Friends of Contemporary Ceramics Newsletter to Be the Bulletin Board of the Ceramics Community
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FALL & WINTER 2008 - 2009 Dear Friends By Linda Schlenger This year has been extremely challenging for the entire probably be the last year that we are at The Rainbow Room world…including the art world. Museums and Galleries have of Rockefeller Center. The Cipriani Restaurant chain, which to re-think their plans. One reads about museums that have operates the Rainbow Room, has lost its lease; and, right now, attempted to sell art in order to raise money for operating we don’t know if that magnificent room will continue to be expenses. As a collector, my first reaction was “Ouch.” Good operated as an event space. We can only hope so. The pictures art is forever, financial problems, hopefully, are not. of the dinner will appear in our next issue. I guess many of us have been affected by the falling stock Many of you have inquired about the grants that Friends market. I find it very depressing to listen to the news. of Contemporary Ceramics has given out over the years. The thing that boosts my spirits these days, besides These grants are made solely from our dues. I am proud to Donald and Chocolate (the kind you eat as well as my little include, in this issue, a complete listing of all the grants FCC brown toy poodle named Chocolate who is the love of my has made. life) is walking around my house and looking at all my wonderful Ceramics. I hope you all feel the same way. And, as always, a special thanks to Arthur Williams, our editor, for his wonderful work. As I write this letter, I am looking forward to our annual Friends of Contemporary Ceramics dinner which will be Fondly, held on April 17. Betty Woodman will be the 2009 recipient of the CLAY Award. That in itself will make this dinner special. However, this year will also be special because it will Linda Schlenger FCC Museum Grants Metropolitan Museum of Art ~ “Contemporary Ceramics: From the Collection…” Los Angeles County Museum of Art ~ “Color and Fire” The Newark Museum ~ “Great Pots” Fitchburg Art Museum ~ “From the Kilns of Denmark” Traveling Exhibition ~ “Ruth Duckworth: Modernist Sculpture” Elvehjem Museum of Wisconsin ~ “Don Reitz: Clay, Fire, Salt and Wood” Arizona State U. Art Museum ~ “Between Clouds and Memory: Akio Takamori” The Chinati Foundation ~ “Ken Price” Museum of Fine Arts Boston ~ “Contemporary Clay: Japanese Ceramics for the New Century” Racine Art Museum ~ “Toshiko Takaezu: Heaven and Earth” Crocker Museum ~ “Craters and Fire: Ceramics by James Lovera” Holter Museum of Art ~ “Rudy Autio: The Infinite Figure” Arizona State U. Art Museum ~ “The Ceramic Art of David Shaner” Arizona State U. Art Museum ~ “Viola Frey” Sacramento U. Library Gallery ~ “Contemporary Studio Ceramics” 1 Editor’s Note Dear FCC Members, Welcome to a new and important year. Change is in the air and a lot is already happening. The ‘Stimulus Package” is new and it seems to be working. I tried to speak with President Barack Obama, but couldn’t reach him. Instead, I did talk with Michelle Obama who was very gracious in every way. She did say that FCC’s latest newsletter was a great “Stimulus Package”, and that it might persuade its members to get off their *#+<^:? feet, see what’s new in the ceramic community and then buy a work of art! To say the least, I agreed with her. So…, hopefully the latest articles will move you. Susan Tunick, a great ceramic artist from NYC talks about a wonderful “preservation” society she started. Joy Brown, another great ceramic sculptor from Connecticut tells us about a ceramic workshop that she helped found. Jeff Shapiro, from up-state NY, who leads tours and workshops in Japan, tells us about “the Elusive Tea Bowl.” Mark Erroll, a ceramic teacher and emerging artist in Florida, will engage your mind about the male figure in ceramics. And last but not least, Cindy Strauss, of the Houston Museum of Fine Arts gives a splendid read on the donation of the Garth Clark & Mark Del Vecchio ceramic collection to the museum. And if the above isn’t enough, one of the great “Stimulus Packages” is a review in the NY Times by Roberta Smith on the show, “Dirt on Delight - Impulses That Form Clay,” at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia. To offer a few quotes: “Dirt on Delight argues for ceramics as a more than worthy subject”; “It reminds us that the art form…has one of the richest histories of any medium on the planet”; “It can’t be said enough that the art-craft divide is a bogus concept…”; “It also suggests that while ceramics is just another art medium, there is no art medium quite like ceramics”. Let me know if you would like a copy. Best, ajw [email protected] ARTICLES WANTED FOR NEWSLETTER We would like the Friends of Contemporary Ceramics newsletter to be the bulletin board of the Ceramics community. We would love to publish your pertinent articles and comments, including reviews of Ceramic exhibitions, news of the Ceramics community and news of your local ceramics events. Please send articles to: Friends of Contemporary Ceramics Arthur J. Williams 615 Third Key Drive Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33304 E-mail to: [email protected] 2 THE ELUSIVE TEABOWLfocus the culture of clay By Jeff Shapiro focus the culture of clay What is the validity of being an American working in America Historically, the tea bowl has been a symbol for the aesthetic that pervades the tea ceremony. Tea bowls are in a realm of their Whatmaking is the a form validity that isof essentially being an Japanese? American Why working is there suchin America interest, Historically, the tea bowl has been a symbol for the aesthetic almost a need, for so many American potters to make tea bowls? What own. There are many technical and aesthetic conditions to be making a form that is essentially Japanese? Why is there such interest, that pervades the tea ceremony. Tea bowls are in a realm of their makes a tea bowl a tea bowl and sets it apart from other forms? met, including a key characteristic of a tea bowl that is especially almost a need, for so many American potters to make tea bowls? What own. There are many technical and aesthetic conditions to be I do make tea bowls now, and I have spent a long time wrestling important to connoisseurs: the foot of the bowl. met, including a key characteristic of a tea bowl that is especially makeswith a tea the bowl question a tea bowlof why and I should sets it makeapart them.from otherUp until forms? recently I To address these conditions, I changed the clay I was using to a I dowould make make tea bowls bowls now,and occasionally and I have spentthe clay, a long forming time process wrestling and importantmuch more toopen connoisseurs: body. This greatly the foot affected of thethe throwingbowl. and, more with thefiring question would offit why the Itea should bowl makeformat them. and I Upwould until be recentlysatisfied, I but so, Tothe addresstrimming these of the conditions, form. 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