screened Editor column: For several years now I have Cullet (from Budweiser bottles) .... 34 % to 80 mesh. The glass is the major ingredient: 100 % been processing my own bottle glass (cullet) DroBnock cullet GlAze for glazes. I remove the labels from Budweiser The addition of small percentages of iron oxide, Cone 03 bottles, smash them up with a hammer in a rutile, or manganese dioxide will yield a varied Borax ...... 36 % pillow case, ball mill for 6–8 hours, then sieve palette of greens and browns. Ferro Frit 3195 ...... 8 % dry through a 40-mesh screen. I could write an entire essay on the Cullet (from clear bottles) ...... 56 % 100 % philosophical or conceptual implications of hand processing your own recycled or native Add: Green: copper carbonate .... 2 % materials, but will save that for some later Blue: cobalt carbonate ...... 2 % correspondence. The glaze was airbrushed onto bisqueware, Bryce Brisco, artist-in-residence, Appalachian then fired in an electric kiln to cone 03. Bo- Center for Craft, Smithville, Tennessee rax encouraged the mottling effect. Another mixture to start with can be 30% borax and Getting Medieval 70% glass. In response to the June/July/August From the George Drobnock, Mount Union, Pennsylvania Editor column: I was looking for a way to reproduce a green low-fired glaze having the I m Back! same color as medieval green glazes. The basic I picked up the latest issue of CM at one of my distributors in the San Francisco area. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of articles I enjoyed reading. I run a clay manu- facturing business as well a pottery/gallery specializing in functional ware. Although I have used our collection of CM to refer to over the years (we subscribed from the 1970s until 2005), I had found it less and less to my taste or interest. This issue was really interest- ing. I also have used and shown many people articles in your workshop handbook, and I have tried all the mid-range glazes you have published and found them useful. Thank you for the good work. Brisco Alkaline Glaze Drobnock Green Cullet Glaze Pamela Quyle, Murphys, California

12 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org Ball Milling Equipment Ball mills have been used for decades to grind and mix materials used in the ceramic industry. SHIMPO’s heavy- duty ball milling machines enable very precise milling, in porcelain jars, even for relatively tough materials, wet or dry. SHIMPO ball mills have a compact design that is ideal for small-scale production and is constructed using powder-coated steel for long-lasting durability. The PTA-01 accommodates one jar, the PTA-02 can handle two jars. Easy adjustments can be made to the sturdy roller bars to accommodate jars from 1 liter to 10 liters. Each mill- ing machine comes standard with a breaker switch. SHIMPO’s ball mill rack attachment for the Whisper wheel series is a great investment for potters who would like a ball mill and would also like to save space. The ball mill attachment  ts on any Whisper pottery wheel with a 12” wheel-head. One to ten liter jars are also available to complete your milling needs. Every jar comes with the porcelain balls needed for milling.

PTA-01 Model PTA-02 Model Motor: 115V (60Hz) 180W Motor: 115V (60Hz) 180W Dimensions: 21”x17”x14” Dimensions: 38” x 17” x 14”

Porcelain Jars - Internal Capacity: Ball Mill Wheel Attachment 1 Liter 64.0 RPM 5 Liter 40.0 RPM Can  t on the VL-Whisper or RK-Whisper 2 Liter 53.4 RPM 10 Liter* 32.0 RPM with a 12” wheel-head 3 Liter 45.7 RPM Note: *Special order only

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 13 TecHno file

boron in glazes by Matt Katz Boron is one of the most, if not the most, misunderstood material in ceramics but it doesn t need to be. What exactly does it do? Where does it come from? How should we use it? These questions permeate the mysteries of boron but are easily answered.

Define the Terms Glass Former or Flux? Boron: A low-temperature Boron is very basic in function and it performs in a predictable manner. However, boron usage in the glass former. US for the last 50 plus years has been dominated by Gerstley borate, a raw material that is prized for its Fluxes: The materials in a glaze that unpredictability. This has left at least a couple generations of ceramists with varying levels of confusion lower the melting temperature of the about the true nature of boron and a collection of recipes that don’t work without this particular material.

glass formers. They are also called Boron is found primarily in Turkey, as an element in the mineral borax (Na2O∙3B2O3∙10H2O), and modifiers as they modify the melting California (Boron, California, to be specific), where the largest mine in the state produces half of the temperature of a glaze. Fluxes come world’s boron. in two forms: the alkalis (lithium, All glazes are based on only eleven oxides. These are the oxides of silicon, aluminum, lithium, sodium, sodium, and potassium) and the potassium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, zinc, and boron. There are others, but they are all alkaline earths (magnesium, calcium, relegated to the role of colorants, additives, or the relatively unused, such as the dreaded lead. These basic strontium, barium, and zinc). eleven elements make up 99% of glazes. The first ten can be simplified further into two groups—glass Frit: A powdered glass that can formers and fluxes. This leaves us with boron. Which is it, a glass former or a flux? be either a part or the majority of If you look at the version of the periodic table of the elements below, as used by glass scientists, boron a glaze. A frit is made to a specific is grouped with silicon and four other glass formers. It is above aluminum, which can substitute, within chemical composition, batched, limits, for silica in a glass network. melted, cooled, crushed, and ground All of the fluxes (except for zinc) are found in the first two columns of the table. They are the alkalis into a powder. in the first column and the alkaline earths in the second. The elements in each column act similarly to Glass Former: Material in a glaze each other and slightly different than the elements in the other column, yet all are fluxes. The function that makes up the physical body, the of true fluxes is to lower the melting temperature of glass formers. In the process, fluxes also influence glass network, of the glaze. This is color, strength, and the chemical and mechanical durability of glazes. predominately silica, but usually also Historically, many have declared that boron is a flux because we use it to make glazes melt at low includes alumina and may include boron in increasing amounts as (cone 04) and mid-range (cone 6) temperatures. Here’s where the confusion comes from. The fact is firing temperature is lowered. that boron is a glass former. We know this because pure boron oxide will make a glass on its own, just like pure silica will. Where boron differs from silicon is that boron oxide forms a glass at a dramatically Intermediate: Materials that lower temperature than silica. perform similarly to the major group of glass formers and modifiers but All glazes require silica, and it is by leaps and bounds the most prevalent material in all glazes, regardless also contain properties of other of temperature or type. Silica is the second most abundant material on earth after iron, making it cheap groups. For example, iron functions and plentiful. Boron, on the other hand, is a minor player. Boron is not pragmatic as a primary glass predominately as a colorant, but in former for many reasons; material sources are all limited for reasons such as solubility, common availability, heavy concentrations can play the and cost. There are no glazes that are composed exclusively of boron; it is, at best, an accessory. Yet role of a flux. understanding boron for mid- and low-temperature glazes (even high-temperature), is very useful.

glass former intermediate modifier glass former/intermediate intermediate/modifier

Periodic Table of Elements—oxide glass forming classification.

14 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org Sources For many years, the major source of boron has been Gerstley borate. a cone 10 glaze. At Alfred University, Dr. Bill Carty and I have put This is a naturally occurring deposit of the minerals colemanite a lot of effort into defining how to best utilize boron from a UMF

(2CaO∙3B2O3∙5H2O), ulexite (NaCaB5O9∙8H2O) and perspective. We believe that one can predict the amount of boron

(3Al2O3∙SiO2∙H2O). Gerstley borate is an exciting material for ceramists needed to make a glaze melt based on the desired firing temperature. as the two borate materials (colemanite and ulexite) melt at different The graph on this page shows the amount of boron required at times in the firing, leading to the “breaking” effect of the glaze. any temperature. The purple-blue areas are underfired, while the red/ When it was feared that Gerstley’s availability would be limited orange areas are very glossy. The vertical axis is temperature in celsius (the mine was closed for safety reasons) a variety of materials sold and the horizontal axis is UMF boron additions to a standard glaze. as Gerstley substitutes came onto the market. There are also two By finding the desired temperature and determining the position other types of borate materials: frits, and soluble sources. The soluble on the oblique line, you can figure out the corresponding required materials, boric acid (B2O3∙3H2O) and borax, are very effective boron UMF boron level at that temperature. This chart applies from cone sources. The problem with these materials is they are very soluble in 06 to cone 10. As a general rule, we define the required amount of water, meaning that the boron dissolves in the water of the glaze. As boron as an additional 0.1 mole (via UMF) of boron for every 50°C glazes dry, the water is absorbed into the bisqued clay body rather below cone 10 (1305°C). Boron is an exceptionally good material than remaining in the glaze. This can change the melting performance for adding to glazes as it makes glasses at lower temperatures that of the body (over melting) and the glaze (under melting). are just as strong and resistant to wear and chemical leaching as the For this reason, frits are the favored sources for boron. Frits are best cone 10 glazes. wonderful materials as they provide all the boron required in a stable, minimally soluble form. Frits are essentially glazes that have Cone 10 to Cone 6—The First Step been batched, melted, and then ground to a powder by the frit A glaze temperature conversion is no easy feat. It takes knowledge manufacturer. There are a huge number of frits out there, but in the and experience to successfully convert a glaze recipe that works at US our palette is often limited to Ferro’s 31XX series, including 3110, one temperature so it works as well at another. There are a lot of 3124, 3134, and 3195. Each of these frits does something different subtle factors in the chemistry of a glaze that dictate its color, texture, but they are all very simple and bring in various amounts of boron. and performance. That said, here is a quick start with fast results, helped in part by boron. Boron and UMF 1. Take a cone 10 glaze that you are fond of and mix three 100 The function of silica, alumina, and fluxes are well understood in gram batches of it. the unity molecular formula (UMF) or Seger formula, thanks to the work of R.T. Stull. However, boron, as a bit player, did not receive 2. Add Ferro frit 3124 to the cups: 5% to one, 10% to the second, any attention in his work. All high-temperature glazes require silica, and 15% to the third. alumina, an alkaline earth, and an alkali. Boron is not required for 3. Apply each test recipe to its own flat test tile. Place each in a disposable unglazed clay run catcher. uMf Boron Addition 4. Fire the tiles, propped at a 45° angle, to cone 6. 10 5. Select the glaze that ran the least in the kiln. 1250° This is just a first step to adjusting your glaze to a lower temperature, 6 but it should be a good starting place for creating a glaze that looks similar. By using a frit, you are introducing boron as a material that 1200° will not alter the basic nature of the glaze but will still contribute the boron needed to lower the firing temperature.

the Perfect cone 04 Gloss 1150° Ferro Frit 3124 ...... 90 % EPK Kaolin ...... 10 100 %

temperature °c 1100° Add: 10% Zircopax for a white glaze

04 MAtt AnD DAve’s crAze-free Gloss

1050° Cone 10 Whiting ...... 5.42 % 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 Ferro Frit 3124 ...... 40.46 uMf Boron G200 HP ...... 14.37 EPK Kaolin ...... 27.20 Boron Glaze Limits. The above chart indicates amounts of boron needed to make a glaze melt based on the desired firing temperature. Orange/red Silica ...... 12.55 suggests a glossy melt, purple/blue areas indicate underfired surfaces. 100.00 %

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 15 Tips and Tools

paper clay slabs by Diane Gee Having the qualities of clay, paper, and fabric, paper clay slabs are a great resource to have in the studio. Making them in bulk and drying them out saves time and keeps the moldy, rotten smell out of the studio.

There are several advantages to drying and storing slabs of paper clay, including saving space; avoiding the rotten, moldy smell of wet paper clay as it ages; and the fact that when reconstituted, it’s easy to roll, drape, cut, or form in a multitude of ways. The biggest advantage to making dried paper clay slabs is the time savings. It’s easy to make, and when you need to reconstitute the paper clay, just break up the slabs into smaller pieces, add water to the desired consistency, and you’re quickly resupplied. Paper clay slip can be made from a recipe (see below) or by slaking down the clay body you already use, adding 5–15% paper pulp to the slurry, and mixing it thoroughly with a drill mixer. After making a 1 fresh batch of paper clay slip, pour a generous amount onto a bisque or plaster mold. Use a rib to spread the clay out evenly on the form. It should be at least half an inch thick. It may take several consecutive pours to get the desired thickness. Note that the slip will shrink dramatically as it dries, and if your slabs are too thin they may curl while drying and may chip when you store them. Leave the paper clay slabs on the plaster until they are completely dry. You may need to flip the slab over on the plaster to keep it from warping. This makes for easier storage. To reconstitute a paper clay slab, use a spray bottle to evenly wet the top of the slab. It usually takes 4–6 thorough spray soakings to fully reconstitute the dry slab. This gives you a lot of control over the 2 degree of wetness. For faster results, put the slab on a flat board 1 A thick layer of paper clay slip with water. Be careful with the latter method; if you’re not paying spread onto a plaster slab. Use a rib attention, the slab can quickly revert to mush (in which case it is best to make it smooth and even. It may to dry out the mush once again on the plaster slab. One obvious take several layers to get a thick enough slab. way to tell when your dry slab is ready, is that any curl or warp in 2 Slabs that are too thin will curl and the slab will disappear, and the slab will relax and lay flat. Once that chip. Remember to flip the slabs as happens, you can use the slab any way you want. they dry. Another great aspect to making paper clay slabs is that you can cut 3 Store the slabs on end. This will them with scissors or a utility knife. The slightly reclaimed slabs can be keep them dry and prevent the cut into specific shapes (dry slabs can be drawn on with a pencil, and weight of many from crushing the bottom few. the marks will remain even after the spraying). When they are damp Slabs can be lightly reclaimed and slightly pliable, 4 making them easy to cut with BArBro ÅBerG’s PAPer clAy the slabs have a scissors or more evenly saturated very fabric-like ...... 44.5 lbs. so they can be folded into various Water ...... 22.2 shapes. They can also be fully feel and capability Paper Fibers ...... 11.1 reconstituted allowing the paper clay that increases if 3 Perlite (fine grain, approx. 0–2mm) 22.2 to be sculpted. they are rolled 100.0 lbs. out even thinner Soak a roll of toilet paper in a bucket of hot water with a rolling overnight to break down the fibers. Use a mixer to pin or smoothed beat the fibers for approximately 5–10 minutes. Pour the fibers into a sieve, wash them, and lightly with a rib. Fabric press the water out. Mix the water and fibers techniques such as together in a bucket, add the perlite, mix together, darting, gathering, add the ball clay, and stir thoroughly. The mixture will be very wet. Dry the mixture on a plaster bat draping, and for use or storage. Cone firing temperature will ruffling are all vary depending on which ball clay you use. possible with care From the CM Archives, March 2006 and practice. 4

16 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org America’s Most Trusted Glazes™

“With their broad firing range and deep colors, AMACO® are my only choice.”

Sam Scott Seattle, WA

“Push Play with Color” 2011 Cone 12 firing LUG-61, Bright Yellow V-387, Bright Red LUG-21, Medium Blue LUG-43, Dark Green LUG-1, Black

amaco.com www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 17 exposure for complete calendar listings see www.ceramicsmonthly.org

2

1

3

18 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org 5

4

1 Gay Smith’s Cache Pot, 14 in. (36 cm) in height, 2011. 2 Alex Matisse’s Ometto, 17 in. (43 cm) in height, stoneware with slip-trailing and , salt and wood- fired, 2012. Collection of the Museum of the International Folk Art. 3 Birdie Boone’s Berry Bowl, 4½ in. (11 cm) in diameter, 2012. 4 Willem Gebben’s Butter Dome, 7 in. (18 cm) in height, 2012. 5 Steven Colby’s lidded cup, 6 in. (15 cm) in height, 2012. 6 Bede Clarke’s bottle, 9½ in. (24 cm) in height, 2011. “American Pottery Festival,” at Northern Clay Center (www.northernclaycenter.org) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 7–9.

6

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 19 exposure

1

2

1 Undine Brod’s Left Hanging, 18½ in. (47 cm) in length. 2 Thaddeus Erdahl’s The Smoker, 28 in. (71 cm) in height. “Mounted,” at Red Lodge Clay Center (www.redlodgeclaycenter.com) in Red Lodge, Montana, October 5–28. 3 Mariana Baquero’s small plate with flower, 7 in. (18 cm) in diameter, stoneware fired to cone 6, 2012. 4 Nick DeVries’ green snack plate, 6½ in. (17 cm) in diameter, white stoneware fired to cone 6, 2012. “5th Annual Lillstreet International: The Perfect Plate,” at Lillstreet Art Center (www.lillstreetgallery.com) in Chicago, Illinois, through September 14. 5 Lauren Gallaspy’s Brain Bloom, 5 in. (13 cm) in height, porcelain, underglaze, glaze, 2011. “Lauren Gallaspy: New Work,” at AKAR Gallery 3 (www.akardesign.com) in Iowa City, Iowa, September 28–October 12.

4 5

20 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 21 exposure

1

2

1 David Hicks’ Flora (group shot), up to 26 in. (66 cm) in height, 2011–2012. 2 Patricia Sannit’s Kava Diffuse, 13 in. (33 cm) in height, cast, handbuilt, carved, and incised white stoneware, reclaimed clays, 2012. “Organic Inhabitants: The Creature Comforts of David Hicks and Patricia Sannit,” at Mindy Solomon Gallery (www.mindysolomon.com) in St. Petersburg, Florida, through September 8. 3 Study Collection of Pouring Vessels, from the private collection of Chris Gustin and Nancy Train Smith. “The Collectors,” at New Bedford Art Museum (www.newbedfordartmuseum.org) in New 3 Bedford, Massachusetts, through September 23.

