2 Ceramics Monthly William C. Hunt...... Editor Barbara Tipton ...... Associate Editor Robert L. Creager ...... Art Director Ruth C. Butler...... Copy Editor Valentina Rojo ...... Editorial Assistant Mary Rushley...... Circulation Manager Connie Belcher .... Advertising Manager Spencer L. Davis ...... Publisher

Editorial, Advertising and Circulation Offices 1609 Northwest Boulevard, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212 (614) 488-8236

Ceramics Monthly (ISSN 0009-0329) is published monthly except July and August by Professional Publications, Inc.—S. L. Davis, Pres.; P. S. Emery, Sec.: 1609 North­ west Blvd., Columbus, Ohio 43212. Second class postage paid at Columbus, Ohio. Subscription Rates: One year $16, two years $30, three years $40. Add $5 per year for subscriptions outside the U.S.A. Change of Address: Please give us four weeks advance notice. Send both the magazine wrapper label and your new address to Ceramics Monthly , Circulation Office, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Contributors: Manuscripts, photographs, color separations, color transparencies (in­ cluding 35mm slides), graphic illustrations, texts and news releases dealing with ceramic art are welcome and will be considered for publication. A booklet describing procedures for the preparation and submission of a man­ uscript is available upon request. Send man­ uscripts and correspondence about them to The Editor, Ceramics Monthly , Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Indexing:Articles in each issue of Ceramics Monthly are indexed in the Art Index. A 20-year subject index (1953-1972) covering Ceramics Monthly feature articles, Sugges­ tions and Questions columns is available for $1.50, postpaid from the Ceramics Monthly Book Department, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Additionally, each year’s arti­ cles are indexed in the December issue. Copies and Reprints: Microfiche, 16mm and 35mm microfilm copies, and xerographic re­ prints are available to subscribers from Uni­ versity Microfilms, 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106. Copies in micro­ fiche are also available from Bell & Howell, Micro Photo Division, Old Mansfield Road, Wooster, Ohio 44691. Back Issues: Back issues, when available, are $3 each, postpaid. Write for a list. Postmaster: Please send address changes to Ceramics Monthly , Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212.

Copyright © 1984 Professional Publications, Inc. All rights reserved June/July/August 1984 3 4 Ceramics Monthly Ceramics Monthly Volume 32, Number 6 June/July/August 1984

Feature Articles Artpark by Mary Roehm...... 31 How to Sell Your Pots Profitably by Ross Murphy...... 35 Oasis by Evelyne Porret...... 41 Clay Spectrum...... 46 Graham Marks by Matthew Drutt...... 47 Portfolio: Jun Kaneko by Ree Schonlau and Jun Kaneko...... 49 Iceland’s Borghildur Oskarsdottir...... 59 The Water Jars of Cocucho by Jens Morrison ...... 62 Hobart Cowles Blue and Green Glazes by Lili Krakowski...... 66 Salzbrand International Competition 67 A $10 Million Stove by Donald Fletcher...... 102

Departments Letters...... 7 Itinerary...... 9 Suggestions 15 Questions ...... 17 Where to Show 21 Comment: What Makes a Pot Beautiful? by William Hunt ...... 25 News & Retrospect...... 75 Classified Advertising 100 Index to Advertisers 104

The Cover Japanese-born ceramist Jun Kaneko (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan) amid his 7-ton sculptures in a kiln at the Omaha Brick Works, Nebraska. Jun rented the old beehive kiln last year to build and fire eight monu­ mental works, a project that lasted nine months. The artist and his work are subjects of a portfolio begin­ ning on page 49. June/July/August 1984 5 6 Ceramics Monthly Letters April Comment They have given me two wrong numbers for February issue. I wish that all of CM’s cov­ “No Custom Orders” by Richard Peeler their regional sales office in Cincinnati, and erage were this thoughtful and informative. was wonderful. I found myself laughing out refused to take my order from the main office Too bad Randy Cook was so threatened by loud. It was a pleasure to read something so in Amesbury. Finally, after numerous long Eileen Black’s well thought-out piece on mail down-to-earth; he brought sunshine into a distance calls, they openly admitted that they order. Too bad CM wasted valuable maga­ rainy, dreary Ann Arbor day. had been “giving me the run-around,” and zine space on his put-down. Pat Ballard gave me the name of a company right here Jim Lane Ann Arbor, Mich. in Louisville where I could purchase the duct Farnham, Va. in 10-foot lengths. Infinite Kiln Switches Aren’t If you are thinking about venting your kiln Valuable Space CM readers should be aware of the mis­ in this way, call the main office in Amesbury I feel too much valuable space is wasted nomer that pervades the industry with regard and ask them if the ducts are sold in your in letters: last year’s pansy pots and this year to “infinitely variable” switches that are em­ city or area, and if so where. You will prob­ the sexism of Randy Cook. I’d rather be a ployed on a large number of electric kilns. ably have to buy 10 feet to get the 6 or 7 basement potter than work in some of the To be fair to the industry, I have only had you need, but you won’t have a two-page chicken coops I’ve seen. personal experience with two makes of kilns, phone bill to boot. Donna Kulibert but at least three other popular brands are Amy Will Medical Lake, Wash. equipped with identical switches. These Louisville switches pass 100% of the current through a The Business of Art bimetallic element which makes up one side Randy Cook/February Letters That art is a business is no longer a notion, of the contacts. The resulting heat pulls this Pottery through mail order (“Mail-Order it has become a necessity. To survive art school contact away from the “fixed” contact whose Marketing,” by Eileen Black, October ’83) one must go about the serious business of position is set by the switch knob. is not unique to women potters. Let’s see treating the production of art as a daily focus. The power output of my kiln, as a percent Randy Cook’s criticism for what it is: a gra­ In the business of art, one must go about the of maximum, through the range of switch tuitous venting of misogynistic feelings. serious business of producing quality art settings is shown below: Lotte Melman (product) as a daily focus. It must be pleasing Minneapolis to the artist’s aesthetic sensibilities as well as be salable in order to sustain the artist. It Randy neglected to describe the bachelor’s is a priority that excellent art schools begin pinnacle that he works on. to incorporate into their curriculum survival Marjorie Beynon courses in basic business procedures. Novice Camlachie, Ont. artists must also be willing to prepare a professional-looking portfolio, present well- I resent the “basement little-wife potter” taken slides upon request, have a clear, well- crack made by Randy Cook. I was not aware stated resume, know how to approach gallery Approximately the last 40% of the power that CM was just for “professional” potters. dealers and shop owners, know how to pro­ appears when the control is moved from the (Professional in this sense meaning one who tect their art work when it is out of their highest variable setting to “high.” Typically, has ascended from the realm of craft to one hands and still unsold, and know how to pre­ only a bisque temperature can be attained of art.) I thought it was for anyone interested pare a self-protecting contract for commis­ on the highest variable setting, and then only in pottery and ceramic art. sioned art work. after a very long approach time. The most I know that from the great pinnacle on Schools can and should help in these areas. important part of the power, which is re­ which Randy Cook obviously places himself, Georgeanne Carlisle Gass quired for glazing, soaking, crystal growth, we basement little-wife potters look insig­ Manchester, Mo. etc., can only be controlled in a very pro­ nificant. But even Randy must have started nounced saw-tooth fashion by alternately somewhere. I don’t believe he was born with Subscribers’ Comments turning on and off the top 40% of the power. clay under his nails, and his feet on a kick As a potter not bogged down on either end Thinking that the switches on my kiln might wheel. Articles on a level for beginners and of the funk/functional spectrum, I appreciate be defective, I contacted the vendor and was advanced beginners help us toward the goal articles that let me breathe mud and fire. Let told that this was the expected behavior for of professionalism. the pot say the thing, not the mouth con­ this type of switch as provided by their sup­ Where does he get off with the “little-wife” nected to the mind already closed. plier. routine? I know a few “basement little-hus- Leroy E. von Gian L. M. Foster band potters” too: Or are just women potters Norfolk, Neb. Corvallis, Ore. hobbyists to be looked down upon? I wonder if Randy Cook realizes how much I’d like to know if other persons in clay Kiln Venting of the professional pottery is bought by the are experiencing skin eruptions (hands) due Ted Scatchard’s article (“A Better Vent for amateur potter and taken home as an ex­ to clay and glazes, and any remedies and Electric Kilns,” December 1983) was excel­ ample of good work or artistry. Maybe he cures. lent. I was so impressed that I am now in should not snap at one of the hands that feeds Kathryn Baxa the process of venting my kiln according to him. Racine, Wis. the method he described. This letter is meant Cathy L. Ariganello to alert CM readers to one little snag I’ve Katy, Tex. Share your thoughts with other readers. All encountered. letters must be signed, but names will be The Flexaust Company of Amesbury, February Issue withheld on request. Address: The Editor, Massachusetts, which manufactures the I keep coming back to the articles “Kanjiro Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Columbus, stainless steel duct, is not easy to deal with. Kawai” and “An Oxidation Studio” in the Ohio 43212. June/July/August 1984 7 8 Ceramics Monthly Itinerary conferences, exhibitions, workshops, fairs and other events to attend

Send announcements of conferences, exhibitions, vessels; at Saulsbury Gallery, Cultural ActivitiesWalls; Surface Reliefs by American Artists”; at workshops, juried fairs and other events at least Center, 3011 N. Third St. Ren wick Gallery, Pennsylvania Ave. at 17 th St., seven weeks before the month of opening to: The Washington, Kirkland June 15-July 13 Chip Northwest. Editor, Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Columbus, Gorrell, pottery; at Lakeshore Gallery, 15 Lake June 17-July 6 “Washington Area Ceramics” in­ Ohio 43212; or call: (614) 488-8236. Add one Street. vitational; at the American Hand, 2906 M St., month for listings in July and two months for those Northwest. in August. August 11-November 30 “Treasures from the Group Exhibitions Shanghai Museum: 6000 Years of Chinese Art”; Arizona, Tempe through July 15 “Ceramic at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History/ Conferences Festival I: Arizona State University Contemporary Museum of Man, Tenth and Constitution, NW. New Jersey, Upper Montclair June 29-July 1 Ceramics”; at Arizona State University, Matthews Florida, Orlando June 18-August 2 “Tenth “Mid Atlantic States Craft Conference: Making Center. Annual Juried Competition: Small Works”; at Connections,” at Montclair State College. For de­ July 15-September 1 “Architectural Crafts”; at Valencia Community College. tails, consult CM February Itinerary. Contact: the Fine Arts Center of Tempe, 520 S. Mill. Illinois, Chicago through June 30 “Figurative Hortense Green, Crafts Coordinator, New Jersey California, Chico through June 15 A dual ex­ Sculpture,” including Robert Guttke and Marc Si- State Council on the Arts, 109 West State Street, hibition with Roberta Kaserman; at George Or- jan; at the Mindscape Collection, 300 W. Superior. CN 306, Trenton, New Jersey 08625; or call: (609) berg Gallery, 814 Glenn St. Illinois, Highland Park June 2-July 3 Stan 292-6130. California, Downey June 14-July 27 The Andersen, John Glick, Richard Hensley and Tom second annual “American Ceramics National”; Turner, “Functional Ceramics”; at Martha at the Downey Museum of Art, 10419 S. Rives Schneider Gallery, 124 S. Deere Park Dr. Solo Exhibitions Avenue. Illinois, Naperville August 1-27 “Table Arizona, Scottsdale through June 21 Steve California, La Jolla through June 9 “Con­ Trappings,” juried exhibition of dinnerware and Liggett, “Modular Units,” works in paper, clay temporary Teapots” by Kathy Erteman, Dorothy table linens; at Ariel Gallery, 15 W. Jefferson Ave. and rattan; at Wilde-Meyer Gallery, 4151 N. Hafner, Nancy Selvin and Mayer Shacter; at Gal­ Indiana, Indianapolis August 1-31 Curtis and Marshall Way. lery Eight, 7464 Girard Ave. Suzan Benzie, porcelain; at the Indianapolis Mu­ Arizona, Tucson through June 8 Kevin Os­ California, Los Angeles through June 17 Jens seum of Art, 1200 W. 38 St. born, pit-fired vessels and sculpture; at the Tucson Morrison, sculpture; John Nelson, Rob Rich and Kentucky, Lexingtonthrough June 24 “Spot­ Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave. Susan Icove, pottery. June 28-July 18 Susan light ’84: Southeast Crafts” juried exhibition; at Colorado, Golden July 8-August 5 Kevin Ford, and Steve Kemenyffy, raku sculpture; at Rodell/ the University of Kentucky Art Museum, Rose functional pottery; at the Foothills Art Center, 809 Retreat Gallery, 11714 San Vicente Blvd. and Euclid Sts. Fifteenth Street. June 6-August 19 “Masks in Motion,” an in­ Massachussets, Boston through June 9 “Recent Colorado, Vail August 7-23 Mark Snowdon, ternational mask exhibition; at the Craft and Folk Ceramics by Alison Britton and Jacqui Poncelet”; low-fired and pit-fired sculpture; at Parke Gallery, Art Museum, 5814 Wilshire Blvd. at Westminster Gallery, 132A Newbury St. Gore Creek Dr. July 24-August 24 “Art in Clay, 1950s-1980s: Massachusetts, Lexington through September D.C., Washington through June 8 Mineo Mi- Three Decades of Southern California Ceramic 9 “Unearthing New England’s Past: The Ce­ zuno; at American Hand, 2906 M St., NW. Art, Evolution, Revolution and Continuation,” 187 ramic Evidence,” shards and whole objects from Florida, Miami June 8-July 2 Connie Llov- works by 32 artists; at the Los Angeles Municipal the 17th to 19th centuries found in archaeological eras, sculpture; at Barbara Gillman Gallery, 270 Art Gallery, Barnsdall Park. excavations; at the Museum of Our National Her­ N.E. 39 St. ^ California, Sacramento August 4-September itage, 33 Marret Rd. Illinois, Chicago through June 15 Deborah 16 “Contemporary California Tile Works: Don­ Massachusetts, Northampton through June Horrell, installations; at Lill Street Gallery, 1021 na Billick, Tom Dochterman and Philip Schuster”; 24 “Clay Treasures,” functional work and sculp­ W. Lill St. at the Crocker Art Museum, 216 “O” St. ture by 40 artists; at the Craftsmarket Gallery at Indiana, Indianapolis July 5-30 Jim Gor­ August 17-September 3 “California Works,” ju­ Pinch Pottery, 150 Main St. man; at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, 1200 ried competition; at the California State Fair­ Massachusetts, Worcester June 14-September W. 38 St. grounds. 8 “Student Directions 84”; at the Worcester Craft Maryland, Frederick June 10-23 John Zent- California, San Diego June 23-September Center, 25 Sagamore Rd. ner, thrown and altered baskets, bowls and plat­ 17 “In Beauty I Create,” an exhibition of work Michigan, Birmingham through June 9An ters; at Catepetl Gallery, 114 W. Second St. by American Indian artisans; at the San Diego exhibition including John Donoghue; at Robert Massachusetts, Salem through December 4 Museum of Man, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park. L. Kidd Associates/Galleries, 107 Townsend St. Hajime G. Kozuru, “Beyond Tradition”; at the California, San Francisco through July 30 Michigan, Detroit through June 20 “New Peabody Museum of Salem, East India Square. “Japanese Ceramics,” works from 3000 B.C. to Vistas in Ceramic Art.” June 8-29 “Annual New Jersey, Trenton through June 10 Bennett A.D. 1900. June 15-July 29 “Auspicious Spir­ Pewabic Student Show.” June 22-July 18 Bean, pit-fired vessels; at the New Jersey State its,” Korean folk objects; at the Asian Art Museum “Raku: Wayne Ngan, Robert Piepenburg, Dave Museum, 205 W. State St. of San Francisco, the Avery Brundage Collection, Roberts and Paul Soldner.” July 21 -August New Mexico, Albuquerque through June 30 Golden Gate Park. 31 “Selected Gallery Artists”; at Pewabic Pot­ Fred Wilson, large sculpture; at the Muddy Wheel, July 13-September 3 “The Vessel: Contempo­ tery, 10125 E. Jefferson. 4505-07 Fourth St., NW. rary Views of a Traditional Form”; at the Cali­ Michigan, Muskegon July 18-August 31 “Soup New York, Brooklyn June 8-July 25 Beth fornia Crafts Museum, Ghirardelli Square. Soup Beautiful Soup,” tureens; at the Muskegon Changstrom, stoneware; at the Clay Pot, Park Slope, California, Santa Barbara August 15-September Museum of Art, 296 W. Webster Ave. 162 Seventh Ave. 30 “Hills and Streams: Landscape Decoration Minnesota, Rochester through June 16 Rudy New York, Cold Spring June 1-30 “Constance on Chinese Export Blue and White Porcelain”; at Autio and Curtis Hoard, sculpture; and “The Berdan Sherman: Potter’s Portfolio”; at the Sam­ the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State St. American Coffee Cup,” works by 60 artists; at the pler, 91 Main St. California, Westlake Village June 1-July Rochester Art Center, 320 E. Center St. Ohio, Akron through June 10 Jo Kirschen- 11 Jane Heaven and Diane Kruer, porcelain; at Missouri, Springfield August 26-September baum, crystalline and oil-spot glazed porcelain; at the Retreat Gallery, 3865 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. 30 “Medieval and Renaissance Ceramics from the Akron Art Museum, 70 E. Market St. Colorado, Golden June 3-July 3 Sixth an­ the John Philip Kassebaum Collection”; at the Ohio, Columbus July 1-31 Rose Stevens, nual “North American Sculpture Exhibi­ Springfield Art Museum, 1111 E. Brookside Dr. functional stoneware; at Helen Winnemore’s, 150 tion.” August 12-September 18 “Rocky Montana, Helena June 1-30 A group exhi­ E. Kossuth, German Village. Mountain National Watermedia Exhibition”; at bition with Robert Harrison, sculpture. July Oregon, Warm Springs through June 24 the Foothills Art Center, 809 Fifteenth St. 12-August 18 A group show with Akio Taka- Lillian Pitt, “Out of the Fire,” raku masks; at Kah- Connecticut, Brookfield through July 15 “Two mori, pictorial ceramics; at Upstairs Gallery, Apt. Nee-Ta Lodge. Dimensions/New Dimensions in Clay,” works by D, 312 Clarke. Pennsylvania, PittsburghJune 4-28 Rita Pat Beglin, Marylyn Dintenfass, Sally Fine, RickNew Hampshire, Concord through June 29 Marlier, sculpture. July 2-26 Doug Irish- Hirsch, Philip Jameson, David Judelson, Ellen “Plates and Platters,” works by members of the Hosler, stoneware and porcelain; at the Clay Place, Schon and Nicholas Wood; at the Brookfield Craft League of New Hampshire Craftsmen; at 205 N. 5600 Walnut St. Center, Rte. 25. Main St. Texas, Dallasthrough June 16 Barbara Brault- Connecticut, Guilford June 3-30 “Jumps off New Jersey, MargateJune 9-13 “Craft Con­ Jordan, residual salt-fired, slab-constructed earth­ the Wall,” wall works; at Evergreen Gallery, 1310 cepts ’84”; at the Jewish Community Center of enware; at Conduit, 2814 Elm St. Boston Post Rd. Atlantic County, 501 N. Jerome Ave. Texas, Templethrough June 12 Paul Uhl, raku D.C., Washington through June 17 “Clay for Continued June/July/August 1984 9 10 Ceramics Monthly the Bride & Groom” July 12-August 18 Roberta Lampert and Beth Lo-Hamilton; at Con­ Itinerary “Woodfiring in America”; at the Craftsman’s Gal­ temporary Crafts, 3934 S.W. Corbett Ave. New Jersey, Newark through February 28, lery, 16 Chase Rd. Pennsylvania, Pittsburghthrough July 1 1985 “American Art Pottery,” over 200 objects Ohio, Columbus August 3-19 The 1984 “Ohio “Soup Soup Beautiful Soup,” tureens; at Pitts­ made between 1880 and 1940; at the Newark Mu­ State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition,” juried compe­ burgh Center for the Arts, Mellon Park, 6300 seum, 49 Washington St. tition; at the state fairgrounds. Fifth Avenue. New Jersey, OceanvilleJune 3-September Oklahoma, Tulsa August 18-October 14 “Aus­ July 30-August 23 “Shadyside Art ’84”; at the 16 “Elements of Craft,” the 1984 New Jersey picious Spirits,” Korean folk objects; at the Phil- Clay Place, 5600 Walnut St. State Council on the Arts/Department of State brook Art Center, 2727 Rockford Rd. Rhode Island, Providencethrough June Craft Fellowship winners, includes work by Kris Oregon, Bend June 2-30 “Out of the Earth— 24 “RISD Clay Invitational”; at the Museum of G. Nelson, Coco Schoenberg and Ann Tsubota; Ceramics and Oils,” by Lillian Pitt and Vance Art, Rhode Island School of Design, 224 Benefit at the Noyes Museum, Lilly Lake Rd. Perry. August 4-29 “Imari—Antique Japa­ Street. New Jersey, Tenaflythrough June 15 “Duets— nese Porcelain; at Frame Design, 836 N.W. Wall. South Carolina, GreenvilleAugust 1-September Couples in Crafts,” includes works by Jerry Berta Oregon, Portland through June 22 Peter Eu- 16 “South Carolina Fifth Annual Juried Exhi­ and Madeline Kaczamarczyk, Victoria and Rich­ lau and Leila Iverson, decorated ceramics; at the bition”; at the Greenville County Museum of Art, ard MacKenzie Childs, and Jean Pierre Hsu; at Real Mother Goose, 901 S.W. Yamhill. 420 College St. America House, 24 Washington Ave. through June 23 “Young Ceramists,” works by Tennessee, GatlinburgJune 4-August 17 New Jersey, Upper Montclair June 10-July Michael Bliven, Larry Eisner, Robert Harrison, Continued 1 “Fellows and Friends,” includes work by 1984 New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Depart­ ment of State Craft Fellowship winners Kris G. Nelson, Coco Schoenberg and Ann Tsubota, plus raku objects by Paul Soldner; at the School of Fine and Performing Arts, Montclair State College. New Mexico, Los Alamos June 22-July 29 “Third Biennial Juried Craft Exhibit”; at Fuller Lodge Art Center, Cultural Center, 2132 Central Ave. New Mexico, Santa Fe through June 8 “South- west/Midwest Exchange,” works by 12 Illinois ceramists; at the Museum of Fine Arts, 107 W. Palace Ave. June 15-August 15 “The Southwest and the Arts and Crafts Movement,” includes pottery inspired by American Indian designs; at Bellas Artes, 301 Garcia at Canyon Rd. July 1-14 A dual exhibition with Ginger Mon- giello, brush-decorated porcelain. August 12-25 A three-person exhibition with Bob Brod­ sky and Tina Davila, hand-painted functional por­ celain; at Contemporary Craftsman Gallery, 100 W. San Francisco St. July 1-August 26 “Mimbres Pottery: Ancient Art of the American Southwest”; at the Museum of New Mexico, 113 Lincoln Ave. New Mexico, Taos through June 23 A dual exhibition with Katherine Howard, burnished, pit- fired vessels. June 30-July 28 A two-person show with Laura Andreson, porcelain. August 4-September 1 A dual show with Wesley An- deregg, raku and saggar-fired vessels; at Clay and Fiber, N. Pueblo Rd. New York, Buffalo June 8-July 1 Melinda Tousley, Bill Schuck and Eileen Welborn, porce­ lain and earthenware; at the Artist Gallery, Ash­ ford Hollow Foundation, 30 Essex St. June 9-July 5 “Created by Hand Exhibition”; at AAO Gallery, 698 Main St. New York, Callicoon June 23-August 5 “Functional Innovation in Clay” juried exhibition; at Wainscot Galleries, Main St. New York, Cooperstown July 22-August 25 Cooperstown Art Association’s “49th Annual Na­ tional Art Exhibition”; at 22 Main St. New York, Ithaca July 6-August 18 “New York State of Mind” juried crafts exhibition; at the Gal­ lery at 15 Steps, 407 W. Seneca St. New York, New York through June 8 Young artists exhibition. June 12-22 Annual student works exhibition; at Greenwich House Pottery, 16 Jones St. through June 17 “Design in America: The Cran- brook Vision, 1925-1950,” includes ceramics; at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. through September 5 “New Yorkers’ Taste: Chinese Export Porcelain, 1750-1865,” ware cus- tom-made for prominent New York families; at the Museum of the City of New York, Fifth Ave. at 103rd St. June 2-30 A dual exhibition with Frank Boy- den, vessels; at Elements Gallery, 90 Hudson St. New York, Saratoga SpringsJuly 7-September 23 “Skidmore Invitational 1984” features works by 50 artists; at Skidmore College Art Center. New York, Scarsdale through June 23 “For June/July/August 1984 11 12 Ceramics Monthly annual “ACC Craftfair at San Francisco”; at Fort Festival Arts & Craft Show”; at Freimann Park, Itinerary Mason Center. Rte. 27 and Main St. Colorado, Canon City June 23-24 “Art on Indiana, Indianapolis June 9-10 The 29th “Mixed Media,” includes works by Wayne Bates, the Arkansas” juried festival; at Veterans Park, annual “Talbot Street Art Fair”; along Talbot be­ Margaret Ford, Ginny and Tom Marsh, David Hwy. 50. tween Pennsylvania and Delaware. Nelson, Jeanne Otis, Harvey Sadow, Susanne Ste­ Colorado, Copper Mountain August 11-12 Iowa, Avoca August 31-September 3 The “9th phenson and Jack Troy; at the Arrowmont School “Fourth Annual Homespun Arts and Crafts Fair”; Old-Time Country Music Contest and Festival, of Arts and Crafts. at Copper Mountain Resort. and Pioneer Exposition of Arts and Crafts”; at the Texas, Dallas through June 9 A dual exhibi­ Colorado, Denver August 11-12 “Foothills Pottawattamie County Fairgrounds. tion with Paul Uhl, raku vessels; at the Front Room, Festival”; at West Meadows Golf Course, S. Sims Maryland, Baltimore July 13-15 “Artscape 6617 Snider Plaza. Avenue. ’84” festival; along Mount Royal Ave. between Texas, Houston through July 9 “Treasures from August 24-26 “The Denver Art Museum Craft Oliver and McMechen Sts. the Shanghai Museum: 6000 Years of Chinese Art”; Fair”; at the museum, 100 W. 14 Ave. Parkway. Massachusetts, West Springfield June 22-24 at the Museum of Fine Arts, 1001 Bissonnet. Colorado, Evergreen August 26 The 18th “ACC Craftfair at West Springfield” (formerly June 1-July 1 “Summer Passages,” gallery art­ annual “Heritage Grove Fine Arts & Fine Crafts Rhinebeck); at Eastern States Exposition Center. ists’ work; at Archway Gallery, 2517 University. Show”; at Heritage Grove, next to Hi wan Home­ Michigan, Saint Joseph July 7-8 “Saint Jo­ Vermont, Middlebury June 30-August 4 stead Museum, Meadow Dr. seph’s 23rd Annual Outdoor Art Fair”; at Krasl “Barnyard Boogie,” animal imagery works by cen­ Colorado, Golden June 9 “Arts on the Com­ Art Center, 707 Lake Blvd. ter members. August 11-September 15 Christine mons”; at the Colorado School of Mines, adjacent Michigan, Traverse July 28 “24th Annual Taylor and Maddy Fraioli, quilts and functional to Foothills Art Center, 809 Fifteenth St. Traverse Bay Outdoor Art Fair”; at Northwestern pottery; at the Vermont State Craft Center at Frog Colorado, Manitou Springs June 30-July 1 Michigan College. Hollow. “Commonwheel Artists 10th Annual Freedom Fair”; Minnesota, Minneapolis June 16-17 “Rose Virginia, AlexandriaJune 5-July 9 “Weddings at Memorial Park. Fete 1984” juried festival; at the Minneapolis In­ and Other Fantasies,” by the Kiln Club of Wash­ Connecticut, Guilford July 19-21 The 27th stitute of Arts, 2400 Third Ave., S. ington; at Scope Gallery, 101 N. Union St. annual “Guilford Handcrafts Exposition”; at Minnesota, Rochester June 3 “The 35th An­ Virginia, Radford June 29-July 28 “Clay Guilford Green, Route 77. nual Festival of the Arts”; at Rochester Art Center, U.S.A., 1984”; at Radford University Art Gallery, Florida, Tallahassee July 4 “Celebrate Amer­ adjacent to Mayo Park. Powell Hall. ica ’84”; at Tom Brown Memorial Park. Minnesota, Saint Paul June 23-24 The 12th Idaho, Coeur d’Alene August 3-5 The 16th annual “Minnesota Crafts Festival”; at the College “Art on the Green”; at North Idaho College. of Saint Catherine, 2004 Randolph Ave. Fairs, Festivals and Sales Illinois, Chicago June 9-10 The “34th An­ Missouri, Saint Louis June 2-3 “Laclede’s California, La Mirada June 15-24 “La Mira­ nual Old Town Art Fair”; at an area bounded by Landing/Coors Artists’ Showcase”; at Laclede’s da Festival of Arts”; at La Mirada Civic Theatre. Lincoln Park West, Orleans, Menomonee and Landing on the riverfront. California, Sacramento June 16-17 “The Pot Wisconsin Sts. New York, Chautauqua July 6-8, August Show”; at Country Club Plaza, Watt and El Ca- Illinois, Evanston June 30-July 1 “Fountain 10-12 “Chautauqua Crafts Festivals ’84”; at mino Avenue. Square Arts Festival”; downtown. Bestor Plaza, Chautauqua Institution. California, San Diego June 9-10 San Diego Indiana, Chesterton August 4-5 The 16th New York, New Paltz August 31-September Potters Guild’s semiannual sale; at the Spanish annual “Chesterton Art & Crafts Fair”; at Saint 3 “Woodstock-New Paltz Art and Crafts Fair/ Village, Balboa Park. Patrick’s School, Calumet Rd. Fall Show”; at the Ulster County Fairgrounds. California, San Francisco August 10-12 Ninth Indiana, Fort WayneJuly 7-8 “Three Rivers Please Turn to Page 73

