January 1994 1 William Hunt...... Editor Ruth C. Butler...... Associate Editor Robert L. Creager...... Art Director Kim Nagorski...... Assistant Editor Mary Rushley...... Circulation Manager Mary E. Beaver .... Assistant Circulation Manager Connie Belcher...... Advertising Manager Spencer L. Davis...... Publisher

Editorial, Advertising and Circulation Offices 1609 Northwest Boulevard Post Office Box 12788 Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788 (614) 488-8236 FAX (614) 488-4561

Ceramics Monthly {ISSN 0009-0328) is published monthly except July and August by Professional Publications, Inc., 1609 Northwest Boulevard, Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788. Second Class post­ age paid at Columbus, Ohio. Subscription Rates: One year $22, two years $40, three years $55. Add $10 per year for subscrip­ tions outside the U.S.A. In Canada, add GST (registration number R123994618). Change of Address:Please give us four weeks advance notice. Send the magazine address label as well as your new address to: Ceramics Monthly, Circulation Offices, Post Office Box 12788, Co­ lumbus, Ohio 43212-0788. Contributors: Manuscripts, announcements, news releases, photographs, color separations, color transparencies (including 35mm slides), graphic illustrations and digital TIFF or EPS im­ ages are welcome and will be considered for publication. Mail submissions to Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 12788, Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788. We also accept unillustrated materials faxed to (614) 488-4561. Writing and Photographic Guidelines:A book­ let describing standards and procedures for sub­ mitting materials is available upon request. Indexing:An index of each year’s articles appears in the December issue. Additionally, Ceramics Monthly articles are indexed in the Art Index. Printed, on-line and CD-ROM (computer) index­ ing is available through Wilsonline, 950 Univer­ sity Avenue, Bronx, New York 10452; and from Information Access Company, 362 Lakeside Drive, Forest City, California 94404. These ser­ vices are also available through your local library. A 20-year subject index (1953-1972), covering Ceramics Monthly feature articles, and the Sugges­ tions and Questions columns, is available for $ 1.50, postpaid, from the CeramicsMonthlyBook. Department, Post Office Box 12788, Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788. Copies and Reprints:Microfiche, 16mm and 35 mm microfilm copies, and xerographic re­ prints are available to subscribers from University Microfilms, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106. Back Issues:When available, back issues are $4 each, postpaid. Write for a list. Postmaster: Send address changes to Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 12788, Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788. Form 3579 requested. Copyright © 1994 Professional Publications, Inc. All rights reserved

2 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 3 4 CERAMICS MONTHLY Volume 42, Number 1 • January 1994

Feature Artides

Susan Gamble: Rio de Mi Corazon by Sean McGinnis...... 29 The Rise and Fall of Cast Glaze by Louis Katz ...... 33 Andrea Johnson by Lisa Crawford Watson ...... 36 Celia CymbalistaPrimarily self-taught, Cymbalista (above) studied foreign books Recipes, Testing and Mixing and experimented systematically to developPorcelain Bodies for Potters by DavidBeumee ...... 38 a body of minimal ceramics; her story be­ gins on page 43. Celia Cymbalista: An Autobiography ...... 43 17th Fletcher Challenge Award by Peter Lange ...... 46 The Rise and Fall of Cast GlazeLouis with Gaining and Maintaining Exhibition Support...... 50 Katz made pots from glaze—with no clay support! See page 33. Back to Basics by Catherine Grubman ...... 53 with Exercises for a Healthy Back by Allen Brodnick...... 54 Back to BasicsWant to avoid or ease back Patrick Hilferty: Questioning Criteria by Ray Gonzales ...... 55 strain? See page 53 for advice on studio layout and equipment, worldng practices, Strictly Functional ...... 60 exercises and other “back smarts.” West Coast Clay: The New Breed ...... 62

Up Front

Ceramics Monthly Address Change ...... 12 Free Summer Workshops Listing ...... 12 A Strange Brew by Tony Merino ...... 12 Salzbrand ’93...... 12 Ann LeGris ...... 14 Mary Barringer ...... 14 Elyse Saperstein ...... 14 Dennis Meiners ...... 14 Jerry Caplan ...... 16 Mirka Orlickaby Lizzie Zucker Saltz ...... 16 Contemporary Porcelain from Japan ...... 18 Stefani Gruenberg ...... 18 A Gentle Touch ...... 20 Nine Decades of California Craft ...... 20 Porcelain Bodies for PottersColorado Douglas Kenney...... 22 potter David Beumee (above) shares reci­ Gayle Fichtinger ...... 22 pes, plus appropriate methods for testing Barbara Hill ...... 22 and mixing; see page 38. Sherry Karver by Jerry Ratch ...... 24 James Crumrine, 1925-1993...... 24 Susan Gamble: Rio de Mi CorazonRep­ resentatives from local barrios were con­ sulted to enhearten the design of an $ 18,000 handmade tile project commissioned for a Departments Tucson park; page 29. Letters ...... 8 Classified Advertising ...... 90 The coverStudies in oceanography and Call for Entries ...... 65 years of painting inform the richly textured Comment: and brightly colored ceramic seascapes of Questions ...... 70 Feeding the Dragon California artist Andrea Johnson; page 36. Calendar ...... 72 by Jack Troy...... 92 Photo: Lee Hocker. Suggestions ...... 88 Index to Advertisers ...... 96

January 1994 5

Letters elected fellow of NCECA [National Councilbe used to justify a piece that cannot speak on Education for the Ceramic Arts]. I hopefor itself. I believe that this “language” devel­ you will reexamine your position because itoped because no one could understand the No Beauty Contest represents a fundamental fault in the way thenew styles of artwork; not even other artists. Was the real purpose of “The 29th Ce­ exhibition world operates. I received many Granted, when new types of work come ramic National” (CM, November 1993) toletters of support for my argument, with onlyalong, the current references and descriptions see who could make the ugliest piece? two disagreeing. One was from Jim Tanner,don’t fit and new ways of communicating Ulrica Rudd, Venice, Fla. another “big name” (and good friend) whoabout the work have to develop. Unfortu­ willingly juries these nonrefundable fee nately, it has gone too far. More on Show Funding shows. He said I was “chasing a shadow.” I There is validity in some of that aesthetic My Comment article (April 1993) abouthope he was wrong. language. We use it every day in my classes. the proliferating no-refund-fee (read lottery) Nils Lou, Willamina, Ore. But for everyone to understand and appreci­ show situation has nothing to do with the so- ate evaluation of artwork, the language must called ideal art world Lenny Dowhie de­ I couldn’t agree more with Lenny Dow-be plain. Tell us what it means “to objectify scribes in his letter (November 1993). Thehie’s response to Nils Lou’s “exhibition entryspace” or what “metaphysical transforma­ real art world indeed functions as a business,fee” Comment. tions” are. Most of us can understand these but I know of no legitimate business that Let’s have a reality check here, Nils. Thisthings if they are communicated plainly. expects commodity producers to buy chancesis the ’90s; profits are cool. The ’60s are dead,Thanks for a great magazine. I especially in order to do business. That there are impor­gone, over. want to thank CM for the articles about male tant exhibitions extant (albeit a minority of You say out of 33 shows, 27 were “lotter­and female potters who work at home while them) that do not demand nonrefundable ies.” That’s a lot of shows—more exposure—raising a family. Practical hints in this area fees demonstrates that it is not unfeasible formore chances to publish and not perish. Howwould be appreciated. quality shows to exist without scamming many shows could you count in CM in 1965 Deborrah Pagel, Palm Bay, Fla. money from the young and naive. Hundredsin a one-month period? apply and few get in. It really is that simple. If there are suckers out there who applyUntold to Stories In business there is a quid pro quo—a servicethe “scam shows,” that’s their business. Most Ceramics Monthly does a fine job balanc­ or commodity is exchanged (bartered) for of us can see them a mile away. ing all of the competing audience interests. something of equal value. Give me a museum or art center-juried Naturally, as a collector recently arrived on Requiring a nonrefundable fee trades onnational show with a quality juror or jurorsthe contemporary American ceramics scene, the gullibility of hopeful, often younger, any day. Those of you who can’t afford to my interests lie in reading as much as possible artists to absorb the costs of a show where play, stay away. You’ll make my day. about the artists, the schools, the exhibitions, few are admitted and many encouraged to Jim Connell, Rock Hill, S.C. the criticism, and seeing as much of the work enter—paying for the privilege of supporting as possible. the lucky few. Positions, Everyone I think untold stories are out there in the I appreciate that Lenny took the time to [CM should] engage in dialogue with small colleges and universities, where many respond to my original Comment and I correspondents; defend editorial positions!dedicated instructors are working with future respect his point of view. I know he honestly Tom Maynard, Hinckley, 111. potters. Many of them are creating wonderful feels it is valid. His response helps to keep things, which the craft world seldom recog­ this discussion alive so arguments on both More Information, Less Evaluation nizes or even hears about because so much of sides can be heard. Lenny, however, writes I wanted to applaud Charles Kingery fortheir time and energy is dedicated to teaching from the perspective of apparent self-interesthis letter in the October 1993 issue, and I and related duties that they often do not have as an active and former promoter of a showwant to thank CM for printing it. It was the time to promote their own work. They, requiring nonrefundable fees. I think this good to see someone who not only offeredand an others before them, are very much a part taints his argument. He says, in fact, “And, opinion,if but also followed it up with soundof the fabric of the history and development some of these exhibitions made money, so suggestions. of American ceramics. what?” Are we talking about supporting I agree that we need more practical infor­ Thanks for a wonderful publication; keep “important” exhibitions so they don’t disap­mation and a little less evaluation. Both areasup the good work. pear or are we talking about money-makingare important to a well-balanced magazine, Tom Judy, Washington, D.C. opportunities here? Lenny, you make my but it seems the balance is tipping toward the point! But you don’t get it. evaluation side. For the Love of It I have no problem with fees. If you “comeAs an art teacher, I appreciate the validity It seems like most of CM’s articles, com­ along and say (for a price) you will provide anda necessity of both criticism and technicalments and letters are about people who seem venue and an opportunity for my (best) information. I am also acutely aware that ifto care only about how much money they works to be seen,” I won’t be insulted. I wearaesthetic and philosophical information is can make or how many platters or coffee no “high-brow mask” in that regard. But ifbeyond the comprehension of the average cups they can throw from 9 to 5.1 under­ you want me to buy your lottery ticket on thereader, it does not benefit the majority of stand that bills have to be paid, but believe weak chance that you might show my work subscribers. Many evaluative phrases that I me there are a lot of clay artists out there who depending on whim—forget it. Is this yourread in CM articles are like those that Mr. haven’t lost their love or feel for clay. It’s not idea of how business should operate? Kingery pointed out. It even takes intelligenta commodity, but a genuine love. When it Lenny, you are one of the “big names”: an and well-read people too long to decipher gets to the point where you have lost your one sentence, then apply it to the work. Bycreativity due to the pressures of production, Share your thoughts with other readers. All letters the time the reader has comprehended the and you have to turn out the same thing over must be signed, but names will be withheld on information, he or she has lost the flow of and over again because “that’s what sells,” request. Mail to The Editor, Ceramics Monthly, thought. then it becomes a tedious, boring job. Post Office Box 12788, Columbus, Ohio 43212- In addition, I have discovered over time Jennie Long’s letter (November 1993 0788; or fax to (614) 488-4561. that the artist’s “aesthetic language” can oftenissue) made me stop and reevaluate why I got

8 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 9 Letters the eye. Now CM is doing the same. I am offended by stuff that calls itself ceramics but has become a multimedia event to get maxi­ into clay in the first place. I was starting to mum attention. get bored with the magazine, but when I read I hope that potters are becoming aware of her letter, I felt as if I’d gotten a jump start!this trend and that the magazine will be Thanlts CM. rededicated to clay, glaze and materials that Vanna Kepler, Wilmington, N.C. are honest to the craft. Erasmo Galantino, Oxford, Pa. Real Stuff Regarding content: We would like to seeAnti Aesthetic Criticism more of the nuts and bolts for potters. We Can the philosophical aesthetic criticism; are both pottery teachers as well as ceramicsit’s pure mental masturbation. I either like or artists, and use CM as a tool for our steady dislike a piece for what it is, and I don’t need stream of students. some arrogant, pointy-headed, overeducated The magazine should show more studiogeek to analyze for me. layouts, racking systems, glazing techniques; John Stanley, Naples, Fla. publish more on pricing for today’s market (not just galleries) and more suggestions—A Joke two pages of them; and have much less on Ceramics history is a building block that those “famous” folks who spend a lot of timeevery ceramist can draw from. It is no crime talking about their work. to be “different,” but it is a joke to read an After 25 years of working in clay, we article about the deep meaning and explora­ often say to each other after reading so manytion of positive and negative space in a har­ of these run-on sentences, who cares anyway?monic juxtaposition to nature and its Let’s see the real stuff. At least give it equalsurroundings by stacking a bunch of ceramic time. “pixie sticks” together. More technical ar­ Hedy and Ross Hale, Morro Bay, Calif. ticles, history and artist profiles will keep the B.S. out of CM. Thanks. Well-Rounded Discourse Lisa Brown, Dallas CM gets a lot of flak for the intellectual discourse, but I think a bit of it makes for Communitya Studios and Cooperatives well-rounded art!craft magazine. CM is a valuable source of technical Allyson Evans, Santa Fe information, with a liberal dose of special- interest articles as well. However, one ele­ Equipment Plans Needed ment that seems to receive little coverage is I would like to see more hands-on infor­the numerous community studios or co­ mation and fewer profiles on artists thankingoperatives that exist around the country. everyone and their dog for helping get themMany of these survive (and some thrive) by to the top but saying very little about their incorporating innovative ideas in the areas of work and how they do it. Many of us can’tfunding, operation and management. Per­ afford the high-priced equipment shown inhaps CM could feature one or more of these CM, but can and would build our own if weon a more regular basis as a service to its had plans on wheels, slab rollers, kilns, etc.audience. The sharing of these success stories W. D. Simmonds, Big Sandy, Tex. can be a very positive and inspirational source of information, which can pay a handsome Instructional Bargain dividend in the form of increased participa­ CM continues to be the best bargain in tion in the ceramic arts. informative articles on ceramic arts. We Scott Etzel, Concord, Calif. heartily recommend it as supplemental read­ ing for our courses in ceramics. Good idea! We would appreciate receiving Patrick and Beth Slatery illustrated manuscripts from successful coopera­ West Palm Beach, Fla. tives. Potential authors may write for CMs free Writing and Photographic Guidelines, in care Renovation Aid of Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 12788, CM has been an inspirational and practi­Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788.—Ed. cal aid in setting up my new studio—after Hurricane Andrew demolished my home andCeramics Snobs studio. Thanks. I have to admit, we are breeding, as a Eve Koenj, Miami society, an elite group of “ceramics snobs” nationwide. It seems to be a general human Pro Honesty tendency, in whatever the area of endeavor, Please—less of the trend to pottery thatto take ourselves way too seriously. has become artlsculpture, etc. I gave up Craft Wake up, potters of the world. It’s only Horizons years ago when the emphasis be­ mud. Lighten up! came sensational stuff to catch and surprise Rex Freed, Ridgway, Colo.

10 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 11 Up Front

Ceramics Monthly Address Change Were not moving, but effective immediately, Ceramics Monthly has been assigned a new box number for postal deliveries. Our new mailing address is Post Office Box 12788, Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788. The old box number and zip code were similar (Post Office Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212-0448) so some confusion is anticipated. Fortunately, mail sent to the old address will be forwarded for the next two years.

Free Summer Workshops Listing Chris Gustin teapot, 9 inches in height, Cone 10 reduction The 1994 “Summer Workshops” listing will appear in the April stoneware, $1800; at International Gallery in San Diego. issue of Ceramics Monthly. Potteries, craft schools, colleges/ universities or other art/craft institutions are invited to submit iron-saturated glaze. This elegant black surface is instantly information about summer programs in ceramics by February appealing, but it is not her works sole strength. These forms 10. (Regularly scheduled classes are excluded.) Please include strike a rare balance between refinement and approachability. the workshop name and/or a synopsis of what will be covered, There is dramatic play between the determined austerity and location, opening and closing dates, level of instruction, rounded elements. instructors name, languages spoken, fee(s), a contact address, At first glance, Chris Gustins sculptural teapots seem to have plus a telephone number that potential participants may call for little in common with Jaeger s. His work is definitely not details. Captioned photos from last years workshops are wel­ functional; the holes he cuts for the lid and spout read almost as come and will be considered for publication in the listing. Mail afterthoughts. Still, his pieces address the same formal issue— information and photos to Summer Workshops, Ceramics creating dynamic, economical forms. The only real difference is Monthly>, Post Office Box 12788, Columbus, Ohio 43212- that Gustin seems to have reversed the operation. Whereas 0788. Announcements may also be faxed to (614) 488-4561. Jaeger generates a lot of dynamic action out of controlled forms, Gustin restrains and controls very dynamic forms. A Strange Brew by Tony Merino Salzbrand ’93 The International Gallery in San Diego recently featured “Salzbrand,” an exhibition of salt-glazed ceramics selected “Teapots: A Strange Brew,” an exhibition of works by 55 alumni through an international competition organized by Handwerkskammer Koblenz, was held at the Electoral Palace in Koblenz, Germany. Participating in the exhibition were 146 ceramists from 16 countries. Jurors selected six prizewinners: Maria Geszler, Hungary, received the first-place award of 8000 DM (approximately US$4640) for a 3-part figure group; second place went to Yang Seung-Ho of Korea for the object shown; and Jane Hamlyn,

Yang Seung-Ho’s object, approximately 10 inches in diameter, grogged stoneware, salt glazed in a wood- burning kiln at Cone 10; second prize in “Salzbrand ’93,” at the Electoral Palace, Koblenz, Germany.

Sara Jaeger teapot, approximately 7 inches in height, porcelain, with Cone 10 reduction glaze, $100. of the Archie Bray Foundation. Overall, the quality was remark­ ably high for such a large group exhibition. Sara Jaeger s work may be the quietest of the exhibition. Her functional teapots read deceptively as simple canvases for her

You are invited to send news and photos about people, places or events of interest. We will be pleased to consider them for publica­ tion in this column. Mail submissions to Up Front, Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 12788, Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788.

12 CERAMICS MONTHLY

Up Front mental processes, human or natural, that created them,” Barringer noted. She would like her work to surprise, “and yet to seem inevitable, and to have the complex particularity that a England, received the third-place award. Martin Goerg and rock or a much-used tool conveys.” Uschi Kertzel of Hohr-Grenzhausen, and Sabine Plog-Blersch of Bad Schussenried, Germany, received commendations. Elyse Saperstein The Philadelphia Art Alliance recently presented work by Elyse Ann LeGris Saperstein in an exhibition featuring ten artists who had re­ Pit-fired vessels by Ann LeGris, Maysville, Kentucky, were ceived two-month residency fellowships to the Vermont Studio exhibited recently at Contemporary Artifacts Gallery in Berea, Center under a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts. The Kentucky. While ordinary “white earthenware is the starting fellowships were awarded to exceptional emerging and mid­ career artists from the Philadelphia area. Chosen from 200 applicants, Saperstein was the only ceramist selected. According to Saperstein, “our culture, past cultures and my own life” are reflected in various segments of the work. “I use components that are simplified, recognizable forms presented in

Ann LeGris pit-fired vessel, 9 inches in height, wheel-thrown and burnished white earthenware; at Contemporary Artifacts Gallery in Berea, Kentucky. point for these wheel-thrown forms,” LeGris explains, “the use of natural grasses and organic materials imprinted by smoke, fire and atmospheric conditions lends each piece its individuality. “The subtle tints and intense contrasts are the results of slips, terra sigillatas, resists and fire. Maximum control is achieved by individual and sometimes repetitive firing. I try to build up layers of illusion like shadows on the surfaces.” Mary Barringer A solo exhibition of stoneware sculpture by Mary Barringer, Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, was presented recently at the Clay Studio in Philadelphia. A production potter for many years, she now concentrates exclusively on handbuilding abstract forms with subtle shapes and surfaces. “I am drawn to things whose simplicity is really a honed- Elyse Saperstein’s “Bound Flight,” 31 inches in height, down complexity, and whose forms contain traces of the incre- earthenware, with glaze and terra sigillata; at the Philadel­ phia Art Alliance, Pennsylvania.

enigmatic ways. Taken together, they create a story,” she says. “The parts are combined in a precarious, vertical structure where ambiguous interactions take place. The arrangements are suggestive on several levels. Often, unrelated symbols are stacked. This suggests the way we randomly borrow images from the past and use them without reference to their own context. This gives them a new context....The viewer must find ways to integrate all the parts. The interrelationships between them are not easily apparent because the parts form a personal narrative. Thus, the narrative becomes a puzzle for each viewer to solve from his or her own perspective.” Dennis Meiners Mary Barringer handbuilt stoneware sculpture, 16 inches Stoneware sculpture by Oregon ceramist Dennis Meiners was in length: at the Clay Studio in Philadelphia. featured recently at Gango Gallery in Portland. These forms

14 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 15 Up Front 1993. “Combining paper pulp made from 100% cotton linters with white stoneware produces a material that looks like oat­ meal in slurry form and, when fired, ends up looking like paper with the ring [resonance] of ceramics,” Caplan explained. “Recently, I have been experimenting extensively with this

Jerry Caplan’s “Submarine in Cold Waters,” approximately 10 inches in height, slab-built paperclay; at the Clay Place in Pittsburgh.

material—by pressing bowl forms into molds, by cutting sheets to build sculpture, and by incorporating metal rods as integral parts of reliefs. Dennis Meiners’ “Village Idiot,” 251/2 inches in height, “My formula is quite simple. I start with 4 gallons of water handbuilt stoneware, $850. and shred in up to 1 pound of cotton linters, then mix for about two hours. Into this I add 10 pounds of powdered stoneware, continuing to mix for another hour or until the paper and clay are well mixed. This slurry is poured out onto plaster bats to produce slabs.” (For additional information on paperclay, see Rosette Gault’s article, “Amazing Paperclay” in the June/July/August 1992 CM.) After construction, Caplan continued, “some of the pieces are sprayed with underglaze colors to maintain the paper quality, since they fire to a matt surface.”