22 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org Bailey = Better Blending Using just the pugmill mode on a mixer-pugmill to wedge the clay, you would expect the pugmill to be able to take different moisture consistencies of premixed clay and blend them in only one pass to perfect uniformity. Pugging should go quickly to save your valuable time and energy, and the finished pug should be thoroughly blended and de-aired.

How can you tell if the clay is thoroughly blended? We came up with the ultimate test to determine blending efficiency. We took white and dark clay in equal amounts, and fed it alternately into the hopper. No pre-mixing, just direct pugging right through the barrel. We compared a Bailey MSV25 Mixer-Pugmill with the “short-barrel” style mixer-pugmill. Each had the same 25 lb. barrel BAILEY MSV-25 Mixer-Pugmill capacity. You will be surprised by the results! produced excellent results. Bailey’s superior 3-Stage Blending Pug Mode System Stage 3 Stage 2 Stage 1 Final Blending Vacuum Shredding Direct feed & first blending Augers Chamber Blending Screens

The Bailey’s efficient shredding/blending screens, insure that every square centi- meter of clay is thoroughly blended and de-aired. Each pug benefits from 3 stages of blending in the pugmill mode. In just 15 minutes from loading to finish, we had pugged out 237 lbs. of beautifully blended All stainless MSV25-SS Ultra clay with no effort.

The “Short Barrel” Mixer-Pugmill, We repeated the same test procedure using a “short barrel” produced poorly blended clay mixer-pugmill unit with a 25 lb barrel capacity. Short barrel mixer-pugmills don’t have extra blending augers or shredding screens like a MSV25. When pugging the two colored clays directly through the barrel, you get the inferior blending shown to the left. The white and dark clays are very poorly blended. A short barrel design forces you to run in mix mode first before pugging. Their pug process took 75% more time compared to the Bailey. Even though they claim their unit can “pug” 500 lbs an hour, in 1 hour of use, only 203 lbs could be fed + mixed + pugged out! There is a big difference between a “pug output rate” (based only on the pugging out time) and the complete process time (feed + mix + pug out). If you want the best quality pugs in 75% less time, and honest ratings, buy a Bailey.

Youtube Video Demonstraton To see how well triple blend- ing works, just type the link below into your browser. See why nothing beats Bailey 3-stage Blending! 2 Models of Pugmills http://youtu.be/PSrAfZKMMYg 6 Models of Mixer-Pugmills Bailey Pottery Equipment Corporation PO Box 1577 Kingston NY 12402 TOLL FREE (800) 431-6067 (845) 339-3721 (Fax 5530) email: [email protected] Website: www.baileypottery.com www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 23 exposure

1 2

1 Ayumi Shigematsu’s Dream Distance, 24 in. (61 cm) in height, coil-built , terra sigillata, 2011. 2 Sylvia Nagy’s Meditation, 17 in. (43 cm) in height, slip-cast stoneware, 2002. 3 Gloria Carrasco’s The Skin of the Earth, 18 in. (46 cm) in height, slab-built stoneware, slips and glazes, 2011. 4 Shida Kuo’s Untitled No. 03-10, 15 in. (38 cm) in height, low-fired clay and glaze, 2010. “New World: Timeless Visions, Membership Show of the International Academy of Ceramics,” at the New Mexico Museum of Art (www.nmartmuseum.org) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, September 7–23.

3 4

24 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org The Ultimate Extruding Workshop Don’t miss your opportunity to book into what promises to be the best extruding workshop ever! Hayne Bayless and Jim Bailey team up to share extruding techniques using pugmills, power extruders, and hand extruders, plus innovative die making. September 29th & 30th 2012

Free Freight* The Ultimate Free Freight* Mixer-Pugmills Contiguous US Only

Recycle, Pug, Extrude! From Only Bailey Mixer Pugmills are $2400 fast, versatile, efficient, and easy to use. Bailey DRD/II Series Slab Rollers and DRD Original Series now have a lifetime warranty. Bailey A Series Pugmills Get the best quality and best buyer protection.

On Sale

Best Prices! Free Freight* Bailey Wheels World Famous World Famous Glaze Tables, Dust Nitride Bonded Shimpo C.I. Bailey Extruders Bailey Slab Roller Solutions, Rack Systems, High Alumina Shelves Brent …and more …go with the best! Free Freight Specials Rack and Free Freight Advancer Shelves ENERGY SAVER

Now Certified for Free Freight* the US and Canada

Bailey has the largest 22% off our Huge Bailey Energy-Saver Electric Kilns save you Bailey Gas Kilns are selection of tools, Selection of Books big time! From the new Value-Plus Series, the energy-efficient, built stains, and glazes at & 10% off Videos. Double-Insulated Series, and the Commercial to last, and deliver super discounts No Minimums! Duty Series, Bailey is the ultimate in quality reliable reductions and value. firings. Bailey is the Professional’s Choice. Bailey Pottery Equipment Corporation TOLL FREE (800) 431-6067 PO Box 1577 Kingston NY 12402 (845) 339-3721 (Fax 5530) Website: www.baileypottery.com email: [email protected] www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 25 exposure

2

1 Kitamura Junko’s vase, 16 in. (41 cm) in height, stoneware, black matte slip, and white slip inlay, 1993. Photo: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. “Reinventing the Wheel: Japanese Ceramics 1930–2000,” at Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (www.asia.si.edu) in Washington, District of Columbia, continues indefi nitely. 2 Regina Heinz’s Sky, 23 in. (59 cm) in height, slip-cast white stoneware, matte glaze, and gold enamel. “Decorex International,” at Royal Hospital, Chelsea (www.decorex.com) in London, England, September 23–26. Sam Uhlick’s vase with net pattern, stoneware, multiple 1 3 glazes, 1989. Photo: Ferruccilla. 4 Louis Hanssen’s covered casserole, stoneware, glaze, ca. 1960–1968. “Connections: Canadian and British Studio Ceramics,” at the (www.gardinermuseum.on.ca) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, through January 6, 2013.

3 4

26 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org to out oing live s g me t i !” t D ee n Sc ha ad e , C er r am ic s P b ro fe ss or y , U n iv er si ty M o f In “ d ia n a p o l is

T h y e t n o ra nl ar y w w he ear el with a 10 y

(800) 374-1600 • www.brentwheels.com

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 27 clay culture ceramic water filters Access to clean drinking water is a major problem in developing countries. In the late ‘90s, some resourceful potters at Potters for Peace put their heads together and found a solution. It received some much-deserved worldwide attention at the World Water Forum in France this past spring.

Potters for Peace has helped poor and rural communities worldwide get access to clean drinking water with their ceramic water filter factory program since 1998. They have helped build factories through alli- ances with partners in 29 countries, and an estimated 2.5 million ceramic water filters have been made and distributed to date from these factories. After a presentation at the 6th World Water Forum (WWF), which was held in Marseille, France, this spring, this simple, cost-effective program to filter water when and where it is used is gaining momentum with a greater number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and governmental agencies alike. Prior to this, groups like UNICEF, and the International Red Cross, among others, learned of the program through word of mouth, internet research, or seeing a fac- tory in another location. Now, due to the exposure at the conference, more of these groups are contacting Potters for Peace to find out about factories that already exist in the areas they serve, so they can purchase and distribute the filters in those areas, as well as to find out about set- ting up new factories. We spoke to Beverly Pillers, chair of the Potters for Peace Board of Directors, about the program and her experience at the forum.

Ceramics Monthly: Describe your experience at the WWF present- ing the ceramic water filter program. Beverly Pillers: There were 180 countries represented at the forum, along with many water networks and ministerial delegations. I participated in many debates and discussions, and also lead a high- level round table. The level of expertise of both the participants in the field of safe drinking water and the governmental decision makers in attendance made the event truly a world-class opportunity to influence political agendas and to impact sustainable development, bringing the right

1 to clean water to the forefront. It was a great opportunity to present the ceramic water filter to a very savvy audience of people who were familiar with it, and to examine the challenges of how to scale up the number of filters in the field to reach more households. The ceramic water filter has been in existence long enough to build a good reputa- tion, so my job was easier due to its good track record. But the next question is how to get the ceramic water filter in more households.

CM: What was the initial response to the presentation? BP: Initially I was surprised that the Potters for Peace ceramic water filter had reached such a high level of saturation worldwide that most government agencies and NGOs were familiar with it and held a level of respect for its simplicity and effectiveness. They were all impressed with the concept of materials (clay and burn-out material) being 2 available anywhere in the world, and the simple method we have

28 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org 1 Beverly Pillers stands with the display for the Potters for Peace ceramic water filter system at the World Water Forum in Marseille, France.

2 A family from Zapatera Island, Nicaragua, demonstrates using a water filter. Water is poured into the filter, then it slowly works its way through the pores in the clay, passing through the colloidal silver and down into to the storage receptacle below.

3 Staff at the Guayaquil, Ecuador filter factory opens the filter press by releasing pressure from the hydraulic jack. The bottom die and pressed clay release from the top die. created to build small factories that can use local materials and local labor. There were 35 solutions, of the more than 2000 submitted, presented in the Village of Solutions Pavilion (one of the subgroups within the conference) with the ceramic water filter being one of the simpler solutions. Others were more elaborate, including a kiosk that is a large electric machine producing drinking water in small plastic bags. The ceramic water filter drew a lot of attention because of its simple design, few parts, and the fact that ceramic water filters have been in existence for thousands of years, making it easier to be culturally adapted in the present day.

CM: Can you describe what the event was like for you as a potter and a member of a small non-profit organization? BP: As an attendee I found it reaffirming that the ceramic water filter is a viable point-of-use solution for the population at the bottom of the economic pyramid, whether in poor urban areas or rural developing regions. As potters, we’ve tackled a challenge of 1 great magnitude (up to ⁄ 3 of the world does not have access to safe water) with our specific knowledge of clay and achieved success in 3 creating a point-of-use device that can consistently filter bacteria and pathogens, as well as a standardized technology that can be easily transferred to other situations. That alone has been huge the next few years, bringing about the political will and climate to for such a small organization. As a result of discussions from the make change possible. forum and the close examination of conditions to be met for safe I was given the opportunity by both the Netherlands Pavilion drinking water worldwide, i.e. arsenic removal, agriculture and and the Swiss Pavilion to give presentations on the main floor of industrial contaminants, safe water storage, and finding ways to the conference, reaching many participants, as well as numerous scale up programs, I see Potters for Peace’s focus to be to resolve opportunities in the Village of Solutions to make contact with these issues, hoping that governmental structures will also step up a large number of participants of high influence in the process. to the plate to improve infrastructure and education in the area of Through several water networks, I had leadership positions at safe drinking water and point-of-use solutions. As potters we can round tables and discussions helping to formulate the Platform tackle the technical issues but need the assistance and influence of Solutions. As only one participant in a sea of faces, I felt that I of governments to promote all methods of gaining access to safe singularly had impact on the final framework through a number of drinking water as a human right. venues by presenting a very creditable point-of-use solution, and first-hand experience living and working in Nicaragua in the field CM: How did presenters and governmental decision makers connect of safe drinking water. at the World Water Forum? I’ve had requests from other governmental agencies asking BP: With a forum this large (35,000 participants this year), the for information on ceramic water filter factories in their regions. WWF Committee broke the venues down into niche groups where I think it’s given us more exposure to governments and funding participants could easily connect, formulate a platform of solutions, agencies and organizations, hopefully leading to quicker financing and identify challenges to these solutions. These platforms were of filter factories. presented throughout the week to the thematic process commis- There are requests for filter factories that will take about a year sion made up of ministers, parliamentarians, and local/regional to work through the process of feasibility studies and acquiring authorities to be included in the final document,The Global Water financing and infrastructure. Framework, which brings together the whole Forum’s outcomes and I’ve had NGOs contact me since the Forum looking for factories will be included in political agendas of participating nations over in the regions they work in wanting to distribute ceramic water

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 29 filters in their projects. This has been valuable exposure for all of pottery workshops of the artisans in Nicaragua), and also the work our factories. we do with the ceramic water filter. Many families have benefited from clean water as a result of the support given by our potter CM: Can individual potters contribute, monetarily or otherwise, to friends and many more will have access to clean water through a project without traveling to a site? their giving. BP: Many potters have contributed time and money to our projects Our long-term projects with the artisans in Nicaragua have supporting Potters for Peace over the last 26 years, helping us to improved the economy of families and empowered the artisans to continue our work in Nicaragua with clay (through donations and become community leaders, with the benefits from small donations annual, affordable Brigade trips, where participants work in the making a permanent social change. The Ceramic Water Filter Program Beverly Pillers explains the process, from building the factory to getting filters into people’s hands.

Steps to make a finished, locally made filter: • A conservative estimate is that an average facility can produce 1200 filters per month, bringing safe drinking • An interested group requests to partner with Potters for water to a total of 72,000 people per year. Peace on building a filter factory, usually via email. • Potters for Peace has visited homes where filters that • An initial feasibility and sustainability study is done were up to 10 years old were still effectively providing water by Potters for Peace. It takes 2–4 weeks to do, includ- that tested clear of water-borne diseases. ing combing the area for the supplies and equipment needed, testing the clay, and • Studies have shown a 2% per month at- looking for bricks for the kiln. trition rate of filters in the field due to vari- ous causes. These include breakage of the • The group seeks grants or other fund- ceramic filter or spigot, or people choosing ing to set up the factory (setup costs are not to continue using the filter. between $15–40,000 for materials, equip- ment, training, and support). • In communities with filters, there is between 60–80% reduction in water-borne diseases • Potters for Peace helps to build a small after a year of the filter being introduced. factory of a hydraulic filter press, kiln, and shelving to produce a ceramic water filter Purchase, distribution, and use: made from local clay and a burnout material (i.e. sawdust, coffee husks). • The finished filter costs the equivalent of $15–20 to purchase and can last 2–5 years • When the pot filter is fired, the sawdust depending on turbidity of water and ad- is burned out, leaving microscopic pores to equate care (compared to approximately filter water. $70 and up for other commercial filters). • After testing each filter for adequate filtra- • Most sales at the ceramic water filter tion rate, the working filters receive a coating factories are in large numbers to NGOs. of colloidal silver, making the filter 99.98% They distribute the filters in communi- effective in filtering out water-borne proto- ties with poor water quality, usually in zoa and bacteria. It takes about three weeks rural areas, along with providing educa- for a Potters for Peace trainer working with the tion in health and sanitation. Their method staff at a new factory to produce filters quickly. of distribution varies, with some NGOs selling them • The filters are fitted into plastic water storage buckets at a highly subsidized price (local currency equivalent of that have built-in spigots. $1–$2 per filter), and others giving them away. We try to discourage giving them away because then the filter • Including independent lab testing and local government has no perceived value to the recipient, and in follow-up certification, filters are getting out to the community within studies we find they use the ceramic water filter fora 45 days of set up. short time then start using the bucket for other purposes. • Once the factory is built, Potters for Peace offers help • A smaller number of the ceramic water filters are sold in to the owners and staff of the factory through follow-up local market places or shops, and via vendors on bicycles, visits and training. all using micro finance to help the buyer afford the filter. It’s Filter stats: a difficult task to market the filter when the sellers have to compete with NGOs distributing them at a much lower cost. • One ceramic water filter can filter 6–8 gallons of water a day, enough for a family of 6–8, or approximately 2184 The diagram above shows a cutaway of a completed filter system, gallons of potable water a year. consisting of a ceramic filter, a plastic storage container, a spigot, and a lid.

30 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org TM The versatile Bailey Quick-Trim II (Patent Pending) Potters rave about the QT2

“A classmate let me try his Quick Trim II. I went right home and ordered myself one.”

“After watching the youtube video, it convinced me to buy one.”

“The Quick Trim II is heavy and sturdy. It’s built to last a long time.”

“Being a hand builder, I love that my irregularly shaped pieces can have a nice wheel-trimmed foot.”

“I’ve been recommending it as an effective & QT2-23 economical centering tool to all my classmates.” QT2-15 The Bailey Quick Trim II is fast, easy to use, & incredibly durable. Great for the classrooms. Mounts instantly to any wheel with 10” bat pins. It also adapts to 9” centers. Each QT2 can be used in either a counter-clockwise or clockwise direction. Secures forms in less than 7 seconds. There are 4 independent holders which provide QT2-12 superior holding power for the widest variety of for the Aspire irregular forms. To view our Youtube video, scan the QR or Google: Prices start at just $95 BaileyQuickTrim II now! 3 Models to choose from: QT2-12 12.5” diameter for Aspire Wheels QT2-15 15.5” diameter for 10” pin centers QT2-23 23.5” diameter for 10” pin centers

Dealers Aftosa Axner Big Ceramic Store The Ceramics Shop www.aftosa.com www.axner.com www.bigceramicstore.com www.theceramicshop.com (510) 233-0334 (407) 365-2600 (777) 351-2888 (215) 427-9665 Clay Planet Atlanta Clay Bailey Pottery Equipment Seattle Pottery Supply [email protected] www.atlantaclay.com www.baileypottery.com www.seattlepotterysupply.com (408) 295-3352 (770) 451-6774 (800) 431-6067 (206) 587-0570 Aardvark Clay, Ca The Potter’s Center Highwater Clay Tuckers Pottery Supply www.aardvarkclay.com www.potterscenter.com www.highwaterclays.com www.tuckerspottery.com (714) 541-4157 (208) 378-1112 (828) 252-6033 (800) 304-6185 Aardvark Clay, NV Sheffield Pottery Georgies [email protected] www.sheffield-pottery.com www.georgies.com (702) 451-9898 (413) 229-7700 (503) 283-1353 Ceramics & Craft Supplies www.ceramicssf.com (415) 982-9231 www.baileyquicktrim.com

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 31 clay culture

a new/classic spin by Cristy Bertini In the 1970s a young potter had a great idea to make a pottery wheel on the cheap. Fast forward 33 years and his pedal-powered plans are helping another young potter to keep working after finishing college.