June/July/August 1984 13 14 Ceramics Monthly Suggestions from our readers A Solution to Bottom Cracks If you have taken the usual precautions after throwing and still have trouble with the bottoms of pots cracking, place the wedged clay on the wheel so the roll or spiral of the wedge is lying on its side, not on end. To insure this alignment, pat the clay into a cone immediately after wedging. (If you use a pugmill and do not wedge your clay, place the pug on its side rather than on end.) This method can eliminate virtually all bottom cracks and is especially effective when throwing plates and large, flat-bottomed pieces. —John Kudlacek, Topeka, Kans. Bat Grabber For occasional use of plaster bats, rather than removing the wheel head pins or drilling holes in the plaster bats, simply cover the bottom of a standard bat with ½-inch-thick foam rubber. The plaster bat sits securely on the foam rubber surface without slip or clay lugs, and can be easily removed without damage. —Linda Mau, Campbell, Calif. Free Tile Setters If you’re rebuilding your electric kiln, save any bricks that have to be replaced. They may be used to fire tiles with the element

grooves facing each other, or new grooves may be cut in the back for the same purpose. —Joy Ricciardi, Fremont, Calif Clean Scrape Plastic windshield ice scrapers are perfect for cleaning clay off wedging boards without scratching them. —Mary Hasson, Columbia Falls, Mont. Bisque Molds Bisque molds for forming slab plates and bowls are very easy to make on a wheel and are often more suitable than plaster molds. The more open and porous clay used, the more quickly the slab work will dry. To make a mold, just throw a bowl on the wheel and tool the outside to a smooth, even contour. Fire the bowl mold to a low bisque temperature so that it remains as porous as possible for better moisture absorption. —Jo Claire, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Lightweight Molds If you wish to work with large plaster molds but are hesitant because of the weight, cast them with equal parts (by volume) of wet plaster and expanded polystyrene grains. This halves the weight of the mold without altering its properties. —Patrick Piccarelle, Brussels, Belgium Dollars for Your Ideas Ceramics Monthly pays $10 for each suggestion published; submis­ sions are welcome individually or in quantity. Include an illustration or photo to accompany your suggestion and we will pay $10 more if we use it. Send your ideas to CM, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Sorry, but we can’t acknowledge or return unused items. June/July/August 1984 15 16 Ceramics Monthly Questions Answered by the CM Technical Staff Q Tve recently switched to the following Cone 6 clay body: Can you suggest a change in any of the ingredients or the amounts used to solve the problem?—B.W. Oxidation Clay Body Glazes that are underfired or overfired (as is likely the case here) (Cone 6) are often subject to crazing, and it is possible, from the amount of Custer Feldspar...... 20% feldspar and nepheline syenite in your body, that it is overfired. Nepheline Syenite...... 12 When a body is overfired the crystalline silica present becomes fused Edgar Plastic Kaolin ...... 32 due to the action of fluxes present and thus has a much lower Fireclay...... 2 contraction, while the contraction rate of the glaze remains relatively Kentucky Ball Clay (OM 4) ...... 12 the same. Therefore, you might try glaze firing ware to Cone 4. Tennessee Ball Clay (1) ...... 18 Should that prove unsatisfactory, the age-old cure is to increase the Flint...... 4 silica content of both body and glaze. Adding flint to the glaze should 100% lower its contraction rate because of the additional fused silica pres­ Add: Grog (35 mesh) ...... 10% ent, while flint added to the body should remain in its crystalline but have kept my previous principal glaze: form, which has a high rate of thermal expansion. One should take Milky Colemanite Glaze care that the amount of free (crystalline) silica in the body is not (Cone 4) too great, say above 10%, or you may experience difficulties with Barium Carbonate ...... 6.5% dunting from increased thermal expansion. Colemanite ...... 21.0 Another approach to correcting the crazing in this glaze might Whiting ...... 1.5 be to gradually increase the clay at the expense of the feldspar and Feldspar ...... 44.8 the colemanite. The soda and potash in feldspars have a high rate Edgar Plastic Kaolin ...... 1.0 of thermal expansion, besides being powerful fluxes; boron in the Flint ...... 25.2 colemanite (also a strong flux) has a low thermal expansion up to a certain point, but at larger amounts it lowers the glaze’s resilience. 100.0% Both alumina and silica in the clay addition should help to adjust Add: Zinc Oxide...... 3.3% the maturity of your glaze, and with their low rates of expansion The glaze doesn't seem overfired, but has been crazing all over the may help to eliminate crazing. place. Tve tried various adjustments on my own with little luck. Continued

June/July/August 1984 17

Questions

Q Is there a technically correct or accepted order for listing glaze ingredients in recipes?—V.F. Ceramics Monthly lists ingredients in glaze recipes beginning with the fluxes, next contributors of alumina, then refractory ma­ terials/silica, finally colorants/opacifiers. Another way to conceive of this order is bases, neutrals, acids, colorants/opacifiers. Within each category, materials are listed alphabetically. Compounds which function in more than one category (such as zinc oxide which may be a flux or an opacifier/colorant) are listed according to their purpose in a specific recipe. Q I have been making some sculptural pots which rest on three points, but during firing, the points tend to warp because the resis­ tance of the weight of the piece on its points tends to prevent their movement while the rest of the pot shrinks. Vve tried firing these pieces on sand, but even that doesn’t help. What can I do to fire them without warping?—P.C. If your pots can be fired in another orientation—upside down, for example—that would be the simplest solution. But barring that, fire the pieces on a slab made of the same clay, and place the slab on a bed of sand to reduce shrinkage resistance from the kiln shelf. To be sure of success, the slab should accompany the pot through both bisque and glaze firings. Q Recently I read a book on Scandinavian pottery in which many of the illustrations were captioned <(thrown chamotte,” described further as a mixture of earthenware clay and fired stoneware clay. Do you have any additional information? —S.L. Chamotte is the French word for grog, but through its use in Scandinavia the term has come to mean heavily grogged clay, es­ pecially plastic fireclay. Ware thrown or handbuilt with this material is commonly left unglazed to accentuate the surface. Q I am corresponding with a potter in Bolivia who is trying to establish a pottery but is having trouble firing with propane at 13,000 feet. Do you have any data for firing at high altitudes? —G.L. The higher the elevation the less oxygen is available per cubic foot of air, so the air-to-gas ratio must be increased to compensate. Kilns for high-altitude firing should be designed according to normal principles, then the chimney diameter and the inlet and exit flues should be increased by approximately 50%, and the chimney height increased by 30% to accommodate the larger volume of air required. In The Kiln Book, Fred Olsen recommends that the burner orifice be reduced one size for every increment of 2000 feet above 5000 feet altitude; at 13,000 feet the burner orifice should be four sizes smaller than at normal altitudes. Q The shelves from my reduction kiln also fit my new electric kiln. But I remember hearing something about silicon carbide shelves not being good for oxidation firing. Is that correct? If I could use these shelves in both kilns, that would save quite a bit. —J.Z. Silicon carbide shelves are not recommended for oxidation firing. Though the material offers high strength and resistance to abrasion and (in most instances) to thermal shock, it is a conductor of electricity, and therefore might pose a hazard. Additionally, silicon carbide, especially the oxide-bonded group, has a poor resistance to oxidation. In an oxidizing atmosphere, SiO is formed within the shelf, causing an increase in volume. Normally2 this oxidation re­ action is not uniform, resulting in shelf distortion. Most manufac­ turers recommend mullite or clay shelves for electric kilns. Subscribers’ inquiries are welcome and those of general interest will be answered in this column. Due to volume, letters may not be answered personally. Send questions to: Technical Staff, Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. June/July/August 1984 19 20 Ceramics Monthly Where to Show exhibitions, fairs, festivals and sales Send announcements of juried exhibitions, fairs, ergreen Gallery, 1310 Boston Post Rd., Guilford Paris Gibson Square, 1400 First Ave., N, Great festivals and sales at least four months before the 06437; or call: (203) 453-4324. Falls 59401; or call: (406) 727-8255. entry deadline to: The Editor, Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212; or call: (614) 488-8236. Add one month for listings in July and Regional Exhibitions Fairs, Festivals and Sales two months for those in August. June 15 entry deadline June 16 entry deadline Great Falls, Montana “Centennial Great Falls: Saratoga Springs, New York Ninth annual A Missouri River Meeting” (November 5- “Adirondack Green Mountain Craft Fair” (Sep­ National Exhibitions December 29) is open to current and former res­ tember 14-16) is juried from slides. Entry fee: $5. June 19 entry deadline idents of Montana. Juried from slides of up to 2 Booth fee: $150. Contact: Charles Dooley, Craft- Cooperstown, New York “49th Annual Na­ entries. Fee: $15. Awards totaling $2500. Contact: Continued tional Art Exhibition” (July 22-August 25) is ju­ ried from works. Awards. Fee: $10. Contact: Olga Welch, 22 Main St., Cooperstown 13326; or call: (607) 547-9777. June 20 entry deadline Naperville, Illinois “Table Trappings” (Au­ gust 1 —27) is juried from 4 slides of dinnerware. Awards. Fee: $12. Send self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Ariel Gallery, 15 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville 60540; or call: (312) 355-4466. June 30 entry deadline Guilford, Connecticut “Those Little Essen­ tials” (August 5-September 1) is juried from slides of accessories for kitchen and bath. Fee: $5. Send resume and self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Sharon Silvestrini, TLE, Evergreen Gallery, 1310 Boston Post Rd., Guilford 06437; or call: (203) 453-4324. Orlando, Florida “Vision of Ourselves” (Oc­ tober 1-November 9) is open to women artists. Juried from 3 slides. Awards. Fee: $15. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Women in Art, Box 19957, Orlando 32814; or call: (305) 628- 9899. July 1 entry deadline Washington, D.C. “American Politics and the Presidency” (September 7-November 4) is juried from slides of functional or nonfunctional work and sketch of proposed submission. Entries should allude to politics, presidents (real or imagined), political symbols or the 1984 presidential cam­ paign. Contact: Shelly Christou, Smithsonian In­ stitution Museum Shops, Rm. 295, 600 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington 20560; or call: (202) 287- 3567. Atlanta, Georgia “Demons and Angels” (Oc­ tober 12-November 17) is juried from 5 slides of works focusing on these archetypes. Send self-ad­ dressed, stamped envelope to: Diane Kempler, Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring St., NW, Atlanta 30309; or call: (404) 873-3089. August 10 entry deadline Gatlinburg, Tennessee “The Garden: New Form, New Function” (October 12-December 8) is juried from slides. Works must relate to the gar­ den concept. For further information contact: Ar- rowmont, Box 567, Gatlinburg 37738; or call: (615) 436-5860. August 15 entry deadline New Haven, Connecticut “Sixteenth Annual Celebration of American Crafts” (November 8-December 23) is juried from works. Commis­ sion: 30%. Send self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Roz Schwartz, The Creative Arts Workshop, 80 Audubon St., New Haven 06511; or call: (203) 562-4927. August 17 entry deadline Guilford, Connecticut “Of Wind, Rain and Sun” (October 7-27) is juried from 3 to 5 slides of out­ door work (weather vanes, sundials, wind chimes, rain catchers, etc.). Awards. Fee: $10. Send self- addressed, stamped envelope to: Wind, Guilford Handcrafts Center, Box 221, Guilford 06437; or call: (203) 453-5947. August 31 entry deadline Guilford, Connecticut “Night Lights” (Octo­ ber 7-November 3) is juried from slides of lighting fixtures. Fee: $5. Send resume and self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Sharon Silvestrini, NL, Ev- fune/July/August 1984 21 22 CERAMICS MONTHLY July 15 entry deadline per Mountain 80443; or call: (303) 968-6477. Where to Show Asheville, North Carolina “High Country July 30 entry deadline Summerfest Art and Craft Show” (August 9-11) Lowell, Michigan “The Fallasburg Fall Fes­ producers Markets, R.D. 1, Box 323, Grand Isle, is juried from slides or photos. Fee: $85. Contact: tival” (September 29-30) is juried from slides. Fee: Vermont 05458; or call: (802) 372-4747. Betty Kdan, 40 Hyannis Drive, Asheville 28804; $35. Contact: Chris VanAntwerp, Lowell Area Arts Killington, Vermont “The Killington Foliage or call: (704) 253-6893. Council, Box 53, Lowell 49331. Craft Fair” (September 28-30) is juried from slides. Sapphire, North Carolina “High Country Art August 1 entry deadline Entry fee:$5. Booth fee: $175 for an 8x10-foot and Craft Show” (August 17-19) is juried from Cashiers, North Carolina “High Country Art space. Contact: Charles Dooley, Craftproducers slides or photos. Fee: $65. Send self-addressed, and Craft Show” (August 31-September 2) is ju­ Markets, R.D. 1, Box 323, Grand Isle, Vermont stamped, business envelope to: Virginia Smith, High ried from slides or photos. Fee: $65. Send self- 05458; or call: (802) 372-4747. Country Crafters, 29 Haywood St., Asheville, North addressed, stamped, business envelope to: Virginia June 30 entry deadline Carolina 28801; or call: (704) 254-0070. Smith, High Country Crafters, 29 Haywood St., Minneapolis, Minnesota “Second Annual July 16 entry deadline Asheville, North Carolina 28801; or call: (704) Minnesota Christmas Craft Sale” (November Copper Mountain, Colorado Third annual 254-0070. 22-25) is juried from 5 to 10 photos or slides. “Copper Mountain Fine Arts Festival” (Septem­ August 10 entry deadline Contact: Ron Mark or Wilma Wernick, Minne­ ber 1-2) is juried from 3 slides or photos. Fees: New York, New York “13th Annual WBAI sota Christmas Craft Sale, 3112 Hennepin Ave., $30-$40. Contact: Kay Wedenoja, Box 3003, Cop­ Please Turn to Page 104 S, Minneapolis 55408; or call: (612) 824-5827. Las Vegas, Nevada “KNPR Craftsworks Market” (October 27-28) is juried from 10 slides. Entry fee: $10. Booth fee: $100. Contact: Crafts­ works, 5151 Boulder Hwy., Las Vegas 89122; or call: (702) 456-6695. Lancaster, Pennsylvania “6th Annual Long’s Park Arts & Crafts Festival” (September 1-3) is juried from 4 slides of work and 1 of display. Fee: $85 for a 1 Ox8-foot space. Contact: Dick Faulk­ ner, Box 5153 M, Lancaster 17601; or call: (717) 569-1117. July 1 entry deadline Gaithersburg, Maryland “9th Annual Nation­ al Craft Fair” (October 19-21) is juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $8. Booth fees: $ 150—$250. Con­ tact: National Crafts, Gapland, Maryland 21736; or call: (301) 432-8438. Saint Louis, Missouri “Six Flags Country Fair Crafts” (September 8-October 14, Saturdays and Sundays only) is juried from slides or photos. Craftspeople must demonstrate. Fee: $20 per day for a 1 Ox10-foot space. Contact: Six Flags Coun­ try Fair Crafts, c/o Merchandising, Box 60, Eu­ reka, Missouri 63025. Sugar Loaf, New York “Sugar Loaf Fall Fes­ tival” (October 6-8) is juried from slides. Entry fee: $5. Booth fee: $90 for a 10x6-foot space. Con­ tact: Sugar Loaf Craft Guild, Box 125, Sugar Loaf 10981; or call: (914) 986-8628 or 469-9740. Nags Head, North Carolina “Compass Rose Art and Craft Fair” (August 3-4) is juried from 6 slides. Fee: $65. For further information send self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Jan Mann, Route 1, Box 195-A, Godwin, North Carolina 28344; or call: (919) 567-2978. Scaly Mountain, North Carolina “High Coun­ try Art and Craft Show” (August 3-5) is juried from slides or photos. Fee: $65. Send self-ad- dressed, stamped, business envelope to: Virginia Smith, High Country Crafters, 29 Haywood St., Asheville, North Carolina 28801; or call: (704) 254-0070. Cincinnati, Ohio “Cincinnati Crafts Affair” (November 23-25) is juried from slides. Contact: Ohio Designer Craftsmen, 1981 Riverside Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43221; or call: (614) 486-7119. Columbus, Ohio “Winterfair” (November 29-December 1) is juried from slides. Contact: Ohio Designer Craftsmen, 1981 Riverside Dr., Columbus 43221; or call: (614) 486-7119. July 2 entry deadline Copper Mountain, Colorado “Fourth Annual Homespun Arts and Crafts Fair” (August 11-12) is juried from 3 slides or photos. Fee: $35. Contact: Kay Wedenoja, Box 3003, Copper Mountain 80443; or call: (303) 968-6477. July 6 entry deadline Denver, Colorado “Foothills Festival” (August 11-12) is juried from slides. Contact: Joyce He- pokoski, Washington Heights Community Center, 6375 W. First Ave., Lakewood, Colorado 80226; or call: (303) 237-7407. July 10 entry deadline Manitou Springs, Colorado “Commonwheel Artist’s 10th Annual Labor Day Festival” (Sep­ tember 1-3) is juried from slides. Contact: Com- monwheel Fairs, Box 42, Manitou Springs 80829; or call: (303) 685-1008. June/July/August 1984 23 24 CERAMICS MONTHLY Comment What Makes a Pot Beautiful?by William Hunt

WHAT MAKES a pot beautiful? It’s an­ placed by an appreciation for a more other of those questions that we often subtle beauty in adulthood—that’s vir­ dispatch quickly because it seems so ob­ tually guaranteed. Our concept of beau­ viously unanswerable. Yet in more con­ ty is in fact quite variable: How else can templative moments we find ourselves we explain that a pot once made will always going back to those unanswer­ often diminish in beauty for its maker— able unknowables, reviewing them again the one who ought to know the piece and again. best from the start? Let potters hold onto It seems we do, we must, get some­ their work too long and it often begins thing from this process of approaching to suffer from a form of aesthetic dry these difficult questions, of simply con­ rot as every previously unseen “flaw” be­ sidering them in a new light. And be­ gins to consume the beauty previously cause we keep returning to these ques­ seen. Yet a pot made by another person tions, there must be something valuable often seems to grow as the process works that we gain from considering them; and in reverse and the pot increases in beau­ something very compelling, too. ty each day it is lived with. Why are So what makes a pot beautiful? It’s these two common phenomena not mu­ much easier to keep looking at real pots tually exclusive? This is but an example until you find one that just overwhelms of experiences and knowledge affecting you—a pot that seems greater than the our concept of beauty. What’s more, we sum of its parts. Take away that emo­ are only receptors of beauty like a radio tional experience and it is impossible to is a receptor of this station or that. If discuss this question without being merely we are tuned to ugliness, how can we academic about it. We need some kind receive beauty? And yet the egocentric of emotional experience first; an expe­ brain keeps telling us that everything is rience to which we can compare our okay, that we know beauty, surely, when thinking about this unique beauty that we see it. The brain simply throws out pots can have. the difficult and inconsistent informa­ Thereafter there are some interesting tion about beauty in order to protect what paradoxes within this question. The first would be an otherwise fragile stand on is that process does not make a pot beau­ this issue. Or we dismiss the whole prob­ tiful: There is nothing inherently beau­ lem with an unfounded belief that “beauty tiful about sgraffito, brush decoration, is in the eye of the beholder”—a falla­ mishima, etc. Otherwise, it would not be cious and facile viewpoint that “poisons true that they have all been done badly, the wells” of argument against it. and of course can be done very badly. But in reality, when we all sit back Nor does the beauty of pottery lie sim­ with that smug feeling about knowing ply in materials: We have all seen in­ what beauty really is, there has to be a credibly beautiful materials such as rich grain of suspicion, a grain which can copper red glazes, celadons, translucent spread like a desert on the move, a sus­ porcelain glowing with light. But any of picion that our concept of beauty is at these materials can be found composing least part mirage. some very ugly objects. The mirage pops up in many forms, Nor does the key to beauty lie in tech­ and I’d like to tell you about one of my nique—an all-too maligned aspect of ce­ mirages: There are two pots which speak ramics, of late. Who has not witnessed to me far above anything else made of potters of consummate skill whose ob­ clay. These pots do something inde­ jects are cold, without life? Is not the scribable in my brain. Their beauty and machine, when perfectly tuned and run­ the cause of their beauty are mysteries ning at peak form, the master of tech­ to me. No matter how much I analyze, nique rather than man? perceive, feel or otherwise experience Overlaying these concepts of what these pieces, the beauty that is in them beauty is not, is the fact that for each of remains so obvious, so continual, so lim­ us, the concept of what is beautiful itless. Other pots can be beautiful to me, changes through our lifetimes—the flashy but they don’t pump this emotion of ex- objects preferred in childhood are re­ Continued June/July/August 1984 25