Mirka Orlicka by Lizzie Zucker Saltz It was bitterly cold, as it had been every day since I arrived in what was then Czechoslovakia. As I trudged down Parizska Street, in hopes of sight-seeing in the Josofev (once the largest Jewish ghetto in Europe), I suddenly saw some incredible ceramic art through the large, Dennis Meiners’ “Rescue” teapot, 17 inches in height, plate-glass windows of a 17th- stoneware, $625; at Gango Gallery, Portland, Oregon. century building. I stopped short and just stared—momen­ reflect Meiners’ “attempt to bring order to what I see as increas­ tarily unaware of my freezing, ingly out-of-order human behavior toward the earth and toward California-spoiled feet. The only humanity itself. In other words, I’m trying to produce a sanity- contemporary art that I had making experience.” seen so far—presumably the Beginning with basic shapes like the square, circle and only art that could survive the triangle, Meiners adds imagery that explores issues of concern to market realities wrought by the Mirka Orlicka, Prague, him. “I hope to bring good humor and a playful attitude to velvet revolution—were the Czech Republic. these pieces,” he explained, “so the viewer will want to look at kitschy modernist rip-offs by them, I’ll want to continue making them, and we can all move “Russian emigres,” which were advertised with banners and on through our lives with optimism and hope.” displayed in dingy lobbies alongside the T-shirt shops. More amazing was the fact that this gallery was actually open. (The Jerry Caplan seven days between Christmas and New Year s Day is not the An exhibition of “paperclay” vessels by Jerry Caplan was pre­ ideal time to travel to Prague.) sented at the Clay Place in Pittsburgh through December 8, Entering the Galerie Cervena Trava, I must have made an

16 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 17 Up Front as a potter in a small town, which proved very difficult. After a year of this hardship she went to Prague and became a sculptors assistant. Then, three years after starting out to attend a univer­ odd impression, decked out in no less than six layers, my head sity, she was accepted into one. wrapped babushlca-style in a scarf, pacing around the pedestals, Her interest in ceramics has not diminished since. “Clay is vocalizing in loud, unembarrassed, American tones my admira­ wonderful because you can immediately transport your ideas tion for and astonishment at such an unexpected find. Before into it,” she explained. “My clay grows into existence immedi­ me were some of the most enchanting pots I had ever encoun­ ately on my pottery wheel. I do not make drawings beforehand. tered. They were playful without resorting to either a saccharine I have an idea and I am going to give it birth. I am experiment­ pastel decorativeness or a faux-funk cutesiness. Pudgy teapots ing with materials and glasses. I would like to negate the old with short spouts and square copper lids sat next to taller traditional form of ceramic work. For that I am using metal lids teapots, as well as tall, thin vases with horn-shaped necks and parts.” extending from round bases. The rich colors varied from Of the conversion from communism to democracy, Orlicka purples tinged with orange to burgundies and greens. remarked: “I am glad things changed....I can breathe, finally, live At this point, my curiosity brimming over, I took off my and work. Now I am able to make more ceramics.” babushka and two pairs of gloves, rummaged around for the It has also given Orlicka and her husband the opportunity to open their own gallery. She is realistic, though. “It will not be easy to keep our gallery afloat,” she said. “We are the first here who are more interested in showing modern art and design. We are looking for opportunities to contact other galleries, with a similar philosophy, outside our country. It is my wish to keep this idea alive.” Contemporary Porcelain from Japan Porcelain vessels by 30 Japanese artists were presented recently at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Represented by one work each in the exhibition, the participat­ ing artists are all members of the ceramic arts division of Issuikai, an artists’ association in Japan that sponsors annual juried exhibitions. Most of the association’s artists live in areas where porcelain has been made for centuries, and they incorpo­ rate local materials and traditional styles in their work.

Mirka Orlicka’s vessels; at the Gallery Cervena Trava, Prague, Czech Republic.

pocket translation guide, and braced myself for communication. The gallery attendant had been watching me with that expres­ sion of amusement and disgust that nicer Czechs reserve for Inoue Manji’s porcelain bowl, 43 centimeters (approximately uncouth visitors. “Umlecke ceramika?” I overenunciated, while 17 inches) in diameter, with carved peony design, green grinning to ensure her of my good intentions, pointing in an and clear glazes, fired to 1300°C (2372°F); at the Nelson- exaggerated manner at one of the tall pieces. Amazingly, my Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri. pigeon-Czech worked, and I was shown a cryptic artists resume. Some more charades followed, and I found out when the artist, Traveling since the spring of 1993, “Contemporary Porcelain Mirka Orlicka, would be in the gallery. from Japan” is nowr on view (through April 3) at the Arthur M. After a brief meeting with Orlicka, I began communicating Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, with her via that modern miracle, the fax machine, with the D.C. Donated by the artists, the exhibited works will then help of interpreters at both ends. Orlicka spends most of her become part of the gallery’s permanent collection. A number time in a small village, where she has an old house with a studio. were made specifically or chosen from the artists’ personal She was born in the northern part of Moravia, but left home to collections for presentation to the Sackler Gallery. attend a ceramics school. “Many artists, including myself,” she explained, “chose to escape through art, to look for freedom in Stefani Gruenberg art and for freedom within a communist country.” Recently, 14 porcelain animals by Los Angeles artist Stefani She didn’t get into a university at first, and so went to work Gruenberg were displayed (along with a few pieces of jewelry)

18 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 19 Up Front apolis, Minnesota; Kim Dickey, Brooklyn, New York; and Catherine WTiite, Warrenton, Virginia. For his carved porcelain vessels, such as the sugar bowl and creamer shown below left, Larry Bush uses “a variety of forming methods (throwing, handbuilding, casting) to arrive at a basic shape that I redirect, define and refine. Lately, I mostly use a single, off-white glaze to bring the finished pot the visual feel of the fresh, wet, malleable clay I work with and find most attrac­ tive. It can look like marble or ivory or Song-dynasty Ting. My ambition is to make ware that encourages an intimate and personal interaction.” Nine Decades of California Craft To celebrate the “Year of American Craft,” the San Francisco Craft & Folk Art Museum, the California Crafts Museum and the Oliver Art Center of the California College of Arts and Crafts organized “Nine Decades: The Northern California Craft Movement.” The three-part exhibition focused on contributions made by artists/educators affiliated with the California College of Arts and Crafts (CCAC) from 1907 to the present. The first part of the show, “The Beginnings: 1907-1949,”

Stefani Gruenberg camel, 17 inches in height, wheel-thrown and assembled porcelain with multifired lusters; at Tiffany & Company in Beverly Hills. in Tiffany & Company showcases along Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Wheel thrown and handbuilt, then assembled from the knee up, the animals were fired to Cone 9-10. Next, commer­ cial lusters were applied in layers. After multiple firings, steel rods were added to form the animals’ shins. Then porcelain hooves were epoxied to the steel shins, and wood putty was applied to form the anldes. Finally, the animals were mounted on porcelain bases, some of which were lustered to look like marble. A Gentle Touch Pewabic Pottery in Detroit recently presented an exhibition of pots that emphasize the tactile qualities of clay. Featured in “A Gentle Touch” were works by Larry Bush and Jacquie Rice, both from Providence, Rhode Island; Victoria Christen, Minne-

Robert Yaryan wheel-thrown stoneware bottle with sgraffito 1 Larry Bush creamer and sugar bowl, to 5½ inches in height, decoration, 12/2 inches in height, 1968; at the California carved porcelain, $80 each; at Pewabic Pottery in Detroit. Crafts Museum in San Francisco.

20 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 21 Up Front This is a direct result of a recent trip to China where he partici­ pated in a ten-day artist exchange/workshop held at the Jing- dezhen Porcelain Sculpture Factory. was presented at the San Francisco Craft & Folk Art Museum. To some extent, Kenneys approach to his work has always Founded by German-born artist Frederick W. Meyer, CCAC involved the integration of the geometric (human) with the opened in Berkeley with five teachers. As enrollment grew, the organic. He recalls how ironic it seemed when seeing the almost college moved to larger quarters, settling in its current location organic limestone foundations around ancient Chinese temples in Oakland in 1926. and realizing a visual connection to his press-molded sculpture. The early years marked a time when crafts were moving Even his geometric tile shapes are softened by rounding the away from amateur status, with its emphasis on manual training edges and leaving noticeable fingermarks to remind viewers of and occupational therapy, into new areas of artistic expression. the malleable qualities of clay. The most forward-looking medium at CCAC during this period was ceramics, thanks to the efforts of William Bragdon, Glen Gayle Fichtinger Lukens, F. Carlton Ball, Antonio Prieto and Marguerite A solo exhibition of still-life sculpture by Gayle Fichtinger Wildenhain. (Reading, Massachusetts) was presented recently at Joanne Rapp By the 1950s, “artists who consciously chose materials Gallery/The Hand and the Spirit in Scottsdale, Arizona. Subject traditionally associated with the applied arts rebelled against the matter is based on outdoor scenes selected “for their beauty and stifling limitations imposed by functionality based solely upon narrative content.” Fichtinger then tries “to let nature have its materials,” observed Kenneth Trapp, curator of crafts and decorative arts at the Oakland Museum, in the accompanying catalog. “Beginning with ceramics, this ‘release of materiality’ opened the way for the dynamic use of other materials, a phenomenon that became the hallmark of the contemporary craft movement.” The second part of the exhibition, “Modernism: Craft Breakthrough in Northern California, 1950-1975,” appeared at the California Crafts Museum. During these “glory years,” several of the ceramics teachers (including Prieto, Viola Frey, Ron Nagle and Art Nelson) broke away from the traditional uses of clay to explore sculptural potential. The third part, “Hybridization: Contemporary Northern California Craft, 1975 to the Present,” was on view at the California College of Arts and Crafts’ Oliver Art Center through December 18, 1993. Douglas Kenney “Geometric Perspectives,” an exhibition of platters, vases, sculpture and tile plaques by Douglas Kenney, San Antonio, Texas, was on view recently at Gallery Authentique in Roslyn, New York. His latest work incorporates Chinese cobalt-blue brushwork with organic backgrounds and geometric shapes. Gayle Fichtinger’s “Orchard,” 21 inches in height, handbuilt terra cotta with colored slips and clear glaze, single fired; at Joanne Rapp Gallery/The Hand and the Spirit in Scottsdale, Arizona.

way. A discarded bottle is intertwined with vines; a cracked window swarms with insect and plant life.” Recent works are referred to as “resurrections on a small scale, testament to the possibility of regeneration and hope. The marriage between the surface painting and sculpted terra-cotta form enhances the believability of the juxtapositions, and underscores the relationship of the elements.” Barbara Hill Large-scale figurative and monolithic sculptures by Barbara Hill were exhibited recently at the Cultural Courthouse Center in Stuart, Florida. Hill often draws upon “the expressive and symbolic power of the fragment, using a part of the body to evoke the whole. Though imposing in scale, the work seems tenuous and fragile, providing an interesting tension. “The figurative works, which to me are both accessible and Douglas Kenney’s “Plate #MY6,” 23 inches in diameter; enigmatic, contain human, animal, technological and geological at Gallery Authentique in Roslyn, New York. references,” she explains. “How an individual perceives what is

22 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 23 Up Front works are underglazed in the greenware stage, with surfaces rubbed with steel wool, then single fired to Cone 1. Others are bisqued, glazed and fired to Cone 6. Several have been fired beautiful and what is repulsive interests me. For example, the three times.” classical Greco-Roman stance of the sometimes literal, oftentimes androgynous, figure and torso is combined with Sherry Karver folding, reptilian skin. Or an animal hoof or boulder is where by Jerry Ratch the human foot should be. California artist Sherry Karver’s recent series of ceramic and “Combinations of slab, throwing, casting and handbuilding wood wall forms was featured in a solo exhibition at Joy Hor- techniques are utilized in creating the fragments of figures. The wich Gallery in Chicago. Her figurative work continues to blur the distinctions between sculpture and formal painting. The window framing many of the pieces acts as a metaphor

Sherry Karver’s “Souvenirs,” 44 inches in height, mixed media; at Joy Horwich Gallery in Chicago.

for history, bringing it forward through time while giving us a glimpse into the past. The open window lets in light, hope, thoughts and ideas. Other images are based on old photographs of Karver’s family, as well as newspaper clippings. The breaking and reassembling process used to create these pieces is symbolic of a shattered and reconstructed history. Karver commented that “the main purpose of the work is to metaphorically bring the fragmented pieces of the world back together again.”

Barbara Hill’s “Torso IV,” 37 inches in height, handbuilt James Crumrine, 1925-1993 whiteware with low-fire glazes, $1900; at the Cultural Potter/teacher James Crumrine (December 21, 1925-October Courthouse Center in Stuart, Florida. 29, 1993) died of pneumonia in Pleasant Mount, Pennsylvania; he had taught for many years at Greenwich House Pottery in clay is distorted, stretched and twisted, torn, flung on the floor Manhattan and at Queens College and stepped on to achieve the textures and raw physicality I in Queens, New York. seek. They are built from the bottom up, without armatures, Former colleague Jolyon Hof- working only from the inside to reinforce the walls, which sted described Crumrine as “an average 1 inch thick. unsung hero. One example is the “The clay body is a white earthenware, incorporating talc, work he did with Roy Lichtenstein. ball clay, grog, silica sand, sawdust, wollastonite, pyrophyllite, He executed all the ceramic work vermiculite and perlite. I developed this in 1985 to allow me to and glazing on the Lichtenstein work large, with little shrinkage and warping. The body is more plate series. The two worked like cement than clay, but useful in achieving the surfaces I seek, together for months, but Jim was and the fired clay is remarkably lightweight and strong. never given credit or mention in James Crumrine, “Most of my sculpture is bisque fired to Cone 1. Some any of the exhibitions or catalogs.” circa 1957

24 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 25 26 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 27

Susan Gamble: Rio de Mi Corazon by Sean McGinnis

On the dry banks of the Santa Cruz to imposition of severe limitations), she River in Tucson, Arizona, just north of talked with representatives from each of downtown, Susan Gamble placed the the four barrios. In the case of the Pascua last of her handmade tiles, completing a Yaquis, for example, she learned about two-year project. She stepped back from the respectful way in which they make the work, straightening slowly, to look known information about their well- up at the arches overhead. They didn’t ordered society. look as she had first imagined they It was only after these meetings that would, but in her mind this marked Santa Cruz River Park (the site of a Gamble felt comfortable in represent­ handmade tile installation by Susan just how far both she and the commu­ Gamble) is just north of downtown ing their various points of view. By this nity for which it was made had come. Tucson, Arizona. time, most of the construction was un­ Because Gamble wanted the Santa derway. Building public art runs on a Cruz River Park to be a space that the part of the river into the design. After time schedule; building understanding people of the neighborhood could in­ working out construction details with does not. teract with and enjoy as their own, she engineers, landscape architects and Gamble remembers Mr. Moreno, decided to incorporate the histories of county officials (whose input ranged who came by every day to check on all the ethnic groups who live along this from excitement about doing the project progress, and to thank her for taking

The project consists of five columns, four arches, several hundred feet of retaining walls and a gateway, all covered or banded with approximately100,000 tiles.

January 1994 29 such time and effort to beautify his hearts” that bear the names of the neigh­ In completing this commission, neighborhood. Having lived there all borhoods that border the river: Barrio Gamble clarified her beliefs about what his life (over 80 years), he could recall a Anita, Barrio Manzo (or Hollywood), institutions should look for and allow different time along the river. Pascua Yaqui Village, Barrio El Rio. for in selecting public art. Time was a Angela Sullivan, Ned Gray and Gamble and her crew developed an chief factor. Her project didn’t come Stephanie Greener remember another ingenious way to make and glaze the together until she had an opportunity time. As Gambles 30-hour-a-week, paid plain tiles. They would roll out a slab of to meet with each ethnic group, and get assistants, they got up early every day so terra cotta, then use a 12-inch ruler to a sense of their histories and needs. Art they could get in several hours after all is about relationships. of tile installation before the sun The temptation is to make public art that It was important that each of got too hot. They were also the the barrios be represented ones who sometimes took out pleases everyone. The outcome is safe, generic art. wholly. This was her way of several feet of tiles that didn’t But Gambles work respects differences rather revealing the diversity and rich­ look right, without complain­ ness that each group offers to ing (much). than covering them up. the city. The project consists of five The temptation is to make columns, four arches, several hundred impress deep lines defining the tiles’ public art that pleases everyone. The feet of retaining walls and a gateway, all edges—without actually cutting them outcome is safe, generic art. But covered or banded with 100,000 hand­ out. This produced a sheet of connected Gamble’s work respects differences rather made tiles. The columns feature panels tiles that were easy to glaze and to load than covering them up. of letter tiles that spell out the history of into the kiln as one piece. With prac­ The Santa Cruz River Park marks a the area in three languages. Bands of tice, the fired sheets could easily be sepa­ point in the continuum that Tucson is; blue tiles run near the upper edge of the rated by snapping off individual tiles. it honors that past, delights in the present concrete walls, which wind throughout Only the tiles with letters and im­ and welcomes the future. The desert the park and vary in height from several ages had to be made separately. Gamble can be a bleak, dry place. The river inches to 5 feet; this 3-inch-wide fish- applied layers of underglazes onto each rarely runs with water. But here, in the filled “river” weaves between brown of the decorated tiles; she then scraped cool of the evening, Tucson can cele­ banks with prickly pear cacti. Spaced at down through these layers before ap­ brate its history and remain true to its 10-foot intervals are a series of “sacred plying glaze details. “sacred heart.” ▲

A “river” of blue tiles runs near the upper edge of concrete retaining walls; spaced at 10-foot intervals are “sacred Symbolic imagery was complemented with panels hearts” that bear the names of the of letter tiles in three languages. neighboring barrios.

30 CERAMICS MONTHLY Plain tiles were made by rolling out slabs, then impressing dividing lines with a 12-inch ruler; the resulting sheets of connected tiles facilitated glazing and firing—far less handling of small pieces.

Left: Angela Sullivan and Susan Gamble (right) glazing tiles. After the glaze firing (above), the sheets were easily separated by snapping off individual tiles.

January 1994 31 “Sticking up” tile with thin-set mortar; much of the tile installation took place in the cool, early morning hours, before the desert sun made it too hot to work.

Tile symbols and letters tell the histories of the people Located at the center of the park, the columns and from the four barrios that border Santa Cruz River. arches are the focal point of the $18,000 commission.

