January 1997 1 2 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997

Volume 45

Number 1

David Leach decorating pots at his studio in Bovey Tracey, . 31 FEATURES 31 A Conversation with by Gary Hatcher Prizewinning traditional carved and smoke-fired jar by Tammy Garcia. 39 Tammy Garcia by Gail Molnar Pfeifer 39 43 George McCauley by Peter Held

47 In Celebration of Utilitarian Clay

52 California Clay Competition

54 Neoclassical Raku by Robert Hasselle

56 A Potter’s Look at Tradition by Makoto Hatori

60 Making, Marketing and Malaise by Andi Moran

Nesting bowls by Chris Staley: from Arrowmont’s “Utilitarian Clay: Celebrate the Object.” 47

Rethinking marketing The cover:Montana artist methods by Andi Moran. George McCauley; see page 43.Photo: Craig Sharpe. 60

January 1997 3 UP FRONT

10 Free Summer Workshops Listing

10 Record Auction Prices Editor Ruth C. Butler 10 New ACC Executive Director Named Assistant EditorKim Nagorski Art Director Randy Wax 10 Clay Symposium in South Korea by Katharine Shepard Circulation ManagerMary R. Hopkins 12 Tal Shofman-Schejter Assistant Circulation ManagerMary E. May Advertising ManagerConnie Belcher 14 North Carolina Crystalline Publishing ConsultantSpencer L. Davis 14 Rum, Salsa and a Clay Appetite by Joel Bennett PublisherMark Mecklenborg

16 The Tulip Vase Editorial, Advertising and Circulation Offices 16 A Video Archive for the Crafts by Emma Maiden 735 Ceramic Place Post Office Box 6102 18 Clay on the Wall Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102 18 JeffSchmuki Telephone: (614) 523-1660 Fax: (614) 891-8960 18 Erik Bright E-mail: [email protected] 20 Student Judaica Exhibition [email protected] [email protected] 20 Gregory Roberts

20 Margaret Keelan Ceramics Monthly (ISSN 0009-0328) is published monthly, except July and August, by the American Ceramic Society, 735 20 Claudi Casanovas Ceramic Place, Westerville, Ohio 43081. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, Ohio. 22 Peg Malloy and Jill Manos Subscription Rates: One year $24, two years $44, three years $60. Add $10 per year for subscriptions outside the U.S.A. In 22 The Arts of China 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 Department, Post Office Box DEPARTMENTS 6102, Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102. Contributors: Manuscripts, announcements, news releases, 8 Letters photographs, color transparencies (including 35mm slides), graphic illustrations and digital TIFF or EPS images are wel­ 24 New Books come and will be considered for publication. Mail submissions 64 Call For Entries to Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 6102, Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102. We also accept unillustrated materials faxed to 64 International Exhibitions (614) 891-8960. 64 United States Exhibitions Writing and Photographic Guidelines: Printed information on standards and procedures for submitting materials is available 68 Regional Exhibitions upon request. 68 Fairs, Festivals and Sales Indexing: An index of each year’s feature articles appears in the December issue. Additionally, Ceramics Monthly articles are 72 Suggestions indexed in the Art Index. Printed, online and CD-ROM (com­ 76 Calendar puter) indexing is available through Wilsonline, 950 University Avenue, Bronx, New York 10452; Information Access Com­ 76 Conferences pany, 362 Lakeside Drive, Foster City, California 94404; and 76 Solo Exhibitions from daai (design and applied arts index), Design Documenta­ tion, Woodlands, Stone Cross, Mayfield, East Sussex, TN20 78 Group Ceramics Exhibitions 6EJ, England. These services are also available through your local library. 80 Ceramics in Multimedia Exhibitions Copies and Reprints: Microfiche, 16mm and 35mm microfilm 82 Fairs, Festivals and Sales copies, and xerographic reprints are available to subscribers from 82 Workshops University Microfilms, 300 North Zeeb Road, Arm Arbor, Michigan 48106. 84 International Events Back Issues: When available, back issues are $5 each, postage 88 Questions paid. Write for a list. Postmaster: Send address changes to Ceramics Monthly, Post 92 Classified Advertising Office Box 6102, Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102. Form 3579 94 Comment: requested. who Am Us, Anyway? by Jonathan Kaplan Copyright © 1997 The American Ceramic Society 96 Index to Advertisers All rights reserved

4 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 5

hollow handles that liquid flows into are not and markets them for as much money as is Letters considered food safe, because the design doesreasonably possible. That’s it. Beyond that, not allow them to be cleaned properly with­ who cares anyway? out a sterilizer. As for the dead horse (function versus Scared by Big Words? Consumers are trusting. They depend aesthetics)—again, who cares? I personally What a wonderful thing it is to be able to upon us to make a safe product. In this age ofprefer form follows function and the beauty look forward to the arrival of my issue of slipshod plastic, we should be proud to do so.of simplicity and a finely crafted (oh-oh Ceramics Monthly—yes, even now that I live It is the lack of professional ethics, igno­ artisted) piece. But it’s a big world out there, out here in the sticks of beautiful rural .rance and indifference to consumer safety baby. It would sure be a shame if everybody Over the past years, and doubtlessly into that is the cause of government intervention.did the same stuff, liked the same stuff. I subsequent centuries of CM, the Art Army Ask the potters of California what regulationswouldn’t give 2

8 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 9 Up Front

Free Summer Workshops Listing The 1997 “Summer Workshops” listing will appear in the April issue of Ceramics Monthly. Potters, craft schools, colleges/ universities or other art/craft institutions are invited to submit information about summer ceramics programs (regularly scheduled classes are excluded) by February 7. Just provide the workshop name and/or a synopsis of what will be covered, location, opening and closing dates, level of instruction, instructors name, languages spoken, fee(s), contact address, plus a telephone number that potential participants may call for ’s “Moon Pocket” and “Cubist Pot,” details. Captioned photos/slides from last years workshops are to 14 inches in height; sold for £6500 (approximately welcome and will be considered for publication. US$10,725) and £5000 (US$8250), respectively. Please mail information and photos to Summer Worltshops, Ceramics Monthly, P. O. Box 6102, Westerville, Ohio 43086- 6102. Announcements may also be faxed to (614) 891-8960 or e-mailed to [email protected] Record Auction Prices Record-breaking prices were achieved at the Bonhams auction of contemporary ceramics held November 13 and 14, 1996, in London. Pots by , Janet Leach, Shoji Hamada,

Kenkichi Tomimoto, Tatsuzo Shimaoka, Kitaoji Rosanjin, Magdalene Odundo bowl and vase, to 9 inches in height, Arakawa Toyozo and the “new Japanese generation” were sold in handbuilt, burnished ; sold for £1600 (approxi­ mately US$2640) and £2400 (US$3960), respectively.

any price up to £30,000 and 10% thereafter). While 63 works sold for less than the catalog estimated price, 90 went over the estimate. The pieces shown here were among those that went for well over the projected price: a stoneware coffeepot by Bernard Leach (from the collection of Dame ) sold for £2800, double its estimated price of £1100-£1600; Magdalene Odundo s orange vase and bowl went for £2400 and £1600 respectively, four to five times the valuation of £450-£600 and £400-£600; and 2 pieces by Elizabeth Fritsch, estimated at £3000-£4000 each, sold for £6500 and £5000. New ACC Executive Director Named On December 2, 1996, Michael W. Monroe assumed the position of Executive Director of the American Craft Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of craft in the United States. Monroe was curator-in-charge of the Smith­ sonian’s Renwick Gallery of the National Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C., from 1986 until 1995. He then Bernard Leach incised stoneware coffeepot, served as president of Peter Joseph Gallery in . approximately 5 inches high, with impressed BL and As curator-in-charge at the Renwick, Monroe was respon­ St. Ives seals, circa 1957, from the collection of Dame Lucie Rie; sold for £2800 (approximately US$4620). sible for organizing such exhibitions as “The White House Collection of American Crafts” in 1995. Part I, while works by Dame Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, Alison “Michael Monroe brings to the Council not only a wealth of Britton, Martin Smith, Elizabeth Fritsch, John Ward, Ian experience in the craft field, but an outstanding administrative Godfrey, Gabriele Koch, Ewen Henderson and Magdalene record,” stated Robert E. Libby, chairman of the Council’s Odundo were included in Part II. Board of Trustees. “We are confident that his leadership will Of the 338 lots offered, 269 sold, bringing in a total of strengthen the Council and focus its energy to meet the chal­ approximately £229,000 (plus a buyer’s premium of 15% on lenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”

You are invited to send news and photos about people, places or Clay Symposium in South Korea events of interest. We will be pleased to consider them for publica­ by Katharine Shepard tion in this column. Mail submissions to Up Front, Ceramics Last summer, U

10 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 11 Up Front

Hoard, faculty artist at the University of Minnesota. (The results of the participants’ efforts will be exhibited at the Winter Universiade in South Korea in 1997). Dong-Hun Chung, professor of ceramics at Won Kwang University in Iksan, chaired and directed the event. Most of the action took place at a brickyard just outside Iksan. The kiln on the site is about 50 yards long, with an inside width and height of about 9 feet. Every 15 feet, there is an oval opening into the “tube.” The artists were given a choice of working inside or outside the kiln. (Curtis chose a spot inside the kiln—a good idea, since it was several degrees cooler there. The heat was a tremendous consideration, along Minnesota clay artist Curtis Hoard with work made inside a 50-yard-long with the humidity.) Regardless of kiln at a brickyard near Iksan, South Korea. where one decided to work, space was limited to about a 10x10-foot square, which became quite Western approach is generally additive, with additions of more cozy as pieces developed. clay forms to the body. Each potter or sculptor was issued a minimum of a ton of As the bus pulled away on our last day, it felt like we were clay, but many used as much as 3 tons. Each was also asked to leaving friends behind. The wrapped and covered pieces stood consider making several works, which most managed to do. like silent citadels, loved and loving testimony to the labor, Over 200 Korean artists and assistants, along with 30 interna­ artistic sensibility and talent of this group of artists. tional artists, then began to work. Pretty soon, the sounds of paddles against clay walls, of feet stomping clay, of many foreign Tal S ho fman-S chej ter languages, filled the air. A series of sculptural teapots by Massachusetts artist Tal The clay everyone worked with was what has been used for Shofman-Schejter was exhibited recently at the Society of Arts centuries to make kimchee pots. (Kimchee is a hot pepper/ and Crafts in Boston. Born in New York, Shofman-Schejter cabbage/spice combination that is a staple of Korean cuisine— grew up in . After graduating from the Bezalel Academy breakfast, lunch and dinner!) It has little grog and little tolerance for indiscriminate use of water. It must be worked by paddling; much splitting occurred in the walls until the artists caught on to this necessary treatment. Humid conditions were another problem—pieces inside the kiln were left uncovered each night because of the humidity, but the intolerant nature of the clay made it necessary to cover the pieces left outside, because even a slight breeze would cause splitting. Work took place at the kiln site from 8:30 A.M. until 6:30 P.M. each day. Buses transported the participants to and from the dormitory at the university about 10 minutes away. Life at the dorm was simple, but lack of air conditioning in the build­ ing left us panting for breath and finding it hard to sleep at night, in spite of our fatigue. Electric fans made it possible to sleep at all. Tal Shofman-Schejter’s “Teapot,” 5½ inches in height, We ate each evening at the university cafeteria—always the slab-built stoneware, fired to Cone 6; at the Society of requisite rice and kimchee, with watermelon slices, other Arts and Crafts, Boston. vegetables and sometimes meat. On three different occasions, we were honored at dinner parties, twice at the university, then of Art and Design in Jerusalem, she moved back to the United by the mayor of Iksan. States to open her own studio. Just a week after the symposium started, the scene had Shofman-Schejter now focuses on producing sculptural already changed a lot. It was fascinating to observe the different objects based on such familiar formats as the teapot. “I have approaches to working with clay. The Koreans generally use a always felt that the teapot is a great vessel for artistic explora­ reductive method, carving into and away from their forms. The tion,” she explained. “It has a very clear form and therefore it

12 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 13 Up Front “superior schools” (equivalent to our colleges or universities) to receive further training in a specific discipline. Despite its long tradition in Cuba, ceramics has not been as allows me to reshape the formal parts themselves and intercon­ prominent as other media in recent years. Lack of equipment/ nect them into a new whole. materials and energy shortages have posed difficulties for the “The shapes created may either be angular and project clay artists. Because of this, they tend to be found in and around tension, or more rounded and calm,” Shofman-Schejter con­ centers of commercial production. tinued. “The use of color is always a helpful tool in better One of the most important centers is on Isla de la Juventud defining the final outcome, providing each piece with its in­ (Island of Youth), which is off the southwestern coast of Cuba. dividual solution.” Many young ceramics artists have gone there to live and work. Some have their own studios, while others have affiliations with North Carolina Crystalline the factories. Whether they currently work there or have in the An exhibition featuring crystalline-glazed works by North past, they have access to the facilities to do their own work after Carolina potters Phil Morgan, Walter Benjamin Stephen and hours and on weekends. These factories are generally well Adriana Pazmany Thomas, was presented recently at the Mint equipped with clay mixers, pug mills, slab rollers and kilns. The island itself is rich in clay and oxides. Clay artists use barro (red clay) and masa (white clay made from 40% local kaolin, 30% feldspar and 30% flint). Frits, which are imported and are very costly, are used in their glazes. Because of this, most of their work is decorated with colored slips prior to bisquing, then thinly coated with transparent glaze (made from kaolin and a frit). The bisque firing is to 715°-830°C (1320°- 1525°F); glaze firing is to 1040°C (1900°F). Most firings are done in electric kilns, although one factory I visited bisqued in a large oil-fired kiln. The new and evolving tourist market and its commercial benefits has played a role in the direction of Cuban ceramics. There is a growing trend to produce work that is commercially viable for hotels, tourist shops, galleries and the newly estab­ lished artisan street fairs. Like its people, the art of Cuba is a blend of European and African cultures. The society is completely integrated and the

Adriana Pazmany Thomas vessel, 41/2 inches in height, wheel-thrown porcelain with reduced crystalline glaze; at the Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Museum of Art in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founder of the Pisgah Forest in 1926, Stephen was the first North Carolina potter to successfully develop crystalline glazes; how­ ever, production of crystalline ware at his pottery died out in the 1940s because of a shortage of chemicals during World War II. Morgan has been working with oxidation-fired crystalline glazes since the 1970s in the Seagrove area, while Thomas, a Davidson potter, uses a two-step process of Cone 10 oxidation firing, then oil-drip reduction. Rum, Salsa and a Clay Appetite by Joel Bennett Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the loss of its major Socialist Bloc trading partners, Cuba has made tourism the main focus of its economy. Though most industry is still under state control, a certain amount of free enterprise has been allowed to make its way into society. Painters, wood carvers, jewelers and potters can be found selling their work in and around all the major tourist areas. At the same time, the Cuban government, which created a system of state support for the arts, is still providing free educa- tion for its students. Primary and secondary public art schools Trinidad potter Azariel Santander Alcantara ribbing offer foundation courses in the arts. Students can then go on to a cup thrown on a homemade wheel.

14 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 15 Up Front vase form developed in the Netherlands during the 1780s. At that time, Delft potters designed a complicated stacking form of individual openings to showcase the national flower. Not only arts play an important part in everyone’s daily life. What has did each section have to fit on top of the next, there was a been lacking materially in Cuba is made up culturally through separate opening for each flower. its music, dance, spirituality (Santeria religion) and art. For the exhibition, the artists designed new versions of the tulip vase, keeping in mind the tradition of stacking and sepa­ The Tulip Vase rate stem holders. “The Tulip Vase,” an invitational exhibition of works by 22 clay A Video Archive for the Crafts artists, was on view recently at Garth Clark Gallery in New York City. Each participant was asked to build upon the traditional by Emma Maiden In response to a perceived lack of source material in and about the ceramics world, Mike Hughes, head of ceramics at the University of the West of England (UWE), and artist-teacher Walter Keeler initiated the National Electronic and Video Archive of the Crafts (NEVAC) in 1994. It is now run by a consortium centered around UWE, Aberystwyth University, Manchester University, the University of Westminster, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, among others. The conversations and anecdotes abounding in the ceramics department at UWE convinced Hughes that there was a need to record the history of crafts, particularly ceramics, from the maker’s perspective. In getting makers to talk about their lives and work, a limitless source of information could be tapped, providing valuable insights into craft practices and opening up new avenues through which to explore the wider issues that might evolve. Watching these makers on video is a vastly different experi­ ence from reading an interview, and an impression of the craftsperson is gained as much by the nonverbal language as by the verbal. For instance, in one clip, Bill Newland, explaining how the technique of press molding allows for “expansion outwards” to give the “fullness of form” of “bottoms and nubile Babs Haenen’s “Tulipiere (Hollanos Glory),” 12 inches breasts,” raises his hands to his chest in vivid simulation of the in height, porcelain, $3000; at Garth Clark Gallery in New latter, leaving the viewer in little doubt about what he’s saying. York City. As Hughes observes, the language of the makers is not the “metalanguage” of theoriticians and critics dominant in much of today’s craft discourses, but is the language particular to that maker and his or her field, and has to be understood in the context of that field if the work is to be appreciated. Makers objectify and define themselves and their sphere of interest in the language of their particular field. In another clip, David Leach talks with art critic Tanya Harrod about judging pots. His own history and its influences are, as he admits, “unshakable,” and his language is centered around his deeply held beliefs about craftsmanship. He says that his assessment of his own work and that of others is “objective,” the objective criterion being “a craftsman’s view of excellence in the work.” The work should speak “in its own language,” rather than be interpreted through the unnecessary intermediary of gallery hand-outs. The “journalistic interpretation,” he adds, “can be dangerous.” Other makers talk about ceramics from their own personal experiences, or about the influence of particular people or art forms upon their work, their myriad voices combining to paint a broad picture of ceramics today. As the archive project contin­ ues to evolve, new makers are profiled, and the addition of new viewpoints and philosophies builds an increasingly complex picture of contemporary ceramics in which social and cultural relationships are never constant. From this shifting dynamic of correspondence and opposi­ James Lawton’s “Y-Shaped Vase w/Chromosomes,” tion, wider issues emerge, which can be explored thematically, 12 inches in height, earthenware, $950. such as language, gender and the influence of personal and

16 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 17 Up Front

cultural history. And as each viewer will assimilate the materials through his or her own perspective, new threads, new links will appear, further widening the discourse. There is no doubt that the creation of a legitimate informa­ tion base for ceramics will serve to underwrite and inform many of the current debates and discourses within the craft arena. And the fact that the archive is narrated by the practitioners them­ selves means that present and future generations will be able to partake in the dialogue that constitutes a living history. Clay on the Wall The second annual “Clay on the Wall” exhibition was on view through November 26, 1996, at Eastern Washington University Jeff Schmuki’s “Extremity Can II,” 10 inches in height, Gallery of Art in Cheney. From 600 entries, juror Juan monoprint transfer on clay; at Sun Cities Art Museum, Sun City, Arizona.

Schmuki s work “centers around containment and variations on the idea of utility and usage. However, the objects original function as a container has evolved,” he noted. “No longer does it matter what is inside but what is on the outside. The clay has become a three-dimensional canvas on which images are printed, drawn and manipulated. “I have been building a visual language out of photographic and appropriated imagery,” he continued. “This dialogue is based on pictures of ordinary objects, how they relate to one another and how they make me feel when looldng at them. These images are about my history and who I am. In my monoprints, the audience searches for questions and answers; I

Sharon Anne Brown’s “Rope Series,” 24 inches in do the same.” height, acrylic on earthenware; at Eastern Washington University Gallery of Art, Cheney. Erik Bright An exhibition featuring works by Rhode Island ceramist Erik Granados, faculty artist at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Bright—the culmination of a year spent working in Johnson selected 36 wall sculptures by 32 artists. “After I viewed the City, Tennessee—was presented recently at the Tennessee Arts slides for three full days and reviewed again several times, the Commission Gallery in Nashville. The show consisted of 8 decision came down to which work conveyed the most direct visual mes­ sage,” Granados explained. “The determining factor also included the overall energy in the works submitted, as well as sensitivity to material and quality of the slides. “To simplify the selection process, I sorted the slides into various categories of visual artistic strength,” he contin­ ued. “The work that was selected rated a four on a four-point scale and a select few rated a three....Titles of the work in most cases did not make a difference, but the use of titles was helpful to gain a more direct communication with the artists vision.” Jeflf Schmuki Arizona artist JefF Schmuki s monoprint-transfer daywork was featured through November 24, 1996, at Sun Cities Art Museum in Sun City, Erik Bright’s “Universal Union of Souls,” 12 feet in diameter, Arizona. Built from porcelain slabs as 450 handmade stoneware tiles, with sgraffito decoration through black thin as Vi6 of an inch, most of slip; at the Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery, Nashville.

18 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 19 Up Front dardization has become the norm, Roberts says he finds satisfac­ tion in these vessel forms—each with a style distinctive of its country of origin, but all fulfilling the same basic purpose. vessels and a 12x12-foot tile mural, “Universal Union of Souls,” composed of 450 handmade stoneware tiles decorated with Margaret Keelan sgraffito through black slip. A solo exhibition of works by California clay artist Margaret Awarded a Fulbright fellowship, Bright is currently working Keelan was on view through November 24, 1996, at the Clay in the ceramics department at the University of Oslo-College of Studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her figurative sculp- Art and Design in Norway. Student Judaica Exhibition Avant-garde Judaica ceramics by students of Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem were exhibited recently at the

Judi Horvitz menorah, to 10 inches in height, bisqueware prototype; at the New York City Rosenthal showroom.

Rosenthal showroom in New York City. Rosenthal—a German tableware manufacturer—sponsored the juried competition. Like the menorah seen here by Judi Horvitz (created as a modern city skyline), many of the works on view sought to harmonize traditional symbols and observances with contempo­ rary realities. Gregory Roberts Margaret Keelan’s “Guardian #1,” 25 inches in height, “Thirst,” an exhibition of carved honeycomb ceramics by handbuilt, accented with terra sigillata, smoked; at the California artist Gregory Roberts, was featured recently at Clay Studio, Philadelphia. tures—mainly of women—tend to reflect general sensibilities rather than specific personalities. To these, Keelan often adds animal characteristics, such as cat ears or snake bodies, to create more expression and movement. The figures may also be presented frozen in the act of speaking or shouting. Claudi Casanovas Abstract teabowls by Riudaura, Spain, artist Claudi Casanovas were exhibited through November 22, 1996, at Galerie Besson in London. “I learned about pottery from the wheel,”

Gregory Roberts’ “Korea,” 16 inches in height, carved clay “honeycomb”; at Dorothy Weiss Gallery, San Francisco.