Comment That both these works were made by stonewares or chocolate earthenwares, unknown craftsmen I find only coinci­ seem completely ordinary. periencing beauty like these two pots. dental. (The school of thought glorifying So I am left with a rather uneasy con­ The first is a 4-inch-diameter teabowl simple unknown craftsmen fostered by clusion that only in the way one com­ produced by an unknown craftsman at Bernard Leach and Soyetsu Yanagi went bines materials, regardless of how com­ the Fukawa kilns (Japan) toward the a little overboard in its romanticism about mon, only in the use of techniques, only end of the Edo period. It is glazed with beauty produced by the unknown.) The in the mastery of process in a way which a mixture of rice straw ash and a local significant part is not the maker, but the apparently can never be taught, but only clay which crawled to the point of re­ beauty which history has a way of find­ learned, can these extremely beautiful sembling the surface of the brain. No ing as easily as it has of losing the artist’s pots appear. (After all, there is neither matter how many times I try to describe name. These Edo period bowls* found a school nor a master whose students this pot, the description not only falls their way into museums not because of consistently produce beauty.) Surely such short, it always sounds rather unappe­ the commodities market in art today, but works may involve luck and natural pro­ tizing. But the pot seems to transcend because they have long been quite beau­ cess; however, those who can make one that, the way beautiful objects so easily tiful to regular folks as well as to some such piece seem to be able to make many transcend mere words. museum curators, too. other incredibly beautiful works as well. The second pot that pumps beauty is Nor are the materials from which these So what does make a pot beautiful? an open water container which the Jap­ pots are made particularly special. The Interestingly, when we set out to make anese call “Cascading Waterfall,” terms glaze isn’t flashy—surely not as inher­ a beautiful pot, we typically take into which apply to the flow of white glaze ently beautiful as a copper red or a good account none of these philosophical is­ across this piece of Hagi ware. The 10- carbon-trap. The clay is brown on the sues which might help to unravel the inch-diameter bowl appears so simply “umbrella hat” water container, not even secret nature of that fragile thread which made. Its rim was slightly battered (per­ that richer brown, and the teabowl is is beauty. Perhaps we who make pots haps intentionally, perhaps not) prior to made from coarse clay which has a rath­ should pledge more to a long-term in­ glazing. There is a bit of crawling on er ordinary buff color. These clays, com­ vestment in considering such issues. For the side within layers of wood ash and pared to translucent porcelain, rich red now, we have no definitive answer, but rice straw ash glazes. This piece also perhaps this consideration of the subject *You can see photos of these pots in Ryosuke Kawano’s was produced by an unknown craftsman book, Hagi (pages 28 and 33), Volume 11 in Kodansha will help you further down the road of in the late Edo period. International’s “Famous Ceramics of Japan” series. this lifelong search for an answer.

June/July/August 1984 27

30 CERAMICS MONTHLY Artpark by Mary Roehm

SEVERAL SMOKING BARRELS and cans its makers. And dealing with the public contributions, and found they were very drew a group of people to the clay area. can help artists understand and articu­ willing to provide support. As sole “tender” of these fires, Gretchen late their individual processes. To build kilns, Bob Schmitz, Roch­ Stevens-Cochran, a ceramist from Sut­ During the nine-week Artpark sea­ ester, New York, came as an artist-in- ton, New Hampshire, is questioned by son, resident artists number between 40 residence and in three weeks built a wood- the curious: “What are you doing? Are and 55, and of that total 7 to 12 may be burning kiln and a gas kiln, both of which there pots inside and what do they look ceramists. Residencies provide mate­ are catenary arch downdraft. The gas like? Baskets? How can baskets be made rials, space and freedom from everyday kiln was constructed with Fiberfrax and of clay?” studio pressures. Each artist also re­ some ceramic engineering input—ser­ This kind of educational interaction ceives $325 per week, plus a SI50 week­ vices donated along with the materials. between the artists and the public is part ly living stipend and a travel allowance. Meanwhile electric kilns and studio of the visual arts program at Artpark, a In the early years, equipment was equipment were purchased. nonprofit state park on the Niagara Riv­ limited and the ceramics residents had The following season, Penny Flem­ er Gorge in Lewiston, New York. Since to use primitive firing methods. It soon ing, an Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, ce­ 1974 Artpark has provided artists an op­ became apparent that Artpark needed to ramist, approached Artpark with a de­ portunity for experimentation, while develop some basic facilities for addi­ sign for a raku kiln. Up until this point, giving the public a greater awareness of tional clay work. So the organization anyone wanting to raku had to bring a art, its processes and the personalities of contacted local industries for materials/ portable kiln or build a temporary fa­

Artpark, a 200-acre state park on the Niagara River Gorge in Lewiston, New York, offers summer residencies for up to 12 ceramists. June/July/August 1984 31 Ceramist Bob Schmitz (right), Rochester ; New York, and ceramic engineer Angelo Grande assemble the catenary arch of a ceramic fiber gas kiln. cility. The kiln she built is a double­ installed 220-volt electricity and lots of even see that not every step is exciting. chambered design capable of opening up lighting, and a clay studio took shape. It is the artist who proposes the proj­ to make one large chamber that can han­ Several other “portable” studios (8x12 ect or direction of his or her work when dle forms up to 50 inches in height. and 8x16 feet) were also built on skids applying for a three-week summer res­ A site-oriented sculpture project by so they could be located at various sites idency. Applications, including the pro­ Bruno LaVerdiere, Hadley, New York, throughout the park. These supplement posal, estimated materials budget (up to was too fragile and heavy to move any the open-air work spaces situated on a SI50), slides of previous work and re­ distance, so it was fired in Artpark’s first large boardwalk structure called the sume, are due each November 1. Every on-site kiln. A local firm was contacted ArtEl. season at Artpark develops its own iden­ and once again they sent a ceramic en­ The goal was to build a quality pro­ tity. Once an artist is accepted (decisions gineer and all the necessary materials; gram with a support system that en­ are made by January 15) he/she is slot­ the kiln was made of hardbrick walls courages artistic growth and develop­ ted into a residency session where the with a Duraboard ceiling, and fired with ment. It is important that the artists-in- media and type of work will complement propane over a period of about 36 hours. residence each be able to work through that of the other artists. All will share Once basic equipment needs were met, a project or series, as opposed to just the same opportunity for experimenta­ the next step was adequate work space. demonstrating one technique repeatedly, tion in a unique park program. When the state offered to build a cabin which is frustrating for the artist and for clay artists, Artpark extended the boring to the observer. When there is a The author Ceramic artist Mary porch a bit, divided the interior space a full cycle of work being done, the public Roehm is crafts coordinator and visual little differently than on the floor plans, sees what goes into its completion. They arts program consultant for Artpark. 32 CERAMICS MONTHLY Bennett Bean, Blairstown, New Jersey, throws with the aid of a mirror (for a better sense of the pot’s profile) during his residency. The clay studio is a standard state park cabin altered to accommodate ceramics production.

In the early years of Artpark, clay residents had to use primitive firing methods. Since then, several kilns have been built; and open-air firings, such as this by Bennett Bean, are elective.

During his residency, Cleveland ceramist Bill Brouillard trims pots on the ArtEl, a large boardwalk structure which gives the public close access to artists at work. Other clay artists may work at the indoor studio (top) or in portable studios built on skids and placed at various sites throughout the park’s extensive acreage. June/July/August 1984 33 At Artpark, unfired, acrylic-painted clay “cow” sculptures by Joan Zalenski, South Ashfield, Massachusetts, eventually weathered to shells of paint.

“Dog Trot,” installation by Robert Lyon, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was built with an adobe mixture of local clays, straw, cement and yellow ocher. 34 CERAMICS MONTHLY How to Sell Your Pots Profitably by Ross Murphy

