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Ceramics Monthly (ISSN 0009-0328) is pub­ lished monthly except July and August by Profes­ sional Publications, Inc., 1609 Northwest Blvd., Columbus, Ohio 43212. Second Class postage paid at Columbus, Ohio. Subscription Rates: One year $22, two years $40, three years $55. Add $10 per year for subscriptions outside the U.S.A. Change of Address: Please give us four weeks advance notice. Send the magazine address label as well as your new address to:Ceramics Monthly, Circulation Offices, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Contributors: Manuscripts, photographs, color separations, color transparencies (including 35mm slides), graphic illustrations, announce­ ments and news releases about ceramics are wel­ come and will be considered for publication. Mail submissions toCeramics Monthly, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. We also accept unillustrated materials faxed to (614) 488-4561. Writing and Photographic Guidelines: A book­ let describing standards and procedures for sub­ mitting materials is available upon request. Indexing: An index of each year’s articles appears in the December issue. Additionally,Ceramics Monthly articles are indexed in the Art Index. Printed, on-line and CD-ROM (computer) in­ dexing is available through Wilsonline, 950 University Ave., Bronx, New York 10452; and from Information Access Co., 362 Lakeside Dr., Forest City, California 94404. These services are available through your local library. A 20-year subject index (1953-1972), coveringCeramics Monthly feature articles, and the Suggestions and Questions columns, is available for $1.50, post­ paid, from the Ceramics Monthly Book Depart­ ment, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Copies and Reprints: Microfiche, 16mm and 35mm microfilm copies, and xerographic re­ prints are available to subscribers from Univer­ sity Microfilms, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106. Back Issues: When available, back issues are $4 each, postpaid. Write for a list. Postmaster: Please send address changes to Ce­ ramics Monthly, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Form 3579 requested. Copyright © 1992 Professional Publications , Inc. All rights reserved

2 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 3 4 CERAMICS MONTHLY V olume 40, Number 10 • December 1992 Feature Articles Mosaics: Solid Images by Timothy Gallucci ...... 31 Roberta Laidman by Anne Telford...... 33 Zero Shrinkage Clay and Other Sculpture Bodies by Jerry Rothman...... 37 The Art of Yixing by Terese Tse Bartholomew...... 38 Part 2 The Clay War by Barry Targan ...... 46 with A Conversation with Barry Targan by Ronald Larsen...... 48 J. Sheldon Carey by Tracey Cady ...... 50 Mosaics: Solid Images “Painting” with tile Pennsylvania Burning by James Chaney ...... 52 allows Pennsylvania artistTimothy Gallucci to combine essential elements of two great Portfolio: traditions: pottery and abstract art; page 31. Surface Thoughtsby John Chalke...... 53 Shake that Sales Slump by Ernest W. Fair...... 81 Surface Thoughts From his first encounter with the triple-beam balance scale, Alberta potter John Chalke has been fascinated by elusive, intellectually challenging glazes; see Up Front the portfolio starting on page 53. Janice Strawder...... 12 The Art of Yixing Handbuilt teapots from China are famous worldwide for their inge­ Free Summer Workshops Listing...... 12 nious shapes; turn to page 38 to learn their Iroquois Clay Artists by Joyce Jackson ...... 12 history and see how two are constructed. New Forms for the Kitchen...... 14 Jack Moulthrop...... 16 Jane Grimm by Judith Joyce ...... 16 Revolving Techniques...... 18 Jerry Brown...... 18 JackTroy by Richard Zakin ...... 20 Mary Beth Conrad...... 20 Keith Bryant...... 22 Robert Arneson, 1930-1992...... 22

Departments Letters ...... 8 Ceramics in Multimedia Exhibitions...... 72 Video ...... 26 Fairs, Festivals and Sales ...... 75 Zero Shrinkage Clay and Other Sculpture Workshops ...... 75 Bodies Jerry Rothman (cover artist last Call for Entries International Events ...... 76 National Exhibitions ...... 62 month) discloses several special clay bodies, Suggestions ...... 79 the most famous of which is a nonshrinking Regional Exhibitions ...... 62 clay that can be fired over steel; page 37. Fairs, Festivals and Sales ...... 64 Classified Advertising ...... 82 Questions ...... 66 Ceramics Monthly Annual Index ...... 84 The cover California artist Roberta Laid- Calendar man. Making anthropomorphic sculptures Conferences ...... 70 Comment: of dogs that are neither too abstract nor cute International Conferences ...... 70 I Like Onions with My Potatoes is difficult; see how this artist faces the Solo Exhibitions ...... 70 by Dick Lehman ...... 86 challenge, beginning on page 33. Group Ceramics Exhibitions ...... 70 Index to Advertisers ...... 88