32 CERAMICS MONTHLY The Rise and Fall of Cast Glaze by Louis Katz

Editor’s note:This article pre­ cast glass with thin walls. sents a potentially hazardous Thick glass can take weeks process for forming vessels in to anneal properly, and be­ temporary supports made of ginning glass students refractory fiber paper. CM’s interest in publishing this in­ were discouraged from formation is not to encourage making anything thicker anyone to follow the tech­ than ½ inch. nique exactly, because the The traditional glass- author could not solve a vari­ molding material is a mix­ ety of problems—most sig­ ture of plaster, sand and nificantly the inhaling of silica flour. It is inflexible refractory fibers. Rather, our and requires that complex intention is to present the re­ sults of the author’s research glass forms be cast with in the hope that nonhazard- thick walls. But ceramic ous methods (perhaps with­ fiber is flexible. Forms cast out the use of refractory fiber) in it can be thin. The can be developed for what is fibers flexibility relieves potentially an innovative pro­ any stress from contrac­ cess and product. tion that the mold might put on cooling glass. Although not clean, clear My first piece was and glossy like glass, cast made with cullet I had glaze is a far cry from the ground to a fine powder earthen incinerations that in a ball mill and mixed lie close to my heart. The with water. I poured it into process was a product of a small bowl made from circumstances at Illinois ceramic-fiber paper, then State University where I poured it out. This left a spent my first year of thin glaze of cullet on the graduate school. Joel inside of the paper. Meyers, who runs the When it was dry, I put glass program, had man­ this mold into the kiln and aged to have a truckload fired it. Afterward, I of refractories donated to “Serrated Spiral,” 16 inches in height, glaze vessel, peeled the fiber paper off the school. The glass de­ cast and fired in a ceramic-fiber mold, 1992. and was left with a bowl partment, housed in a of very thin glass. I was building too small for the program, was gotten a chance to use stuff like this for fortunate in that this piece came out of filled to the brim with ceramic-fiber free again, its use was a space-saving the kiln intact, as I was soon plagued products. Equipment was buried be­ public service. Consequently, glass was with a breakage rate exceeding 70%. hind boxes of fiber, and the question blown into ceramic-fiber tubes; molten Casting glaze is fraught with diffi­ soon arose as to whether the fiber was glass was poured into other forms; fiber culty. Cracks that form in the glaze coat worth its storage space. was wrapped, compressed, ground, of clay vessels generally don’t destroy An excess of expensive material un­ melted and then disposed of. the structural integrity of the body. Not derfoot is a great instigator of experi­ Before the fibers arrival, I had al­ so with glaze only. A crack is a crack, mentation. Not only might I never have ready been trying to visualize a way to and cracks were hard to avoid. I never

January 1994 33 Colorants brushed into the ceramic fiber mold will transfer to the cast glaze slurry.

Detail of “Pink and Blue Tomatoes”; soluble colorants spread through the glaze, while insoluble colorants remain on the surface.

34 CERAMICS MONTHLY knew what caused them. If the kiln bought a blender. After crushing the turn me away from a Fiberfrax destiny? fired too slowly or too quickly, it cracked.rock with a hammer as best I could, I After all, I had sold a few pieces right If a piece of sand or anything else fell threw it in. Within a few minutes, I had away. I made some more; I sold some into the glaze, it cracked. If you were a few quarts of glass slurry and stubs more. One piece was broken in a gal­ mean to your little brother in a previous instead of blender blades. lery after winning a cash award. The life, it cracked. Theorizing that fiber in Since then, my feelings about such postal service ate and paid for another. the glaze was causing cracks by not casting—including the work I made and Cast glaze was a commercial success. shrinking at the same rate, I tried using whether or not I will ever make more— I started my last cast-glaze pieces in lower-expansion glaze recipes, elaborate have vacillated. I gave up using the tech­ 1988. A trip to Thailand interrupted cooling cycles and burning incense. nique in 1988 after reading health warn­the cleaning process, and they were Eventually, I did surpass the 50% ings that came with a new roll of fiber. packed away, already fired but still in survival rate. I figured that if I could sell It was a good excuse. I had been com­ their fiber molds. Since then, concern the pieces for enough money, the losses ing home itchy, going to bed itchy and over my exposure to bits of devitrified wouldn’t matter. I was lucky it worked waking up itchy. ceramic fiber while peeling the fired at all. Besides, a 50% success rate doesn’t Those who worked near me were pieces has kept me from making more. drive one nearly as crazy as a 70% loss also glad to be rid of the stuff. The In 1993, I peeled the molds from rate does. rubber cement I used to hold the molds the pieces cast in 1988. I still worry New problems continued to crop up, together would burn off in thick clouds about the hazards of fiber. The warn­ though. When I was invited to be a of odiferous black smoke that would ings mentioned a 1500°F threshold for visiting artist at the New York Experi­ offend the unsuspecting nose at a quar­ devitrification to occur, but perhaps I mental Glass Workshop in Little Italy ter mile. The binder continued to stink could fire lower than that. on the isle of Manhattan, I ground 50 even after the cement had burned off. As I look at my small collection of pounds of glass, set the slurry in the Part of my feelings toward the pro­ this work, I wonder if I can still put back of my car and drove from Mon­ cess must also be a result of comments myself in a space where I can use pinks tana to New York. On arrival, I discov­ by others concerning cast glaze’s “lack and light blues and make more pretty ered that the ground glass had settled of conceptuality,” its “craftlike presence”things. I wonder how far back I will into a rock—not the normal too-much- and “inescapable relationship to the pro­ need to go to bring cast glaze forward, feldspar-in-the-recipe kind of rock, but cess.” Their incessant cries for “content, and when and where I should leave it. a solid, capable-of-deflecting-substantial- content, content” seemed to imply that swings-of-a-hammer concrete. all I was making were empty vessels. The author Louis Katz currently resides Not to be outdone by what was once Was I duped by that bag of bull? Did in Helena, Montana, where he is em­ a slurry, I went to Canal Street and they provide just enough pressure to ployed by the Archie Bray Foundation.

“Toothed Spiral,” 14 inches in height, cast “Veil,” 18 inches high; this piece was so glaze, with transferred colorants, 1992. fragile it blew apart on a windy day in 1983.

January 1994 35 1 “Large Sea Bowl,” 16/2 inches in diameter, coil-built whiteware with handbuilt additions, brushed with low-fire glazes, $1800.

Andrea Johnson barely heard her phys­ for frequent visits to the University of out simply, yet I find the repetition and ics professor as she sat in the back of theCalifornia at Davis as well. detail of such intricacy very soothing.” lecture hall sketching ornate designs in A mecca of ceramic art, “Davis was Returning to the United States, her notebook with colored pencils. Un­ where it was happening,” recalled Johnson lived in Cape Cod, Massachu­ interested in lectures on substance and Johnson. “I used to hang out in the art setts, then in Carmel, California. Al­ motion, this would-be oceanographer department with my sister, awed by the ways surrounded by water, she found a gave dimension to paper, movement to work created around me as I tried to natural proclivity to paint underwater inertia—all with the stroke of a pen­ absorb everything I saw.” She considers scenes—lifelike, yet at the same time cil—yet nearly flunked physics. these experiences the source of the three-surreal—vibrant, textured spectacles of Her mother a painter, and her sister dimensional framework that later enormous proportion and considerable a ceramist, Johnson had assumed her emerged in her artwork. detail. “There are absolutely no rules, family had reached its quota of artists, After college, Johnson traveled to Ja­ no source books to look up the answer. so she enrolled in the University of Cali­ pan to visit her parents, and stayed for I just keep working, taking full license fornia at Santa Barbara to become an six years. The ornate patterns of Japa­ to change colors, shapes, textures, until oceanographer like her father. She bal­ nese screen paintings and fabrics con­ it looks and feels right.” anced a science curriculum with elec­ tinue to influence her work today. “I After many years of painting, she tive art classes, and actually found time am very compulsive. Nothing comes drew upon the influence of her experi­

36 CERAMICS MONTHLY ences at U.C., Davis, and began work­ fire white clay that is not “touchy,” one ing with clay to form her dimensional that can “handle the stress of intricate scenes. The new medium presented a forms.” Although throwing the bowls “whole different world” for Johnson, would save time, her vessels need to one without square lines or hard edges. look handbuilt, so each is a product of Her daywork begins “as nothing days of coil building. Next, separately more than an idea, vague and unstruc­ built figures of sea life are attached. tured, yet malleable, vulnerable to feel­ Each vessel then takes a month to ings, sensitive to touch, as coil by coil dry before it is bisque fired at Cone 06- the form takes shape.” Bowls—round Andrea Johnson in her Salinas, 05. By combining commercial glazes or vessels with an inside and an outside— California, studio. mixing her own (testing the results on allow her to create two entirely different small tiles), she has achieved a palette of worlds, much like those above and be­ focus to one thing. “I love to run, gar­ vibrant colors and animated textures low sea level. Outside, the bowls are den and ride horseback. And while I do that foam and bubble like brine against richly textured and adorned with small all with passion and discipline, my art is the sand. creatures. Inside, the bowls house lob­ the only thing I do seriously. The con­ Form and function, substance and sters or crabs, fish or sea urchins, and summate artist might fault me for dis­ motion, energy and dimension—the myriad plant life, all apparently undu­ persing my energy, but everything I do boundaries of science and art are washed lating to the rhythm of the sea. contributes to and is reflected in my away in the oceanic sculpture by An­ While the nearby ocean is important work. And my work is who I am.” drea Johnson shown recently at Winfield to her work, she has never limited her Johnson prefers working with a low- Gallery in Carmel, California. A

“Sea Bowl,” 10 inches in diameter, handbuilt whiteware with low-fire glazes, $900.

January 1994 37 Recipes, Testing and Mixing Porcelain Bodies for Potters by David Beumee

When evaluating a porcelain body, the first thing to consider is workability.

I remember my introduction to white glaze color achieved over porcelain, I This is an excellent porcelain for din- clay. I was standing by my favorite wheel have tested every body recipe I have nerware and ovenware; it also works one day, near the end of my art school­ come across. The following are particu­ well for larger forms, such as platters or ing at Montana State, when I was given larly good for wheel throwing: vases. If necessary, add flint (in 5% in­ a ball of white stoneware to try. I threw crements) to lower the expansion of your a tumbler, decorated it with black slip, Dave Cornells Porcelain Body glazes to match this low-expansion body. and later covered it with clear glaze. (Cone 10-11) Grolleg is a blended English kaolin, When I saw the black-and-white con­ Custer Feldspar...... 20% which combines good plasticity, low- trast on the fired piece, I was hooked. Grolleg Kaolin...... 55 titania content and relatively high-flux Ever since then, I have been working Flint (200 mesh)...... 13 content, making it an excellent choice with porcelain fired to Cones 10 and Pyrophyllite (Pyrax) ...... 12 for a translucent throwing body. II in reduction. 100% Custer feldspar is also good for use Forever fascinated by the clarity of Add: VeegumT...... 2% in porcelains, as it produces the highest

38 CERAMICS MONTHLY viscosity glass of any feldspar I have twice as effective as alumina hydrate in and Primus. Sodium is a more active tested, thus reducing warping. helping to stiffen the clay and decrease alkali than potassium and produces a Pyrophyllite (Pyrax) decreases the warping at stoneware temperatures. lower viscosity glass, which takes other thermal expansion of the clay, making Bentolite is a bentonite produced by materials in the body into the melt some­ ovenware less likely to crack; it also im­ Southern Clay Products, 5775 Peachtree what faster than potash feldspars. (I have proves throwing characteristics and de­ not had deflocculation problems using creases warping. Coopers recipe, perhaps because I use In my experience, 200-mesh flint is acidic water for mixing clay.) best for all porcelains, adding the tooth There is less warping and slumping and thixotropy missing with the use of with Cooper s body in comparison with 325-mesh flint. The larger particle size other highly fluxed porcelains contain­ also decreases cracking. ing 30% feldspar, yet even a lightweight Veegum T (available from R. T. handle attached to a thin cup will pull Vanderbilt Company, 30 Winfield the wall out-of-round at Cone 10. Street, Norwalk, Connecticut 06055) is a superb plasticizer that does not gray Porcelain Properties the body, as bentonite does. It has a When evaluating a porcelain body very high (alkaline) pH of 8.5, yet acts for possible use, the first thing to con­ as a flocculant, contributing to the work­ sider is workability—a combination of ability of the porcelain. how well the clay throws (plasticity) and how well it stands up to use (thix­ Peter Pinnells Porcelain Body otropy). Plasticity is a measure of how (Cone 10-11) well the clay stretches, while thixotropy Custer Feldspar...... 20% is a measure of the clays ability to stay Alumina Hydrate (325 mesh) ... 2 in place after it has been moved around. Grolleg Kaolin...... 55 Bowls weighing ¾ pound were thrown Flint (200 mesh)...... 23 as thin as possible from the porcelain 100% Stepping back from the wheel helps bodies listed previously. When mixed Add: Veegum T...... 2% Beumee see what the pots “contain.” using the wet method (described later), Alumina hydrate reduces shrinkage, all five threw beautifully. increases thixotropy and stiffens the clay Dunwoody Road, Northeast, Atlanta, Translucency is another important at stoneware temperatures, minimizing Georgia 30342. factor in choosing a porcelain body. In warping and slumping. Alumina also general, to be translucent, a porcelain benefits glaze fit and strengthens the Jeff Zameks Revised J Body should contain a minimum of 20% feld­ fired porcelain considerably. The disad­ (Cone 10-11) spar in combination with 50% to 60% vantages are that alumina adds weight G-200 Feldspar...... 19% low-titania kaolins (e.g., Grolleg) plus a to the fired clay and reduces translu- Alumina Oxide (325 mesh) ...... 3 minimum of 20% flint. Pots should be cency. (I use C-33 Alumina Hydrate, a Grolleg Kaolin...... 49 thin walled (½ inch or less). Of course, product of Alcoa, 1501 Alcoa Building, Flint (200 mesh)...... 29 that requires care in all parts of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219.) 100% making and firing process. But when Add: Veegum T...... 2%tea colors the morning sunlight through Jeff Zameks Original J Body the side of your favorite bowl, these (Cone 10-11) Jim Coopers Translucent Porcelain efforts will have been rewarded. G-200 Feldspar...... 20 parts (Cone 10-11) If you fire in reduction and are con­ Alumina Oxide (325 mesh) .. 3 Custer Feldspar...... 12.5% cerned about whiteness, tests should be Bentolite...... 3 Kona F-4 Feldspar ...... 12.5 done in a reducing atmosphere as well. Grolleg Kaolin...... 50 Nepheline Syenite...... 5.0 I line up my fired test bars side-by-side Macaloid...... 2 Grolleg Kaolin...... 50.0 to make a color comparison by eye. Flint (200 mesh)...... 30 Flint (200 mesh)...... 15.0 I prefer porcelains that have 0% wa­ 108 parts Pyrophyllite...... 5.0 ter absorption at Cone 10. To check the An excellent all-purpose body. 100.0% absorption rate of the listed porcelains, G-200 feldspar is predominantly a Add: Veegum T...... 2.0% fired test bars (still slightly warm from potash feldspar, melting slightly faster Epsom Silts...... 0.3% the firing) were first weighed to within and producing a more translucent glass Nepheline syenite is a sodium-based a tenth of a gram. The bars were then than Custer feldspar. Potash feldspars feldspar. All sodium-based feldspars, in­ pressure cooked in water for one-half are less prone to solubility than soda- cluding Kona F-4, NC-4, Minspar and hour at 15 psi, then weighed when all based feldspars and produce a highly nepheline syenite, melt approximately surface water had evaporated. viscous glass; thus, warping is less likely. twice as fast as potash-based feldspars To determine the potential for slump­ Calcined alumina oxide is nearly such as Custer, G-200, K Spar, Norfloat ing (bending or collapsing of the walls

January 1994 39 Wheel-thrown porcelain covered jar with brushed glaze decoration, 7 inches in height, by David Beumee, Lafayette, Colorado.

Celadon-glazed porcelain Crackle-glazed urn, approximately Vase with brushed slip and celadon covered jar, 11¾ inches high. 11 inches in height, fired to Cone 10. glaze, approximately 6 inches in height.

40 CERAMICS MONTHLY of the pot during firing), press-molded are not as plastic as darker clays, you a pound. The scale was hung close to 1 1 test bars (4 /2X1 /4X% inches) were dried have to mix the body in a way that will the floor to reduce back strain. between plaster bats to keep them flat, encourage as much plasticity as pos­ In the absence of a filter press, I pour bisqued, then fired spanning the edges sible. While the use of ball clay would the mixed slurry into a drying frame of of an altered softbrick. I used an old increase plasticity, it would also darken 2x4boards set on 24-inch-high legs crosscut wood saw to narrow the width the fired result. also made of 2x4s. The dimensions of of a standard K-26 softbrick to 3¾ The water used to mix your clay will this drying frame are 29x92 inches. At­ inches and to cut a wide groove down make a tremendous difference in its tached to the bottom of the frame is the middle of the brick. ½-inch hardware cloth, The test bars are made available in 3-foot-wide longer than the softbrick rolls. This left enough span to allow for 7%— cloth to curl over the edge 12% shrinkage during a of the frame and be Cone 10 firing. Of the screwed to the sides be­ clay body recipes given, tween the lx2-inch fur­ Zamek’s Original J-Body ring strips, ensuring that showed the least slump­ the hardware cloth will ing and shrinkage. not detach from the I used larger, thicker weight of the clay. test bars for the porosity, After the hardware shrinkage and warping/ cloth was attached, the twisting tests. The degree legs were screwed into the of warping and twisting frame, three per side. A was gauged by eye. sheet of plastic attached For shrinkage tests, all Even when recipes are thoroughly tested, porcelain is an exacting below the hardware cloth the bodies were mixed us­ taskmaster; witness Beumee’s “million-dollar shard pile.” catches drips and directs ing the wet method, then them to a collection dried to a similar throwing consistency. throwing capabilities. City water in my bucket. Sheeting (old bed sheets) is As each press-molded test bar was made, area contains soda ash (water softener), placed on top of the hardware cloth. a 100-millimeter length was marked off which is highly alkaline and a strong Mixing Procedure with a razor blade; the bars were then deflocculant; therefore, its use in a por­ 1. Attach the recipe to the side of the dried (turning often) on a flat surface. celain body would decrease workability. barrel. As each ingredient is added, mark After the Cone 10 firing, a second mea­ Obtain information on water additives it off your list. surement was taken to determine the from your local water treatment plant. 2. Wearing a respirator, mix the plas­ shrinkage. For example, if the distance Another important factor is the wa­ tic ingredients first: plasticizers (Veegum between marks on the second reading is ters pH. (I test my water with pHydrion T, Bentolite, Macaloid) and clays (Grol­ 83mm, the shrinkage would be 17%. paper, which comes in a dispenser and leg). Do not add the Veegum or any To test the ability of these bodies to is easy to use. It is available from Micro montmorillonite directly to water. fit glazes easily, I used ten glazes of high Essential Laboratory, Inc., 4224 Ave­ Weigh out 10 pounds of the clay to be to low expansion (shown on the next nue H, Brooklyn, New York.) The rain­ added, then mix the Veegum and clay page) adapted by Jim Robinson from water I collect from the roof of my together dry. Add this mixture to the R. R. West s data in Ceramic Science for house is an acidic pH 4.5, excellent for water and subtract these ingredients the Potter. Almost no shivering occurred mixing clay (and a good use for acid from your list. Mix thoroughly. I use a using the lowest expansion recipe of the rain). Pure water would be pH neutral 24-inch-long mixer powered by a drill. Glaze Test Series (GTS); shivering oc­ (8). The higher (more alkaline) the pH, Use a drill with high RPM; above 2000 curs when the clay contracts faster than the more likely deflocculation will oc­ is good. Hammer drills generally have the glaze, causing the glaze to pop off cur, so low pH (acidic) water is prefer­ up to 2500 RPM. the pot. Similarly, except for one or two able, assuring maximum electrical For Cooper’s Translucent Porcelain of the highest expansion recipes in the attraction between clay particles (floccu­ Body, where the solubility of sodium series, crazing was not a problem; craz­ lation). Well water, because it contains feldspars is counteracted by Epsom salts, ing occurs when the glaze contracts fastervaluable trace minerals and organisms, stir the Epsom salts into 1 quart water, than the clay. The numbers in the Glaze is preferable to distilled or city water. allow a few minutes for the crystals to Fit column of the Properties of Tested Flat-bottomed, 30-gallon plastic bar­ dissolve, then add to the barrel. Clays chart denote glazes from the GTS rels are recommended for mixing por­ 3. Weigh out the remaining clay in that did not craze on the clay body celain slurry. Fill each three-quarters full the recipe; add to the water and mix tested. with water and add 125 pounds of dry thoroughly, moving the mixer around Mixing Porcelain materials. I use a 60-pound capacity in the barrel to avoid creating a vortex A great porcelain body recipe is half dairy scale to weigh dry materials be­ (which would pull air into the clay). the battle, but since white-firing clays cause the demarcations are in tenths of Weigh out and add all remaining ingre-

January 1994 41 dients; mix thoroughly. Allow the mix­ ture to stand for several days, then mix thoroughly once again. 4. Dip slurry from the barrels and pour through a 40-mesh screen into 5- gallon buckets. Mix the slurry thin enough so it can be pushed easily through the screen with a 3- or 4-inch paintbrush. Now pour the slurry into your drying frame. The sheeting will hold the clay, while the water will drip through. Do not use this water again, as soluble alkalis will have been removed as water percolates through the slurry and drips through the sheeting. For the drying frame de­ scribed, no more than two barrels (250 pounds dry materials) are poured in at one time. Any more than that will take an excessive amount of time for the clay to dry to throwing consistency. When the clay has dried sufficiently, I remove softer clay for platters and plates, then allow the remainder to be­ come slightly drier for use in vertical forms. Next, I run it through a de­ airing pug mill twice. The freshly pugged clay can be used immediately; aging will not appreciably help plasticity. This is also an ideal system for re­ claiming dried-out trimmings and scraps. I made a Formica-lined box for all my trimmings and set it in front of my wheel. When the box is full and the trimmings are completely dry, I weigh out 125 pounds, just as if it were new material, and add that to a 30-gallon barrel three-quarters full of water. The clay is allowed to slake a day or two, then mixed thoroughly until the lumps disappear. After screening, the slurry is ready to pour into the frame for drying to throwing consistency.