All potters, amateur or professional, must a pot, a drinking cup, from a potter at a fair. failure to engage these neat people in con­ sell their work. It’s essential. If you truly It’s a fine piece of work. I’d buy other works versation. Potters sit with their noses in books wish to become a master of your craft, you’ve from this artist, but the signature is just a when prospective buyers enter their sales or­ got to make lots of pots. Thousands of them, scrawl, completely illegible. I can’t decipher bits. People are curious about potters. They in fact, in order to build your skill and ex­ who he is. I suppose he must have to sign are interested in them and their fascinating perience. Not only in throwing, handbuild- thousands of pots every day and just can’t process that turns wet mud into glossy pitch­ ing, trimming and joining, but in glazing and take the time. I also have a beautiful bowl ers. They have questions. They’d like to get firing too. While you’re building this expe­ which I keep as my personal salad bowl. It’s to know you. rience, you can’t just give your products away,mine. My family knows that I better not catch Drop that ancient copy of Tortilla Flat , not at today’s prices for fuel and materials. anyone mashing potatoes in it. On the bot­ and get up and greet them. Their arrival My neighbor down the road is a knowl­ tom, plain as day, is the name of the potter. means it’s time to go to work to complete edgeable potter. His name is Ferguson. He “Nulton,” it says. Why, that’s Neil Nulton that one last step in the pottery process. As claims that it takes 36 steps to make some­ from the Missouri Ozarks. Over a period of for reading material, why not have some pot­ thing successfully out of clay: wedging, years every member of my family has boughttery books and magazines lying around? Even throwing, trimming, firing, glazing and so one or more Nulton pieces. He does fine work though you may have read them 25 times, on. I maintain that there’s one more step. and we’re pleased to have some of his pots they make good sales tools for you to show Step 37 is selling it. It’s not really successful, in our home. Anyone could recognize his work. examples and techniques to your customers. in my opinion, unless someone can be made His name is on the bottom. When you have business cards printed, why to want it badly enough to be willing to part On my own work I also add my potter’s waste that valuable blank space on the back? with money in order to have it. mark. It’s a little fish. I draw a new one on Use it for an advertising message or some If you sincerely desire to be a good potter, every piece I make. I couldn’t tell you how information about your pots. “My pots are you’ve got to go to the marketplace. The mar­ many of these little fish I have drawn. It has made by hand and contain no lead,” for ex­ ket is good for you. It will force you to im­ become my trademark. People like to see that ample. Here’s what I have printed on the prove; if you’re doing things right, it will tell little fish on the bottom of pots. Even though back of my cards: “Earth, Air, Water, Fire. you so. If you’re doing things wrong, it won’t I sign my work, they seem to remember that These are the ingredients of pots and human take long for you to find that out as well. little fish better. I estimate that little fish is beings alike, and each formula contains also The marketplace is competitive and this is worth several thousands of dollars to me each the element of chance. Do not seek perfection good. Competition doesn’t hurt you; it helps year. in pots or people, for your search will go you. This is a fact that you should keep in Some potters I know are content to use a unrewarded, and you will miss knowing many mind. Competition benefits everyone, potter type slug to impress a single initial on the good pots and many good people.” I’ve learned and consumer alike. It helps determine what side of their pots somewhere near the bottom. that people hang on to my cards so they can people want, how a product can be improved There it is: “B,” it says. “Who is B?” I say. share this simple philosophy with others. It upon, what is the proper price. A competitive Perhaps only I am ignorant, and the whole helps prevent my business cards from being marketplace tests your skills. It makes yourest of the world just automatically knows discarded. want to get back to your studio to try new who B is. But if I were B, I just wouldn’t ideas. If sake bottles and pie dishes are hot want to take that chance. I’d want to make Where to Sell items, you’ll want to make dozens to cash in sure that I could be recognized and located. Some potters tell me, “I only go to juried on the opportunity. Each one you make will Anonymity is fine if you’re already rich. shows.” There’s nothing wrong with that, I improve your skill or style in that form. If And signing a pot on the side is just in­ suppose, but remember that even an open people like your pie dishes but tell you that viting glaze to run down and cover it up. street fair is an attraction point for people they’d prefer them just a bit wider and deep­ How you appear to people in the mar­ who are open to buying. That’s what they’ve er, you might try that too. That’s the market ketplace can have a pronounced effect on how got in mind. If you’re willing to learn what at work, helping you adjust your technique well you do. You should be comfortable with I’m prepared to teach you, it’s as good a or style. You might even come up with a the clothes you wear, but you might want to market as any you can find. brand-new product, such as a combination dress up a bit. It’s my opinion that wearing Potters who choose to avoid nonjuried shows deep pie dish and fruit bowl. a necktie to a sale is worth an additional $50. maintain they avoid the riffraff this way. Per­ You begin selling your work at the time If you want an extra 50 bucks, wear a tie. haps their real desire is to avoid a confron­ you’re making it. At least that’s where your If you’re not comfortable with the idea, then tation with cheap, slip-cast “ceramics.” Won’t preparation begins. It is while you’re wedg­ don’t. That’s simple. Smart people believe you agree that good, handmade stoneware is ing the clay that you start planning what you we should dress for success. The idea behind noticeably superior to molded, low-fire ware? are to make, what it will be used for and this is that if you want to be successful you It stands out. It brings a better price with no who will buy it. Part of your marketing plan should feel successful and look successful. arguments like, “I can get it cheaper across should be to make you and your work readilyMakes sense to me. the street.” I say you shouldn’t ever be afraid identifiable. One of the great joys of taking your pots to compete with low-priced merchandise. If I sign every pot I make with an easy-to- to market is the chance it gives you to meet all people want is a cheap coffee cup, say, read signature. I want people to know who so many interesting people. It’s fun to talk they can get all they want at Safeway for made it. They might want to call me and to them; it’s fun to sell to them. Yet one of $1.29 each. buy something else. Several years ago I got the sins of omission I see potters commit is If you follow this argument to its logical June/July/August 1984 35 conclusion, and if all people want is a vessel pourri in Nebraska. Use your telephone in­ a “demand confrontation” to ask for pay­ to convey a hot liquid to their lips, how can formation operator to track them down. The ment. If you have the courage for that, you you beat a Styrofoam cup at a nickel apiece? art fair season really gets going in March, don’t need to sell on consignment anyway. I price my coffee mugs at $6 to $15 each, and you can spend every remaining weekend It’s better to make your demand confronta­ and I sell every single one I make. They are of the year selling your work. tion on the front end. Then it’s called “asking not spectacularly different from anyone else’s We have a local “Renaissance Festival” that for the order.” And anyway, who wants the either, although I would like to believe that runs six weekends in the fall. It’s located hassle of trying to take a physical inventory they are. I sell pie dishes at $15 to $25 each, between Bonner Springs and Piper, Kansas. on someone else’s premises? Unless your rec­ and I can’t make enough. I’m always sold Never heard of it? It attracts a paid atten­ ords are extremely good, you could have a out. dance of over 120,000 people each year. I tough time trying to remember what it was The solemn truth is that anyone can buy wouldn’t miss it, even though there are 20 you meant by “green vase” a year later. a perfectly functional, ovenproof, dishwash­ other potters there. I have a permanent booth, Let the shopkeepers worry about inven­ tory. Their inventory. That’s one of the rea­ sons they earn their markup. Is it right for “Part of your marketing plan should be to them to gain the markup and let you have make you and your work readily identifiable.” the worry? Let’s discuss the time value of money, us­ ing round numbers. Suppose you are willing er- and microwave-safe Pyrex pie dish for which I lease each autumn. It’s my most im­ to consign work with a retail value of $1000. under $5 at any good hardware store in town. portant market, even though it’s highly com­ That’s $600 net to you, if and when it’s sold. The thing that makes my pie dishes a good petitive and I have to wear a funny costume. This means that you are financing a contin­ value at their price is what I do to produce Those are tights, dammit, not pantyhose! ual accounts receivable of $600. But let’s make my work, as well as what I tell people to it even simpler. Let’s say that it takes one make them aware of it. The difference be­ Consignment Pitfalls year to sell the last piece of the original con­ tween your work and someone else’s plastic As for gift shops and galleries, these are signment. In other words, a year to sell it or tin or glass depends on what you say and good markets too, but they have to be right all, during which you are paid back in in­ do in your sales situation, wherever it oc­ for your work. Many people will advise you stallments. To understand the time value of curs—street fair or gallery. not to sell to shops on consignment, although money, do this: call your friendly, full-service By all means, do go out for the juried shows. in some instances it will work well. In my banker and propose to borrow $600, pay it They’re strongly competitive and you benefit opinion, it’s a bad deal all around. Sometimes back in monthly installments with no inter­ from this. A well-managed, well-publicized it’s a trap for those who do not have a high est. Want to hear a good laugh? art fair will draw a good crowd and this ex­ opinion of their ware. It doesn’t require a lot By keeping a continual accounts receivable pands your market. Remember this as you’re of work. The worst part of it is that it takes outstanding, when you replace items that are setting up your display side-by-side with 16advantage of people who do not have a clear sold, you’re lending that money at no interest other potters. This happens. understanding of the time value of money. forever. My belief is that juried shows are not hard Shop owners do not receive unlimited credit Once again, put yourself behind the shop­ to get into. I hope this viewpoint won’t upset from other suppliers, but must pay their in­ keeper’s counter. Borrowing $600 perpetu­ jurors to the point where they will now set voices promptly like any other business peo­ ally at no interest is a terrific deal for anyone. out to Teach Him A Lesson. I think that if ple. So why should you finance their inven­ The owner can’t help but think that if you’re you have some decent work, provide some tory with your accounts receivable? Nobody willing to do this it must be because your quality slides, submit your application early,else does. And when you consider that you’ll work is not very good, is overpriced, is not along with your booth fee, you’ll have no problem being accepted. If three shows are coming up on the same “The market is good for you. It will force you to improve; weekend, apply to all three. If you’re ac­ 33 cepted by two of them, pick the one you’d if you're doing things right, it will tell you so. prefer to attend, cancel the other promptly and they’ll refund your booth fee. Better yet, be doing this at a discount rate of up to 40%, important to you and is not worth much. The send your spouse to sell for you. Try to putyou might be better off giving your work to shopkeeper doesn’t know pots. But with these in an appearance at award time to collect appreciative relatives. thoughts in mind, what reason is there to yours or applaud others. Courtesy doesn’t Let’s look at things through the shop own­ work hard to sell your pottery or to pay you cost; it pays. er’s eyes: Suppose a woman is purchasing a quickly? Here’s a simple way to find out locations $2 item from the shop's inventory and her You should be as astute at business as and dates. Almost every state has an arts curious little boy knocksyour $30 vase off a bankers are. Pottery is your livelihood, just commission or council, usually located in the shelf and breaks it. “No problem, ma’am; as money is theirs. Don’t do for the shop­ capital city. They receive part of their fund­ don’t worry about it. Accidents will happen. keeper what the banker won’t do for you. ing from the National Endowment for the What a fine young man you have there!” The Have the wisdom and courage to walk away Arts. Most of them publish a booklet or cal­ determining factor is not the relative value from a bad deal. endar of the arts and crafts fairs to be held of the two items, but whose ox has been gored. in the state for the coming year. The booklet It’s yours, not the shop’s. Price tags not­ Selling in my state tells the location, the person to withstanding, your work is not especially val­ You can sell to the retailer the same way contact, number of booths, fee, entrance re­ uable from the shopkeeper’s point of view. If you sell to anyone else, but first let’s look at quirements and expected attendance. These it were, why wouldn’t you have gotten paid some selling techniques. Professional sales­ are generally provided free, but a self-ad- for it going in? people will tell you that there are only 11, dressed, stamped, business envelope plus a Suppose the clerk sells one of your pieces, or possibly 12, sales techniques known to $2 contribution will be gratefully accepted. but forgets to record the sale. When will you mankind. These have been around so long In some states you might want to subscribe get your 60% ? Perhaps never, or not at least and are so well understood by trained sales­ to a magazine that provides this information, until you take a physical inventory. This wouldpeople that they even have names: the Warm such as Craft Range in Colorado or Pot­ then require you to make what is known as Puppy; the Impending Event; the Alternate 36 CERAMICS MONTHLY Choice; Let’s Go See Your Mother (also send you a special invitation later on.” I did go to the place where they are sold. I known as Let’s Go See Your CPA, Your Law­ There it is, a complete sell cycle that pro­ was in the marketplace. yer, Your Decorator); the Reference Sell; the duced extra revenue and prepared your cus­ Now do you think that after those children Benjamin Franklin; the Free Gift; the Bait tomers for further business. You’re already have that warm puppy for as little as one and Switch; You’ve Already Bought It; Who working on a new Impending Event—a kiln- hour, I’d be able to take it away from them? Do You Love the Most? and Let’s Just Be opening sale or your next art fair. Thirty long, hard years could come and go, Friends. The other, Here’s What You Can One other subtle phenomenon has oc­ and they would still not be speaking to me. Do for Me, is not considered a sales tech­ curred in this sell cycle. When you asked That’s the Warm Puppy. It is used to sell nique, but a form of begging. We won’t dis­ them for their names and address for your everything from toothpaste to detergent. “Just cuss it. customer book, you became a more real per­ try it; you’ll like it!” But in order to try it, You might not recognize these by name, son in their eyes. They discovered that they you must buy it. It is probably the most heav­ but you have heard them all thousands of would hear from you again. They moved just ily used method in selling by television. It’s times. You have responded on countless oc­ a little bit from being buyers of your work a fairly soft sell, but if you’re asked to buy casions to every one by making a buying de­ to becoming collectors. By this small gesture, enough times, you’ll want to try it. But you cision. We’re going to analyze each one to you have made them aware that they would will not return it. That just won’t happen. understand how to use these very simple and be buying from you again. Indeed, once you’ve bought, you’re more apt effective techniques to sell lots of pots. You should recognize a paramount fact: It to buy again. Remember, it’s easiest to sell First let’s learn the sell cycle: Building is easiest to sell to those who have bought to those who’ve already bought before. Rapport; Questioning to Define Need; Qual­ previously from you. This is known as Rule Let’s apply this to pottery. A customer hasn’t ifying Desire; Trial Close (ask for the order); 99. I shall refer to it again. Memorize it. quite decided to buy, but is now considering and Close (ask for the order). It’s worth mon­ There may be a quiz. two choices. “I really like the light blue pie ey to understand this cycle. Some parts, but Now let’s learn those sales techniques. dish best, but the dark blue might be a better not all, can be skipped. If parts of the sell The Warm Puppy. Imagine I’ve dropped match for my kitchen colors.” Here’s your cycle are skipped, going back to complete the in at the pet shop to get some fish worm pills Warm Puppy Close: “You know, the human cycle may produce an increased or additional or whatever they take. While there, I’m drawn eye can detect 2000 different shades of blue. sale. Since you can sometimes step through the cycle rapidly, it’s usually worthwhile to go back. “Don’t do for the shopkeeper what the banker won’t do for you.” Let’s take an example where the first four steps are skipped. A man walks into your booth, picks up a pitcher, says, “I’d like to to look at the cute puppies. The store man­ It’s impossible to know what will match your buy this.” Aha! Instant Close; a lucky day!ager approaches, Builds a little Rapport, kitchen from here. But here’s what I can do “Great!” you say. “Let me wrap it for youQuestions to Define Need and learns I have to help you: buy both of them. Now don’t carefully.” small children. She Qualifies Desire by get­ laugh; I’m serious. Buy both of them; take But wait. Let’s try to complete the sell ting me to describe them and finds out I can them home and see for yourself. Look, here’s cycle as you wrap and sack the pitcher. (Rap­ deny them nothing. She makes a Trial Close my card; decide which is better for you, and port Building) “I’m Ross Murphy, the pot­ by getting me to agree that having a pet teaches I’ll buy back the other. My only condition is ter,” giving him your hand. “What’s your children responsibility. By agreeing with this that you must bake a cobbler in one and name?” “Bill Worth. How do you do?” “Fine.” generality, I’m getting very close to the spe­ cornbread in the other. (She’s got to try the (Question to Define Need) “Bill, you seemed cific of buying a puppy. I haven’t been asked Warm Puppy.) I’ll accept whatever you de­ very decisive about this pitcher. Is it for you for the order yet, but it’s coming. cide. In fact, you could give one of them to or someone else?” “My wife was here a little First one more qualifying Trial Close has your sister; she’d love it.” while ago. I could tell that she really liked to be gotten out of the way. (The Alternate Here’s what you’ve accomplished: You’ve it.” (Qualify Desire) “Is it a surprise? What Choice is used; more on this later.) “Would asked her to buy. You’ve provided her with do you suppose she’ll say?” Avoid questions your children like this lively rascal, or do you a “no-lose” proposition, with not one but two that produce yes or no answers; you won’t think they’d prefer the quiet one?” The lively escape choices. If she does call you, it will learn enough. “Oh, she’ll be surprised. That’s rascal is yapping like a maniac and is eating very likely be to order a third pie dish for her down the block in the yellow outfit.” (Im­ my wristwatch. As he is also a Saint Bernard, her sister or mother, and to thank you for pending Event) “Look, before she gets here, the thought crosses my mind that he could suggesting it. This is not tricky salesmanship. I’ve got these beverage cups that match the grow up with an appetite for grandfather It’s a proven method of offering good service pitcher.” (Who Do You Love?) “They’re only clocks. “I think my kids would like the quiet as a part of the purchase proposition. It makes $5 each. Is she worth it?” (Alternate Choice) one.” Did I say that? “But wait a minute. I it easy for people to do business with you. “Would she like two or three?” (Trial Close) don’t think we’re really in the market for a They’ll appreciate your offer, and respect you “Should I wrap them?” “Better give me two.” dog.” Okay folks, get ready, here it comes: for it. One other thing: If anyone ever were The Alternate Choice allows him to decide “I know, Mr. Murphy, but here’s a workable to ask you for the refund you have promised, on two or three; not none. How’s that for a good double negative? Mrs. Worth walks up as you finish bag­ “Professional salespeople will tell you that there are ging. Mr. Worth doesn’t really mind that she only 7 7,or possibly 12 sales techniques known to mankind sees him buying something here. It gives him the chance to be mysterious. It gives you the chance to start the sell cycle again, this time solution. (I didn’t even know there was a return it graciously and be thankful for the with Mrs. Worth. (Rapport Building) “Hi, problem.) Buy the quiet puppy and see if the interest-free loan you’ve received. Mrs. Worth; I’m Ross Murphy, the potter. kids will get used to it over the weekend. If The Impending Event. This sales tech­ I’ve just been learning what a terrific hus­ there’s the slightest problem, just bring it back nique is based on the idea that something is band you have here. I’d like to give you my on Monday and I’ll give your money back going to happen that makes it imperative that card.” (Rapport Building toward further or without a question.” Well that sounds pretty you buy right now. You’ve seen it a jillion future sale) “Could I get you folks to add reasonable. How can I lose? I buy it. Notice times. “These cars are going to be on sale your name to my customer list? I want to that I did not go there to buy a puppy, but only through Friday!” The Impending Event June/July/August 1984 37 is that Friday is going to come again this get you? Tired and discouraged, and that’s the Oracle. You should use it when a person week. What do you suppose will happen to not what you’re there for. seems to wish to have the decision made by the cars that aren’t sold by Friday? Do you A decision delayed is a decision denied. someone else who is not readily available. suppose the dealer will set fire to them? I The essence of selling is to get people to act, Perhaps this scenario will explain it: Han­ suppose that they’ll still be there until some­ to make decisions now. The Impending Event nibal says to the salesman, “I’m not buying one does buy them or they rust to pieces, and technique can move you quickly to that goal. anything until I talk to my father. He’s in they are then purchased by the used rusty The Alternate Choice. The idea is to offer Spain.” The salesman says, “Fine, let’s go piece dealer. two alternatives, either of which promotes see your father. (If that’s what is needed to The idea is to get people to make a buying the sale, rather than set yourself up for a flat make a decision, I’m willing; let’s go.) But decision before the Impending Event takes turndown. I expect every man has used this in the meantime, why not place an order for place. “Take this cruise now while you can technique and every woman has heard it. some elephants so your father won’t think still enjoy it; spend your money now before “Would you like to go to dinner or to a show?” you’re wasting time? If you actnow, I can inflation makes it worthless; somebody else “Dinner.” “Slow dancing or fast?” “Slow.” have them for you before the Alps are snowed is coming back to buy this, but you can have “Cocktails or wine?” “Wine.” “Your place or in. I can get you Venetian gray or would you it at today’s price only if you act now before mine?” You see? No wrong answers. It’s eas­ prefer Roman brown?” Hannibal decides, the manager comes back from lunch and ier for people to have options presented to “Roman brown! Let’s get going on this thing. catches me almost giving it away.” The idea them from which they can make choices, rather I’ve got to conquer Italy! I can talk to my is not to try to stampede people. That’s too than have to make yea/nay decisions. Just father later. Where do I sign?” The referral to a third party is made right at the Trial Close or at the Close itself. Want­ “It is easiest to sell to those who have bought previously from you” ing someone else to share in the decision to buy is a smoke screen. It’s a very strong sig­ nal to you that your prospect is ready to buy, pushy and transparent. The use of this tech­ remember that it is you who selects the op­ indeed wants to buy from you, but is just a nique ought to be subtle and more refined; tions. Let’s go back to the young lady who’s little too hesitant to take the plunge. Your a nudge, not a shove: “I hope you can find decided to buy a gift for her boyfriend. How willingness to seek out the third party is usu­ the coffee mug you need before the fair closes did you determine this? You Questioned to ally sufficient to make the last sales barrier and we have to pack up.” Define Need, using the Alternate Choice crumble. You will either make your sale or Suppose you’ve struck up a conversation technique: “Would you be looking for some­ find out the reason for hesitation. You may with a young lady, and learn that she’s look­ thing for yourself or a friend?” “A friend.” even have to go see the third party, but usu­ ing for a gift for a friend and your booth is “I see! Would this be a guy or a gal?” “A ally this produces a fascinating and positive the first one she’s visited. “Is he a close friend?” guy.” “I see!” As she looks at beer mugs, you result. you ask, knowing you’re on pretty firm grounduse this technique to help her make the right Let’s say you’ve been talking with a friendly since people only buy gifts for close friends. choice. “Tell me miss, does your friend have man who seems to like your work. He asks “Yes,” she replies, and you can tell from her large or small hands?” “Large.” “Well then, good questions and you enjoy talking with eyes and smile that he is indeed a close friend. he’d probably prefer these with the large him. Several times he has picked up a small, “In that case, let me try to help you. There handles. Which would be the best for him, Oriental-style vase, examined it, looked at are lots of fascinating things at the fair today. the electric blue one or the desert gray?” (Trial the price, held it at arm’s length and squinted Let’s see if we can find something for him Close) “The electric blue. His eyes are blue.” at it. Since these are all strong buying signals, here before you wander off and spend all “Will this be cash, or can I take your check?” you go for the Close. “Gene, are you con­ your money. That way we can take care ofOnce again, there can be no wrong answer. sidering that vase for yourself or for a gift?” his gift now” “That’s what I was thinking. No matter what she says, you’ve made your (No wrong answer is possible.) “Well, for How much are these beer mugs?” sale. my office,” he replies, “but I couldn’t buy it The Event you focused on was her im­ As you’re wrapping her gift, you can make without my wife seeing it to tell me what pending shortage of funds from buying fas­ this further helpful suggestion: “Since you’ve kind of dried flowers I could put in it. She’s cinating things, and her need to act before just arrived, why not have me hold this for around here somewhere; I saw her half an such a thing might happen. You have helped you so you won’t have to carry it around all hour ago.” Now you don’t want him to stroll her decide to act now. Notice the use of the day? You can pick it up when you leave.” away in search of his wife. He might not two key words before and now. When you This is a nice courtesy. It also guarantees a come back. “Great,” you say. “Let’s go find use one, use the other. They should go to­ return visit and another selling opportunity. her and see what she suggests. Bring it with you.” “Well, maybe we don’t have to find her. What I was mainly wondering is if I could get some dried flower arrangement for it.” “A decision delayed is a decision denied. The essence Now you’ve found the real reason he hasn’t of selling is to get people to act, to make decisions now.” bought yet. Solve this problem and you’ve sold the pot. “Gene, thank goodness it’s only $9. Pay me for it and take it to that dried- gether naturally like neither and nor, salt and Remember that people buy from people they flower booth down the street. If they can’t pepper, gin and tonic. If you failed to use have bought from previously. Old Rule 99 make a good arrangement for you, bring it this technique to nudge the buying action again. When your customer returns to pick back and I’ll refund your money.” Seeing his after learning that yours was the first booth up her purchase, wouldn’t it be a splendid vase with the dried flowers is the Warm Pup­ she’d visited, she probably would have told time to say, Before“ you go, isn’t there some­ py. He won’t bring it back. you that she didn’t plan to buy until after thing you’d like for yourselfnow?” It’s the I was at a small-town art fair in Kansas she had seen everything. In that case your Impending Event again. She’s leaving. It’s last year, and found myself trying to sell a booth would have then become the last place her last chance to buy. gorgeous blue bowl to a nice young lady. Each she would visit, if at all, possibly on her way Let’s Go See Your Mother. Using this will time I tried to Close the sale I met terrific back to her car and probably after spending help you learn what must happen for you to resistance. She liked the bowl all right, but all her available money elsewhere. So sorry; close the sale. This technique is very old. In it was the price that held her back. “Look,” none left to spend with you. What does that ancient Greece, they knew it as Let’s Go See she finally said, “this is a lot more money 38 CERAMICS MONTHLY than I was prepared to spend on a bowl. I’d in the marketplace are open to buy. However, Everybody wants them. They come up with like my mother to see it first.” This was an when the customer falters, there is no ad­ fantastic ideas for how they’ll use them. interesting revelation that showed how far we ditional reason not to buy from the sales­ Here’s another idea. Last year I bought had progressed in the sale cycle. Consider person, who can’t seem to think of a single $5 worth of dried strawflowers, cut them to that she did not come there for the express one. various lengths and stuck them in flattened purpose of buying a bowl at all, but now it With all those reasons to buy and those balls of wet clay. To me they looked like Jap­ was only a question of how much she had few reasons not to, isn’t it logical that the anese ikebana flower arrangements, although been prepared to spend. “Fine, Let’s Go See best choice is to buy? Of course, and you I have friends in Japan who might not agree. Your Mother. Where is she?” “She’s across don’t have to write them down like Franklin They fit nicely into the miniature vases I sell, but no one had to buy a pot to get one. Lots of people bought the pots with their own uses “The fact that you produce all the inmates' tableware at the in mind and didn’t even want the flowers. Maybe they wanted to put something better state prison might not be a positive reference. Yet it could in them, like diamonds. be if you were talking with the warden from another jail.” Now here’s one last Free Gift idea that can get you a huge increase in business: If you possibly can, get hold of a litter of pup­ the street at the bank. She works there.” Off did. It’s enough to tick them off on your fin­ pies, or baby chicks, kittens or ducklings; take we went, she carrying the bowl and I trying gers. them with you in a box to an art fair. If to prepare a good sales pitch. When we found The Free Gift. Have you heard this? “Not pressed, tell the officials that there’s no one her mother, an amazing thing happened. It only can you use the famous Do-All knife to home to watch them. Put the box down low went like this: “Mom, I want to buy this cut through solid concrete, but it will still be where the kids can find them. Not only will bowl, but I need $50 more. Lend it to me sharp enough for you to commit hara-kiri. you capture the kids, you’ll get the parents and I’ll pay you back. Okay?” She then madeBut wait! When you buy it, you’ll get twoas well. You’ll draw a big crowd and while all the sales points for me about the style, free Toyotas. That’s right, two, plus the free the kids are there you could sell their parents size, shape and color, and I said not a word, radish flower tool that makes a radish out of the Brooklyn Bridge, gold bars, the Eiffel only nodded my head in confirmation when any flower. And along with this exciting offer Tower and even some pottery. This idea has the mother looked to me for agreement. Since we’ll give you 400 steak knives free, each in worked so well for me I almost wish I hadn’t she was an officer of the bank, I was happy its own free leather presentation case. ...” told it to you. to accept her check. Everyone was happy in What are you getting for free? Nothing. What Bait and Switch. This is a good technique fact: I sold my bowl for a fair price; the young are you paying for? All of it. that has unfortunately been much abused by woman acquired a valuable treasure; and the Be careful with this sales technique. It has unscrupulous people. Countless salespeople banker got to negotiate a loan. It was a good a rancid reputation. No such thing as a free do use it honorably and well, however, so deal all around. lunch, as the wise saying goes. However, if there’s no reason why you should not also. The Reference Sell. Use this to let people you can use this technique properly, it can The idea is to move people up to a better know that others value your work. For ex­ produce a wonderful yield. I once made some quality item or a larger quantity than they ample: “You’re from Saint Joe? Do you know round clay pendants with pretty swirls of originally planned to buy. From your point Dr. and Mrs. Russel there? They’ve been glaze across them. I didn’t have much success of view, if they buy better quality or a larger buying my work for years. Swell people.” It’s selling them, but I finally had lots of fun quantity, that’s good, that’s positive. From not vital that your prospect knows the Rus­ sels personally or even knows of them, though that would be nice. It’s enough that you make him/her aware that home-town neighbors “Many people will advise you not to sell. . . on buy from you. This reassures the prospective consignment .... It’s a bad deal all around.” customer and makes him/her feel comfort­ able about buying also. Make sure that your reference is a positive one, involving neigh­ giving them away to small children. I sus­ the consumer’s point of view, better quality bors, influential people, well-known firms, a pended each on a string. As I would hang is usually a better buy, while greater quantity pleasant anecdote or a successful use of your one around a little girl’s neck, I would tell is often synonymous with better value. Still pots. The fact that you produce all the in­ her that it had a magic charm. As long as good, still positive. mates’ tableware at the state prison might she wore it, it would keep her safe from ti­ Suppose someone is attracted to your dis­ not be a positive reference. Yet it could be if gers—at least in Kansas. I had fun. The kids play box filled with coffee mugs. “Anything you were talking with the warden from an­ loved the gift. They didn’t have to ask for in this box $4,” your sign says. The reason other jail. them. Their parents were charmed. I built you’ve priced them lower than your other The Benjamin Franklin. When Franklin enormous goodwill for my business. mugs can be frankly stated; after all, you’re had to make a tough decision he would list The important thing was that there was among friends. They’re just not as good as all the reasons for following one course of no obligation. The gift wasn’t conditional on your more expensive ones. They do have a action, and then he’d list all the reasons why someone buying something. I had already value in the marketplace; it’s just that they he shouldn’t. He’d then usually decide on learned that the pendants had no great value don’t measure up to your others. Maybe a the choice with the most entries. If he then as jewelry, but as gifts they were like gold. handle is crooked; some glaze ran; there’s a decided to go with a hunch, he at least would It made a nice impression when I peeled off little bloating here and there. Indeed, $4 is understand all the pros and cons. the price tag as I presented it too. If people the right price for these cups. You’d be pleased A good pottery salesperson uses this tech­ wanted to buy after I gave something to their if someone walked up and bought one. You’d nique by helping the prospect make a list of children, why that was just fine. But they be delighted if someone bought them all. Af­ reasons for buying. If the prospect runs out didn’t have to, you see. ter all, they are there to be sold, and you do of ideas, the salesperson provides a few more. The Free Gift is a good sales technique want to sell them. They are not there as bait But when it comes to listing the reasons for only if the gift really is free and comes from with an artificially low price that you really not buying, the customer quickly runs out ofthe heart. I give away fired pyrometric cones don’t want to sell them at. See the difference? ideas after only one or two. After all, those to anyone who can guess what they are. Although your customer was attracted by June/July/August 1984 39 the low price, when you Questioned to De­ Who Do You Love the Most? You will use as she sipped her coffee from one of my elec­ fine Need, you learned that she wanted a gift this effective technique merely by helping your tric blue mugs. When she had finished her for her father. Now if all she wants is a con­ customer focus attention on what is really coffee, she thanked us and left. No sale. Just tainer for bobby pins, that $4 mug will do important in life. For example: You’re talk­ friends. How delightful it was when two weeks just fine. But she has only one father. Better ing to a man named Jerry Smith, who has later we received a charming letter from our point out the differences and move her up to been looking at a pitcher. “I think my mother new friend. It also included a check for four the higher quality. If you can help her un­ would like this,” he says, “but if I bought it of those blue mugs! derstand the benefits of higher quality, she’ll I wouldn’t have enough money to get myself These sales techniques can help you to have no difficulty in justifying the additional a hot dog.” “Jerry, what would please you become more successful if you will learn to expense. Better quality is always a better val­ the most, to make your mother happy or to use them. They help me to make my living in the field I love. I have a good time too. It’s as much fun to sell my pots as it is to “It never hurts to remind people of real values, make them. Commissions especially when you’re selling real value.” Finally, a word about commission work. A lot of potters don’t want to bother with it. ue. She has just been Baited and Switched have a hot dog?” As he reflects on this, follow I can understand their reasoning. I’ve heard honestly, fairly, honorably. A bargain has been up with, “Tell you what, Jerry, if she’s not all the arguments against accepting commis­ struck and both parties have won. happy with your gift, you come back here sions. Many potters figure that it’s not worth Similarly, if she really does want a bobby- and I’ll buy you a hot dog.” Let me state a the effort and it costs too much to deliver the pin container, you could say, “At this low plain fact: When it’s mothers versus hot dogs, finished work. Sometimes this is so, but they’re price, why not buy five? Get one for paper hot dogs don’t stand a chance. forgetting all about serendipity. Serendipity clips, postage stamps; they’re good for grow­ When it gets down to a buying decision, is the name for the fortunate things that hap­ ing cactus. You can even drink coffee from sometimes customers have to be gently re­ pen to people who make the trip, or the extra them. Buy six and I’ll give you a free kitten. minded of whom they love the most. Most effort; those who dare. Buy a dozen and I’ll marry you!” Rattle offpeople will love a good mate more than they A lady once commissioned me to make a everything you can think of to increase the love Washington, Lincoln, Jackson and butter crock for her. I had never made one quantity. They are inexpensive, after all. If Franklin. before so I made eight just to improve my one is good, mightn’t two be better? The more It never hurts to remind people of real chances of getting one that was right. When numerous the uses, the greater the value. It’s values, especially when you’re selling real they were done, I personally delivered all your job to help your customers get better value. Money is only money; but a wife, hus­eight to her so she could have the pick of the value from your wares. It’s your job to sug­ band, child, sweetheart, mother, father, or litter. It was 20 miles round trip; I knew my gest these additional functions. You’ve had friend is a priceless treasure. time and fuel expense would erase any profit. the time to think of them while sitting at your Let’s Just Be Friends. People don’t buy When I arrived, I found that she and her potter’s wheel. from corporations or companies. People buy neighbors were holding a garage sale. Within You’ve Already Bought It. To use this sales from people they like. You’re a people. Make ten minutes of my arrival, seven of her friends technique, you must assume that the custom­ them like you and perhaps they will buy from had bought up all the rest of my butter crocks. er has already decided to buy the item. This you. There’s another benefit as well: People A classic example of serendipity. And now allows you to ignore the tough question, “Will like to tell others that they have a friend who’s that I know how to make butter crocks, I’ve you buy?”, and lets you go on to some easiera potter. It gets you talked about and in­ made and sold dozens. question, as if that were the only thing to creases your circle of friends. I always ask for half of the commission decide. If you get an affirmative answer to Here’s one scene: At an art fair on a hot price as deposit. By doing this, I cannot lose. the easier question, you’ve automatically got Saturday afternoon, a man walks up to your I never promise fast turnaround, only that I a positive answer to the tough one. For ex­ booth. “Hi,” you say. “I’m the potter. Here’s will work it into my schedule. I always make ample: A couple has been discussing a teapot my hand. What’s your name?” He tells youseveral of the items ordered to be sure my with you. They haven’t yet decided to buy.and you reply, “I suppose you expect me topatron will be satisfied. My experience has You bring it to a Close by assuming that they sell you some pots. Well, I’m worn out trying been that the patron will often buy the others have decided by asking, “In addition to the to sell pots. Instead, Let’s Just Be Friends. as well. teapot, how many teabowls are you going to Would you like to split a cold beer with me? When I’ve got a dozen or so commissioned need?” They look at each other. “Two,” she Pick yourself out a mug.” What a nice offer works about ready, I go to the printer for says. Congratulations, you just sold a teapot (and two teabowls). Here are some even easier questions. To “People buy from people they like.” him: “Who’s going to get the most use out of this teapot?” She answers, “I will.” She has bought it! Or (it’s July, 103°F): “Folks, of friendship. Your visitor is completely dis­ some invitations. I use these to invite all my together we are going to take a look into the armed. As he has walked up the street, every­ customers to a kiln-opening party or a pot­ future. It’s winter and a freezing wind is one has tried to sell him something. He visits tery sale on the lawn. The commission pa­ blowing. The streets are icy and treacherous. with you awhile, finishes his beer, then de­ trons get a personal note to tell them their Traffic is bumper to bumper. Your heater cides he wants to buy the mug. pot is ready. We get a few gallons of wine, has stopped working and your hands are I had just opened my booth at the Re­ two cases of beer and pounds of cold cuts. freezing. As you slide up the driveway, yournaissance Festival on a chilly morning and Lots of people come. We sell lots of pots and car slips into the snow and gets stuck. Now was preparing to pour myself a cup of coffee. everybody has a good time. I also get to show wouldn’t a cup of hot tea from this beautiful My first customer of the day, a young wom­ off on the potter’s wheel and tell funny sto­ pot help you gather your wits and rejoin the an, walked up. “Hi,” I said. “Come in and ries. Now I ask you, as practical people, can human race?” He answers, “Sounds won­ have a cup of hot coffee with me.” “That life get much better than this? derful. You are a character and we’ll buy the sounds good,” she said. “Do I have to buy teapot.” That wintry word picture has helped anything?” “No, of course not. Let’s Just Be The author Studio potter Ross Murphy re­ me sell a lot of teapots in July. Brrr! Friends.” She chatted with my wife and me sides in De Soto, Kansas. 40 CERAMICS MONTHLY Oasis by Evelyne Porret

For the past several winters Swiss pot­ but we no longer had shelves for the kiln, yard was black. What then? Stoke with ters Evelyne Porret and Michel Pastore the kick wheel wasn’t working right and cornstalks. Lower the drip system. Raise have worked in Egypt. Evelyne 3s story the clay cracked at each draft. No shelves, the drip system. Add air. Remove air. was translated by Gail Malley.— Ed. no electricity, no running water. Hap­ Wipe a child’s nose. Black handkerchief. pily there was a stream running close Black children. One wants a bottle. The Southwest of Cairo, beside a lake at by the house. bottle is black. Bread and honey. The the edge of the Libyan desert, is an oasis I had been afraid to return to Fayoum honey is black because soot is coming in called Fayoum. Take the desert road, cross after so much time. I was divorced, ar­ through the ventilation holes in the the oasis, then take a trail to the lake’s riving with a foreigner and fair-haired kitchen. We have to put more cornstalks farthest western point. children. I did know the villagers. But on the grate—it takes two to do that. One day, a long time ago, I arrived I didn’t know them that well. Egyptian Make tea. The kerosene stove won’t work. in Fayoum, still shaken by the jolting of fellaheen are a different people, whom More cornstalks. Stop the cornstalks. In the bus, an archaic vehicle each part of even Egyptians of the cities do not al­ short, this kiln isn’t working. which trembled separately. I looked ways know. I had stayed a long time with Then it’s evening. Time to put the around: immense sky, ocher village, very Ramses Wissa Wassef, an architect who black children to bed. There is hardly blue lake, sand mountain where the wind taught weaving and pottery to village any water left. The kiln temperature has had created mirages of temples and nat­ children. I had learned not to shock these not risen. Michel battles stubbornly with ural pyramids, palm trees, wheat fields people, so as not to be cut off from them. it all night. There’s no more fuel oil. Go that went right down to the lake. I In the end, everything was simple. I to the village to get some in tin cans. breathed. Just about everything I loved told my story to our watchman, the one There is no more in the village. Send in Egypt was there before my eyes. I I knew best. He understood and asked someone farther to look for it. The kiln had a house/studio built there. Then, no more questions. We were there; he temperature has risen a bit and we de­ for a long time, events kept me from could take up his work as watchman cide to stop. returning to it. My life changed, and again. We had a station wagon that could A day to rest. Another day to clean when I went back years later, it was with have been made to work as a taxi, thus up. Then unloading the kiln: black pots, children and Michel. bringing in a lot of money. So for him broken pots, collapsed piles, vestiges of Everything had to be repaired or re­ the new husband was better than the pots stuck together. And the village peo­ built. A woman from the village had tak­ old . . . since he was richer. ple look at all that money gone up in en the 42% aluminum oxide bricks to Finally we managed to prepare clay, smoke to turn out such pots as these. build her beaten-earth oven for baking throw and trim pots, pile them on each bread. As well as we could, with what other, close the kiln and connect oil pipes I remembered and what Michel thought that did not clog too quickly. Fuel was would be good, we put it together again. delivered by a man on his donkey. We We went to Cairo to buy bricks, mate­ lit the fire with cornstalks, then fuel oil rials to repair the fuel tank, faucets, fun­ when the kiln was getting hot. The smoke nels, pipes. We did have several sacks of was black—black with little pieces of clay materials with neither label nor clue, half-burned fuel. In one hour the court­ Firing at Evelyne Porret and Michel Pastore’s studio, Fayoum oasis, Egypt.