December 1992 5

Letters true proprietorship in any endeavors other fore, the discussion of handmade versus than homemaking, bearing children and jiggering, casting, pressing is irrelevant. If we caring for others in the traditionally female are talking only about profits and loss and occupations. other economic criteria, I suppose this argu­ In the Hands of Women Maureen Wallace, Lafayette, Calif. ment is valid. Hats off to Kevin Hluch for pointing out I have been making functional, wheel- the important role women have played in the Crowe Article Applauded thrown pots for more than 20 years. It is a field of ceramic art (“Women’s Visions,” I must congratulate CM on the fine foregone conclusion that the work has to September 1992 CM). I especially appreci­ article by Kevin Crowe. I could visualize have aesthetic value. Beyond that, however, it ated his chronicling the influence of modern everything, even the tea and pancakes. is making the pot that is by far most impor­ women and naming many of these important Thanks for such a homey, entertaining but tant. Breaking it down, the “how” outweighs artists. However, according to Robert Brif- educational piece of work. I hope the maga­ the “what.” fault, women have historically played an even zine publishes many more, because it has The craft movement that grew in the ’60s more crucial role in this field than Hluch really lacked zip lately. and continues today was powered by a no­ cites. Briffault’s incredible three-volume Suzanne Hudson, Northglenn, Colo. tion that we could make the objects with work, The Mothers, published in 1927, is an which we surround ourselves. These objects in-depth investigation into early develop­ The October 1992 article by Kevin did not have to be manufactured either here ments in human society and the roles of Crowe was absolutely superb. I was in­ or abroad. The revelation “I made this with women cross-culturally. All of the facts that formed, enlightened and emotionally moved my own hands” gave us an independence and he cites are carefully footnoted; on many by Crowe’s words. Nothing I’ve recently read the spirit to feel that we could go our own pages the footnotes are more extensive than about American ceramics, with the exception ways into an alternate lifestyle. the text itself. of Ceramics Monthly s December 1991 pre­ And then, another incredible thing hap­ Of most particular interest to me—a sentation on Harding Black, has so stirred pened. People who didn’t make crafts found fledgling ceramic artist, as well as a psycho­ my feelings and thoughts about the connec­ they, too, wanted something in their lives therapist with a special interest in women’s tion between work, clay and the difficult that gave special meaning to otherwise daily issues—is the section in which he extensively struggle to be true to yourself. routine. So they started buying handmade details his findings regarding the role of Kevin Crowe obviously has learned that crafts and gave this alternative lifestyle an women in pottery making. Briffault says: life is the process and not a goal defined in economic base. Not a hugely lucrative one, “The art of pottery is a feminine invention; economic terms. Crowe is a man at peace mind you, but one that allowed us to create the original potter was a woman.” Quoting a with himself. A wonderful place to be! and produce our work by ourselves. German source, he adds, “Among all primi­ Thomas Tumquist, Englewood, Colo. Early studio work was crude. But the tive peoples, the ceramic art is found in the public didn’t buy for end product, they hands of women, and only under the influ­ Wish List bought for the intrinsic value that a hand­ ence of advanced culture does it become a After 32 years of nonprofessional work made object possesses. No matter what aes­ man’s occupation.” with clay, I’m still learning and getting ex­ thetic value an object possesses, its intrinsic He goes on to cite dozens of examples cited over the challenge it presents. I started value is separate and unique. from all parts of the world. Not only was out in parks and recreation classes and am Craftspeople have argued the question of pottery making almost exclusively in the currently in a junior college program. The production technique for years. However, hands of women, in some cases it was taboo variety of people I’ve worked with, and the this ongoing discussion is one that the buying for men to involve themselves in such work. different skills and interests of many teachers public is largely unaware of. Some potters are For example, “In East Africa, among the have all become part of my work. reluctant to relate the fact that “this pot was Nandi, no man may go near the hut where I don’t get around as much as I used to, indeed pressed” and that “no, I didn’t actu­ women are engaged in making pottery, or so CM lets me see what’s new out there. But ally do it myself.” When people go to a crafts watch a potter at work. If a man should take I wish the magazine would: show or gallery, they think they are seeing a woman’s pot and place it on the fire, he 1. Cover juried pottery shows in each something special, something that someone would be sure to die.” issue—pictures with prices, please. spent time and care to produce. They are He also says, “In the higher phases of 2. Do a spread on work done at N.I.A.D. buying into that craftsperson’s alternate culture, art has, like most other industries, (National Institute for Arts and Disabilities). lifestyle. This is the intrigue that crafts has for been taken over by the men; but relics of the Readers would be surprised at the quality of its public. But if they knew how some pieces original division of labor are often found the work at this fantastic place. really are made, most of these people would surviving in the midst of advanced cultural 3. Show what comes out of a single class. feel misled, cheated. Some would still buy, conditions.” The fact that the work is nonprofessional but those who are motivated to share that Thus, we must conclude that women does not lessen its value. Beginners often intrinsic value would turn away. For the have not only “played a crucial role in the create “masterpieces” because they don’t business end of this argument, how an object complex web of influences and contributionsknow that what they’re doing is impossible, is made becomes terribly important. that characterizes ceramic artistic expression,” and how they’re doing it is all wrong. I jiggered dinnerware from 1977 to 1988. but that they are responsible for its very 4. Do an article on clay jewelry. Most of Jiggering for me was an answer to an injury. existence. I feel it is important to make this what I know is the result of experimenting. For the first two years, I employed workers to point, although the distinction may be fine, What are other people in this field doing? jigger so that I could make the rest of my because women today have very little sense ofWhat are their methods and their results? pots, and jiggering only comprised a small Kaye Barnett, Oakland, Calif. part of my production. However, employees Share your thoughts with other readers. All letters required me to be more boss than potter, so I must be signed, but names will be withheld on “How” Outweighs “What” chose to jigger [ware] myself. That way I had request. Mail to The Editor, Ceramics Monthly, I just read a letter inCeramics Monthly much better control over quality as well as Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212; or fax to [JunelJulylAugust 1992] stating that all thatmy lifestyle. I soon found that jiggering (614) 488-4561. is important is the finished product. There­ bored the hell out of me. I love to throw, so I

