February 1992 1 William Hunt................................................. Editor Ruth C. Butler ...............................Associate Editor Robert L. Creager ................................ Art Director Kim S. Nagorski............................ Assistant Editor Mary Rushley........................ Circulation Manager MaryE. Beaver.......................Circulation Assistant Connie Belcher ...................... Advertising Manager Spencer L. Davis ......................................Publisher Editorial, Advertising and Circulation Offices 1609 Northwest Boulevard Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212 (614) 488-8236 FAX (614) 488-4561 Ceramics Monthly (ISSN 0009-0328) is pub­ lished monthly except July and August by Professional Publications, Inc., 1609 North­ west Blvd., Columbus, Ohio 43212. Second Class postage paid at Columbus, Ohio. Subscription Rates:One year $22, two years $40, three years $55. Add $10 per year for subscriptions outside the U.S.A. Change of Address:Please give us four weeks advance notice. Send the magazine address label as well as your new address to: Ceramics Monthly, Circulation Offices, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Contributors: Manuscripts, photographs, color separations, color transparencies (in­ cluding 35mm slides), graphic illustrations, announcements and news releases about ceramics are welcome and will be consid­ ered for publication. Mail submissions to Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. We also accept unillustrated materials faxed to (614) 488-4561. Writing and Photographic Guidelines:A booklet describing standards and proce­ dures for submitting materials is available upon request. Indexing: An index of each year’s articles appears in the December issue. Addition­ ally, Ceramics Monthly articles are indexed in the Art Index. Printed, on-line and CD-ROM (computer) indexing is available through Wilsonline, 950 UniversityAve., Bronx, New York 10452; and from Information Access Co., 362 Lakeside Dr., Forest City, Califor­ nia 94404. These services are available through your local library. A 20-year subject index (1953-1972), covering Ceramics Monthly feature articles, and the Sugges­ tions and Questions columns, is available for $1.50, postpaid, from the Ceramics Monthly Book Department, Box 12448, Co­ lumbus, Ohio 43212. Copies and Reprints:Microfiche, 16mm and 35mm microfilm copies, and xerographic reprints are available to subscribers from University Microfilms, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106. Back Issues:When available, back issues are $4 each, postpaid. Write for a list. Postmaster:Please send address changes to Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Form 3579 requested. Copyright © 1992 Professional Publications, Inc. All rights reserved 2 Ceramics Monthly February 1992 3 4 C eramics Monthly Volume 40, Number 2 • February 1992 Feature Articles Spirit Realm Series by Thomas Kerrigan ................................................ 27 Oregon Invitational by Nils Lou ............................................................. 30 Freedom to Discover by Will and, KateJacobson .................................... 32 New Faces at Navy Pier........................................................................35 Tatsuzo Shimaoka An Autobiography, Part 2 translated by Darice Veri ...................................... 39 Hair Sculpture and Its RootsPenn­ Cultural Focus by Gail Kendall .............................................................. 46 sylvania artist Terry Niedzialek takes body decoration to new heights with hair/clay montages, such as “Voter Registration,” Federighi’s Symbolism ........................................................................ 49 shown above; see page 52. Hair Sculpture and Its Roots ................................................................52 New Faces at Navy PierA juried exhibi­ tion introduced works by emerging artists Oldest Kiln Now Dates to 27,000 B. C. (not affiliated with galleries) to collectors Ice Age Ceramics by Jayne Shatz .......................................................... 78 attending the annual New Art Forms Ex­ position in Chicago; page 35. Firing Wet Pots by Art Grupe..................................................................80 Firing Wet Pots Want to bring “imme­ diacy” to your work? Gary Greenberg does by skipping the drying stage and going straight from forming to firing; see how, Up Front beginning on page 80. Tom Marsh (1934-1991) ............................. 10 Marcia Selsor Cultural FocusConcerned that Ameri­ by David Barnes ..................................... 16 can art is increasingly less meaningful to State Arts Agencies Tighten Belts ............... 10 average people and that, in ceasing to be James Morris................................................. 