June/July/August 1984 41 Evelyne fills the kiln’s fuel drum with oil transported by donkey. Laying unbaked brick with clay, sand and wheat straw mortar, Evelyne and Michel built a new studio and repaired the house.

“Poor things,” they say, “they don’t know cement” as they call it. We planted trees; a meter high we started adding bricks, how any more. You need the expert, the all the nearest plant nursery had: goyava placing them flat or upright or at an one who built the kiln ten years ago.” trees, eucalyptus and a sort of Egyptian angle as we pleased. The men of the They are almost sadder than we are. pine. We ordered earth and they brought village brought the mouna, mortar made They don’t see those 2 square inches of cactus plants; it is almost the same word of earth and sand. Michel laid his bricks earthy yellow and that stippled red in a in Arabic. In front of the house we had on one side; the mason worked on the dark corner which are already making several palm trees, but in back it was other. Here a window, here a door, here us dream of the next kiln. pure desert. Plant in a rocky desert and a little window hole. When we reached hope. Now we have a real garden, hav­ the top of the walls we had to think That’s Not How Domes Are Built ing diverted the stream so that it waters about the domes. Michel thought we The house is on a slab of stone. It is the trees. Each year some trees die; each would place long chiseled stones that we built of stones and that yellow earth year we replant. Every time we return loved at the four corners to form a hex­ everything is made of: bricks, bread ovens, we are sad for the trees that have dis­ agon at the base of the domes. I went to shelters for chicks, dovecotes. It is also appeared. The people of the village say: Cairo to find a bricklayer who would good earth for stoneware glazes. In the “But if Allah wanted them to die, why know how to make domes. stream there is a black clay that at Cone are you so sad?” “No. Impossible. Domes aren’t built 10 becomes a glaze. Then there are the The next year we wanted a new that way,” he said. “These stones won’t ashes from the bread oven: reeds, cotton workshop and kiln behind the house so work; stones on top of earth, that’s dan­ stalks, palm branches. In Aswan there that the wind would no longer bring us gerous. And domes should start half way are clays that hold up at high temper­ soot. Michel drew up the plans. We got up in the walls of the room.” We’d done ature when they are mixed right. Every­ a mason for the beginning stone foun­ everything wrong. (There are no domes thing you need is there for stoneware dation. Then 30,000 bricks were made in Fayoum, except in the cemeteries.) production: sand, ashes and clay for with a wooden mold. On the ground they The bricklayer came and decided it glazes; sand, clay and straw to build with. lay side by side in half circles, because would work after all. He began by The first winter we repaired the house, the body movement of reaching for the planting a stick in the middle of the room replaced the palm branches, and re­ clay and shaping it makes a curve. Al­ and attaching a string to use as a com­ mixed the earth mortar with the help of ready the ground is beautiful with the pass. Then, turning with the string, a some men from the village. We learned undulating lines of bricks forming a tap­ brick, a small stone, a brick, a small how to make the mortar with clay, sand estry pattern. stone. . . . Half way up the wall he sat and sifted wheat straw, “the brother of When the stone foundation wall was on it, saw that it wasn’t dry enough, 42 CERAMICS MONTHLY Ashes, clays and other locally acquired glaze materials are stored in these large adobe pots made by a village woman. Adobe brick patterns tell of a traditional need to decorate architecture. declared, “I can’t go on,” and left. He Ash of the Mango Tree what a lot of money you could have made didn’t like being so far from home. We took the kiln apart to make an­ with what you’ve spent.” We went on, ignoring the place that other one in the new workshop. The new Finally last winter we built a new kiln sagged a bit where the bricklayer had kiln was built stepwise, on a slight in­ that works. It’s the third kiln since we sat. Michel laid the bricks; I positioned cline. It was designed to use cornstalks came to Egypt. We built it with the ad­ the small stones. We shaped the dome alone as fuel. During the first firing a vice of a friend who fires her ware with like a round pot. Soon all that was left khamseen arose. (That’s a burning sand propane. It has a second small chamber was a small circle of sky, and then the wind that comes in the spring.) The that finishes firing with wood or palm last brick was placed. temperature was 113°F in the shade and branches. Then we began to need shelves. Two domes were finished, a bit bumpy, we kept our feet in a bucket of water as Yet we did want to manage with just but beautiful. To round them out we used we stoked the kiln. But the cornstalks what can be found here. You see such palm leaves, and asked the men of the made more smoke than heat and the fir­ beautiful pottery all piled up. But in a village to make some mouna. The domes ing was a failure. Our watchman was small kiln it’s hard to make things that were not completely dry and Michel was increasingly worried about us. He asked, are all the same and can be piled on top in a hurry. He was throwing the mouna “Why don’t you just get the quicklime of each other. All we end up with is pots on a bit vigorously, so that it would stick. oven down by the river running? That with defects. Bowls are a problem; it’s The men were telling him to be careful would bring you more money.” difficult to make plates that don’t have and he was laughing. Suddenly there was When we wanted to learn how to make anything stuck to them. So we launched a great muffled noise, a rain of bricks boclas, the large, spherical jars used to into the fabrication of shelves and posts and no more dome. carry water, a potter came to show us for the kiln. All of our clay, our silica Everyone burst out laughing. All ex­ his technique. These jars are handbuilt went into them. Ah, what a pleasant kiln cept me. My laughter was mixed with in a hole in the ground. I believe it takes loading. But what’s happening with this curses for Michel. It was the fourth time as long to get the hang of it as the wheel. firing? Everything seems to have fallen. this year that bricks had caved in with Our watchman began then to hope we Well yes, half the kiln has fallen in; the that muffled sound: the arch linking the would finally do something that would grate is broken. domes, a wall to protect the air circu­ make a profit: a great kiln with lots of At the unloading of this 30th firing lation in the kitchen, a trial dome shaped jars. But no, these foreigners are stub­ since that first “black” kiln there were with cornstalks, and now this last one. born; they have “stiff brains.” They work finally some things that were not crude Everyone picked up the bricks and we hard, it’s true, but it doesn’t amount to or half fired, but everything was stuck started over. anything. “Oh, if you’d only listen to me, to everything else. The shelves and posts June/July/August 1984 43 were all deformed; we would have to can take high temperatures? We return do you find it? Who uses it? That will make others. Yet somehow we were hap­ heavily loaded. When we put the clay be another search next year. py. In the little wood-fired chamber there into a bowl with some vinegar, we see We arrive in Fayoum, sitting on the were pots with a streamlike glaze; there that it contains a lot of chalk. I try it sacks in the overheated jeep—dust on was a spiciness to the clay that had been out. At 2370°F (1300°C) it is almost a the inside at each jolt on the road, dust covered with palm ash only. Mixed with glaze. With sand from the lake it turns from the road on the outside. It is Friday, palm ash, the Aswan clay turned into well, and it is beautiful fired at a lower just at the hour of prayer. People are the most beautiful temmoku we had ever temperature under the grate. With this kneeling, their mats spread across the made, and brought out the red of the clay we could make pottery at 1800°F road. We wait until the prayer is fin­ iron decoration. The ash of the mango (980°C). We had tried that in the be­ ished. tree had given that gentle luster, soft to ginning, seeing that stoneware was so the touch. But where would we find this difficult. There were some interesting Exhibiting in Cairo ash again? This time an old mango tree Another firing fell in on one side. The had been cut down in the neighboring next fell in on the other side. Each time village. Who would cut down another, we remake shelves, posts. Finally we turn and then tell us about it? out some beautiful pots, and we have to think about exhibiting and selling them. On the Nile Shore Our friends in Cairo are waiting for them Guimeya, a woman from the village, impatiently. comes into the workshop. She has fin­ Cairo has become impossible. The car ished the big pots she makes for us out can neither move ahead nor park. Taxis of clay and straw. They are not fired; are afraid to go to certain streets for fear they dry in the sun. We use them to store of having to stay there. The buses are materials; the villagers use them to store full to the point of bursting. We walk. grain. “Do you make pots for yourself The sidewalks are all broken, but with at home?” “Why would I make any for patience you might get somewhere. We myself? Where would I find wheat to want to exhibit at a foreign cultural cen­ put in them?” ter because they take care of posters and Then the fisherman goes by, selling invitations. The French Center is booked. his little fish. “We don’t want any; it The American Center doesn’t answer. takes too long to fix them.” “Yes, yes,” The Italian Center is already exhibiting says Guimeya, “bring me the scale. We’ll a painter. Our friend’s galleries don’t each take some, and I’ll fix them for Adobe stucco covers a ventillated wall have shelves to exhibit pots. We have you.” She weighs the fish and discusses behind Michel Pastore and his son Angelo. started too late. A last hope—the Span­ the price. This way I pay for all of it, ish Cultural Center. We are received with and she will have fish for her family open arms. They have space. They love tonight. The babour (a small kerosene things, but everything needs working on. pottery. The atmosphere is relaxed and pressure stove), flour, oil and garlic are We are leaving that for later, when we a bit Egyptianized. We will exhibit on brought in. She stuffs the fish with garlic at least have a technique well in hand. tables covered with damask cloth, as for and green cumin. The smell of cooking Right now we have no more Aswan a banquet. fills the workshop. We eat the little fish; clay. We have to go to Cairo, and from At the opening people buy and are we talk and joke while the children’s fish there still a few miles to find the brick enthusiastic; it is comforting. One thing are being prepared. factory on the banks of the Nile. Then is certain: As soon as you leave your Down by the lake they’re making a we have to: Discuss for a long time in habits and find yourself far from every­ road. Rumor has it that electricity will Arabic what they have and what they thing, you realize that you don’t know be coming to the village. They’re saying don’t have. Wait until the office that knows much—about pottery, about the fella­ that the place where people go to bathe the prices writes them out for us. M.ake heen so different from us. (the big flat stones at the edge of the the tour of the establishment to see if the Every evening from the height of the lake) has been bought by an engineer materials are good and not too crushed. terrace we contemplate the orange ball who wants to make “something” out of Return to the office to order them. Wait of the sun, barely held back by a palm it. In digging the road, the bulldozers (with tea or Coke, of course). Wait for tree on the horizon. The village children open up trenches of beautiful clay. Peo­ the papers to be filled out. Wait in an­ lead their sheep and wavy-maned buf­ ple come to tell us about it. So one morn­ other office to pay. Load the sacks into faloes to the water before bringing them ing we set out with donkeys, children the jeep, taking them out again later on home. The lake and the sand mountain and Galila, another village woman. (It to be weighed. Luckily someone puts them change colors each minute: blues, mauves, is she who comes to the workshop to sift back in the jeep for us. Dust, heat, wait­ ochers, pinks. At our little islet of eu­ earth and ashes, as tranquilly as she sifts ing, filling out more papers to get out. calyptus, vaults and domes, night ar­ her own flour, making her sieve dance.) We leave after several hours and arrive rives. Quick, it is time to light the lamps, This morning she herds the donkeys. in Cairo with a load of 1770 pounds. bring kerosene from the reservoir, light We arrive; choose white layers, redder We must still go elsewhere to find the the babour, make flat bread if there is layers. This clay seems rich; it cleaves other things we need. They say that there no more in the basket; and the long eve­ into thick slices. What if the white clay is nepheline syenite in Egypt, but where ning settles in. It is very early still. 44 Ceramics Monthly Photos: Jeff Lee, Jennifer Lee chamber may be finished off with wood orpalm branches. chamber maybefinished offwith eibe Te an hme i ol uld bt scn small second a but fueled, oil is chamber main The reliable. s lz,b ihlPsoe kl,b vln ort oil-fueledkiln,byMichel Pastore. kiln,byEvelynePorret. ash glaze,byMichelPastore. lybd,wt eetca n ontl soeaeca,snl ie na i-uld 15inchesinheight,oncefiredan Wheel-thrownstonewarecoveredjar, stonewareclay,singlefiredinanoil-fueled Handbuiltvessel,9inchesinwidth,Aswan clay body,withdesertandcornstalk Stoneware box,10inchesinheight,Aswan h tid in vln ad ihl ul i Eyt proved Egypt in built Michel and Evelyne kiln third The

June/July/August 1984 45 Clay Spectrum

In CELEBRATION of its tenth anniver­ “As I look back on ten years of gallery awareness and respect for American craft sary, the Craftsman’s Gallery in Scars- ownership,” observed director Sybil art, and of encouraging craftspeople to dale, New York, presented an exhibition Robins, “I realize I have witnessed a rev­ explore their materials, expand their emphasizing the variety of directions olution in the crafts field. Years of effort creativity and free themselves from fo­ in contemporary clay. Featured in the toward convincing the mass media that cusing on making a standard product they recent “Clay Spectrum” show were 39 contemporary crafts are worthy of their feel the public needs have come to frui­ American and 3 British ceramists. coverage; of working to build public tion.”

Right Wheel-thrown stoneware vessel, 11 inches in diameter, pit fired, polished, by Nancy Valk, Ruxton, Maryland. Below Covered jar, 10 inches in height, wood-fired stoneware, by Dave Shaner, Bigfork, Montana. Below right “Pillow Pot,” thrown and altered stoneware, 12 inches in diameter, reduction-fired manganese crystalline glaze, by Dave Shaner. Photos: courtesy of the Craftsman’s Gallery 46 Ceramics Monthly Graham Marks a review byMatthew Drutt Jamey Stillings, courtesy of Helen Drutt Gallery , Photos: James Roy Conner Untitled sculpture, 33 inches in length, coil-built earthenware, unglazed, sandblasted.

In HIS NEW work, shown in a recent sandblaster to rip away the layers of slip. solo exhibition at Helen Drutt Gallery “So powerful and so quick, sandblasting in Philadelphia, Graham Marks is like instant erosion,” Graham ex­ (Scottsville, New York) employs a fa­ plained. “I find that sense of elapsed time miliar vocabulary—the harmonious re­ interesting; the forms become techno­ lationship of smooth and rough textures, logical fossils. Sometimes I sandblast right hot and cold colors, and frank exteriors through the wall. The holes are similar with aloof interiors. But, whereas in the to the idea of the cracks—another way past the large, coil-built earthenware of getting to the interior.” forms have been open, the latest sculp­ Once integration between technolog­ tures are closed off entirely or just enough Graham Marks in his studio. ical process and natural formation is to keep us from seeing in too clearly. completed, chance has become the de­ Some have only cracks through to the terminant of the aesthetic. Graham reg­ interior, seen as “another way of getting The notion is as much a part of the ulates the intensity of the sandblaster at inside, a new kind of opening,” Graham process as it is of the finished piece. For whim, so the same results can never be remarked. In permitting these fissures textural “activity,” slips with aggregates reached twice. The forms manage to be to develop he is “using everything I’ve (shavings of stainless steel, grog and/or imposing in scale, yet convey a feeling always tried to get away from in clay” sand) are applied. After firing as many of fragility, perhaps suggested by those to develop “a kind of biological and geo­ times as it takes to bring out the desired encouraged random cracks and “go with logical presence.” colors and textures, Graham uses a the flow” sandblasted marks. June/July/August 1984 47 Above and rightGraham Marks's coil-built sculpturesall, approximately 3 feet in length, are coated with coarse slips containing bits of steel, metal (detail, far right) and grog. Multiple firings encourage cracking and accentuate the heavily textured surface. After firing, Graham sandblasts away areas of slip. Below Graham Marks’s installation, Helen Drutt Gallery, Philadelphia.

48 CERAMICS MONTHLY Jun Kaneko A Ceramics Monthly Portfolio

When Jun Kaneko first came to Ne­ the next three and a half months. braska’s Omaha Brickworks in 1982, Jun Kaneko: Slowly the temperature was raised he wanted to work out some ideas Omaha Project to 160°F. on a large scale, and their Alterna­ In October, Jun arrived with a new tive Work Site Program presented a by Ree Schonlau assistant, Jody Baral, who stayed with suitable opportunity. He proposed the project through completion. to build four oval, dome-shaped folding had to be assembled around Glazing commenced with Jun first dangos (Japanese for dumplings), the brick pedestal supports, since working out the patterns on the each approximately 7 feet long, 5the bottoms of the sculptures were forms in India ink. The kiln was feet wide and 6 feet high, each 4 feet off the ground. readied with draw rings, cone weighing an estimated 7 tons. An­ The atmosphere inside the kiln plaques, peepholes. Jody fired the other four works were to be slabs, was cool and damp; its walls are a kiln for the next 35 days according each 7 by 5 feet and 10 inches thick. couple feet thick, and they and the to Jun’s written schedule and daily Although related to his prior ce­ floor were saturated with moisture, telephone conversations. Jun flew ramic sculpture, these larger forms as this particular kiln had not been back for the critical decisions of necessitated a good deal of con­ fired since the fall of 1982. Because when to shut the burners down and struction research. Jun spent the of the moisture, heat lamps and when to “strike” the kiln. early months of 1983 testing clay glowing buckets of charcoal were Nearly two weeks passed as the bodies and glazes, and working out brought in to help stiffen the clay kiln cooled and everyone involved technical solutions for building, fir­ so that construction could proceed awaited the opening. On a cold win­ ing and moving the sculpture. according to plan. The project’s ter night, the door was unbricked. In May, he returned with three as­ schedule was not considered flexi­ The atmosphere inside the kiln was sistants: David Hennessy, Jin Bae and ble: six weeks for construction, three hot, saunalike; in the spotlights the Fumio Sugi. The brickyard has four and a half months for drying, two sculptures stood bright and vibrant. industrial kilns; Jun’s forms were to weeks for glazing and preparing the A few days later, two new assis­ be constructed in place inside one kiln for firing, 35 days for firing, just tants, Paul Sires and Ralph Paquin, beehive kiln that was 35 feet in di­ shy of two weeks for cooling, and arrived for the unloading. Of the ameter by 15 feet high. Work of this two weeks for unloading. eight forms, two were deemed un­ scale had never been done at the site, After construction, the domes and successful by Jun and had to be de­ nor had anyone ever attempted athe slabs were “sweated” dry with stroyed a before the removal of the glaze firing there. few small burners substituted for the others. Then, unloading of the Jun had determined that brick normal large ones. A ventilation/cir­ sculptures required lowering them pedestals should be constructed so culation system was installed, and a from the pedestals, enlarging the that the forms would be positioned temperature/humidity relationship doorway, digging trenches and midway between floor and ceiling, was maintained (checked daily) for winching the forms out of the kiln equidistant from the ten burner ports on a steel sled Jun had designed. that jut into the kiln chamber. Also Above Jun Kaneko built and Jired Placed on hardwood pallets, the considered in the positioning were eight monumental ceramic works were loaded with a forklift the two doorways and a 2V^-foot- sculptures inside this 35-foot- onto flatbed trucks. Now, they’re in square chimney flue centered in the diameter beehive kiln at the Omaha storage awaiting a two-year exhibi­ kiln floor. During construction, scaf- Brick Works, Nebraska. tion tour beginning in the fall. A Ceramics Monthly Portfolio

It has been 21 years since I started I made my first ceramic piece dur­ working with clay. And it was ex­ ing the winter of 1963. Coming from actly 21 years ago that I arrived in Decision painting, it was natural for me to just the United States too. Before that I make a painting on the clay surface. was a painter for about five years in Making That was the easiest approach for me. Japan. A lot of people interested in by Jun Kaneko I did slip- and glaze-painted slabs ceramics go to Japan to study. But for two years or so. Then, as every­ in my case I started as a painter, came body does, I became sort of hot to here, then found clay. I didn’t know do throwing. But throwing tied up anything about Japanese ceramics. I my thinking. As anyone who has ever worked with clay in this country for had experience in throwing at the about six years before going back to wheel knows, your idea might be Japan; the first time I returned I great, but in the beginning the piece found out about all the different just doesn’t follow up. It usually kinds of thinking involved. comes out clumsy. What I did was My approach is very basic. It’s al­ just push the clay around, cut it out, most like trying to exercise my mind, try to hide the form’s clumsiness. my thinking. I am not really hoping By 1965 I was still struggling to to communicate with other people. really understand what three dimen­ Some people make a big issue of sional meant to me. Whenever I what other people think about their made three-dimensional work, it was work, but for me it’s really a private actually two sided, with a front and cause. I think that has something to back view. I started with small forms, do with my experience in the United about 18 inches high, but generally States. my scale was about 3 to 5 feet. I When I arrived here, I had just don’t know how that happened. turned 21 and it was the first time I Maybe it was because there were a had been away from my family. Two I assistants handbuild a thick lot of people doing large-scale ce­ didn’t know any English. I didn’t slab which will form the base of a ramics in California then. I never know anybody in California. I dome-shaped sculpture; incised lines really asked myself about scale at packed one small suitcase and came. indicate placement of the wall and that time. Usually one side of these That could be the biggest culture interior supports. two-sided forms I liked more than shock that anyone could experi­ the other. If you’re wondering what ence. And on top of that, I had never going on. Finally I completed every­happened to the “other” side, it was done any housework, no cooking, thing. Then I found out that the as­ just shoved against a wall. But with­ washing, grocery shopping. And then signment was for the whole semes­ in myself, it was still there. I knew I couldn’t speak English. So even ter. I made this kind of mistake all what happened to that side. grocery shopping took me about four the time. So I started to think about 360° or five hours. I kept going back to When I first went to the laundro­ forms, and produced my first sculp­ the same supermarket; I was afraid mat, I had never used a washing ma­ ture. I call it sculpture because I to go to another place. Then after chine before. Like a lot of young didn’t make any hole in the top. I four or five months, I learned what people, I had accumulated about a was that naive! No matter what kind was where so I didn’t have to waste month’s worth of dirty laundry and of shape I was making, I had to have time. I still can’t read English. I stuffed it into five or six machines. an opening at the top in order to feel thought about writing this article in I thought more soap was better, and okay about it. Everything I made then Japanese to let you experience what so dumped a whole big box of de­ started at the floor; it usually had to I did, but that’s a bit too much. tergent in each. I took off after that, have a pretty strong support to Those first couple of years were as I saw other people doing, and counter the weight on top. So in the really important to the way I ap­ when I came back, the whole place end, I had very heavy kinds of forms proach my art. I misunderstood a lot was filled with soap. Somehow, at sitting all over the studio and it just of things when I thought I was doing that time, it wasn’t funny. depressed me. Then one day in 1967 the right thing. There’s really no way Thinking back about then, about I started to think about making a to communicate intuitively exactly how my art has developed, how I do lighter form, maybe including some the way you feel. my work—a lot comes from that gesture of movement. My first teacher in this country time. To me, nothing is a disaster. I have a tendency to work with gave the whole semester’s assign­ People sometimes think something about ten different ideas at the same ment on the first day of classes. I is a really bad mistake, but I always time. I just do anything that interests thought that was one week’s assign­ believe there are two sides to every­me, without directly questioning too ment, and I started to work day and thing. If I feel it’s a mistake, I find much. Most of the time I go by in­ night. I noticed the other students I’m looking at it from just one side. tuition. If it’s not important enough, were going slow and taking it easy, So I try to find another side. It may it will fade away by itself. If it’s im­ but I couldn’t understand what was take five years, but I try to find it. portant, it will keep coming back. A Ceramics Monthly Portfolio