8 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 9 Letters worth, a typical American answer usually was something like “I sell these for $75; those over there (because they’re bigger) are $95; decided that if I were going to make dinner- and the ones on the end don’t go for any­ ware, it would be done on the wheel. thing less than $120.” Asked the same ques­ Having experienced the small factory side tion, I once heard the previously mentioned and the individual studio side, I have becomeguy from Taiwan say, “It’s not for money. I acutely aware of both the intimacy of the pot make them to enjoy. Do you like this one? and the satisfaction that wheel-thrown work Please take it; I can make another. Thank affords me. That comes only from making— you, and please have some tea!” He always not from the end product. We strive to had a hot potful of the fragrant liquid on achieve quality in the end product, but for hand whenever he was sculpting. Making the potter who goes to the studio every day, exquisite little teapots is what this artist often “how” becomes the allure. did while thinking about ideas for his large Bob Crystal, Oviedo, Fla. and purely sculptural forms—none of which, by the way, ever had a spout, lid or handle No More Verbal Props attached to it. Some artists seem to think that lofty Of course, I understand everybody has to definition and discussion of their work will earn a living. It’s obvious, too, that one might add to its aesthetic value and critical worth. well say it was because this guy-from- Sorry, it doesn’t work that way. A work must Taiwan’s teapots were secondary to his sculp­ be able to stand on its own. Many times the ture that he was able to give some of his stuff work I see in CM doesn’t; sometimes it does. away instead of selling it (though he did, I Haddie Hadacher, Brainerd, Minn. also know, sell a teapot or two when things were tight). Moreover, giving is much easier Compromising Designs Panned to do if you don’t have little ones at home I hate to see totally nonfunctional “func­ with hungry tummies. tional ware.” Design should not compromise The reason for mentioning these two functionality. (Western and Eastern) ways of both creating Ann Auspach, Pinedale, Wyo. teapots and “sharing” them with the public is merely to illustrate what I believe to be a Taking Aim at Nonfunctional Teapots fundamental difference in philosophy con­ While flipping through the September cerning the essence of tea, drinking of tea and issue earlier this morning, I found myself making of tea wares. In short, it seems that humming that old nursery rhyme. You many Western clayworkers have taken what, know, the one that begins with “I’m a little for thousands of years, has been a humble, teapot, short and stout, here is my handle, comfortably utilitarian and traditionally here is my spout.” It’s because that teapot simple form and transformed it into a whole song came to mind that I feel compelled to assortment of bizarre shapes and sizes that take the time to put my thoughts and opin­ really have nothing whatsoever to do with ions down on paper. tea. Take some of the forms in the September In her piece, “Collecting Teapots,” Leslie CM portfolio (the neon spouting ones with Ferrin asks, “Why teapots?” A simple, Lucky Charm designs) or some of the others straightforward question. Continuing on shown in Leslie Ferrin’s piece (all of which with the rest of the article, I kept thinking are quite wonderfully crafted)—what do about Ms. Ferrin’s inquiry. The question, it these works have to do with tea? Even ornate, seems to me, is worthy of careful consider­ decorative Yixing teapots are of a size and ation, especially for “artists” who make tea­ shape that encourage holding and pouring. pots; or, as the case may be, make something To try to use some of the “teapots” in the that resembles them, though perhaps in September issue would result in nothing but somewhat of an altered, twisted, stretched- frustration—not to mention electrocution. out, or even crippled sort of way. Indeed, Of course the builders of those works would why is there this seemingly never-ending defend their products by saying the teapots obsession to create forms that move further they make are purely visual statements and and further from the nature and essence of are not intended to be functional. tea and tea drinking, not closer to it? Consider some of Richard Notkin’s I knew potters in graduate school who forms: He has indicated, from what I have would spend days on end constructing elabo­read, that pieces like his human-heart teapot rate, grandiose forms they called teapots, or the one with a dog, a fire hydrant, and which didn’t even come close to approaching other sorts of pipes and plumbing, are full the easy-to-use, elegant simplicity and truly commentary and satire. Okay, so what if they impeccable craftsmanship of the small, un­ are? I still can’t understand why teapots (for glazed and unadorned teapots the guy from lack of a better word to describe them) are Taiwan in the studio space next to mine being used to stage the expression of such would produce in a couple of hours. If askedwit, sarcasm or irony. To be served tea from by a curious observer what their teapots were Please turn to page 69

10 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 11 and photos to Summer Workshops, Ceramics Monthly, Box Up Front 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Announcements may also be faxed to (614) 488-4561. Iroquois Clay Artists by Joyce Jackson Janice Strawder In the town of Howes Cave, New York, a new structure for the Majolica-decorated pots by artist-in-residence Janice Strawder Iroquois Indian Museum, a modern version of an old Iroquois were on view recently at the Florida Gulf Coast Art Center in longhouse, has opened to the public. At the same time, in Belleair. Many of Strawder s ideas come from nature, particularly keeping with its mission to “present the continuing creative from vegetation. “In my work,” she said, “I strive to interpret spirit of the Iroquois Confederacy through public presentation the logic I observe in nature, to express rhythms and patterns of their contemporary art,” the museum offered two Iroquois clay artists—Tammi Tarbell and Mike Jones—positions as museum interns for the year. Their pottery and sculpture are on display there, as are works by several other contemporary Iroquois artists and craftspeople, including Jones’ father, the Seneca-Onondaga potter Peter Jones. Over the past several years, Peter has participated in a variety of exhibitions across the United States and Canada. In 1990, his retro­ spective exhibition at the Iroquois Indian Museum included work from the previous 25 years of his career. He is also the recipient of the museums award for excellence in Iroquois Arts. I visited the museum on one of the days that Peter, along with interns Tammi and Mike, demon­ strated and discussed his ceramics with visitors. Currently, Peter is concentrating on wheel-thrown Janice Strawder’s “Three-Piece Serving Set,” to 20 inches in length, with majolica and handbuilt sculpture of humans, decoration; at Florida Gulf Coast Art Center, Belleair. animals and spiritual figures portraying aspects of the Iroquois through surface decoration as well as form, and to include experience. Ranging in height from about 7 to 22 inches, these surprises as nature provides for those who look closely.” stoneware figures show greatest detail in their hands and faces, In conjunction with the exhibition, Strawder presented a which, to Peter, are expressions of the human soul. Museum two-day majolica workshop at the center. director Christina Johannsen writes of Peters skill: “The faces of his individuals show pride, sadness, resignation and a determina­ Free Summer Workshops Listing tion to preserve and to maintain the Iroquois world.” Continued The 1993 “Summer Workshops” listing will appear in the April issue of Ceramics Monthly Potteries, craft schools, colleges/ universities or other art/craft institutions are invited to submit information about summer programs in ceramics by February 10, 1993. (Regularly scheduled classes are excluded.) Please include the workshop name and/or a synopsis of what will be covered, location, opening and closing dates, level of instruction, instructors name, languages spoken, availability of camping or live-in accommodations, fee(s), an address, plus a telephone number that potential participants may call for details. Cap­ tioned photos from last year s workshops are welcome and will be considered for publication in the listing. Mail information

You are invited to send news and photos about people , places or events of interest. We will be pleased to consider them for publication in this column. Mail submissions to Up Front, Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Peter Jones dem0nstrating at the Iroquois Indian Museum, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Howes Cave, New York.