Helen D’Angelo has reinvented the wheel, so to speak. A senior After reviewing George’s plans, D’Angelo and Crockett decided at the Massachusetts College of Art and a Worcester native, she to make the machine a little more modern, but they had to be cre- was visiting with her friend, Mary Remington, in Hardwick when ative to keep costs down. Crockett took a wheel hub off of an old the two decided to stop at Larry Crockett’s barn sale. Crockett is a trailer, D’Angelo found old bicycles to take the wheels from, and blacksmith, and D’Angelo asked him if he had any old wood that parts from broken tables, a desk top, and even a weedwhacker shaft she could use for a project she was working on in school. When were used. D’Angelo came home from school every weekend and she D’Angelo explained that she wanted to make a bicycle pedal- and Crockett worked on the project for about six weeks, with help powered pottery wheel, Crockett, being an artist in his own right, from Crockett’s apprentice Connor Elliot, and Joe Bolger of Barre. offered to help. She said she is very grateful to everyone for their help, particu- D’Angelo already had a set of blueprints for the project that larly Crockett. “I couldn’t have done it without him,” she said. “He she obtained from John George, the man who invented the pedal- helped me redesign and build the whole thing.” powered pottery wheel, and whose invention appeared on page 94 The total project cost for D’Angelo’s wheel was approximately in the September 1979 issue of Ceramics Monthly (he still sells plans $150—coincidentally, the same amount that George budgeted through www.johngeorgestudio.com). for his original wheel. “I didn’t have much money, like all potters, D’Angelo, whose love of pottery began when she was 15 while and pottery wheels are and were very expensive,” George said. attending the Worcester Center for Crafts, realized that purchasing “I’m pleased that it was built again after all these years. It was a an electric potter’s wheel would cost $1000 or more. “A lot of my nice surprise.” friends were doing a lot of things with bicycles,” she said. “One of George lives and operates his studio in Tucson, Arizona. He my friends actually built a washing machine powered by a bicycle, said he came up with the idea to create the bicycle-powered wheel so I thought I would give it a try, although Larry and I had no idea in 1976 when he was riding his own bicycle to a shop where he what building it would involve.” apprenticed. “I thought it would be an excellent way to transmit When researching on the Internet to find out if it had been done power, so I got on a kick wheel and noticed how clumsy, heavy, and before, she came across George’s patent from 1977 for the pedal- off-centered it was,” George explained. “I thought I could build a powered wheel. “I found his website and I called him,” D’Angelo better wheel than this, so I combined a kick wheel and a bicycle into said. “He told me no one had mentioned it to him in over 20 years one machine. I quickly realized the reason no one else had made one and was surprised that someone wanted to build one. He sent me his before was that it was very difficult. But, it’s a great wheel, because blueprints in the mail along with a wheel-head part for the machine.” it’s always balanced . . . and it’s a lot easier to operate.”

1 2 3

1 John George pedaling pots from the September 1979 issue of CM. 2 Helen D’Angelo and the team who helped make her idea a reality. From left: Joe Bolger, Connor Elliot, and Larry Crockett. 3 D’Angelo at work, on her bicycle-pedal powered wheel. As a tribute to John George, she’s pictured barefoot, just as he was in the original photo in CM.

32 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org There are at least 12 innovative features that make the Bailey Thermal Logic Electric an amazing design. Let’s start with number one. The Bailey “Quick-Change” Element Holder System In 2007, Jim Bailey designed a brilliant new element holder system and was awarded a patent for it. Bailey continued to improve his element holder system and that’s what is at the heart of the Thermal Logic Electric. Imagine an element holder so strong that it can withstand 22 lbs of direct force and not fracture or chip. If need be, you can immediately pull the holder out and replace it in seconds if there was a kiln accident. This same innovative element holder adds to energy efficiency because it transfers more radiant heat into the load instead of the insulating brick. It doesn’t get better than this! And there’s more, much more. Look to Bailey innovation when you want the very best products and value.

The new generation of Bailey ENERGY SAVER kilns produces consistently reliable & beautiful firings. The Bailey Thermal LogicTM comes in a variety of sizes and designs. Also see our Bailey Top Loader Energy Saver Kilns on the Bailey Professionals Know website. the Difference. The Bailey Thermal LogicTM Bailey Pottery Equipment Corporation is a sustainable kiln design, www.baileypottery.com built for a lifetime of heavy (800) 431-6067 Direct: (845) 339-3721 use & easy servicing. Fax: (845) 339-5530 www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 33 clay culture

wedgwoodn’t by Holly Goring Through exploration of processes that were originally intended for engineers, artist Michael Eden reinterprets decadent objects from ceramic history. These techniques provide him enormous creative freedom of design with materials that are ceramic, but are not used in traditional ways.

Michael Eden’s Wedgwoodn’t Tureen is part of a series of redesigned resemble Wedgwood Black Basalt, but has developed a much wider iconic objects originally produced during the first Industrial Revolu- range of colors since then. tion and now remade using revolutionary technology. The series of Eden followed the Wedgwoodn’t series with the À Rebours tureen, vessels was created using additive layer manufacturing (ALM—aka inspired by a pair of Sèvres porcelain lidded vases topped with rapid prototyping, or three-dimensional printing), a technology that whimsical gold ceramic “fountains” on the lids. produces three-dimensional objects from digital designs. “It would Eden’s approach to reinterpreting the piece started with the his- be impossible to produce this design using conventional industrial tory of Sèvres and the role ceramic pieces played in French society ceramic techniques,” notes Eden. of the time. He was intrigued that the factory originated to produce The forms, according to Eden, are loosely based on Josiah Wedg- an imitation of the much sought after German hard-paste porcelain, wood’s classic tureens itself an imita- and pay homage to tion of the highly Wedgwood’s role as prized Chinese a father of the first and Japanese por- Industrial Revolution. celains. “It is es- Eden’s vessels have a sentially a story delicately pierced sur- of imitation and face inspired by bone, aspiration, not and refer to the natu- only in style and ral objects often used materials but also by Wedgwood and his in the symbolism contemporaries as the of the objects,” inspiration for many remarks Eden. of their designs. Ac- His re-inter- cording to Eden, his pretation of the design also refers to Sèvres piece is yet the artificial bone the another imitation, ALM machines are although not a capable of producing. Michael Eden has been experimenting with methods of three-dimensional printing using digital cheap copy for The three-dimen- data to create ceramic objects with the same properties as conventional ceramics. Left: The mass production. Wedgwoodn’t Tureen, additive layer manufacturing with a magenta colored non-fired ceramic sional printing tech- coating, Crafts Council Collection. Right: À Rebours, based on a Sèvres porcelain piece from the He explains, “My nology removes the Wallace Collection. interpretation of constraints of design the Sèvres piece for manufacture where the materials and production methods have is a paradox. The piece was designed on a computer and produced an impact on both the initial design and the final product. In other by ALM, so the piece is not hand made, though the design process words, “There are only certain forms that I can throw on a wheel,” took up to 150 hours of intense work.” It is partly ceramic, although states Eden. “Gravity, centrifugal force, and the material limitations unfired. The decoration uses symbols to denote wealth, yet they of clay limit the possibilities. The Wedgwoodn’t Tureen’s printing are imitation “bling.” While based on an exquisitely crafted object removes these constraints and greatly expands the potential to cre- of enormous value, his piece is made from common and relatively ate previously impossible forms to creatively communicate ideas.” inexpensive raw materials transformed by a very technically advanced Specifically, the tureens are designed with Rhino 3D and manufacturing process. Eden states, “I would say that my aim has FreeForm software and the files are then sent to a ZCorp 510 3D been to create a beautiful object with historical and cultural refer- printing machine for final production. TheWedgwoodn’t Tureen is ences that proposes a dialog between what is real and what is not.” printed with a proprietary plaster/polymer material, infiltrated with a material for extra strength. Each piece is then coated in a non-fired Michael Eden is represented by Adrian Sassoon, London. To see more ceramic material. Eden formulated the original coating to closely of Eden’s work, check out www.edenceramics.co.uk.

34 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org Our NOVA series Cone 4/6 glazes are now available in pints. Plain Colors To the left are the basic plain colors. There are also three types of Clear Glaze available: 1500 - Clear, 1501 - Clear Crackle, and 1502 - Satin 1510 1511 1512 1513 1514 1515 Clear White Black Yellow Cobalt Blue Chrome Green Burgundy

Soft Reactives (for Layering)

1520 1521 1522 Soft White Soft Red Soft Blue

Pot Glazed with 1523 1524 1525 1533 - Muddy Hippo Soft Aqua Soft Green Soft Midnight (on buff stoneware) The Soft colors, 1520-1525 (shown Textured and Reactive Glazes above), are formulated to be layered with other Cone 4/6 glazes. They can be used on their own, but work best in combination to create jaw-dropping reactions and effects with other colors. 1530 1531 1532 1533 1534 1535 Coffee Latte Storm Cloud Muddy Hippo Dark Jungle Wet Sand To the right are the remaining glazes in the series. All glazes are now available in pints and gallons for brushing as well as the original wet and dry buckets for dipping. For 1536 1537 1538 more details see: 1539 1540 1541 Dark Leopard Antique Copper Swamp Water Elephant Hide Matte Blue Matte Black www.spectrumglazes.com/whatsnew.html

Canada: 273 Bowes Rd. U.S.A: C/O F.T.N. PH: (800) 970-1970 Unit A1 2215 Kenmore ave. FAX: (905) 695-8354 Concord, ON Buffalo, NY WWW.SPECTRUMGLAZES.COM L4K 1H8 14207 [email protected]

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 35 studIo vIsIt Justin teilhet Yellow springs, ohio

Studio I work out of two buildings on my property, which is located on the edge of Clifton Just the Facts George Nature Preserve in southwest Ohio. Both structures were on the property along Clay with a house when we moved in seventeen years ago. Both are small, about 350 square feet Grolleg porcelain, sliced up, left out each. One was a wooden garage with a dirt floor, the other a cinder block building on a overnight, and re-pugged for stiffness concrete slab. When I started working there in ’96, I only used the block building. I had Primary forming method a donated wood burning stove, but no running water. It wasn’t a lot of fun at the time, wheel throwing but I must admit I sometimes miss the daily ritual of chopping wood, lighting a fire, and Primary firing temperature carrying buckets of water. cone 10 reduction in a gas kiln At that time I worked with what was available. Most of my work was fired, or more Favorite surface treatment accurately burned, in an old oil drum. I would stack work with wood, sawdust, copper, reduction glazes (copper red, cela- and salt, then burn it down. Back then the work was surface driven. The forms were simply don, etc.) and recently 23k gold leaf canvases for the spontaneous colors and patterns created by fire, or at least that’s what my Favorite tools artist statement said. Today the focus of my work is primarily form. My latest body of These days it’s my pencil. It’s the first tool that I use to translate my thoughts work is an attempt to join simplicity with a dynamic element. into designs. Years later, after hooking up electricity, running water, and pouring a concrete floor in the wooden building, I built my first gas kiln. At that point I began using both spaces, one for firing and glaze mixing, and the other for all other aspects of making.

36 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org The best thing about my studio is its location. If my music is Show and Philadelphia Museum of Art craft show. In these eighteen too loud at 3am, which is when you can often find me working, years, I had the great fortune to show with, and learn from, some no one complains. I’m surrounded by woods and countryside of the greatest clay artists working. From these artists I gleaned just a few miles from downtown Yellow Springs, Ohio. It’s lush, everything that defines my current work. They include Phil Echart beautiful, and quiet. who let me know what it means to work, and I mean work, in clay. A lesson taken from Scott Bennett was that if we shed tradition, Paying Dues (and Bills): clay becomes a vehicle for pure expression. Curtis Benzle showed I guess technically I have no formal training in ceramics. That said, me the importance of humility in one’s creative pursuit. And from I consider myself to have learned from the best. Through a series Paul Morriss, I learned Zen and the art of clay bending. If any of of fortunate events, I started learning to work in clay at Wright you are reading this, thanks. State University when I was five years old. I was part of a project I couldn’t say how many hours a week I spend in the studio dealing with the use of art (clay in particular) in early education. these days. I can however tell you that it’s most of them. I continued working and learning there for about seven years. It was there that a woman named Cindy Baker taught me to throw. Body Later I had a semester of high school ceramics, and that was it. I’m the last person who should be giving advice on health or fitness. I bought a card table and showed my work to whomever would My secret is cheap black coffee. look. It took eighteen years of “dues” to get from that card table I pay for private health insurance for my family. The plan costs into galleries, collections, and events like the Smithsonian Craft a lot and covers a little. It seems like someone should come up

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 37 with a comprehensive health care plan that all Americans could have been able to be more and more selective with where my work take part in. Hmmm. is seen and purchased. This takes time and patience. If I have any advice on this matter it is to focus on the work, not the market. Mind Good work will always have a place. Paying too much attention I enjoy the opportunity to investigate other artists’ work. I try to to the market may generate more sales in the short term, but all expose myself to a wide variety of art forms. A favorite publication too often leads to stagnation. of mine is Sculpture magazine. It gives me the opportunity to view The most important thing that I have done to sell more work is works outside of the bounds of any one technique. to practice my craft, and to continue expressing my creative intent One of the most creatively enriching activities that I’ve ever in a fresh manner. Once my work stops progressing, I’m fi nished. done is part-time adjunct teaching in the sculpture department I am currently on my seventh body of work. My pattern has been one of intense focus, followed by a period of reinvention. This of Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton, Ohio. I don’t teach cycle usually lasts three to fi ve years. When I begin to develop a ceramics there. In fact, I somewhat discourage the use of clay in new body of work, I quickly discover a whole new set of technical my classroom; they have a great ceramics department for that. It’s diffi culties and creative hurdles. Overcoming these challenges is wonderful to work with different materials. The work sharpens my life’s work. I spend years trying to realize my original concepts, my ability to manipulate materials of all kinds, and makes clay technically and visually. When I fi nally feel that I have struck a feel fresh every time I touch it. But the energy that I receive from balance between technique and content, and when I can accurately the kids is what keeps me excited about my own studio. Seeing and consistently predict the outcome of each piece, I begin to look their will to create can be a very inspiring thing. to the future, and wonder what my work will be next. Marketing Most Important Lesson I’ve tried many approaches to selling my work, none of which Never stop becoming, and you’ll probably be okay. have been 100% sustainable on their own. I have found that a multi-pronged approach works well. As my career has progressed, I www.jteilhetporcelain.com

38 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org “Some days I’m standing up, some days I’m sitting down when I throw. So being able to adjust the height of the legs in nuanced ways is a real advantage... I also love the large aluminum built- in splash pan. It gives me something very stable to lean my body into as I’m throwing. It gives me extra stability and a little extra strength.” Steven Hill powerful tough innovative ergonomic smooth value

Visit skutt.com/video/hill to see video of Steven discussing the ergonomics of throwing.

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 39 Kristen Kieffer

by Lauren Karle

1

When you pots need not be reserved merely for special occasions. cradle one of Kieffer creates pots that are intentionally celebratory, Kristen Kieffer’s cups with the desire that the people who use them allow themselves in your hands and touch it to a moment of luxury during their daily routines. Although many your lips, it speaks to you. Attuned potters create work specifi cally to bring people together, she envisions to the communicative potential of art, Kief- a person using an ornate cup in a solitary moment. Ideally, users who per- fer understands that successful utilitarian objects mit themselves the pleasure of beauty reinforce their own value and self-worth. convey feeling and connection in ways that cannot The result of Kieffer’s formal decisions as a maker is an ornate alternative to always be articulated. She enjoys the small challenge the typical “every day” cup or jar. Her unique aesthetic counteracts the austerity of making elaborately decorated, functional work that of contemporary manufactured wares and rejects the idea of saving the “good is appealing for daily use. To her mind, these types of China” for special occasions.

40 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org While Kieffer did not set out to make feminine pots, she is associated with that genre because our contemporary culture perceives ornamen- tation as feminine. The elaborate gilt decoration on the hilt of a royal sword was once a symbol of power, but now intricate gold forms such as these are viewed as “unmasculine.” By employing delicate, ornate surfaces, Kieffer elicits a similar response from contemporary viewers. Her use of colors, patterns, vessel forms, and tactile qualities yields soft, joyful, and elegant work to which our culture responds as feminine. The word used most often to describe Kieffer’s work is Victorian. As clothing and silver vessels from this period are among her many influ- ences, this makes sense. Wanting to determine her own category, she refers to her pots as “Victorian modern,” suggesting a contemporary interpretation of an era based on eclecticism, cross-cultural influence, and ornamental abundance. When looking at her stamped cups, you notice the precision of her stamping, which produces symmetrical 2 patterns further accentuated by the fluid lines, dots, and swirls of slip- trailing. This kind of orderliness and indulgence of ornamentation also exemplifies Art Nouveau. In 2010, she began to add stripes and polka dots of underglaze color, which enhanced the “modern” aspect of her approach. The addition of these playful bits of color serves to draw the viewer’s eye around the form, giving a colorful backdrop to some of the raised, slip-trailed patterns and increasing the sense of festivity while retaining connections to the everyday. Although the surfaces of her work make a striking initial impression, her forms are equally important. Part of what distinguishes Kieffer’s work is the way in which she relates pattern to form. The decoration is not simply laid on top, but rather form and surface are carefully integrated. By stamping her pieces in their wet, moldable state, a stage she refers to as “suede,” Kieffer actually changes the forms as 3

1 Wall/mantel tiles, 5 in. (13 cm) square, handbuilt porcelain with slip-sponge, slip-trail, and underglaze decorations, fired to cone 7 in oxidation, 2010.