The author David Beumee is a member of the Boulder Potters Guild.

42 CERAMICS MONTHLY Celia Cymbalista An Autobiography

Celia Cymbalista outside her studio in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

For the past 11 years, I have been work­ do not see any difficulty or incompat­ ing with clay at different temperatures, ibility in the making of both. When in oxidation and reduction, using elec­ making sculpture, I often refer back to tric and gas kilns. Usually my objects the vessel as a means of expression and reveal the clay body’s characteristics, even as functional object. when glazed. They also often show ges­ I was a schoolteacher when, toward tural imprints left by my own hands the end of 1979,1 decided to try work­ and tools, building visual and tactile ing with clay. Attending a weekly pot­ qualities through incisings or small holes.tery class under a well-known local Both sculpture and functional ob­ ceramist, I soon realized that the mate­ jects interest me. Like many ceramists, I rial and the work involved in its trans-

January 1994 43 formation echoed powerfully within me, lots of information and export very little. six weeks. However, by that time I knew and I began thinking about a career Within this context, we lack institu­ quite a lot about handbuilding, throw­ change. tions concerned with formal courses in ing, glaze calculation and firing. With two friends, I rented a space, ceramics as an expressive medium. At the beginning, my aim was to be bought the necessary equipment and Regardless, my friends and I were a skillful potter and produce good, func­ materials, and finally set up a studio. As determined to become professional ce­ tional pottery. In 1983, almost by we knew almost nothing about ceram­ ramists. At first, we faced difficulties, chance, I developed a set of small sculp­ ics or the functioning of a studio, we looking for consistent information in tural objects that were produced in plas­ sought knowledge of business and tech­ foreign books, experimenting system­ ter molds as multiples. Without much nical skills. atically. But our desire was so strong hope of being accepted, I decided to Sao Paulo is the most developed Bra­ that we soon started making objects we send these to a juried exhibition orga­ zilian urban center. The city is huge and could sell and participated in group nized by a museum in southern Brazil. has more than 14 million inhabitants, shows. To my surprise, I won a prize. Though constituting a heterogenous population. The initial trio became a duo that somewhat bewildered at this, it made This is the result of several waves of lasted until 1985. Since then, I have me aware that I could be and, more­ immigration from different parts of the maintained the studio alone. Besides over, wanted to be an artist. world in various periods, beginning with doing my personal work there, I also By the end of 1986,1 had an oppor­ the Portuguese colonization that lasted offer classes. tunity to show my work in a solo exhi­ until the mid 19th century. Having quit teaching in 1982 to bition at the Museum of Art of Sao Ours is a melting-pot culture. We do work full time at the studio, I enrolled Paulo. The exhibition then traveled to not have strong national arts/crafts tra­ for a summer course at Alfred Univer­ two other major cities: Rio de Janeiro ditions. Instead, our interests are ori­ sity in New York. This was my first and and Porto Alegre. It proved to be a ented to the rest of the world. We importonly formal education, and it lasted just landmark in my professional life. Pre­

Untitled wall sculptures, the largest is approximately 4 feet in height, handbuilt from manganese-stained clay, coated with glossy black glaze, fired to 1100°C (2012°F) in oxidation.

44 CERAMICS MONTHLY PHOTOS: JAIRO CASOY, JANINE DECOT, ROMULO FIALDINI

Untitled hanging sculptures, handbuilt, brushed with cobalt engobe, fired to 1050°C (1922°F) in oxidation.

paring the work took more than a year. relationships between forms. I think of Developing a personal and signifi­ Then choosing the pieces, organizing space as a given; the internal space, vis­ cant artistic expression and attaining the exhibition spaces, plus the publics ible or not, and the external space are professional maturity are among the reaction led me to a more comprehen­ elements that add different meanings to matters that come to be clarified as the sive understanding of my ceramics (its the pieces. I am also concerned about artist conceives and produces work. We, possibilities and limitations) and the the available display space when prepar­ as artists, are inspired to create, and to characteristics of the art market. ing an exhibition. It is very important create is to transform materials of our When working with three-dimen­ for the adequate appreciation of a given choice into objects that are imbued with sional objects, its important to consider ensemble of worlds. significance. A

Using available materials to support the extending With newspaper beneath the form for easy cleanup, shape so it won’t slump or crack, Cymbalista coil engobe is brushed on. It is important to her that builds one of the large hanging forms shown above. such work retains imprints left by hands and tools.

January 1994 45 17th Fletcher Challenge Award by Peter Lange

The 450 invited guests at the opening as the sponsor insists on flying the Pre­ reason, or a nervous stranger who isn’t gala for the 17th “Fletcher Challenge mier Award-winning artist to Auckland formally dressed. If an Aucklander has Ceramics Award” were an even mix of in secret. Before the formalities begin, won, the exercise is even more confus­ potters and Fletcher Challenge Limited while the show is being scanned and ing. However, there was one clue this staff. While the company people spent the wine is starting to flow, unofficial year—the American consul had turned the time before the awards presentation comparisons are made on the strategic up. Not a lot of help, because he seemed looking at the show, talking to business placement of various pots, as well as to be unaccompanied, but it was enough colleagues, taking in the atmosphere and which ones have large photos in the to start a rumor. enjoying the media presence, the pot­ catalog. At the same time, everyone The awards ceremony began with a ters were trying to “spot the winner.” watches for anyone who isn’t local, who speech by a Fletcher Challenge spokes­ The same ritual takes place every year, may be from out of town without good person, then organizer Moyra Elliott—

“Lobo California,” 32 inches in height, NZ$2250 (US$1214), by Susannah Israel, San Francisco; Premier Award.

46 CERAMICS MONTHLY “Ceremonial Elbow,” approximately 20 inches in height, NZ$800 (US$432), by Ann Verdcourt, Dannervirke, New Zealand; Judge’s Commendation.

a local ceramist who now spends half of their works were flashed onto a giant slides of herself with her discomfort con­ her professional year setting up the screen; there were medallions for the cealed by a big grin of pleasure at the show—presented slides of works by the first group, the 11 Judge s Commenda­ news of her success. judge, internationally recognized ceram­ tions, then NZ$2000 prizes and me­ Israel is the first winner of the Fletcher ist Kari Christensen of Norway. Next, dallions for the 5 Awards of Merit, and Challenge Award from the United Christensen explained the decision-mak- finally the announcement of the States, in spite of strong American rep­ ing process she adopted after being pre­ NZ$10,000 Premier Award winner— resentation in the show and in the sented with over 2000 slides almost five Susannah Israel of San Francisco. But awards each year. In fact, this year the months previously. While her initial se­ no one came forward to accept the U.S. had the highest selection success lection of 145 pieces from 800 entries award. It was then revealed that Israel in relation to the number of entries of had been made from a wide perspec­ had been forced to decline the offer of a any of the 48 countries from which tive—technical, intellectual, concep­ free trip to Auckland because of an in­ potters entered. After the American con­ tual—the final winning pieces were jured back. Indeed, she couldn’t have sul accepted the award on her behalf, emotive, expressive and animated. made it to Oakland. She had instead the large crowd headed back to the wine, Those award winners who were in sent a warm, tape-recorded message the food and the exhibition. town filed up to the stage as images of from her hospital bed, accompanied by There, they were confronted by 145

January 1994 47 Teapot, 7 inches in height, NZ$560 (US$302), by Greg Pitts, Columbia, South Carolina; Judge’s Commendation.

pieces from more than 20 countries cho­ clay—arguably the two areas from which robust and direct manner, then slipped sen from slides by one judge, with no all pottery originates—function and with a range of colors equally freely. Its information other than the dimensions ritual. Ritualistic and sculptural pieces success lies in Susannah Israels holding of the piece to influence her decision. accounted for a predominance of the in the essential wolf throughout these The exhibition that resulted this year 17 awards but Christensens enjoyment rigorous processes, and Fletcher Chal­ resembled those of previous years only of good, expressive functional work was lenge was pleased to purchase it to add in that it was again noticeably idiosyn­ reflected in her giving an unusually high to an already impressive collection of cratic. A sole Norwegian judge would number of awards to those pots (tea­ ceramics and New Zealand art. naturally select a different display than, pots, for example, accounted for 10 of Christensen found it “so expressive, say, a sole American judge, in spite of the selected entries). Many New Zea­ I could hear the wolf howling, almost. the Leach/Hamada undercurrent that land potters felt some relief at her rec­ The expression is wonderful. Its pos­ may have migrated to both countries. It ognition of this area of ceramics in whichture is full of vitality. It is hungry. It is would be interesting to witness the di­ they traditionally excel but rarely ven­ compelled to howl at the moon by the rection of the show if a judge from a ture away from. In fact, she liked Ross rituals of the breed. The rough model­ country without too much of that par­ Mitchell-Anyons wood-fired teapot/jug ing is bold and free. She has captured ticular baggage ever had a chance to set so much that she bought it herself. the essence of the animal and added to select the award. “Lobo California,” the Premier the character. Every part is animated, The work in the exhibition predomi­ Award winner, clearly appealed to Chris- from the clay handling through to the nantly reflected the judges personal in­ tensens sense of ceramics vitality more surface painting. I enjoy the absolute­ terest in two major aspects of than any other. It was formed in a very ness of the clay expression.” ▲

48 CERAMICS MONTHLY “Covered Container,” approximately 22 inches in height, NZ$900 (US$486), by Gary Schlappal, Grafton, Wisconsin; Award of Merit.

“Teapot and Jug,” to 5 inches in height, NZ$350 (US$189), by Ross Mitchell-Anyon, Wanganui, New Zealand.

January 1994 49 “Sphinx Box,” approximately 20 inches in height, NZ$1500 (US$810), by Bronwynne Cornish, Auckland, New Zealand; Award of Merit.

Gaining and Maintaining Exhibition Support that the exhibition had become an important part of the New Zealand arts calendar. Al­ though the company’s previous interest in art The 17-year history of the “Fletcher Chal­ meled patronage. The company really took had been strongly nationalistic and directed lenge Ceramics Award” is worth recording in the Auckland potters to its corporate bosom, toward paintings and prints, it (again with the the hope that the story may persuade other so much so that at the time of the exhibition backing of one or two key people at the top of groups of potters that such a sponsorship may most work seemed to stop in order to assist the the organization) adopted the competition. be available to them, given one or two favor­ potters with warehouse space, typists, endless So over the last few years, it has gone through able conditions. First, find yourselves an in­ coffee and encouragement. Two overriding a name change (not a quick process—six years fluential individual within a large, preferably philosophies developed: the local potters had later, Brownbuilt still gets an occasional men­ profitable, company who has a personal and control of the organization of the award, and tion), developed a much stronger emphasis passionate interest in the arts in general and the award was to be focused on international on international work, and (against the tide in ceramics in particular. When Auckland Stu­ ceramics. this country) expanded and consolidated. dio Potters set up a new clubroom/teaching The wine-into-water economic miracle of The arrangement is very uncomplicated— facility 18 years ago, finances were exhausted, the 1980s resulted in the company being the sponsor hands over an amount of money so the group turned to a keen member and taken under the umbrella of the Fletcher (reviewed every year), and the potters are pottery student, Trevor Hunt (the managing Challenge group; Trevor Hunt retired, and charged with spending it wisely and effi­ director of a Fletcher subsidiary company, the new crisp management of Brownbuilt ciently. Accountability for the continuing Fletcher Brownbuilt Limited), to help them didn’t want any part of the competition. For success and expansion of the exhibition also with a sponsorship deal. It was 1976, eco­ a few disheartening months, it became a belongs to the potters. The sponsors expect an nomic cleansing had not yet begun, and Hunt cultural orphan. But then to their credit, event of significant corporate value—the open­ had complete command of a small but profit­ Fletcher Challenge, an international opera­ ing function and subsequent selected eve­ able company. The result was the Fletcher tion with no real product to sell and conse­ nings are used as hospitality opportunities for Brownbuilt Award, an exercise in untram­ quently no real need for beneficence, realized the company. Money left over at the end of

50 CERAMICS MONTHLY “’90s Artifact Teapot,” approximately 12 inches in height, NZ$620 (US$335), by Lana Wilson, San Diego, California.

the show—collected from entry charges, cata­ rate just below newspaper delivery kids and emergencies, demonstrations, dismantling and log sales and the 25% commission from work slightly above sculptural potters. dispatch of pots to follow. sold—stays in the Auckland Studio Potters’ During the full-on fortnight before the Perhaps these details are not encouraging. bank account at least until Inland Revenue exhibition, dozens of volunteers from the After 17 years, it becomes a little more diffi­ has had a chance to plunder it. Auckland Studio Potters move in and put the cult to generate enthusiasm, but there are A most remarkable and possibly unique show together. This year’s most complicated always a couple of bright spots on the horizon: feature of this sponsorship is the fact that, piece was “Cat’s Cradle,” an installation sent there are new, innocent, enthusiastic potters with the exception of areas involving corpo­ by Susan Milne of Australia. It arrived in coming through; and, most importantly, the rate logo and image, the local potters have boxes containing hundreds of cigar-shaped pay-off from all the effort is very tangible. As remained in complete control of the event. components and several balls of twine, along a result of the many years of sponsorship, This means that the organizers are able to deal with a packet of 6x4-inch color photographs Auckland Studio Potters has run a successful with the 800 entrants, the 150 exhibitors, the of the installed piece. After days of head- teaching center, has saved enough money to design brief, and the sole judge with an empa­ scratching and studying the photos with a build a substantial extension, and has never thy developed from working most of the year magnifying glass to try to pick out the string had to run a cake stall. On top of all that, the at the clay face. They handle such details as the patterns, the artist saved the day by flying members have had an amazing amount of preferred textures and colors for display stands 2000 kilometers from Sydney and setting it contact with pots and potters who would or the most favorable option for shipping up. It was worth doing, as evidenced by the otherwise remain tantalizingly on the pages of costs. Lives are taken over by the show—clay Judge’s Commendation she received. glossy overseas magazines. People like this sets hard in the pug mill, green mold forms on The opening ceremony marks only a tem­ year’s judge Kari Christensen have been en­ the top of glazes, computers replace kick porary breather and social blowout, and any couraged to come to this rather distant city. wheels, and the tops of dining tables disappear Auckland potter who is in the prize money For the price of a scrub-up, a speech or two under paper for weelcs at a time. Those in­ wakes next morning with a lot less—with and sitting through 2000 slides, the trip has volved with specific tasks, particularly secre­ another five weeks of voluntary desk duties, proved enjoyable for the judges and of enor­ tarial, administrative or design, are paid at a docent tours, corporate hospitality nights, mous benefit to the potters of New Zealand.

January 1994 51 “Box (Dose),” 9 inches in height, NZ$180 (US$97), by Johannes Peters, Germany.

“Salt-Glazed Teapot—Harpic 7,” approximately 7 inches in height, NZ$320 (US$173), by Peter Meanley, Northern Ireland.

52 CERAMICS MONTHLY Back to Basics by Catherine Grubman

Chances are, if you work as a potter or sacral) pain, but many times neck (cer­ than 5% of back-pain sufferers ulti­ sculptor, you suffer from back pain, a vical) or upper back (dorsal) discomfort mately need the procedure. According common health problem. Approxi­ is present too. to Elizabeth Luck, the assistant head of mately 90% of the general population Degenerated, ruptured and herniated neurosurgery at the National Naval report some sort of back trouble in their disks will produce pain, weakness, and/ Medical Center, the cause of most back lifetime. Back injuries can occur through or numbness that often radiates into pain cannot be remedied by an opera­ faulty body mechanics, stress, trauma, the lower extremities. Fractured or dis­ tion. She added that unless the signs disease or lack of physical fitness. Add integrating spinal bones can elicit the include deferred pain (numbness or pain improper handling of materials or equip­ same symptoms. Soreness, spasms and in the feet, legs or hip), surgery is usu­ ment and ineffectual studio ally not an option. “We’d design, and the creative ex­ rather see the pain limited to perience may become a dan­ The first and most important aspect to address is the back itself,” she said. gerous endeavor. the logistical layout of your studio. You want an “Then we have a better prog­ The most common back nosis.” Ultimately, the ap­ disorder for the clay artist ergonomic and “back-friendly” working environment. proach for the majority of results from irritation or sufferers involves managing strain of the muscles and ligaments that strains at the site of injury usually indi­ the discomfort and possibly correcting support the back. In more severe cases, cate a muscle problem, although liga­ the condition. the actual spinal column is damaged, ment or joint damage might have The back-care crisis is handled not affecting either the vertebral bodies, the occurred as well. Other sources of back only by physicians, but by many other intervertebral disks, the facet joints or pain—congenital defects, structural in­ specialists: Osteopaths function like doc­ the spinal nerve itself consistencies (such as scoliosis), arthri­ tors of medicine but possess manipula­ Fred Orcutt, a doctor and director tis, osteoporosis and pregnancy—can tion skills as well. Chiropractors use of spine surgery at the University of also hamper the efforts of the ceramist, manipulation to treat symptoms, while New Mexico School of Medicine, be­ making studio work a daily challenge. physical or occupational therapists also lieves degenerative disk disease is also a During an acute attack, bed rest is help the patient redesign body move­ major cause of significant, chronic back the common antidote. After the initial ments, work space, or exercise habits. pain. “The gel-like disks go through a diagnosis, modern tests, such as X-rays Acupuncturists provide alternative chemical change that occurs as we age,” or magnetic resonance images (MRIs) methods to relieve pain. In addition, he explained. “Unfortunately, that will help the doctor determine the source body alignment therapies (for example, change can compromise a career.” of the pain. Many physicians prescribe the Alexander Technique or the Felden- The vertebral bodies, or bones, which anti-inflammatory medication and/or krais Method) are used successfully by protect the spinal nerve, run from the muscle relaxants. Popular treatments in­ many people to manage back pain. base of the skull to the coccyx, and backclude ultrasound, massage, whirlpool Physical therapist Allen Brodnick, problems can occur anywhere along the baths, hot or cold packs, and electrical president of Bethesda Physical Therapy route. Typically, people who work with stimulation for temporary relief. in Bethesda, Maryland, spends many clay suffer from lower back (lumbar and Back surgery is a last resort—less hours training clients in proper back