Dorothy Weiss Gallery in San Francisco. By utilizing honey­ comb ceramics (used to filter carbon monoxide in cars and smokestacks), Roberts can create objects that appear both solid and transparent. For this exhibition, he produced utilitarian pot forms remi­ niscent of the water vessels from the ancient civilizations of Claudi Casanovas’ “Teabowl,” approximately 7 inches wide, Africa, Korea, China, India and Egypt. In a world where stan- stoneware and mixed media; at Galerie Besson, London.

20 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 21 Up Front

Casanovas observes in the accompanying brochure. “With this simple tool...I came to know the waters of the earth, the motion of water, the weight of the earth and the magic that hides all the movements of the hand in a clean, simple, unique form, the same magic inside and out, for vase or for plate. “Later came other concerns....I was without a wheel for years, with only its memory...walking by my side,” he continues. “Ryoji Koie taught me another way with the wheel. The flow of Peg Malloy bowl, 3½ inches in height, wood-fired porcelain. the clay that never ends, turning, turning, that never closes into a circle, that ascends and opens, spiral upon spiral; the spinning honesty, fluidity and simplicity. During the process of making clay of fun, mischief-making, joy, mistakes, lightness, surprise pots, I rely on intuition and feeling, rather than intellectual and freedom. The living, not the ideal. argument and analysis.” “Anita [Besson] asked me for this group of small pieces after Malloy wood fires her work “because I love the surfaces I had been working for two years on pieces weighing over 300 highlighted by the warm colors and the soft yellow of the ash kilos,” Casanovas explains. “I found the idea very refreshing, deposits. I also welcome the element of surprise, the imperfec­ and almost immediately it took me back to the wheel. A differ­ tions and irregularities.” ent wheel, a return to the wheel with Koie, with the enormous pieces, entering in—without fear. This is the result—pieces The Arts of China almost found rather than thrown. In each, always the spiral, “The Arts of China,” the first major reinstallation of the Chi­ each spiral across another.” nese galleries at the Brooklyn (New York) Museum since 1969, opened November 7, 1996. Approximately 120 works from the Peg Malloy and Jill Manos museum’s collection will be on permanent display, including “Two Interpretations of Form,” functional works by Colorado ceramics, paintings, calligraphy and applied arts. The works artists Peg Malloy and Jill Manos, was exhibited recently at Hibberd McGrath Gallery in Breckenridge, Colorado. While most of Manos’ terra-cotta pieces are thrown and altered, others are slab built. All are decorated when slightly damp with brightly colored slips. After a bisque firing, they are clear glazed and fired to about 1800°F. “Since the beginning of my time with clay, I have been totally hooked on functional forms,” Manos explained. “I learned to throw stoneware clay and threw functional stoneware

Jill Woodruff Manos oval pitchers, to 6 inches in height, built from slabs and extrusions; at Hibberd McGrath Gallery, Breckenridge, Colorado. for a number of years. Around 1976,1 realized that, although my work was selling well, I wouldn’t buy a single thing I made. “I loved terra cotta and other low-fired clays,” she continued. “Phoenix-Head Ewer,” Qingbai ware from the 10th “I had grown up surrounded by folk pottery from Italy, Brittany century; at the Brooklyn Museum, New York. and Portugal. It was then I decided to make what I like and began working exclusively with terra-cotta clay.” were chosen based on artistic quality and historic significance. Malloy’s work is made from porcelain, decorated with a One section is dedicated to displaying over 50 ceramic objects. black Shino slip, then wood fired to Cone 9-10. “I want my Most were acquired during the first decade of the 20th century pots to communicate the joy I feel while making them,” she by the museums first curator of ethnography, Stewart Culin, commented. “Some qualities I would like my pieces to have are who traveled frequently to East Asia.

22 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 flame was poor, the resultant combustion and her pottery. When visitors found her in New Books was bad and the temperature rose slowly. person at the top of the trail, they photo­ Consequently, the firing, which used split graphed her, purchased a souvenir, and fre­ pine, was long, taking about four days and quently requested a demonstration of her Visiting the Mino Kilns nights. They were extremely uneconomical skill. Nampeyo would graciously comply.” With a translation of j\rakawa Toyozo s ldlns, but I think they were most suitable for In 1905, Nampeyo and her family lived “The Traditions and Techniques of the firing of Shino.” and worked for three months at the “Hopi Mino Pottery” The book also includes a listing of potters House,” a tourist attraction in the Grand by Janet Barriskill working in Mino in the 1980s and 1990s. Canyon. A brochure read, “These quaintly In 1930Japanese potter ArakawaToyozo 167 pages, including glossary, selected read­garbed Indians on the housetop hail from discovered the 16th-century kiln site at ings, and kiln sketches and maps. 139 color Tewa, the home of Nampeyo, the most Mutaboro in the Kani-gun area of Mino, photographs and 1 black-and-white; 7 noted pottery-maker in all Hopiland. Per­ inspiring him to set up his own kiln and sketches. $48. University of Hawaii Press, haps you [will be] so fortunate as to see workshop nearby. “He resolved to devote all2840 Koloivalu Street , Honolulu, Hawaii Nampeyo herself.” his efforts to the revival of the work accom­96822; (808) 956-8697. By the 1920s, Nampeyo had lost most, if plished by the pottery ancestors of Mino, and not all, of her eyesight to trachoma, a disease instigated searches of the surrounding hills Nampeyo and Her Pottery that produces scarring and opacity of the for other old kilns and the raw materials used by Barbara Kramer cornea. She continued to produce pottery, by the potters of old,” explains the author, For this biography of Hopi-Tewa potter however, changing her working style to suit also a potter. Arakawa soon became well- Nampeyo (1860-1942), the author talked her needs. known for his efforts to revitalize Mino tradi­with members of Nampeyo’s family and “At the time of her death in 1942, the tions, and in 1955 was designated a Japanese other Hopi elders, and studied historical importance of her legacy was not realized by “living treasure.” (often inaccurate) documents to put togethereither her family or by the general public, for This book opens with the first English “a portrait of a quiet, gentle potter who she died a traditional Tewa in a modern era,” translation of Arakawa’s “The Traditions integrated ancient designs and shapes into a Kramer observes. It wasn’t until the 1970s and Techniques of Mino Pottery,” published personal, contempo­ that “collectors looking back to the inception in 1963. In this essay, he wrote about the rary style that revital­ of the common style have paid posthumous pottery made in Mino from the earliest times ized a dying art.” recognition to Nampeyo’s talent, and an on, as well as the potters’ lives and their As a child, Nam­ active market for her unsigned vessels, many working conditions. peyo followed her without provenance, prevails.” 238 pages, In one section, Arakawa describes Shino mother, White Corn, including appendixes on published fallacies ware: “The process of making a Shino teabowl, as she dug clay and and erroneous photographs, genealogy, and or any other piece of Shino for that matter, is removed impurities, maps; plus notes; bibliography; and index. 16 never a simple affair. In fact, it is a particularly then shaped and fired color and 35 black-and-white photographs; sensitive task requiring extremely thorough pots. She helped col­ 27sketches. $39.95. UniversityofNewMexico attention to detail. Shino was not just a lect and boil beeweed Press, 1720 Lomas Boulevard, Northeast, Al­ miscellaneous pottery born by chance....The for paint, and chew yucca leaves to make buquerque, New Mexico 87131-1591; (800) Shino clay was a rough-textured, rather non- brushes. One elder recalls that when “Nam­ 249-7737. plastic clay commonly known as mogusa. It peyo [was] still a girl...she heard the Hopis was a somewhat sandy, calling her just like old lady [because] she Resist and Masking Techniques fragile clay, which was makes the . She should be grinding by Peter Beard dug from the moun­ corn or making piki. They jealous of her.... She One of the first things that struck the tains, dried, crushed, felt bad, but she never quit making pottery.”author while putting together this “how-to” coarsely sieved and then Around 1885, museums began collecting guide was “that stunning qualities are achieved used as it was, without Hopi sacred and domestic objects at an as­ over and over again but in many different filtering. tounding rate. It is believed that Nampeyo ways, using the same basic Icnowledge, and “The ingredient giv­ began incorporating ancient designs into her that these techniques are often very simple.” ing Shino its character­ work about this time, with the intention of After a brief history istic white glaze was trading her pottery for cloth and food. “As and overview of resists feldspar,” he continues. “The variations in Nampeyo continued shaping her clay, her and masking, the au­ the intensity of the ‘fire-color’ of Shino can bework became the paradigm of a new art form, thor discusses the use attributed to the influence of the firing con­ the revival of ancient pottery shapes and ofwater- and oil-based ditions on the traces of iron inherent in the designs,” notes Kramer. “But it was her waxes, as well as latex clay body and the feldspar. The kilns were brother’s amicable relationship with outsid­ wax or rubber. single-chambered, semisubterranean kilns. ers that attracted their attention to her work. “The latex waxes’ Utilizing the slope of the ground, the lower They came seeking Tom Polacca, Tewa leader can be applied with a section was dug out and the arched-roof and interpreter, and left carrying vessels made brush in much the section was constructed above ground level.by his sister, Nampeyo.” same way as other An ordinary clay was plastered over the out­ In the early 1900s, Nampeyo began “a waxes,” Beard points out, “but they have the side surface in order to stabilize it; refractory decade of unparalleled artistic achievement,”distinct advantage that when they have dried fireclay was seldom used for this purpose. writes Kramer. “Within a few years, travel or the solvent has evaporated, you are left “They were small-scale, crudely con­ brochures and booklets describing the South­with a thin layer of rubber. This layer can be structed kilns and because the pull of the west featured at least one picture of Nampeyovery easy to remove from dry glazed surfaces

24 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 25 New Books Airbrushing and spraying are described to dry thoroughly before the next is applied next and, as throughout the book, several and because he is using opaque colors, one artists’ working methods are used as examples.color can be used to cover another.” and greenware, though on bisqueware it is For instance, to produce his low-fire designs, Next, Beard looks at paper, adhesive tapes more temperamental if the surface is not United States ceramist Jeff Cole uses air- and films as masking materials, then provides very smooth. brushed and brushed underglazes, both free­some exercises in using slips and resists. Col­ “This ability to remove the latex means hand and with masks made from plastic loidal slips, acid etching and luster techniques that mistakes can be rectified easily and, frisket materials. are also discussed. Warning about the haz­ much more importantly, that a layer can be “To paint his images with the airbrush, heards associated with the use of acids, Beard applied, coated over, the wax peeled away, begins with a finished line drawing of the states that “the primary reason for using acids another pattern painted on, coated over and image,” Beard explains. “When spraying, the is to matt down a glaze surface to give a the wax peeled away ad infinitum,” he main­ frisket is held in place by hand or weighted inconsistent color to a piece but with subtle tains. “In this way, multi-layers of patterns place with small heavy metal washers. Spray­texture changes or to etch through one layer can be laid down using different colors for ing is done in several thin coats, wiping the into another of perhaps a different color.” different effects.” frisket clean in between. Each coat is allowed He then addresses the use of masking resists in conjunction with sawdust and raku firings, and sandblasting. “Grit blasting is in a sense another form of spraying but instead of color and glazes from delicate tools, like the airbrush, a jet of abrasive sand or grit is forced onto the object’s surface at high speed.” Although aware of the decorative possi­ bilities of sandblasting, Beard was unable to find anyone who was using it extensively in his or her work. However, with the results he achieved “for the research of this book, this is definitely a technique waiting for someone creative to take up,” he says. The final chapter provides engobe, slip and luster recipes suitable for use with mask­ ing techniques. 128 pages, including list of suppliers and index. 21 color and 101 black- and-white photographs; 20 sketches. $22.50. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1300 Block- ley Hall, 418 Service Drive, Philadelphia, Penn­ sylvania 19104-6097; (800) 445-9880. To purchase in Europe, contact Academic and University Publishers Group, 1 Gower Street, London WC1E 6HA England.

Johnny Rolf her ceramics, her gouaches with contributions by Amy van Marken, Neil Stratford, Christiaan Berendsen and Jan de Rooden Published in conjunction with a retro­ spective exhibition of work by Dutch artist Johnny Rolf at the Singer Museum in Laren, Netherlands, this well-illustrated, bilingual monograph includes essays by four people who know the artist and her work plus a chronology and autobiographical notes by Rolf herself. Pottery expert Neil Stratford discusses Rolf s work from 1963, when he first met her, to 1983. “Johnny was from the start com­ pletely master of the potter’s wheel, a skill that

26 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 27 New Books

you are either born with or not, but which can for some people never be acquired,” he ob­ serves. “She threw by hand and then—some­ thing which will recur over and over again in her work—she shaped, or rather squeezed the clay...when it was still wet and at its most malleable, prior to drying and firing. “By the early 1970s, plant and animal forms were not only influencing and becom­ ing part of the shapes of many of her pieces, but also she had begun to model animals, fishes and birds or human figures and mask- like heads.” In the 1980s, Rolf began working with high-temperature porcelain-based slips and glazes. “This new palette was of course a direct inspiration to Johnny’s earliest monotypes, circa 1981, where she painted in watercolors and gouache,” Stratford explains. “Previously her graphic work had all been monochrome.” In his essay, Rolf s long-time companion Jan de Rooden looks at her childhood and early adult years. When they met in 1956, Rolf was working in an office, but she told de Rooden that she would like to work with her hands as he did. The two eventually opened a pottery studio together. “When she started her artist’s career from scratch, it might have been expected that Johnny would have a long and arduous path in front of her before achieving satisfactory results,” de Rooden recalls. “But, I realize now that I never saw Johnny struggle with materials....She acquired the skills that she needed at that moment or about which she was curious in a relaxed, natural way. “Johnny let herself be guided by her intu­ ition and her sharp eye for the demands and requirements of the materials,” he continues. “That happened almost unnoticed and with­ out much ado. Her handling of clay and in effect of other materials, too, had something in it of nonchalance whereas in fact there was a singleness of purpose to it.” The final section is a journal written by Rolf about her work and travels over the years. In a 1958 entry, she describes their first studio: “Our tiny studio is in the basement of my parental home, Weteringschans 34. In the daytime I work for a secretarial bureau in the port of Amsterdam and later in the year I start working in the office of a textile exporter. I spend the evenings and the weekends learn­ ing to throw on the potter’s wheel and mak­ ing series of glaze tests.” 232 pages, including bibliography. 76 color and 87 black-and- white photographs. US$49 plus US$5 post­ age. Marianne Abel, 8910 Wagner Road, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613.

28 CERAMICS MONTHLY

A Conversation with David Leach by Gary Hatcher

^)avid Leach speaks from a with local people who had unique perspective on the no artistic pretensions but world of pottery. Having who wanted to work as ap­ worked as a full-time potter prentices for five years. These for more than 65 years, he local apprentices could really has seen and done much. For learn the craft, making the the first 25 years of his career, quality of our production he worked closely with his ware much higher. father, Bernard, at the Saint Perhaps I should say some Ives Pottery in , En­ more about why I originally gland. During that time, he began working for my father played a critical role in its at the age of 18. Entry into survival and economic suc­ Edinburgh University was cess. Throughout his life, he what both my parents had has given generously of his wanted for me (until then I time to studio potters, stu­ had not shown much inter­ dents and apprentices, and est in pottery); however, the served on many councils and problem was that in those associations. He has also days to go to college you had shared his expertise as a visit­ to get a grant or scholarship, ing lecturer at many univer­ or your parents had to be sities and colleges in Britain, wealthy. Since I did not have America and the Continent; the brains and my father did and at workshops in Italy, not have the money, the uni­ Spain, Canada, Venezuela, versity was ruled out. Belgium, Denmark, Holland, David Leach trimming the bottom of an ovoid jar. Also, at about that time, I Norway and Germany. The was developing an intuitive following interview took place in Texas with the studio potter. If you can, en­ awareness of what my father was about. after David conducted a workshop at visage that background and envisage At that age, I could not reason it out, Pine Mills Pottery, which I share with what I would call our technical igno­ but I had a gut feeling that my father my wife Daphne Hatcher. rance compared to what most students was doing something very important of ceramics have today. and unique, and I wanted to be part of Interviewer: David, what was it like in When I joined the pottery at age 18, it. It was not that I had great ideas the early days working with your father my father was doing what was called about making pots myself at that point. at the Saint Ives Pottery? “individual stoneware” fired in a big He was surprised that I wanted to work Leach: Well, as you know, the pottery three-chambered, Japanese-style kiln; his in the pottery, but also delighted and was started by my father and Shoji Ha- best work was going up to London ex­ welcomed me with open arms. I have mada in 1920. Of course, I was only a hibitions on Bond Street. The others at never looked back. young boy then, nine or ten years old. the pottery were engaged in making Interviewer: Did your father encourage When I finished schooling in 1930, I functional slipware, using galena glazes you to work somewhere else for a while? didn’t quite know what I wanted to do, on a red earthenware body decorated Leach: No, no he did not. This is an but I was becoming aware of what my with slip. The four or five students were interesting story. You see, in about 1933, father was about. I went to my father usually advanced students who had there came the possibility of starting a and said I would like to join him if I come from places like the Royal Col­ pottery at Dartington Hall in a large could be of some help. lege of Art in London. They rarely stayed way, but still making functional stone­ It was very different then than it is more than a year, then new people would ware or porcelain. It was my feeling that now, for we were very much aware that come and go and come and go. the technical knowledge that this project we were pioneers. There were few art I soon discovered that in order to required was much more than either schools interested in ceramics, there were build up a high standard of work, it was myself or my father had. Also, at that no pottery suppliers, and the home of not satisfactory to base that work on time, my father had been invited by ceramics knowledge was in industry. people who were going to be there for Soetsu Yanagi to return to Japan. He That knowledge was applied to indus­ less than a year. So I went to my father accepted the invitation, which left a trial production and had little to do and suggested that we staff the pottery vacuum at Dartington, where he had

January 1997 31 been planning the early stages of this slipware we had been making to stone­ project. So I was asked to come out to ware, because we felt that this was more Dartington in his place. This I did, do­ in keeping with the project we were ing a certain amount of experimenta­ planning at Dartington. We wanted to tion, teaching and planning, all the while make a hard, impervious ware rather attaining greater technical knowledge. than something porous like earthenware. At this time, I heard about a techni­ Interviewer: So at that time stoneware cal course designed to train pottery man­ was not being produced anywhere in agers for industry at the North Stafford Fluted porcelain powder box, 3½ inches Britain by studio potters? Technical College in Stoke-on-Trent. I in diameter, with yellow glaze. Leach: Hardly anyone was making said to myself, “This is where you can stoneware. William Staite Murray and get the technical know-how that you ing, and was ready to return to Dart­ his students at the Royal College of Art need to be successful at .” ington Hall to put it all to practice. were producing stoneware, but only in­ Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst de­ In the meantime, the political atmo­ dividual art-type pieces. Stoneware was cided that I should be sent up to Stoke- sphere was changing. No one knew if an unusual thing in Britain at that time. on-Trent and they paid for my tuition. Hitler was going to come across the So there I was, trying with this bunch All this was done without my fathers Channel, and no one wanted to start of apprentices to make a range of stone­ knowledge, as he was away in Japan. anything like a studio pottery. So, we all ware pottery, undergoing quite a lot of When he got word of this, he wrote a decided that this was not the time for experimentation trying to get the body, rather hot letter back to the Elmhirsts, the Dartington project. glazes and kilns right. I was responsible for all of that. This continued quite happily. We began to produce ware, sell ware, and had agents all over the place. Interviewer: Was it difficult to sell pots at that time in England? Leach: It was. I remember going off in a battered old car in 1937 or 1938 to sell pots through the use of samples in a couple of big cases, traveling all over the country, trying to contact craft shops or others who would buy pottery. It was very difficult selling, indeed. On one occasion, I phoned up from Newcastle-on-Tyne, which was way up in the northeast of England, to and Laurie Cooks, who were working at the pottery, saying, “I have an order for £5 from a shop. They want Lowerdown Pottery in Bovey Tracey, England, circa 1977. it in three weeks. Get cracking!” And £5 at that time was quite a lot (I would saying, “What is this I hear about David Interviewer: So this is really when you say over a £100 today). I had been trav­ going off to Stoke-on-Trent, home of took over the pottery’s management? eling around England with my box of the industrial devil, to get technical train­ Leach: Well, let me continue a little bit, samples for a week and picking up hardly ing? Why don’t you send him off to for there are some other important any orders at all. This is indicative of Japan where he will get a bit of direc­ events that happened at that time. In the type of reception that hand-crafted tion, inspiration and conviction?” the period between 1937 and 1941, I pottery had at that time in England. By the time the letter arrived, I was was running the pottery when my fa­ Interviewer: I suppose that selling only at Stoke-on-Trent, well involved in my ther was not there. We were taking in became more difficult as World War II training, and wanted to continue even local boys and training them as appren­ approached? if my father did not approve. The course tices. In 1938, William Marshall began Leach: Well, you see, everyone else fore­ focused on technical and scientific train­ working at the pottery straight from saw the coming of the war and busi­ ing. We spent all our time making test secondary modern school. Many other nesses closing down, but for some clays and glazes that were much more apprentices followed him, and it was reason, we didn’t. I really do not think related to industry than pottery mak­ my responsibility to train them up. our sales were adversely affected, al­ ing. I did acquire a lot of knowledge This was also an experimental time though it was already difficult enough and confidence, which had been lack- when we made the change from the at that time. The fact that there were

32 CERAMICS MONTHLY few other potteries to compete with did were found to be successful, they would manage to help. be passed on to whoever could throw In September of 1939, I was still at them. This way we kept the kilns going. the pottery and was given an exemp­ Interviewer: So, did your father work tion from immediate war service be­ in a studio separate from that of you cause I was running the business, but and the apprentices? Porcelain bowl with onglaze brushwork, that only lasted until September of 1941. 5 inches in diameter. Leach: Yes, after the war we built an My father was living at Dartington and addition to the pottery; downstairs was had remarried. When I had to go into part in the repetitive production, other a clay-making room and upstairs was a service, it was obvious that he would than keeping an eye on it and providing studio where my father did his personal have to come back in order for the place ideas for it. The interpretation of his work. He would work in his studio in to continue. So my father came back to ideas and the carrying out of these ideas the mornings, then we would all meet Saint Ives about September 1941 with was left up to me. I would make the for morning break at about 11 o’clock. Laurie Coolcs, his wife, and managed initial prototypes with my father. If they He would look around the pottery and by hook or crook to keep the business going, despite the fact that a bomb blew the roof off the pottery and the cottage next door. This brought things to a halt for about six months. Finally the war ended. I came back in December of 1945 and immediately went back to work. My father and I made a partnership. From that period onward, the business really began to progress. When the war ended, we were virtually the only ones in England mak­ ing handmade pottery. Well-known London stores approached us, saying, “Can we have your work? We can sell anything you can make. We cannot get any pottery from Stoke-on-Trent, for its all going over to the United States. We have shelves that are empty and we will take anything you can make.” We realized that this was very nice for the moment, but it might not last. We did not want to be in a position where one of these large stores would take everything we could make, then drop us when they could get more in­ dustrial pottery. So what we did was give them a portion of our work, but not everything. It was a time when de­ mand far exceeded supply and there was pressure on us, which meant that we had to increase staff with appren­ tices and students who came on a shorter term. At any one time, we would have eight or nine working at the pottery in one capacity or another. Of course, they were not all potters; some of them were secretaries, some worked preparing the clay and some did the packing. During this time of success, my fa­ ther had more time to do his own work. He had never really taken a very active David Leach fluting the sides of a porcelain teapot,