So I end up having a tentative kind In graduate school I thought a size in my throwing—up to 4 feet. of approach to sculpture, to paint­ lot about looking at the same form What interests me in throwing is the ing, to everything. from totally different viewpoints. I spiral movement, especially when I didn’t even realize I was using was thinking about such things as you throw a flat piece where you pattern until the ’70s, though I’d pattern and rhythm: What is rhythm? have to compress the center. I’m not been using it for several years. I was What is pattern? One piece was very a big person and when it’s necessary in graduate school and somebody important in its effect on my to compress the center of a large said, “Where’s that coming from?” Ithoughts. It is about 7 feet in di­ plate, I have to reach way in, with had never thought about it, so I took ameter. While it was drying, the front my head almost touching. All I see photos of whatever interested me started to crack off. I tried to patch is the spinning surface. I started to and played with that. it up for three or four days, but it draw that experience, that spiral de­ Then I started to do some draw­ would keep coming off. So I thought sign. ings. I hadn’t painted for about 12 about cutting it off and laying it on Between 1971 and 1974 my work years, but about 1974 or so I began the floor. I think this idea worked started to change. I had been making to again. One day, by mistake, I woke out better than the original one. The large-scale forms, but they often took up at 7 o’clock (I don’t get up early piece made me realize that I should so long to do I didn’t feel right about in the morning), but stayed in bed; really be paying attention to see thethem. They needed to be more spon­ woke again at 9, then 10. Each time possibility within accident that taneous. I thought maybe if I made I noticed a big change in the way could make the piece work better. very simple, small shapes, it would things looked. Around noon I was I realized that broken forms could allow me more flexibility. After fir­ thinking about getting up while be as strong aesthetically as the orig­ ing, they could be strong alone or looking out the bedroom window. inal. That’s a possibility of material assembled. I tried to investigate how All of a sudden I realized that the and it could be used after the piece an idea changes if I alter the spaces changing light and shadow could was fired; I could come up with in between. An assembled work make so much difference in a simple something else by breaking and could be spread out 5000 miles; environment. I thought maybe play­reassembling it. I was surprised my space between each piece could be ing with light and shadow might be attitude toward clay had been lim­ 200-300 miles. an interesting approach for my work. ited, in a way, and started purpose­ One of my favorite works was just So I shot a lot of photos, and did fully to break pieces. And that’s still a hunk of clay, a potato piece. Right some environmental pieces. I paint­ with me—the destruction of mate­ after I fired it, I liked it so much I ed the inside of the house all white, rial to make it work a certain way. made 60 of them. Then I decided to and hung about 100 white forms I’m still doing it once in a while. move back to Japan. I hate to throw within that white environment. I After spending nine years in Cal­ anything away, so these 60 potatoes started to include light and shadow ifornia, I moved to the East Coast. were packed and shipped to Japan. concepts in my ceramics, but as I At this time I was trying to get more My entire shipment weighed 40 tons. mentioned, I work intuitively, and That was the biggest shipment of that just was not my way of doing Above Walls and interior bracing personal effects (I guess) they’d ever things. I dropped that idea quickly. were handbuilt in chunks; heat seen. And in Japan, if it’s personal Most of the time I just work. It takes lamps helped stiffen the clay so that effect shipping, they have to open me about three to five years to re­ construction could proceed all boxes. It was so funny watching alize what I’m really doing. according to schedule. them taking half the day to go through my things. I wish I could put up telephone poles without ity, how that gesture influences the show you their faces looking at those heavy equipment. Months later they environment (the air around the potato shapes coming out. Finally found out I was kidding. form) is the issue for me. they gave up. Construction of a house, studio I worked in my new studio in Ja­ I had to go back to Japan because and kiln shed took about three and pan for about a year and a half, then I never really had worked as aa half years. The house is about 1500 went to New York to work for six professional artist there. I wanted to square feet, two and a half stories. months. Since then I have divided go back and see what would hap­ The studio is about 2000 square feet; my time between Japan and the pen. Everybody thought it was a badits walls are made from railroad ties United States (I now teach at Cran- move because I had a good job and and most of the uprights are tele­ brook Academy of Art in Bloomfield my work was going pretty well. Iphone poles. The kiln shed is about Hills, Michigan). was going back to Japan with no job, 800 square feet and contains five The recent project in Omaha, Ne­ no studio, no house, little money. kilns. This was the first building ex­ braska, was based on a small piece They didn’t know what I was going perience I had had. I wasn’t count­ I made about ten years ago. I was to do. I didn’t either. ing on anybody’s help, but I think interested in how an increase in scale In Japan, most ceramic artists have at least 300 people volunteered. and density would affect the envi­ studio space of less than 500 square After a while I got the opportunity ronment. I was concerned with what feet. But all my training (and think­ to show in Japan. Fortunately a lot happens in between that initial in­ ing) was in the United States, so I of my pieces could be rearranged in tuitive spark and the physical con­ wanted to build a big studio and a totally different ways. So I was able clusion, with the decision making house—with a very limited budget. to keep showing at the same time within myself. The “striking” tech­ I looked for cheap materials and we were building, even though I nique is a good example: Normally found I could use telephone poles wasn’t making new work at the time. you fire a kiln to a desired temper­ and railroad ties. Because of this building experi­ ature then shut it off. Striking in­ I moved to a remote mountain be­ ence, this combination of Western volves the decision to relight the cause property is so expensive. This and Eastern ideas, I began to think burners when the kiln has cooled place is so remote, we were the first more about the space between and (to about 1300°F), and reduce people to move into the village for around things. That became an im­ heavily—that’s when copper in the about 2000 years; everybody else portant is physical and abstract aspect glaze reacts nicely with the atmo­ moving out. They were really curi­of my work. Before, I had made form- sphere. Where before I had thought ous, but it took them about two or oriented pieces and wasn’t partic­ mostly about making an interesting three months to come to talk to me. ularly aware of the surrounding structure, now my thought process Finally, somebody asked what I was space. Now that space has equal is focused on something happening doing. For about a year and a half meaning with the form. How the in between: what I do to the mate­ they just laughed as they looked atsculpture resists or goes with grav- rials, or how I put forms together. nine telephone poles standing up­ Making art is the chain reaction of right. So I told them I was an engi­ Above Jun determined that the intuitive sparks and decision mak­ neer for the telephone company, and sculptures would fire best when ing within myself. Intuitive energy that there are areas where we can’t placed midway between the kiln floor comes from understanding of self, bring equipment in; that we were and beehive arch, so they were and spontaneous reaction to the vi­ trying to figure out the best way toconstructed from scaffolding. sual and nonvisual moment. A Ceramics Monthly Portfolio A Ceramics Monthly Portfolio

Opposite pageWhen the walls were almost 6 feet in height the tops were closed in to make shapes reminiscent of Japanese dumplings. During construction, plastic kept the top edges from drying while the rest of the wall stiffened to support the weight of the next chunks of clay.

Right and belowWhen the forms were completed they were dried over a period of 3 ½ months with small burners substituted for the larger ones used in brick firing. A newly installed ventilation/circulation system aided daily maintenance of the temperature/humidity relationship. When the sculptures were dry, Jun returned for the glazing. First, patterns were worked out in India ink (which fires without leaving a color or residue), then filled in with colored slips. When the slip had dried sufficiently, masking tape was placed over the decoration and a dark manganese slip brushed over all, resulting in a hard-edge line from the tape resist. When decoration was complete, the masking tape was removed and a clear glaze applied over the forms. Then the kiln was readied with draw tiles, and cone packs. Jun’s assistant, Jody Baral, fired the kiln for 35 days according to Jun’s written schedule and telephone conversations. Jun flew back to end the Cone 4 firing. When cooled to about 1300°F, the kiln was struck: that is, the burners were relit and a heavy reducing atmosphere created to effect maximum richness or color response. Gas for drying and firing cost $8500. A Ceramics Monthly Portfolio

Of the eight fired sculptures, Jun deemed two unsuccessful, and thus to be destroyed. These were strapped (to avoid damaging adjacent works) and hammered apart. It took 12 blows with a sledgehammer to make the first break through the wall. Demolition confirmed the purpose of extra wall thickness— these works will be nearly vandal proof even when installed in public spaces outdoors.

The six remaining sculptures were progressively jacked down from their pedestals and the bricks removed; then a sloping ditch was dug in the dirt floor and the doorway enlarged to accommodate unloading. The project had occupied the kiln for 9 months. A Ceramics Monthly Portfolio

With a Come-Along, the 7-ton sculptures were hand winched through the kiln's enlarged doorway on a steel sled Jun had designed. Placed on hardwood pallets with a forklift, the works were loaded onto flatbed trucks and taken to warehouse storage prior to the start of a 2-year museum tour, currently in planning. By the end of the project, Jun’spersonal investment in the sculptures totalled $40,000. Iceland’s Borghildur Oskarsdottir

".Flight of Fancy I* 18 inches in width, press-molded stoneware, with inlaid black slip and glass, thinly glazed, fired to Cone 9.

A t HER STUDIO in an old neighborhood “where I first became familiar with clay. with, glass was used as a glaze, which near the center of Reykjavik, Borghildur I acquired my first kiln and wheel in was submissive and obedient to the clay. Oskarsdottir makes various functional Scotland and took them with me back Soon the glass rebelled and demanded forms (“necessary to maintain my work­ to Iceland.” About four years ago she independence. Then I began to wrestle shop”) and “free art.” Of the functional acquired her present studio, four min­ with the interaction of these materials, objects, she is happiest producing por­ utes walk from home. “These are old which I subjectively sense as contrasts.” celain tumblers, cups, bowls and other worksheds on a back lot, quite run-down, Glass was cut to the same size as a tableware. The forms are completed with but spacious and bright. tray, placed over the face relief, and fired attached foot rims and handles, then “All this time I had little or no contact up to 1472°F (800°C). The thick glass grains of dry, oxide-stained slip are with people of my profession and I felt conformed to the surface, then cracked pressed into the clay “to make the objects isolated. It was not until two years ago during cooling. The amount of cracking more lively.” Functional ware is glazed that 11 ceramists founded the Society of varied with the firing temperature. with a nearly transparent white recipe, Icelandic Ceramic Artists, and held their Later, glass was fired at higher tem­ but she seldom applies glaze to non­ first show in June 1982 at the biennial peratures on clay forms. Other variants functional work. In many of these sculp­ ‘Reykjavik Art Festival.’ included the thickness of the glass and tural objects, she incorporates “a repro­ “When I began thinking of work for the rate of cooling. “At 2192-2372°F duction of my own face and sometimes this exhibition, I felt the need to say (1200-1300°C) the glass melts com­ also my hands. From that I proceed to something about myself. That’s why I pletely and flows. During cooling, a tight make abstract patterns. Then the shape made a mold of my own face from plas­ network of cracks forms under the sur­ and size are determined. My interest is ter, then made a clay mold of that. Be­ face and the glass almost loses its trans­ also focused on large sculptural vases, fore, I had been making rectangular trays; parent quality. When the cold, imper­ forms of light and shadow.” now the clay face is attached to the tray sonal glass is placed against the warm, Borghildur studied art at the Iceland­ and the broad rim forms a frame. earthy clay, these contrasts struggle until ic College for Art and Crafts, and at the “I experimented with firing glass on finally there is reconciliation where both Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland, clay at various temperatures. To begin have given and received.” June/July/August 1984 59 “Frame ” 16 inches square, stoneware slab, fired to “In Two Worlds” 12 inches in height, press-molded stoneware, with Cone 9, with glass and subsequent firing to Cone 015. inlaid brown slip, fired to Cone 9, glass applied and fired to Cone 06.

Iceland, less than 1000 miles northwest of Scotland and 375 miles from massive Greenland, is the island home of ceramist Borghildur Oskarsdottir, whose studio is in the capital city of Reykjavik.

60 CERAMICS MONTHLY Borghildur Oskarsdottir Top Like many ceramists everywhere, Borghildur supports her studio through the sale of functional objects. She says she is happiest making press-molded, glazed porcelain cups and tumblers, with oxide-stained slip decoration. Right The artist’s current work has involved slab building large sculptural forms with lines of inlaid slip. June/July/August 1984 61 The Water Jars of Cocucho by ensJ Morrison

I FIRST SAW the tinajas (big water jars) After traveling red in Patzcuaro, a small mountain town in dirt roads, one enters isolated Cocucho the state of Michoacan, Mexico. Toward where Teresa Flores the end of October, the craftspeople from Rodriques (below the surrounding areas sell their ware in right) and her sister the Patzcuaro central zocalo (plaza). This Teresa Francisco is a special time of the year: Fall and make large water the celebration of the Days of the Dead jars, a pre-Spanish begin the Mexican holidays which con­ conquest tradition tinue through the Christmas and Easter handed down from seasons. While in Patzcuaro, I was able mother to daughter. Photos: Doug Hansen, Jens Momson 62 CERAMICS MONTHLY to purchase a Cocucho tinaja; most of the Cocucho water jars are used by the people who live there as there is no cen­ tral water system. A few months later, I flew from Ti­ juana to Guadalajara, where I met ce­ ramist Doug Hansen and we rented a car to drive through Jalisco to Michoa- can. Although not as “romantic” as trav­ eling on a Mexican bus or train, a car saves time and makes the remote areas more accessible. Cocucho is high in the mountains and difficult to reach. Being rather isolated, the potters have retained folkcraft and a way of living with little change in regard to pottery making. Their quiet life is removed from rapidly chang­ ing urban Mexico. The road to Cocucho is, in many parts, almost impassable. (It is wise to have a high-clearance vehicle.) Traversing “seas” of corn, the red-mud road ascends to higher elevations. Several small villages are passed through before once again going through deep valleys, corn patches and wild flowers. After a long trek, the rain-soaked road began to climb sharply into a thick pine forest. Beautiful handlaid volcanic rock walls lined the camino —none of them mortared, but rather stacked in such a way as to mark pasture boundaries. Upon reaching a small summit, the village of Cocucho lay before us. It had stopped raining when we en­ tered the village and ended up in the main zocalo. Not knowing where to con­ Above Teresa Flores pulls the tact potters, we drove through the plaza neck of a small jar, moving and parked by the side of the road. Since around the pot to form the lip all Tarascan Indian houses are fenced with her right hand. with only a main gate entrance, we wan­ dered down a cobblestone street in search of someone who spoke Spanish, not just the local tongue. As luck would have it, we met ajar maker named Teresa Flores Rodriques and were escorted to her compound very close to where we had parked the car. Entering the one-room Left Sometimes larger jars are house, we were confronted by nearly half wrapped with the potter’s of the sleeping area filled with huge ti- rebozo (shawl) for uniform najas, some over 4 feet tall. drying in the sun. After seeing all the pots in the house and loft, we discovered that Teresa Flo­ Picos (points at the res’s aljareria (pottery) was in another shoulder) and patitas part of the village. We walked about half (small feet) may be a mile, through Cocucho, to the small added to the characteristically round, knoll where her workshop was located, swelling shapes. When overlooking the village streets and houses. leather hard, the jars are We made arrangements to return the next burnished with smooth day and drove into the Tarascan Sierra obsidian or flint tools to camp. that have remained in the It rained most of the night and we felt family for generations. it would be impossible to watch a typical firing—outdoors on the ground with no kiln. But the steady rain had stopped by the time we returned to the pottery and June/July/August 1984 63 for the next five hours the weather was with us. Teresa Flores has been making water jars for 15 years, having learned the techniques from her mother who was a potter for more than 20 years. All tra­ ditional ways of working are kept within the confines of the family; the same tools are often used for generations. Now Ter­ esa Flores’s oldest daughters are learn­ ing to make and fire tinajas. The men are woodcutters, mill workers and farm­ ers, and never take part in the actual making of pottery, though they do help with transportation to market and oc­ casionally with pricing. The Cocucho pottery is not made with indigenous materials. Clay comes from Ocumicho and San Jose de Gracia, both located several miles over the mountains. The temper in the clay body, as well as the red slip applied to the jars, are pur­ chased from the pottery town of Patam- Above In the ban, near Ocumicho and de Gracia. evening when the The traditional way of raising a jar potters can “see the color” the tin ajas in Cocucho is similar to the coil and pull are fired one at a technique used in parts of West Africa. time. The first jar is Plastic clay is pounded flat into a neg­ placed on a mat ative mold (a concave shard), then coils near a fast-burning are added and thinned with a piece of pine fire, which soon corncob called an elote. As the jar gains provides a bed of height, the elote is used to pull the walls. coals. When the neck and rim are added, the potter backs around the jar to finish the Left Teresa Flores and her daughter shaping with her hand. Margarita Francisco Characteristically, the tinaja is a round, position the pot on swelling shape; some have picos (points) its side, where applied to the shoulders. As is typical of carbon will produce pottery produced in cultures where ta­ the black marks bles are used little or not at all, most of called manchas. the Cocucho tinajas are round bottomed so they can rest easily on uneven ground. The exceptions are the jars with small feet called patitas. When asked how many years these picos and patitas have been added to the forms, the only response was that they were “muy antigua” very old. Small tinajas are formed in 12 to 15 minutes, but the larger jars need to be built in sections and sometimes take more than a week to complete. Just before the pot is burnished, a tool called a raspador is used to scrape and thin the walls; a thinner pot is more apt to stand the ther­ mal shock of firing. The leather-hard jars are coated with red slip, then bur­ nished with a smooth piece of obsidian or flint and set in the sun to dry. The firing process is a pre-Spanish- conquest tradition. Individually, pots are fired on level ground in the open, usually in the late afternoon or at night when the wind dies down and the potters can Wood is stacked around the jar to insulate In 40-50 minutes, the tinaja will reach “see the color” of the ware in the fire. and promote draft. approximately 750°F. As we joined Teresa Flores at her fir- 64 CERAMICS MONTHLY ing area, she was bringing a large tinaja out of the storage shelter. Since her main house is in another part of the village, the pottery has a shelter for burnishing and storing pots, and a cocina (kitchen) so that meals can be cooked while work­ ing on pots. Several small jars and two large ones were lined up near the pine wood fire to dry. Unlike many other In­ dian pottery centers where a variety of forms are fired together, Cocucho pots are fired, on their sides, one at a time. Each tinaja is placed on a mat near the fire until coals are made, then the jar is moved from the mat and positioned on its side directly on the coals. Pieces of wood are added until there is a tall, thin flame leaping upwards. Then pine logs are stacked in a pyramid to induce draft. As the pot takes on a faint reddish glow (after about 40 to 50 minutes), Teresa Flores removes the unburned logs. When the jar takes on a faint reddish Using a long pine pole, Teresa Flores A long pine pole is inserted into the mouth glow, excess wood is removed from and her husband Saladonyo lift the pot of the vessel to remove it from the fire. the fire. off the coals. Depending on how large the jar is, sev­ eral people might help her obtain lev­ erage enough to transfer the pot from the fire to a triangle of rocks for even cooling. As the tinaja cools, the black marks called manchas become clearly defined; these cloudlike patterns are a result of heavy reduction where the clay comes into direct contact with the wood. No­ where else in Mexico will you see such distinct black marks against a red/or­ ange surface. The firing of the tinajas is a time for enjoyment, a time when members of the community can get together, gossip and watch the gringos. During the Ro- driques firing, there were probably as many as 50 people at the site, all offering help on certain tasks when needed. Fir­ ing six water jars took almost five hours, but there were no faltas (mistakes). Cocucho remains a link with the past— a remote, unspoiled land inhabited by friendly, hardworking people, where the pottery tradition is, for now, still thriving and safe from outside influence. We left late at night, trying to navigate the dark streets, getting lost and ending up near a washed-out arroyo thinking it was the main road out of town. After poking my head into different stores and houses to find someone who spoke Span­ ish, we were directed to the right road out of Cocucho, down the mountains, through the dark valleys and back to the highway that would lead us to the city lights of Patzcuaro. The author Ceramic artist Jens Mor­ rison maintains a studio in Carlsbad , The first of six successfully fired water jars is placed on a triangle of three rocks to California. promote even cooling. June/July/August 1984 65 Hobart Cowles Blue and Green Glazes by Lili Krakowski

Except for the Cone 04 turquoise rec­ Mottled Pea Green Glaze Ultramarine Gloss Glaze ipe, these Hobart Cowles blue and green (Cone 5) (Cone 5) glazes (see the March 1984 issue for his Fluorspar...... 5.44% Wood Ash...... 41.67% white glazes, and the May issue for Al­ Talc...... 9.46 Petalite...... 58.33 bany slip recipes) were tested on a buff Custer Feldspar...... 28.37 100.00% clay body at Cone 5. It is possible that Frit 3134 (Ferro) ...... 14.18 Add: Tin Oxide...... 3.00% texture and maturity will vary on dif­Kaolin...... 18.91 Cobalt Carbonate ...... 1.00% ferent clays and at different tempera­ Flint...... 23.64 tures (Cone 4 to Cone 6). The type of 100.00% Fluid Blue-Green Glaze kiln and firing cycle also may affect the Add: Tin Oxide...... 7.57% (Cone 5) outcome. In addition, you may wish to Copper Oxide ...... 2.50% Lithium Carbonate...... 4.55% test these recipes with other colorants, Vanadium Pentoxide . . . 5.00% Nepheline Syenite ...... 4.55 or without colorants (for whites). Frit 3134 (Ferro) ...... 49.99 Copper Green Matt Glaze Kaolin...... 36.36 Semitransparent Turquoise Glaze (Cone 5) Flint...... 4.55 (Cone 04) Barium Carbonate...... 24.4% 100.00% Frit 3134 (Ferro)...... 55.56% Dolomite ...... 12.2 Add: Tin Oxide...... 7.27% Kaolin ...... 23.81 Petalite ...... 12.2 Copper Oxide ...... 3.00% Flint...... 20.63 Cornwall Stone ...... 12.2 Without the copper, this recipe yields a 100.00% Nepheline Syenite...... 12.2 handsome white glaze. Add: Copper Oxide ...... 2.00% Kaolin ...... 12.2 Flint ...... 14.6 Dull Blue-Green Glaze 100.0% (Cone 5) Pea Green Glaze Add: Tin Oxide...... 4.9% (Cone 5) Dolomite ...... 12.64% Copper Carbonate ...... 3.5%Lithium Carbonate...... 3.16 Dolomite...... 21.74% Whiting...... 3.78 Custer Feldspar...... 26.09 Lavender-Blue Satin Glaze Nepheline Syenite ...... 3.16 Frit 3134 (Ferro) ...... 13.04 (Cone 5) Frit 3134 (Ferro) ...... 26.73 Kaolin ...... 17.39 Dolomite ...... 11.76% Kaolin...... 21.48 Flint...... 21.74 Lithium Carbonate...... 3.36 Flint...... 29.05 100.00% Whiting...... 3.36 100.00% Add: Copper Oxide ...... 2.50% Frit 3134 (Ferro) ...... 24.37 Add: Copper Carbonate ...... 4.00% Rutile...... 2.00% Kaolin...... 17.65 A pea green recipe with gold runs. Flint...... 39.50 The base recipe is good with other col­ 100.00% orants too. Pale Green Glaze Add: Cobalt Carbonate ...... 1.00% Copper Blue-Green Glaze (Cone 5) Dark Navy Blue Glaze (Cone 5) Cryolite...... 5.76% Barium Carbonate...... 26.0% Dolomite...... 16.97 (Cone 5) Lithium Carbonate...... 4.0 Strontium Carbonate...... 9.09 Dolomite ...... 12.44% Whiting ...... 10.0 Kaolin ...... 22.72 Gerstley Borate...... 27.56 Kingman Feldspar...... 60.0 Flint...... 45.46 Magnesium Carbonate...... 11.11 100.0% 100.00% Kaolin...... 16.89 Flint...... 32.00 Add: Tin Oxide...... 7.0% Add: Tin Oxide...... 4.85% Copper Carbonate ...... 2-4.5% Zinc Oxide...... 13.64% 100.00% Copper Carbonate ...... 1.25% Add: Cobalt Carbonate ...... 2.50% Apply thinly. 66 Ceramics Monthly

Photos: Baumann and courtesy of Handwerkskammer Koblenz 68 CERAMICS MONTHLY Jaensch, Frankfurt. height, saltglazedinreduction,by Eva Liebscher,Hohr-Grenzhausen, stoneware withimpresseddecoration, 6 inchesinheight,wheel-thrown iron andtitaniumslips,byTherese Wheel-thrown coveredjar,9inchesir Thrown coveredjars,thetaller West Germany.