January 1994 53 Exercises for a 2. Spinal extension: Lie on your ter exercise and power walking. Classes stomach, hands under shoulders in the in stretching, yoga and t’ai chi will help Healthy Back push-up position. Straighten your el­ with flexibility, while muscular condi­ bows and push the top half of your tioning can be achieved by working out by Allen Brodnick body up into an arch. Keep pelvis, hips in the weight room, under the supervi­ and legs relaxed and allow your lower sion of a professional, or in a toning/ Proper alignment is essential, whether back to sag. Once you have maintained strengthening class. exercising, lifting or sitting. A small, this position for five seconds, return Top Ten Back Savers concave curve in the lower back is nor­ slowly to the starting position. Repeat mal and should be maintained during ten times several times per day. 1. Bend knees. all activities. To determine your natural 3. Abdominal strengthening: Lie on 2. Carry load close to your body. back curve, stand with feet hip-width your back with knees bent and feet flat apart and position your body so your on the floor. Tighten the lower abdomi­ 3. Use a step stool. ears, shoulders and hips are aligned on nal muscles. As you are contracting, let 4. Divide job into smaller segments. an imagined vertical plane. the pelvis roll toward the upper body 1. Spinal stretch: On hands and and push the lower back into the floor. 5. Use carts and dollies. knees, slowly straighten one leg behind Repeat three sets of ten each morning 6. Wear a back support. at trunk level. Do not allow your body and evening. to lean. While in this position, raise the If any of these exercises cause dis­ 7. Ask for help. opposite arm straight out in front of comfort, discontinue and consult a 8. Take a break. you. Hold for ten seconds. Repeat on health-care professional. 9. Maintain proper body alignment. each side, two sets of ten, each morning Cardiovascular activities that are and evening. “back friendly” include swimming, wa- 10. Do conditioning exercises.

care. In particular, he helps potters mini­ studio. You want an ergonomic and quantities. Slips, wax, tools, brushes and mize lumbar stress while working with “back-friendly” working environment. molds should be kept in bins or shelves clay. “Artists need to be thoughtful and Some examples of thoughtful studio de­ that are within easy reach, not in places considerate of their body alignment at sign include keeping drying racks close that require you to bend and twist. all times,” he advised. “Hunching for­ to kilns, correct sink placement (the top Handling smaller amounts of clay is ward for six hours per day is definitely lip of the sink should be at the hip paramount when back flare-ups occur. not good for the back.” joint) and storing clay in easy-to-reach Minnesota potter Warren MacKenzie Brodnick observed that many back places (not on the floor). worked around a back injury for many injuries are not caused by a specific inci­ Richard Hilton, of Edgecomb Pot­ years. He admits that when his back dent, although an accidental fall or twist ters in Edgecomb, Maine, advises his was stiff, he threw smaller vessels. “No can traumatize the back. Rather, re­ employees to take the time to set up question about it,” he said. “Large pots peated misuse and inadequate physical properly. “We don’t just dive in; 10 or create more strain.” conditioning point to many back disor­ 15 minutes are spent analyzing, adjust­ ders. “The most successful approach is ing and preparing before a production Lift with Caution twofold,” Brodnick said. “Strengthen session begins. We try to individualize Moving materials throughout the stu­ the back, and become intelligent about the work station for each artist. It may dio requires proper body mechanics. avoiding injury. In other words, use your involve shortening tables, raising shelves, Heavy bags of clay should be lifted by brain before you use your back.” experimenting with body positions. bending at the knees and carrying the Many artists do not pay attention to Whatever it is, we do it.” load close to the body. Incorporate carts back care—until they are lying in a A pleasant work place is also impor­ and dollies or ask coworkers to assist hospital bed. But health deserves the tant. (The link between mind and body when relocating bulky objects. Never same attention as a glazing experiment is well documented.) A cold, drafiy base­ twist and lift at the same time; move or an upcoming exhibition. ment or a cramped, overcrowded stu­ slowly and deliberately. So, what are your options if you cur­ dio may exacerbate a back problem. Many artists wear a back/shoulder rently suffer from an aching back? When harness when working in the studio. your back is “out,” does that mean your Prepare Materials (The harness is available in hardware career is over? And what specific proce­ Paying careful attention to materials and sporting-goods stores, or through a dures or strategies in the work environ­ will help you avoid back injuries. Throw­physical therapist.) The U.S. Depart­ ment will help you to avoid back ing pots using stiff or poorly wedged ment of Labor classifies potters and problems in the future? clay can strain a weak back. While mix­ sculptors as medium-to-heavy laborers, ing glazes, get help from a partner, espe­ because the tasks performed are similar Evaluate Your Work Space cially when pouring and lifting. Rather to a warehouse employee, nurse or jani­ The first and most important aspect than carrying large vats of glaze across tor—lots of bending and lifting. The to address is the logistical layout of your the room, divide the job into smaller Please turn to page 80

54 CERAMICS MONTHLY Patrick Hilferty: Questioning Criteria by Ray Gonzales

I met Patrick Hilferty through the na­ to be recognized. To be accepted by with teapots. I considered the idea that tional competition “Feats of Clay” (see four separate jurors of such widely vary­ one could take a handle, spout and lid, related articles in the January 1989, Apriling styles is no mean feat, to say noth­ put them on a rock and it would turn 1990, May 1991 and April 1993 issues ing of the odds of his work being choseninto a teapot. of CM). His constructed teapot was from over 2000 entries each year. “At the same time, I found myself juried into the inaugural show by Ron The ideas on which his work is based staring at the Bay Bridge in San Fran­ Nagle; the next year, juror Daniel were developed in response to some as­ cisco and the towers that support high- Rhodes included a variation on that sertions he had been considering as an tension lines, thinking that though these theme. For the third competition in undergraduate at San Francisco State structures could neither displace nor en­ 1990, Jack Earl accepted Hilferty s sculp­University and as an M.F.A. candidate close a volume, they could still define a ture of a block of water with childrens at San Jose State University. “The one volume. Furthermore, if these structures toy blocks propelled by the current. assertion that I disagree with most,” were applied to the vessel, the resulting Then in 1991, juror Rudy Autio also says Hilferty, “is that ceramics is about object could signal its identity at the selected Hilferty’s work—a vessel as­ ‘an informed volume.’ Another is about same time it questioned the criteria on sembled from a variety of slip-cast ob­ the vessel as a metaphor for the body.’” which that identity was based. And, if jects—for exhibition in “Feats of Clay.” He had also given a lot of thought to the vessel is a metaphor for the body, Clearly, Patrick Hilferty is an artist “what constitutes identity, particularly then what I am making are autopsies.”

Patrick Hilferty in his San Carlos, California, studio.

January 1994 55 Cardboard templates serve as guides Thin coils of sculpture clay (extruded Covering the individual ribs with canvas for rib construction and interlocking from a hand-held gun) are positioned rather than plastic allows them to dry supports during assembly. on the template, then connected. enough to withstand handling.

Utilizing a “tab A into slot B” approach, Once lateral ribs have been attached, As the form takes shape, support templates are arranged to support the the form is rotated to make room for templates are progressively constructions for assembly. additional constructed ribs. disassembled to allow further additions.

As soon as both ribbed halves are Hilferty admits that building fragile forms Sometimes a propane torch is used complete, they are removed from the “would have driven me out of my mind to speed dry the attachment points supports and joined together. had I not used cardboard supports.” between the two halves.

For the series of vessel constructions Timing is important; I used to cover and a second half produced following featured in a solo exhibition at Lincoln the ribs with plastic, but that prevented the same steps. Finally, the two halves Arts in Lincoln, California, Hilferty set them from setting up enough to with­ are joined together. A propane torch is “one simple rule: if I can get it into the stand the handling required in the next sometimes used to speed dry the at­ bisque kiln, I’m home free. step of the process. tachment points.” “Making these constructions would “The rib sets are then arranged verti­ With the rib work safely bisqued at have driven me out of my mind had I cally in the cardboard support and joined Cone 3 and glaze fired at Cone 06-04, not used cardboard templates and sup­ with lateral ribs. The support is pro­ other elements could then be added to ports to facilitate the process. First, sets gressively disassembled to allow addi­ complete the form. of ribs are formed by laying extrusions tions to the construction. on cardboard templates. These are cov­ “Once the first half of the spherical The author Artist/teacher Ray Gonzales ered with canvas and set aside to dry. construction is complete, it is set aside resides in Lincoln, California.

56 CERAMICS MONTHLY Above: “Teapot (White),” 9 inches in length, handbuilt body with lithium/iron glaze, and slip- cast spout, handle and lid/shoulder with colemanite glaze, fired to Cone 06-04 and assembled.

Right: “Teapot (Turquoise),” 17 inches in length. Hilferty developed this series of works in response to common assertions about ceramic vessels. “The one assertion that I disagree with most,” he says, “is that ceramics is about ‘an informed volume.’ Another is about ‘the vessel as a metaphor for the body .’...If the vessel is a metaphor for the body, then what I am making are autoposies.”

January 1994 57 Above left: “Copper Green Coffeepot,” 13½ inches in height, coil-built body with soda ash/copper carbonate glaze; wheel-thrown lid and handbuilt spout and handle were coated with a commercial mother-of-pearl glaze.

Left: “Teapot (Green and Red),” 18 inches in length, coiled, handbuilt and wheel-thrown sculpture body, bisqued to Cone 3, brushed with commercial glazes mixed with borax, fired to Cone 06-04.

58 CERAMICS MONTHLY Above: “Dematerialized Teapot,” fabric soaked in casting slip formed by draping it over a plaster mold, bisqued, surfaced with colemanite and black stain, low fired, approximately 9 inches in length.

Right: “Domesticity,” 14 inches in length, handbuilt cup forms with commercial glazes in actual draining rack, by Patrick Hilferty.

January 1994 59 Strictly Functional

The “First Annual Strictly Functional functional ceramics, was being over­ was function. Its so simple, its innova­ Pottery National Exhibit,” presented re­ looked,” noted exhibition organizer tive. Why hadn’t someone organized a cently at Market House Craft Center in Scott Jones, a Pennsylvania potter who, national functional pottery competition? Lancaster, Pennsylvania, drew applause ironically, specializes in decorative wall There were invitational functional pot­ from studio potters nationwide— platters. “Every new and existing ce­ tery shows and individual form (e.g., whether they “got in it or not.” Many ramics exhibition seemed either too teapots, soup bowls, etc.) shows, but believe functional work gets short shrift broad an overview or too definitive whennot an overall national functional pot­ in other national competitions, and they considering how functional pottery tery competition. welcomed the new forum. might be judged. “With every letter I read from func­ “With the extremely diverse direc­ “After many years of reading letters tional potters about the difficulty of tions in ceramics today, it was becom­ in Ceramics Monthly magazine, it be­ being accepted into the current national ing increasingly obvious to me that one, came apparent that the operative word shows, I wondered why nobody was

Wheel-thrown porcelain pitcher with natural ash glaze, 14 inches in height, $400, by Kris Nelson, Smithville, Tennessee; second-place winner.

60 CERAMICS MONTHLY Wood-fired stoneware covered jars, to 15 inches in height, $200, by Suze Lindsay, Penland, North Carolina; best of show award winner.

listening. Well, the Market House Craft articulate practitioners was obvious from Center and the Pennsylvania Guild of the beginning, though there are still too Craftsmen listened, watched and re­ many slides of a living room with a sponded.” mug in the foreground. On the other The outcome was an exhibition of hand, some very skilled photographers 100 functional vessels by potters from shot undistinguished pieces. I often said 41 states. Selections were made by pot- out loud, ‘What a beautiful slide!’ then ter/writer Jack Troy (Huntingdon, Penn­got back to work. I would have liked sylvania) from some 750 slide entries. including several pieces that appeared Troy admitted to, at first, feeling “a intriguing; they deserved better images. little queasy about the competitions title, “In my mind, ‘Strictly Functional’ because, somehow, it suggested the meant that use be implicit in the design rabid right-wing letters to Ceramics and execution of the work, but the title, Monthly, proclaiming abstract or non- after all, wasn’t ‘Rigidly Functional,’ so objective ceramics to be some sort of I sought out those pieces that danced to pox on a world suffering from a defi­ a somewhat more complex tune than ciency of mundane mugs and banal might have appealed to a conservative bowls. judge. How to serve ancient needs in “The slides showed, to my relief, that personal ways would seem to be an im­ functional work is prospering (that is, portant issue for today’s utilitarian ce­ becoming highly sophisticated) and ramists, many of whom are energized “Squared Bottle,” 10 inches in height, need not be generic. That the language by the dynamic. ‘Functional’ need not salt-glazed stoneware, NFS, by Philip C • • • 5 55 a of clay is being used by some highly mean unimaginative. A Echert, Champlin, Minnesota.

January 1994 61 West Coast Clay: The New Breed

An exhibition focusing on the “new breed” of California ceramists—20 emerging artists whose work augments as well as sustains the innovative ap­ proach of what has become known as the West Coast clay movement—was featured recently at the California Crafts Museum in San Francisco. While cer­ tainly influenced by the forerunners of the movement (e.g., Robert Arneson, Stephen De Staebler, Viola Frey, Rich­ ard Shaw and Peter Voulkos), they have brought their own concerns and sensi­ bilities to exploration and development of figurative and expressive styles. “‘West Coast Clay Movement: The New Breed’ is particularly interesting because 8 of the 20 participating artists are women who use clay to create monu­ mental forms,” commented curator Ted Cohen. “With few exceptions, such as Viola Frey, this fact is very different from the past.” Another dramatic difference Cohen cited is the emphasis on forms that “re­ flect the artists’ concerns with current issues, such as environmental and social problems. While present in some, espe­ cially by such artists as Robert Arneson, these themes are not as evident in much of the earlier work.” ▲

Top Right: “Colonel Pollack/Jackson,” “Cycladic Colonel” and “Colonel Ago Ago,” to 13½ inches in height, $375 each, by Paul di Pasqua.

Right: “Orders,” 42 inches in length, $5000, by Scott Donahue.

62 CERAMICS MONTHLY

64 CERAMICS MONTHLY 3. Purchase awards. For prospectus, send SASE to Call for Entries Cedar City Art Committee, do Braithwaite Art Application Deadline for Exhibitions, Gallery, Southern Utah University, 351 West Cen­ ter, Cedar City 84720; or telephone (801) 586- Fairs, Festivals and Sales 5432. January 21 entry deadline Mesa, Arizona “Still Life: Redefined” (May 10- International Exhibitions June 11). Juried from slides. Entry fee: $7 per work; up to 3 works. Awards: $1200. For prospectus, January 10 entry deadline contact Still Life: Redefined, Galeria Mesa, Box Vallauris, France “XlVth International Biennial 1466, Mesa 85211; or telephone (602) 644-2242. of Ceramic Arts” (July 1-October 31); competition January 31 entry deadline is in four categories: architectural pieces, thrown Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada “National Bien­ works, enamel or creativity. Juried from slides and nial of Ceramics 1994” (June 27-August 28 then technical description; 3 views of each item entered is traveling), open to artists living in Canada. Juried required. Awards: Grand Prix of the town ofVallauris, from 3 slides per work. Contact the Biennale 50,000 Fr (approximately US$8640); A.V.O.C.A. Nationale de Ceramique, C. P. 1596, T rois-Rivieres, Prize, 20,000 Fr (approximately US$3460); the Quebec G9A 5L9; or telephone (819) 691-0829 or chambre syndicale prize, 15,000 Fr (approximately fax (819) 374-1758. US$2590). Contact the Biennal Committee, Hotel February 1 entry deadline de Ville (Town Hall), 06200 Vallauris. Worcester, Massachusetts “Groundwork” (June March 12 entry deadline 24-July 22), competition of functional floor cover­ Baldwin City, Kansas “The 1994 International ings. Juried from slides. Jurors: Hilary Law, Claudia Orton Cone Box Show” (April 6-24), sponsored by Mills and Jessie Turbayne. For information or entry Baker University and Edward Orton Jr. Ceramic form, contact Worcester Center for Crafts, 25 Foundation. Open to pieces small enough to fit Sagamore Road, Worcester 01605; or telephone inside a standard Orton cone box (not to exceed (508) 753-8183. 3x3x6 inches). Entry fee: $15 for 1-3 pieces. Each Lancaster, Pennsylvania “Second Annual Strictly entry must be for sale and must not exceed $100 in Functional Pottery National” (April 30-May 26). value. Awards: purchase awards, $100 each, and Juried from slides. Fee: 1 entry, $10; 2, $15; or 3, merit awards, $50 each. For entry form, send busi- $20. Juror: William P. Daley. Cash and purchase ness-sized SASE to Walter Bailey, Baker University, awards. For prospectus, send #10 business-size SASE Box 65, Baldwin City 66006. to Second Annual Strictly Functional Pottery Na­ tional, c/o 1005 OakLane, New Cumberland, Penn­ National Exhibitions sylvania 17070. February 4 entry deadline January 10 entry deadline Tempe, Arizona “Brooches” (April 22-June 19). West Chester, Pennsylvania “Glaze and Glass Juried from slides. Entry fee: $20 for up to 5 works; Exhibition” (February 13-March 7), open to ceram­ up to 15 slides. Awards: $ 1000. For prospectus, send ics and glass artists. Juried from slides. Fee: $ 10 for up self-addressed mailing label and 29<£ stamp to Tempe to 3 entries. For prospectus, send SASE to the Potters Arts Center, Box 549, Tempe 85280; or telephone Gallery, c/o Carol Jackaway, 9 West Ebon Road, (602) 968-0888. Parkside, Pennsylvania 19015. February 7 entry deadline January 14 entry deadline San Angelo, Texas “Ninth Annual San Angelo Wichita, Kansas “Art Show at the Dog Show” National Ceramic Competition” (April 14—May (March 1—April 10). Juried from slides. Jurors: Anne 29), open to residents of the United States, Mexico Hier, associate director of Judging Research and and Canada. Juried from up to 2 slides per work. Development, American Kennel Club; Christine Juror: Rob Barnard. Fee: $15 for up to 3 works. For Truesdell Shreve, 1993 Best of Show winner; and prospectus, contact San Angelo Museum of Fine David Wagner, executive director, Colorado Springs Arts, Box 3092, San Angelo 76902; or telephone Fine Arts Center. Awards: over $7000. For further (915) 658-4084. information, contact Joe Miller, 11301 West 37th February 11 entry deadline North, Wichita 67205; or telephone (316) 722- Mesa, Arizona “Purple Haze” (June 21 -July 16). 6181, evenings. Juried from slides. Entry fee: $20 for up to 5 works. January 15 entry deadline Awards: $ 1200. For prospectus, contact Purple Haze, Louisville, Kentucky “African-American Craft Galeria Mesa, Box 1466, Mesa 85211; or telephone National” (March 11-April 22). Juried from slides (602) 644-2242. of up to 3 works; no more than 5 slides. Jurors: Willis February 12 entry deadline “Bing” Davis, ceramist; and Ed Hamilton, sculptor. Chicago, /llinozsNational juried exhibition (June No entry fee. Awards: $2000. For information or for 3-August 30), open to any media fitting a box prospectus, send SASE to African-American Craft approximately 8x8x8 inches. Juried from slides. No National, Kentucky Art and Craft Gallery, 609 West entry fee. For prospectus, send SASE to Schneider- Main Street, Louisville 40202; or telephone (502) Bluhm-Loeb Gallery, 230 West Superior, Chicago 589-0102. 60610; or telephone (312) 988-4033. January 20 entry deadline February 22 entry deadline Cedar City, Utah “Neighborhoods of the ’90s: New York, New York “The Mamaroneck Artists’ Artists’ Interpretations” (April 7-29), ceramics wel­ Guild 36th National Open Juried Exhibition” (April come, but artist ships at own risk. Juried from slides. 7—29). Juried from slides. Awards. Location: Fee: $15,1 entry; $5 for each additional entry, up to Westbeth Gallery, 55 Bethune Street. For prospec­ tus, send SASE to MamaroneckArtists’ Guild, N.O.J.E., Send announcements of juried exhibitions, fairs, 2120 Boston Post Rd., Larchmont, New York 10538. festivals and sales at least four months before the March 1 entry deadline event’s entry deadline (add one month for listings in Clemson, South Carolina Clemson University’s Bishop Center for Ceramic Research commission July and two months for those in August) to Call for for 5 brick wall sculptures (permanent). Juried from Entries, Ceramics Monthly, P. O. Box 12788, resume and slides of representative work and/or Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788; or telephone (614) commissions. Contact Bishop Center Competition, 488-8236. Fax (614) 488-4561. Regional exhibi­ Clemson University, College of Architecture, De­ tions must be open to more than one state. partment Visual Arts, Clemson 29634. Continued