2 Flower vessel (Corset series), 13½ in. (34 cm) in width, wheel-thrown and altered porcelain, pulled handles, slip-trail, slip-sponge, and carved decorations, fired to cone 7 in oxidation, 2010.

3 Small dessert plate set, 7¼ in. (18 cm) in diameter, wheel-thrown and altered porcelain with slip-trail, slip- sponge, and underglaze decorations, fired to cone 7 in oxidation, 2011.

4 Clover cup, stamped bowl, small, and medium plate, wheel-thrown and altered porcelain with slip-trail, slip-sponge, and underglaze decorations, fired to cone 7 4 in oxidation, 2012.

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 41 she applies patterns. As each stamp is pressed into the clay, she uses her fingers behind the stamp to push outwards, creating a fluted effect and voluptuous appearance. The result captures the softness of wet clay. Each stamp is carefully designed by Kieffer to create elegant negative spaces and appealing shapes. Her slip-trailed swirls and dots undulate across the forms, drawing the viewer’s eye and fingers over each pot’s curve. A hasty glance might lead one to equate decorated with delicate and assume that the pots are fragile. However, always keeping function in mind, Kieffer gives an intentional plumpness to her pots. The resulting robustness of a handle, for example, leaves the user feeling quite comfortable with her cup. She embraces the idea of feminine pots looking and feeling strong. Kieffer’s choice of monochrome color and satin glazes for the exteriors accentuates form, while simultaneously emphasizing tactility, drawing her users in to touch the lush surfaces and use the pots in their homes. Taking a cue from the silver service pieces that she loves, simplified color helps insure that the surfaces won’t dominate the forms. Just as a woman might wear a dress of a single color to set off her figure, a monochrome glaze can draw the viewer’s attention to the sleek form of a vessel. The type of surface chosen by Kieffer also affects her interest in setting off her pots’ forms. Glossy glazes reflect light, obscuring both a pot’s shape and pattern when placed on the exterior. On the interior, they ensure the functionality of the pots. The satin glaze on the outside pools in carved and stamped lines and breaks over ribbed and slip-trailed edges, making the surfaces touchable as well as allowing the forms and decoration to be most visible. Function, form, and surface are constantly pushed and pulled in Kieffer’s work. At times, she allows one of the three to have priority over the others, but all are always pertinent to each piece. She considers her large covered jars and Corset series to be sculptural vessels, though each is still based on function, filling the role of storage or flower display, re- 5 spectively. The large surface area of these pieces allows her the most space

5 Large pear jar, 15 in. (38 cm) in height, wheel-thrown and altered porcelain with slip-trail, slip-sponge, and underglaze decorations, fired to cone 7 in oxidation, 2012.

6 Stamped vases, each approximately 8 in. (20 cm) in height, wheel-thrown and altered porcelain, stamped, with slip-trail decorations, fired to cone 7 in oxidation, 2011.

7 Stamped cups, to 4 in (10 cm) in height, wheel-thrown and altered porcelain, stamped, with pulled handles, slip-trail, and underglaze decorations, fired to cone 7 oxidation, 2012.

8 Teapots and saucer sets, 11 in. (28 cm) in height, wheel-thrown, altered, and handbuilt porcelain, stamped, pulled handles and spouts, with slip-trail, slip-sponge, and underglaze decorations, fired to cone 7 in oxidation, 2012.

6

42 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org 7

our culture, we experience an increasing need for tangible, simple, but beautiful things. Creating objects of beauty in her studio brings Kieffer a joy that she seeks to share with other people. Her intention is to make objects that gently remind their users of what it feels like to be human. Despite the financial responsibilities that she and her husband share of paying the bills, Kieffer has never sought to change her work to increase its salability. She continues to cre- ate from an inner resource, staying true to her inspirations. Her work is constantly evolving as she creates, however, because she never allows herself to feel completely comfortable. If she finds herself falling into routines when looking 8 for a visual solution, she deliberately challenges herself to discover new answers. Although opportunities for play with the medium are to play with layered pattern and the greatest opportunity to make sometimes waylaid by deadlines, she reserves time throughout the formal design decisions, but form ultimately takes precedent over year to experiment. Above all, she hopes that every person who both function and surface. When she creates wall tiles, her focus is interacts with her work feels the passion and positive energy she mainly on surface. Raised two inches from the wall by their thick- puts into each piece when they use her ornately functional pots. ness and with convex surfaces tapering towards each corner, the tiles are not simply flat ceramic paintings on unconsidered shapes. Pattern takes precedence, but Kieffer’s tiles are successful because she also carefully considers the volumes, which allows them to be Kristen’s tip is excerpted from her DVD, Surface Decoration: Suede to easily hung on the wall. Leatherhard, available through her website, http://kiefferceramics.com, While she admires artists who make work that addresses serious where you can also see more of her work. political or social issues, Kieffer prefers that her art influence the world in other ways. Today’s social media can interfere with quiet the author Lauren Karle (http://laurenkarle.com/home)is a graduate self-reflection, and as technology gains an ever-stronger hold on student in ceramics at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 43 2012 NCECA 2012 NCECA NCECA2012 NCECA 2012 NCECA Student Juried Exhibition by Tony Merino

Cynical themes and caustic images permeated the 2012 NCECA National Student Juried Exhibition at the University of Washington’s Jacob Lawrence Gallery (http://art.washington.edu/63_Jacob-Lawrence-Gallery), in Seattle, Washington. It is impossible to know if the prepon- derance of diffi cult images refl ects the jury’s prejudice, editing done by the pool of applicants, or a general social bleakness. In the sculpture shown, works designed to unsettle and provoke the viewer dominated. The pieces devoid of harshness stood out, and included some exceptional works. The jury’s selection of functional pieces was far more eclectic. Among the core of the exhibition were four pieces that announced themselves above the exhibition’s din. They incor- porated uncomfortable images, subjects, or forms in engaging ways. In Body Documentation, Sarah McNutt sculpts an arching female nude with red-tipped pins stuck into its body. The im- age deals with objectifi cation, both sexually and scientifi cally. The latter discomforts more. The needles look like pins used to hold specimens of butterfl ies and insects in display cases. The resulting image of a body pinned to facilitate examination is creepy, provocative, and haunting. The seriousness of Body Documentation contrasts with the humor of Rhonda Chan’s Nekkidness (page 47), a portrait of a large rodent with a blue splattered belly holding out its blue-tinted hand. Chan uses 1 two devices to create a sense of playful absurdity in the image.

2

44 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org NCECA 2012 NCECA 2012 NCECA 2012 NCECA Student Juried Exhibition by Tony Merino

3 4

First, standing with its head tilted to the viewer’s left and smiling, Chan gives the fi gure a submissive pose. Second, the narrative of a personality offering an oint- ment just smeared on its own belly creates a sense of absurdity that disarms the viewer. The other two artists, Andres Payan and Ben Tyjeski, contributed highly spe- cifi c political images. In these works, the seriousness of the subject demands harshness. Payan, in the tradition of Ai Weiwei, mines his cultural history and present to create a strong, Neo-Dadaist piece. In Contrabando, the artist packs the dust of pulverized Talavera pottery into bricks wrapped in packing tape. The packages are

1 Dandee Pattee’s Jar III, 7 in. (17 cm) in depth, porcelain fired to cone 10 reduction, 2011. 2 Sarah McNutt’s Body Documentation, 24 in. (61 cm) in length, low-fire clay, black copper oxide, pastel, pins, 2010. 3 Andres Payan’s Contrabando, 10 in. (25 cm) in length, 2011. 4 Kelly Brenner’s High Class Cup Pyramid, 16 in. (40 cm) in length, slip-cast porcelain fired to cone 10 reduction, 2011. 5 Valerie Banes’ covered dish, 7 in, (18 cm) in length, thrown and altered porcelain, fired to cone 10 reduction. 5

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 45 wrapped using the method drug cartels use when packaging drugs to be smuggled into the US. Contrabando includes a utility knife used to cut open the tape, exposing the pottery dust. Payan creates a disturbing metaphor that deals with the slippage and denigration of a national identity. Ben Tyjeski sculpts a red snake, headed with a man holding a gun, emerg- ing from the gaping mouth of a black bust in his piece, El Envenenamiento De Las Palabras de VRHT. The image depicts Victor Raúl Haya de la Torre, a Peruvian political leader and anti-imperialist. The image articulates how a person’s spoken or published words take on a life of their own. This includes misappropriation by others—here, specifically, political leader Abimael Guzmán, who distorted the author’s intent. In addition to articulating difficult stories, both Payan and Tyjeski create incomplete images. The viewer can’t divine the full content of the work without reading the artist statements. This is not necessarily a criticism, as the same can be said for many of the German–American conceptual artist Hans Haacke’s more powerful pieces. Three pieces stood out in contrast to the angst that permeated the sculptural works. Evan Pomerantz, Luke Severson, and Nathan Prouty contribute indulgent, formal works. Pomerantz uses theoretical mathematics as the basis for Mandala, a series of curvy cones pulled out of a sheet of clay shaped like a potato chip (see Undergraduate Showcase 2012 on page 61 for an image of a different piece from this series). The artist baffles the viewer, who wants to be able to make sense of the fractal-like work. It may be based on a simple formula, but it is completely indecipherable. Luke Severson uses the same method in his work Blue Whip, a conglomeration of five odd geometric objects arranged on a contrapposto armature (p. 48). Nathan Prouty combines white earthenware, Plexiglas, under-paints, and other media to create Herule, a slipper-shaped piece filled with what looks like a silo of bandages (p. 48). Part of the form is decorated with a sandy textured matte pink. Two works bridge the sculptural and functional pieces included in this year’s exhibition. Like Payan, Kelly Brenner taps Dadaism in High Class Cup Pyramid, a stack of 55 porcelain cups (p. 45). Each cup is made by slip casting a plastic Solo cup. Brenner uses this juxtaposition of form and object to bemuse the viewer. In its own way, the work subverts many of the pretensions of contemporary ceramics. Most importantly, the sanctification of the handmade clay object is more than just a plastic cup, or slip-cast cup for that matter. Pei-Hsuan Wang’s work, Oriental Obsession 1, reflects this obsession with caustic images on a utilitarian form (p. 48). On the side of a pedestrian mug, Wang places the text “How to use chopsticks properly.” This is posted over a stack of four images; the first being an empty hand posed to hold chopsticks, while the final image is a hand holding a rodent by the neck using a pair of chopsticks. Wang uses humor to sugarcoat the content; stripped of this, 6 the content is disquieting.

46 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org 7

6 Bill Wilkey’s Large Wiggle Bottle, 25 in. (63 cm) in height, porcelaneous stoneware, layered shino glaze, 2011. 7 Norleen Nosri’s Intimate, 16 in. (40 cm) in height. The cups and teapot are white glazed translucent porcelain, 8 fired to cone 6, oxidation. The base is stained red earthenware fired to cone 03 and wax coating, 2011. 8 Rhonda Chan’s Nekkidness, 12 in. (30 cm) in height, stoneware, flocking, and paint, 2010. 9 Ben Tyjeski’s El Envenenamiento de las Palabras de VRHT, 22 in. (55 cm) in width, stoneware, underglazes, and oxide washes, 2010.

Two pieces stood out from the rest of the functional forms included in the exhibition simply due to their complete unity of form, innovation, and surface. In Dandee Pattee’s covered jar, the artist makes a bowl and then rolls the lip inward and down. The slightly flared out lid sits about half an inch below the top of the bowl. It is topped with a large knob. Three qualities resonate within this work. First it is restrained. Aside from the device of rolling the lip of the bowl over, Pattee creates a simple form. Second, the rhythm of the glaze is seductive. It shifts from a soft cappuccino and turns into a darker brown. On the top, the transition from light to dark is far more subtle, except at the bottom of the lid where the brown breaks away in a series of freckles. Third, and most important, the work is visually well-balanced. Whether innate or learned, Pattee’s sense of proportion is exquisite. Bill Wilkey creates a form that acts as a perfect foil for a shino glaze with Large Wiggle Bottle. The looseness and action-reaction design of the form brings out the randomness of the shino. Both the carbon trapping and crawling read as almost 9 inevitable on Wilkey’s piece.

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 47 10

11

In contrast to Pattee and Wilkey’s uniform design, Norleen Nosri juxtaposes ceramic surface textures in Intimate, a multiple piece serving set. Nosri uses brown clay to create an elevated base that displays a coffee pot and a cluster of drinking cups. Two details give this work its presence. First, the cups vary in shape and form. Second, the artist allowed the white glaze to drip on the bottom of the serving pot. This single device works on two levels. Con- ceptually, it connects to the function of the vessel. Visually, it adds randomness to the piece. Other artists displayed works that are far more ornate. Valerie Banes maintains two innate qualities of the softness of wet clay in her finished covered dish (p. 45). This loosely thrown form is incised and altered, with an undulating rim. A fluid glaze runs down the side of the form, accentuating the bulges and curves, creating an almost gaudy form. Ultimately, this year’s student exhibition was not that differ- ent from years past. It included both functional and sculptural works that were uniquely conceived and solidly executed. Other pieces were finely polished but not innovative. Unfortunately, the heaviness of the exhibition theme dampened all of the works. This year, the whole was significantly less than the sum of its parts.

the author Tony Merino, frequent contributor to CM, is an artist and writer working out of Dallas, Texas.

10 Nathan Prouty’s Herule, 5½ in. (14 cm) in depth, white earthenware, cone 04 underglaze, glaze, Plexiglas, paint, and mixed media, 2011. 11 Pei-Hsuan Wang’s Oriental Obsession 1, 5 in. (13 cm) in height, Ikea mug and ceramic decal, 2011. Luke Severson’s Blue Whip,12 in. (30 12 12 cm) in height, altered and assembled slip-cast porcelain and paint, 2011.

48 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org TranquiliTy and undersTaTemenT Young-jae Lee at Pucker GaLLerY by Paul Mcallister

by Paul Mcallister

Spinach Bowls as installed at Pucker Gallery. Photos: Keith McWilliams.

Although Young-jae Lee has exhibited in a group show in Califor- the pieces grew in my memory, and came away eventually feeling nia and has had a solo exhibition in New York, this exhibition of indulged and perhaps sated. her work at Pucker Gallery (www.puckergallery.com) in Boston, The Pucker Gallery, located over four floors, represents a se- Massachusetts, was her first cataloged solo exhibition in the US. lected number of ceramic practitioners from the US, Asia, Africa, Visiting “Bauhaus Meets Korea: Ceramic Works by Young-jae Lee,” and Europe in ceramics, paintings, and prints. The emphasis in represented both my first time at the Pucker Gallery and viewing terms of ceramics is work that sits within the Mingei school and Lee’s work. There was deferred gratification in viewing this work of perhaps those ripples of influence that remain. The gallery is en- subtle, understated beauty; I felt obliged to visit a second time as tered through the basement and Lee’s work was arranged within

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 49 2

1 3

this room. At first sight, my eye was pulled toward certain pieces of work but I slowly be- gan to appreciate that a careful editing process had been employed and a developing series of ensembles and vignettes emerged, punctuated by larger and perhaps more individual items. Small groups of bowls, jars, vases, and dishes were arranged on antique Japanese furniture and contemporary plinths, some with turn- tables allowing you to examine a work in full. For this exhibition, dedicated shelving units on opposite sides of the room contained ar- rangements of 56 bowls. These arrangements, which may read as an installation, were subtle and needed time to reveal a rich and varied array of changing color, form, and texture. The bowls arranged together offered one experience, while examined individually they offered another, more intimate experience. Lee uses a number of clay bodies and the interplay of iron-bearing stoneware and non-iron bear- ing porcelaneous clays with a variety of firing 4 techniques and glazes, helped to develop the 1 Large bowl, 21 in. (53 cm) in diameter, stoneware, engobe, and white crackle glaze. Spindle Vase, 16 in. (41 cm) in height, stoneware and petalite oak ash glaze. contrasting elements within these arrange- 2 3 Spindle Vase, 15½ in. (39 cm) in diameter, stoneware and “White Rose” petalite-feldspathic glaze. ments. Upon examination, the glazes revealed 4 Bowl, 4½ in. (11 cm) in diameter, stoneware, engobe, and feldspathic glaze.

