September 1997 1 2 CERAMICS MONTHLY September 1997 Volume 45 Number 7 British potter John Leach stoking the wood-fired kiln at Muchelney Pottery. FEATURES 58 36 Mario Sarabia by Ryan Taylor Transition and Revival in Bolivian Ceramics 39 Gary Molitorby Glen R. Brown Slip-cast sculpture inspired by science fiction 43 Is Barium Carbonate Safe? by JeffZamek Porcelain vessel Separating fact from fiction sculpture by California 47 John Goodheart by Georgia Strange artist Gary Molitor. Rekindled enthusiasm for functional work 39 51 Jung-Ching Hsiau by Hsin-Lung Lai Abstract sculpture in rural Taiwan 53 Never Be Afraid to Play by Elaine Alt Serious about whimsy 58 John Leach: Conservationist Potter by Marian Edwards A personal response to preserving the landscape 65 Santa Cruz Clay by Karen Thuesen Massaro Tracing the development of area studio daywork by Roger Honey Earthenware vase with 104 Building a Budget-Conscious Fiber Kiln latex-resisted glazes From rough drawings to installing three layers of fiber and on-glaze brush- 107 Etched Porcelain by John R. Guenther work by Bolivian potter Mario Sarabia. Brushed shellac and elbow grease for relief patterning 36 110 Betty Spindler’s Full Harvest by Lisa Crawford Watson Oversized fruits and vegetables in vibrant colors Stoneware teapot by Mary Helen Chappell; from the exhibition “Time and Place: Fifty Years of Santa Cruz Studio Ceramics.” The cover: Massachusetts potter Elaine Alt; see 65 page 53. Photo: David Oxton. September 1997 3 UP FRONT 12 Lisa Stinson Thrown and altered ware at Collinsville (Connecticut) Artisans 12 Forms in Clay Anniversary exhibition at Many Hands Gallery, San Diego EditorRuth C. Butler 12 Cermatech Conference Associate EditorKim Nagorski Technical conference for production potters in Baltimore Assistant EditorConnie Belcher 14 Mindy Moore and Tatjana Krizmanic Editorial AssistantElaine Jebsen Collaborative work at Secord Gallery in Halifax, Nova Scotia Art Director Randy Wax 14 Bean Finneran Advertising ManagerSteve Hecker Ceramic sculpture at Braunstein/Quay Gallery, San Francisco Circulation AdministratorMary R. Hopkins 14 Barbara Sorensen by Teresa E. Robert Circulation AdministratorMary E. May errace Sculptural installation at Orlando City Hall T Gallery Publisher Mark Mecklenborg 16 Three Georgia Potters Show of works completed at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, Atlanta Editorial, Advertising and Circulation Offices 735 Ceramic Place 18 Marion Askjaer Veld Post Office Box 6102 Earthenware sculpture on view at Galerie Amphora, Netherlands Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102 18 Lisa Conway Telephone: (614) 523-1660 Ceramic sculpture at Kimura Art Gallery in Anchorage, Alaska Fax: (614) 891-8960 E-mail: [email protected] 18 Raining Cats and Dogs [email protected] Exhibition of clayworks depicting animals at Baltimore Clayworks [email protected] 20 Fun, Funky and Functional circulation@ceramicsmonthly. org Touring exhibition of utilitarian and playful teapots Web site: www.ceramicsmonthly.org 22 Tea Party in Tempe Ceramics Monthly (ISSN 0009-0328) is published monthly, Exhibition of works for and about tea at Tempe Arts Center, Arizona except July and August, by The American Ceramic Society, 735 22 Australian Potters’ Directory Ceramic Place, Westerville, Ohio 43081. 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Write for a list. 114 Classified Advertising Postmaster: Send address changes toCeramics Monthly, PO Box 116 Comment: 6102, Westerville, OH 43086-6102. Form 3579 requested. A Rain of Gold Coins by Delia Robinson Copyright © 1997 The American Ceramic Society 120 Index to Advertisers All rights reserved 4 CERAMICS MONTHLY September 1997 5 information that may be of use in some could hardly work without them, as I no Letters future time, even if it seems unlikely right longer can kick a wheel, nor wedge a lot of now. As to Ft. Worth, I might also suggest clay. Cheating? I hope not. I make no claims that you don’t cut off your nose to spite your about my tools. And, traditionalist though I Misplaced Blame face. I am sure that there are pots in Texas. am, I see no real difference between an older Having recently finished my service as on­ Big ones! potter using machines and having apprentices site chair for the “Guilty Pleasures” NCECA In conclusion, each NCECA conference do the scut work. (From what I’ve read, Shoji conference in Las Vegas, I feel more than will continue to be different. The excitement Hamada and, I assume, other Japanese pot­ qualified to respond to Jane Mayer’s letter of change and challenge to every attendee is, ters, had the “heavy lifting” done by appren­ (“Wake-Up Call,” JunelJulylAugust CM) in my estimation, the magnet that draws tices.) I use several commercial stains because, castigating the organizers for the lack of artists, potters and students year after year. I while preparing my own is feasible, I be­ attention paid to functional potters. am convinced that if only two people showed grudge the time it consumes. A friend, who NCECA recognizes the ever-growing up at any given conference, one of them was a superb cook, used to say: “Know how diversity of American ceramics, and makes would be unhappy about what did or did not to make your own mayonnaise and hollan- every effort to showcase all facets of the field. occur, based on her or his own self-interests. daise—then buy the commercial.” Bravo! It is a logistical nightmare to attempt to cover My parting suggestion to all concerned is to I agree one “can’t say that wheel-thrown all aspects of ceramic endeavor during a become involved in the organization and work is inherently better than machine- single conference—a fact I know from first­ produce change where it counts—from pressed or jiggered.” Better isn’t the issue; hand experience. Therefore, during the past within. truth is. There is an essential difference be­ decade, NCECA has rightfully arranged the Mark Bums, Las Vegas, Nev. tween a pot made by machine and one made theme of the conference to utilize the unique by a person. A difference we can agree to call aspects of the host city. With the guidance of Exploration vs. Denigration “soul.” When a jiggered pot is “given” throw­ the on-site chair, the organizers solicit the The May Letters column was interesting ing lines, and potters object, as I do, it is membership to submit proposals that are with the debate about “grossly unusual con­ because of a perceived intention to make the reflective of the theme. The chosen proposals structions,” esoteric articles, etc. I subscribe pot look as though made by a human han­ then become the conference framework. to the nonspecialization train of thought dling clay, which it wasn’t. The most plau­ Ms. Mayer has placed the blame for the because input from all areas of ceramics and sible reason for this deception would be to bad taste in her mouth on the wrong indi­ its related fields is very important to its con­ obtain the higher price a thrown pot would viduals. It’s the members who compose the tinued development. It’s important to know bring. (I cannot believe “throwing lines” are key elements of the conference; the organizers exactly what you don’t like as well as what jiggered in because thrown pots fetch less.) only select the best proposals, and choreo­ you like.