January 1994 65 Call for Entries can Craft Council. Cash and purchase awards. For prospectus, send #10 business-sized SASE to Spot­ light ’94, Sawtooth Center for Visual Art, 226 North Marshall Street, Winston-Salem 27101. March 7 entry deadline State College, Pennsylvania “Images ’94” (June West Chester, Pennsylvania “Spring Fantasy” 28—July 22), open to artists residing in Pennsylvania (March 25-April 30). Juried from slides. Fee: $10 and the Mid-Atlantic region. Entry fee: $20. Juror: for up to 3 entries. For prospectus, send SASE to the Elizabeth Osborne, painter. Awards: $2000. For Potters Gallery, c/o Carol Jackaway, 9 West Ebon prospectus, send SASE to Central Pennsylvania Festi­ Road, Parkside, Pennsylvania 19015. val of the Arts, Box 1023, State College 16804; or March 18 entry deadline telephone (814) 237-3682. University Park, Pennsylvania “Crafts National 28” (June 5—July 24). Juried from slides. Juror: Fairs, Festivals and Sales Carole Austin, curator, San Francisco Craft and Folk Art Museum. Fee: $20 for up to 3 entries. Awards: January7 entry deadline $3000. For prospectus, send SASE to Crafts National Stevens Point, Wisconsin “22nd Annual Festival 28, Zoller Gallery, 102 Visual Arts Building, Penn of the Arts” (April 17). Juried from 5 slides and State University, University Park 16802; or tele­ resume. Registration fee: $45. Jurying fee: $10. Cash phone (814) 865-0444. and purchase awards. Send SASE to the Festival of the March 25 entry deadline Arts, Box 872, Stevens Point 54481. Lincoln, California* Feats of Clay VII” (May 25- January 14 entry deadline June 18). Juried from slides. Juror: Don Reitz. Entry Gaithersburg, Maryland “Sugarloaf Craft Festi­ fee: $10 per work; up to 3 entries. Awards: over val (April 15—17, November 18—20 and/or Decem­ $9000 in place, merit and purchase prizes. For ber 9-1 1). Juried from 5 slides, including 1 of booth. prospectus, send SASE to Lincoln Arts, Box 1166, Booth fees vary. No commissions. For application, Lincoln 95648. send three loose stamps (87<£) for postage to Deann Verdier, Sugarloaf Mountain Works, 200 Orchard Regional Exhibitions Ridge Drive, Suite 215, Gaithersburg 20878; or telephone (301) 990-1400. January 7 entry deadline Timonium, Maryland*Sugarloaf Craft Festival” Beaumont, Texas“Tri-State Plus Art Exhibition” (April 29-May 1 and/or October 7-9). Juried from (March 5—31), open to artists residing in Arkansas, 5 slides, including 1 of booth. Booth fees vary. No Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Juried from slides. commissions. For application, send three loose stamps Cash and purchase awards. Send SASE to Beaumont (87<£) for postage to Deann Verdier, Director, Art League, 2675 Gulf Street, Beaumont 77703; or Sugarloaf Mountain Works, 200 Orchard Ridge telephone (409) 833-4179. Drive, Suite215, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878; or January 14 entry deadline telephone (301) 990-1400. Quincy, Illinois* 44xh Annual Quad-State Juried Somerset, New Jersey “Sugarloaf Craft Festival” Exhibition” (March 26-April 29), open to artists (May 13-15 and/or September 30-0ctober 2). residing in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa or Missouri. Juried Juried from 5 slides, including 1 of booth. Booth fee: from up to 3 slides per work; up to 3 works. For $350. No commissions. For application, send three prospectus, send 4x9 SASE to Quincy Art Center, loose stamps (87<£) for postage to Deann Verdier, 1515 Jersey, Quincy 62301; or telephone (217) 223- Sugarloaf Mountain Works, 200 Orchard Ridge 5900. Drive, Suite 215, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878; or January 15 entry deadline telephone (301) 990-1400. Athens, Ohio “Area Art on View” (March 26- Manassas, Virginia “Sugarloaf Craft Festival” May 8), open to artists residing within a 150-mile (September 9-11). Juried from 5 slides, including 1 radius of Athens. J uried from up to 3 slides per work; of booth. Booth fee: $300-$400. No commissions. up to 3 works. Juror: Toni Birckhead, owner, Toni For application, send three loose stamps (87$) for Birckhead Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio. Entry fee: postage to Deann Verdier, Director, Sugarloaf Moun­ $20. Awards: over $2000. Send business-sized SASE tain Works, 200 Orchard Ridge Drive, Suite 215, to Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center, Area Art on Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878; or telephone (301) View, Box 747, Athens 45701; or telephone (614) 990-1400. 592-4981; fax (614) 592-5090. January20 entry deadline February 25 entry deadline Indianapolis, Indiana“24th Annual Broad Ripple Rockville, MarylanduT\\t Crafts Collection 1994” Art Fair” (May 21-22). Juried from 3 slides of work (June 9-July 17), open to artists residing or attend­ plus 1 of booth. Entry fee: $10. For entry form, ing school in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan contact the Indianapolis Art League, 820 E. 67th St., region. Juried from actual works. Jurors: Don Indianapolis 46220; or telephone (317) 255-2464. Freidlich, Patricia Malarcher and Mark Sfiri. Cash January24 entry deadline awards plus an exhibition at the Renwick Gallery San Antonio, Texas “Fiesta Arts Fair” (April 16- Shop, Smithsonian Institution. For entry forms and 17). Juried from 3 slides. Fee: $150 fora 10x10-foot information, contact Ruth Gowell, 7010 Aronow space. Awards: first place, $500; second, $250; third, Drive, Falls Church, Virginia 22042; or telephone $125; four honorable mentions, $75 each. Contact (703) 532-8645. Southwest Craft Center, 300 Augusta, San Antonio February 27 entry deadline 78205; or telephone (210) 224-1848. New Britain, Connecticut “Clay Today” (March January31 entry deadline 20-April 17), open to artists living in the Northeast. Peninsula, Ohio “Boston Mills Artfest” (June Juried from works hand delivered on February 26 or 23-26 or July 1^¾. Juried from 4 slides of work plus 27, 12—4 P.M. Juror: Michael Lucero. Awards. For color photo of booth. Entry fee: $25. Booth fees prospectus, send #10 SASE to Clay Today, Art League vary. Awards: best of show, $2000; second, $1000; of New Britain, 30 Cedar St., New Britain 06052. third, $500; and 15 category awards, $250 each. April 1 entry deadline Contact the Boston Mills Ski Resort, P. O. Box 175, Winston-Salem, North Carolina “Spotlight ’94: Peninsula 44264; or telephone (216) 657-2334 or Southeast Crafts” (June 9—July 10), open to artists (216) 467-2242. residing in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, February 1 entry deadline Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Caro­ Islamorada, Florida “15th Annual Islamorada lina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Juried Rain Barrel Arts Festival” (March 19-20). Juried from slides. Juror: Hunter Kariher, director, Ameri­ from slides. Entry fee: $10. Booth fee: $100 for a

66 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 67 Call for Entries February 14 entry deadline Ann Arbor, Michigan “The Ann Arbor Street Art Worcester, Massachusetts*24th Annual Craft Fair” Fair” (July 20-23). Juried from 5 slides of work. (May 20-22). Juried from slides. For information or Entry fee: $17. For application, contact the Ann entry form, contact Worcester Center for Crafts, 25 Arbor Street Art Fair, Box 1352, Ann Arbor 48106; 10x10-foot space. Cash awards. Send SASE to the Sagamore Road, Worcester 01605; or telephone or telephone (313) 994-5260. Rain Barrel, 86700 Overseas Highway, Islamorada (508) 753-8183. February 19 entry deadline 33036; or telephone (305) 852-3084. February 15 entry deadline Chicago, Illinois “20th Anniversary Wells Street Valhalla, New York “Clearwater’s 1994 Great Clinton, Iowa “Art in the Park” (May 14-15). Art Festival” (June 11-12). Juried from 5 slides of Hudson River Revival” (June 18-19). Juried from 5 Juried from 5 slides (1 of display). Entry fee: $5. work plus 1 of display. Entry fee: $25. For applica­ slides. Booth fee: $150 for a 10x10-foot space. For Booth fee: $60 for a 10x10-foot space. No commis­ tion, contact Joyce Saxon, Old Town Chamber of application, send SASE to Jan Kibrick, 39 Creek sions. Cash awards. Send SASE to Art in the Park, Box Commerce, 1543 North Wells, Chicago 66010; or Locks Road, Rosendale, New York 12472. 2164, Clinton 52733; or telephone Carol Glahn telephone (312) 951-6106. February 9 entry deadline (319) 259-8308. February 26 entry deadline Winnetka, Illinois “21st Annual Midwest Craft Frederick, Maryland “20th Annual Frederick State College, Pennsylvania “Central Pennsylva­ Festival 1994” (May 28-29), open to artists residing Craft Fair” (May 13—15). Juried from 5 slides of nia Festival of the Arts Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition” in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, work and 1 of display, plus resume. Entry fee: $10. (July 14-17). Juried from slides. Entry fee: $15. Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. Juried Booth fee: $285, outdoor; $385, indoor. Contact Booth fee: $325 for a 10x10-foot space or $650 for from slides. Awards: $2000 minimum. Contact the National Crafts, Ltd., Mary F. Clark, Director, 4845 a 20x10. Awards: $ 15,000 minimum. Send SASE to North Shore Art League, 620 Lincoln Avenue, Rumler Road, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 17201; Katherine Talcott, Visual Arts Director, Box 1023, Winnetka 60093. or telephone (717) 369-4810. State College 16804; or telephone (814) 237-3682. March 1 entry deadline Evanston, 711inois“Tenth Annual American Craft Exposition” (August 25-28). Juried from slides. Entry fee: $25. For application, contact American Craft Exposition, Box 25, Winnetka, Illinois 60093; or telephone (708) 998-1844. March 15 entry deadline Fall Hill, Maryland “Fall Hill Country Music and Crafts Festival” (July 9). Juried from 4 slides. Entry fee: $5. Exhibition fee: $70. Contact the Governor’s Office of Art and Culture, 300 Preston Street, Suite 400, Baltimore, Maryland 21201; or telephone Cynthia Brower (410) 225-4712. Madison, Wisconsin “Art Fair on the Square” (July 9-10). Juried from slides. Contact the Madison Art Center, 211 State Street, Madison 53703; or telephone (608) 257-0158. March 25 entry deadline Salem, Oregon “45th Annual Salem Art Fair and Festival” (July 15—17). Juried from 6 slides. Booth fee: $60 fora 10x10-foot space. Commission: 20%. Send SASE to 1994 Prospectus, Salem Art Fair and Festival, 600 Mission Street, Southeast, Salem 97302. April 1 entry deadline Muskegon, Michigan “Art in the Park” (July 1— 3). Juried from slides. Awards: best of show, $ 1500; second place, $1000; third, $500. For information and application, contact Art in the Park, Muskegon Summer Celebration, 587 West Western Avenue, Muskegon 49440; or telephone (616) 722-6520. Spring Green, Wisconsin “25th Annual Spring Green Arts and Crafts Fair” (June 25-26). Juried from slides. Entry fee: $75. Awards: $3000 in cash and over $6500 in purchase awards. For application, contact Spring Green Arts and Crafts Fair, Box 96, Spring Green 53588; or telephone the Spring Green Chamber of Commerce (608) 588-2042 or Lynn Stephens (608) 588-7733. April 5 entry deadline Latrobe, Pennsylvania “Westmoreland Arts/Heri­ tage Festival” (July 1—4). Juried from slides. Send legal-sized SASE to Westmoreland Arts/Heritage Fes­ tival, Box 355A, RD 2, Latrobe 15650. April 9 entry deadline Layton, New Jersey “Peters Valley Craft Fair” (July 30-31). Juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $15. Booth fee: $200 for a 10x10-foot, outdoor space; additional $50 for a corner space; additional $75 for tented. For application, send SASE to Peters Valley Craft Fair, 19 Kuhn Road, Layton 07851; or tele­ phone (201) 948-5200 or fax (201) 948-0011. June 1 entry deadline Gaithersburg, Maryland* 19th Annual National Craft Fair” (October 14-16). Juried from 5 slides of work and 1 of display, plus resume. Entry fee: $10. Booth fee: $300, outdoor; $375, roofed; or $400, indoor. Contact National Crafts, Ltd., Mary F. Clark, Director, 4845 Rumler Road, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 17201; or telephone (717) 369-4810.

68 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 69 Questions cone number on the new composition boxes. If necessary, cone boxes may be opened to check Answered by the CM Technical Staff for color coding to help customers avoid using old and new cones together. If you have more questions about the new composition, give Dale a call.” Recently, I have noticed a difference in the Q For more information, write The Edward performance between old and new pyrometric Orton Jr. Ceramic Foundation, P.O. Box 460, cones. I thought they were supposed to be uniform. Westerville, Ohio 43081; telephone (800) 999- Can you explain this? Could high humidity affect 5442; or fax (614) 895-5610. the old ones?—A.B. No, humidity likely isn’t the culprit, al­ Q I have been using the following two celadon though before use you should always check glazes in order to be able to place celadons through­ cones for signs of physical damage due to any out the firing chamber and also in the channel of number of stresses, including freezing and thaw­ the flue (which would otherwise be wasted space ing, dropping/cracking the cone, etc. There because it is one or two cones colder than the rest of actually has been a change in the composition the kiln): oflarge Orton cones in the Cone 4-8 range, and Standard Celadon Glaze this may have a substantial impact on firing for (Cone 8—9, reduction) many ceramists. A recent Orton Foundation Whiting...... 5.3 % publication explains further: Custer Feldspar...... 81.1 “The changes were done to produce a more Flint...... 13.6 consistent cone deformation during firing. The 100.0% former compositions for these cones were very Add: Red Iron Oxide...... 2.0% susceptible to changes in lain atmosphere and nonuniform heating rates or drafts in the kiln. Celadon Glaze for Flue Firing Additionally, the cones would deform very (Cone 6-7, reduction) quickly once they started to bend—in less than Whiting...... 7.7% 10 minutes for older cones. This could give Custer Feldspar...... 62.1 slightly cooler results. Grolleg Kaolin...... 5.1 “Self-supporting cones have always been Flint...... 25.1 made from the new composition. Since these 100.0% large cone numbers may take slightly longer to Add: Red Iron Oxide...... 1.5% deform, a difference may exist when comparing fired results with those of older cones. Mixing of But both of these glazes currently need to be new and old cones should be avoided. The adjusted for less viscosity. Ive tried the obvious amount of difference depends on the atmo­ thinning of the glaze, but then I lose the celadon sphere and firing conditions. Under worst case effect. So how should I go about solving this conditions, a difference of about one-half cone problem?—A.K. or 10°C could occur, but less than a 4°C More water in a glaze may solve application difference is normal. It is more likely that the viscosity problems, but that doesn’t necessarily new cones will fire a little hotter than the old solve problems with glaze viscosity as it devel­ series. ops during firing. Plus, celadons typically de­ “For most users, the differences in firing will pend on thick application in order to protect probably not be noticeable. However, for users the iron in its ferrous form, and to provide with products sensitive to small changes in enough physical depth to develop good color. temperature, we recommend they make test Consequently, another approach is needed: firings to evaluate these new cones. If tests show Try substituting any soda feldspar for part or all that the firings are coming out a little hotter of the potash feldspar (Custer is a potash spar). with the new cones, then switching schedules, This should work because soda spars have lower Kiln-Sitter cone, etc., can...achieve the desired viscosity than potash spars. Specifically, try tests results. removing Custer feldspar in 10% increments “While this change may cause some extra while adding 10% increments of any soda work and adjustment for customers, the perfor­ feldspar. By running ten of these tests with mance of the new composition is so superior it substitutions from 10% to 100%, you will find warranted the change. less-viscous variations of both these glazes. “To help distinguish the new cones from the old, we have started marking an ‘a’ after the Q When trying to figure element length for an electric kiln, what is the relationship between Subscribers’ questions are welcome and those of gen­ amps, volts and ohms?—T. f. eral interest will be answered in this column. Due to volume, letters may not be answered personally. Ad­ Ohms (resistance [depicted by R or Q]) dress the Technical Staff, Ceramics Monthly, Post equals volts (electrical force or pressure [V]) Office Box 12788, Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788. divided by amperes (current [A]).

70 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 71 Oklahoma, Norman February 18-March 20 Eddie Calendar Dominguez, ceramics and mixed media; at the Events to Attend—Conferences, Firehouse Art Center, 444 South Flood. Exhibitions, Workshops, Fairs Pennsylvania, Philadelphia through January 23 Jill Bonovitz; at the Museum of American Art/Morris Gallery, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Broad and Cherry streets. Conferences Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh through February 2 Ceil Leeper, sculpture; at the Clay Place, 5416 Walnut Louisiana, New Orleans March 23—26 “Gumbo Street. Ceramique,” annual conference of the National Texas, Tyler through January 31 Gregory Zeorlin, Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts. Contact “Notes and Letters”; at the Tyler Museum of Fine Regina Brown, NCECA Executive Secretary, Box Art, 1300 South Mahon Avenue. 1677, Bandon, Oregon 97411. New York, New York February 16-19 College Art Group Ceramics Exhibitions Association annual conference. Contact CAA, 275 Seventh Avenue, New York 10001; or telephone Arizona, Scottsdale January 4—29 “The Archie Bray (212) 691-1051. Foundation: Selected Clay Works”; at Joanne Rapp North Carolina, Asheville February 18—22 “Grove Gallery/The Hand and the Spirit, 4222 North Park Inn Arts and Crafts Conference,” national Marshall Way. conference on the arts and crafts movement (1900- California, Downey January 6—February 20 “Ce­ 1929). Will include seminars on “Matte Green ramics Now 1994”; at the Downey Museum of Art, Ware, The Present Rage,” “Masterpieces of the Arts 10419 Rives Avenue. and Crafts Movement,” “Living the Good Life: The California, Los Angeles through February 25“ Twen- Arts and Crafts Movement in California,” and “Arts tieth-century European Ceramics: Selections from and Crafts Colors: Inside and Out,” as well as a tour the Los Angeles County Museum of Art”; at Pacific ofNorth Carolina Art Pottery. Location: Grove Park Design Center, Center Green Rotunda, 8687 Melrose Inn. Fee: $250 (excluding tax), includes two nights Avenue. lodging, continental breakfast, all conference events California, Rancho Palos Verdes January 14—Feb­ (tours extra) and catalog. For information, contact ruary 26 “High Tech/Low Tech: The Science and Bruce Johnson, Conference Director, Box 8773, Art of Ceramics,” industrial ceramics plus works by Asheville 28814; or telephone (704) 254-1912; for Roseline Delisle, Larry Lubow, Harrison McIntosh brochure and agenda, telephone Grove Park Inn, and Gregory Roberts; at the Beckstrand Gallery, (800) 438-5800, extension 8007. Palos Verdes Art Center, 5504 West Crestridge Road at Crenshaw. Solo Exhibitions California, San Francisco through March 13 “Thai Ceramics: The James and Elaine Connell Collec­ Arizona, Scottsdale January 6-31 Jun Kaneko; at tion”; at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Bentley Gallery, 4161 North Marshall Way. Magnin Gallery, Golden Gate Park. California, Los Angeles through January 30 Adrian D.C., Washington through April3 “Contemporary Saxe retrospective; at the Los Angeles County Mu­ Porcelain from Japan”; at Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, seum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Boulevard. Smithsonian Institution. D.C., Washington February 18—April 77 William Florida, Palm Beach through February “Creative Daley, ceramics and drawings; at the Renwick Gal­ Clays: American Art Pottery from the New Orleans lery, National Museum of American Art, Smithson­ Museum of Art”; at the Society for the Four Arts, ian Institution. Four Arts Plaza. Florida, Belleair through January 9 Janice Strawder, Michigan, Detroit January 15—February 2£TWorks artist-in-residence; at the Florida Gulf Coast Art by Christina Carver, Ruth Durando Marcy and Center, 222 Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Angelo Di Petta; at Pewabic Pottery, 10125 East Indiana, Indianapolis January 9-28 David L. Jefferson Avenue. Gamble; at Leah Ransburg Art Gallery, University of Michigan, Farmington Hills February 5-26“Sc ulp- Indianapolis, 1400 East Hanna Avenue. ture,” with works by Thom Bohnert, Raymon Elozua, Massachusetts, Worcester January 14—February 27 Michael Lucero, Deborah Masuoka, Ronna Neuen- John Glick; at Worcester Center for Crafts, Main schwander, Tom Phardel, Lizzie Zucker Saltz and Gallery, 25 Sagamore Road. Arnold Zimmerman; at Habatat/Shaw Gallery, Michigan, Detroit January 15—February 26 Wil­ 32255 Northwestern Highway, #25. liam Parry; at Pewabic Pottery, Stratton Gallery, Missouri, Springfield February 4—28 Exhibition of 10125 East Jefferson Avenue. works by 15 ceramists; at the Student Exhibition Michigan, Farmington Hills throughJanuary 8 John Center, Southwest Missouri State University, 838 Woodward, sculpture; at Habatat/Shaw Gallery, East Walnut. 32255 Northwestern Highway, #25. New York, New Yorkthrough January 8 “T eapots”; New York, New York through January 8 Rupert at Garth Clark Gallery, 24 West 57th Street. Spira. Nina Borgia-Aberle; at Nancy Margolis Gal­ through January 23 “Modern Japanese Ceramics in lery, 251 West 21st Street. American Collections”; at Japan Society Gallery, New York, Oswego January 28—February 27 Paul 333 East 47th Street. Sherman, sculpture; at Tyler Art Gallery, State Uni­ Pennsylvania, University Park January 10—Febru­ versity of New York, Oswego campus. ary 27 “Clay National”; at Zoller Gallery, Visual Oklahoma, Anadarko through January 13 Anita Arts Building, Pennsylvania State University. Fields, “Women, Windows and Dreams,” sculp­ Texas, Corpus Christi January 15-February 15 ture; at Southern Plains Indian Museum and Crafts “Texas Clay II Exhibition,” works by 24 Texas Center. artists; at Corpus Christi State University, 6300 Ocean Drive. Send announcements of conferences, exhibitions, ju­ Utah, Logan through March 20 “Plates ’n Platters: ried fairs, workshops and other events at least two Ceramics from the Permanent Collection”; at Nora months before the month of opening (add one month Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah State Univer­ for listings in July; two months for those in August) to sity, 650 North 1100 East. Calendar, Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 12788, Virginia, Williamsburg through March 18 “The Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788; or telephone (614) Best Is Not Too Good for You: English Slip-Deco­ 488-8236. Fax announcements to (614) 488-4561. rated Earthenware”; at the Southeast Gallery, Abby