12 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 13 Up Front about a foot in height. Many of her works employ female figures to make statements about current issues, including the ongoing problems of life on the reservations; others celebrate the roles of Iroquois women. Tammi talked about her “pride and sadness about being Native,” having first-hand experience with non-Natives who treat Native Americans as their inferiors. Through her dolls, she hopes to influence people to view women as spiritual beings, not simply as sex objects. Of Mohawk lineage, Tammi feels connected to ancestors in the way the work is affected by the seasons. “Spring to fall is the time to gather; winter is the time for creation,” she said. It is

Mike Jones with a newly pit-fired pot. Peter credits a Hopi pottery instructor at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe—which he began attending at the age of 14—for instilling in him his love for clay. (We chatted about some very special clay found and given to him by Iroquois construction workers who were excavating a building site; it was so pure, it didn’t need the laborious screening, sieving and pulverizing usually required for his freshly dug clay.) After leaving the institute, Peter went to Bacone College in Oklahoma, then to the Archie Bray Foundation in Montana. His son Mike arrived at the museum carrying a freshly pit- fired pot. Handbuilt and air dried, it was initially fired in a kiln Mohawk potter Tammi Tarbell tests a coil-built “Emerging to about Cone 02 “to make it more durable,” he said. The Maiden” vessel for dryness. following day, the pot was placed in a pit fueled with wood chips and dry leaves. Mike determined whether the pot was during the winter months that she does the major portion of her finished by repeatedly removing it from the fire, uncovering a daywork; from spring to fall, she sells it. soot-coated area and inspecting the color. This took about a half hour. He enjoys pit firing’s spontaneity, and believes it giv es New Forms for the Kitchen more color variation than with raku firing. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, The rim of the pot was squared into four corners, each was looking for fresh forms and new functions in its recent all­ containing a spirit face in bas-relief Mike explained that when media competition “Everything but the Kitchen Sink.” The the rim of a pot is finished off into a circular shape, it stands as challenge to artists was to submit works dealing with the a reminder of the cyclical nature of life’s events and life itself A kitchen, its role in contemporary life and/or the activities that pot with four sides and figures represents the four earth spirits take place in and around it. and the four directions. “The kitchen already has as many different interpretations, While we talked, Mike burnished a pot with a spoon. Peter styles of operation and meanings to Americans as there are mentioned that a cowrie shell is still sometimes used as a homes and persons dwelling in them,” commented juror Bruce burnishing tool in addition to stones like flint and obsidian, but Pepich (director of the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine that today they use whatever suits the purpose. He joked about Arts in Racine, Wisconsin). “For some, the kitchen is the warm, burnishing with an old cigarette lighter “handed down from welcoming heart of the house where families share the breaking generation to generation.” of bread. To others, the kitchen is a well-run machine, a techno­ Tammi Tarbell was as friendly and open as her two col­ logical marvel for the efficient production of food. Still others leagues. A recent recipient of a New York State Council on the view the kitchen as a workhouse complete with waxy buildup Arts grant, she says the grant has freed her to create “dolls”— on floors, dishpan hands, scores of chores and temptations for hollow, coil-built sculptures of Iroquois women, averaging the dieter. Continued

14 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 Up FrOIlt $800 to $1350, the vessels are slab built from white earthen­ ware, then expanded by supporting the inside with an anvil while paddling the outside. Sometimes the vessels’ necks are thrown on the wheel, then added. Geometric surface designs are inspired by pre-Columbian symbols and patterns, as well as the paintings of Wassily Kandinsky and Stuart Davis. Jane Grimm by Judith Joyce “Hearts, Cupids and Columns,” a solo exhibition of low-fire sculpture focusing on human emotions by M.F.A. candidate Jane Grimm, was presented at the California College of Arts and Crafts Downtown Gallery in Oakland. Her earlier works, which incorporate the use of the valentine heart, deal directly with issues of pain and the duality of life. They are caustic one-liners. As the series developed, though, Grimm discarded the image of the heart and instead made fun of its cousin, the traditional

Steve Loucks’ “Patchwork Pouring Vessel and Stand #3,” 21 inches in height, stoneware; at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

“In selecting works for the exhibition,” Pepich explained, “I sought as wide an array as possible of viewpoints and media, subjects and approaches.” He included 68 functional and nonfunctional works, “which will further expand one’s concept of the kitchen as the subject for art.” Jack Moulthrop Twenty large earthenware vessels by self-taught Cleveland artist Jack Moulthrop were featured in a solo exhibition at the Signa­ ture Shop in Atlanta through October 3. Ranging in price from

Jane Grimm’s “Cupid I,” 51 inches in height, handbuilt and Jack Moulthrop with a selection of his large earthenware slip cast, with low-fire glazes; at California College of Arts and vessels shown recently at the Signature Shop in Atlanta. Crafts Downtown Gallery, Oakland.

16 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 17 Up Front florist-shop cupid. Her messages became more subtle, although a wry sense of humor remained. With her most recent work, Grimm asks the viewer to draw more on personal experiences relating to the messages of isola­ tion and suffering. Revolving Techniques Sixty works by established and emerging artists who employ a turning process to explore innovative uses of clay, glass, metal or wood were presented in “Revolving Techniques” at the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The 26 artists invited to participate were selected by Diane Douglas, director, Bellevue Art Museum, Washington; Mark Richard Leach, curator of contemporary art, Mint Museum of Art, Alabama potter Jerry Brown throwing at an electric wheel Charlotte, North Carolina; and Albert LeCoff, executive direc­ made from a 50-year-old automobile differential. tor, Wood Turning Center, Philadelphia. “The title evokes notions of machine culture, industrial Jerry Brown manufacturing principles and mass-produced consumables,” Southern folk potter Jerry Brown was among the 13 craftspeople noted Mark Richard Leach. “However, ‘Revolving Techniques’ recognized recently as “preservers of American tradition” by the focuses on the manifestations of form and function that varied National Endowment for the Arts. As a National Heritage turning methods applied to clay, glass, metal and wood offer Fellow, he received a $5000 grant during a ceremony in Wash­ todays artists. ington, D.C., in September. “The static and uninteresting surface qualities and shapes The 1992 fellows were selected from 229 traditional artists associated with mass-produced forms can, when the artist takes who were nominated by their peers for the one-time-only award. liberties with the process, become visually evocative and excit­ “These fellowships are a celebration of America, pure and ing,” Leach concluded. simple,” commented Anne-Imelda Radice, acting chair of the endowment. “They not only pay tribute to a range of artistic tradition that spans the diverse cultures among us, but they also honor those very talented and selfless people who help to preserve and pass on valuable artistic legacies....” Brown, a ninth-generation Ala­ bama potter, learned the craft by watching his father, Horace “Jug” Brown, throw preserving jars, crocks and butter churns by the hundreds. “My brother and I were making small pieces back before we started first grade,” he recalls. In 1964, his father retired, turning the business over to Jerry and his brother Jack. But shortly thereafter Jack was killed in an automobile accident; then the pottery equipment was stolen, so Jerry gave up potting until the early 1980s. “His decision to build a new Brown pottery at Hamilton in north­ western Alabama was an act of courage and commitment to the craft,” observed author/historian John Burrison. “It was a risky economic venture that required developing a reputation and clientele virtually from scratch. But it was not long before the word was out that there was another Rob Barnard vase (8¾ inches high) and bottle, wood-fired stoneware; shown in “Revolving folk potter at work in a tradition that Techniques” at James A. Michener Art Museum, Doylestown, Pennsylvania. was otherwise dwindling.” Continued