January 1997 33 talk to different people doing the work, thrower. He knew much about kilns me. He had indicated to me that the then have a word with me and so forth. and was tremendously practical. He was future development of the pottery lay Interviewer: David, could you tell us as much an engineer as he was a potter. with me in whatever direction I wanted something about the people who Later on, he invented many things like to take it. worked at Saint Ives? de-airing pug mills and things of the I felt myself competent in all the Leach: Well, yes, going back to the be­ sort. Harry influenced me in the area of technical ways at that time, but my ginning, my father and Hamada started skills, perhaps more than any other in­ father also expected me to just take over the pottery. Hamada was there until dividual, before he left the pottery in with the same creative drive that he 1923.1, as a young boy, would come in 1938 to go off to Nigeria. had. I began to question whether or not and have a go at making pots and there Warren and Alix MacKenzie came I wanted to just take over the pottery was Hamada and he would help me about 1951 for a little over a year. While without having a period of time out on make models and little elementary pots. they were there, they made a film about my own away from his very strong in­ I did have quite a connection with Ha­ the pottery, which has been copied and fluence so that I could find my own mada, which started much earlier when viewed very widely. This film showed feet. You see, I felt that to run the pot­ our family came over on the ship from my father at work, a kiln firing and tery I had to develop further than I had Japan. (I was born in Japan in 1911 and others working. so far done. I could not see that devel­ was nine years old when we came from And certainly there were many, many opment happening in this very influen­ Japan to England in 1920.) others who came and went, who did tial, stable environment. On this six-week voyage, I remem­ not become so well known, but set up Interviewer: How old were you then? ber Hamada in particular when we were potteries in many parts of the world. Leach: Well, I was born in 1911 and crossing the Indian Ocean. You see, they Interviewer: So, David, you left Saint left the pottery in 1955, so I suppose I had set up a can­ was about 45. vas-lined swim­ Ifelt myself competent in all the technical ways, but.... I began Interviewer: It ming pool on must have been the deck; it was to question whether or not I wanted to just take over the pottery without hard for you to about 15 feet having a period of time out on my own...so that I couldfind leave. across, 5 or 6 Leach: Yes, but feet deep, and my own feet.. ..I had this growing conviction that I must get away you see, I had Hamada en­ this growing couraged me to then... if I wanted to do anything on my own. conviction that have a go. I I must get away could not swim and although he did Ives in 1955 to set up Lowerdown Pot­ then. My father was doing many things not actually push me in, he did give me tery near Bovey Tracey in ? outside the pottery, becoming increas­ a nudge and I sort of floundered into Leach: Yes, I did leave in 1955, but ingly well known, going back and forth the water and swam this 15 feet with perhaps I should say a little about why I to Japan and other countries, and the Hamada at the other end encouraging left because, you see, it was unexpected. pottery had reached a point that was me, ready to plunge in and pick me out What had been happening was that I stable and economically viable. If I if I started to sink. Now this has little to was running the pottery, with all these wanted to do anything on my own, this do with pottery, but he did help me people to take care of, and I was not was the time to make the change. again to swim when we were at Saint developing as a potter in my own right There were other factors that led to Ives, so I will always remember him as because there was too much to do oth­ my leaving. My wife and I had never the one who gave me my initiation into erwise. When I was younger, my initial had a home of our own. My mother swimming. Hamada was a very kind motivation was not to consider myself had died in 1955 and left us a little bit man and I remember him as having as a potter, which was strange as every­ of money, which gave us a little more many good qualities. one else came there to study to become freedom. And we both shared the feel­ When Harry Davis came to Saint potters. What I originally wanted was ing that it would be good for us to get Ives, about 1933, he already was a very to be of help to my father in some away. I had discovered this place in skilled potter. He came because he was practical sort of way. But my father was Bovey Tracey, which I had really inves­ attracted to my father s ideas and writ­ getting old. He was thinking of the tigated on my brother Michaels behalf. ings about pottery. Harry had been sim­ future of the pottery, and there I had He turned it down, though, so we ply a thrower who had worked at a been for 20 or more years being trained, bought it. touristy, gifty sort of place near Bourne­ as it were. Also, I must say that there was a little mouth. We became great friends, for he Well, along about 1950, my father misunderstanding between my father was near my age, and I learned many was sending out notices that he thought and myself. But I think he realized some­ skills related to throwing from Harry his future was going to be in Japan and thing then that he had overlooked. He because he was a very quick, accurate that he was handing the pottery over to was presuming that I had the same cre­

34 CERAMICS MONTHLY “Windswept Willow Platter,” approximately 15 inches in diameter, with dolomite glaze over brushed wax-resist pattern on temmoku glaze.

ative ability that he had, making it pos­ So, fortunately, this was a quickly healed decided to make earthenware fired at sible to carry the pottery forward in the misunderstanding. about Cone 1. This was a red clay with same way he would. This was a false Interviewer: David, people think of you slip-trailed decoration and lead-based assessment on his part and I am actually as a porcelain potter, but we’ve seen glazes. My intention was to do this for a surprised that he had overlooked it. But some very fine examples of slipware that couple of years until we got the stone­ after I left, I think he did realize that it you had made when you first started ware kiln built. I never intended to con­ was very necessary for me to leave in Lowerdown Pottery. tinue making this slipware, but it became order to develop creatively. The rela­ Leach: Yes, now lets go on to the point very popular and I allowed it to go on tionship between me and my father had where I established myself at Bovey for five years instead of two. The result been an extremely good one, a very Tracey with most of my money spent. was that I postponed the building of intimate one. He shared all the prob­ It became necessary for me to get active my stoneware kiln until about 1961. lems of his life and I shared all the with production for I had no money. When the kiln was built, I began mak­ problems of my life in a way that sel­ Since I had not built a stoneware kiln ing stoneware very much like we had dom takes place between father and son. and was dependent on electric Idlns, I done at Saint Ives years earlier.

January 1997 35 Electric-kiln-fired earthenware did awful lot to be done to establish my a very good foundation of on-the-job not have the quality that I had become family in this house, so some of the training and experience. used to. I was never really very happy pottery activity tended to get postponed. Leach: A very good point. My experi­ with this process, for you see I wanted A venture as large as building a stone­ ence cannot be taken as an example for the qualities you get from reduction- ware kiln had to wait until other priori­ everyone, for I had advantages that most fired stoneware. On the other hand, ties had been met. beginning potters do not have. The fact there were certain shapes that I made in As far as economics and the support­ that I had my father and had worked earthenware, specifically hump-molded ing of ones family are concerned, this already for 25 years with him did make dishes, that I (and the public) liked very was a matter of a willingness to work a difference. I knew the level of inten­ much. Believe it or not, people still ask hard for all sorts of hours to get the sity and level of skills necessary to suc­ me when I am go­ ceed. I also had a ing to make some good knowledge more earthenware, of the market. and I have from Those are things time to time. that a student Interviewer: So does not necessar­ you liked many of ily have. I am and the qualities you I was in a privi­ got from slipware? leged position. Leach: There are But my training certain aspects, like and experiences the fluidity and were not enough degree of uncon­ in themselves to trolled qualities in ensure success. I slip-trailed work, have been very in­ the qualities that volved in educa­ are very character­ tion, traveling, istic of the pre-in- lectures, work­ dustrial English shops, exhibitions slipware, that I here and overseas. like. I look for All of these things fluidity used in a have added to the lively manner. making of pottery One is always pur­ for a livelihood. I suing this idea of can say that over life in ones work. Stoneware bowl, 4½ inches in diameter, wheel thrown and fluted, with yellow my 65 years of I look for life in celadon glaze, high fired in reduction. potting, through pots—vitality, many ups and strength and honesty. I think the slip- place going. One needs a good level of downs in the economy, I have always trailing technique lends itself to that skill so you can make pots confidently been able to achieve profitability. quite well. Its a loose technique, which and quickly, but one also needs to be How much of this is attributable to you have to do quickly. Its a technique able to use time practically and intelli­ having Bernard Leach for my father that I like and could do more of. gently. I think it requires an intelligent and spending 25 years at the Leach Interviewer: When you set up your pot­ investigation of the market, and it re­ Pottery at Saint Ives and how much is tery at Bovey Tracey, you obviously had quires a quality of work that has a suffi­ not is impossible to actually measure. I to make choices that were based to some cient individuality in its making and must say that I do believe that it is still extent on economics. How did you bal­ design to attract people. I feel very firmly very possible for a young person to es­ ance creative desires with economics, that as long as one is making a distinc­ tablish a pottery today and earn a liveli­ raising a family and aesthetics? tive well-made ware, with a modest de­ hood from it. Leach: I do not want to suggest that gree of publicity, the world will beat a Interviewer: Maybe it would be good those first four or five years making path to your door. I believed this then. I for you to speak about the training and slipware was more economically viable acted on it and the world did beat a education of a potter. You have had than making stoneware. It might have path to my door. People came to my scores of apprentices at the Leach Pot­ been quicker to set in motion, but not showroom or bought from the shops tery and at Lowerdown. Could you more economic to make. You see, when and galleries that I supplied. speak about the future of educating and we moved to Bovey Tracey there was an Interviewer: But, David, you did have training potters?

36 CERAMICS MONTHLY Leach: Well, I think it boils down to question to answer and the answer var­ toward fine arts, while those wanting to one question: Is the best education for a ies with the individual. In some ways, I develop skills go toward crafts. If this potter in a workshop or in a four- or am tempted to send them first to art produces a feeling of inferiority among five-year program in an art school? There school, then apprenticeship after­ craftspeople, then they begin to desire a is very little doubt in my mind that the wards—if the person is really going to climb toward the fine arts. So the prob­ best education for someone wanting to devote his or her life to making a living lem, as far as I can see, starts in the make a viable living is in the workshop. from daywork. But even this approach education system. The people who by­ Then, the question really is, if you train is questionable. I think the student go­ pass colleges and go straight into a stu­ in someone else’s workshop, can you ing into an art school at age 18 often dio are not troubled with that feeling of develop the creative qualities necessary does not get the discipline needed. The inferiority and often make the grade to make your work distinctive? You may student is often allowed to float around, very well. They first learn the skills, learn skills, economy and how to make experimenting with different things. then they grow away from their men­ pots, but the problem is you may end Interviewer: You have seen many tors and express their own style. up as just an imitator of the person you changes in studio ceramics during your Going back to your question about learned from. Being an imitator can career. Could you tell us what you see what the future holds, I think it is inevi­ provide a livelihood, but you will not for the future of British ceramics? table that as industrial design in ceram­ get much in the way of individual rec­ Leach: This is a difficult question. What ics improves, much of people’s ognition or gallery exhibitions. I see in British ceramics is not distinc­ requirements will come from there. But The art-school system is supposed to tive from what I see with ceramics in people who buy industrially made ce­ develop you as a creative individual, other countries. All are faced with the ramics have different sensibilities and and after art school, you are supposed same sort of problems. Many of the desires than those who seek out hand­ to be able to produce distinctive ceram­ traditional concepts of functional ce­ made pottery. Those persons’ needs can ics with innova­ only be pro­ tive personal vided by the qualities. Much There are a great many people with art-school training who have fallen personal potter. of this is false by the wayside because the training may help you develop creative This still supposition, in leaves us with my opinion. sensibilities but oftentimes does not show you how to apply those. the question There are a great about which many people with art-school training ramics are giving way to more individu­ way the future will go. If we are produc­ who have fallen by the wayside because alist fine-art types of expression. This ing too many students who are not in­ the training may help you develop cre­ does not mean that there is not a place terested in function in art schools, and I ative sensibilities but oftentimes does for well-designed, well-made functional think we undoubtedly are, in many cases not show you how to apply those. This ware. There will always be a place for they will not be able to support them­ is a failure in the system, whether it is in that. Industry cannot reproduce the selves. Supporting oneself with ceram­ England or the United States. Far too characteristics of handmaking. ics requires recognition, and recognition many art schools are turning out far too But the trend toward fine art has to takes a very long time. While they are many people who may experience a be recognized. Whether the reasons for achieving this recognition, how will they happy four or five years in school, but this are the same in other countries as I support themselves? Usually, they must when they leave, they do not know how suspect they are in Britain, I do not earn a living by teaching or some other to employ their creativity to earn a live­ know. If most potters are coming out of work, which means the time they de­ lihood. It is a failure of administrators art schools, not workshops, they are be­ vote to their art will be limited. If they to recognize this, and quite honestly ing influenced by art schools. Most art only spend a small portion of their time must be described as wasteful. schools give a multidisciplined training making the work, they will be consid­ Interviewer: With our experience com­ where you have departments that deal ered a hobbyist. ing from art-school training, then work­ with drawing, painting, sculpture and Interviewer: So what you are saying is ing for you, we believe we had the best design on the one hand, and crafts such that the world can only support so many of both worlds. Would you advise some­ as ceramics, jewelry and weaving on the people coming out of art schools and one to train in both an art school and a other. There generally is a feeling among many of them will have to go into other workshop? students and staff that the most innova­ fields? Leach: Yes. I have had many parents tive work is being done in the first area. Leach: Yes, that’s right. Whether it is in and teachers who have come to me and Now if this concept prevails, we inevi­ England or America. I am surprised said their child or student has shown tably get that the fine-art people are at that some schools are allowed to con­ great promise in ceramics in school, then the top, and the craftspeople are lower tinue, when they produce so little re­ asked my advice on going on to art down the scale. It is thought that those sults. I think in many cases there is a school or apprenticing. This is a hard who want to express imagination go great loss. Although I would not neces­

January 1997 37 sarily say that a person who goes through mance in work where the inventive heart attitude and the intention. It must be a an art school and does not practice what and mind are conveyed very quickly quality that pervades all our performance is learned is a dead loss at all. The per­ into what the hand can do, with very in life, of which our performance in a son does gain an art-school awareness little interruption between the mind, craft is only a part. It is the whole inte­ that makes her or him a more educated heart and hand. gration of life. It is interesting, perhaps, person, whether that person performs Interviewer: So you think that it is an that my father s personality and his per­ in the field or not. Many of the things approach to work, rather than a par­ formance has had as much or more learned in art school can be applied to ticular type of pot? recognition in the eastern as in the west­ other areas of life. This is the justifica­ Leach: It is an approach to clay or any ern side of the world. The fact that the tion often used by Japanese people art schools, and if seem to appreciate people do not the life and vital­ mind paying, then ity in my fathers so be it. But when work as much as it comes to mak­ we in the West do ing a living from is a certain indi­ what they learn, cation of its uni­ only a very low versality and im­ percentage actu­ portance. I do not ally do. And I do think I am speak­ question this. ing purely as a Interviewer: Da­ prejudiced son. I vid, could you talk do believe that this some about the can be tested ob­ British studio ce­ jectively. ramics tradition? Interviewer: Is Leach: I will try to making pottery a talk about British good way of life? ceramics without Leach: A good being prejudiced Fluted bowl,7V .2 inches in diameter, porcelain with Ying Ching celadon glaze, and fundamental for, of course, I by David Leach, Bovey Tracey, England. question. I think come from a prej­ so. It is a good way udiced position. One of the most im­ other expressive process. It is an attitude because it is a self-reliant way of life. portant movements in ceramics has been to direct personal expression, and it must One does what one wants in the direc­ what is now widely called the “Leach not be confused with a direct similarity tion of ones convictions, all the while tradition.” We should recognize that this in the way my father performed it. There acquiring skills and learning about oth­ is only one strand in the identity of are many people who work in the Leach ers who have done similar work in the ceramics, with many other strands play­ tradition whose pots are quite different field. One learns science and aesthetic ing their part. Pottery traditions are not from anything that my father produced. sensibilities. Generally speaking, a stu­ quickly established. They are recogniz­ The imitative people have not absorbed dio potter is a person who is financially able directions and qualities of work the fullest intent of the Leach tradition. responsible. I cannot think of any other that have been tested over time. It so It is always very interesting to me way of life that is more full of potential, happens that my father, Bernard Leach, when people who produce in very dif­ other than pursuing some other means did live for a very considerable amount ferent ways come up to me and say that of creative expression in another craft of time. they would not be working in clay had field. Making pottery brings out quali­ I would single out the following char­ it not been for my father. I am always ties in one that not only pertain to the acteristics in the Leach tradition, which surprised, for I often do not see the craft but to the whole of life. would be very much from my fathers influence in their work. So, again, it is own words when he was asked about an attitude, a state of mind, that ex­ The interviewer Gary Hatcher and his this. He said, “I look for life, strength, presses direct conviction and vitality. wife Daphne apprenticed with David vitality, simplicity and directness.” Most Interviewer: Do you think the Leach Leach during 1977—78, after having ap­ of us have the ability to recognize those tradition is not only an approach to prenticed with his brother Michael Leach characteristics in work, this vital, strong ones work but an approach to ones at Yelland Pottery. The Hatchers have op­ direct attack upon the work. This is in entire life? erated Pine Mills Pottery in East Texas contrast to a meticulous, clever, highly Leach: Yes, yes, absolutely. Do not look since 1979 (see their portfolio in the April scientific way of working. It is a perfor­ too much for perfection in that; it is the 1987 CM).

38 CERAMICS MONTHLY Tammy Garcia by Gail Molnar Pfeifer

I wenty-seven-year-old ce­ “Do you want to see some ramist Tammy Garcia stands things I’m working on?” she poised between two worlds: asks, removing the plastic traditional Santa Clara pot­ covering from vessels in vari­ tery and contemporary ce­ ous stages of completion. ramic art. Two years ago at One coil-built piece, about the Santa Fe Indian Market, 18 inches high and almost 2 she won first-place awards in feet in diameter, is still in both categories, and her pots progress. “These larger ones sold out in 15 minutes. can take three months to Garcia began studying complete,” she notes. pottery 11 years ago, after “Here’s a good example of leaving high school. “I never what I’m doing now,” she intended to make it my ca­ says, picking up a vessel with reer,” she admits, but her en­ crisply drawn dancers. Garcia vironment had a powerful puts the pot down and flips influence. Both her mother, through a nearby photo al­ Linda Cain, and grand­ bum, locating a picture of a mother, Mary Cain, are well- Santa Clara Pueblo dancer, known potters from Santa arrayed in traditional dress. Clara Pueblo. And whenever “Here is a complex cos­ Tammy wants to, she can see tume my cousin wears for pottery made by her great- our rain dance, with sym­ great-grandmother, Serafina Working with clay dug near Santa Clara Pueblo, Tammy bols all over it. I’ve taken the Tafoya, at the Museum of Garcia coil builds both traditional and contemporary forms. tablita for example, and Indian Arts and Culture in drawn it with only two Santa Fe. “I come from four generations of potters,” Garcia explains, tracing a finger over the genealogy chart in Rick Dillingham’s book Fourteen Families in Pueblo Pottery, “so it was a natural thing to try. I started at 16, and for about 3 years studied maldng pots with my mother. I worked on how to build them, paint them with colored clays, polish, carve and fire them.” After mastering classic Santa Clara red- and blackware, she decided to do more, to express ideas through a more personal style. “I get my ideas from everywhere. I like to go to museums and study ancient Mimbres pots,” Garcia explains. But she doesn’t try to duplicate them; instead, she absorbs their meaning to generate ideas for her own work. “Two people can have the same idea, but it will look different in the way we express it,” she says. Contemporary art, particularly that of painter Helen Hardin, also influences Each coil is attached by pinching, then smoothed with the fingertips. Garcia’s style. “Her work is so geomet­ ric,” Garcia says, “and I find I can apply that to my pottery design.

January 1997 39 bands, to imply a rainbow. The head­ dress is full of feathers, but I draw just two to suggest them on the pot.” The dancers circle the pot in poses reminiscent of the photograph, and evocative of Helen Hardin’s “Corn Dancers” (1968). While evidence of these outside influences is identifiable, Garcia’s design is her own, with a carv­ ing style that results in images so well defined that they appear laser cut. What about the controversy over tra­ PHOTOS: GAIL MOLNAR PFEIFER, COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND GALLERY 10 ditional firing methods versus the use of electric kilns in the creation of Native American pottery? Garcia pauses before replying. “I don’t like anything to limit my creativity,” she says. “I decided I will Before adding another coil, Garcia smooths the inside of the pot with a gourd. fire the very large red pieces in an elec­ tric kiln, because I can’t bear to lose them. A lot of work, time and feeling always been influenced by market pres­ Anglos as trade developed along the go into what I do, and I needed that sures, and by creative people looking Santa Fe Trail. piece to survive in order to make it for the best ways to produce their work. The issue of honesty about method worthwhile. Contemporary potters might smooth is at least as important as technique. “Firing is a mechanical process, any­ their pieces with sandpaper rather than Indian Market allows potters to submit way,” Garcia continues, but she con­ corncobs, or decorate with hardware- work in either contemporary (kiln fired) cedes there is skill and knowledge store brushes instead of yucca leaves, or traditional (outside fired) categories, involved in the process of outside firings, but the quality of art produced is, with­ supporting a great variety of expression which she still does to obtain her classic out question, developing in response to in this long underappreciated art form. blackware. buyer demand. This, in itself, is a tradi­ As time moves forward, potters like In any discussion of new methods to tional process. Pueblo potters have al­ Tammy Garcia erase the lines, if they produce pueblo-style pottery, it’s im­ ways traded their distinctively styled ever really existed, between traditional portant to remember that the art has wares among their own tribes, then with and contemporary. ▲

A sample of Garcia’s smoothing, carving and burnishing tools (old and new) Traditional blackware is fired outside surrounding three chunks of raw clay used to make slip. in the open.

40 CERAMICS MONTHLY Carved jar, 16 inches in height, handbuilt and burnished earthenware, Best of Pottery award winner at the 1995 Indian Market in Santa Fe.

January 1997 41 “Pueblo Girls," 19 inches in height, first place (nontraditional category) at the Sante Fe Indian Market.

Blackware jar, 8 inches in height, by Tammy Garcia, Taos, New Mexico.