72 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 73 Calendar

Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center, South England Street, Colonial Williamsburg,

Ceramics in Multimedia Exhibitions Arizona, Mesa January 4—February 5“ 16th Annual Vahki Exhibition.” February 15—March 19 “Punch­ line”; at the Mesa Arts Center, 155 North Center. Arizona, Tempe through January 9 “Every Object Tells a Story: Narrative Craft”; at the Arizona State University Art Museum, Nelson Fine Arts Center, corner of Mill Avenue and 1 Oth Street. Arkansas, Litde Rock through January 9 “21st An­ nual Toys Designed by Artists Exhibition”; at the Arkansas Arts Center, MacArthur Park, Ninth and Commerce streets. California, La Jolla through January 15 “Heirlooms of the Future: Masterworks ofWest Coast American Designer/Craftsmen,” including ceramics by Laura Andreson, Rupert Deese, Otto and Vivika Heino, Martha Longenecker, Harrison McIntosh, Otto and Gertrud Natzler, and Beatrice Wood; at Mingei International Museum of World Folk Art, 4405 La Jolla Village Drive. California, Pomona January 13-February 12 “Ink and Clay XX”; at the California State Polytechnic University. California, Ukiah through January 9 “A Show of Hands,” Mendocino County crafts; at Grace Hudson Museum, 431 South Main Street. D.C., Washington through January 9 “The Arts and Crafts Movement in California: Living the Good Life.” throughJanuary 7 7“ Craft America: The North­ west and West Coast”; at the Renwick Gallery, the National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. through February 1 “The Age of the Baroque in Portugal”; at the National Gallery of Art, Fourth Street at Constitution Avenue, Northwest. Florida, Belleair through January 9 “The 41st Flor­ ida Craftsmen Exhibition”; at the Florida Gulf Coast Art Center, Shillard-Smith Gallery, 222 Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Florida, Tampa February 4—March31 “Black White Bold: Variations on a Theme”; at Artists Unlimited Gallery, 223 North 12th Street. Georgia, Atlanta through May 31, 1995 “Atlanta’s Consummate Collector: Philip Trammell Shutze”; at Atlanta History Center, 3101 Andrews Dr., NW. Illinois, Chicago through January 9 “Chicago’s Dreams, A World’s Treasure: The Art Institute of Chicago, 1893-1993.” through January 16 “Glad Tidings of Great Joy: Christmas at the Art Institute of Chicago”; at Regenstein Hall, the Art Institute of Chicago, Michigan Avenue at Adams Street. Indiana, Evansville through May 31 “The Indiana Decade, 1814-1824; Industries, Crafts and Prod­ ucts of the Harmony Society”; at the Scholle House, New Harmony State Historic Site, corner of Tavern and Brewery streets. Kentucky, Louisville January 22-February 5 “DinnerWorks”; at the Louisville Visual Art Asso­ ciation, Water Tower, 3005 Upper River Road. Maryland, Baltimore through January 14 “Touch: Beyond the Visual”; at School 33 Art Center, 1427 Light Street. Massachusetts, Boston through January 7 “Folk Inspirations”; at the Society of Arts and Crafts, 101 Arch Street. through January 5 “Folk Inspirations”; at the Society of Arts and Crafts, 175 Newbury Street. Massachusetts, Brockton through January 9 “The Domestic Object: Articles for Everyday Living”; at the Fuller Museum of Art, 455 Oak Street. Michigan, Detroit through January 9 “Decorative

74 CERAMICS MONTHLY Arts 1900: Highlights from Private Collections in Detroit”; at the Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Avenue. Missouri, Saint Louis through February 13 “Con­ temporary Crafts and the Saxe Collection”; at Saint Louis Art Museum, 1 Fine Arts Dr., Forest Park. Missouri, Warrensburg January 24—February 18 “Ninth Annual Greater Midwest International”; at the Central Missouri State University, Art Center Gallery, Clark Street. New Jersey, Montclair through June 19 “Physical Objects, Spiritual Inspirations: Native American Women, Their Art and Their Legacy”; at the Montclair Art Museum, 3 South Mountain Avenue. New Jersey, Newark through June 30 “Treasures from the Korean Collection”; at the Newark Mu­ seum, 49 Washington Street. New Mexico, Las Cruces January 16-February 11 “Beyond the Personal,” two-person exhibition with ceramic sculpture by Patti Warashina; at the Univer­ sity Art Gallery, New Mexico State University. New York, Albany February 5-May 15 “Working with Tradition”; at the New York State Museum, Empire State Plaza. New York, Hastings-on-Hudson February 6-27 “Surfaces,” with ceramics by Myrna Goodman; at the Gallery at Hastings-on-Hudson, Municipal Building. New York, New York through January 30 “Along the Royal Road: Berlin and Potsdam in Porcelain and Painting, 1815-1848”; at the Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, 18 West 86th Street. through February 2T‘The Ideal Home: 1900-1920”; at the American Craft Museum, 40 W. 53rd St. North Carolina, Asheville February 26—April 13 “Craft of the Carolinas”; at the Folk Arts Center, Asheville Arts Center. North Carolina, Charlotte through March 13“ Clas­ sical Taste in America, 1800-1840”; at the Mint Museum of Art, 2730 Randolph Road. Ohio, Cincinnati through February 6 a The Art of the Vessel: Decorative Arts from the Macht Collection”; at the Taft Museum, 316 Pike Street. February 20-April 17 “The Arts and Crafts Move­ ment in California: Living the Good Life”; at the Cincinnati Art Museum, Eden Park. Ohio, Cleveland through January 21 “Cleveland X—Artists from a Post-Industrial City,” with ce­ ramics by David Alban and Megan Sweeney; at SPACES, 2220 Superior Viaduct. January 21-February 26 “Courage Exhibition”; at Art at the Powerhouse, 2000 Sycamore Dr. Ohio, Wilberforce through mid January “Uncom­ mon Beauty in Common Objects: The Legacy of African-American Craft Art”; at the National Afro- American Museum and Cultural Center, 1350 Brush Row Road. Pennsylvania, Jenkintown through March “Ancient Sources: Contemporary Forms,” sculpture garden exhibition with an adobe structure by Nicholas Kripal; at Abington Art Center, 515 Meetinghouse Road. South Carolina, Charleston through January 9 “Craft of the Carolinas”; at the Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting Street. South Carolina, Clemson February 1-March 5 “Craft of the Carolinas”; at Rudolph E. Lee Gallery, Clemson University. Tennessee, Gatlinburg February 25-May 14 “Myths: New Form, New Function”; at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway. Virginia, Danville January 28-March 6 “Touch: Beyond the Visual”; at Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, 975 Main Street. Washington, Seatde through January 28 “Screams with Laughter: Storytelling in Northwest Craft”; at Washington State Convention and Trade Center, downtown. Continued

January 1994 75 Calendar Florida, Ocoee January29-30A sessionwith Cynthia Bringle. Fee: $65. Limited to 30 participants. Con­ tact Bennett’s Pottery and Ceramic Supplies, 431 Enterprise Street, Ocoee 34761; or telephone (800) Wisconsin, Kohler through January 9 “Treasures”; 432-0074 or (407) 877-6311. at Artspace: A Gallery of the John Michael Kohler Florida, Orlando February 3-^4 Slide lecture and Arts Center, Woodlake complex. demonstration with Val Cushing. Fee: $50. Regis­ tration deadline: January 28; limited to 30 partici­ Fairs, Festivals and Sales pants. Contact Mike Lalone, 6500 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando 32819; or telephone (407) 352- Arizona, Scottsdale January 29—March 27“Fourth 4040, extension 250. Annual Scottsdale Celebration of Fine Art”; on the Florida, Saint Petersburg February 5 “Slides, the northwest corner of Scottsdale Road and Highland Jury Process, and Marketing YourWork” with Bruce Avenue. Baker. Fee: $25. Registration deadline: January 21. Florida, Coconut Grove (Miami) February 19-21 Location: Eckerd College. For further information, “31st Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival”; along contact Florida Craftsmen, 237 Second Avenue, McFarlane Road and Bayshore Drive. South, Saint Petersburg 33701; or telephone (813) Massachusetts, Ipswich January 15—February 28 821-7391. “Annual Seconds Sale”; at Ocmulgee Pottery and Maryland, Baltimore January 24—29 “Ceramic Gallery, 317 High Street, Route 1A. Sculpture Workshop” with Judy Moonelis. Fee: $245; Baltimore Clayworks members, $220. Con­ Workshops tact Baltimore Clayworks, 5706 Smith Avenue, Baltimore 21209; or telephone Donna Lansman Arizona, Phoenix February 5-6 Demonstration, (410) 578-1919. discussion and slide presentation with Robert Turner. Massachusetts, Worcester February 26-27 A ses­ Location: Phoenix College. Contact Marie Challinor, sion with John Glick. Contact Worcester Center for Arizona Clay Workshop Chairman, 725 East Crafts, 25 Sagamore Road, Worcester 01605; or Harmont Drive, Phoenix 85020; or telephone (602) telephone (508) 753-8183. 944-7242. Missouri, Kansas City February 26-27 A session California, Rancho Palos Verdes January 22 “High with Bruce Winn. Fee: $55; Kansas City Clay Guild Tech/Low Tech,” symposium focusing on indus­ members, $45. Contact Marie Deborah Wald, 4415 trial ceramics and one-of-a-kind ceramic art. Con­ Francis, Kansas City, Kansas 66103; or telephone tact Palos Verdes Art Center, 5504 West Crestridge (913) 432-5948. Road at Crenshaw, Rancho Palos Verdes 90274; or New York, New York March 2 and 7,9“Basketry for telephone (310) 541-2479. Potters” with Nancy Moore Bess. Fee: $45; YWCA California, San Jose February 24 “Phoenix on the members, $35. March 13 “A Personal Dialogue with Rise,” lecture on Phoenix’s “Percent for Art” pro­ Clay” with Susan Eisen. Fee: $80; YWCA members, gram with manager Gretchen Freeman. March 18- $65. Contact the YWCA of the City of New York, 19 “If It Doesn’t Matter, It’s Only Public Art,” 610 Lexington Avenue, New York 10022; or for lecture (March 18) and workshop (March 19) with information and catalog, telephone (212) 735-9731; Jack Mackie and Mark Spitzer. Contact the San Jose to register, telephone (212) 735-3335. Museum of Art, 110 S. Market St., San Jose 95113; North Carolina, Brasstown January 16-22 “Pots or telephone (408) 294-2787. Or telephone the Art for the Wood-burning Kiln” with Ken Sedberry. in Public Places Program, City of San Jose Office of February 13—19 “Pottery Basics: Handbuilding and Cultural Affairs, (408) 277-5144. the Wheel” with Marcia Bugg. March 6-12 “Wheel Colorado, Durango March 26—27A session with Throwing” with Lee Davis. Contact John C. Svend Bayer. Contact Kay and Scott Roberts, Quien Campbell Folk School, Route 1, Box 14A, Brasstown Sabe Pottery, 4246 CR 203, Durango 81301; or 28902; or telephone (800) FOLK SCH. telephone (303) 247-3393. Oklahoma, Norman February 19-20 Lecture and Connecticut, Brookfield January 15-16 “Book­ hands-on workshop with Eddie Dominguez. Work­ keeping for Artists” with Barbara Bilderback. Janu­ shop fee (lecture is free): $64. Participants must ary 22-23 “Recordkeeping and Taxes for Artists” bring a piece of leather-hard earthenware. Contact with Kim Butler. January 29—30“Making the Most the Firehouse Art Center, 444 South Flood, Norman of Your Nikon Camera” with Neil Swanson. Febru­ 73069; or telephone (405) 329-4523. ary 12—13 “Craft Marketing” with Loretta Radeschi. Oregon, Portland February 12-13 A session with February 19—20 “Making the Most of Your Canon Roberta Laidman. Fee: $125. Contact Georgies Camera” with Neil Swanson. March 5-6 “Ceramic Ceramic and Clay Company, 756 N.E. Lombard, Commissions” with Elizabeth MacDonald. Contact Portland 97211; or telephone (503) 283-1353. Brookfield Craft Center, Box 122, Brookfield 06804; Pennsylvania, Philadelphia January 21-23 Lecture or telephone (203) 775-4526. and workshop with Christina Bertoni. Lecture loca­ Connecticut, Middletown March 14—16 Hands- tion: Philadelphia Museum of Art. Workshop loca­ on workshop with Woody Hughes. Fee: $ 110. March tion: Clay Studio. February 18 Lecture with Kurt 26-27 Lecture and demonstration with Makoto Weiser. Location: Philadelphia Museum of Art. Yabe. Fee: $75. Contact the Wesleyan Potters, 350 Contact the Clay Studio, 139 North Second Street, South Main Street, Middletown 06457; or tele­ Philadelphia 19106; or telephone (215) 925-3453. phone (203) 347-5925. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh January 22—23 A session D.C., Washington March 14—18 “Studio Architec­ with James Watkins. Contact the Manchester tural Ceramics Workshop” with Peter King and Craftsmen’s Guild, 1815 Metropolitan Street, Pitts­ Marni Jaime. Fee: $450. Registration deadline: Feb­ burgh 15233; or telephone (412) 322-1773. ruary 14. For further information, contact Bob South Carolina, Columbia January 21—23 “Glazing Epstein, the Corcoran School of Art, 500 17th and the Environment: A Hands-on Workshop by Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C. 20006; or the Glaze Doctor” with guest speaker Pete Pinnell. telephone (202) 628-9484. Fee: $50. Contact the Clay Arts Society, Box 7391, Florida, Miami February ^“Slides, the Jury Process, Columbia 29202; or telephone Sue Grier (803) 794- and Marketing Your Work” with Bruce Baker. Fee: 3620. $25. Registration deadline: January 21. Location: Texas, San Antonio January 22—23 “Porcelain, Pa­ Bakehouse Art Complex. Contact Florida Crafts­ per and Drawing” with Edward S. Eberle. Fee: $115. men, 237 Second Avenue, South, Saint Petersburg, February 19-20“A Sculptural Approach to Pottery” Florida 33701; or telephone (813) 821-7391. with Richard Notkin. Fee: $ 100. Contact the South-

76 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 77 Calendar

west Craft Center, 300 Augusta, San Antonio 78205; or telephone (210) 224-1848. Vermont, Middlebury February 7—11 A session with Joseph Bennion. Registration deadline: Janu­ ary 14. Contact Vermont State Craft Center at Frog Hollow, 1 Mill Street, Middlebury 05753; or tele­ phone (802) 388-3177.

International Events Belgium, Brussels throughJanuary31 “Outre-terre”; at Hotel de Ville de Bruxelles, Galerie la Venerie, Watermael-Boitsfort. Canada, Ontario, Ottawa through January 16 “The Earthly Paradise: Arts and Crafts by William Morris and His Circle in Canadian Collections”; at the National Gallery of Canada, 380 Sussex Drive. Canada, Ontario, Toronto through January ^“Re­ markable Objects”; at Uncommon Objects, York Quay Centre, 235 Queens Quay West. through January 9 “The Grace and Finesse of Japa­ nese Incense Boxes: The Kogo of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts”; at George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, 111 Queen’s Park. England, Chichester January 14-17 “Throwing and Turning with Handles, Lids and Knobs” with Alison Sandeman. February 4—7 “Mosaic” with Emma Biggs. February 13-18 “General Pottery” with Alison Sandeman. Contact the College Office, West Dean College, West Dean, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0QZ; or telephone (24) 363 301. England, Gwynedd January 10-February 6 “The American Way: Views on Use in Contemporary American Ceramics”; at the Wrexham Library Arts Centre. England, London January 19—February 13 “Gifts for Valentines,” with ceramics by Sandy Brown, Ruth Dupre and Jane Hamlyn; at the Crafts Council Shop at the V&A, Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington. England, Oxford January 10-February 9 “Animal Magic,” including ceramics by Catrin Howell, Craig Mitchell, Anna Noel and Zoe Whiteside. February 14—March 16 Exhibition of ceramics by Jim Ma­ lone; at Oxford Gallery, 23 High Street. January 23—April 10 “The Raw and the Cooked: New Work in Clay in Britain”; at the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, 30 Pembroke Street. France, Mulhouse through January 30 “Poterie Negre—Design”; at Maison de la Ceramique, 25, rue Josue Hofer. France, Roanne through January 16 Exhibition of sculpture by Alphonse Voisin-Delacroix; at Musee Joseph Dechelette, 22 rue Anatole France. Mexico, Oaxaca January 3—11 “Ceramics: From the Zapotec Tradition and Beyond” with Miguel Audifred. Fee: $995. Contact Horizons: The New England Craft Program, 374 Old Montague Road, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002; or telephone (413) 549-4841. Mexico, San Miguel de Allende February 26—March 12 Ceramics workshop with University of Minne­ sota Duluth instructors. Contact Univeristy of Min­ nesota Duluth Continuing Education and Exten­ sion, 403 Darland Administration Building, 10 University Drive, Duluth 55812; or telephone (218) 726-6536. Netherlands, Deventer January 16—February 27 “Terres Vernissees II,” decorated earthenware by Jean Jacques Dubernard, Patrick Galtie, David Miller, Robert Montaudouin and Jerome Plat; at Kunst and Keramiek, Korte Assenstraat 15. Netherlands, Landgraaf January 9—February ^Ce­ ramics and mixed media by Miriam van Kuppenveld; at Galerie Gaudi, Hereweg 83.

78 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 79 Back to Basics Continued from page 54

back brace is now an accepted, and of­ ten required, aid for these jobs. Strategic planning is also required when bulky supplies are delivered to the studio. Jeff Zamek, a ceramics con­ sultant in Southampton, Massachusetts, suggests being mindful of when and where deliveries are made. “Rather than moving the materials two or three times until they are at the desired location, have the initial delivery occur at the appropriate point of use.”