The $2300 first prize in an interna­ award the prizes to ceramists 35 years Salt-glazed stoneware jars , the tallest tional competition for salt-glazed work, old and under who are just beginning to 8 inches in height, wheel thrown, with exhibited recently at the Handswerks- establish their reputations. But there was stamping, slips, oxidation jired, by Annette kammer Koblenz in West Germany, was no restriction on the style of the salt- Dannhus, Hohr-Grenzhausen. awarded to Monika Herbst, Kassel, West glazed objects accepted for exhibition, Germany. Second place ($1500) went to since the show was planned “to stimulate Norwegian ceramist Jorun Kraft Mo, clayworks using salt firing not only in Trondheim; and three commendations the traditional manner but also as a means (each $750) were given to Annette of expression.” Dannhus and Rainer Rallies, both of Featuring ceramics by 105 potters from Hohr-Grenzhausen, West Germany, and 15 countries, the Salzbrand exhibition Maureen Minchen, Norfolk, England. was also presented at Landesvertretung It was the intention of the gallery to Rheinland-Pfalz in Bonn. June/July/August 1984 69 Teapots, the taller 8 inches in height, thrown stoneware, with slips, salt glazed, by John Neely, Kyoto. Left Salt-glazed jug, 13 inches in height, Westerwald stoneware, with incised and combed slip decoration, designed by Gerd Zoller for Merkelbach Manufaktur, Hohr- Grenzhausen.

Below A traditional German wood-burning salt kiln and its shed. With a firing chamber of 890 cubic feet, approximately £lcords of wood are used for each firing. Measurements shown are metric.

70 Ceramics Monthly Far left Covered jar, 5 inches in height, salt-glazed stoneware, with slip, reduction fired in a gas kiln, by Helga Maria Gleiss, Husby-Hodderup, West Germany. Left Stoneware jug, 9 inches in height, wood fired to Cone 12, by Alfred Hering, Aubinges, West Germany. Below Wheel-thrown bowls, 15 inches in diameter; and vase, of slightly contaminated Westerwald clay, with engobes, salt glazed in reduction, by Rainer Kallies, Kammerforst, West Germany.

June/July/August 1984 71 72 Ceramics Monthly in the Park”; at the Victorian Courthouse Square niques.” September 8 Dale Roush, “Kiln Itinerary Park. Building.” Fee: $40 each. Contact: Natasha Torres, Continued from Page 13 Pennsylvania, GreensburgJuly 6-8 “West­ Baulines Craftsman’s Guild, 55 Sunnyside Ave., moreland Arts & Heritage Festival”; at Twin Lakes Mill Valley 94941; or call: (415) 381-4194. New York, New York June 30-July 1 and July Park, off Rte. 30. Colorado, Vail June 18-August 3 Colorado 7-8 Eighth annual “American Crafts Festival”; Pennsylvania, PittsburghJune 8-24 The 25th Mountain College is offering several 1-week ses­ at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. annual “Three Rivers Arts Festival”; at Gateway sions with Rod Tsukashima, Robert Piepenburg, New York, Saratoga Springs June 30-July Center, Point State Park. Bob Shay, Bennett Bean, George Tompkins and 1 Fifth annual “Craft Fair at the Kool Jazz Fes­ Pennsylvania, State CollegeJuly 12-15 “The Dan Angel Martinez. Contact: Summervail Work­ tival”; at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. 18th Annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the shop, Box 177, Minturn, Colorado 81645; or call: New York, Syracuse July 13-15 The 14th an­ Arts”; at Pennsylvania State University. (303) 827-5703. nual “Downtown Syracuse Arts & Crafts Festi­ Utah, Park City August 4-5 “Fifteenth An­ Connecticut, Middletown August 20-24 “Slow­ val”; at Columbus Circle. nual Park City Art Festival”; along Main Street. ing Process, Extending Limits” with Harvey Sa- New York, Tuxedo June 16-17 “Crafts in the Vermont, Burlington July 20-23 Third an­ dow. September 15-16 “Emphasis on Color” Forest.” July 28-September 9 “Seventh New nual “Church Street Festival of the Arts”; at the with Elizabeth MacDonald. Contact: The Wes­ York Renaissance Festival”; at Sterling Forest. Marketplace, Church St. leyan Potters, 350 S. Main St., Middletown 06457; North Carolina, Asheville June 7-9 “Highland Vermont, Manchester August 4-6 Fifth an­ or call: (203) 347-5925. Heritage Art & Craft Show”; at the Asheville Mall. nual “Southern Vermont Craft Fair”; at Routes 11 Louisiana, Monroe August 1-4 “Crystalline August 9-11 “High Country Summerfest Art and and 30. Porcelain Workshop,” a hands-on experience cov­ Craft Show”; at Asheville Civic Center. Washington, Richland July 27-28 “Allied Arts ering glaze theory and firing, at the Northeast North Carolina, Manteo August 17-19 “New Association Sidewalk Show ’84”; at Howard Amon Louisiana University Art Department. Fee: $80, World Festival of the Arts III”; at the waterfront. Park. includes materials. Contact: Donald R. Holloway, North Carolina, Nag’s Head August 3-4 Wisconsin, Madison July 7-8 The Madison 18 Jana Dr., Monroe 71203; or call: (318) 343- “Compass Rose Art and Craft Fair”; at the Gal­ Art Center’s 26th annual “Art Fair on the Square”; 7658 or 343-0312. leon Esplanade’s gardens. at 211 State St. New Hampshire, Goffstown June 18-29 North Carolina, Sapphire June 29-July 1 Wisconsin, Sheboygan July 21-22 “Fourteenth “Porcelain Workshop” with Gerry Williams. Fee: “High Country Art and Craft Show”; at Fairfield- Annual Outdoor Arts Festival”; at the John Mi­ $190. July 2-4 “Brush Printing on Ceramic Sapphire Resort. chael Kohler Arts Center, 608 New York Ave. Forms” with Ed Nelson. Fee: $65. July North Carolina, Scaly Mountain July 6-8 and 2-6 “Intensive Throwing and Production Tech­ August 3-5 “Art and Craft Show”; at Mountain niques” with Rudy Houk. Fee: $95. July Hillbilly Crafts. Workshops 9-13 “Techniques of Low Temperature Pottery” Ohio, Canton June 9-10 “Common Market”; California, Lomita June 16-17 A session to with Rudy Houk. Fee: $95.July 11-12 “Clinic at Central Plaza, downtown. construct a 35-cu.-ft. car kiln with Nils Lou. Fee: on Electric Kilns, Gas Burners and Kiln Equip­ Ohio, Chagrin Falls June 16-17 “Art by the $45. Contact: Neil Moss, 2354 W. 250 St., Lomita ment” with Harry Dedell. Fee: $55. July Falls ’84”; at Riverside Park, Main St. 90717; or call: (213) 530-9790. 30-August 3 “Low and High Relief Ceramic Wall Ohio, Cincinnati June 16-17 “Summerfair California, Mill Valley August 4 Nancy Ad­ Plaques” with Armand Szainer. Fee: $95. July ’84”; at Riverfront Stadium. ams, “Clay Joinery”; and Diana Crain, “Colored 31-August 10 “Master Class,” a session for ad­ Ohio, Columbus June 2-3 “Greater Colum­ Porcelain.” August 18 Gail Caulfield, “Prim­ vanced potters, professionals and teachers. Limited bus Arts Festival”; downtown, along the Scioto River. itive Low-Fire Techniques.” August 25 Janice enrollment. Send slides of work, two letters of rec- Ohio, Medina July 15 The 11th annual “Art Rowell, “Throwing and Altering Tech­ PI ease Turn to Page 96

June/July/August 1984 73 74 Ceramics Monthly News & Retrospect Robert Glover lation of a linear boundary which is minimal, brush full of oxide. The pot was whisked off “The intent directing this body of work and on a site which is isolated, establishes to the gas kiln for miraculous things to hap­ [presented recently in a solo exhibition at the reduction of social interaction in favor of pen. Chaffey Community College in Alta Loma, centering the Self. Following the teacher’s example, I eagerly California] is divided into three basic as­ “ ‘Tumbos’ is a square to be installed on lined up a row of bisqued pots and began pects,” commented Beverly Hills artist Rob­ a permanent site. A scale model shows ‘Tum­ dripping and splashing. In minutes, a se­ ert Glover. “The first deals with the natural bos’ at the top and center of a mound, which mester’s worth of work was glazed. What a attributes of clay as medium and metaphor. has a squared ‘repository’ carved into it. The letdown! It was over too fast. By the time I The second confronts clay as a sculpture me­ work will be placed into such a space, giving felt warmed up, I was finished. And with the dium expressed as module, linear gesture and reference to having been excavated, discov­ exception of another student’s pot leaping from symbolic configuration: i.e., straight, circular ered. The 16 ‘stones’ will have negative spaces the kiln shelf and fusing with one of mine, and squared. The third deals with the com­ between. Within the boundary of ‘Tumbos’ nothing very miraculous happened during ponents of ‘site-dominant’ and ‘site-specific’ there exists a grid system of lines as reference the firing. sculpture.” Shown installed at the college’s to photographic documentation and scale, plus The next semester I attempted more in­ tricate designs, dutifully using cobalt and iron oxides, the only “colors” sanctioned for use. In the firing, however, this brushwork all fuzzed together in a brown puddle on a speckled field. So it went until 1970 when I was off with degree in hand to teach art. This was a whole new world. Right in the classroom there was a big, black, electric kiln. I hadn’t a clue as to how to fire it. I’d never seen one like it. Next to the kiln were some Lilliputian cones. I guessed the 06 on the box was a misprint. In the supply cache, I was astonished to discover bags of premixed glazes along with the wheat paste, tempera paints and broken crayons. Catalogs from companies offering a rainbow of glazes soon arrived. Despite my weaning on celadons and temmokus, I began to order “fiesta turquoise” and “princess yel­ low.” By Christmas, my students had bright­ ly colored pots to take home. I was delighted with this new world of color, and left teaching after eight years to pursue this direction in my own studio. Site-oriented stoneware sculpture by Robert Glover Rex W. Wignall Museum/Gallery are “Ra- its arbitrary ‘shard’ contents which support zorback” (left foreground), “Dial-0” (right) the symbolic idea of archaeological and ar­ and “Tumbos” (background). chitectural containment.” As the artist explained: “ ‘Razorback’ uti­ lizes the gallery floor space to establish a Discovering Low-Fire Color ‘ground.’ Rising from a thin bed of black A solo exhibition of functional ware dec­ anthracite, a horizon which ‘cuts’ into space orated with polychrome, low-fire glazes by is established. The visual suggestion of Sherry Loehr (Franktown, Colorado) was mountain range or vertebrae is useful in its featured at Artisan Center in Denver through regional (geological) and archaeological ref­ May 30.—Ed. erences. These 13 sections modulate the I began working with clay as a university ‘landscape’ space by rising and falling for the student in the late 1960s. We were learning length of 14 feet. how to throw, attempting Danish modern “ ‘Dial-0’ is representative of neither be­ bottles with narrow necks, weed pots and the ginning nor end. The circle, being the sim­ like. For a class demonstration, the teacher plest gesture of containment, implies volume took a large pot, dunked it into a glaze, and through its fragmented mass, as well as hav­ gave it the old one/two, splat/splat with a ing both ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ spatial consid­ Low-fire glazed teaset by Sherry Loehr erations. These 16 modules, with their equal You are invited to send news and photo­ People most frequently want to know where passageways to the center, are literally ‘cen­ graphs about people, places or events of I get ideas. My response is that I try to be tering’ devices. The most common reference interest. We will be pleased to consider open to what is going on around me. For to the work has been its likeness to Stone­ them for publication in this column. Mail example, I am starting to use “menswear” henge. In actuality ‘Dial-0’ has limited as­ submissions to: News and Retrospect, colors: flannel, gray, taupe, khaki and the tronomical signifiers, in that it is aligned to Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Colum­ wonderful pastels, pinstripes and patterns seen the four cardinal points, and that is a circular bus, Ohio 43212. on shirts. A window-shopping trip to a mall gesture on an isolated landscape. The iso­ Continued

* June/July/August 1984 75 76 Ceramics Monthly News & Retrospect moved from the cylinder, the throwing pro­ cess is completed without water. For control can be as inspiring as a visit to the art mu­ when defining the forms, he works on a mo­ seum. torized kick wheel: “My right foot acts as a Magazines you find at the supermarket brake on the flywheel and my left foot ac­ checkout counter have recently run articles celerates with the pedal. The advantage of about how people put out signals and com­ this is delicate speed control. It’s very im­ municate with body language. The creatures portant to be in touch with the nuances in­ that inhabit my pots use body language too. volved in throwing a wide form with a small A hopeful bird charms his coy paramour with base. While working near the base, the wheel a protective wing. They are frozen in a com­ can turn at a fair clip; but moving up and municative moment which is meant to delight out, the speed should decrease at a gradual the viewer. The anthropomorphism is delib­ pace.” erate. While Bill has concentrated on form, Last year, the roof repairman’s wife came Maureen has developed surface color sub­ in and, glancing at my array of jars of un­ tleties. Soft edges and delicate illumination derglaze, said her mother used to do ce­ are achieved with commercial opaque un­ ramics, then commiserated that “Christmas derglazes airbrushed over designs masked with is such a busy time with all those Santas to tape or liquid latex, and fired without glaze. fire.” Groan. I suppose low-fire work is still Their collaborative vessels are easy, fluid the skeleton in the pottery family closet. But pieces, combining the strengths of thrower it suits my personal style. The colors stay and decorator. Certainly each had to make where you put them, not running together small adjustments: Bill threw the vases in in brown puddles. And I can easily wile away half a day decorating a single pot. Text: Sher­ ry Loehr.

Bill and Maureen Ellis Collaborative works by Marin County, California, studio ceramists Bill and Mau­ reen Ellis, were featured at Susan Cummins Gallery in Mill Valley, California, through April 28. The Ellises have been working to-

Maureen and Bill Ellis’s 23-inch stoneware vessel two sections and restrained himself from pushing the clay into radically voluminous shapes, while Maureen had to sand the grogged stoneware to get a smooth surface to decorate. Collaboration can be a tricky thing. It sometimes engenders tension with the give and take of egos and expectations, and the 15V2-inch thrown vase, with airbrushed underglazes rearrangement of priorities—tension in both gether for four years, yet each has mapped the participants and the work. But these new out a different area of interest. Maureen has pots show none of that self-consciousness. explored the subtle decoration obtainable with Form and surface easily merge.Text: Harvey an airbrush, while Bill has developed tech­ Brody; photos: M. Lee Fatherree. niques for throwing large vessels. Bill believes in “pushing beyond the nor­ mal limits of throwing, continually working New Crafts Wholesale Agency to throw the most precise, improbable forms The National Crafts Showroom, an agen­ possible.” So much so that the original models, cy for marketing crafts to department stores Korean Myung pots, are barely discernible and specialty shops, recently opened in New in his exaggerated forms. He begins by York City’s wholesale district. The annually throwing a tall cylinder from very stiff stone­ changing collection of furnishings, decorative ware—stiff because each piece is worked on and wearable art will be selected by a five- for three to five hours. After the slip is re­ Continued June/July/August 1984 77 78 Ceramics Monthly News & Retrospect They refer most strongly to the most con­ temporary sorts of images, images from the member jury:Eudorah Moore , former crafts space program and from our most powerful coordinator for the National Endowment for the Arts; Dan Overly , founder of the Mis­ sissippi Craftsmen’s Guild; Hal Stevens , president of Ohio Designer Craftsmen En­ terprises; Merle Walker, former director of the New Hampshire League of Craftsmen; and Terry F A. Weihs, editorial advisory board director of The Crafts Report. Among the ceramic ware included in the 1984 collection

21-inch “Alone/Together” airbrushed low-fire clay telescopes and microscopes. “Color and tex­ ture are used to reinforce the definition of shape,” Marvin continued. “Line is devel­ oped as profile and edge to give clarity to the form. I am intrigued with the use of color in an atmospheric manner to convey a sense Porcelain “Insane Asylum Shakers” by Debbi Fecher of spatial depth in the surface. I want my are handbuilt figurative shakers, approxi­ forms to be visually buoyant.”Text: Richard mately 10 inches in height, porcelain with Zakin; photo: John <£rMargo. clear glaze, lusters and paints, by Debbi Fecher, Seattle. Craftspeople interested in wholesaling through the showroom are re­ Danville Chadbourne quired to have a minimum of three years’ “Anthropological perception is a key issue successful retail experience before submitting in my work,” notes San Antonio artist Dan­ work for jury review. ville Chadbourne , whose clay and mixed-me- Currently sponsored by the Society for Art dia sculpture was featured in a recent solo in Crafts, a Pennsylvania-based, nonprofit organization, the showroom will become an artist-owned cooperative after three years. “Through the showroom,” said Elizabeth Raphael, director of the Society for Art in Crafts, “we can foster the growth of the mod­ ern craft industry. Handcrafts can finally be put in the spotlight in department stores and specialty shops across the country, allowing more people to use and enjoy them. It’s time that today’s craft artists had their own place in the economy.” For further information, contact: The Na­ tional Craft Showroom, 11 East 26 Street, New York City 10010; or call: (212) 689- 0010. Marvin Bjurlin New work byMarvin Bjurlin , completed during a sabbatical leave from New York State University at Fredonia, was featured in re­ cent solo exhibitions at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo and at Convergence in New York City. In these large, thrown and glazed nonfunctional vessels the artist’s Danville Chadbourne concern for form is always evident. “The vis­ exhibition at the University of Houston-Clear ual language remains within the traditional Lake. He is “concerned with the intellectual forms of pottery in a classic sense,” Marvin speculation we make regarding other cul­ commented. “However, the aesthetic content tures, especially primitive or ancient ones, of these forms is their formal posture and the based on our observation of their artifacts. space they enclose or displace.” Continued June/July/August 1984 79 80 CERAMICS MONTHLY News & Retrospect itual states which may at one time or another affect us all.” “Formally I use relatively simple sculp­ tural images, sometimes static like monu­ ments; other times active forms that suggest Denver Invitational some usage, often ritualistic.” Work, such as Sixteen ceramists from the Rocky Moun­ tain and Plains states, including featured art­ ist Paul Soldner (Aspen, Colorado), partic­ ipated in a crafts invitational exhibition at Sebastian-Moore Gallery in Denver late last year. Among the sculptural objects shown was

“The Ultimate Reward of Uncertainty” this framed, wall-mounted earthenware slab, 11 inches square, decorated with acrylics, broken and reassembled, represents “an ar­ tifact that is evidently out of our culture at one level, but reflects a kind of universal hu­ man consciousness and ultimately stimulates the perception of our own personal exis­ tence.” In Denver In conjunction with the “1984 Year for All Suzanne Klotz-Reilly’s clay/mixed-media sculpture Denver Women” salute, an exhibition of “Mil Mascaras,” 23 inches in height, clay functional and nonfunctional objects by local with mixed-media details (shoelaces, teeth), ceramists Linda Graham, Rita Nathanson, bySuzanne Klotz-Reilly , Tempe, Arizona. Jan Sullivan Robinson and Donna Schnitzer was featured at Cohen Gallery in Denver Bill Spira through March 24. Jan Robinson works with “I always liked a teeter-on-the-edge ten­ large-scale clay figures for “a visual descrip­ sion, the feelings of compression and balance. tion of what I call ‘human essentials.’ This The precariousness pleases me,” commented New York artist Bill Spira, whose stoneware and wood sculpture was exhibited at Van- derwoude Tananbaum Gallery in New York City earlier this year. Trained as an architect, Bill first designs a form, cuts out a Styrofoam model and “I look at it for a while. I cut slabs as one would

Unglazed stoneware and wood sculpture cut fabric; then I put them together.” The unglazed, reduction-fired stoneware ele­ 5-foot-high “Turn, Turn” by Jan Robinson ments are then combined with unstained wood, is an admittedly ambiguous term to describe as in “Shoot 1983,” shown left, 19½ inches those human conditions, emotions and spir- Continued June/July/August 1984 81 82 Ceramics Monthly News & Retrospect Here he opened his Omar Khayyam Pottery in 1916 and continued to produce “art goods,” in height, stoneware and oak; and “Abut as he described his ware, until his death in 1983,” previous page, right, 16 5 /s inches in 1935. height, stoneware and cedar. Photo: courtesy O. L. Bachelder’s family had been potters of Vanderwoude Tananbaum Gallery. in England, New England and the Midwest. Having learned from his father, he practiced Mark Stanczyk his craft throughout 28 states, several terri­ American ceramic artist Mark Stanczyk, tories and in Canada, working at various pot­ currently residing in Glasgow, Scotland, pre­ teries including Rookwood in Cincinnati. sented his first showing of sculpture in the Approximately 50 examples of works he U.S.A. at his hometown, Erie, Pennsylvania. made in North Carolina after 1911 were ex­ On view at the Erie Art Museum earlier hibited at the Mint Museum of History in

O. L. Bachelder’s 8V2-inch planter, jar and pitcher Charlotte through April 15. Many of the forms Handbuilt sculpture with feathers for wings were glazed with a local slip and fired several this year, Mark’s work often depicts quasi- times to yield an iridescent effect. mythological figures, such as “Night Flyer,” above, with 22-inch wingspan. Holland’s Mobach Pottenbakkers A short walk along the Merwede canal Patti Warashina leads to Mobach Pottenbakkers, a family Narrative wall sculpture by Washington pottery in Utrecht, Holland. Next to the en­ artist Patti Warashina was featured earlier trance is a garden furnished with large ce­ this year at Foster/White Gallery in Seattle. ramic planters and pierced-dome lamps. In­ Shown from the exhibition is “End of the side the showroom is exhibited a selection of pots made by the Mobach family sinceKlaas I set up the studio in 1895. Of today’s family members,Jaan and Bouke II are responsible for production. Bouke coil builds man-size vessels, while Jaan throws wide bowls (up to 3 feet in diameter) or 30- inch-tall vessels from one lump of clay. Jaan

45-inch-high porcelain wall form Road,” a porcelain and mixed-media wall form with female figures and eggs on a path­ Jaan Mobach at the wheel way formed by a coiled snake.Photo: Roger also develops glazes for both oxidation and Schreiber. reduction firing. Hans Mobach is the ad­ ministrator and sales manager for both the Folk Potter O. L. Bachelder Dutch domestic market and exports to Ger­ After 40 years as an itinerant stoneware many, Switzerland, Belgium and Japan. To­ potter, Oscar Louis Bachelder settled in Lu­ gether with approximately 20 potters (most ther, North Carolina, just west of Asheville. Continued June/July/August 1984 83 84 Ceramics Monthly News & Retrospect the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo: Steven Myers. of whom were trained by the Mobachs), they annually produce about 100,000 handmade ceramic objects ranging from miniatures to Dick Studley monumental sculpture. Marbleized Egyptian paste (self-glazing Until recently they purchased commercial earthenware) vessels by South Yarmouth, clay bodies from England and Germany, but Massachusetts, studio potter Dick Studley now the Mobachs mix their own clays for were exhibited recently at Jackie Chalkley both earthenware and stoneware production. Gallery in Washington, D.C. Working with 10-20 different color batches, Dick throws

Egyptian paste ware, thrown in sections large forms, such as this bottle, 18 inches in height; and bowl, 19 inches in diameter, in sections because of the clay’s tendency to slump and crack. Colors are muddy until the sur­ face is trimmed. For recipes, forming and firing details, see Dick’s article on Egyptian Mobach bench backs at Utrecht municipal building paste in the October 1982 CM. Some greenware is slip decorated, glazed, then high fired once in oxidation. Other forms are first fired at a high temperature, decorated Oregon Potters with glazes applied by spraying, dipping or “Ceramic Showcase 84,” an April exhi­ pouring, then glaze fired at a lower temper­ bition sponsored by the Oregon Potters As­ ature. Ware is also finished with a regular sociation, featured a variety of works by ap­ bisque fire, glaze application and refiring at proximately 80 Pacific Northwest clay artists. Cone 10 in oxidation or reduction. Text and photos: Adriana Chilton. Wayne Higby Earthenware “landscape” vessels by Wayne Higby, Alfred, New York, were presented in an April exhibition at Greenwich House Pottery’s Jane Hartsook Gallery in New York City. Among the forms shown was this set

8-inch-high thrown jar by Patrick Horsley Among the objects on view at the Western Forestry Center in Portland was this covered jar, thrown and altered, with additions, matt ash glazed, fired to Cone 9 in reduction, by local studio potter Patrick Horsley. Photo: Rick Paulson. Geoffrey Pagen Abstract vessels and slab wall forms by “Winter Inlet,” raku-fired earthenware boxes Geoffrey Pagen (faculty ceramist at Reed of four lidded boxes, 8½ inches in height, College, Portland, Oregon) were exhibited handbuilt earthenware with inlaid clay, from Continued June/July/August 1984 85 86 Ceramics Monthly News & Retrospect recently at Lawrence Gallery in Portland. Concerned with painterly and sculptural concepts rather than utility, Geoffrey applies thick slips and textured glazes to “produce spatial relationships that give a sense of physicality.” Shown from the exhibition, this