42 CERAMICS MONTHLY George McCauley by Peter Held

Through their work, artists communi­ cate a full range of emotions, percep­ tions and spiritual explorations. George McCauley shapes these varied life expe­ riences into clay forms that are assembled as wholly personal and revealing sculp­ ture. Prior to studying art, his voca­ tional positions included carpenter, concrete inspector, waiter and chef, me­ chanic, horse trainer and aluminum- siding salesman. Like many of his contemporaries, McCauley was drawn to clay after his initial introduction, a classic case of the “love at first touch” syndrome. Ron Meyers, professor emeritus at the Uni­ versity of Georgia, was a significant role model. At the University of South Caro­ lina (his first teaching position), Meyers fostered an environment of experimen­ tal freedom, instilling in McCauley a sense of discovery and excitement for the medium. The work of Peter Voulkos also has been a strong influence. “ Voulkos works as if the pieces come out of him, not by him,” observes McCauley. “His devo­ tion to making art, breaking new ground and his abilities to make works that are about what he wants to make are in­ spirational. The seemingly casual ap­ pearance and freedom evident in his work are what I strive for in my own creative endeavors.” George Ohr s persona and art also hold a particularly strong fascination for McCauley. Billing himself as the “Mad Potter of Biloxi,” Ohr was a non­ conformist who created a distinctive body of work that challenged the status quo of the day. Both McCauley and Ohr share a hirsute sensibility as well, sporting ample mustaches reflecting flamboyant personalities. Having spent the greater part of his Candelabrum, 43 inches in height, wheel-thrown childhood residing in Georgia and South and handbuilt earthenware, soda fired. Carolina, McCauley absorbed the rich history of folk-art traditions of the South, particularly those of the Jugtown potters. For a time, he emulated these artists—inhabiting a rustic home in the

January 1997 43 country, surrounded by yard art and integrating his creative endeavors with the art of everyday living. “I have fan­ cied myself as a kind of folk artist, not as a primitive or naive practitioner, but relating to the complete sense of free­ PHOTOS: GEORGE MCCAULEY, CRAIG SHARPE dom in their work. Folk artists make what they want to make and create their art completely from within.” Myths and archetypal symbols, some relating to his childhood growing up in a strict Greek Orthodox home, play a significant role in McCauleys work. He has a strong interest in the rituals and ceremonies found in world cultures. He is fascinated with religious objects such as icons, shrines and vestments. Univer­ sal symbols—concentric life spirals, the mati (an open palm with an eye)—are incorporated in his work to express needs or desires. This implies a personal nar­ rative invoking historical significance. Compositionally, McCauley is drawn to an unconventional organization of objects, disturbing juxtapositions and, at times, fantastic extravagance. Fleshy figures cavort with a menagerie of barn­ yard animals, fish, a jumble of cups, saucers and other miniature pots. He interweaves dopey-eyed reptiles suffer­ ing from heatstroke in the arid desert and skeletal remains on cylindrical candlesticks. His totemic candelabra and house sculptures are similar to trees of life, a marriage between the animal and human worlds. There is a narrative quality to the work, begging for a story to unfold. McCauley denies any strict interpreta­ tion, but, rather, places a deeper impor­ tance on the meaning of the subject matter. “My work is narrative in the sense that I am saying something about my feelings, not always telling a story.” Some of the relationships impart hu­ mor, at times salacious, and he feels this is a good enough reason to create. Covered jar, 26 inches in height, earthenware with iron wash and glaze, soda fired. A freedom of process, where revi­ sions and changes are evident, not hid­ den or refined to the point of obscuring the hand of the maker, also appeals to McCauley. “I am process oriented in most of my endeavors. The act of mak-

44 CERAMICS MONTHLY ing and the vitality of the construction are very important to me. I alter my work when it is soft so that I can keep all the nuances of the construction—I want the working process to remain evident in feeling and posture. Tech­ niques have become less important as the years go by—giving way to a looser method of working.” McCauley is primarily concerned with the making of objects, so his work is mostly wheel thrown, then altered and accented with handbuilt additions. Earthenware best suits his needs, and “soda firing completes the soft, sensual feel I strive for.” Most of his glazes are Cone 10 re­ duction recipes that are fired in the Cone McCauley hand trimming excess clay from thrown 08-02 range in a soda or vapor atmo­ shapes prior to assemblage. sphere, as well as in an electric kiln. The dry and irregular surfaces enhance the imagery. Some of his works, particu­ larly those with hues of purple and deep blue, take on an apocalyptic cast, look­ ing like postnuclear relics. The color palette is generally muted. Some of his glazing strategies include undercoating with slips and terra sigil- latas on leather-hard or bisqued sur­ faces, then pouring glaze overall and wiping off most. Occasionally, he sim­ ply applies a kaolin wash, then fires to Cone 02 in a soda kiln. Other times, after the work is fired, a sprinkling of dry glaze, dirt or grog is applied, and the work refired. Fundamentals and technique are merely a means to an end. McCauley chooses to do whatever is necessary, dis­ regarding efficiency or practicality over a path that will achieve the results that best reflect his sensibilities. Since moving to Montana in 1993 (initially for a two-year residency at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena), McCauley has concentrated on creat­ ing a body of work composed of per­ sonal statements and expressions about a life dedicated to the creative act. His sculptures convey the idea that a magi­ Wall sconce, 21 inches in height, wheel-thrown and handbuilt cal dimension of life—partly lost in the earthenware, with terra sigillata, soda fired to Cone 02. rush of modernity—can be recaptured and embraced without hesitation. A

January 1997 45 Recipes

Blood on the Saddle Earthenware Purple Barium Matt Glaze White Glaze (Cone 08-02) (Cone 10) (Cone 08-1) Custer Feldspar...... 7.92% Barium Carbonate...... 36.46% Frit 3124 (Ferro)...... 75% Ball Clay...... 11.88 Nepheline Syenite...... 44.20 Ball Clay...... _25 Carbondale Clay...... 39.61 Ball Clay...... 9.95 100% Fireclay...... 29.70 Flint...... 9.39 Add: Opax...... 18% Grog...... 10.89 100.00% Bentonite...... 2% 100.00% Add: Copper Carbonate...... 3.00% Bentonite...... 2.00% Add 25% Cedar Heights Redart for a darker body to be used in oxidation. Motded Brown Glaze (Cone 08-6) Green Glaze Ash...... 13.04% Green Barium Matt Glaze (Cone 08-6) Gerstley Borate...... 52.18 (Cone 10) Barium Carbonate...... 22.17% Alberta Slip Clay...... 34.78 Barium Carbonate...... 37.3 % Gerstley Borate...... 11.09 100.00% Nepheline Syenite...... 48.1 G-200 Feldspar...... 44.45 Ball Clay...... 7.1 Edgar Plastic Kaolin ...... 11.20 Flint...... 7.5 Flint...... 11.09 100.0% Terra Sigillata 100.00% Add: Black Copper Oxide...... 2.0 % Clay...... 6 lbs. Add: Zinc Oxide ...... 10.97% Bentonite...... 2.0% Water...... 15 Copper Carbonate...... 10.50% 21 lbs. When using barium compounds, one Bentonite...... 2.00% should be aware of the toxic nature of Mix 50 grams sodium silicate into the this chemical. Always wear a respirator water, then add the clay. Decant mix­ and gloves when mixing glazes. To avoid ture for 24 hours; siphon off water. Lift the barium risk, McCauley has begun out the top layer of slip with hands. to substitute strontium carbonate for Yields 1 quart of thick slip. For applica­ barium carbonate in a ratio of ¾ to 1. tion, thin with additional water. Varia­ tions include adding 5% Gerstley borate without decanting, colored stains added Blue Barium Matt Glaze by eye, or using throwing water. (Cone 10) Barium Carbonate...... 40 % Spodumene...... 10 Nepheline Syenite...... 45 Flint...... _J> 100% Add: Black Copper Oxide...... 4% Bentonite...... 2 % For a green variation, replace the cop­ per oxide with 5% iron oxide.

Candlestick, approximately 30 inches in height, soda-fired earthenware, by George McCauley, Helena, Montana.

46 CERAMICS MONTHLY In Celebration of Utilitarian Clay

In conjunction with its second “Utili­ tarian Clay: Celebrate the Object” con­ ference last fall, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennes­ see, presented an exhibition featuring two pieces each by the conference pre­ senters, plus an adjacent show of five pieces each by emerging artists whose work the presenters admire. The result was a broad sampling of American func­ tional ware—a visual taste of special dishes by potters’ potters. The following pairs of names are those of the presenter and the artist he or she invited to participate: Linda Arbuckle, Micanopy, Florida, invited Gail Kendall, Lincoln, Nebraska; Mary Barringer, Shelburne Falls, Massachu­ setts, invited Michael Kline, Worth­ ington, Massachusetts; George Bowes, Cleveland, invited Michael Corney, Boise, Idaho; William Brouillard, Cleve­ land, invited Kevin Snipes, Shaker Heights, Ohio; Linda Christianson, Lindstrom, Minnesota, invited Terry Gess, Penland, North Carolina; Val Cushing, Alfred, New York, invited Mary Louise Carter, Middlebury, Ver­ “Attic Fish Bowl,” 26 inches in diameter, majolica-glazed red earthenware, $900, mont; Frank Fabens, Seattle, invited Lisa by William Brouillard, Cleveland; “with humor and whimsy as the backdrop,” Brouillard injects “familiar objects from both the natural world and the man-made Orr, San Antonio, Texas; Sylvie Grana- environment into the decorative/commemorative object.” telli, Floyd, Virginia, invited Elizabeth Lurie, Farmington Hills, Michigan; Mark Hewitt, Pittsboro, North Caro­ lina, invited Mark Skudlarek, Cam­ bridge, Wisconsin; Gloria Kosco, Silver- dale, Pennsylvania, invited Debby Hagar, Knoxville, Tennessee; Jeff Oestreich, Taylors Falls, Minnesota, in­ vited Nicholas Seidner, Helena, Mon­ tana; Pete Pinnell, Lincoln, Nebraska, invited Sara Jaeger, Helena, Montana; Diane Rosenmiller, Helena, Montana, invited Adelaide Paul, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; David Shaner, Bigfork, Mon­ tana, invited Michael Jensen, White- Covered jar, 15½ inches in fish, Montana; Ellen Shankin, Floyd, height, wheel-thrown stoneware, Virginia, invited Sam Taylor, Williams­ $600, by Val Cushing, Alfred, burg, Massachusetts; Michael Simon, New York; his work is intended Colbert, Georgia, invited Geoffrey “to communicate an emotional warmth, a feeling for humanity Pickett, Farmington, Georgia; and Chris and a sensuous connection to Staley, State College, Pennsylvania, in­ all the intimate, personal and vited Liz Quackenbush, University Park, human implications inherent in Pennsylvania. ▲ pottery forms.”

January 1997 47 “Girl with Squiggly Skirt,” 6½ inches in height, wood/soda-fired stoneware, $195, by Kevin Snipes, Shaker Heights, Ohio; “a pot that is easygoing in nature, by showing the marks of the potter, gesture or visually discernible ways of handling materials, can often take on a human quality of its own.” “T-Pot: Fruition,” 11½ inches in height, terra cotta with majolica decoration, $600, by Linda Arbuckle, Micanopy, Florida; “interest in color, pattern, form, surface, form and surface relationships, ideas about indulgence, and implications of motion, gesture and growth” are influences on her work.

Wood/soda-fired stoneware bottle, 12 inches in height, $80, by Nicholas Seidner, Helena, Montana; his pots Wood-fired stoneware sauce pot, 8 inches in length, $125, by Linda Christianson, “combine ideas and forms from the Lindstrom, Minnesota; her attention is focused on producing pots that reveal newhistory of pottery with an industrial layers of meaning with daily use. edge defining our times.”

48 CERAMICS MONTHLY “House Box,” 13 inches in height, coil-built terra cotta with majolica glazes and lusters, $480, by Liz Quackenbush, University Park, Pennsylvania; her work has been described as naively decadent, but she thinks “of it as historically saturated, tactile, functional, ...laden with vitality and an awareness of life.”

“Rococo Krater,” 16½ inches in diameter, earthenware with alkaline glazes, $350, by Lisa Orr, San Antonio, Texas: “I encourage each article I make to reflect the dynamic nature of something living, breathing and even moving. The fanciful sprig and slip decorations allow a variety of combinations and narrative to unfold on each piece.”

January 1997 49 Handbuilt stoneware creamers, 4½ inches in height, $50 each, by Mary Barringer, Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts; though she has “evolved” from making pots full time, Barringer continues “to come back to function for the particular rewards it offers—allowing and even forcing me to consider history, bodies and situations as I work.”

“In the Garden,” 24 inches long, glazed terra-cotta mosaic, $750, by Debby Hagar, Knoxville, Tennessee; for Hagar’s architectural tilework, a “connection to history is very important, as is the age and timelessness that comes from designs based on history or produced in time-honored methods.”

50 CERAMICS MONTHLY “Flattened Vase,” 11 inches in height, wheel-thrown and altered stoneware, $120, by Ellen Shankin, Floyd, Virginia; “with the wheel as the starting point,” function has been the focus of her work for 20 years, and it remains “alive because of the quality and richness of the problems presented and addressed.”

Earthenware teapot with terra sigillata, 7 inches in height, $250, by Pete Pinnell, Lincoln, Nebraska; his work reflects an interest in historical techniques and how various cultures have overcome assorted difficulties to produce interesting surfaces.

“Oil Bottle,” 8 inches in height, wood/ salt-fired stoneware, $130, by Sam Taylor, Williamsburg, Massachusetts; Taylor’s work is intended to accomplish three things: look good, feel good and work well.

Wheel-thrown and handbuilt tea set, 10 inches in height, wood/soda-fired porcelain, $300, by Diane Rosenmiller, Helena, Montana; while working toward “spouts that pour with elegance and handles that are comfortable to hold,” Rosenmiller also wants her pots to be “lively and animated.”

January 1997 51 California Clay Competition

“Unearthed Amphora, Imperial Pinchpot Series,” 11½ inches in height, handbuilt, lithium glazed, raku fired, $300, by Kristin Doner, Tracy; juror’s award winner.

When reviewing the entries for the “Thus, the challenge for me was to se­ seventh annual “California Clay Com­ lect pieces that offered a balanced vision petition” presented recently at the Ar­ and, at the same time, worked cohe­ tery in Davis, California, juror Catharine sively to express that resonance.” Hiersoux “was impressed by the collec­ The jurors award went to Tracy art­ tive energy of artists struggling with the ist Kristin Doner, who applies a “ham­ challenge of identifying and defining mer and anvil” technique to traditional ideas and expressing them through the pinch methods. “Unearthed Amphora, ceramic medium.” From 384 entries, Imperial Pinchpot Series” was handbuilt she selected 30 works “that most suc­ from 6 pounds of clay, coated with a cessfully illustrate an integration of form, lithium glaze, then raku fired. concept and material, reflecting an aes­ The “Peoples Choice Award” was thetic resonance. given to Marc Lancet of Winters for “Desert Cross Section,” 40 inches in “Obviously, there were many more “Hunter/Gatherer,” a wood-fired salt- height, raku fired, with polychrome works of high quality than could be glazed piece incorporating slingshot acrylic finish heated by direct flame, mounted on bronze base, NFS, exhibited, and they represented many stones used by the Chumash Indians to by Bob Lamp, Santa Cruz. diverse perspectives,” Hiersoux observed. hunt fowl. ▲

52 CERAMICS MONTHLY “Silo,” 11 inches high, textured with rolled rope impressions, salt/raku fired, $175, by Jan Presley, Los Altos.

“Hunter/Gatherer,” 21 ½ inches in height, salt glazed in a wood firing, with stones used in slingshots by Chumash Indians, $2600, by Marc Lancet, Winters; People’s Choice Award winner.

January 1997 53 Neoclassical Raku by Robert Hasselle

^Vfter 25 years of production pottery, One of the first choices you will have I found myself needing to get back to to make is to decide whether to build a my sculptural roots. None of the glaze totally portable kiln or find a space with surfaces I had been working with seemed a roof over it. After all, you may find well adapted to sculpture, so a change that rainy days produce the best results. was in order. When I encountered the I fire in my garage in any weather. copper matt raku process, it all began to The second problem is, depending come together. on the degree of enclosure, how to get Copper matt raku produces a sur­ rid of the smoke. An exhaust fan is face finish resembling bronze, somewhat desirable in tight spaces. metallic in appearance, but more lively. The choice of combustibles for All the tedious processes and finishing postfiring reduction is your next con­ work of bronze could be done away cern. I have had success with sawdust with, and yet the surfaces would be and colored newsprint, but dry leaves aesthetically appealing. are best for my glaze. The application of Needless to say, there is a lot of this fuel is also important. Some glazes groundwork to do before one can get a require lots of fuel and flame; others do handle on the copper matt process. I better just smoldering. Some potters put was lucky enough to attend a Robert a lot of fuel on top of the pot; others Piepenburg workshop at the beginning just roll the pot around in it. of my efforts, and thus started off on The next decision is when to remove the right foot. the pots after turning off the kiln. This At first I was content to use other is the stopwatch period. Fifteen seconds peoples recipes, and settled for hit-or- to a minute is the usual time allowed. If miss effects. Some of these, especially one is using a pyrometer, the 1300°F to the Robert Sunday recipe [see the April “Reconstructed Fantasy,” 30 inches tall, 1400°F range is used. 1994 CM], may be a little more color­ with Hasselle Copper Matt, $750. With the pyrometer approach, one ful than mine, but most of them are too immediately transfers the pots to the high tech for me. My recipe (developed try adding ½ Windex to % water. That reduction chamber. With the eyeball with the help of Calvin Hubbell) does should reduce the surface tension and approach, one uncovers the pots by re­ not require a pyrometer or stopwatch, the copper should mix in readily. moving either the entire kiln or the lid, or any kind of exact schedule in order I exhibit my copper matt vessels and and watches for the right color on the to work. My guess is that its window of sculptures with another body of work surfaces—for me, this is in the dark red opportunity is somewhat larger. glazed with a bright blue to purple to to burning black range. Do not, however, expect perfection! aqua barium matt colored with copper. The next step is the postfiring reduc­ There is no such thing as total control I think it is interesting that a single tion itself. Here, you will want to moni­ with copper matts. If your success rate colorant can produce such opposite, tor the condition of the flame when the is above 70%, you are doing well. complementary colors. pots are covered. This can vary from My copper matt recipe includes ball After two years of experimentation, just smoking to fully engulfed. clay, and unlike the frit recipes, works I have a few suggestions to offer begin­ I want the leaves underneath to be on the principle that high concentra­ ners. (Advanced practitioners will have ignited by the heat of the pot, which, in tions of copper act as a flux, and hence their own methods, perhaps more ef­ turn, should ignite the combustibles do not need a fluxing agent. I think this fective than mine.) I recommend keep­ sprinkled on top. However, the added fact opens up a wide variety of possible ing a chart of the factors that affect the leaves should not burn so fast that they glaze ingredients, especially the lower copper matt finish—size of piece, tem­ are entirely consumed before I can cover temperature materials like talc and Ce­ perature on removal from the kiln, type the container. dar Heights Redart, but I have not had of combustible, condition of flame when Treatment of the pot after reduction time to experiment with them. the reduction chamber is covered, varies considerably. Some potters do a Some artists use red copper oxide in amount of combustible placed on top, “burping” procedure after about five their copper matt recipes, but I prefer time before removal, humidity, etc. The minutes, which means reopening the black copper. If you have trouble dis­ chart should help you identify the de­ reduction chamber to allow air to enter. persing the copper in the recipe batch, sired conditions and promote success. Others remove the pot and quench it in

54 CERAMICS MONTHLY water to “freeze” the color. I believe in simply leaving the pot in the postfiring reduction can for 30 minutes. To re-enter the world of sculpture Recipes after 25 years is to find oneself in a different universe. My earlier work, tongue-in-cheek satires of our national Hasselle Copper Matt pride, seems totally inappropriate in the Black Copper Oxide...... 80 % current dispirited era. Ball Clay...... 20 Currently, my central theme is frag­ 100% mentation. I see a fragmented society, a fragmented belief system. I think the Add: Bentonite...... 3 % main problems behind the splintering of America are multiculturalism and the Sunday Copper Matt (Revised) ever-expanding rift between the rich and the poor. Another more subtle destabi­ Copper Carbonate...... 90 % lizing factor is the dethroning of science Frit 3110 (Ferro)...... 10 in the postnuclear age, giving rise to 100% various forms of New Age quackery. In Add: Bentonite...... 2 % a sociopolitical sense, the fragmenta­ tion of my figures refers to the fragmen­ tation of America. In a more personal Piepenburg Red Bronze sense, I refer to these figures as my male menopausal sculpture series. Black Copper...... 2.37 % In this sense, I am de-mythologizing Tin Oxide...... 2.85 the role of the artist, and confessing to “Reliquary Vessel,” 42 inches in height, Gerstley Borate...... 47.39 wheel-thrown and handbuilt, with the same frailties as the rest of human­ barium matt glaze, $650. Frit 3134 (Ferro)...... 47.39 ity. This is a call for a little more hon­ 100.00% esty and less posturing on the part of artists themselves. The fragmented torsos, in a way, Piepenburg Patina though, tend to contradict the intact (volume measure) neoclassical vessels. They stand next to each other somewhat in the relation­ Copper Carbonate...... 1 cup ship of “disease” and “cure.” The cure, Bone Ash...... 3 however, is worse than the disease. Gerstley Borate...... 4 Artists with historical perspective are Nepheline Syenite...... 2 aware that neoclassical imagery is asso­ 10 cups ciated with repressive regimes. Hitlers architect, Albert Speer, was an ardent neoclassicist. My fondest hope is that Post Pac Man the “Balkanization of America,” as (volume measure) Charles Krauthammer has labeled it, will be ended by a renewed consensus Copper Carbonate...... 1 cup of values. If not, it will most likely be Red Iron...... ½ ended by force, repression and exter­ Bone Ash...... 1 nally imposed canonical value systems. Gerstley Borate...... 5 Nature abhors a vacuum. Nepheline Syenite...... 1 “Neoclassical Amphora,” 22 inches in 8½ cups The author Robert Hasselle lives in Cin­ height, with copper matt finish, reduced cinnati, Ohio, where he operates Hasselle in leaves, $400, by Robert Hasselle. Pottery and Design Arts Gallery.

January 1997 Bizen-style vessels, approximately 8 inches in height, wheel-thrown and faceted stoneware, by Makoto Hatori.