18 a cultural tool of communication, art has Gerald Ben................................................... 12 been stripped of its most essential compo­ James Watral................................................. 20 nent, Nebraska artist Gail Kendall trav­ Environmentally Correct Ceramics ............. 12 eled in Europe and Africa to help bring Dennis Meiners ............................................ 20 home the interconnectedness of life and Larry Halvorsen/Jeff Margolin .................... 12 art; see page 46. Ronda Liskey............................................... 14 Caryn Kreitzer.............................................. 20 Freedom to DiscoverRealizing that what Tile National................................................. 14 Philadelphia Craft Show .............................. 22 had begun as a labor of love had become just labor, Washington potters Will and KateJacobson decided to allow themselves time to pursue the “happy accident.” Sub­ sequently, what others might have rejected Departments as a glaze flaw triggered a more gratifying way of working; see page 32. Letters............................................ 8 Questions ....................................... 76 The cover Florida artist Christine Fed- Call for Entries ............................. 54 Classified Advertising ...................84 erighi uses two electric kilns stacked one on top of the other to low fire columnar Suggestions ....................................60 Comment: sculpture infused with personal figure and Calendar ........................................62 Whine Tasting by Ersatz Sobriquet .... 86 house symbols; see “Federighi’s Symbol­ ism,” beginning on page 49. New Books ................................... 72 Index to Advertisers ..................... 88 February 1992 5 Letters sources of flux. Boron-fluxed glazes, for ex­ ample, are typically more sensitive to heat work than are lead-fluxed ones, causing higher losses and often less desirable glaze surfaces. But use of lead doesn’t mean commercial potteries have or have not been lax in concern for safety. What Harding Black Kudos really matters is lead release from their fired The presentation on Harding Black glazes. Properly formidated and fired lead glazes [December 1991] was superb—a great (which are highly controllable under industrial view of a grand human being who is also conditions) are quite safe (insoluble). Con­ an American studio pottery pioneer. versely, poorly fired boron (the only other reason­ Harding Black is one of the kindest able substitute for lead) glazes may pose a risk of and noblest people I’ve ever known. His their own—underfired or devitrified batches contributions in clay are indeed major. may release the glaze’s potentially toxic metalField (from Atlanta) questioning the His loyalty, friendship and spirit are the colorant content into food. application of gold leaf [fired onto] pots. equal to his work in pottery. Harding Public hysteria caused by real concerns I have been using gold leaf for about Black is a joy and blessing to all who have about badly formulated Third-World wares four years, and have found that the firing shared his life. unfortunately has given all lead glazes, evenof gold leaf is quite possible. This can be Tom Tumquist well-conceived ones, a bad name. But industry done over either a gloss or a matt glaze, Englewood, Colo. and the studio potter must correct such actual depending on the finish you want. [See or perceived problems if they expect to continue the example shown above.] Harding Black is a wonderful man! I interesting their traditional buyers. Further, I fire my glazes over a porcelain clay to bought two Harding Black pots in 1957. meeting all the requirements of tightening 1280°C [2340°F], apply oil where I want (I didn’t know him from Adam.) How­ regulations will create public confidence in leaf,their arrange the leaf carefully, then fire to ever, the pots were nice and I have en­ products and ultimately avoid catastrophic about 800°C [1470°F] in oxidation. I then joyed them over the years. product liability lawsuits.—Ed. polish [the fired leaf] with a soft cloth. Two years ago, I heard that his glazes Marjo Jones were unusual. I located him by calling How-To Thanks Farrer, A.C.T. information in San Antonio. I renewed The December 1991 issue was great, Australia my interest in glazing after conversing and I hope it was a foretaste of what the with him. 1992 issues will be like. Disaster Empathy After retirement (48 years), I enrolled It had something for everyone, and I An Up Front article in the December in ceramics classes at Cal State, North- was especially happy with the “how-to” issue prompted me to write. [“Breaking ridge University. Harding sent me 220 articles. These