Geoffrey Pa gen’s 27-inch-long stoneware wall form stoneware wall form, 27 inches in length, was brushed with thick black slip, dry blue/ocher glaze and “sand” glaze. Photo: C. Bruce For­ ster. Bill and Diane Baird As part of an “integrated aquatic environ­ ment theme” for the bathroom of their home/ studio in Greenford, Ohio, ceramists Bill and Diane Baird have recently installed a 28- square-foot porcelain tile floor. Diane worked

Handbuilt porcelain tile floor with sculpture with the clay in place, cutting the design and allowing it to dry. Background tiles are cel­ adon glazed, while the alligator silhouette is a darker green. The 6-foot-long alligator re- Continued June/July/August 1984 87 88 Ceramics Monthly News & Retrospect lief is anatomically correct, complete with dark green glazed hide, copper red mouth and glass eyes. Following the Cone 10 reduction firing, the tiles and three-dimensional form were installed with grout stained reddish brown. Photo: Paul Arbogast. Frank Boyden A solo exhibition of new work by Otis, Oregon, artist Frank Boyden was oji view at Contemporary Crafts Gallery in Portland through April 21. Imagery on forms, such

23-inch “Salmon and Raven Plate” as this stoneware platter, with incised and brushed decoration, was inspired by his home environment near the Salmon River estuary. Photo: Jim Piper. Clay/Ten New work by the Michigan ceramic art­ ists’ group Clay/Ten was exhibited at Grand Valley State Colleges in Allendale, Michi­ gan, earlier this year. While the group

18-inch “Potato Dance” by Georgette Zirbes represents a variety of approaches to clay, “the unifying concept behind all our work is a commitment to investigation and adventure Continued June/July/August 1984 89 90 Ceramics Monthly News & Retrospect tured at Elements Gallery in New York City through March 10. Defining good art, he in this particular medium: we have joined together to foster this spirit of inquiry in our own work, in the field of ceramics, and in the art world at large.” The members of Clay/ Ten are: Shirley White Black, Susan Crow­ ell, Rafael Duran, Jim Leacock, Tom Phar- del, John and Susannne Stephenson , and Georgette Zirbes , all from Ann Arbor; and Kathy Dambach and Marie Woo from Bir­ mingham. 331/2-inch-diameter raku bowl says, “those works which, regardless of their Klaus Steindlmuller medium, bring you back to look, make you The most important aspect of Klaus Stein- feel that there is more, give you a sense that dlmuller’s ceramics, shown recently at Gal- you haven’t grasped it all—I’m continually erie du Petit Pont in Strasbourg, France, is seeking that.” Photo: Gary Sutton. “surface, as clays are available in great va­ riety. Given these various characteristics,” Neil Tetkowski Workshop The Evanston Art Center in Evanston, Il­ linois, recently held a one-day workshop with Neil Tetkowski, assistant professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo, in con­ junction with an exhibition featuring his work. Neil began by throwing three volcano-shaped forms, while explaining his use of terra sig- illata on the red clay body. Works such as this 38-inch wall form are sprayed when bone

21-inch porcelain *Caisson ” Klaus explained, “I use all sorts of clay and mixtures—porcelain, pipe stoneware, brick or throwing clay—painted with all colors of

38-inch thrown wall form, with terra sigillata dry with terra sigillata (sometimes colored with Mason stains), then fired once in a low- fire salt kiln to produce a subtle range of colors. After lunch, Neil showed slides of his work and discussed various influences. He has a high regard for well-thrown functional ware, originally wanting to be a “chicken coop” potter himself. As he talked about the pro­ gression of his work, he remarked that many One of six 30-inch porcelain “Plateau” forms of us don’t know when we’ve done something slip to make forms such as the square, hollow really good, and urged us to “take a step blocks (caissons), incised slabs (plateaux) or back” when viewing our own work. their variations.” Next, he returned to the three forms thrown earlier to alter their shapes. Each was placed back on the wheel, moistened at the top, then George Timock stretched, pulled and refined. He noted he Six raku vessels byGeorge Timock , faculty actually spends more time doing this on smaller artist at Kansas City Art Institute, were fea­ Continued June/July/August 1984 91 92 CERAMICS MONTHLY News & Retrospect pieces than on larger ones, taking an hour or more on each. The workshop ended with Neil throwing a wall form measuring over 3 feet in di­ ameter. On a plywood bat on the floor, he foot wedged 150 pounds of clay, adding a

■m Neil Tetkowski foot wedging for large wheel work little at a time. Once the bat was bolted onto the wheel head, he pounded the clay with his palms and fists into a flat-bottomed plate shape with a fat rim. Then the bottom was thrown (with compression from a wooden rib) until it was flat. He finished the form by pulling and shaping the rim, pushing it out almost to the point of collapse. Text: Jeanne Salerno; photo: Jamey Stillings. David Greenbaum A solo exhibition of carved and burnished earthenware by David Greenbaum , Gaines­ ville, Florida, was presented at Maple Hill Gallery in Portland, Maine, through April

Burnished earthenware vessel, 16 inches in diameter 21. A professional potter since 1974, David employs a variety of low-fire techniques, and strives “to impart the aesthetic values of warmth and fullness to each of my pots.” Karon Doherty “It’s important to capture the emotional quality of my life in this work,” says Brook­ lyn ceramic artistKaron Doherty , whose re­ cent exhibition of “The Last Garden Party” at Greenwich House Pottery in New York Continued june/ July/ nugusi yj 94 CERAMICS MONTHLY News & Retrospect City was a visual journey through the artist’s personal mythology. Prominent themes are reflections of her 15-year marriage, a pet myna, the paths tak­ en (and those imagined) from home to studio through an old Sicilian neighborhood where

Karon Doherty's 7-foot-tall “Umbrella Lady” tiny truck gardens are crowded, gaudy and diverse. “I respond to bright colors and con­ trasting shapes which encourage the imagi­ nation and set a mood for personal inter­ pretation,” Karon commented. “I want the surface to be active and aggressive through courageous use of design, pattern, texture and colors that reflect freshness and spontaneity. I use color to reach out to the viewer, to lure him to the piece. I want irresistible showing- off colors that after the initial flash can also be enjoyed for their more subtle qualities. Color is a basic part of my artistic expression and is reflective of my emotional state. I often use quantities of color to create an outward

20-inch polychrome “Launa’s Table” by Karon Doherty appearance of obsession. I intentionally over­ state and exaggerate. Mostly I’m interested in innovation and change during the working process. Clay allows for a spontaneous union :>f material and idea.” Elizabeth Lurie “Art in Artisanry,” a recent three-person show at Charles Stewart Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan, featured func- Continued June/July/August 1984 95 Itinerary Continued from Page 73 ommendation and statement. Instructor: Gerry Williams. Fee: $300. Contact: Phoenix Work­ shops, R.D. 1, Dunbarton, Goffstown 03045; or call: (603) 774-3582. New Mexico, Albuquerque July 14-15 Dem­ onstration with Frank Boyden, Jenny Lind and Allan Walter on throwing, terra sigillata, oxides, stains and pencil decoration at the University of New Mexico Art Education Department. Fee: $35; students $25. Contact: Fay Abrams or Peg Cronin, Mariposa Gallery, 113 Romero, NW, Albuquer­ que 87104; or call: (505) 842-9097. New York, Port Chester June 9-10 “Porcelain Wheelthrowing Methods” with Jim Makins. June 16-17 “Japanese Wheelthrowing and Dec­ orating Methods” with Makoto Yabe. June 23-24 “Stoneware Wheelthrowing and Glazing Methods” with Stephen Rodriguez. Fee: $50 each. Contact: Clay Art Center, 40 Beech St., Port Ches­ ter 10573; or call: (914) 937-2047. New York, West Nyack June 11-22 Dorothy Greenwald is offering two 1-week sessions on ad­ vanced wheel throwing. Contact: Rockland Center for the Arts, 27 S. Greenbush Rd., West Nyack 10994; or call: (914) 358-0877. North Carolina, Chapel Hill June 17-29 “Managing the Arts,” fifth executive program for arts administrators. Fee: $1100, includes living ex­ penses. Scholarships available. Contact: Leslie H. Garner, Managing the Arts, School of Business Administration, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27514; or call: (919) 962-3123. Oregon, Otis July 21-22 “Raku Pottery and Primitive Firing Methods,” with Judy Teufel, will include building a rudimentary kiln. Bring bisqued work. Fee: $35. For further information contact: Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, Box 65, Otis 96368; or call: (503) 994-5485. Pennsylvania, MerionJuly 7, 14, 21 and 28 “Ceramics Speak Through Time,” a 4-session pro­ gram at the University of Pennsylvania Museum and Buten Museum, will include: “More than One Man/Woman Deep” with Jane Devon Smith and Rose Gomez Hausman; “The Art of Decoration on Classical Greek Pottery” with Irene Romano; “Pottery and the Archaeologist” with Robert Wiemken; and “Western Ceramic Traditions of the 17th-19th Centuries” with Barbara Liggett. Fees: $30 for the series; $7.50 each session. Con­ tact: Rose Daria Marota, Buten Museum, 246 N. Bowman Ave., Merion 19066; or call: (215) 664- 6601. Texas, San Antonio June 4-8 Ken Ferguson, pottery. June 25-August 6, “Impossible Ce­ ramics” with Philip Cornelius, handbuilding and throwing porcelain. August 6-19 Ishmael Soto, handbuilding, throwing, slip decoration and greenware glazing. Contact: Southwest Craft Cen­ ter, 300 Augusta St., San Antonio 78205; or call: (512) 824-0987. Vermont, Bennington July 29-August 18 “Art New England Summer Workshops” at Bennington College will include 1-week sessions on clay sculp­ ture from a live model with Andrew McMillan and Michael Morris; throwing and decorating porcelain with Tom White; and colored clays with Makoto Yabe. Fee: $385 per week, includes room and board. For further information contact: Art New England Summer Workshops, 353 Washing­ ton St., Brighton, Massachusetts 02135; or call: (617) 782-3008 or 782-4184. International Events Canada, Ontario, Mississauga through June 8 “Fireworks 1984,” fifth biennial juried exhi­ bition of works by members of the Ontario Potters Association; at the Erindale College Art Gallery. Canada, Ontario, Stratford July 6-8 The 13th annual “Festival of Arts & Crafts”; at Gallery/ Stratford, 54 Romeo St. Continued 96 CERAMICS MONTHLY News & Retrospect tional and sculptural porcelain by Elizabeth Lurie, Detroit. From the exhibition, this

Elizabeth Lurie's 13-inch porcelain wall form thrown and handbuilt wall form, 13 inches in diameter, was glazed with a clear gloss. Lillian Pitt Raku-fired masks byLillian Pitt , a Warm Springs-Yakima Indian who resides in Port­ land, Oregon, were featured in recent ex­ hibitions at Willamette University in Salem, Many Horses Gallery in Los Angeles, Sa­ cred Circle Gallery in Seattle and Kah-Nee- Ta Resort in Warm Springs, Oregon. Al­ though neither mask making nor raku firing is traditional for her tribe, each of Lillian’s masks symbolizes “the spiritual beliefs and cultural heritage of my people,” she explains. “My main sources of inspiration are the an­ cient petroglyphs at fishing sites on the Co­ lumbia River Gorge, legends passed down to me as a child to make me behave, and the Eskimo masks of Western Alaska created to ensure a successful hunt or for a thanksgiving ceremony.” One of the legends on which her masks are based is the Stick Indian (Steahah), whose mouth is puckered in an unending whistle.

‘Spirit of the Stick Indian,” 18 inches high “Indian children are told that if they wander far or misbehave the Stick Indian will get them,” she says. “He can whistle your name. He can whistle you deep into the forest or Continued

juiic,/ j uiy/ jiugujb / // Itinerary Canada, Ontario, Toronto through June 16 Diane Creber exhibition; at the Pottery Shop, 140 Yorkville Ave. July 26-29 “Harbourfront Fifth Annual Craft Fair”; at Harbourfront York Quay, 235 Queen’s Quay West, downtown. Canada, Quebec, Trois-Rivieres June 26-September 2 “Evolution,” ceramics national; at Galerie du Park, Manoir de Tonnancour, 854, rue Des Ursulines. Canada, Saskatchewan, Regina August 13-25 “Raku Workshop” with Don Chester and Helen Rogers; for experienced potters. Live-in ac­ commodations available. July 15 registration deadline. Contact: Fine Arts & Humanities Di­ vision, University of Regina Extension, Room 109, College Bldg., Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2; or call: (306) 584-4806. England, Bath, Avon through June 15 Tobias Harrison, lusterware; at Saint James’s Gallery, 9 Margarets Bldgs., Brock St. England, Bath, Great Pulteneythrough July 8 “The Oxshott Pottery: Denise and Henry Wren” exhibition; at the Crafts Study Centre, Holbourne Museum, University of Bath, Great Pulteney Street. England, Devon, Totnes July 2-September 28 Shinners Bridge Workshops is offering 1- and 2-week sessions on throwing stoneware and porcelain, glaze making, raw-glazing, decorating, firing and raku. Live-in accommodations avail­ able. For further information contact: Tim An­ drews, The Old Postern, Dartington, Totnes, Dev­ on TQ9 6EA.; or call: (0803) 866051. England, London through June 6 “David Garland, Pots and Drawings”; at Amalgam, 3 Barnes High St. through August 31 “Wedgwood in London,” the 225-year celebration of the pottery’s founding; at Wedgwood House, 32-34 Wigmore St. June 15-July 21 “Black and White,” members’ exhibition; at the British Crafts Centre, 43 Earl- ham St., Covent Garden. England, Oxford through June 20 Daniel Mumby, mixed earthenware and stoneware sculp­ ture; at Oxford Gallery, 23 High St. Finland, Helsinki August 1 -September 19 “Design in America: The Cranbrook Vision, 1925-1950,” includes ceramics: at the Suomen Rakennustaiteen Museo/Suomen Taideteol- lisuusyhdistys. France, Vallauris July 6-September 15 Ninth “Biennale Internationale de Ceramique d’Art”; at the Gymnase de la Ville. Italy, Faenza through August 26 The 42nd annual “International Competition of Artistic Ce­ ramics,” “Masters of the Art of Pottery” and “Ex­ hibition of the Nations: Switzerland”; at the Pal­ azzo delle Esposizioni, Corso Mazzini 92. Italy, Florence July 2-September 14 Cerami- ca Riparbello is offering several 2-week sessions on throwing with Pietro Maddalena and Franco Rampi. For beginning through advanced students. Fee: $350, includes room and board. Contact: Ce- ramica Riparbello, 50020 Marcialla, Florence; or call: 0571-660084. North Wales, Clwyd, Denbigh July 16-August 18 Brookhouse Pottery is offering five 1-week sessions on porcelain and stoneware, reduction fir­ ing and salt glazing, and kiln construction. In­ structor: David Frith, plus visiting potters Derek Emms, Jane Hamlyn and David Leach. Contact: Margaret Frith, Brookhouse Pottery, The Malt- house, Denbigh, Clwyd LL16 4RE; or call 074 571 2805. Wales, Mold July 2-August 12 “Buckley Pot­ tery, an exhibition of ceramics from the 1300s to the 1940s; at Theatr Clwyd. West Germany, Essen through June 30 “Peru: Through the Millennia,” includes Nasca burial objects and domestic pottery; at the Villa Hiigel. West Germany, Hohr-Grenzhausen June 1-July 15 Ceramics by the Danish group Multi Mud; at the Keramikmuseum Westerwald. 98 CERAMICS MONTHLY News & Retrospect he can whistle you to safety if you are good.” The masks are handbuilt from a com­ mercial raku clay body, and decorated with commercial low-fire underglazes and an 80% Gerstley borate/20% nepheline syenite glaze. Fired one at a time in a portable propane kiln, they are then reduced in a trash can filled with corn husks, grass, straw and/or sawdust. After firing, Lillian likes to “dress” them with traditional Native American ma­ terials such as feathers, buckskin, shells, bone and glass beads. Photo: Ritch Phillips.

In Akron Clay sculpture byPaula Dubaniewicz, Cleveland, and Luke and Rolland Lietzke, Mogadore, Ohio, was featured recently in the multimedia exhibition “Six Perspectives” at the Akron Art Museum. “We have always considered ourselves to be environmental designers,” Luke and Rol­ land commented, “whether it be a total en­ vironment as in a house, an interior, an ex-

The Lietzkes’ 15-inch “Greek Trophy Temple” hibition or the objects therein. Now our con­ cern is mainly on the object, currently ce­ ramic containers, sculptures, walls.” Concerning her 8-foot-tall installation, “Small Mall,” Paula Dubaniewicz noted: “My use of terra-cotta tile as a wall relief has evolved into a tiled documentation of archi-

Terra-cotta and wood “Small Mall” tectural elements. Doorways and arches are freeze-framed assemblages perceived from my patterns search of our environment. They challenge my intuitive construction methods and present tests of endurance and of trust Continued June/July/August 1984 99 100 Ceramics Monthly News & Retrospect in my material: clay.”Photos: Rick Zaidan, courtesy of Akron Art Museum. In the Northwest The Salem (Oregon) Art Association Gal­ lery recently presented an exhibition of clay sculpture byClare Harris , Moscow, Idaho; Frank Irby, Roberta Kaserman and Kath­ erine Keefer, all of Portland, Oregon. Among the works shown was “Jade Pagoda,” hand-

36-inch-high earthenware form by Frank Irby built earthenware, sprayed with terra sigil­ lata made from local brick clay and com­ mercial underglazes, fired to Cone 04, by Frank Irby. Sebastian Blackie High-temperature sawdust-fired work by Sebastian Blackie (faculty artist at West Sur­ rey College of Art and Design) was exhibited at Oxford Gallery, Oxford, England, through

2-foot-square sawdust-fired stoneware form May 16. Characteristic of the objects shown is this stoneware “dish,” torn from a grooved and pierced slab. Photo: Duncan Ross. June/July/August 1984 101 A $10 Million Stove by Donald Fletcher

From time to time television news install clay stoves made by Nepalese pot­ For instance, there is no damper in the reports or documentaries mention the ters. chimney, nor at the draft entrance. This catastrophic dimensions of erosion and Developed over a period of years by not only simplifies construction (and re­ subsequent flood control problems in Australian potter Bill Lawson, and Ste- duces cost), but permits wood of any Southeast Asia. In Nepal, a nation nes­ length to be burned in much the same tled between India and China, potters way as it is in the open cooking pits are helping reduce the ravages of soil throughout the country. erosion by producing fuel-efficient, The stove consists of two thrown smokeless stoves. earthenware chambers open at the top Most Nepalese burn wood for cook­ to accept traditional round-bottomed ing. Population pressures combined with cooking pots. The chambers are con­ commercial logging have upset whatever nected by a clay pipe (also thrown on tenuous balance may once have pre­ the wheel). The second chamber is set vailed between forests and people. The slightly above the first to promote draft. result is an increasing scarcity of fuel A United Nations field worker (right) The chimney exits from the bottom of and ultimately deforestation. checks a newly installed clay stove. the second chamber’s back wall; it in­ An effort to help contain this situation cludes an easy-access cleaning port at an has been organized by the United Na­ ven Joseph of the Intermediate Tech­ upper elbow and an ash removal port at tions Development Project in concert with nology Development Group in London, floor level. Strength, air tightness and the government of Nepal. In essence, the the design was based on customary cook­ “customary appearance” are achieved by plan is to persuade the people to stop ing methods in Nepal, while eliminating encasing the stove with brick, stones and cooking indoors over open fires and to unnecessarily complicated construction. mud mortar. A final ½-inch layer of mud

1. Traditional stoves and open- 2. A clay stove developed under 3. Parts for the stove include 4. First an area is marked for fire cooking in Nepal emit United Nations auspices is thrown earthenware chambers the stove platform, then brick or smoke into homes. essentially smokeless. and thrown stovepipe. stone are laid in place.

9. The exterior stovepipe should 10. The pipe joints are chinked 11. Brick and clay are built up 12. The cook hole rims are protrude 2 feet from the house, and the bottom cleanout around the stove chambers, lined with clay and pressed and end above the roof. plugged with a removable brick. leaving the cleanout free. with a pot for a smokeless seal. 102 Ceramics Monthly is smoothed over the surface, and the locally (or imported from other parts of The impact on potters will be pro­ pots which are to be used most often are Nepal), and clay deposits found. found. The United Nations is currently pressed onto the chamber openings for These remote areas are vital to the paying about 60 rupees per stove. Six a tight fit. If smoke leaks from the chim­ project’s success because they are where thousand stoves would provide 36 pot­ ney pipe joints, more mud is applied to the hillsides are steepest and most sub­ ters an income of about $2 per day, or cover the gaps. ject to erosion. But in many remote areas the equivalent of a well-paid city labor­ The payoff on a $10 million invest­ there is little immediate economic in­ er’s wages. If the project proceeds as ment in these stoves is on the order of centive to save wood—it costs only per­ planned, the potters at Thimi and Bhak- hundreds of millions per year in con­ sonal labor to get it. Thus one might as tapur would be aided enormously, and served resources. And the “smokeless- well gather more wood as spend scarce many more would be recruited through ness” of the stove benefits the health of cash on a stove requiring less wood- the project’s training program. the cook as well; the incredibly smoky, gathering labor. In these locales the stoves Contemporary Western potters fall open fire kitchens are a major factor in must be essentially given away. back on aesthetic criteria to rationalize widespread chronic lung disease. Still another factor is the cultural im­ involvement with pottery. Pots, though There are a number of difficulties to portance of the hearth; stove design and vital and worthwhile, are luxuries we be resolved before Nepal is blanketed construction must conform to custom. are prosperous enough to afford. But in with these stoves. While the Kathmandu Projections called for 2000 stoves to Nepal the financial survival of potters is Valley has a sufficient number of potters be installed last year and 5000 to 8000 linked to their ability to produce what­ to produce the stoves, many areas do not, in 1984. If all goes well, the number of ever equipment the community needs. and the rugged terrain makes transpor­ households equipped with stoves will in­ tation over long distances prohibitively crease exponentially as the project spreads The author Studio potter Donald expensive. Potters will have to be trained throughout Nepal. Fletcher resides in New York City.

5. The platform is raised in the 6. After loosely assembling the 7. The stove chambers and pipe 8. After the hole is made, the back to elevate the smaller stovepipe, the wall is marked are removed and a hole is made stove is reassembled and the second chamber. for the exit flue. in the wall. pipe wired to the wall.

13. The stovepipe should be 14. With the interior chimney 15. After replacing the chimney 16. If the pipe becomes clogged, cleaned periodically with a cloth cap removed, soot is scraped cap, soot is removed from the it may be disassembled from top and bamboo rod. from the pipe. cleanout hole. to bottom, cleaned and replaced. June/July/August 1984 103 Where to Show Continued from Page 23 Holiday Crafts Fair” (December 6-9) is juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: SI2. Booth fee: $410. Contact: Matthew Alperin, WBAI Crafts Fair, Box 889, Times Square Station, New York 10108; or call: (212) 279-0707. August 11 entry deadline Sujfern, New York “Rockland Holiday Craft Marketplace” (December 15-16) is juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $5; booth fees: $175-$200 for a 1 Ox 10-foot space. Send self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Scott and Neil Rubinstein, Quail Hol­ low Events, Box 825, Woodstock, New York 12498; or call: (914) 679-8087. Pittsburgh Pennsylvania “Pittsburgh Art and Crafts Expo” (November 23-25) is juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $5; booth fees: $175-$200 for a lOxlO-foot space. Contact: Scott and Neil Rub­ instein, Quail Hollow Events, Box 825, Wood- stock, New York 12498; or call: (914) 679-8087. August 31 entry deadline Herkimer, New York “9th Annual Herkimer County Arts & Crafts Fair” (November 10-11) is juried from 5 slides. Awards. Entry fee: $5. Booth fee: $55. Contact: Grace McLaughlin, Herkimer County Community College, Reservoir Rd., Her­ kimer 13350. September 1 entry deadline Washington, D.C. “WAMU Public Radio Holiday Craft Fair” (December 14-16) is juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $8. Booth fee: $275 for a lOxlO-foot space. Contact: National Crafts, Gapland, Maryland 21736; or call: (301) 432-8438. September 15 entry deadline Scaly Mountain, North Carolina “High Coun­ try Art and Craft Show” (October 12-14) is juried from slides or photos. Fee: $65. Send self-ad- dressed, stamped, business envelope to: Virginia Smith, High Country Crafters, 29 Haywood St., Asheville, North Carolina 28801; or call: (704) 254-0070.

104 CERAMICS MONTHLY