A Potter’s Look at Tradition by Makoto Hatori

As a modern Bizen potter, I produce decide the value of the tea ceremony Much Kobizen ware was fired col­ traditional vessel forms. At the same pottery? It is very difficult to accept the lectively in big kilns, up to 50 meters time, following the tradition, I also cre­ values related to the tea ceremony with­ (over 150 feet) long. It is said they were ate sculptural forms. The value given to out straightforwardly accepting its sys­ fired from mid-winter to the beginning the various types of traditional Japanese tem of beliefs, as in a religion. of spring when the cherry trees bloomed. pottery is difficult to understand for Bizen, which is basically unglazed The kilns are smaller now, and each people who do not know the back­ (but sometimes naturally wood-ash Bizen potter has his or her own (but the ground. Take a sake cup, which is usu­ glazed) stoneware, is one of the oldest average kiln still accommodates 1000 ally smaller than a teacup, for example. types of pottery in Japan. Two of the to 2000 pieces). In Japan, a sake cup is usually more most famous Bizen potters in modern To create works that have the look of expensive than a teacup, as it is used in times were Toyo Kanashige (1896- Kobizens in a smaller kiln, Kanashige kaiseki, a type of dinner closely related 1967) and Kei Fujiwara (1899-1983). studied the structure of the kiln to de­ to the tea ceremony. The fact that the Their philosophies about the making termine how to produce good natural- sake cup is used in kaiseki makes it of Bizen ware can serve as background ash-glazed pieces in a shorter time. He more valuable than the tea cup; how­ in explaining my own philosophy. is now highly praised, not only because ever, a teabowl used in a tea ceremony is Kanashige, famous for his contribu­ he created many works comparable to far more expensive than a sake cup. tion to the modern Bizen tradition, dis­ Kobizens, but because he invented a It is said that there are reasons why tinguished pieces made before the suitable downsized kiln. teabowls are so expensive, but they are Tensyo era (1573-1593) from those Kei Fujiwara was said to be a typical too complex to understand. On the made after; he called the former the bunjin (a person who is involved in other hand, pottery used in ordinary Kobizen. In order to recover the look of cultural activities, keeping distance from circumstances is looked down upon as Kobizen, he not only polished up his ordinary society). He enjoyed calligra­ “everyday domestic goods.” But how is wheel-throwing technique, but also phy, painting and poetry, as well as mak­ it that a very closed circle of people can studied the structure of the kiln. ing pottery. Unlike Kanashige, who

56 CERAMICS MONTHLY “Landscape,” approximately 24 inches in length, wood-fired stoneware.

stuck to rigid rules of craftsmanship, while Fujiwara that of - Fujiwara played with limits. His wheel- Kobizen (1193-1333). If they had just thrown technique was not very good, followed these styles without reaching but some people highly praised his works unconscious creativity and if under­ as refined and dignified. standing their worlds needed knowledge It is ironic that Fujiwara was also a of Kobizen and traditional styles of Bi- key figure in making the world of Japa­ zen pottery, we could not say that they nese pottery a big business. His era was achieved contemporary creativity. also the era of Japanese economic devel­ I believe that true creativity comes opment, so it may be that he was not a from the unconscious. However, this willing leader. Still, it is felt that his creativity must be activated in the business activities reflected his own sen­ present situation. It is necessary to in­ sibilities. As a result of this commercial­ corporate a modern sensibility. Just fol­ ization, the pricing of Japanese ceramics lowing an old, traditional style does not has become far higher than that in Eu­ result in artistic works that can survive rope or North America. in the future. The attitudes of Kanashige and Makoto Hatori at his studio It is often the case that potters pur­ Fujiwara toward creation seem to be in Ibaraki, Japan. sue prescribed kata without doubting quite different, but their ultimate goal it, while those who appreciate the ce­ was the same. Kanashige was faithful to Fujiwara followed that of tariki (mini­ ramic works also evaluate them with kata (form). He tried to reach michi mizing the self by making oneself open kata in mind, making the whole pro­ (the road for truth) by following kata. to everything). When ultimately pur­ cess a kind of formal ceremony. This is Fujiwara, on the other hand, concen­ sued, both methods go to the same especially true of chatou (pots and other trated on expressing naturally, by which point, i.e., unconscious creativity. works used for the tea ceremony). As a he was naturally led to the goal of michi. However, the activity of making is result, those who follow kata and pro­ It can be said that to reach michi, not always a creative activity. Both tect the value of kata obtain authority. Kanashige followed the way of jiriki Kanashige and Fujiwara tried to imitate The disciples inherit the authority, to­ (polishing oneself to the maximum by Kobizen. Kanashige followed the style gether with the technique to make pre­ deliberately following the “form”), while of Momoyama-Kobizen (1573-1615), scribed forms and shapes.

January 1997 57 “Water Pot,” approximately 7 inches in height, Bizen-style stoneware, wood fired.

The existing kata comes ciators. The more precisely from original creative activi­ one can imitate the older ties, only some of which are works (i.e., the more one can retained now. In that sense, deceive appreciators), the kata is valuable. However, higher the work is praised. when kata becomes a formal­ As a result, many potters ized tradition, recreating or merely pursue superficial imitating, the predetermined techniques to imitate the forms that follow kata can­ older works. The question is not revitalize the original cre­ can an imitation, however ativity. The clayworks thus complete it may be, be called made may give appreciators artistic work? a moment of pleasure, but In considering the artistic not an enduring, moving sat­ or creative aspect of pottery isfaction. making, we cannot ignore the Many Japanese potters process of firing. In Bizen, have come to believe that the the firing can be interpreted older works are valuable in as a process of incorporating themselves. They devote nature into the works. This themselves to imitating these makes pottery quite differ­ older works and are very of­ ‘Water Pot,” approximately 7 inches in height, ent from other arts and crafts. ten highly praised by appre­ wood-fired stoneware. As the firing process can-

58 CERAMICS MONTHLY “Bite,” approximately 18 inches in length, wheel-thrown and assembled stoneware, by Makoto Hatori.

not be free from the accidents of na­ potter has had experience with the natu­ goal. Of course, the pursuit of tech­ ture, it cannot be controlled technically ral process of firing. I sometimes dream nique and the imitation of older works by the potter. Therefore, it becomes nec­ of obtaining one big piece from smaller have resulted in new artistic works, with essary to positively utilize the accidental pieces separately put into the kiln as a the help of accidents. For instance, kiseto, nature of the firing process. For that to result of melting—some of my sculp­ the glaze color that resembles the color happen, the potter has to fire without tural works come from this. of the wall of the tea ceremony room any intention of forceful control. Only Loading the kiln is part of the cre­ and that is popular for chatou, is the in that way does the pottery obtain its ative process for Bizen potters. Sake cups product of much-repeated failure to own artistic value. may be put inside bigger pots. Bowls imitate Chinese celadon-glazed porce­ I have emphasized the importance are often placed upside down on top of lain. Shino, which is well known in of the firing, including the structure of vases. Some pieces are loaded on their Europe and North America for its snow- the kiln, to Bizen ware, but it is also sides. Plates can be stacked, but to make white texture, was also produced in a important to note how the pieces are their separation easier after firing, each similar way. I understand that raku ce­ put into the kiln. Placement is almost is wrapped with straw, or straw is put ramics in the West have a similar his­ determined at the throwing stage. It is between the stacked plates. The straw tory. Incidentally, raku was begun by sometimes necessary to calculate the size leaves marks on the surfaces called Korean potters in Japan when they tried so that it fits into the relevant place in hidasuki(fire-cord decoration). In short, to reproduce Korean styles. It is clear the kiln. One may think this is a con­ the process is equivalent to a rough that the process of improving techniques scious process in which the potter can sketch in painting. for imitation is important, not because systematically predict the result. It is Technique is only a means by which it can reproduce what is already estab­ true that it is a conscious and rational one can express oneself. However, Japa­ lished, but because it happens to create process, but only to the extent that the nese potters sometimes regard it as a works with new artistic value. ▲

January 1997 59 Making, Marketing and Malaise by Andi Moran

y love for art actually began as soon spent most of my remaining college days true medium was clay; 2) quality was as I could hold a crayon. I left my marks in the ceramics lab. Despite the fact defined exclusively by precise con­ on walls, doors, bedspreads, floors and that instruction and encouragement struction; and 3) economic survival as a eventually paper. Creating with my didn’t seem to be on my professor’s studio artist was going to be an impos­ hands always brought me joy, so I con­ agenda, simply working in clay pro­ sibility. I waited tables at a greasy-spoon tinued to follow my bliss, and entered vided me with enough satisfaction. restaurant where roaches dive bombed college as a painting major. But at the When I walked away from college, from the ceiling tiles. Then I worked at university I went to, all art majors had three things stuck in my mind: 1) my a frame shop where customers consid­ to take at least two ered $9.99 posters ceramics courses. I original art. After put mine off almost that, I worked as a until graduation be­ mini mum-wage cause of the reputa­ corrective therapy tion of the ceramics assistant for a doc­ teacher. tor who rapidly be­ The students had came a millionaire. nicknamed him Working 9-to-5 “hammer man” be­ jobs left much to be cause of his propen­ desired. sity for percussive I missed creating critiques of their with my hands, and greenware efforts. I especially hun­ Often they would gered to be work­ return to find a pile ing in clay again. of rubble with only a One thing led to an­ few words scribbled other, and my sym­ on the largest remain- pathetic husband ing chunk: “too finally agreed to thick,” “too crooked,” help me build a “poorly connected” small studio behind and so on. Unwit­ our house. We were ting students always newlyweds and were shocked to find money was tight, so that their master­ we planned care­ pieces had been pur­ fully. We checked posely destroyed by salvage yards, trash the hammer-wielding dumps, used-equip- professor. ment shops, news­ I was so intimi­ paper ads, etc., for dated by his reputa­ building supplies tion that I worked and cheap equip­ quadruple overtime ment. We borrowed in hopes of walking a cement mixer and out of that course poured our own with one piece intact. foundation; we Continual contact scrounged used tin with the clay soon es­ for the studio’s clad­ tablished a love for ding. In the mean­ the medium. Thus, time, we kept our my fear-driven frenzy eyes peeled for turned into passion­ Earthenware vessel, 17 inches in height, wheel thrown and distressed, equipment sales. ate enthusiasm as I brushed with underglazes, fired to Cone 06. When completed,

60 CERAMICS MONTHLY the studio was furnished with an elec­ experiential variety as geographical dis­ The worst work there was very good; tric kiln, a wheel, a spray booth, a slab tances. The retail craft fairs I exhibited the best work blew my socks off. Many roller, an extruder, a sink, work counters at made me feel like a zoo animal on of the artists’ booths were nicer than my and storage shelves. display for the entertainment of the living room, and some of the promo­ I was like a teenager with my first crowd; my booth remained empty while tional material I saw there rivaled the drivers license and a new car: elated, the cornhusk-doll booth across the aisle hardback art book in a high-quality ecstatic, enthralled! My freedom was my was hopping with customers. Gallery museum shop. The challenge lay before studio. I had my space to work with my and department-store appointments me and I plunged in. hands making what I wanted. No more made me feel like a self-conscious con­ I designed a line of work that would bosses telling me what to do! Life was testant being screened, scrutinized and be more appropriate for wholesale. I great, even if I didn’t Imow much. Hav­ left hanging with, “We’ll call you; don’t knew I needed to reduce my labor time, ing a background in painting, I ap­ call us.” so I shifted from the laborious masking proached the clay as though it were a I was discouraged. My work received and spraying method I had been using canvas to display images on. I draped positive feedback, but it was not selling to less time-consuming surface textur- slabs over appropriated objects: tractor well, and money to buy raw materials ing, using various methods to distress disks, colanders and PVC and pigment the surface. I pipe. I still believed that ar­ repeatedly timed myself mak­ tistic worthiness was synony­ ing multiples of the same mous with flawless construc­ items to gain a sense of pric­ tion so I worked and ing and scheduling. Then I reworked my techniques to had slides shot of the work, near perfection. Eventually, I sent in the applications, and developed a laborious waited. Yes! I was second on method of masking and the wait list, so I knew I was spraying multiple layers on in. the surface to create a unified The next preparation steps motif. I purposefully chose were a booth, packing/ship- underglazes for my designs ping materials, promotional/ because I could control the ordering materials and edges. I didn’t like glazes, es­ terms...terms! What did those pecially fluid ones, because words mean? Again, money of the lack of predictability was a factor, so my husband in the firing. My distaste for and I planned and scavenged. them even carried me so far Like a couple of cheapskate as labeling these surfaces as vultures, we swooped down “puke glazes.” I was naive, on a local bike shop and a but considering that my edu­ kitchen shop, both going out cation was straight out of the of business, for fixtures to Third Reich, it’s no wonder I outfit a booth; what we as­ had little appreciation for the sembled looked slick but various aspects of fire. The weighed a ton. We could not type of ceramics I was mak­ afford the expense of color ing focused on surface mo­ postcards and brochures of tifs, and utilized heat only for my work, but we managed a bonding purposes. reasonably nice brochure in Over the next several years, black on gray paper. Vessel, 21 inches in height, earthenware with underglazes, my ceramic endeavors turned The logistics of packing a fired to Cone 06, accented with melted oil pigment worked into a genuine business— into distressed areas. booth, display pieces, clothes with business cards, business for ten days, and two ex­ checks, a Visa/Mastercard machine and and pay bills was very limited. It all hausted people into a small car was an­ a small line of retail work. When I re­ added up to one giant frustration in other story. We finally ended up ceived a tax number, I felt I had arrived. simply struggling to survive as a crafts- attaching our lawnmower trailer to our It didn’t take long to realize there was a person. I was not ready to give up on car and headed eastward. We felt like big gap between my romantic child­ my work, so I decided to try yet an­ characters in a movie titled “The hood dream of being a professionally other venue, the American Craft Coun­ Hayseeds Go to Town,” but with lim­ viable artist and the adult reality of op­ cil national wholesale fairs. But first I ited funds we had to solve problems erating a business. decided that I had better check out the creatively. Manipulating the trailer in a My marketing efforts carried me from competition, so I visited one of the East metropolis not made to accommodate Mississippi to Manhattan, with as much Coast shows as an observer. such vehicles, setting up and tearing

January 1997 61 Vessel, 18 inches high, wheel-thrown and extruded earthenware, with embedded dry shards and clay shavings, slip, stains and underglazes.

down our heavy and cumbersome first fair and went on to participate in maintain a flow of orders, I had to be in booth, and camouflaging my shaking several more. Though my work was sell­ the fairs (in general, it seemed out-of- knees and trembling hands while deal­ ing, and lack of money was no longer a sight out-of-mind applied here), and ing with buyers was an ordeal. None­ problem, I began to face an entirely the continual preparation/participation theless, I survived my first wholesale new set of frustrations and stresses as an was exhausting. I became bored mak­ fair. I not only got lots of compliments artist-businesswoman. I was so busy ing repetitive line work and my buyers on my work, I got lots of orders, too. filling orders that I did not leave myself became bored, too. Packing work, in­ I met my commitments from that enough time to develop new work. To voicing and getting ready for the next

62 CERAMICS MONTHLY fair were ordeals in and of themselves. ing, crawling and runs. I didn’t know and appreciated as icons of ceramics After several years of working at this how to formulate a clear critical opin­ history would have to be dismissed as pace, I had to step back for a breather. ion about such work, but I did know flawed and unacceptable if I were to As I look back, I can see some of my that my narrow beliefs were beginning evaluate them according to my old stan­ mistakes clearly. The most obvious was to be stretched. dards, that “flaws” could be interpreted trying to do too many tasks myself. I At the end of my first year of teach­ as visual evidence of a piece’s history, did not want to deal with payrolls, so I ing, another fortuitous opportunity that there was no universal ceramic rule refused to hire help. But I needed assis­ came my way. Through the university of “worthiness.” It was all relative, and tance, and I particularly needed some­ we were both teaching at, my husband if I looked with an open mind, there one to handle the tasks I wasn’t was something good in every good at so I could better utilize piece and something beautiful my time on my strengths. I sim­ in every surface touched by the ply did not understand the con­ unpredictability of the fire. cept of self-preservation. I had For me, fluid surfaces were entered the market with a lim­ no longer to be reviled; craclcs ited technical repertoire, which, and bumps were not automatic in turn, limited my ability to signs of bad craftsmanship; and develop new lines of work at the crawling, running, crazing could rate the market demanded. I be quite acceptable, even visu­ found out that most designs ran ally enhancing. My enlighten­ their course and, without a ment may seem elementary to broader knowledge base, follow­ some, but considering my edu­ ing up those declining pieces cational background, this shift with something different was in perception was both revolu­ very difficult. tionary and liberating. I left that Also, my booth setup was too session at Arrowmont charged, heavy, too complicated, and too Andi Moran with works in progress in her freer and more accepting. energy-consuming in its use. It Choudrant, Louisiana, studio. Back home, I promptly be­ made going to market too much gan investing in a library of his­ of an ordeal. A simple, light and easy and I visited Rome for six weeks. As I torical vessel forms. I was fascinated by setup with just some good lighting roamed the streets of Rome, what struck the sculptural originality, surface mark­ would have been the way to go. me most was the rich patina of the ings and the natural influences of heat And, lastly, I lacked business savvy in stucco surfaces, “embellished” with and corrosion on those forms. Here, knowing how to handle public rela­ drips, cracks and chipped layers. I be­ before my eyes lay visual wealth in that tions in a more productive way. By the gan to appreciate the beauty of finishes traditional work I had previously dis­ time I gained it, I was burned out. I that are products of both premeditation missed as irrelevant, because I had had needed time to rest and regroup. and uncontrollable circumstance, and no idea how to appreciate it. I had to Fortunately, a part-time teaching job returned with a desire to learn more laugh at myself because, after 18 years at a local university opened up. The about chemicals, glazes and heat. experience in clay, after being in na­ timing was opportune. I could continue Under the supervision of a gener­ tional markets and galleries all over the to pull in a salary in the field of ceram­ ous-spirited local ceramist, I entered into country, and after teaching ceramics to ics, while reassessing my ambitions as the mysterious world of chemicals and others, I felt as if I had just reached an artist. Not only did I feel burned out glaze composition. It’s a good thing I creative adolescence. That summer, I from wholesale production, I also felt armored myself in safety gear because threw my first series of vessels based dissatisfied with my work. At the time, some of my chemical experiments took upon historical forms—my first step as I assumed the dissatisfaction was due to on a life of their own—some bubbled a ceramist with a new-found respect for exhaustion, but as I continued teach­ over containers, some ate completely tradition. ing, it became clearer to me that it was through containers, while some simply My husband and I are now in the symptomatic of my lack of knowledge vaporized. Nonetheless, through experi­ process of expanding my studio space and exposure to the wider world of ce­ mentation, I began to grasp the myster­ to include a chemical room, a clay-pro- ramic art. I wanted to expand, but my ies of glazing. By methodically cessing facility and a packing area. I am technical and experiential limitations manipulating variables and analyzing the still teaching part time at the university, prohibited that expansion. results, I began to understand the vari­ but when the studio is completed, I As I pored over craft magazines in ous functions of the glaze constituents. look forward to shifting my focus back search of pottery examples to show my Still, I wanted more. A one-week to my own work as a studio artist. I students, I was confronted with images summer course at Arrowmont altered have my retrospective wisdom to pull that contradicted my own values and my perspective. The instructor ended from, I have my creative urges and tac­ perceptions. I saw published pieces that the course with a slide show on histori­ tile needs to drive me, and I have new had cracks, crooked connections, craz­ cal pottery. I realized that pots revered ideas to explore and express. ▲

January 1997 63 1 grand prize, 3,000,000 yen (approximately Call for Entries US$25,500); 1 sub-grand prize, 1,000,000 yen , (approximately US$8500); and 3 gold prizes, Application Deadline for Exhibitions 500,000 yen (approximately US$4250). For fur­ Fairs, Festivals and Sales ther information, contact the Executive Commit­ tee, International Decorative Ceramics Fair ’97, Komatsu City Hall, 91 Konmade-machi, Komatsu, Ishikawa 923; or fax 81-761-23-2000, e-mail International Exhibitions http://www.nsknet.or.jp/komatsu/iroe/ January 15 entry deadline United States Exhibitions Panevezys, Lithuania “IX Panevezys Interna­ tional Symposium” (June 30-August 1); 7 artists January 8 entry deadline will be selected to participate in residency and Tampa, Florida “Eighth Annual Black and exhibition. Juried from slides and resume. For White Exhibition” (February 8-March 31), open further information/application form, contact to works in all media done only in black, white or Jolanta Lebednykiene, Director, Panevezys Civic shades of gray. Fee: $20. For application, send Gallery, Respublikos 3, 5319 Panevezys; or fax SASE to Artists Unlimited, Inc., Black and White (370) 542-4721. Exhibition, 223 North 12th Street, Tampa 33602; February 1 entry deadline or telephone (813) 229-5958. Columbus, Ohio International juried exhibi­ January 10 entry deadline tion of works with spiritual, liturgical or religious Wichita, Kansas “Art Show at the Dog Show” content (March 16-April 13). Juried from slides. (March 1-April 6), open to works including a dog Awards: $2500, including an award for installa­ as subject. Juried from slides of up to 3 entries. tions. Fee: $24 for up to 3 entries. Sponsored by Jurors: Amy Gessner Larson, artist/best of show the Liturgical Art Guild. For prospectus, send #10 winner; Ronald Menaker, Board of Directors presi­ SASE to Contemporary Works of Faith, 215 East dent, Dog Museum, New Jersey; and Novelene Selby Boulevard, Worthington, Ohio 43085. Ross, chief curator, Wichita Art Museum. Awards: February 18 entry deadline over $8000. Contact Pat Deshler, 4300 N. Edge- Riverside, California “International Collegiate moor, Wichita 67220; telephone (316) 744-0057. Ceramic Competition” (March 29-April 26), open Cambridge, Massachusetts “Off the Floor: The to students enrolled in a 2- or 4-year ceramics Art of the Tile” (May 1-June 15). Juried from 1 program during 1995-1997 academic year. Ju­ actual piece and 5 slides or photos. For prospec­ ried from up to 2 slides per entry; up to 2 entries. tus, send SASE to the Cambridge Artists Coopera­ Juror: Philip Cornelius. Fee: $10. Awards: $2000. tive, Attention: Tile Show, 59A Church Street, For prospectus, contact John Hopkins, ICCC Cambridge 02138; or telephone (617) 868-4434. ’97, Riverside Community College, 4800 Mag­ January 15 entry deadline nolia, Riverside 92506-1242. Guilford, Connecticut “CERAMICS ’97” (mid March 1 entry deadline May-June), open to functional or nonfunctional World Wide Web “Second Annual Silverhawk work. Juried from slides (with SASE) of up to 3 Fine Crafts Competition” (begins May 1). Juried works. Jurors: William Daley and Wayne Higby. from 3 slides. Entry fee: $ 15. For prospectus, send Entry fee: $20. Contact CERAMICS ’97, Guilford SASE to Silverhawk Internet Marketing, P. O. Box Handcraft Center, Box 589, Guilford 06437; or 2290, Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico 87557. telephone (203) 453-5947. March 5 entry deadline January 16 entry deadline Komatsu, Japan “Kutani International Deco­ Palm Springs, CaliforniauVaim Springs Desert rative Ceramics Competition ’97” Designs on Museum Artists Council Annual Juried Exhibi­ Paper Category (October 3-12), open to designs tion” (March 11—April 13). Juried from slides. for the decoration of a large (36 centimeters in Juror: Mary Livingstone Beebe, director, Stuart diameter) porcelain plate using only the following Collection at the University of California, San colors: red, deep blue, yellow, green, purple, un­ Diego. Fee: $30 for up to 2 entries; artists council derglaze blue, rust, gold, silver. Juried from design members, $15 for up to 2 entries. Awards: over on paper. No fee. Entrants can apply to both $3500. Contact Artists Council Exhibition, Palm categories (see below). Awards: 1 grand prize, Springs Desert Museum, Post Office Box 2288, 3,000,000 yen (approximately US$25,500); 1 Palm Springs 92263. sub-grand prize, 1,000,000 yen (approximately January 17 entry deadline US$8500); and 3 gold prizes, 500,000 yen (ap­ Galesburg, Illinois “31st GALEX National Ex­ proximately US$4250). For further information, hibition/Competition” (March 15-April 5). Ju­ contact the Executive Committee, International ried from slides. Juror: Stephen Doherty, editor, Decorative Ceramics Fair ’97, Komatsu City Hall, American Artist. Entry fee: $20 for up to 4 works. 91 Konmade-machi, Komatsu, Ishikawa 923; or Awards: $2000. For prospectus, send SASE to fax 81-761-23-2000, e-mail http:// Galesburg Civic Art Center, 114 East Main, www.nsknet.or.jp/komatsu/iroel Galesburg 61401; or telephone (309) 342-7415. April 5 entry deadline January 18 entry deadline Komatsu, Japan “Kutani International Deco­ Chicago, Illinois, and Oconomowoc, Wisconsin rative Ceramics Competition ’97” Ceramic Works “Eighth Annual Teapots, Fun, Funky and Func­ Category (October 3—12), open to earthenware or tional” (February 23-May 10). Juried from slides. porcelain works decorated with overglaze and/or For prospectus, send business-size SASE to A. underglaze. Juried from 2 slides. No fee. Entrants Houberbocken, Inc., Post Office Box 196, can apply to both categories (see above). Awards: Cudahy, Wisconsin 53110. January 21 entry deadline Regional exhibitions must be open to more than one Mesa, Arizona “Vaguely Familiar” (April 29- state. Send announcements of juried exhibitions, fairs, May 31), open to abstract art in all media. Juried festivals and sales at least four months before the from up to 4 slides. Entry fee: $20. For further event’s entry deadline (add one month for listings in information, contact Galeria Mesa, 155 North July and two months for those in August) to Call for Center, Post Office Box 1466, Mesa 85211-1466; Entries, Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 6102, or telephone (602) 644-2056. Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102. Fax (614) 891- January 31 entry deadline 8960; e-mail [email protected] Appleton, Wisconsin “The All Elvis Show” (May