18 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 19 Up Front

Brown began by clearing out an old hay barn to set up a treadle wheel and an electric kiln along with other studio basics. But he was never happy with the position of standing on one leg and pumping with the other (as most American folk potters have always done); so, when the opportunity arose, Brown jumped at the chance to recover an electric wheel built from automotive parts by his uncle A Jerry Brown banded some 40 years earlier. And he churn, thrown stoneware also sold the electric kiln soon with pulled handle, fired after he had built a wood- in a traditional ground- burning one in the traditional hog-style kiln. groundhog-style. The labor of firing was certainly much greater with wood, but the results were better. Plus, groundhog kiln firing was what he knew best. Today, Brown makes a variety of utilitarian erodes, churns, Jack Troy covered jar, 16 inches in height, wheel-thrown jars, pitchers and bowls in the same manner as his forebearers: porcelain with natural ash glaze from wood firing in an digging local clay, processing it in a mule-powered pug mill, anagama; at Eureka Crafts, Syracuse, New York. We saw during the demonstration that he is particular about form, pausing and returning repeatedly to the same spot. His pots have none of the exuberance and animal athleticism that can mark the work of a natural thrower. Instead, Troy has learned to use his formidable imaginative powers as a tool to understand the space inside the pot. The resulting forms are strong and full; they communicate a feeling of having been constructed on the wheel. At another point in the workshop, Troy was asked if he ever drew ideas before throwing. The fact that drawing has played little part in his work has, perhaps, influenced the way he creates such rich surface imagery. This is accomplished in part by stamping and manipulating the freshly thrown clay, and in part in the kiln when the surfaces take on their final identities as A mule-powered pug mill is used to process local clay. witnesses to the energy of the fire. Trained as a writer and teacher, Troy has taken an unusual throwing to gallon measurements, glazing with combinations of route to potting, and thus has had to discover personal solutions slip clays and ash, then firing with oak and pine to produce to many problems. He has done this with a strong will and a temperatures up to 3000°F. sense of gusto. What we see in the end is a group of taut forms in which geometric control is softened by moments of loose Jack Troy energy and by sensitively handled surfaces. by Richard Zakin Troy calls his pieces “acts of faith.” I am agnostic about such “Acts of Faith: New Work in Stoneware and Porcelain by Jack matters and prefer to see them as “acts of intense focus.” It is this Troy” was exhibited recently at Eureka Crafts in Syracuse, New sense of focus that many of us love most in the crafts—one of York. Though there were some hand-formed sculptural pieces, the things we do best. most were wheel-thrown pots. Ail were fired to Cone 9-10, many in a wood-burning kiln. Mary Beth Conrad Concurrent with the exhibition, Troy conducted a two-day Figurative sculptures from a series based on Aesop’s fables by workshop for the Syracuse Ceramic Guild. This insightful Mary Beth Conrad, Jonestown, Pennsylvania, were among demonstration cast some light on his approach to ceramics. works recently presented in “Stories: The Narrative Art in Jack Troy’s pots are marked by a concern for the material and Contemporary Crafts” at Luckenbach Mill Gallery in Bethle­ process of creation. These forms are beautiful, but in a way hem, Pennsylvania. “Knowing that colonial Philadelphia and its different from what we have come to expect from thrown ware. environs (I consider this my territory) were unique in utilizing He is not a fluid thrower, and his relation to the act of throwing Aesop’s fables on interior woodwork and cabinetry, I thought it is marked by a certain tension. Troy never lets his attention would be appropriate to design a set [of fable-based works] in wander and never hurries the process. clay,” the artist explained. Continued

20 CERAMICS MONTHLY

Up Front Included in the nine-piece exhibition were seven large, free­ standing stoneware sculptures. Works like “Sacrificial Pelvis” and “Hoo Doo Who?” were direct references to anatomy; while “Keyhole, Window, Doorway” referred to architecture, creating a balance to the organic nature of the other works. In “Pods,” Bryant used seedlike shapes enclosed in wire to create contained form balanced in space. Robert Arneson, 1930-1992 One of the most significant players in 20th-century ceramics, California artist/teacher Robert Arneson died November 2 of cancer; he had retired last year after 30 years at the University of

Benicia, California, artist Robert Arneson (1930-1992) in his studio circa 1987. Mary Beth Conrad’s “The Tortoise and the Hare,” 11 ½ inches in height, thrown and handbuilt stoneware, with brushed underglaze, glaze and overglaze; at Luckenbach Mill Gallery, California, Davis. Arneson s powerful work and thoughts were Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. larger than life in their innovation and influence, yet his place among the “isms” was particularly difficult to categorize since he All the sculptures in the series incorporate a whole or seg­ regularly intermingled elements of realism, surrealism and pop ments of a wheel-thrown doughnut shape. Conrad chose circle art with a pervasive sense of irony and satire. variations “to promote physical as well as thematic unity.” Although often described as a leader of the funk movement, which began in the late 1960s, he was unhappy with that label. Keith Bryant “We didn’t think of ourselves as funk artists. We thought of A solo exhibition of work by Keith Bryant, Charlotte, North ourselves as antiestablishment, as troublemakers,” Arneson wrote Carolina, was presented recently at Winthrop Gallery II, Win- in the April 1991 Ceramics Monthly. “I don’t follow fashion. I try throp College, Rock Hill, South Carolina. to get below it. If people like what you’re doing, you’re in trouble. You’ve got to keep it edgy, keep pushing until it’s not quite likable, until it’s troublesome—particularly trouble­ some to the artist.” His work, always loaded with social commentary, delighted, dismayed and offended, depending on the audience. Ten years ago, Arneson’s commissioned bust of the assassinated mayor of San Francisco, with its provocative graffiti- inscribed pedestal, made national news when it was rejected by the San Fran­ cisco Art Commission. Born in Benicia, Calfornia, Arneson earned a B.A. at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. When he entered the M.F.A. program at Mills College, he thought he wanted to be a potter; then he saw the work of Peter Voulkos and “got polluted.” By the time Arneson began teaching at the Univer­ sity of California, Davis, he had already Keith Bryant’s stoneware (from the left): “Sacrificial Pelvis”; “Pods”; “Keyhole, Window, begun to shock the art world with Doorway”; and “Hoo Doo Who?”; at Winthrop Gallery II, Rock Hill, South Carolina. unconventional clay sculpture.