50 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org in the central part of the Ruhr area of North Rhine-Westphalia. Lee appears at times to have an intriguing design DNA to her work. Although the majority of the work owed much to her Ko- rean origins, there were objects in this exhibition that managed to merge a Korean heritage with a mid-20th century modernism suggestive of influences such as Constantin Brancusi. This was particularly evident in the larger vessels Lee calls Spindle Vases. They were at once reminiscent of Korean moon pots, and yet, they had a Brancusi–esque sculptural sensibility. It is this work that caught my eye when I first walked into the exhibition. They were commanding and confident works that I feel underpin my asser- tion of Lee’s mastery of her craft. The glazes on the Spindle Vases are made from oak ash and petalite, or from feldspar along with strontium, dolomite, or petalite. The white/off white and subtle pink blush (perhaps from a copper glazes transmuting presence in a reduction firing) of the glazes softened the surface of the forms while enhancing the sculptural qualities of the shifting planes of 5 the unified component parts. Although the catalog to the exhibition suggests a Bauhaus influence, I am less inclined towards this reading of Lee’s work in entirety. I am reminded of the work of Lucie Rie and Hans Coper and less of Walter Gropius, for example. In the Spindle Vase particu- larly, I see a subtle convergence of Korean and Northern European design aesthetics, perhaps early modernist Scandinavian and Ger- man, but I will grant that this is a moot point. What Lee’s work could be said to share with the Bauhaus and Modernism in general is understatement of design and a commitment to form following function. A small selection of a dinner service designed by Lee and made by her team at her ceramics studio Margareten- höhe demonstrated these Bauhaus affiliations more clearly than perhaps the other work in this exhibition. Intriguingly, this work is apparently made in the main for a Japanese and Korean market. For this exhibition, Lee’s work was juxtaposed with drawings and prints of the Swedish artist Gunnar Norrman (1912–2005). These still, sensitive landscapes and studies of natural form had a gentle interaction with Lee’s work, adding to the overall feeling 6 of tranquility within the exhibition space. This contrast recalls Spinach Bowl, 4½ in. (11 cm) in diameter, stoneware and feldspathic glaze. 5 those aesthetic/domestic constructions in the Kettles Yard house 6 Pointed bowl, 7 in. (18 cm) in diameter, stoneware and feldspathic glaze. and gallery in Cambridge, England, where works by Lucie Rie, themselves to be a much more varied selection than casual view- Gaudier-Brzeska, and Brancusi rub shoulders with carefully edited ing suggests. They ranged from drifts of waxy, buttery textures of found objects and the apparent domesticity. shino-type glazes to satin, stony matte and glossy glaze. Composed The catalog to this show and previous shows at other institu- as they were, they created a gentle visual narrative. tions indicate that Lee has successfully shown her work in different Lee called the arranged bowls spinach bowls in a distancing contexts. An intriguing image showed a 2006 installation in a large from the Japanese tea bowl tradition and to underline the utilitar- museum gallery space at the Pinakothek Der Moderne, Munich. ian underpinning to the work. A further series of slightly larger, The exhibition “1111 Schalen” (1111 Bowls) had impressive scale pointed, shallow bowls were arranged around the room, one such and ambition and, after seeing the work commendably supported arrangement upon an old wooden staircase from a Japanese house. by the Pucker Gallery in this rewarding exhibition, I look forward These displayed equal sensitivity to form, and the glazes used by to seeing more of this maker’s work in a museum context. Lee on these forms were at times quite marvelous. The icy, crackle, celadon-type glazes were truly seductive, with a depth and beauty I can only describe as rare. the author Paul McAllister is a Senior Lecturer and Applied Arts Although born in Seoul, South Korea, Lee is based in Essen in (Ceramics) Course Leader at the University of Wolverhampton’s School western Germany, a city with an industrial heritage in steel and coal of Art and Design in Wolverhampton, England.

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 51 Offerings Ani Kasten at The Clay Studio by AndreA MArquis

1

The Clay Studio (www.theclaystudio.org) in Philadelphia, Penn- of the works embody a sense of poetry but this piece embraced sylvania, was recently the backdrop for “Offerings,” an exhibition beauty. Its form—graceful, with an elegant tapered foot, a swollen by Maryland–based artist Ani Kasten. The installation of large belly, and a lip that flares out ever so slightly—was enhanced by a ceramic vessels and smaller multiples was open, quiet, and full of lovely white matte glaze that had a subtle sparkle in the light. A breath. This was due, in part, to the smart pairing of artist and closer look rewards the viewer with a gorgeous pastel blue-green venue and to the subdued palette of the work. glaze lining its interior. The ethereal Blue and Green Bowl with Porcelain Obi was the first Described by The Clay Studio as “beautifully refined,” the work object I encountered, viewing it from the street through the large brings to mind the organic aesthetic of the Japanese wabi sabi. At sunlit windows. Entering the gallery, it immediately drew me back the same time, Offerings transcends time and space as Kasten’s work through the exhibition. One of a handful of similarly titled works, fuses a Lucy Rie sensibility of form with a Stephen De Staebler this particular piece stood out as sophisticated and enchanting. Many approach to surface. Many of the dark clay vessels contain intricate

2

3

52 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org

1 Neck and Neck, porcelain and stoneware, 2012. 2 Low Bowl with Porcelain Ribbing, 15 in. (38 cm) in diameter, stoneware and porcelain, 2012. 3 Black and White Offering Vessel, 15 in. (38 cm) in height, stoneware, 2012. 4 Blue and Green Bowl with Porcelain Obi, 16 in. (41 cm) in height, stoneware and porcelain. 5 Black and White Boat with Porcelain Ribs, 21 in. (53 cm) in length, stoneware and porcelain, 2012. Images courtesy of The Clay Studio.

4

internal structures reminiscent of the intimate vessel forms of Richard DeVore. Though different than the bodily crevices found in his work, the interior of Kasten’s vessels, especially Black and White Boat with Porcelain Ribs, Neck and Neck, and Low Bowl with Porcelain Ribbing have bone-like, vitreous clay surfaces that look like skeletal veneers. Kasten works with multiple metaphors: flesh- like clay transforms into bone, and vessels in the Obi (sash) series refer to the human torso. These large works have beautifully pressed slabs embedded in the vessel walls that could easily be imagined as folds of silk on a kimono. Some of the vessels are less 5 metaphoric and more utilitarian, such as the literally titled tea bowl; as you explore the range of function in Kasten’s work, your mind oscillates between cultures, meaning, and time. matte glazes next to Kasten’s training as an apprentice is evident through the vastness iron-saturated clays and slips. of the exhibition and the range of explorations of the vessel. Her first Most of the surface color is produced from the naturally occurring apprenticeship in 2001 was with English Potter Rupert Spira and the properties of clay, and because of this, feels quiet and neutral. This second one, a year later, was with Nepalese Potter Santa Kumar Pra- could come across as purist, but there is an exquisite sense of play japati. On her website (www.anikasten.com) she writes empathically at work—the material is intensely explored. about the fragile connection of tradition and vessel making in the Kasten’s work meanders an ambiguous line from sculpture to the village of Thimi, Nepal. (See Kasten’s article on the subject on page sculptural vessel, a line made more ambiguous by the addition of 32 of the May 2012 issue of Ceramics Monthly.) There seems to be no objects that were intended as utilitarian vessels with titles to support hesitation or pause in her artistic practice, and the craft mantra, “mak- their function. It isn’t often that I come across work like Kasten’s. ing is thinking,” coined by Richard Sennett, would seem to apply here. The contemplative sculptural vessel has lost some of its popularity, Kasten’s emotive play walks the line between discipline and frenetic and many artists are focused on one particular facet of ceramics, intensity. She seems driven by the legacy of the ceramic process, ap- but in the case of Offerings it was refreshing to see so much heart proaching mark making with a mix of quietude and knowing chaos. and soul on display. The exhibition—at times breathtaking and composed—is punc- tuated with counterpointing vessels (Black and White Offering Vessel, the author Andrea Marquis is a ceramic artist living in Philadelphia, Blue Green Offering Vessel, and Cream and Black Offering Vessel ) that Pennsylvania. She earned a BFA from Syracuse University in New embrace a precarious and truncated balance; however, the various York, followed by Post-Baccalaureate study at the University of Mas- forms in the exhibition are unified by a single palette. The neutral sachusetts, Dartmouth, and an MFA from the New York State College yet contrasting colors are created with white clays and sugar white of Ceramics at Alfred University.

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 53 THREADS OF INSPIRATION: ETCHED CLAY by Debra Oliva

Tri-color, geometric pattern bowl, 9 in. (23 cm) in circumference, black, natural, and tan stoneware, cream terra sigillata, and red underglaze, fi red to cone 8 in an electric kiln, 2012.

Floral pattern bowl, 10 in. (25 cm) in circumference, dark gray and tan stoneware, cream terra sigillata, and orange underglaze, fi red to cone 8 in an electric kiln, 2012.

During a visit to a museum I discovered a Samurai warrior’s suit Fabrication of armor. It was an amazing combination of woven fabrics, leather, When developing new forms, I consider the proportions of the and metal. I was taken by the subtle combinations of grays, blacks, color sections and the placement of decorative elements. Next, I and browns, and the relationships between the many patterns and make a rough drawing as a guide and go to the wheel to make a textures, the fi ne details, and impeccable craftsmanship. This gar- few prototypes to work out the form and get comfortable making ment presented a clarifying moment that helped me identify the the piece. Estimating the amount of clay I will need, I throw the aesthetic I would follow, the elements that are important to me, bottom section and fi nish it with a level rim. I take a measurement and where I might look for inspiration. of the rim diameter and set it aside while I throw the next section

54 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org to that same measurement, again finishing with a level rim. Next, the rim has stiffened, I cut the piece free from the bat and invert the bottom section is returned to the wheel. While still attached it to trim and smooth the foot. to the bat, the next section is inverted and placed on the previous, rim to rim, and cut free from the bat (1). Working carefully to Decoration minimize the contamination of the colors, the sections are sealed Both traditional and contemporary textiles and garments are together by gently throwing downward from the upper section favorite sources of inspiration. Simple sack cloths as well as rich toward the lower section without disturbing the seam (2). Excess brocades offer information about scale, color relationships, pat- clay is removed from each new section and leveled before the next tern, and texture that I reference in surface designs on my pots. I section is added. The process is repeated for the third, light grey draw images on paper, enlarge or reduce them as needed, and copy section. I then finish throwing the top section and refine the rim. onto tracing paper. I use single images or clusters of images that When the piece is leather hard, I trim the base in the upright I can move around on the piece, developing the design spontane- position (3) and smooth the surface with a soft rubber rib. When ously as I go.

1 2 3

1 Each color section is thrown separately. While 2 The sections are sealed together by 3 After all the sections are added, final throwing still attached to the bat, the next section is inverted throwing downward from the upper section and refining of the form is completed. The base and placed on the previous section rim to rim and toward the lower section without disturbing of the work is trimmed in the upright position. then cut free from the bat. the seam. Later it will be inverted to trim the foot.

4

4 Lines are incised using a pin tool and solid areas are etched with a tool made from pieces of serrated ribs inserted into X-Acto blade handles.

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 55 I begin the etching process at the leather- hard stage, working on a small section while keeping the rest of the piece damp and cov- ered. My etching tools include a pin tool, pencils, scoring tools, drill bits, and serrated ribs that I cut into small pieces and insert into X-Acto blade handles (4). For the line work, I begin by dividing the space, making a small mark where a line will be drawn. With the piece spinning slowly on the wheel, I incise horizontal lines using a pin tool. Then I incise vertical and diagonal lines by eye. If there are elements to transfer, I use a sharp pencil and a light touch, to transfer de- signs from tracing paper to the leather-hard ware. I then retrace the patterns to incise them more deeply into the surface. To etch pattern areas, I use my home-made tools.

Firing and Finishing After bisque firing, I lightly sand the piece

5 with fine grit sandpaper to remove any burrs that may still be remaining from the etching 5 After bisque firing, terra sigillata or underglaze is painted over the incised areas and the excess is sponged away. process and the dust is wiped off. I brush terra sigillata or commercial underglaze into the incised lines or areas and sponge the excess away (5). I glaze the interior with a black or clear glaze and fire the work to cone 8 in an electric kiln. After the glaze firing, I apply a durable, food-safe wax product to the unglazed exterior and buff it to a soft sheen with a shoe shine brush. Working with clays colored with varying amounts of oxides and stains can be chal- lenging as the color sections dry and flux differently. This may create tension between the sections, which could result in warped rims, often only becoming apparent after the final firing. These pieces are unacceptable to me; however, because of this uncertainty and inevitable loss, successful pieces are that much more rewarding.

To see more of Debra Oliva’s work go to www.debraolivaceramics.com.

Check out Curt Benzle’s video clip “Tips and Techniques for Making your Own Colored Clay” on Ceramic Arts Daily (http://bit.ly/BenzleColoredClay) for a way to mix your own colored clays using one clay body As an alternative to the linear patterns, imagery is transferred to the leather-hard ware using tracing paper. The designs are retraced with a sharp pencil to incise them more deeply, then the as a base, to avoid loss due to different shrinkage piece is bisque fired, sanded, and the etched lines are filled with terra sigillata or underglaze. rates between the clays.

56 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org NCECA 47th Annual Conference Enter Hilton Americas-Houston to Free 3 Night Stay ! WIN!! March 20-23, 2013

Attending the NCECA can be expensive, so we are offering an Olympic kiln owner the opportunity to attend the 2013 conference in Houston by paying for a 3-night stay, in a room with two queen beds, at the conference center hotel, Hilton Americas.

Go to www.greatkilns.com, click on the NEWS page to enter. 1. Must be an Olympic kiln owner (the kiln can be 40 years old or brand new) so get your Olympic gas or electric kiln before November 1, 2012! 2. Must provide Olympic kiln model and serial number The winner (it could be you!) will 3. Provide your contact information: name, address, phone and e-mail 4. Tell us something about you & your Olympic kiln be notified in December and their name published on our web site, Accepting entries through October 31, 2012. www.greatkilns.com. Must be 18 years or older to enter and attending NCECA 2013.

Phone (800) 241-4400 • (770) 967-4009 • Fax (770) 967-1196 www.greatkilns.com

Simple Safe Effective

GlazeEraser is a unique, slow speed grinding tool designed to work with your potter’s wheel to quickly remove glaze drips and other unwanted kiln debris from pot bottoms. Ideal for quickly smoothing foot rings and rough glaze edges. Order online at GlazeEraser.com

View demo at GlazeEraser.com/video Manufactured by: Call Toll Free: 1.866.545.6743 Visit www.GlazeEraser.com

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 57 UNDERGRADUATE

Remember when you owere an undergradÑ or the age of an undergrad? What kind of work were you making Shthen? IÕ ll tell you what I wasnÕ t makingÑwcase work of the caliber shown here. I know that for a lot of people Ò student work” means less-than-refi ned concepts executed with relatively clunky technique. Not so for the work on the following pages. We are impressed, and we think you will be, too. Congratulations to all of those included! Ñ Sherman Hall, Editor

Joon Park School: Boston College, Boston, Massachusetts Ceramics Field Array, installation, 2012. Various components, including: Instructor: Mark Cooper sa-bal, 44 in. (1 m) in height, white stoneware, majolica, low-fire commercial clear glaze, epoxy, hydraulic cement, 2012. Wheel thrown, bisqued, and glazed. As an international student studying in the US, I have The bowls were then randomly and roughly stacked causing some of them to break and then fired to cone 04. The hydraulic cement pedestal is lettered and based on a always been intrigued by value differences between pedestal of a Roman-style sculpture. cultures and the transformations of perspective due to cultural difference and relocation diffusion. This Side Up, 16 in. (41 cm), white stoneware, majolica, low-fire commercial clear, 24k gold luster, shipping box, fiberglass resin, 2012. Wheel-thrown, glazed, and In the past, ideas and messages traveled in linear stenciled gold luster. A fiberglassing technique was used on the shipping box then routes with time delays due to limited technology. In resin was applied to transform it into a pedestal. contemporary, advanced-technology societies, people Duchamp Jar, 35 in. (89 cm), porcelain, low-fire commercial clear glaze, stool, epoxy, share ideas and experiences digitally in real time, and the 24k gold leaf, 2012. The moon jar was wheel thrown from two parts and fired to cone concept of point of entry and exit of data representation 04. Epoxy putty used to refine certain sections and 24K gold leaf applied to decorate the finished surface. A stool from my school’s ceramics studio was gilded with 24k is almost non-existent. However cultural values persist gold leaf and used to juxtapose the functionality of the potter’s furniture with the and play a substantial role in contemporary societies. traditional formal qualities of the Joseon-dynasty moon jar.

58 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org Mimi McPartlan School: New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Alfred, New York Instructors: Anne Currier, Heather Mae Erickson, Linda Sikora

I make functional pots for an idyllic world. In this world, portable dish and spoon sets are necessary for candy consumption and sippy cups are used by all ages. The pots are often curios and advocate indulgence. My process for making models for pieces serves as indulgent. My real love of slip casting comes from shaping plaster. The quality of plaster, able to be carved into any form and sanded to perfection, reminds me of the natural effects of eroding forces as water and wind to hard surfaces, like rocks and shells. Through subtraction, I strive to reflect an individual aesthetic of fluidity from seemingly still materials.

Top: Butter dish (detail with lid removed). Right: Butter dish, 8 in. (20 cm) in height, slip-cast porcelain, fired to cone 6 in an electric kiln, 2012.

Shae Bishop School: Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Missouri Instructor: Cary Esser

Applying patterns to the ceramic figure is a way for me to explore the connections between multiple historical art tradi- tions and my own experiences in visual culture. I want my glazed surfaces to shift from solid to segmented, hang and undulate like cloth, clink in a breeze, and take the viewer by surprise.

Coat, 36 in. (91 cm) in height, porcelain, underglaze, glaze, and canvas, fired to cone 6, gold luster, cotton string, 2011. Hundreds of variously shaped, super thin, porcelain tiles were drilled through in bisque state, laid out flat and sprayed with underglaze through hand-cut stencils. After firing, the tiles were laced together with dyed cotton string and reinforced with strips of canvas on the interior. The size and number of tiles were designed to fit the artist’s body after firing and assembly.