64 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 65 Call for Entries

30-July 25), open to works in all media exploring the “culture” of Elvis. Juried from slides plus resume and artist’s statement. For further infor­ mation, contact the Appleton Art Center, 130 North Morrison Street, Appleton 54911; or tele­ phone (414) 733-4089. February 1 entry deadline Ephrata, Pennsylvania “Fifth Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National” (May 3-25) Juried from 1 slide per entry. Juror: Val Cushing. Fee: $10, 1 entry; $15, 2; $20, 3. Cash, purchase and business awards. For prospectus, send #10 busi- ness-size SASE to Jean B. Lehman, Director SFPN, Market House Craft Center, Studio 201, 100 North State Street, Ephrata 17522. February 3 entry deadline Chico, California “Chico Art Center First Ju­ ried National Exhibition” (May 7-June 15). Ju­ ried from up to 2 slides. Fee: $25. Cash awards. For prospectus, send #10 SASE to First Juried National Exhibition of Art, Chico Art Center, 450 Orange Street, Suite 6, Chico 95928. February 7 entry deadline Carbondale, Illinois “Clay Cup VI” (April 23- May 31). Juried from slides (with SASE). Juror: Mark Burns, head of ceramics department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Entry fee: $20. Awards. For further information, contact the Clay Cup VI, School of Art and Design, Mailcode 4301, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Carbondale 62901-4301. February 11 entry deadline Mesa, Arizona “Global Warning” (June 10- July 12), open to works in any medium addressing environmental issues. Juried from up to 4 slides. Entry fee: $20. Contact Galeria Mesa, 155 North Center, Post Office Box 1466, Mesa 85211-1466; or telephone (602) 644-2056. March 10 entry deadline Fayetteville, Arkansas “ 15th Annual Women’s National Juried Art Exhibition” (June 1-July 10), open to works in all media. Juried from slides. Sponsored by the Northwest Arkansas branch of the National League of American Pen Women. For prospectus, send SASE to Rae Dunn, Art Chair, 297 Holland Drive, Farmington, Arkan­ sas business 72730. March 14 entry deadline University Park, Pennsylvania “Crafts National 31” (June 1-July 20). Juried from slides. Juror: Bill Daley, ceramist/professor emeritus, Univer­ sity of the Arts, Philadelphia. Fee: $20 for 3 entries. Awards: $3000. For prospectus, send SASE to Crafts National 31, Zoller Gallery, 210 Patterson Building, Penn State University, University Park 16802; or telephone (814) 865-0444. March 19 entry deadline Lincoln, California “Feats of Clay X” (May 21-June 14). Juried from slides. Juror: Ken Ferguson. Cash and purchase awards. For pro­ spectus, send legal-size SASE to Lincoln Arts, Post Office Box 1166, Lincoln 95648. March 26 entry deadline Greensburg and Youngwood, Pennsylvania “Westmoreland Art Nationals” (June 2-15 and July 3-6). Juried from slides. Awards: $23,000; best of both shows, $1000; best of each, $700. Send legal-size SASE with 64

66 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 67 awards. Contact Festival of the Arts, Post Office Call for Entries Box 872, Stevens Point 54481. January 10 entry deadline San Mateo, California “Sugarloaf Art Fair” resume and artist’s statement. Contact the (November 7-9). Juried from 5 slides, including Appleton Art Center, 130 North Morrison Street, 1 of booth. Booth fee: $375; no commission. For Appleton 54911; or telephone (414) 733-4089. application, send 3 loose first-class stamps to May 1 entry deadline Sugarloaf Mountain Works, 200 Orchard Ridge Kent, Ohio “RKSU Alumni Exhibition in Drive, Suite 215, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878; Crafts” (September-November). Juried from slides or telephone (800) 210-9900. of 4 available pieces (include details), resume and Atlanta, Georgia “Sugarloaf Art Fair” (No­ artist’s statement. Jurors: K. Browne, H. Halem, vember 28-30). Juried from 5 slides, including 1 J. Lessman-Moss and K. Mangus. Contact Kirk of booth. Booth fee: $400; no commission. For Mangus, Coordinator of Crafts, School of Art, application, send 3 loose first-class stamps to Kent State University, Kent 44242; or telephone Sugarloaf Mountain Works, 200 Orchard Ridge (330) 672-2192, fax (330) 672-4729. Drive, Suite 215, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878; June 1 entry deadline or telephone (800) 210-9900. Appleton, Wisconsin “The Native American Gaithersburg, Maryland “Sugarloaf Art Fair” Experience” (October 3-December 13), open (November 20-23 or December 12-14). Juried to works by Native American artists; will select from 5 slides, including 1 of booth. Booth fees 4-6. Juried from 4-6 slides plus resume and vary; no commission. For application, send 3 artist’s statement. For further information, con­ loose first-class stamps to Sugarloaf Mountain tact the Appleton Art Center, 130 North Works, 200 Orchard Ridge Drive, Suite 215, Morrison Street, Appleton 54911; or telephone Gaithersburg 20878; telephone (800) 210-9900. (414) 733-4089. Timonium, Maryland “Sugarloaf Art Fair” (October 3-5). J uried from 5 slides, including 1 of Regional Exhibitions booth. Booth fee: $450; no commission. For application, send 3 loose first-class stamps to January 6 entry deadline Sugarloaf Mountain Works, 200 Orchard Ridge Lexington, Massachusetts “The State of Clay” Drive, Suite 215, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878; (March 2-29), open to current and former resi­ or telephone (800) 210-9900. dents of Massachusetts. Juried from a maximum Novi, Michigan* Sugarloaf Art Fair” (October of 3 slides. Entry fee: $20. Juror: Chris Bertoni, 24-26) Juried from 5 slides, including 1 of booth. artist/design instructor, Rhode Island School of Booth fee: $425; no commission. For application, Design. For prospectus, send SASE to Ceramics send 3 loose first-class stamps to Sugarloaf Moun­ Guild, Lexington Arts and Crafts Society, 130 tain Works, 200 Orchard Ridge Drive, Suite 215, Waltham Street, Lexington 02173; or telephone Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878; or telephone (800) (617) 862-9696. 210-9900. January 13 entry deadline Somerset, New Jersey* Sugarloaf Art Fair” (Sep­ Topeka, Kansas “Topeka Competition 21” tember 26-28). Juried from 5 slides, including 1 (March 29-April 30), open to artists residing in of booth. Booth fee: $375; no commission. For Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, application, send 3 loose first-class stamps to Oklahoma, Wyoming. Juried from 1 slide per Sugarloaf Mountain Works, 200 Orchard Ridge entry. Juror: Eddie Dominguez, clay artist. Fee: Drive, Suite 215, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878; $20 for up to 3 entries. Cash and purchase awards. or telephone (800) 210-9900. For further information, contact Topeka Compe­ Fort Washington, Pennsylvania “Sugarloaf Art tition 21, Larry Peters, Topeka and Shawnee Fair” (October 31-November 2). Juried from 5 County Public Library, Gallery of Fine Arts, 1515 slides, including 1 of booth. Booth fee: $425; no Southwest 10th Avenue, Topeka 66604-1374. commission. For application, send 3 loose first- January 31 entry deadline class stamps to Sugarloaf Mountain Works, 200 Allentown, Pennsylvania “Mayfair Festival of Orchard Ridge Drive, Suite 215, Gaithersburg, the Arts Regional Juried Craft Exhibition” (May Maryland 20878; or telephone (800) 210-9900. 21—June 21), open to artists living or working Manassas, Virginia “Sugarloaf Art Fair” (Sep­ within a 75-mile radius of Allentown. Juried from tember 5-7). Juried from 5 slides, including 1 of 3 slides. Juror: Nina Stritzler-Levine, director of booth. Booth fee: $350—$450; no commission. exhibitions, Bard Graduate Center for the Study For application, send 3 loose first-class stamps to of Decorative Arts, New York. Entry fee: $10. Sugarloaf Mountain Works, 200 Orchard Ridge Cash awards. For prospectus, contact Mayfair, Drive, Suite 215, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878; Department J. C., 2020 Hamilton St., jAllentown or telephone (800) 210-9900. 18104; or telephone (610) 437-6900, e-mail January 14 entry deadline [email protected] or http//mayfairfestival.org Columbus, Ohio “Columbus Arts Festival” February 14 entry deadline (June 5-8). Juried from slides. For prospectus, El Paso, Texas “From the Ground Up XVI” contact Columbus Arts Festival, 55 East State (April 11-May 11), open to clay artists residing in Street, Columbus 43215; or telephone (614) Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and northern Mexico. 224-2606. Juried from slides. Juror: James C. Watkins. Fee: January 22 entry deadline $15 for up to 3 entries. Cash and gift awards. For Jacksonville, Florida “ArtWorks” (May 16- prospectus, send SASE to the Potters’ Guild of Las 18). Juried from slides. Awards: $25,100 plus Cruces, do 4741 Lucy Dr., El Paso 79924-1013; $10,000 purchase award program. For prospec­ or, for information only, telephone (915) 821- tus, contact ArtWorks, Post Office Box 41564, 5115 or (915) 532-6477. Jacksonville 32203; or telephone (904) 308-7007, fax (904) 308-7996. Fairs, Festivals and Sales January 27 entry deadline Worcester, Massachusetts “27th Annual May January 6 entry deadline Fair” (May 16-18). Juried from 5 slides. Entry Stevens Point, Wisconsin “2 5 th Annual Festival fee: $20 by January 27 deadline; $30 by February of the Arts” (April 6). Juried from 5 slides of work 10. Awards. For application, contact Anne and 1 of display, plus resume (with SASE).Regis­ McTigue, Worcester Center for Crafts, (508) tration: $50. Jurying fee: $10. Cash and purchase 753-8183, extension 3020. Continued

68 CERAMICS MONTHLY

70 CERAMICS MONTHLY work plus 1 of booth. Entry fee: $5. Booth fee: Entry fee: $5. Booth fee: $70 for a 12xl2-foot Call for Entries $175. Send SASE to Sumari, Sugarloaf Fair, Post space. No commission. Cash awards. Send SASE to Office Box 497, Sugarloaf 10981; or telephone Art in the Park, Box 2164, Clinton 52733; or Sumari (914) 469-2133. telephone Carol Glahn (319) 259-8308. January 31 entry deadline Sugarloaf, New York “25th Annual Fall Craft March 31 entry deadline Frederick, Maryland" Frederick Festival of the Fair” (October 11-13). Juried from 3 slides of La Jolla, California “1997 La Jolla Festival of Arts” (June 21-22). Juried from slides. Entry fee: work plus 1 of booth. Entry fee: $5. Booth fee: the Arts and Food Faire” (June 14—15). Juried $20. Booth fee: $250 or $325. For further infor­ $200. Send SASE to Sumari, Sugarloaf Fair, Post from photos. For application, send SASE to La Jolla mation, contact Frederick Festival of the Arts, Office Box 497, Sugarloaf 10981; or telephone Festival of the Arts and Food Faire Artist Com­ Post Office Box 3080, Frederick 21705; or tele­ Sumari (914) 469-2133. mittee, 4130 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 10717, phone (301) 694-9632. March 12 entry deadline San Diego, California 92037. Allentown, Pennsylvania “Mayfair Festival of Madison, Wisconsin “Art Fair on the Square” April 5 entry deadline the Arts Artists Market” (May 22-26). Juried (July 12-13). Juried from slides. Entry fee: $24. Chautauqua, New York “Crafts Festivals ’97” from 4 slides. Entry fee: $10. Booth fee: $160/3 Booth fee: $265. No commission. Contact the (J uly 11-13 and / or August 15-17). J uried from 3 days, $185/5 days for a 10x10-foot space. Cash Madison Art Center, 211 State Street, Madison slides of work plus 1 of display. Entry fee: $ 10 per awards. Contact Mayfair Festival of the Arts, 53703; or telephone (608) 257-0158. show. Booth fee: $150 per show. For prospectus, Department AM, 2020 Hamilton St., Allentown March 15 entry deadline send business-size SASE to Devon Taylor, Festivals 18104; or telephone (610) 437-6900, e-mail Clinton, Iowa “Art in the Park” (June 14-15). Director, Chautauqua Crafts Alliance, Post Of­ [email protected] or http://mayfairfestival.org Juried from 4 slides of work plus 1 of display. fice Box 89, Mayville, New York 14757-0089. February 1 entry deadline Frederick, Maryland “23rd Annual Frederick Craft Fair” (May 16-18). Juried from 5 slides of work and 1 of booth (plus resume for new exhibi­ tors). Entry fee: $10. Booth fee: $320-$400. No commission. For further information, contact Na­ tional Crafts Limited, 4845 Rumler Road, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 17201; or telephone (717) 369-4810. Gaithersburg, Maryland “22nd Annual Na­ tional CraftFair” (October 17-19). Juried from 5 slides of work and 1 of booth (plus resume for new exhibitors). Entry fee: $10. Booth fee: $350- $450. No commission. Contact National Crafts Ltd., 4845 Rumler Rd., Chambersburg, Pennsyl­ vania 17201; telephone (717) 369-4810. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania “ 1997 Three Rivers Arts Festival” (June 6—22; broken down in sec­ tions, June 6-11, 12-16, 17-22 or June 6-8,13— 15 and 20—22; artists can participate in 1 or 2 sections). Juried from 4 slides of work plus 1 of booth (with business-size SASE with 32

January 1997 71 Suggestions From Readers

Photo Backdrop When taking photos or slides, a roll-up window shade can be used as a backdrop. It won’t reflect too much light, has a non­ wrinkled surface and is wide enough to ac­ commodate most large forms. You can even roll it up for storage.—Earline Allen, Hun­ tington, W.Va.

Removing Glaze Drips To remove glaze drips from kiln shelves, try using an electric engraving tool. It has a hardened carbide point that is designed to etch name, dates, etc., onto most surfaces. When held at an angle, it vibrates the glaze off easily. Just be sure to wear safety glasses to avoid injury from flying debris.—Bevan Gamewell, Mooresville, N. C.

Free Screw-Top Buckets I’ve found a never-ending free supply of 3- and 8-gallon buckets with lids that screw on and off. Pool-cleaning companies now buy their chlorine in tablet form; it comes in screw-top buckets that are perfect for pottery use. They don’t leak and are easier to clean than drywall buckets.—Annabelle Johnson, Naples, Fla.

Trimming Chuck For an adjustable trimming chuck, center a piece of clay, pull up a cone (as if you were about to throw off the hump) and cover it with cheesecloth. The cloth will keep the inverted pot to be trimmed from sticking to the chuck. Ifyou need to narrow or widen the chuck for the next pot, simply remove the cheesecloth and make the proper adjust­ ment.—-David Hooker, Kent, Ohio

Paper-Clip Tool For a good faceting/cutting tool, use a straightened paper clip. Bend it into any shape you want. I made a semicircle to cut columnlike grooves into my pots. Paper clips are stiffer than most wire, and are easy to use.—Aysha Peltz, Shrewsbury, Mass.

Wedging in a Wok I work with traditional African techniques, including clay digging and mixing, and often have to prepare 50 pounds of clay or more at a time by hand. (I work in a one-room apartment with a sundeck, where I keep a barrel of slaking clay.) Once the clay has been de-watered enough for wedging, I put about 25 to 30 pounds in a wok with the handles removed. The round bottom turns easily,

72 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 73 Suggestions

making wedging much easier. I simply press into the clay with the heels of both hands, giving a slight push to the side as my hands rise. I never need to lift or turn the clay itself, so I can handle much more at a time. The only problem is that the wok “walks” as I wedge. I can either follow it, or spin it back toward my position.—Hazel Mae Rotimi, Gloucester\ Mass.

Viewing Cones Having difficulty seeing the witness cones in your electric kiln? If you have more than one peephole, simply remove a plug from the hole below the witness cones’ hole to create a bit of air circulation and clear the atmosphere momentarily. If necessary, you can blow lightly into the bottom hole.—Andrew Fran­ cis, Kent, Ohio

Glazing Back Relief To avoid bending over when glazing, simply put your 5-gallon glaze bucket on top of another 5-gallon bucket to raise it to the proper height. You can even store a fresh batch of the same glaze in the bottom bucket. —Susan Dimm, West Chatham, Mass.

Alumina on Kiln Shelves When firing an electric kiln at high tem­ peratures, shelves have a tendency to warp, depending on their thickness and composi­ tion. The ability to flip the shelves over before each firing is essential for warp prevention, but flaking kiln wash would prevent this precaution. I’ve chosen not to wash my kiln shelves, but rather to dust alumina hydrate (from a picnic salt shaker) onto each before a glaze firing. In this way, pots (especially por­ celain) are kept from sticking and spalling. I also use alumina for bisque firings to allow large or heavy pieces to shrink across the shelves more successfully. After the firing, the alumina is brushed off the shelves, leaving them clean and ready to be flipped for the next firing. The alumina brushed from the shelves can be recaptured and used repeatedly.—Divain Naragon, Westfield, III. Dollars for Your Ideas Ceramics Monthly pays $10for each sugges­ tion published; submissions are welcome indi­ vidually or in quantity. Include an illustration or photograph to accompany your suggestion and we willpay $10 more if wepublish it. Mail ideas to Suggestions, Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 6102, Westerville, Ohio 43086- 6102; fax to (614) 891-8960; or e-mail to editorial@ceramicsmonthly. org