22 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 23

Video town. In its heyday, it had been a booming mining community of some 4000, but the people drifted away when the silver gave out. The Tuscarora Pottery School rejuvenated Daughters of the Anasazi the community. A geodesic studio was the The pueblo pottery of the American South­first new building to be erected in decades, west is a living tradition practiced and pro­ then the old hotel was refurbished as a dormi­ tected by descendants of the Anasazi. This tory. Further restoration and construction video visit with the late Lucy Lewis and her added more living and studio space. daughters Emma Lewis Mitchell and Delores But, in 1989, the discovery of microscopic Lewis Garcia not only shows how traditional specks of gold evenly disseminated through forms are constructed, decorated and fired, the soil led to open-pit mining that nearly but also explains the sacred relationship of destroyed the town. Despite the fact that pottery to their lives. Nevada law clearly favors mining interests Gathering and refining the clay are labo­ (they even have the power to declare eminent rious processes. Walking some distance from domain), the Parses and other residents their home at Acoma Pueblo to the clay decided to fight back. This documentary tells deposit (the location is kept secret to protect the story of their struggle against big business, the clay for their children and grandchildren), while giving some insight into the workings they make an offering of cornmeal to Mother of the pottery school, as well as the motivation Earth before digging. Back at the pueblo, the and inspiration for Dennis Parks’ daywork. clay is dried, then thoroughly moistened. None of the townspeople were interested Once it has dried again, small chunks are in proposed “buy outs”; meanwhile, blasting pulverized by hand. Crushed shards are addedcontinued to rattle windows and nerves, and as temper. “There’s a connection between our the pit expanded to within a few hundred feet ancestors’ pots and the pottery we make today of the nearest house. Tempers flared as the because we use the old pots to make the new residents talked among themselves and with ones.” Finally, the clay is mixed with water, company representatives. (The video prob­ then wedged by foot and hand. ably should be rated R for language.) Several Construction is by pinching and coil build­men reasoned that they had fought to protect ing. To traditional pueblo potters, it is impor­ their country, and they thought their country tant that the pot “be made by hand or it won’t should back them in protecting their homes. have a spirit. ” They produce five basic types of Just as it seemed there was little hope for pots: storage jars for grain or water; bowls for that, fortune turned its back on the mining bread dough and kiva food, washing hair, company and smiled on the town. The price and bathing babies; jars for scooping water of gold fell, and all mining activity ceased for from cisterns and for carrying on the head; lack of profit. Peace and quiet have returned canteens for taking water to the fields or for to this high desert valley—at least until gold carrying on horseback; and small-mouthed prices rise again. Today, instead of the con­ pots for storing seeds. stant loud roar of truck engines, there is only Decoration involves coating the pots with the occasional soft roar of Parks’ environmen­ slip, then burnishing before painting intricate tally friendly kiln (fired with waste auto oil). designs. The “paints” are made from crushed Approximately 1 hour. Available as VHS minerals, which are also found on pueblo videocassette. $20, plus $5 shipping and han­ lands. Application is with brushes made from dling. David Schickele, 2638 Post Street, San yucca leaves. When chewed properly to soften Francisco, California 94115. the long fibers, yucca brushes work better than commercial brushes—especially in the Traditional Thai Pottery way they hug the curves of the pots. A fascinating look at the many methods of Firing in the late morning or early after­ potting in Thailand, this video was filmed noon when the wind is calm usually takes during 1988 and 1989 by ceramist Louis about an hour. The pots are carefully posi­ Katz as part of a study funded by a Fulbright tioned on the ground, protected by broken grant. (See “Thai Folk Pottery” in the Sep­ ware, then covered with dry cow dung. 28 tember 1991 issue of CM.) Because it is a low- minutes. Available as VHS videocassette. budget, nonprofessional effort, production $24.95; Visa and Mastercard accepted. suffers a little—some choppy editing and AMACO, 4717 West 16th Street, Indianapolis, extraneous noise—but the narration is clear Indiana 46222; (800) 374-1600. and the viewer certainly comes away with a sense of what the potter’s working environ­ Tuscarora ment is like. When Dennis and Julie Parks decided to The first segment is devoted to the potters establish a pottery school some 20 years ago in of Dankwean, where tradition and ingenuity Tuscarora, Nevada, it was nearly a ghost have combined to fill the demands of what is

26 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 27 Video

largely an export market. It opens with high­ lights of a festival that featured contests to determine who could make the tallest and the largest pots. The crowd was particularly amused as volume was measured by filling the pots with water until the walls collapsed, flooding the feet of those standing nearby. The pot that held the most bucketfuls of water was deemed the winner. The camera then visits various Dankwean potters at their work spaces. Some make pots for export to the West by coiling and throw­ ing on a wooden wheel (a carved wheel head mounted on a shaft embedded in the ground); they work in series, moving from one simple wheel to another to allow the clay time to set up. Others produce relief tiles in aluminum molds; it takes about ten seconds for the mold to be wiped with oil, packed with clay, trimmed with a wire, then inverted for removal of the tile. Still others produce the large, sand-re- leased block that are used in high-relief mu­ rals found in Thai temples, restaurants and government buildings; after drying some­ what, the individual blocks are placed on a large easel, where the mural design is incised and carved, then removed so that their backs can be deeply grooved. Decorative coiled and thrown fish and ceramic jewelry are also profitable pursuits for Dankwean potters; one pair of earrings sold in Europe can equal a day’s wages for a Thai field laborer. The segment on DanWean concludes with the construction of a large “scorpion” kiln. Built with unfired bricks, which can be trimmed easily with a machete, Dankwean kilns are expected to last about ten years. The second segment takes viewers to four other villages, where production is more fo­ cused on domestic needs. At Baan Maaw, teams of potters produce large, porous water coolers that begin as cylinders made by pierc­ ing a thick coil; subsequent steps include throwing a rim, then thinning the wall with a paddle and anvil. Ratburi is famous for its slip-decorated water jars, while Pakred pot­ ters produce coiled-and-thrown flowerpots and mortars. More complex, decorative pots are carefully coiled and thrown on 3-inch- wide wheel heads at Muang Koong. Much of the action is in “real time,” so some viewers may consider this video a bit tedious, but those who are interested in its “how-to” aspects will no doubt appreciate the detail. Approximately 2 hours. Available as VHS videocassette. $40, includes shipping. (An accompanying 22-page guide to Thai potteries with an English-Thai dictionary is also available for $7). Louis Katz, 27065 Fairfax, Southfield, Michigan 48076.