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 59 Spring Montes School: San Jose State University, San Jose, California Instructors: Monica Van Den Dool, Stan Welsh

Through the use of thousands of individual ceramic pieces, I express the multiple decisions that are made daily on the individual level and how these choices manifest themselves. Each piece is a snapshot of a particular moment in time, reflecting these choices, either bad or good. Just as they are not constructed to be permanent, so are our choices not a reflection of an absolute future but rather a slice of right now. Ultimately, my goal is not to scare the viewer into changing based on a doomsday future but instead to give hope and a moment to reflection.

Wrestling Sky, 58 in. (1.5 m) in height, Glacia porcelain, Southern Ice porcelain, single fired to cone 9 oxidation, wire, epoxy, plastic, 2012. I start with one pound balls of clay with different percentages of Mason stains added. A quarter pound ball of clay is rolled out to 2 cm thickness and cut roughly to shape, then three quarters of the “feather.” is rolled paper thin, cut to original size, and a sewing needle is inserted into the shaft of the “feather.” The form is left to dry to leather hard before the needle is removed. Each feather is single fired to cone 9 oxidation. Then, different gauge guitar string corresponding to the size of each feather is glued into the hole. The tension of the wire and weight of each piece makes them kinetic—by capturing the slightest amount of wind they respond with movement and sound.

Emily Connell School: Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Missouri Instructors: Cary Esser, George Timock, Paul Donnelly

The mysticisms I experienced as a child at Catholic school still hold a great power over me, influencing my art. I make my work in two stages, starting with the creation of objects inspired from religion, and con- figuring them into a scene. Next I use my body to create a context and purpose for the objects, recording these symbolic interactions through the lens of the camera. The combination of displaying photographs and relics creates a narrative while also heightening the mystery of spiritual purpose. In an age of instant internet resources, these discarded books- of-knowledge are repurposed. They are transformed by bodily digestion into a new edition.

The New Testament, 12 in. (30 cm) in length, porcelain, burnt ashes of a book, plaster, 2012. Photo: E.G. Schempf.

Using a found vade mecum, or a book of reference (encyclopedia, Bible, dictionary), I cover it, page-by-page, in slip. Firing the book in a kiln transforms it into a reliquary shell, containing the ashes of the book within. To ensure stability for the delicate book I encase it in a secondary material, typically plaster. This chalky material acts as a rigid sponge for the book to rest in. Afterward a cross section is revealed using a masonry-saw to cut the piece. The alchemic fossil is opened, reminiscent to spreading its original pages.

60 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org Mike Kern School: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Instructors: Jared Janovec, Charlie Olson

Beyond the utilitarian aspect of creating a form, I em- ploy design principles and elements on the surface of the pot to enhance the object’s form. I use both wheel- throwing and handbuilding techniques, and often alter thrown vessels to break up each form’s symmetry and allow for a more unique compositional variety. I use shape, line and texture to support and contradict the forms. Once the object is made, I apply wax resist, engobe, underglaze, and glaze to further develop the its character. My intent is to contrast a simple form with more visually complicated areas. The colors that evolve are meant to contrast each other as well. I am also attracted to textures and an object’s relationship to the handler’s sense of touch. By using a variety of surfaces on a single piece, I hope the interaction be- comes even more inviting and interesting to the user.

Teapot with tea bowls, wheel-thrown, altered, and handbuilt porcelain, fired to cone 10 in reduction, 2012.

Evan D. Pomerantz School: Arizona State University, Herberger Institute for the Design and the Arts, Tempe, Arizona Instructors: Susan Beiner, Sam Chung, Kurt Weiser

Humans find patterns in our surroundings and assess them assembling them into larger structures, I can layer information to as beneficial or harmful to survival. My sculptures represent create encoded patterns and explore ideas of how these patterns the patterns generated by our brains as information is com- are represented and how individual perspective plays a significant piled from life experiences, similar to a computer algorithm. role in visual interpretations. Like computers, our brains communicate in a binary fashion; my sculptures employ two forms that are the inverse of each Vacillating Duality I & II, 10 in. (25 cm) in length, slip-cast porcelain and other—a visual binary language. By slip casting multiples and auto paint, 2012.

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 61 Roberto Lugo School: Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Missouri Instructor: Cary Esser

My ceramic works are intended to be a biographical narra- tive that tells the many stories of my life. Using historical ideology within pottery as a vehicle to introduce a modern theme is of great importance because it allows me to add more dimensions to my artwork. I often use images of animals as allegories for human narratives. As a result of experimenting with many different ways of decorating wares, I have found China painting to be the most effective for the results I desire, conceptually and technically. China paint has historically been used to create ornate wares for elite families and dynasties. Using China paint on porcelain to depict graffiti-inspired imagery, like the graffiti I painted as a teenager in North Philadelphia, illustrates elements of different classes. I hope to influence positive change by creating a platform to view our cultural differences and to consider our similarities.

Extra Curricular, 3½ in. (9 cm) in diameter, porcelain fired to cone 13, with China paint fired to cone 018, 2012.

Maret Miller Three glass boxes contain materials that interact in vari- School: Kansas City ous ways with water. Framing the interaction in this way Art Institute, Kansas allows for new perspectives on the play between form, City, Missouri image, and the interaction in-between that takes place as Instructors: Paul the pieces develop, akin to how the relationship between Donnelly, Cary Esser, maker and clay abstractly represents the relationship George Timock between humans and the material world. Important features in this series include the frame that situates form, the object that structures an interior/ exterior distinction, as well as abstract geological allusions to human form. While the geological visuals reference a collective anthropology, the specific materials from the US—like Spanish moss from the southeast, silt from riverbeds in the southwest, and river clay chunks from the Midwest— create a personal narrative. My objective is to construct an active image of time as material processes.

This is my Skin; These are my Bones; These are my Bowels, (from left to right), 36 in. (91 cm) in length, glass, various unfired and fired clay and glaze materials, water, 2012. In This is my Skin, materials like bentonite expand under pressure of water, restructuring the initial form while creating a visual metamorphosis for the spectator. Fired elements also rely on water to complete the object and its image. In These are my Bones, organic material is dipped in glaze and then fired to maintain a rigid yet porous state wherein water exists, evaporates, and condenses between the object and the glass.

Inset: These are my Bowels, detail. Unfired processed clay along with raw chunks of earth are placed in the box jointly with chunks fired to cone 04. As the unfired clay slakes, fired chunks containing plaster and lime deposits also actively react as the water seeps into its pores.

62 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org we teach you how to make it department of craft/material studies with specialized studies offering BFA and MFA degrees fiber wood metal clay glass

Andréa Keys Connell arts.vcu.edu/craft Assistant Professor

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 63 Study with the MaSterS CerAmICS AT 92Y

Dirk Elliot: Art Tile Design Tue & Wed, Jan 22-23 Curtis Benzle: Porcelain—Color and Light Tue & Wed, Jan 29-30 Weekly Classes Handbuilding Wheel Private Instruction Independent Study

For a full listing of master classes and to register,

visit 92Y.org/StudyMasters or call 212.415.5500 porcelain, Journey, Benzle Sentimental Curtis

SCHOOL OF THE ARTS Escape from the grind. Learn from the best. Create from the heart.

Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street, NYC An agency of UJA-Federation

46 Years of Culture in ClaY

doug casebeer, artistic director of ceramics summer Workshops · sCholarships · residenCies immersive program · field expeditions apply for residency by february 1 970/923-3181 Snowmass Village, CO 81615 andersonranch.org

64 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org No other kiln can match a Cone Art feature for feature.

32% less The original true cone 10 kiln HEAT LOSS since 1982

2.5” brick plus 1” insulation Double Wall Construction

Patented Lid Lifter System Lift the lid with one finger on 10 sided models and larger Angled control panel for easy viewing 3 Zone Control at no extra charge Sectional Design Floor element for more even firings

For your next kiln make the responsible decision! Contact us for the dealer near you. www.coneartkilns.com Dealer inquires welcome. www.tuckerspottery.com Cone Art Kilns Inc,. Tel: 905.889.7705 Toll free: 1.800.304.6185 Email: [email protected]

Cone art kiln ad.indd 1 22/02/11 2:21 PM

Don t miss our e-dition at www.ceramicsmonthly.org

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 65 UPCOMING CONFERENCE Mark Your Calendar and Register Today THE CERAMIC VOICE Lexington, Kentucky October 19-21, 2012

Linda Arbuckle Ron Meyers

Sponsors: Lisa Clague AMACO/brent www.amaco.com Mayco www.maycocolors.com Kurt Weiser Shimpo Host: www.shimpoceramics.com Kentucky Mudworks Standard Ceramic Supply www.kentuckymudworks.com www.standardceramic.com Karen Newgard Kevin Snipes ceramicartsdaily.org/potters-council/the-ceramic-voice

66 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org colour Continental Clay now carries the full product lines in glazes of Duncan and Mayco. By Linda Bloomfield www.ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore

We are pleased to announce our recent purchase of Minnesota Ceramic Supply.

Order your copy With the addition of these quality today for $29.95! glaze lines, special effects products and bisque, we now offer thousands of options A complete guide to getting a to our existing brands. fantastic spectrum of colorful glazes, Linda Bloomfield looks at a full range of materials and options for creating colors in glazes. Packed full of glaze recipes, the book is illustrated Please see our website for with finished work as well Color charts and introductory SALE pricing. as an extensive collection of www.continentalclay.com sample test tiles, to show the variety of colors possible. The 1101 Stinson Blvd NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413 • 800.432.CLAY practical aspects of mixing, applying, testing, and adjust- ing glazes are explained, and a large selection of oxidation glaze recipes are included for use on earthenware, stone- ware and porcelain. A very useful book aimed at making glazes to achieve the colors you want, and to help you expand your palette.

Tons of great clay videos at www.ceramicartsdaily.org

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 67 Finding One’s Way With Clay by Paulus Berensohn, receipient of the “Distinguished Edu- cators Award” from the Renwick Alliance of the Smithsonian. Available at Trinity Ceramic Supply for $26.50 USD plus shipping.

Trinity Ceramic Supply, Inc. Dallas, TX 214 631-0540 www.trinityceramic.com

finding one's way quarter page.indd 1 3/16/2012 2:32:58 PM 2013 POTTERS COUNCIL Juried Show GREEN

Jurors: Founding Members Cynthia Bringle and Jonathan Kaplan 2013 Deadline: September 4, 2012 CALL You can think of GREEN as an ecological movement, a human emotion, a favorite place, a state of mind, a beautiful color, a celebration FOR of life, or any other idea that inspires you. You can be totally serious or seriously playful. We invite you to let your imagination run free. ENTRIESre Information about the Call for Entries: http://ceramicartsdaily.org/potters-council/2013-potters-council-juried-show/e 68 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org g n MAKE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC

From Mud to Music By Barry Hall

Explore the rich history of ceramic musical instruments and the wide variety of instruments being made today, along with step-by- step instructions for making your own. Included with this amazing book is a CD with 43 original sound tracks of artists performing on many of the instruments featured. Hardcover 260 Pages 500+ Photos

ORDER TODAY Only $59.95

www.ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore www.ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore Free shipping when you order online (US only) 866-672-6993 95,000 members and growing! www.ceramicartsdaily.org

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 69

2012 WEEKEND,

ONE-WEEK AND

TWO-WEEK WORKSHOPS

Summer l Fall

WWW.ARROWMONT.ORG

advert_correct size.indd 1 2012/07/18 11:36:42 AM

The best moldable epoxy for post-firing repairs.

$18.50 per pound plus shipping.

Available in white and natural with optional color kit.

Call 800/443-6434 to place your order. Discounts offered to distributors. Formerly known as East Valley Epoxy

archiebrayfoundation CLAY BUSINESS 2915 Country Club Ave, Helena, MT 59602 800/443-6434 • www.archiebray.org [email protected]

70 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org Shaper

Michal Fargo Else 2012 porcelain, coloured porcelain © the artist, recipient of the 2012 SMFACA International Award

SIDNEy MyER FuND AUSTRALIAN CERAMIC AWARD ShEppARTON 20 SEpTEMbER – 18 NOvEMbER 2012 70 Welsford St, Shepparton 3630, Victoria, Australia EMERGING AUSTRALIAN AWARD ALEXANDRA STANDEN p 03 5832 9861 f 03 5831 8480 AUSTRALIAN AWARD KIRSTEN COELHO e [email protected] INTERNATIONAL AWARD MICHAL FARGO w sheppartonartmuseum.com.au

OpENING FRIDAy 21 SEpTEMbER 2012 Open 7 days 10am - 4pm ARTIST TALkS & pRESENTATIONS 21 & 22 SEpTEMbER 2012 Public holidays 1pm - 4pm

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 71 presents Top Artists and Their Techniques

deborAh SchwArtzkoPF SAndi PierAntozzi explores mArk PeterS demonstrates demonstrates making functional the infinite possibilities of working creatively altering wheel-thrown vessels using a variety of with textured slabs and templates functional pottery on the wheel throwing and handbuilding by simply asking “What if?” then assembling forms after off construction techniques. 3 hours - $69.95 the wheel. 2 hours - $59.95 3 hours - $69.95

In this installment of the Ceramic Arts Daily Presents Video Series, Amy Creative Forming with Custom Texture Sanders leads you through her process of creating richly textured ceramic work. To develop her surfaces, which are reminiscent of nostalgic, vintage, and historic fabrics, Amy has created a vast array of homemade texturing ceramic artsdaily tools. She starts off the video by demonstrating how to make these stamps, rollers, sprigs, texture plates, and more. With her straightforward instruc- presents tion, you’ll be able to develop your own vocabulary of marks to use in your work. Amy also demonstrates how to mix and match these textures in a number of forming projects, including her signature quilted wall piece. This 4-Disc Set! presentation will provide you with a wealth of inspiration to help you person- alize and energize your work. Creative Forming – Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, managing editor, ceramicartsdaily.org with Custom Texture Personalizing Handbuilt and Wheel-Thrown Work with Amy Sanders

with Amy Sanders with

Amy Sanders first discovered clay as an undergraduate student studying biology at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. She quickly switched majors and graduated with a BA in art and secondary education. Amy has been teaching throwing and handbuilding classes at Clay- works Studio in Charlotte, North Carolina, for 11 years.

In addition to exhibiting her work and presenting work- daily video library ceramic arts shops nationally, Amy was an artist in residence at Mc- Coll Center for Visual Art, and completed a large-scale public art tile project for the city of Charlotte in conjunc- tion with a residency at Garinger High School. To learn more about Amy and see more images of her work, please visit www.theretherepottery.blogspot.com. Running Time: approximately 5 hours ceramic artsdaily.org Copyright 2011 The American Ceramic Society g ceramic arts daily video library

erin FurimSky uses a variety Amy SAnderS demonstrates of techniques and materials to her process of developing the demonstrate how you can create tools and techniques you need to visual depth to your surfaces. create richly textured handbuilt 2 hours 45 minutes - $69.95 and thrown pieces. 5 hours - $99

72 ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstoreseptember 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org 866-672-6993 ceramic arts bookstore The CeramiC arTs handbook series DownloaDs now available

Throwing Surface Extruder, Raku,Pit Barrel Firing Forming Finishing Forming & Techniques Handbuilding& Techniques Decoration Techniques Mold& Tile Techniques

Ceramic Ceramic Ceramic Ceramic Arts Arts Arts Arts Handbook Handbook Handbook Handbook Series Series Series Series

Edited by Anderson Turner Edited by Anderson Turner Edited by Anderson Turner Edited by Anderson Turner 136

Glazes Electric Finishing Creative Raku Firing Advanced Innovative Glazing& Techniques Firing Techniques Techniques Techniques

Ceramic Ceramic Ceramic Ceramic Arts Arts Arts Arts Handbook Handbook Handbook Handbook Series Series Series Series

Edited by Anderson Turner Edited by Anderson Turner 136 Edited by Anderson Turner 136 136 136

Ceramic Ceramic Inspiring Forming Surface, Pottery Sculpture Techniques Projects Techniques Techniques Glaze& Form NEW

Ceramic Ceramic Ceramic Arts Arts Arts Handbook Handbook Handbook Series Series Series

Edited by Anderson Turner Edited by Anderson Turner 136 Edited by Anderson Turner ✹

www.ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 73 CERAMICS MONTHLY 2012_WKSHP GUIDE 4/19/12 11:02 AM Page 1 Penland Clay POTTERS COUNCIL Worldwide Membership Organization for Ceramic Artists {Est.2001}

Upcoming Eight-Week Workshops JOIN TODAY! Fall 2012 • Sept. 23 – Nov. 16 Jenny Mendes & Shoko Teruyama—Surface Safari OUR MEMBER BENEFITS TOUCH Matt Kelleher—Diversify Your Portfolio: Cone 3 EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE:

Spring 2013 • March 10 – May 3  Money Saving Discounts Kevin Crowe & Dan Finnegan  Community Connection Building Fire, Feeding Flame: Woodkiln Construction  Professional Enhancement Visit www.penland.org or call for catalog.