74 CERAMICS MONTHLY

Post Office Box 3138, Fine Arts Building Room Calendar 229, Laramie 82071; or e-mail [email protected] — Canada, Ontario, London May 23-25 “Form, Events to Attend Conferencesy Function and Philosophy,” Fusion’s annual con­ Exhibitions, Fairs, Workshops ference, will include slide presentations and dem­ onstrations with Wayne Ngan and Ellen Shankin. Fee before February 28: Can$200 (approximately US$144); students/seniors, Can$185 (approxi­ mately US$133); members, Can$l45 (approxi­ Conferences mately US$104). Fee after February 28: Can$250 (approximately US$180); students/seniors, Alabama, J acksonville February 28—March 2 “Ala­ Can$215 (approximately US$155); members, bama Clay Conference 12” will include Steve Hill Can$195 (approximately US$140). Lodging is as workshop leader, plus presentations, events and available. Contact Fusion: The Ontario Clay and exhibitions. Contact Steve Loucks, Hammond Glass Association, Gardener’s Cottage, 225 Con­ Hall, Department of Art, Jacksonville State Uni­ federation Dr., Scarborough, Ontario MIG 1B2; versity, Jacksonville 36265; or telephone (205) telephone (416) 438-8946, fax (416) 438-0192. 782-5708 and leave message. Netherlands, Leeuwarden January 25 “Visions Arizona, Yuma February 20—22 “18th Annual and Tradition” will include such presentations as Yuma Symposium” will include lectures, slide “Historical Context and Topical Meaning” by presentations and demonstrations by artists work­ Paul Greenhalgh of the Victoria Albert Mu­ ing in clay, metal, fiber, wood, sculpture, photog­ seum, London; “Building from a Tradition” by raphy, digital imagery, mixed media. Clay artists Walter Keeler; “New Standards in Salting” by include Gifford Myers and Kelvin Yazzi. Contact Jane Hamlyn; plus a panel discussion with Neely Tomkins, Coordinator, 90 W. Second St., Greenhalgh, Keeler, Hamlyn, and Phil Rogers, Yuma 85364; telephone (520) 782-1934. Ruthanne Tudball, Micki Schloessingk, Jack Maryland, Baltimore June 27—29 “The 1997 Doherty and Peter Meanley. Contact Keramiek- Studio Potter and Manufacturer Technical Ce­ museum het Princessehof, Grote Kerkstraat 11, ramic Conference and Trade Show” will include 8911 DZ Leeuwarden; telephone (58) 212-7438 technical solution sessions, workshops, market­ or fax (58) 212-2281. ing/retail sessions, exhibitions. Contact Ceramic Manufacturers Assoc., 1100-H Brandywine Blvd., P. O. Box 2188, Zanesville, Ohio 43702-2188; Solo Exhibitions telephone (614) 452-4541, fax (614) 452-2552. Arizona, Sun City February 18-March 16Chris­ Nevada, Las Vegas April2—5 “Guilty Pleasures,” tine Pendergrass; at Sun Cities Museum of Art, National Council on Education for the Ceramic 17425 North 115th Avenue. Arts annual conference. Contact Regina Brown, California, Fremont through January 19 Nina Executive Secretary, NCECA, Post Office Box Koepcke, “Once Upon a Time,” ceramic sculp­ 1677, Bandon, Oregon 97411; or telephone (800) ture, paintings, monotypes; at Olive Hyde Gal­ 99-NCECA. lery, 123 Washington Boulevard. New York, New York February 13—15 “College California, La Jolla January 4—24D ouglas Kenney, Art Association 85th Annual Conference.” For “Made in Japan”; at Gallery Eight, 7464 Girard further information, contact the College Art As­ Avenue. sociation, 275 Seventh Avenue, New York 10001. California, San Francisco through February 7 Annette North Carolina, Asheboro March 7—9 “10th Corcoran, “leones Avium,” porcelain teapots, birds; North Carolina Potters Conference” will include at Dorothy Weiss Gallery, 256 Sutter St. sessions with Linda Dixon and Drew Krouse, and January 11-March 23 Beatrice Wood, “The Lus­ Jeff Oestreich, plus Mary-Ann Prack, Ann Riggs, tre of 104”; at the San Francisco Craft and Folk Tim Turner and David Voorhees. Limited space. Art Museum, Landmark Building A, Fort Mason. For further information, contact the Randolph February 14—May 13 Robert Arneson, “Self Self- Arts Guild, (910) 629-0399. Portrayed”; at the San Francisco Museum of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia April 12 “Ch’ing Modern Art, 151 Third Street. Ceramics: Acquisition and Transformation,” ad­ Connecticut, Brookfield February 2—March 2 dressing the issue of Chinese ceramics acquisition Mary Lou Alberetti, “Garden Inspirations: Porce­ during the 17th to early 20th centuries. Speakers lain and Stoneware”; at Brookfield Craft Center, include Julia Curtis, Chuimei Ho, Stephen Little, 286 Whisconier Road. Rosemary Scott and Jan Stuart. Also includes the Connecticut, New London through January 23 exhibition “Solid Bone and Luminous Flesh: Mark Einhorn, raku vessels; at the New London Ch’ing Dynasty Ceramics.” Fee: $30; museum Art Society Gallery, 147 State Street. members, students, seniors, $20. For further in­ Hawaii, Honolulu through January 19 Shigeru formation, contact Emilie Bretz, Division of Edu­ Miyamoto, sculpture; at Honolulu Academy of cation, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Arts, Second Floor Galleries. 19101-7646; or telephone (215) 684-7605. Indiana, Bloomington January 17—March 15 Vermont, Bennington February 5-9 “North Magdalene Odundo, “Ceramic Gestures”; at the Country Studio Conference 1997” will include Indiana University Museum of Art. workshops with Akio Takamori and Randy Kentucky, Berea January 6—March4X^2,n. Keegan Johnston. For registration, contact NCSC, Post “Superior Man”; at Doris Ulmann Galleries, Office Box 875, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755. Rogers-Traylor Art Building, Berea College. Wyoming, Laramie April 7-19 “International Kentucky, Louisville January 9—February 7 Vir­ Ceramics Symposium.” For further information, ginia Scotchie, “Object Lessons”; at Dario A. Covi contact Phyllis Kloda, University of Wyoming, Gallery, University of Louisville. Michigan, East Lansing February 2-March 25 Send announcements of conferences, exhibitions, ju­ Martha Rosenfeld, “Out of This World,” ceramic ried fairs, workshops and other events at least two sculpture and paintings; at Mackerel Sky Gallery months before the month of opening (add one month of Contemporary Craft, Ann Street Plaza, 217 for listings in July; two months for those in August) to Ann Street. Calendar, Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 6102, Michigan, Ferndale through January 11 John Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102. Fax (614) 891- Stephenson; at Revolution, 23257 Woodward Ave. 8960; [email protected] Michigan, Pontiac through January 18 Arnold

76 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 77 form. February 7-March 2 Karen Karnes; at the California, San Francisco February 6-March 1 Calendar Clay Studio, 139 North Second Street. Exhibition of sculpture by Scott Chamberlain, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh through January 7 Annabeth Rosen and Arnie Zimmerman; at Dor­ Michael Simon functional pots. February 3—28 othy Weiss Gallery, 256 Sutter Street. Zimmerman, “Small Works.” February 7—28 Bobby Scroggins, sculpture, pottery; at Manches­ Connecticut, New Milford through January 11 Katherine Blacklock, sculptural vessels; at Shaw ter Craftsmen’s Guild, 1815 Metropolitan Street. Exhibition of works by Connecticut Clay Artists Guido Gallery, 7 North Saginaw Street. January 10—February 21 Gerry Dinnen vessels; at members; at the Pottery Garden, 17 Church Street. Minnesota, Saint Paul through February 15 Gary the Sweetwater Center for the Arts, Balcony Gal­ D.C., Washington through early 1997 “Japanese Erickson “Natural Rhythms,” sculpture installa­ lery, Broad Street. Ceramics from Seto and Mino”; at the Freer tion; at Macalester Gallery, Janet Wallace Fine Washington, Kirkland February 20-April6]z2innz Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Arts Center, Macalester College. Waters, sculpture; at Anderson Glover Gallery, Florida, Coral Gables February 21-March 23 New York, New York through January 9 Sherry 303 Kirkland Avenue. “Formed in Clay: Florida Ceramic Artists,” with Karver, “Generation to Generation,” ceramic wall works by Susan Banks, Dan Gunderson, John sculptures and paintings; at Hebrew Union Col­ Group Ceramics Exhibitions Foster, Russ Gustafson-Hilton, Pete Kuentzel, lege, Heller Gallery, 1 West Fourth Street. Harvey Sadow and Nan Smith; at the New Gal­ through February ^Michael Lucero, 1976-1995; California, Claremont January 18-March 23 lery, University of Miami, 1300 Campo Sano Dr. at American Craft Museum, 40 West 53rd Street. “53rd Ceramic Annual Exhibition”; at Ruth Chan­ Georgia, Roswell February 15—March 14 “Fire­ Pennsylvania, Philadelphia January 3-26 Todd dler Williamson Gallery, Scripps College, Elev­ works,” ceramics by Rachel Jones, Ellen McManus Johnson, abstract sculpture based on the cup enth and Columbia streets. and Margaret Patterson; at the Potters Guild, 603 Atlanta Street. Idaho, Boise January 31-February 28 “All Fired Up,” national juried clay exhibition; at Boise State University Visual Arts Center. Illinois, Chicago through March 30 “Eighteenth- Century French Vincennes-Sevres Porcelain”; at Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave. Indiana, South Bend through January 7 “BeKouBi,” ceramics by R. Michael Beatty, Irina Koukhanova and B. L. Bilenki; at Serendipity, 2202 Miami Street. Kentucky, Louisville January 11—March 1 “Plat­ ters”; at the Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation, 609 West Main Street. Maryland, Baltimore January 10-February 22 “It’s Raining Cats and Dogs,” ceramics incorpo­ rating animal imagery by Chuck Adylett, James Chaney, Mary Lou Deal, Holly Hanessian, Lois Hennessey, Anna Jalickee, Chuck Johnson, Kirk Mangus, Ron Mazanowski, Donna Nicholas, Jane Pleak, Elyse Saperstein and William Tersteeg; at Baltimore Clayworks, 5706 Smith Avenue. Maryland, Rockville February 17—March 7“Ce­ ramic Sculpture Invitational: Go Figure,” with works by Adrian Arleo, Sergei Isupov, Marilyn Lysohir, Kirk Mangus and Patrick Siler; at Mont­ gomery College, Rockville Campus Art Building, 51 Mannakee Street. Massachusetts, Boston through January 18“ Sculp­ tural Ceramics in New England Today,” with works by Mary Barringer, Sasha Bergmann, Chris­ tina Bertoni, Christopher Gustin, Karen Karnes, Jacquelyn Rice, Mary Roettger, Annabeth Rosen, Sharon Townshend, Michaelene Walsh and Makoto Yabe; at the Boston Athenasum, 10½ Beacon Street. Massachusetts, Ipswich through January 24* Stu­ dio Pottery”; at Ocmulgee Pottery and Gallery, 317 High Street-Route 1A. Michigan, Pontiac through January 18 “Integra­ tion,” vessels by Simona Alexandrov, Adelaide Paul and Bonnie Seeman; at Shaw Guido Gallery, 7 N. Saginaw St. Minnesota, Saint Paul January 17-February 21 “Jerome Artists Exhibition,” ceramics by Jim Gubernick, Lori Keenan, Lee Love, Amy Ploeger and Chuck Solberg; at Northern Clay Center, 2375 University Avenue, West. Nebraska, Kearney through January 16* Rendez­ vous!” works by 29 clay artists and their invited guests; at the Museum of Nebraska Art, 2401 Central Avenue. Nevada, Las Vegas February 21-April 11 “1997 NCECA Clay National”; at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas Barrick Museum. New Jersey, Newark through Spring 1997 “The Printed Pot: Transfer-Printed Ceramics, 1750-1990”; at the Newark Museum, 49 Wash­ ington Street. New York, Alfred through February 14 “Handle

78 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 79 California, Los Angeles through February 9“ Ritual Calendar and Splendor: Ancient Treasures from the Shumei Family Collection,” includes selection of 12th- 13th-century Persian ceramics; at Los Angeles with Care,” focusing on the various ways artists County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd. deal with handles on works; at the International California, Pomona January 9-February 7 “Ink Museum of at Alfred, New York and Clay”; at W. Keith and Janet Kellogg Univer­ State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. sity Art Gallery of California State Polytechnic New York, New York January 9-February 8 Ce­ University. ramics by Julie Peck and Lisa Wolkow; at Jane California, Sacramento through January 5 “Kings Hartsook Gallery, Greenwich House Pottery, 16 and Queens and Soup Tureens: Campbell Collec­ Jones Street. tion of Soup T ureens from Winterthur”; at Crocker January 27-March 5 “Tile: Art and Environ­ Art Museum, 216 0 Street. ment,” including works by Lynda Curtis, Frank California, San Francisco January 23—February Giorgini, Edith Gwathemy, Thomas Lollar, Sylvia 27 “California Design ’97”; at Contract Design Netzer, Liz Rudey, Richard Rudich, Judith Block Center, 600 Townsend Street. Solomon, Julie Tesser, Susan Tunick and Bruce February 4—March 1 Two-person exhibition with Winn; at Bank Street College of Education Exhi­ ceramic sculpture by Mark Burns; at Brannstein/ bition Space, 610 West 112 Street. Quay Gallery, 250 Sutter Street. New York, Port Chester January 3-30 Members California, San Jose through February 23“ Elvis + exhibition; at the Clay Art Center, 40 Beech St. Marilyn: 2 X Immortal”; at the San Jose Museum North Carolina, Charlotte through February 9 of Art, 110 South Market Street. “Meissen Porcelain 1710-1756”; at Mint Mu­ D.C., Washington through May 1 “An Invitation seum of Art, 2730 Randolph Road. to Tea”; at the Freer Gallery of the Smithsonian Oregon, Gresham January 7—30 “The Flourish­ Institution. ing Tradition: One Mentor—Twelve Paths,” ex­ through 1997“Puja: Expressions of Hindu Devo­ hibition of works by artists who worked with and tion,” 125 works, including terra cotta; at Arthur were influenced by Warren MacKenzie; at Mount M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 1050 Hood Community College, 26000 S.E. Stark St. Independence Ave., SW. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia through April 30“ S olid January 26-April 6“ S plendors of Imperial China: Bone and Luminous Flesh: Ch’ing Dynasty Ce­ Treasures from the National Palace Museum, ramics”; at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Ben­ T aipei”; at the National Gallery of Art, Fourth St. jamin Franklin Parkway. at Constitution Ave., NW. January 3-26 “Encore,” selections from previous Florida, Boca Raton January 17—February 14 East European and Israeli exhibitions. February “44th Florida Craftsmen Exhibition”; at Schmidt 7—March 2 “Salt and Pepper, Shake and Grind,” Center Gallery, Florida Atlantic University. salt and pepper shakers; at the Clay Studio, 139 Florida, Tampa February 8-March 31 “8th An­ North Second Street. nual Black and White Exhibition”; at Artists Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh through January ^“Be­ Unlimited, the Channel District, 223 N. 12th St. yond the Figure,” works by Judith Freedman, Ceil Georgia, Athens through January 12 “Treasures of Leeper, Nita Schwartz and Cheryl Tall; at the Ancient America from the Mint Museum of Art”; Clay Place, 5416 Walnut Street. at Georgia Museum of Art, Performing and Visual Vermont, Montpelier through January 31 “Lumi­ Arts Complex, University of Georgia. nous Lamps and Lanterns.” February 1—28“Emerg­ Georgia, Atlanta through January 5 “Highlights ing Artists Exhibition”; at the Vermont Clay from the Collection.” February 11-April ^Exhi­ Studio, 24 Main Street. bition celebrating 20th anniversary of the Decora­ Virginia, Alexandria through January ^“Decked tive Art Acquisition Trust; at the High Musuem Out Holiday Clay.” January 7—February 2 “Cool of Art, 1280 Peachtree Street, Northeast. Clay.” February 7-March 2 “Ceramic Guild An­ through January 25“An Enchanted Evening: Na­ nual Juried Show”; at Scope Gallery, Torpedo tivities from Around the World”; at the Atlanta Factory Art Center, 105 North Union Street. International Museum of Art and Design, Washington, Seattle through March 2 “Vietnam­ Peachtree Center, Marquis Two, 285 Peachtree ese Ceramics: A Separate Tradition”; at Seattle Center Avenue. Asian Art Museum, 1400 East Prospect, Volun­ Kentucky, Louisville January 2—February 2 teer Park. “Dinnerworks”; at Louisville Visual Art Associa­ World Wide Web begins February 1, unlimited tion, River Road. duration ““CerCoN Ceramics Competition Vir­ Massachusetts, Boston through January 5 “Toys tual Exhibition”; at http://www.vicnet.net.au/ and Gadgets”; at the Society of Arts and Crafts, ^claynet/cercon.htm 175 Newbury St. Massachusetts, Northampton February 1-March Ceramics in 30 “Celestial Seasonings: A Loose Interpretation Multimedia Exhibitions II”; at Ferrin Gallery, 179 Main. Michigan, Ferndale through January 11 “Linea- Arizona, Sun City January 3—April 20 “From tion,” 5-person exhibition with ceramic tiles by China”; at Sun Cities Art Museum, 17425 North Jim Melchert. January 18-March 1 “Labor Rela­ 115th Avenue. tions,” 4-person exhibition with ceramic sculp­ Arizona, Tempe through January 12 “In Other ture by Jae Won Lee; at Revolution: A Gallery Words”; at Tempe Arts Center, Mill Avenue and Project, 23257 Woodward Avenue. First Street. Missouri, Kansas City through January 11 “Stop Arizona, Tucson February 4-March 1 “Seventh to Consider,” including ceramics by Virginia Biennial Seven-State Regional Juried exhibition”; Scotchie; at Leedy Voulkos Gallery, 2012 Balti­ at Dinnerware Contemporary Art Gallery, 135 more Avenue. East Congress Street. Missouri, Warrensburg January 27-February 23 Arkansas, Little Rock through January 12 “An­ “Greater Midwest International XII”; at Central nual Collectors Show and Sale”; at the Decorative Missouri State University, Art Center Gallery. Arts Museum, Seventh and Rock. New Jersey, Trenton through January 5 “New California, Davis through January 5 Exhibition Jersey Arts Annual: Crafts”; at the New Jersey with ceramic sculpture by Esther Shimazu; at State Museum, 205 West State Street. John Natsoulas Gallery, 140 F Street. New York, Albany February 7-May 23 “Contem-

80 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 81 Calendar Tennessee, Smithville through January 5 Three- person exhibition with terra-cotta tiles by Kerry Ebersole, and sculpture and pottery by Rick Swafford; at the Appalachian Center for Crafts, porary New York State Crafts”; at the New York 1560 Craft Center Drive. State Museum. Wisconsin, Sheboygan through January 5 “Casts New York, Brooklyn February 21-May 18 “Mis­ of Character: The Factory and Beyond”; at John tress of the House, Mistress of Heaven: Women in Michael Kohler Arts Center, 608 New York Ave. Ancient Egypt”; at the Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway. Fairs, Festivals and Sales New York, Jamestown January 31-March 15 “PhotoNominal ’97,” exhibition of works includ­ California, Indio February 1—2 “ 11 th Annual ing any photographic process; at the Forum Gal­ Southwest Arts Festival”; at the Riverside County lery, Jamestown Community College, 525 Fal­ Fair and National Date Festival grounds. coner Street. Florida, Coconut Grove (Miami) February 15- New York, New Rochelle February 2-March 30 17 “Coconut Grove Arts Festival”; along Bis- “Wit, Whimsy and Humor,” including ceramics cayne Bay. by Justin Novak and Jose Vermeersch; at the Florida, Gainesville February 7-9 “ 11 th Annual Castle Gallery, College of New Rochelle. Hoggetowne Medieval Faire”; at the Alachua New York, New York through January 5 “Con­ County Fairgrounds. temporary Art in Asia: Traditions/Tensions”; at Florida, Palm Beach Gardens February 15-17 the Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue at 70th Street. “ArtiGras”; beside the Gardens of the Palm Beaches through February 28 “The Treasures of the San Mall, along Kew Gardens Avenue and Gardens Diego,” includes over 800 intact pieces of Ming- Parkway. dynasty porcelain plus Southeast Asian stoneware Kentucky, Louisville January 25-26 “Kentucky and earthenware storage jars, all found in a sunken Crafted: The Market”; at the Kentucky Fair and Spanish merchant ship; at the Philippine Center, Exposition Center, West Hall. 556 Fifth Avenue. Massachusetts, Ipswich January 25-February 28 New York, Niagara through February 2 “Mutual “Annual Seconds Sale”; at Ocmulgee Pottery and Affinities: Paintings and Ceramics from the Aaron Gallery, 317 High Street-Route 1A. Milrad Collection”; at the Castellani Art Mu­ seum, Niagara University. Workshops New York, Queens through January 5 “Contem­ porary Art in Asia: Traditions/Tensions”; at the Alabama, Florence January 17-18 “Innovative Queens Museum of Art, New York City Building, Handbuilding” with Lana Wilson. Fee: $30. Lo­ Flushing Meadows Corona Park. cation: University of North Alabama. Contact M. New York, Syracuse through February 7 6^“Recent C. Jerkins, 1809 North Wood Avenue, Florence Acquisitions”; at the Everson Museum of Art, 401 35630; telephone (205) 766-4455,10 A.M.-5:30 Harrison Street. P.M. central time, Tuesday-Saturday. Or e-mail North Carolina, Asheville through January 15 102442,[email protected] or http:// “The Beaded Object”; at the Folk Art Center, O urworld.compuserve.com/homepages// Milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. JJerkinsComputerConsulting/Infusion/ North Carolina, Charlotte through January 5 Arizona, Chandler January 25-26A session with “Animals in African Art: From the Familiar to the Bobby Silverman. Fee: $45; Arizona Clay mem­ Marvelous”; at the Mint Museum of Art, 2730 bers, $40; students, $20. Contact Michelle Lowe, Randolph Road. 25037 West 17th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona January 3—February 28 “Winter Invitational,” with 85027; or telephone (602) 516-2209, e-mail ceramics by Rusty Biles and Diane Hoover; at [email protected] Center of the Earth Gallery, 3204 N. Davidson St. Colorado, Boulder February 7-8“Utilitarian Pots” Ohio, Akron January 25-April 6 “Craft in the with Ron Meyers, throwing and altering pots plus Machine Age 1920-1945”; at the Akron Art surface enrichment. Fee: $50. Contact Caroline Museum, 70 East Market Street. Douglas, 1527 North Street, Boulder 80304; or Ohio, Columbus through April 1997“\ 17th Stu­ telephone (303) 447-0110. dent Exhibition”; at the Columbus College of Art Colorado, Craig February 22 “Miles of Tiles,” and Design, V-Hall, Beaton Hall and Joseph V. tile-making workshop with Matt West. Location: Canzani Center. Colorado Northwestern Community College. January 19—March 2 “Cleveland Institute of Art Telephone Patty Snydow, (970) 824-1118. Craft Faculty”; at the Ohio Craft Museum, 1665 Connecticut, Brookfield February 8—9“Trompe West Fifth Avenue. l’Oeil Ceramics” with Lillian Dodson. March 1— February 7—March 6“Art Nouveau: 1890-1910”; 2 “Ceramic Teapots” with Angela Fina. Contact at Schumacher Gallery, Fourth Floor Library, the Brookfield Craft Center, P. O. Box 122, Rte. Capital University. 25, Brookfield 06804; telephone (203) 775-4526. Oregon, Philomath January 10—February 22Two- Florida, Coral Gables February 6—7 A session person exhibition with ceramic wall pieces by with Chris Gustin. Fee: $30; free to UM students, Leslie Green; at the Benton County Historical discount to other students. Contact Ceramics Museum, 1101 Main Street. Department, University of Miami, 1300 Pennsylvania, Philadelphia February 7-27 “En­ Dickinson Drive, Coral Gables 33124; or tele­ glish Crafts,” with ceramics by Gordon Baldwin, phone (305) 284-5470. Joanna Constantinidis, Morgan Hall, Walter Florida, DeLand February 27—28 Slide presenta­ Keeler, Jennifer Lee, John Maltby, Elspeth Owen tion and demonstration with Michael Lucero on and Takeshi Yasuda; at the Works Gallery, 303 uniting clay and broken statuary. March 27 Slide Cherry Street. lecture and handbuilding workshop with Jack Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh through March 1 “Na­ Earl. For further information, telephone the tive American Traditions/Contemporary Re­ Stetson University Artists and Lecturers Commit­ sponses”; at the Society for Contemporary Crafts, tee, (904) 822-7266. 2100 Smallman Street. Florida, Miami March 7-2 Slide lecture and dem­ Pennsylvania, Wayne through January 10 “Craft onstration with Paula Winokur. Fee: $95; CLM or Forms ’96”; at the Wayne Art Center, 413 Florida Craftsmen members and students, $75. Maplewood Avenue. Contact Mark Issenberg, Ceramic League of Mi-