28 CERAMICS MONTHLY

Mosaics: Solid Images by Timothy Gallucci

Clay can be stretched\ squeezed, manipulated, molded andpressed, but an artist has to be whittled.

Timothy Gallucci in his Mechanicshurg, Pennsylvania, studio.

In the movie version of Thomas Ber­ The two great art traditions that have ever since I first read Cezanne’s much gers novel Little Big Man, Allardice T. molded my outlook are the long history quoted remark that he wanted to make Merriweather keeps losing his parts. In of pottery-making and the more recent something solid of impressionism “like fact, he loses so many eyes, ears and history of American abstract painting. the art in museums.” My desire to make assorted appendages to what he calls In this I am, of course, not unique. “solid” abstract paintings was strongly “the particle of risk” associated with his Many artists who have shared these two influenced by this. chosen line of work that his friend and passions have pursued both media, ei­ Much current abstract painting is pro­ sometimes associate Jack Crabbe (aka ther by dividing their creative time or duced by artists primarily concerned Little Big Man) worries he is getting so by combining both interests in the cre­ with reintroducing light and space into whittled down that there soon may be ation of such objects as pots that are a style that has long been more con­ nothing left of him at all. But the im­ seen primarily as three-dimensional sur­ cerned with gesture and mark making. portant parts remain intact, and each faces for “painting” with glazes. My own While I often admire the results that loss only seems to bring Allardice one attempts along these lines eventually led these painters achieve, I have sought to step closer to a kind of pure essence of me to the conclusion that I needed to create artworks that are less ephemeral bunko artist. determine what elements of ceramics and have a real presence as objects, not In searching for a way to describe my and painting were truly essential to my just as images. I wanted solid images own evolution as a clay artist, I’ve al­ creative intentions. I needed to find a that were also, literally, solid objects. ways been more attracted to the ex­ way to make use of those essential ele­ The means I found of achieving those ample of Allardice T. Merriweather than ments and to discard the rest. ends was to “paint” with glazed ceramic to the somewhat more shopworn meta­ After several decades of working with tile—to make mosaics. Painting with phor in which the artist is equated with clay, it had become apparent to me that tile, as opposed to the sort of puzzle- the material he or she works with. Clay the kind of object/image that interested making one often thinks of when hear­ can be stretched, squeezed, manipulated, me most was often in conflict with what ing the term mosaic, has allowed me to molded and pressed, but an artist has to had come to seem like limitations im­ focus all of the traditions that have in­ be whittled. posed by the parameters of pottery mak­ fluenced me and all of my internal cre­ The excess wood has been carved ing. The pot as object was no longer ative motivations into a cohesive and away from me slowly and with a dull central, or even particularly relevant, to personal whole. knife. The whittling process involves the direction my creative interests were Technically, mosaic-making is rather change, and change can be quite pain­ taking. On the other hand, when I demanding and requires a good deal of ful, both internally and in ones rela­ painted, I often missed the solidity of preparation. In order to create freely, a tionship with other artists and the ceramic materials as well as the rich and painter needs plenty of paint in great viewing public. Ironically, my initial at­ subtle colors that are associated with enough variety to be able to reach for or tempts to shed excess wood required ceramic processes. to mix any shade or hue needed. Like­ careful evaluation of the traditions that This interest in solidity had been an wise, the mosaic artist needs a great ex­ seemed most central to my being. important part of my aesthetic outlook cess of tile in a variety of colors before

December 1992 31 “Between Wakefulness and Sleep I Go Back to the Island under a Hot Blue Sun,” 4 feet in length, mosaic combining glazed earthenware, stoneware and porcelain tile; any glaze can yield different results on different bodies.

beginning work on creating images. that interests me: Any given mosaic may several years of working essentially full While some visual mixing is possible by contain glazed earthenware, oxidation- time in this medium, I have become juxtaposing small tiles of different col­ fired stoneware, reduction-fired stone­ quite comfortable with making sponta­ ors, much in the manner of the pointil­ ware and porcelain. I also use a fair neous decisions that have permanent lists, it is generally desirable to have on amount of unglazed tile fired to various consequences, and I rarely find myself hand the widest possible range of colors temperatures in various atmospheres. feeling the need to go back and chisel and shades, since true mixing in the Grounds are prepared by framing ½- away to change a previous days work. painterly sense is not possible. inch-thick plywood with a reinforced Of course, the real trick is to move I make tile by rolling out thin slabs lattice frame. This format results in a beyond the technical concerns associ­ and cutting them up at the leather-hard finished mosaic that is self-contained ated with a medium, and to create with stage. I try to make the largest possible and may require no additional fram­ the directness and ease that are possible variety of rectangular, triangular and odd ing—another manifestation of my in­ only when immersed in ones true ele­ shapes—hoping that with a little sifting terest in the artwork as a complete, ment; each day in my studio is a stimu­ I will ultimately be able to find a tile of self-contained object. lating adventure—especially when a the size, color and shape I need. When Some of my compositions are roughly work-in-progress is going well or an in­ bone dry, they are spread out on kiln sketched before I begin gluing the tile, teresting idea is trying to take form in shelves, then each is coated with glaze but most evolve out of the working pro­ the ether of imagination. In fact, I have applied with a rubber bulb syringe. The cess, much like an abstract watercolor, an idea right now that I’m eager to get single-fired shapes are sorted by color or a pot being thrown by a potter who started on. I just need to make a few and stored in a system that, shall we say, finds out what to make as the process more batches of tile.... always needs improvement. reveals itself. One benefit of working this way is Revisions are difficult because the at­ The author A frequent contributor to that I am able to combine, in a single tached tile are extremely difficult to chisel CMs Comment column, Timothy Gallucci work, tile made by any ceramic process off once the adhesive has dried. After resides in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