Penland School of Crafts Helping people live creative lives Call 800.424.8698 to join or visit www.penland.org/clay • 828-765-2359 www.potterscouncil.org

iNTRODUCING daily clay

daily clay is a native iOS application for iPhone, Attach notes to any im- iPad, and iPod Touch. It will load a new image of age, so whether you want to ceramic art to your mobile device every day, so jot down thoughts about the youÕ ll always have a source of ceramic inspiration, work or record an observation no matter where you are. for future classroom discussion, These images have been selected by the daily clay is useful in the studio, editors of Ceramics Monthly, Pottery Making in the classroom, and wherever Illustrated, and Ceramic Arts Dailyâ the worldÕ s two you happen to be. most popular ceramic art magazines, and the Your favorites can be sorted by 26 worldÕ s premier ceramic arts website. different categories to make class- Images can be shared on Facebook, Twitter, room discussions, studio research, Tumblr, and via email directly from the app, allowing and casual browsing both useful and you to add comments when sharing with friends. entertaining.

daily clay is sponsored by Skutt Ceramic Products, www.skutt.com

Keep Clay in Your Hands Wherever You Go!

74 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org 40 Beech Street   Port Chester New MKM MiNi RolleRs NY 10573  (914) 937-2047    www.clayartcenter.org Great For Small PotS & Jewelry Short, long,     FALL 2012 straight or curly- mrS 0.5cm UNEARTH YOUR make it your way! CREATIVITY mrl 1cm

STUDIO SPACE rS 1.5cm 45 Artist Members Spacious * Well-equipped SUSAN BEINER 3 gas kilns * Unlimited access  GALLERY   Common Ground: Aug 25 — Oct 6  rm 3cm No more painful Keith Renner & Brenda Quinn wire wrapping Susan Beiner: Oct 13 — Nov 21 around your ngers! Organic Dissolution Clay-Holiday: Nov 29 — Dec 22 Rl 6cm Annual Holiday Sale FALL WORKSHOPS A Match Made in Clay Sept 22 Brenda Quinn & Keith Renner Synthetic Reality: Altering Nature Oct 13 Susan Beiner  Naked R aku Nov 17 — 18  Denis Licul & Emma Keiser  Raku Firing with Denis Licul Sept 30 & Oct 28 www.MKMPotteryTools.com  THE SHOP AT C Y ART CENTER      Featuring handmade one-of-a-kind functional and  Adjustable Cutting Wire decorative po ery by Clay Art Center & guest artists  920-205-2701    EXHIBITIONS * SHOP at CAC * WORKSHOPS * C SSES * RESIDENCY  Visit www.clayartcenter.org for more information  E-mail: [email protected] EASY TRAIN RIDE FROM MANHATTAN FREE ON-SITE PARKING

TRURO CENTER FOR THE ARTS Castle Hill Fall & Winter Clay 2012 Faculty Include: Hayne Bayless Jim Brunelle Linda Christianson David Moulton Brian Taylor Guy Wolff Fall Clay Intensive: Hayne Bayless Jim Brunelle Hayne Bayless Go to www.castlehill.org or call (508) 349-7511 PO box 756,Truro, MA 02666 [email protected]

 

www.ceramicsmonthly.org

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 75 CERAMICS SYMPOSIUM 940 New Hampshire Street Lawrence, Kansas 66044 OCTOBER 12 • 13 / 2012

TWO DAYS OF CERAMICS WORKSHOPS WITH

Christa Assad Pattie Chalmers Sam Chung Charity Davis-Woodard Atlantic Pottery Supply Inc. Josh DeWeese www.atlanticpotterysupply.com Russell Wrankle

CHECK Register online at lawrenceartscenter.org or call 785.843.2787 OUT THE for more information.

Sponsored by DIGITAL EDITION OF THIS gouldevans AFFILIATES ISSUE AT ceramicsmonthly.org

76 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org call for entries deadlines for exhibitions, fairs, and festivals

international united states October 5 entry deadline fairs and festivals Illinois, Oak Park “Pour” (November exhibitions exhibitions 3–December 5) open to pouring vessels September 13 entry deadline Massachusetts, Boston “CRAFTBOS- September 13 entry deadline September 1 entry deadline including creamers, ewers, gravy boats, Pennsylvania, Wayne “Craft Forms Maryland, Baltimore “100 Teapots pitchers, and teapots. Juried from digital. TON Spring” (April 19–21, 2013) open 2012” (November 30–January 26, VI” (January 12–February 23, 2013) open Fee: $30 for up to three entries. Contact to craft media. Juried from digital. Fee: 2013) open to all craft media. Jur- to teapots. Juried from digital. Fee: $30 David Toan, Terra Incognito Studios and $40. Jurors: Beth Ann Gerstein, Robert ied from digital. Fee: $40. Contact for five entries. Juror: Jeff Oestreich. Con- Gallery, 246 Chicago Ave., Oak Park, IL Hessler, and Kate Lydon. Contact Alyce Karen Louise Fay, Wayne Art Center, tact Mary Cloonan, Baltimore Clayworks, 60302; [email protected]; 708-383- Delbridge, The Society of Arts and Crafts, 413 Maplewood Ave., Wayne, PA 5707 Smith Ave., Baltimore, MD 21209; 6228; www.terraincognitostudios.com. 175 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116; 19087; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 617-266-1819; October 15 entry deadline www.craftboston.org. www.wayneart.org; 610-688-3553. www.baltimoreclayworks.org; 410-578- Florida, St. Petersburg “Functional/ October 9 entry deadline 1919 ext.18. Dysfunctional” (January 12–February 24, September 13 entry deadline Massachusetts, Boston “CRAFTBOS- Florida, Panama City “Fifth Annual September 4 entry deadline 2013) open to functional and sculptural Cup Show: Form and Function” (No- Colorado, Estes Park “16th Annual work composed of 90% clay. Juried TON Holiday” (December 6–8) open to vember 9–21) open to functional and Juried ‘Lines into Shapes’ Art Competition from digital. Fee: $30 for three entries. craft media. Juried from digital. Fee: sculptural work addressing the idea of and Sale” (October 26–November 11) Jurors: Kathy King and Steven Young $40. Jurors: Beth Ann Gerstein, Robert the cup. Juried from digital. Fee: $15 for open to ceramic and glass work. Juried Lee. Contact Melissa Yungbluth, Morean Hessler, and Kate Lydon. Contact Alyce three entries. Juror: Tammy Marinuzzi. from actual work. Fee: $15 per entry, up Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., St. Peters- Delbridge, The Society of Arts and Crafts, Contact Pavel Amromin, Gulf Coast State to four. Jurors: Jim Digby, Kara Schorstein, burg, FL 33701; Melissa.Yungbluth@ 175 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116; College, 5230 West Hwy 98, Panama City, and Tarama Simmons. Contact Charlotte MoreanArtsCenter.org; 727-822-7872; [email protected]; 617-266-1819; FL 32401; [email protected]; Lloyd, Art Center of Estes Park, 517 Big www.bit.ly/functionaldysfunctional. www.craftboston.org. www.gulfcoast.edu/arts/art/gallery; 850- Thompson Ave., Estes Park, CO 85017; October 31 entry deadline October 12 entry deadline 769-1551 ext. 4874. [email protected]; 970-586- California, Brea “Association of Clay South Carolina, Greenville “Arti- sphere” (May 10–20, 2013) open to all October 16 entry deadline 5882; www.artcenterofestes.com. and Glass National Juried Exhibition” art media including ceramics. Juried from Indiana, Terre Haute “‘Cup of September 5 entry deadline (January 26–March 1, 2013) open to Comfort’ International Ceramics Bien- Minnesota, Bemidji “2012 It’s Only work comprised of 75% clay or glass and digital. Fee: $30. Contact Liz Rundorff, nial” (November 2–December 4) open Clay“ (November 2–December 22) open created within the last two years. Juried Artisphere, 16 Augusta St., Greenville, to functional or sculptural cups. Juried to functional ceramic vessels. Juried from from digital. Fee: $30 for three entries. SC 29605; [email protected]; from digital. Fee: $30 for three entries. digital. Fee: $30 for three entries. Juror: Juror: Carol Sauvion. Contact Beverly Crist, www.artisphere.us; 864-271-9355. Juror: Ray Chen. Contact Ray Chen, Robert Briscoe. Contact Lori Forshee- Association of Clay & Glass Artists of Cali- January 20, 2013 entry deadline Swope Art Museum/Halcyon Art Gallery, Donnay, Bemidji Community Art Center, fornia (ACGA), 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea, Virginia, Chantilly “Sugarloaf Crafts 25 South 7th St., Terre Haute, IN 47807; 426 Bemijdi Ave. N., Bemidji, MN 56601; CA 90035; [email protected]; Festival in Chantilly” (January 25–27, [email protected]; 207-807- [email protected]; 218-444-7570; 323-857-1865; www.acga.net. 2013) open to craft media. Juried from 8799; www.halcyonartgallery.com. www.bcac.wordpress.com. digital or slides. Fee: $20 per season. January 23, 2013 entry deadline Contact Lorrie Staley, Sugarloaf Moun- November 8 entry deadline September 12 entry deadline Illinois, Oak Park “Coffee, Tea or...#2” Virginia, Lorton “Drink This! Work- North Carolina, Fayetteville “Eigh- (February 23–March 27, 2013) open to tain Works, 19807 Executive Park Cir., house International Ceramic Cup teenth Annual Nellie Allen Smith drinking vessels including cups and sau- Germantown, MD 20874; 800-210- Show” (January 9–February 10, 2013) Juried Pottery Competition” (October cers, mugs, teabowls, yunomis, whiskey 9900; [email protected]; www. open to cups primarily composed 26–November 20) open to open to cups, and wine flutes. Juried from digital. sugarloafcrafts.com/becomeex.html. of clay. Juried from digital. Fee: $25 functional and nonfunctional ceramic Fee: $30 for up to three entries. Contact March 1, 2013 entry deadline for up to two entries; $30 for up to work. Juried from digital. Fee: $35 for David Toan, Terra Incognito Studios and Maryland, Gaithersburg “Sugarloaf three entries. Juror: Linda Arbuckle. two entries. Juror: John Britt. Contact Gallery, 246 Chicago Ave., Oak Park, IL Crafts Festival in Gaithersburg” (April Contact Dale Marhanka, Workhouse Ellen Olson Brooks, Cape Fear Studios, 60302; [email protected]; 708-383- 12–14, 2013) open to craft media. Ju- Arts Center-Ceramics Program, 9504 148 Maxwell St., Fayetteville, NC 28301; 6228; www.terraincognitostudios.com. ried from digital or slides. Fee: $20 per Workhouse Way Bldg. 8, Lorton, VA [email protected]; 910-433- season. Contact Lorrie Staley, Sugarloaf March 22, 2013 entry deadline 22079; [email protected]; 2986; www.capefearstudios.com. Texas, Ingram “Hard Ware: National Mountain Works, 19807 Executive Park Cir., Germantown, MD 20874; 800-210- www.workhouseceramics.org; 703- September 17 entry deadline Ceramics Exhibit” (May 25–June 22, 584-2982. Indiana, Terre Haute “‘Reflection’ 2013) open to functional and sculptural 9900; [email protected]; www. sugarloafcrafts.com/becomeex.html. November 16 entry deadline National Ceramics Biannual” (Oc- work completed within the last two years. Montana, Missoula “Out of the tober 2–31) open to functional and Juried from digital or slides. Fee: $35 March 1, 2013 entry deadline Blue” (February 1–22, 2013) open to sculptural ceramic work. Juried from for three entries. Juror: Juan Granados. New Jersey, Somerset “Sugarloaf ceramic work addressing the concept digital. Fee: $30 for three entries. Juror: Contact Al Zirkel, Hill Country Arts Foun- Crafts Festival in Somerset” (March of “blue.” Juried from digital. Fee: Ray Chen. Contact Ray Chen, Swope dation, 120 Point Theatre Rd., Ingram, TX 8–10, 2013) open to all fine craft media. $25 for up to two entries. Juror: Trey Art Museum/Halcyon Art Gallery, 25 78025; [email protected]; www.hcaf.com; Juried from digital or slides. Fee: $20 per Hill. Contact Shalene Valenzuela, South 7th St., Terre Haute, IN 47807; 830-367-5120. season. Contact Lorrie Staley, Sugarloaf The Clay Studio of Missoula, 1106 A [email protected]; 207-807- Mountain Works, 19807 Executive Park Hawthorne St., Missoula, MT 59802; 8799; www.halcyonartgallery.com. regional exhibitions Cir., Germantown, MD 20874; 800-210- [email protected]; September 20 entry deadline November 17 entry deadline 9900; [email protected]; www. www.theclaystudioofmissoula.org; Texas, Houston “NCECA 2013 Texas, Irving “University of Dallas sugarloafcrafts.com/becomeex.html. 406-543-0509. National Student Juried Exhibition” 2013 Regional Juried Ceramic Competi- March 1, 2013 entry deadline December 1 entry deadline (February 15–March 23, 2013) open to tion” (January 22–March 1, 2013) open Pennsylvania, Oaks “Sugarloaf Crafts Texas, Houston “6th Annual Inter- work created by students. Juried from to ceramic work completed within the last Festival in Oaks” (March 15–17, 2013) national Texas Teapot Tournament” digital. Fee: $30 non-members; $15 two years by AR, CO, KS, LA, MO, NM, open to craft media. Juried from digital (January 12–27, 2013) open to teapots. members. Jurors: Bonnie Seeman and OK, and TX artists. Juried from digital. or slides. Fee: $20 per season. Contact Juried from digital. Fee: $45 for two Kevin Snipes. Contact Linda Ganstrom Fee: $30 for three entries. Juror: Les Man- Lorrie Staley, Sugarloaf Mountain Works, entries. Contact Karen Cruce, 18 Hands or Kate Vorhaus, NCECA, 77 Erie Village ning. Contact Rebecca Prince, University 19807 Executive Park Cir., Germantown, Gallery, 249 W. 19th St., Houston, TX Square, Ste. 280, Erie, CO 80516-6996; of Dallas, 1845 E. Northgate Dr., Irving, MD 20874; [email protected]; 77008; [email protected]; 713- [email protected] or [email protected]; TX 75062; [email protected]; 972-721- www.sugarloafcrafts.com/becomeex. 869-3099; www.18handsgallery.com. www.nceca.net; 866-266-2322. 5319; www.udallas.edu/art/regional. html; 800-210-9900.

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 77 classified advertising Ceramics Monthly welcomes classifieds in the following categories: Buy/Sell, Employment, Events, Opportunities, Personals, Products, Publications/Videos, Real Estate, Rentals, Services, Travel. Accepted advertisements will be inserted into the first available print issue, and posted on our website for 30 days at no additional charge! See www.ceramicsmonthly.org for details.