82 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 83 Calendar North Carolina, Brasstown February 9—15 “Pot­ tery Basics—Handbuilding and the Wheel” with Marcia Bugg. February 21-March 1 “Wood Fir­ ing” with Charlie Lytle. Fee: $370. March 2—8 ami, 8873 Southwest 129 Street, Miami 33176; “Wheel Throwing” with Lee Davis. March 16-22 or telephone (305) 232-0278. “The Art of Raku” with Lynn Jenkins. March 30- Florida, Orlando January 24 “Healthy Potters, April 5 “Folk Pottery Techniques” with Nancy Healthy Pots” with Peter and Jinx Goubeaud. Martindale. Fee (unless noted above): $238. For Fee; $25. January 30-31 A session with Steve further information, contact John C. Campbell Fasen on Japanese pottery techniques using the Folk School, Route 1, Box 14A, Brasstown 28902; electric and kick wheels, plus a slide presentation telephone (800) 365-5724 or (704) 837-2775, or on his apprenticeship with Tatsuzo Shimaoka. fax (704) 837-8637. Fee: $35. February 6-7 Slide presentation and Ohio, Columbus January 9, 16, 23 and 30 “The workshop with Bobby Silverman, throwing, alter­ Potter’s Wheel” with Erik Stump. Limited regis­ ing and carving. Fee: $35. All sessions free to tration. For further information or to register, DPHS and UCF students. For further informa­ contact Kimberly Carey Putnam, Columbus Col­ tion, contact Mike Lalone, Dr. Phillips High lege of Art and Design, (614) 222-3268. School, 6500 Turkey Lake Rd., Orlando 32819; Oregon, Gresham January 17—18 Slide lecture telephone (407) 352-4040, ext. 250, or fax (407) and workshop with Jeff Oestreich. Fee: $35; OPA 352-4040, ext. 701. members, $25; students, $15. Contact Stephen Florida, Sopchoppy January 13—18 “A Spirited Mickey, Mount Hood Community College, Vi­ Approach to Clay” with George Griffin, individu­ sual Arts, 2600 Southeast Stark Street, Gresham alized stoneware, single-fire oxidation, fast-fire 97030; or telephone (503) 667-7149, fax (503) wood, business as an art form of self-expression. 669-6949. Limited to 4 participants. Fee: $350, includes Pennsylvania, Philadelphia February l4-l6Lec- materials, firing and lodging. Contact George ture (February 14) and workshop (February 15- Griffin, 1 Suncat Ridge, Sopchoppy 32358; or 16) with Karen Karnes. March 14-16 Lecture telephone (904) 962-9311. (March 14) and workshop (March 15-16) with Florida, West Palm Beach March 10-14 “No Philip Cornelius. Lecture location: Moore Col­ Compromise with Gravity” with Harvey Sadow. lege of Art and Design. Contact the Clay Studio, Contact Armory Art Center, 1703 South Lake 139 North Second Street, Philadelphia 19106; or Avenue, West Palm Beach 33401; or telephone telephone (215) 925-3453. (888) 276-6791. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh February 7-9 Lecture Georgia, Roswell March 8—9 Slide presentation (February 7) and workshop (February 8—9) with and demonstration with Don Reitz, throwing, Bobby Scroggins. Advanced registration required. altering, joining large forms; making utilitarian For further information, contact the Manchester ware; painting on clay with slips and colorants. Craftsmen’s Guild, 1815 Metropolitan Street, Registration deadline: February 21. Fee: $100. Pittsburgh 15233; or telephone (412) 322-1773. For further information or to register, contact the Tennessee, Gatlinburg March 3—28 One-week Potters Guild, (770) 641-1663. clay workshops with Jim Connell, Jane Dillon, Hawaii, Maui, Makawao January 25-26 “Cre­ Dave Gamble and Steve Howell, and Ellen ativity: An Artist’s Point of View” with Regis Shankin. Contact Arrowmont School of Arts and Brodie, throwing, building and decorating. Fee: Crafts, Post Office Box 567, 556 Parkway, $88. For further information, contact the Hui Gatlinburg 37738; telephone (423) 436-5860 or No’eau Visual Arts Center, 2841 Baldwin Ave­ fax (423) 430-401. nue, Makawao, Hawaii 96768; or telephone (808) Vermont, Middlebury February 14—16 “Form 572-6560, fax (808) 572-2750. and Surface” with Bruce Winn. Fee: $195. Con­ Massachusetts, Worcester January 25 “Inlaid tact Vermont State Craft Center, Frog Hollow, 1 Glaze Techniques” with Richard Haynes. March Mill Street, Middlebury 05753; or telephone (802) 1—2and j?“Forming and Firing for the Soda Kiln” 388-3177. with Mark Shapiro. Contact the Worcester Cen­ Wyoming, Cheyenne March 3 Lecture with Brad ter for Crafts, 25 Sagamore Road, Worcester Miller. March 5 Lecture/workshop with Lola 01605; or telephone (508) 753-8183, fax (508) Logsdon. March 12 Lecture!workshop with Leah 797-5626, e-mail [email protected] Hardy. March 7 7 Lecture/workshop with Adrian Nevada, Las Vegas March 29-31 Demonstration Arleo. Free. Contact the Fine Arts Gallery, Laramie of making functional/nonfunctional porcelain County Community College, 1400 E. College work, plus loading, firing and unloading kiln, Dr., Cheyenne 82007; telephone (307) 778-LCCC. with Tom Coleman and Paul Geil. Fee: $160. Contact Coleman Clay Studio and Gallery, 6230 International Events Greyhound Lane, Las Vegas 89122; or telephone Tom or Elaine Coleman (702) 451-1981. Australia, Buccarumbi January 5-25 “Organic New Mexico, Santa Fe February 15— /^Demon­ Building Systems for Sculptural Expression” (fo­ stration with Ron Meyers. Registration deadline: cusing on handbuilding and individual expres­ February 1. For further information, contact Santa sion) with Malina Monks and Sandra Taylor Fe Clay, 1615 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe 87501; (January 5—11) and Rod Bamford and Sandra or telephone (505) 984-1122. Taylor (January 19-25). Fee: Aus$855 (approxi­ New Mexico, Taos January 25—26 “Modern mately US$655) per workshop, includes materi­ Mosaic” with Aliah Sage. Contact Judith Krull, als, lodging, meals. For further information, con­ Taos Institute of Arts, 5280 NDCBU, Taos tact Sandra Taylor, Blackadder, Buccarumbi via 87571; or telephone (800) 822-7183, e-mail Grafton 2460, NSW, Australia; or telephone/fax [email protected] or http://www. taosnet.com/TLA/ 66 49 41 34. New York, New York January 27-31 “Teapots! Canada, Nova Scotia, Halifax through January 19 Teapots! Teapots!” with Malcolm Davis. For fur­ “Potters of the Past”; at the Art Gallery of Nova ther information, contact 92nd Street Y, School Scotia, 1741 Hollis at Cheapside. of the Arts, 1395 Lexington Ave., New York Canada, Ontario, Toronto February 4—August 3 10128; or e-mail http://www.92ndsty.org “Containers of Beauty: Eighteenth Century Flower March 8 Master workshop with Syd Carpenter. Vessels”; at the George R. Gardiner Museum of For further information, contact YWCA Craft Ceramic Art Shop, 100 Queen’s Park. Students League, (212) 735-9731. Canada, Quebec, Montreal through January 26

84 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 85 Calendar at the Crafts Council Gallery Shop, 44a Penton- Terres,” exhibition of works by 33 European ville Road. ceramists; at Maison de la Ceramique, 25, rue January 8-February 13 “Gallery Pots”; at Galerie Josue Hofer. Besson, 15 Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond Street. Germany, Diisseldorf through January 5 Ceram­ “Terre en Transit,” national biennial of ceramics; January 22-February 14 “Gifts for Valentines,” ics by Emidio Galassi; at Hetjens-Museum, at Maison de la Culture Frontenac. with ceramics by Victoria Bryan and Daphne Schulstrasse 4. England, Chichester January 10-12 “Pottery— Carnegy; at the Crafts Council Shop at the Victoria Germany, Frechen through February 9“Movement: Throwing and Turning” with Alison Sandeman. and Albert Museum, South Kensington. European Ceramics ’96”; at Museum flir Zeit- February 16-21 “General Pottery—Handbuild- England, Oxford January 6-February 5 “White genossische Keramische Kunst, Bonnstrasse 12. ing and Throwing” with Alison Sandeman. March on White,” exhibition including ceramics by Karen Italy, Faenza through January 30 “Naturalistic 9—13 “Sculptural Ceramics” with Tessa Fuchs. Downing, Margaret O’Rourke, Helen Smythe, Floral Decoration in European Pottery in the March 30-April4“ General Pottery—Handbuild- Hilary Roberts and Julie Wood. February 10- 18th Century,” plus terra cottas; at Museo Inter- ing and Throwing” with Alison Sandeman. Con­ March 12 “Political Pots,” exhibition including nazionale delle Ceramiche, Via Baccarini, 19. tact the College Office, West Dean College, West ceramics by Steve Dixon, Martin Moore and Jamaica, Falmouth January 16—23 Wood-fire Dean, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 OQZ; or Grayson Perry; at Oxford Gallery, 23 High Street. workshop with Byron Temple. Fee: $1750, in­ telephone (24) 381-1301, fax (24) 381-1343. France, Dunkerque through February 15 Exhibi­ cludes materials, lodging and meals; or $950, England, London through February 16 “Objects tion of ceramic sculpture by Jacques Kaufmann; includes materials, campsite with showers and of Our Time,” exhibition of ceramics, glass, furni­ at Musee d’Art Contemporain de Dunkerque. meals. Location: Good Hope Pottery. Contact ture, metal, textiles, book arts, jewelry and wood; France, Mulhouse through February 15“Offrirles Frank and Polly Ann Martin, 92nd Street Y, School of the Arts, 1395 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10128; or telephone (212) 415-5565, fax (212) 415-5575, e-mail http:// www.92ndsty.org Mexico, Baja February 17-21 “Raku—Finishing and Firing” with Steven Forbes de-Soule. Febru­ ary 24-28 “Slab and Decorative Tiles” with Bar­ bara Campbell-Moffitt. Fee per session: US$225. Lodging is available. Contact Pots and Paints, 10451 Allbay Road, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada; or telephone (604) 656-0745. Mexico, Oaxaca March 6-14“From the Zapotec Tradition and Beyond” with Bob Green. Contact Horizons, 108-P North Main Street, Sunderland, Massachusetts 01375; or telephone (413) 665- 0300, fax (413) 665-4141. Mexico, San Miguel de Allende February 22- March 8Two-week workshops on ceramic jewelry and tiles with instructors from the University of Minnesota, Duluth. Contact University College, University of Minnesota, Duluth, 410 Darland Administration Building, 10 University Drive, Duluth, Minnesota 55812-2496; or telephone (218) 726-6536, fax (218) 726-6336. Mexico, Todos Santos (lower Baja California) March 17-21 “Vessel with an Artifact Approach.” March 24-28 “A«R*T: Attitudes in Raku Tech­ nology.” Instructor: Patrick Crabb. Contact Hands-On Workshops, Post Office Box 512, Bosque, New Mexico 87006; or telephone Ginny Hoyt (505) 861-3137. Netherlands, Arnhem through January 5 Ceram­ ics by Ri-Jeanne Cuppens; at the . Netherlands, Deventer through mid January Ex­ hibition of ceramics by Helly Oestreicher; at the Bergkerk. Netherlands, through mid January Exhibition of ceramics by Martin Smith; at Mu­ seum Boymans-van Beuningen. Spain, Agost May 29-June 13 or 29 “Soda Vapor Castable Kilnbuilding Workshop” with Marcia Selsor. Deadline: January 15. Contact David Renfrow at ARTIS (314) 886-9688 or Marcia Selsor (406) 259-7244. Spain, Leon January 11-March 31 “Salt and Soda,” exhibition of ceramics by Jose Antonio Sarmiento; at Galeria Azul, San Cibrian de Ardon. Switzerland, Geneva through January 13 “Impe­ rial Easter,” porcelain eggs from the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, through February 15 Exhibition of ceramics by Setsuko Nagasawa; at Ariana, Swiss Museum of Ceramics and Glass, 10, avenue de la Paix. Taiwan, Taichung January 20-23 “International Ceramics Workshop ’97” will include lectures/ workshops with Liou Chen-Chou, Patrick Crabb, Michio Sugiyama and Winnie Yang. Contact Tony Yeh, Post Office Box 47-74, Taipei, Tai­ wan; or fax (886) 2-9889078.

86 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 87 Questions Answered by the CM Technical Staff

Q Some years ago a recipe for stovetop clay was printed in CM. I tested it once and found it to be very good; however, a friend mixed a batch and lost the recipe. Can you help?—O.M. First, you have not indicated what cone you want to fire to. Second, I should point out that there is a difference between ovenware and stovetop or flameproof ware. Ovenware must be able to take more or less even heating. Stovetop ware must be able to take fast and direct high heat. This means the body must have low expansion and/or be open enough to accommodate whatever ex­ pansion the clay must go through. Form has a role in transferring this movement, due to the uneven expansion and contraction, over the whole vessel in a way that will maximize the survival of the ware. Rounded shapes do this much better than those with flat bottoms. The kind of clays potters use must be consid­ ered as having low heat conductivity. This works against flameware bodies because the heat does not move quickly throughout the clay. Cracking is the result—sooner or later—of extremes in local expansion within the pot. There are two approaches to this technically difficult undertaking. The first, and perhaps least difficult, is a low-fire, open clay body. The second is a high fire (Cone 11) lithium-based body with petalite as the material of choice. , in his book Pioneer Pottery, describes both ap­ proaches; this would be a good place to start to understand the considerable problems you will face in making (and marketing) flameware. High-fire bodies are more difficult in that the vitrified nature makes them more susceptible to cracking. If they are not vitrified, cristobalite will form, and that will induce cracking—a situation that is unacceptable in ovenware or flameware. Low-fire flameware bodies should include lots of aggregate, but some grogs are made from crushed, previously used insulating firebrick; these will probably have varied amounts of cristobalite in them—avoid these. Sand is sometimes used in the low-fire bodies, but this can be problematic. In some cases temperatures will exceed 573°C (1063°F) and any free quartz will go through its inversion, contributing to the overall problem of cracking. Amorphous silica sand (a noncrystalline form) would be the material of choice instead. The next part of the problem is whether to glaze or not. If you decide to glaze, you must find a glaze that fits the body—not so easy for studio potters because our materials are variable. If the glaze crazes, it weakens the ware because when the glaze cracks it also cracks the clay a little. The potential for disaster is considerable, which is why suppliers do not sell this kind of body. It is also why studio potters should think twice about producing flameware without having some con­ trol over raw materials, well-regulated firing, and testing of each individual piece produced. I do wish you luck if you decide to proceed. On second thought, luck has little to do with it—research and testing will serve you much better. Oh! Be sure to

88 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 89 Questions

purchase some product-liability insurance. There are stories of potters “losing it all” after selling flameware made in a casual way. Ron Roy Studio Potter/Consultant Toronto, Ontario

Q Can you refer me to articles in CM on sandblast- ing for pot decoration or texturing? Techniques? Aesthetics? Safety?—H.H. Sandblasting offers a wonderful opportunity for postfiring decoration. The technique can also be used to remove unwanted material that has fallen onto the work and melted into the glaze. Be aware, though, that any sandblasting will release very fine silica and silica-bearing materials into the air. If you breathe this dust, you are subjecting yourself to the very real danger of silicosis. Sand­ blasting can also abrade jewelry and other objects that are hit either directly or indirectly by sand. Work with a suitable booth that removes all dust from your environment and wear protective clothing. It is also advisable to direct fresh air toward yourself while you are sandblasting. A sandblasting booth may be built from a variety of materials. I wrote an article entitled “The Arkansas Sandblaster” for the March 1983 issue of CM. This provides some basic informa­ tion about sandblasting as well—again, I must caution you about the danger of the dust. The used sand may be recycled, but do not dry sift it. Instead, mix it with plenty of water and pour/wash the mixture through an appropriately sized screen. Masking is the key to sandblasting success. You must cover any surface you wish to remain unaffected. The sand will find the smallest open­ ing and cut into hard glaze. Areas that will not be impacted directly by the sand can be covered with three or four layers of newspaper. Areas that are to be directly blasted must be covered with a tape or rubber mask. If you are blasting patterns on complex surfaces, three or four layers of masking tape will be sufficient for light cutting. You can also purchase commercial masking (a rubbery, adhesive-backed material) from stained-glass sup­ pliers; patterns can be cut out with an X-acto knife. If you are interested in repeating a pattern on several pieces, you can cut a mask from rubber sheeting or automobile inner tubes, then glue it to the surface with rubber cement or contact cement. I used a variety of coloring processes to en­ hance the sandblasted area, including soaking the object in an India ink/water solution to achieve a color similar to carbon on raku ware. Sandblasted surfaces can also be colored with watercolors or dust from crushed pastels. W. Lowell Baker University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Subscribers’ questions are welcome and those of general interest will be answered in this column. Due to the volume received, letters may not be answered personally. Address the Technical Staff, Ceramics Monthly, Post Office Box 6102, Westerville, Ohio 43086-6102; fax (614) 891- 8960 or [email protected]

90 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 91 92 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 93 Comment

who Am Us, Anyway? by Jonathan Kaplan

As a participant on a panel discussion at than intellectual, I would like to com­ the National Council on Education for ment on who we are as potters, artists, the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) conference craftspeople, and what we could aspire to in Rochester, New York, I was asked to if we choose to reject the dogma and explore how clay artists could interface diatribe of defining ourselves by what we with industry. Some of the issues stem­ use to produce our wares. ming from this uneasy juxtaposition pro­ We can choose to define ourselves in voked me to ask several questions, some many ways. What we do is as varied and about the state of our art and the condi­ diverse as those who make up our clay tion of our craft. The question that sur­ community. A potter can be many things, faced was not “What should we be as including an artist, a maker, a designer, a potters?” but “What can we be?” businessperson, a technician, a teacher. For many years, I have been fascinated Many of us have skills in other areas— by the various ways clay can be formed. plumbing, masonry, woodworking, elec­ Each forming method uses the same ma­ trical wiring, etc. We are a varied and terial, yet the pottery produced conforms diverse group of individuals. to wide parameters indicative of how it We could also selectively choose to be was shaped. Over the years, I have be­ potters for whom the process of making come interested in integrating those val­ work is paramount, or be potters for ues inherent in studio pottery with work whom the idea or concept is most impor­ that is produced by processes long associ­ tant, or some combination of these. But ated with industry—casting, hydraulic despite what we make and the methods pressing and jiggering. we use to create our wares, we are all Years of participating in wholesale and motivated by working with clay. For me, retail marketing provided me with ample any work in clay that depends solely on information. What was becoming quite one single motivation could lead to work obvious to me was a malaise in our ce­ that is vacuous, bland and devoid of con­ ramics community. Certain factions were tent. Further, work made by any forming breaking rank and taking title defined by method that is devoid of design content their ways of working. For instance, small becomes caricatured and hollow. flags with pictures of dinosaurs were show­ Whether we throw, handbuild, press, ing up in many booths at craft shows. cast or jigger, designing and making work These artists used traditional forming not only involves skill and technique, but methods—throwing or handbuilding— also listening to and learning from our and were proclaiming themselves the customers and, most importantly, listen­ “Luddites” of our craft. ing to and learning from our own hearts. Then there were those potters, the Designing for any scale of produc­ “anarchists,” who had reinvented ceramic tion, whether it be by traditional meth­ technology by adapting methods from ods or by use of what euphemistically has our industrial counterparts—jiggering, been called “appropriate technology,” re­ hydraulic pressing and the much ma­ quires an understanding of a design pro­ ligned slip casting. Recently, another cess. This process brings us together as group, the Small Studio Alliance, formed, makers. Our goals are common. Design­ defining its members perhaps a bit more ing on the wheel directly with wet clay, broadly than the ceramic Dinosaurs. turning plaster to make a model, or draw­ Points of view from all sides have been ing a section for jigger tooling—all re­ expressed verbally and in print. In some quire learning and using design concepts, cases, a healthy dialogue ensued. In oth­ be they intuitive or objective. All require ers, there was frustration, discontent and serious inquiry. anger with the direction taken by ceram­ I produce work in varied volumes for ics, its practitioners and the marketplace. other potters, artists and companies. I While I believe that the fundamental function as a designer, technician and root of this schism is economic rather manufacturer. The scope of this past year s

94 CERAMICS MONTHLY January 1997 95 Comment ramics is what all of us do as potters. The does not mean becoming an automaton. means to accomplish this is irrelevant. It does not make us any less worthy of I have heard echoes reverberating in the title of artist, potter, craftsperson, de­ projects has been quite varied. But what the hallowed halls of the clay world with signer. What this does do is allow us to links them all together into a cohesive catchall phrases like “use or abuse of ap­ throw away the blinders, avoid the myo­ group is that despite their differences, I propriate technology.” Perhaps the most pia, the diatribe and dogma of what we am still working with clay. The marks of abused piece of technology is the potter s should be as potters. my hand, the need for touch and feel, all wheel, not the hydraulic press or jigger If we free ourselves of the constraints are evident in my work. machine. Is there really something more that hold us back, we may be able to The means to produce their products noble in making a slab with a rolling pin embrace and exploit the information from require that I listen and learn from each instead of pushing it through a slab roller? our industrial counterparts to become of my clients, so that I can better potters, better artists, successfully bring together craftspeople and designers. the intent of the project, Embracing technology does not mean becoming an As creative individuals, we their expectations, with the automaton.... What this does do is allow us to throw away find our own paths, our own final piece. I use whatever ways of working, that allow skills and expertise necessary the blinders, avoid the myopia, the diatribe and dogma us to use fully our special to produce ware, produce of what we should be as potters. gifts. Any information that pots, make ceramic gifts, can add to our collective whatever the current ver­ knowledge and understand­ nacular is. Projects must be within a bud­ If we ascribe toward a more noble way of ing of our work and push it further seems get and have timely delivery. However, working, then let us all return to using to be a very noble pursuit, indeed. with such constraints, it does not mean the pit fire, the wood kiln and traditional We need not stoop to name calling or that the work suffers from lack of design. methods of forming. Perhaps we should finger pointing. If we allow ourselves to My criterion is that the work must be eliminate the electric wheel and return to descend to this level, we lose sight of aesthetically pleasing, impeccably de­ the treadle-style potters wheel. There are what we started out to do in the first signed and made with whatever method segments within the clay community that place, and that is to make the best pots of production necessary. It must com­ embrace this way of working, as well as we can. We need to open our eyes so we pletely satisfy my clients expectations. myriad others. What they are are ways of can answer the question, “What can we While on one hand, this may be only working with clay—no better, no worse; be as potters?” perceived as a numbers game, it is an each valid, each important. intellectually probing and seriously de­ I throw pots, slip cast, jigger/jolley The author Jonathan Kaplan maintains manding inquiry. Product design in ce­ and press them. Embracing technology a studio in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Index to Advertisers

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96 CERAMICS MONTHLY