Wedge Correcdy The wedging table is a nemesis to many lower backs. The key to pain-free wedging is correct table height (1 or 2 inches below the hip joint when stand­ ing upright) and proper stance. Judy Grodowitz, a body alignment therapist who coaches students at the Penland School of Craft in North Caro­ lina, recommends that ceramists not muscle the clay, but use their entire bodies for leverage. “I tell people to get in the ‘batters position,’ with flexed knees and hips. I want them in a con­ stant state of readiness.” Grodowitz suggests placing one foot in front of the other (design the wedg­ ing table to accommodate this posi­ tion), and rocking back and forth while wedging. Use a spiral push-lift-and-twist action, rotating the clay on the same spot without lifting the entire mass each time.

Safe Wheel Work Whether electric or kick, wheel work can compromise any back. Therefore, it is imperative to work in a safe, effective manner. Consider the height of your wheel head and of your seat. Each pot­ ter sits a bit differently, but generally the seat and the wheel head should be at the same height. Most low-back and shoulder problems occur when the seat is lower or higher than the wheel head, or if the entire set-up (seat and wheel) is elevated and the potter’s feet are not firmly grounded. The ideal seat is firm, with a slight tilt forward. In addition to the upper body and arms, use the legs, hips and torso when throwing on the wheel. “The whole body does the activity,” explained

80 CERAMICS MONTHLY Grodowitz, “not just the part that reaches out and touches the clay.” She also advises making the hip joint, rather than the waist, the fulcrum of the body. Work to maintain the natural curve of the spine while throwing, and learn to let the head articulate from the top of the spine, rather than collapsing the back to look at work or turn the head. Collapsing the spinal vertebrae results in excessive sway (lordosis) or hunching (kyphosis). Many potters prefer lack wheels, al­ though electric wheels are thought to be Idnder to the spine. Kick wheels with a motor attachment can offer the best of both worlds. However, kick-wheel users should kick with a toe-heel action that emanates from the knee hinge. Back problems occur when the buttocks or lower back become the source of power. Kick wheels that do not work cor­ rectly (because of a stiff flywheel or other flawed design) result in unnecessary ro­ tary force to the back. A small person who tries to stop a heavy flywheel may strain back muscles. Incorrect foot placement while kick­ ing or poor body alignment during the process are additional hazards to the kick-wheel enthusiast. Many kick-wheel throwers power with alternating legs to avoid tilting to one side, or they lean back slightly while kicking, then for­ ward while throwing, to achieve a bal­ anced work session. Michigan potter John Glick allevi­ ated his back stress by designing a wheel that allows him to throw pots while standing. The wheel head is at navel level and his back is supported by a cushioned back rest. “He was out of commission for seven months,” said Susie Symons of her husband. “It was tough.” Symons, a ceramics artist and teacher, knows first-hand the problems that face many potters. She managed a studio of 65 students and “did all the slop work— recycling clay, mixing glazes, loading kilns, cleaning and carrying.” Due to back problems, she has chosen to leave the profession. “The therapist said al­ most everything I did in the studio was contra-indicated. He was surprised my back had lasted as long as it did, consid­ ering my daily tasks.” So what should potters do to prevent back problems such as Symons’? Continued

January 1994 81 Back to Basics

Make Your Kiln User Friendly Bending into a top-loading kiln to arrange ware results in marked back stress. Short people should try using a small step stool when loading. Placing heavy shelves in position, whether in a top-loading or side-load- ing kiln, should always be done with a partner. (Some artists are developing pulley systems to lower shelves into top- loading kilns.) Also, when carrying heavy shelves, be sure to keep them close to your body and lift no higher than your chest. Walk-in kilns are more accessible, but they still present risks when stack­ ing overhead or low shelves. To reach high places, incorporate a step stool and support yourself with one arm on a wall or table. Bend at the knees to access bottom shelves. Symons and Glick con­ structed a car kiln at their studio. The shelves are filled outside the kiln, then wheeled into the kiln chamber. “And we always work with an assistant,” Symons added.

Change Positions Do you become so engulfed in your work that hours slip by before you real­ ize you haven’t changed position? Re­ maining in a fixed stance for long periods of time puts strain on most backs. Mov­ ing or shifting your weight throughout a working session is advisable, along with propping one foot up on a small step stool to flex the hip and knee and relieve swayback. (Savvy bar patrons know about this trick!) For long periods of standing, many artists enlist a back brace and wear sturdy, well-fitting shoes. Rubberized, cushioned mats (available through res­ taurant suppliers and hardware stores) also make standing more comfortable. If you choose to sit while working, se­ lect a stable, firm chair and place the small of your back against the back of the chair. Again, elevate one foot and be sure to punctuate work time with a walking or stretching segment. Brodnick advises his patients to use a kitchen timer to remind them to take a break every 20 minutes. He also sug­ gests posting a small sign that displays good back habits. Continued

82 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 83 Back to Basics

Use “Back Smarts” Common maintenance, such as swabbing, sweeping or scraping floors, demands attention to precise body align­ ment. Washing tables and repairing equipment should be performed when squatting or sitting, rather than round­ ing forward. Well-designed, state-of-the- art cleaning tools (wide, long-handled brooms or powerful sprayers) will result in less toil, while protecting backs in the process. Removing dangerous obstacles, slippery spots on floors or unsafe furni­ ture will prevent accidental falls that could damage the spine. Some admin­ istrative duties, such as sitting at a com­ puter terminal, require attention to back care as well.

Follow Equipment Instructions Spray booths, slab rollers, pug mills, jiggering arms and extruders require proper use to avoid spinal injury. Make sure such machines are situated cor­ rectly and function with easy access to controls. Hamilton Hall, a doctor and author of The Back Doctor; reminds workers to bend at the knees and em­ ploy the force of the entire body, espe­ cially when propelling rollers or gears. “Pass the work on to the legs,” he says.

Pay Attention to Contributing Factors Sleeping on a sagging mattress or sitting in a slouched position compro­ mises lumbar muscles. High-heeled shoes place extra stress on the spine by throwing it off balance. Poor nutrition, fatigue and carrying extra body weight add additional tension. Emotional stress, although difficult to completely avoid, needs to be managed in order to limit back episodes. And most experts would agree that the prime target for a bad back is the individual who does not exercise. Strong abdominal muscles, regular aerobic activity, and a stretching pro­ gram will ward off many back distur­ bances. Back specialists can recommend appropriate exercises; many excellent books and videos are also available for at-home reference. “Your back is only as strong as those muscles that support it,” noted Leon Root, an orthopedic surgeon in New

84 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 85 Back to Basics

York City and author of No More Ach­ ing Back. “Nothing will be as important for your back as exercises. Even when back problems are caused by or related to stress, exercises help both conditions, emotional and physical alike.” Learning back care inside and out­ side of the work environment is not difficult, but it does take a conscious effort and lots of perseverance. It is easy to incorporate the appropriate precau­ tions when your back is sore; it is diffi­ cult to continue the behavior when you are feeling fine. “I suffered a back injury years ago,” said Warren MacKenzie. “The osteo­ path offered me two choices: back sur­ gery or four simple exercises. The exercises completely cured my back.” Does he still do the stretching and strengthening every morning? “I try to be good, but its hard,” he admitted. “When my back is healthy, I forget. I get carried away with what I’m doing. There’s so much to remember, isn’t there?” Realistic schedules will help prevent back injury. Ceramists who create on impulse, or with a flurry of activity, should reorganize their work habits to accommodate their back capabilities. Sensible work sessions, listening for pain signals, and admitting when you’ve had enough are imperative. A sore back is sending a message—perhaps you should stop to rest, reconsider body alignment or work with less clay. Typically, the older the ceramist, the greater the chance for back problems. Adjusting to a new set of production parameters or exploring other less-stress- ful clayworking options might be nec­ essary for the future. Clay artists of any age should be attentive to their health in order to avoid placing their careers in jeopardy. Proper back care is a perpetual process, and learning to set creative goals that do not exceed your physical tolerance is an on- going job.

The author Catherine Grubman, a free­ lance writer on fitness and health issues, works for Sport & Health, Inc., in McLean, Virginia. She also throws pots on back-happy days.

86 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 87 between the ends of a curved pipe mountedered the plastic shipping covers for mat­ Suggestions on plywood. Hose clamps secure the wire totresses. They provide perfect protection, and From Readers the pipe and a turnbuckle allows tension many mattress stores are glad to be rid of adjustments. them. You can even slide current glaze recipe When a slab of leather-hard clay (with or cards underneath. And when too grubby, the Trimming Tools from Bedsprings without a template as a guide) is pushed plastic covers make excellent compost lin­ Like strapping metal, old bedsprings can ers.—Lorraine Hill, Nanaimo, British Co­ be used to make good trimming tools—but lumbia, Canada bedspring tools are stronger. Simply cut the spring into 10-inch lengths, then bend each Softbrick Saw at one end to form a right angle. An economical, super-effective saw for Numerous shapes can be made for spe­ cutting softbrick can be made from a 9-inch cific uses by cutting the bent ends with shears. reciprocating saw blade (such as Sawzall). A notch removed from the handle just be­ Designed for use in remodeling projects, this hind the cutting edge of the bent end allows type of blade is very tough, has coarse teeth greater flexibility when trimming feet. and is tapered to get into tight places. Wrap The cutting edge can then be sharpened a piece of cloth around the upper end for a with a file. As the blade dulls with use, simply handle, and you’ll have a softbrick saw that refile.—David Lloyd, Burnaby, British Co­ can cut small holes for less than $4.— Ed lumbia, Canada Bussard, Dove Creek, Colo.

Avoiding Majolica “Freckles” Dollars for Your Ideas To avoid white “freckles” on majolica Ceramics Monthly pays $10for each sugges­ decoration, allow the base glaze to dry thor­ tion published; submissions are welcome indi­ oughly (eight hours or overnight) before against the taut wire, it makes precise verticalvidually or in quantity. Include an illustration applying pigment decoration.—Gail Busch, cuts and is better than a fettling knife on tightor photo to accompany your suggestion and we Helena, Mont. curves.—RonaldJacobson, Bemidji, Minn. will pay $10 more if we use it. Mail ideas to Suggestions, Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box Slab Cutting Device Free Heavy-Duty Plastic Covers 12788, Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788; or fax A device for cutting intricate shapes/tiles Glaze tables have always presented a clean­to (614) 488-4561. Sorry, but we cant ac­ from slabs can be made by stretching a wireing nightmare to me. That is, until I discov­knowledge or return unused items.

88 CERAMICS MONTHLY

90 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 91 Comment with his personal insights into reincarna­ tion—gather up thermoses and books, preparing to leave. Feeding the Dragon Dennise gained her experience in wood firing at Northern Arizona University in by Jack Troy Flagstaff; she fired their noborigama and anagama several times while earning her Its 8°F at 3:50 A.M. Dennise Gackstetter graduate degree in ceramics. She is work­ has tried since 1 A.M. to flatten Cone 9, ing independently at Juniata while teach­ but it has stayed only halfway over, de­ ing continuing-education classes. “Keep spite her vigilance during this 31st firing cool,” she says, heading toward home. of the Juniata anagama. Her shift mates “See you in the daylight,” someone re­ are students Chris Ostrowski and Carrie plies. It is already “tomorrow.” Rockett. She raises the semicircular steel In the time it takes to carry 30-40 door a few inches. Yellow-white bright­ slabs—enough fuel for an hour—from ness radiates, strobelike, across my waist. the nearby rick and stack them near the I slip on welder’s goggles and kneel, peer­ front of the kiln, orange flames skirting ing into the drag­ the door have died ons bright throat. back to thin wisps Cone 8 has gone In weather this cold, as the atmosphere over on each of the the amount of fuel needed within the kiln eases twin cone pads, into light reduction and Cone 9 is at to fire the anagama for one hour from the heavy “3 o’clock,” as it would heat my average-size house phase that normal­ has been since ly follows a stoke. about that time for nearly two days. This particular kiln the previous after­ “cycles” every 12- noon. The kiln has been soaking for more 15 minutes; that is, fuel must be replen­ than 13 hours at a temperature very close ished about that often. In weather this to that which would signal the end of a cold, the amount of fuel needed to fire more conventional firing. the anagama for one hour would heat my Several porcelain jars shimmer, reflect­ average-size house for nearly two days. ing flame light. Ash settled on the shoul­ I snake the 7-foot-long poker through ders of some is congealing, not yet fluxing both channels under the grates, settling enough for a truly fluid melt. Pieces on the embers, opening the space for more the topmost shelves have shrunk several air. The tone of combustion is modulat­ inches from the crown of the arch. The ing now—from arhythmic hisses and cones are just hanging there, being or­ snaps to a hearty drone—as gasses, lured nery. It is time to stoke. by the chimney’s pull, swirl past the hun­ The three stokers are ready to go “off dreds of objects. As wood is consumed, shift.” This is their last stoke. Chris raises the atmosphere clears and temperature the door. Dennise hands Carrie the first rises. Time to stoke. Ironically, Cone 9 oak slab, and she slides it over the thresh­ eases over now that Dennises head must old. This wood was cut two years ago and just be hitting the pillow. has been under roof since April. It hisses Reflecting the predominant distribu­ like eggs on a hot griddle, dislodging an tion of trees in this part of Central Penn­ intricate filigree of embers remaining from sylvania, our fuel is mostly oak, ash, eight slabs stoked 15 minutes before. poplar, cherry, maple and other mixed More slabs follow, slid in at angles to one hardwoods. We don’t own an axe, and another, exposing as much surface area as haven’t split a piece of wood in 15 years. possible to preheated air rising through Sawmill off-cuts, or slabs, fuel all our the grates. As the last slab goes in, Carrie’s firings; this wood would otherwise be leather gloves smoke a little; she whips shredded into mulch at the mill. The the right one off as Chris lowers the door. kiln’s design permits burning relatively “Maybe that’ll puddle those nines out,” large slabs. Thin pieces, along with kiln- Dennise mutters. Wind rustles the shel- dried edgings from a planing mill, are ter-tarp behind her as she, Carrie and separated for side-stoking. In addition to Chris—editor of the campus paper, who being cheap, slabwood contains a high has kept them enchanted the past hour percentage of bark; it is the wide range of

92 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 93 Comment currents, settling on horizontal surfaces within the kiln. Airborne sifting distrib­ uted the heaviest particles closest to the its mineral content that provides the spec­ firebox, while the finest were drawn to­ trum of color we have come to favor in ward the flue, some 20 feet away. Now, natural ash glazes. approaching Cone 10 (2380°F, 1300°C), I am outfitted in leather: farriers apron, the ash has sintered and begun to melt. welders jacket and gloves. The danger of During the slow climb from this point to burns is the fires demanding price for maximum temperature (about six hours being useful and contained. With the away when Cone 12 will be halfway over), door open, aggressive radiant heat threat­ the ash loses its particulate identity, sin­ ens unprotected skin and flirts with the tering to the consistency of stiff honey, flash-point of synthetic fabrics. while bonding with the clay in a complex At Cone 10 the firebox seethes with synthesis of shared elements constituting intensity as an oak slab slides over the what is known as the “clay-glaze inter­ brick threshold into an ember mass atop face.” the silicon-carbide grate bars. Ash par­ Feldspar, especially in the porcelain ticles, boosted by preheated air sucked clay bodies, is an active flux at this heat, up through the grate, ride the current of functioning like shortening in pastry hot gasses through the kiln. dough, making the pots as tacky on their Stoking more slabs as rapidly as pos­ fire-sides as flypaper, trapping fine fly ash sible, I attempt to raise the temperature released in combustions fury. Such heat over the next few hours by judging the also renders the clay soft and malleable, a kilns “appetite,” or capacity to consume condition known as “pyroplasticity,” fuel. It is easy to understand why ancient sometimes causing pots and sculptures to Chinese potters associated such kilns with deform, warp or change shape. dragons and other mythical creatures. At One of the mysterious, invisible this point in the firing, this beast of a kiln miracles taking place at this time is a will consume 8-12 slabs averaging kind of “patterning” within the clay ob­ 30x8x3 inches every 12-15 minutesjects with themselves, marking them (or their the ease of a whale ingesting krill. shards) forever as having been fired in With the firebox nearly full of wood, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, in the latter the atmosphere re­ part of the 20th sembles the chaotic century. Freed turbulence of surf. We dorit own an axe, from their usual During roughly the and haven't split a piece of wood configurations by first half of the the extreme heat, cycle, a gasping, in 15 years. Sawmill off-cuts, iron particles in the smoky “reducing” or slabs, fuel all our firings; clay orient them­ atmosphere perme­ selves to the mag­ ates the kiln and this wood would otherwise be netic pole of the the temperature shredded into mulch at the mill earth, later to cool stalls—the ratio of in patterns detect­ oxygen to fuel hav­ able by high-tech ing been thrown out of kilter, producing analysis. Even though the clay may have a “rich” mixture, in the language of car- come from some other place on the buretion. In this unstable atmosphere the planet, its iron particles are being re­ flame hungers for oxygen, extracting it in arranged in the transformational process molecular form from the clay as well as underway, imbuing them forever with from the inorganic (mineral) components this place, this time. (Archaeologists de­ of the wood, liberated as ash. The visual pend on this factor to date ancient shards effects of this complex molecular feast and kiln sites.) may, with luck, enhance a ceramist s work The intense heat is taking its toll. Two by triggering an aesthetic response to the porcelain pots made of clay containing cooled result. Why would we be here, sand and river stones have developed otherwise? cracks that widen a little every couple of During the long, slow warm-up that hours. A careless stoker has tipped a bottle may last several days, light fly ash has off balance with a stick of wood, causing lofted from the firebox on convection a bowl inverted on the lip to fuse to its

94 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1994 95 Comment divide the flames currents, insinuating one the minimeteors die out in midair, themselves through the work, marking while larger ones fall to the ground, ar­ their passage on cup lips, teapot spouts ranging themselves as incandescent con­ side. The glitch is within reach of the and handles. After the final stoking and stellations before being snuffed out by longest poker, and there are six to eight cool-down period, when the kiln is un­ the snow. The image that comes to mind hours to think about what, if anything, loaded, every piece will forever document is a variation on the title of a favorite to do about it. At 5:30, an hour away its blinding encounter with fire—the ul­ Loren Eiseley essay, “The Star Thrower.” from daylight, the wind has subsided. timate editor. There’s no way to predict exactly what’s Cone 10 is on its way over. Time to stoke Easing the poker back and forth, I happening to the work of the 25 partici­ the stoker, with a banana, an orange and ream both channels under the grates, let­ pants in this firing, but we’re all in it yogurt mixed with maple syrup. ting in a maximum of air. Half a bushel together. Around noon we’ll seal up the In an era when advanced technology of fine embers are pulled forward— front door, and stoke through the side makes possible comput­ ports for another six or erized firings in highly ef­ One of the mysterious, invisible miracles taking place eight hours, evening up ficient kilns, the anagama the temperature in the (Japanese for “hole” kiln) at this time is a kind of “patterning” within the clay objects back of the kiln. In five may seem to be an themselves, marking them (or their shards) forever days, we’ll see what this anomaly, yet its propo­ has added up to. nents pride themselves in as having been fired in Huntingdon, Pennsylvaniay “Be-up, be-up, be- being able to “read” the in the latter part of the 20th century. Freedfrom their usual up,” sings the first Caro­ subtle textures and color lina wren I’ve seen in a variations in the fired re­ configurations by the extreme heat, iron particles in the clay long time. The door is sult. While specific pieces orient themselves to the magnetic pole of the earth losing its glow from the may exhibit dramatic ef­ , last stoke. Cone 10’s fects, others are often re­ later to cool in patterns detectable by high-tech analysis. nearly over. It’s almost ferred to as being “warm” dragon-feeding time or “timeless.” Theirs is the beauty of stonesenough to fill a large, old-fashioned coal again. We’re into the driest wood—the removed from the shaping forces of a shovel several times. In an act justified good stuff—now. river, of trees given character by winds or only by the recent 8-inch snowfall fire- weather challenging their growth. proofing the vicinity, I carry the shovel This essay will appear in Jack Troys new As this firing progresses, a house- carefully out in front of the kiln, then book Woodfired Stoneware and Porce­ shaped sculpture, by visiting artist George fling its contents in a high, sweeping arc. lain, to be released in September by Chilton Johnson of Philadelphia, thwarts the The gusting wind swirls hundreds of Book Company; 1 Chilton Way, Radnor, brunt of the fire above the firebox like the glowing embers around one another in Pennsylvania 19089. Excerpted with per­ prow of a boat. Pots on either side further galaxies against a pre-dawn sky. One by mission from the author.—Ed.

Index to Advertisers

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