buy/sell Soldner Clay Mixer, Professional Model Mitch Lyons 2-day Workshops at Char- Craftsman House Gallery, Café & Studio, – 5 HP motor; excellent condition. Retail lie Parker Pottery in St. Petersburg, FL. St. Petersburg, Florida is seeking artist- CUSTOM ENGRAVED STAMPS for clay, $6142; asking $5800, OBO. Located January 26 & 27, 2013; 10 AM to 4 PM. in-residence. Benefits include 24-hour PMC, and tile. Your signature, mark, at William Jewell College, Liberty, MO. Mitch will share his creative and unique studio space, use of electric & gas kilns, logo, or text. Great prices, excellent Contact: [email protected]; (913) techniques of handbuilding, finishing, studio equipment, and gallery representa- quality. Fully customized, from $29. www. 384-1718. and decorating. February 23 & 24, 2013; tion in a vibrant arts community. Responsi- jetstamps.com. 10 AM to 4 PM. Students will learn his bilities include working in the gallery, studio Randall Wheel with Electric Motor. monoprint techniques using colored & café. Opportunity for paid employment Albany Slip. It’s the real thing! The last Great condition, comes with bat molds in clays and slips. Materials and firing for hours exceeding trade agreement. For load from the original mine. Make those two sizes and an extra drive wheel. $650. included. $200 ($100/day). A deposit is information contact Jeff at (727) 323-2787 great Albany slip glazes again, from [email protected]; (845) 331-4760. required at time of registration. Call now or [email protected]. cone 6 to 11. At cone 10–11, it fires a or e-mail Charlie Parker Pottery to register deep glossy brown. For further informa- employment (727) 321-2071; charlieparkerpottery@ products tion, contact the Great American Wheel gmail.com; www.charlieparkerpottery.com; Great craftsman wanted. Production GREAT NEW HANDBUILDING TEM- Works, in New York, at (518) 756-2368; www.mitchlyons.com. pottery in New Hampshire seeks mo- Developed by Sandi Pier- e-mail [email protected]. PLATES! tivated and experienced potter. Good antozzi. A set of 24 durable, flexible, 323CLAY, Home of Steven Hill Pottery, work ethic and strong throwing skills a laminated templates to create Circular New Advancer Beams 40.5x3x1.5 $25 presents: Steven Hill Full Participatory must. Pay rate depends on skill level. & Conical Forms. Perfect for Potters or each, normally $150; minimum 10. New Workshop Pouring Vessels and Cups: Please contact Andy Cochran at (603) Teachers! www.CircleMatic.com. 24x24x1 High Alumina Kiln Shelves, Atmospheric Effects for Electric Firing. $20; normally $80 each; minimum 20. 312-3808 for more information. September 30 – October 6, 2012. 323 W (pin-type flower Contact Rob Grimes (210) 379-2619; FLOWER FROGS Maple Ave, Independence, MO 64050. holders originally made by Bonnie Mfg.) [email protected]. events For more information: www.323clay.com; made in the USA. Superior quality; many (816) 254-7552. Tom Turner’s Pottery School. For de- sizes (¾” to 5½”). Pin cups also avail- Closing shop. Many seasonal and nostal- tails, see www.tomturnerporcelain.com; able. Call (570) 226-3239 or visit www. gic Molds For Sale. Contact Ruth at (252) opportunities 794-2449; [email protected]. or call (828) 689-9430. dorothybiddle.com. Located in Windsor, NC. “POTTERY ON THE HILL” America’s ACGA National Clay & Glass Exhibi- 15” Diamond Grinding System that newest exhibition and sale in our nation’s tion, Brea, CA; Jan. 26 – March 1, 2013. attaches to potter’s wheel like a throwing Tom Turner’s Geil 24 cu.ft. Brick Capitol! October 26–28th, 2012. For fur- Awards. Juror: Carol Sauvion, Exec. Dir. of bat. Rapidly grind and flatten hard por- Gas Kiln. Hood/chimney, 22 16x16 ther information or tickets to Friday Night’s Craft in America, Inc., & Exec. Producer of celain and stoneware. Ideal for finishing Silicone Carbide shelves, and oxi- TV series Craft in America. Entry deadline probe. Excellent condition. Photo at preview contact: the HILL CENTER, 921 rough, chipped, jagged or warped feet. Oct 31, 2012; $30 for 3 pieces. Online Can also be used to flat-grind bisque to www.tomturnerporcelain.com. Call Tom Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington, DC (202) 549-4172; hillcenterdc.org; entry at www.acga.net; questions to prevent high-fire warping, sharpening at (828) 689-9430. [email protected]. potteryonthehilldc.com. tools, and grind kiln posts, stone, metal, BRENT 24” SLAB ROLLER with shims. wood or glass. Industrial quality with long Healing for NW Austin pottery caters to kids and working life; designed by a potter for $1200.00 OBO. New Pyrometer, new gram MAKING ART IN PARADISE- Come see what all the fuss is Self and Earth: A Caribbean Clay Sculpture adults! potters. Visit http://sequoiapottery.com scale, $100.00 each. Skutt electric kiln w/ about. Adult classes, private lessons & Writing Workshop. St. John, US Virgin Is- or call (559) 542-2203 (9 AM to 5 PM). kiln sitter and timer, furniture and shelves, and one-time classes for kids (ages tod- lands. January 7-15, 2013. Snorkel, Hike, $200.00. Call (307) 673-5429. dler–13). Call (512) 420-9141 for more info Create. (802) 387-4820; [email protected]; pubs/videos or visit www.firepitceramics.com. Brent Slabroller, Model SR-36, plus www.brattleboroclayworks.com/maip. canvas and shims $2,500. Bailey PotteryVideos.com – DVD’s with Robin For Sale: Established Pottery/Art 9-inch standard Extruder w/die kit parts Oct. 20–21 Hopper, Gordon Hutchens and Graham HAYNE BAYLISS Workshop, Gallery in Blue Ridge, GA. Price is for Video Workshops for Potters at $550. Brent Extruder NL-125 w/die kit 127 at Cub Creek Studios, Appomattox, VA. Sheehan. inventory, renovations, and displays only. all levels of experience. 21 titles; (800) $375. Six 3’x6’ graphic display panels; Meals included in fee. Info at www.cub- Low rent. Call and leave a message (706) 668-8040; www.potteryvideos.com; info@ pebble-colored, fire-proof, never been creek.org or [email protected]. 455-2541. potteryvideos.com used $400. Many other items such as glaze, spray guns, bags of dry chemicals, ILONA ROMULE 2-DAY WORKSHOP Excellent opportunity for exploring November 3–4. real estate buckets of glazes with recent test tiles IN KANSAS CITY, wood firing in a natural Ozark for- on them also for sale. Call Larry (702) Hands-on china painting workshop est setting. Studio assistant desired Mint Condition 4 BD Artist Home 457-2501. covering surface design, decoration in exchange for room, board, small on private road just 1000 feet from and more. Fee $180. More information stipend, studio space and kiln space deeded Atlantic Ocean access. CBK Brent CXC, $750. Stand up wheel, $300. at www.redstarstudios.org or (816) —anagama, noborigama. Also seeking features new windows, newer roof, Rouff 60-ton Press with rings, $10,000. 474-7316. participant for October firing. For details granite kitchen, cherry cabinets. Tile Jigger with roller for dinner plates, salad contact Joe Bruhin (870) 363-4264; throughout. Granite and travertine plates and cereal bowls, masters and WORKSHOPS at Baltimore Clayworks. [email protected]; joebruhin.com. marble bath. Two storage sheds; great molds, $4000 each. Pug mill, $3000. JASON BIGE BURNETT, Sat–Sun studio space; ¼ acre lot. $275,000 Rolling ware carts, $100. 4X1 shelves, $3 Nov. 10–11, 2012; JEFF OESTREICH, CUB CREEK RESIDENCY available for OBO. http://cmd.shutterfly.com/ each. Various display shelves with lighting Sat–Mon Jan. 19–21, 2013. Please visit fall. Application and information avail- commands/pictures/slideshow?site=s and glass shelves. Contact Rob Grimes www.baltimoreclayworks.org or call (410) able at www.cubcreek.org or jessiman@ perlfotos&page=sperlfotos&album=94 [email protected]; (210) 379-2619. 578-1919 x10. cubcreek.org. &albumPath=

78 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org Ceramics Studio, 430+ sq.ft., Skutt Secluded and private 3.84 acre Custom Ceramic Molds – For nearly 20 travel Production Kiln 1227PK, EnviroVent 2, parcel next door to Penland School of years, Petro Mold Company has been Brent Wheel, other studio equipment and Crafts with a 2640 sq.ft. 2-story home/ designing molds for some of the world’s OVERSEAS CERAMIC WORKSHOPS supplies, and Home, 2 BR, 2 BA, 1500 studio, custom built in 1995. $369,000. most renowned ceramic artists and pot- & TOURS WITH DISCOVERY ART —MYANMAR (BURMA), CRETE/ sq.ft. cedar contemporary secluded on Email for info: [email protected]. ters. Our innovative molds will help you TRAVEL GREECE, MOROCCO. Small, culturally 1.84 acres in hardwood forest, heart improve productivity with your popular sensitive groups using local interpreters pine floors, new appliances, and transi- Historic Pottery Community of Sea- designs. We set the highest American and experts. Denys James, Canada. tional lighting fixtures throughout. Located grove NC, near Museum of NC Tra- quality standards with our sculpting, (250) 537-4906. www.denysjames.com; in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. $250,000. ditional & NC Pottery Center. Home/ mold manufacturing and design services. [email protected]. [email protected] or (919) 259-5662. studio/gallery combo. Also has efficiency Visit us today at www.custommolds.net apartment. Workshop/garage, kiln room. CRETE, GREECE 2012 Ceramics Gardener’s dream! Property has park- or (800) 404-5521. Home offers fireplace, hardwood floors, Explore like 3.15 acres with landscaping, walking Excursion, October 8-23. Minoan sites and museum collections, paths, tree lines, sitting areas, and even an pond, fencing, all on over 3 acres! Master Kiln Builders. 26+ years experi- $166,000 (MLS 622392). Waynette ence designing and building beautiful, hands-on in ancient pottery village with orchard! Beautiful setting for 2 bedroom, Giorgos Dalamvelas and Denys James. Araj, RE/MAX Central Realty (336) safe, custom kilns for universities, colleges, 1 bath home with hardwood floors, high History, architecture, stunning nature, efficiency furnace and A/C, new stainless 626-5600 or email [email protected]. Go high schools, art centers and private and splendid cuisine. Register by April steel refrigerator and storage in the base- to www.MainStreetSeagrove.com for clients. Soda/salt kilns, wood kilns, raku 1 and save $100. Discovery Art Travel; ment. Large 20’x40’ pole barn perfect for more info. kilns, stoneware kilns, sculpture burnout www.denysjames.com; (250) 537-4906. converting to studio space. Located on a kilns, car kilns and specialty electric kilns. short, low-traffic road yet close to Indiana rentals Competitive prices. Donovan. Phone/fax MOROCCO 2012 Ceramics Excursion, Studio visits, adobe SR 23 and the 31 Bypass for quick access (612) 250-6208. November 5-26. to anywhere you need to go. $97,000. Pottery Retreat in coastal SW Florida architecture, tile art, Roman mosaics, traditional and contemporary ceramics, Contact Samantha at samanthaw@ located in historic Bonita Springs. The Custom Extruder & Pugmill Dies. fabrics, a camel ride in the desert, and cbrwg.com. Gulf access villa includes a ceramic stu- Starting at $35.00. Any brand extruder much more. Including Fez, Chefcha- dio and kayaks to use while your pots are or pugmill; any material. E-mail tim@ ouen, Essaouira, Volubilis, Marrakech, Tennessee, Sequatchie Valley. Gor- drying. Rent weekly or monthly with sea- northstarequipment.com or visit us geous view of mountains. Ideal starting Zagora, Meknes, Rabat, Casablanca. sonal rates. www.ThisSideRetreat.com. online: www.northstarequipment.com. place for studio potter. Large studio/ Register by April 1 and save $100. Denys (800) 231-7896. newer mobile home in excellent condition James; www.discoveryarttravel.com; (250) 537-4906. with front and back decks on 6 acres. services Ceramics Consulting Services offers Silo for storage. Local art community CRANE YARD CLAY, Kansas City’s new- technical information and practical MYANMAR (BURMA) 2013 Ceramics and craft shows. $89,000. drybean1@ est wholesale/retail ceramics and pottery advice on clay/glaze/kiln faults and cor- Excursion, January 14-30. Go back in gmail.com or (423) 618-8476. supply business. Nationwide shipping rections, slip casting, clay body/glaze time…experience ancient pottery mak- ing and firing in traditional villages. Slow available. Deliveries and equipment formulas, salt glazing, product design. POTTERY STUDIO, GALLERY, LIV- boat trip down the Ayeyarwady River repairs available based on customer loca- Call or write for details. Jeff Zamek, 6 ING SPACE in the north woods of from Mandalay to ancient Bagan; Golden Wisconsin. $265,000. Wood kiln, soda tion. Call (855) 4-KC-Clay or e-mail us at Glendale Woods Dr., Southampton, MA Shwedagon temple in Yangon; optional kiln and all studio equipment. Details at [email protected] to place your order. More 01073; (413) 527-7337; e-mail fixpots@ beach holiday. Denys James, Discovery portwingpottery.com or (715) 774-3222. information at www.KCClay.com. aol.com; or www.jeffzamek.com. Art Travel. www.denysjames.com. index to advertisers

Aardvark Clay ...... 66 Clay Art Center ...... 75 L & L Kiln ...... 11 Sheffield Pottery ...... 70 ACerS Books ...... 6, 67, 69, 72, 73 Clay Art Center/Scott Creek ...... 65 Larkin Refractory ...... 66 Shepparton Art Museum ...... 71 Alligator Clay ...... 65 Continental Clay ...... 67 Lorton Arts ...... 75 Shimpo ...... 4, 13 Amaco and Brent ...Cover 2, 17, 27 Cornell Studio ...... 75 Skutt ...... Cover 4, 39 Anderson Ranch ...... 64 Coyote Clay ...... 69 Master Kiln Builders ...... 69 Smith-Sharpe ...... 57 Archie Bray ...... 70 Cress ...... 63 Mayco ...... 21 Spectrum Glazes ...... 35 Arrowmont School ...... 70 MKM Pottery Tools ...... 75 Atlantic Pottery ...... 76 Daily Clay ...... 74 Mudtools ...... 71 Trinity ...... 68 Dolan Tools ...... 65 Truro Center ...... 75 Bailey Pottery ...... 1, 23, 25, 31, 33 92nd St. Y ...... 64 Tucker’s Pottery ...... 65 Bennett Pottery ...... 7 Euclid’s/PSH ...... 76 Bluebird Mfg ...... 75 North Star ...... 5 Univ of Dallas ...... 76 Bracker’s ...... 76 Geil Kilns ...... 3 Georgies ...... 71 Olympic Kilns ...... 57 Vallauris Inst of Arts ...... 64 Cape Town Ceramic Safari ...... 70 Giffin Tec ...... Cover 3 VA Commonwealth Univ ...... 63 Carolina Clay ...... 76 Great Lakes Clay ...... 67 PCF Studios ...... 69 CeramicArtsDaily.org ...... 64, 76 Penland School ...... 74 Ward Burner ...... 64 Chinese Clay Art ...... 71 Herring Designs/SlabMat ...... 67 Peter Pugger ...... 2 Classifieds ...... 78, 79 Highwater Clays ...... 68 Potters Council ...... 66, 68, 74 Xiem Gallery ...... 75

www.ceramicsmonthly.org september 2012 79 SPOTlighT history lesson Study your ceramic history, not only from books, but also as a maker. getting into the studio and figuring out how something was really made, from start to finish, might be just the inspiration you need.

In addition to working with archaeologists, where ceramics was integral to society and I also have a long-standing interest in using anthropologists, and historians to reverse was mass produced predominantly by hand. ceramic figures for political satire. Intriguingly, engineer old pots and rediscover lost ceramic Today the ceramic medium is most relevant to there was a clear relationship between techniques, Michelle Erickson makes work that the technology of industry, space travel, and satirical works of 18th-century engravers and applies her vast knowledge of these techniques weapons manufacture so the question for me the Staffordshire figural industry. The piece to contemporary concerns. She was awarded as an artist is “why clay?” The answer lies in Knight Errant (below right) portrays an ape- an artist’s residency at the Victoria and Albert taking a step back from the rush to embrace like President George W. Bush wearing the Museum (V&A) in London, England, from July ever-advancing technology and looking “Mission Accomplished” flight suit jacket, and to September to research, make new work, and historically at the ingenuity of these lost arts riding a kicking mule, with a dual reference to create a video series on historical processes. through the lens of the 21st century. St.-George-and-the-Dragon-type Staffordshire figures and Don Quixote as portrayed by Ceramics Monthly: Michelle Erickson: It CM: What are some of ME: There is a William Hogarth. The knight in my narrative How does your is really inseparable, the themes you work symbiotic relationship fights windmills-turned-oil-rigs, wields a Shell Oil technical understanding but my inclination with and how do the between the two shield and a staff of the drug industry, grasps a and research of is to fully grasp the historical elements areas of my work javelin-like fragment of the World Trade Center historical ceramics art of a process help convey them? that other people that’s piercing a figure of liberty. influence your work? in order to take make more of a liberties informed distinction between than I can. Choosing the CM: What are your ME: Currently, I am by the context of its history. No matter how techniques is sometimes dictated by instinct and plans at the V&A? exploring fossils many techniques I have mastered, I am always intuition, sometimes by very specific projects (their 18th-century pushing into unknown territory. that inform the study of colonial archeology, discovery, our own predicament with fossil I find that doing something “sort of like” material culture, museum interpretation, and fuels, and the idea of a human fossil) and am another thing is like running the first mile of a other disciplines, and sometimes because a pursuing a concept at the V&A I call Potters Field, marathon and saying you understand what it historical genre strikes me as clearly spanning about the life cycles of both clay and people. means to run a marathon. Not every artist needs time and speaking to 21st century issues The opportunity to make art in the midst of or wants to have a self-possessed understanding through the universal human concerns. 5000 years of clay traditions represented in the of what they may be inspired by, use, or I started a body of work in 2004 that V&A’s collections is akin to getting the keys to otherwise appropriate, but clearly there is a was informed by the abolitionist ceramics the world’s ceramic candy store. I hope that huge difference between mimicking for effect of the late 18th and early 19th century to access to masterworks by artists such as Lucca and actually practicing that art, whatever it may make a statement about child soldiering Della Robbia, Bernard Palissy, and John Dwight be. That is my interest in these lost arts, to own and contemporary slavery. Using ceramics to will lead me to hidden secrets used by the the rights by making them myself, rather than advocate for a social and political movement legendary elites of ceramic art. But the V&A is an to sample from them, like a mixer might do with of human rights through the messenger of extraordinary global institution that blurs the lines music. My real goal is not to recreate a certain a sugar bowl stating “sugar not produced between old and new, presenting masterpieces object just for the sake of doing so, but there is by slaves” is an eye opener to the fact that, from antiquity along side the most progressive no other way to gain that intimate access. although the topic of blood diamonds is visionaries in modern art and design. That energy My deep attraction to clay has been driven a more high profile example, every day has already captured my imagination. by an unexplainable connection I feel to the commodities of sugar, coffee, chocolate, humanity that ceramics embodies, whether metals for electronics, and other products we www.michelleericksonceramics.com masterpieces or chamber pots. So I try to all use daily are driving the conditions for 21st- www.vam.ac.uk/content/people-pages/ understand the medium through an age century slavery. michelle-erickson. th. th. eum. aShwo R v&a muSv&a k: Gavin k: Gavin t and t the ti S hed wo R y y of the a R te S . Photo of fini S . Photo cou R unte R ma GeS i : Rob h S Studio Photo

80 september 2012 www.ceramicsmonthly.org Giffin Grip Flex Slider II “I am very excited to try out this new Giffin invention to see how it will grip my most randomly shaped molds.” Lisa Orr -Austin, Texas

For years, some very creative potters have been using their Giffin Grips in amazing ways. Now we can help them out even further! Flex Slider II-Coming soon! Find out more about Lisa Orr at lisaorr.com You know you already want it...

...wait until you see what else it can do!

TM The Future of Firing skutt.com/kilnlink

for more information on Skutt Kilns or to find a distributor, visit us at www.skutt.com or call us directly at 503.774.6000