32 CERAMICS MONTHLY Roberta Laidman by Anne Telford

Roberta Laidmans dogs are ter of Holland” in the March more than “best friends”; they 1991Ceramics Monthly^ embody human characteris­ It was in the centers gal­ tics: energetic, slothful, flirta­ lery that she first saw a ce­ tious, cunning. “I love dogs ramic sculpture by Belgian and admire their integrity,” artist Jose Vermeersch. “The the artist said of her sculp­ work was phenomenal,” Laid­ tural metaphor. man declared. “It was a small Laidman didn’t start out seated figure made from very as a sculptor. Her early pas­ thin clay slabs with extraor­ sion was drawing. In the dinarily expressive form and 1960s at California State Uni­ fleshlike surface. I returned versity, Northridge, she stud­ to the U.S., and spent the ied design with Harold next seven years trying to Schwarm and drawing with figure out how Vermeersch Saul Bernstein. was able to engineer life-sized “Bernstein was a great in­ forms from such light and structor,” Laidman recalled. fragile slabs.” “He introduced me to the In 1987, she took advan­ work of Ingres, Basldn, Grosz, tage of the opportunity to re­ Cuevas and other fine drafts­ turn to Holland and work men. I fell in love with line with Vermeersch at the cen­ drawing. ‘Line’ meant ‘form 5 ter. “It had been my plan to for me. Everything else was The “skins” of Roberta Laidman s slab-built dogs are learn from Jose how to make decoration. This has carried manipulated from the inside to suggest bone and muscle. groups of large human forms, over into my sculpture.” which would become three- She drew for years without giving a she said. The center (which was renamed dimensional political cartoons,” Laid­ thought to sculpture, but in the latethe European Ceramic Work Center af­ man explained. 1970s, while working for a Dutch com­ ter its recent relocation to s’Hertogen- “My first piece was an abstracted hu­ pany in Liberia, West Africa, she met bosch) is a government-supported man figure—part one of a serious po­ Dutch ceramist Marijke van Vlaar- institution that promotes the ceramic litical statement. But by the time I’d dingen, who invited her to work in her arts by offering artist-in-residence pro­ finished building it, I’d become unbear­ studio in Monrovia. grams, seminars and extended work­ ably lonesome for my two dogs...so “Later, when I visited Holland, I went shops. It also maintains studios for much for politics and abstract ideas. Jose to the Keramisch Werkcentrum in the visiting artists, extensive archives and a was sculpting dogs at the time and he beautiful, medieval town of Heusden,”gallery. [See “The Ceramic Work Cen­ suggested I do one too.

December 1992 33 “Mercy, ” 19V2 inches in height, slab and coil built, accented with stains and engobe, bisqued, sprayed lightly with clear glaze, fired to Cone 02. Coiling is a source of pattern and helps determine the character of this form.

“My first ceramic dog was terrible. ing the flow of the neck into the shoul­ ing—are the actual bones and muscles Luckily, Jose was very gracious. He didn’t ders. Concentrating on these technical pressing against the skin. When you criticize, he just suggested I continue hurdles keeps me from interfering with press from the inside against the slab the exercise by doing five more. Until the dog’s personality, which is develop­ wall, the clay cracks a little on the outer then, I thought real artists only did one- ing on its own. surface so that the oxides applied later of-a-kind creations; otherwise the work “Slab building is really different from accentuate those areas. That’s one of the became a cliche. I took Jose’s advice, traditional sculpting. Instead of adding things people like about the dogs. They though, and made five more dogs; each or taking something away from the out­ get a real feeling of muscle and bone just piece was an improvement over the last. side, you create the form from the in­ beneath the surface.” “Now I set out to solve a specific side. Before the clay is leather hard, while Reaching that point was not easy, problem with each new piece, such as it is still malleable, you can go inside Laidman noted. “Surface was a real prob­ being more sensitive to the bone and and pretend that the ends of your lem for a long time because my main pad system of the dog’s feet, or improv­ fingers—or whatever tool you’re hold­ interest was form. But eventually I had

34 CERAMICS MONTHLY to face the fact that every form has a glaze here and there. When the piece is I’m at the point where I’m doing the rib surface. In the beginning, I overworked finished I want it to look like clay, not cage or the teats on a dog, the piece tells the exterior, handled it too much or Fiberglas! Finally, I fire it again, to Cone me whether it’s supposed to be more scraped it with a metal rib, then glazed 02; that’s high enough to give the stone­ human or more dog. Often I incorpo­ or burnished it until it was as smooth as ware sufficient strength. rate a little human physique.” an Oaxaca pot. Now, I try not to handle “There’s a lot of homework to this Since working with Vermeersch in the outside too much. Ive learned to be business. It’s essential to know human 1987, Laidman has made a lot of dogs, looser, messier, so that the life in each and animal anatomy; you never know and they’ve grown steadily larger and dog has enough freedom to come out. enough. My dogs are abstractions, of more expressive. She recently worked “Before the bisque (Cone 04), I some­ course. There are no dogs in nature that on a series of dogs with long noses; times brush the piece with a mixture of look like mine. “muzzles that go on forever,” as she de­ body stain and white engobe. Then, “But there’s nothing accidental about scribed them. She followed this “litter” before the glaze fire, I perform a kind of the hundreds of hours of drawing that with a few bulldog types, using a coil- reverse antiquing. Instead of washing it go into them,” Laidman added. “If you’re building technique more suited to con­ with something white, I might give it a going to render a human being, a dog veying the squashed-in face and loose light iron and manganese (50:50) wash. or any other form—I don’t care how flesh of that breed. If the oxide is heavy, it makes the piece much you’re planning to abstract it— As she spoke, she was holding her too dark, but the right amount left in you still have to really understand the dog—her real dog—Rosy, with the the cracks and pores shows off the struc­ form you’re abstracting from; otherwise other, Pippin, at her feet. “These two ture of the clay. it’s amateurish, and that will show. started it all; they’re my muses, the fore­ “Then, I often spray lightly with “Sometimes, I use my knowledge of runners of every Laidman dog that ever white engobe followed by a little clear human anatomy while making a dog. If was,” she said, giving Rosy a fond pat. A

“Demitasse, ”11 inches in height, stoneware with stains, oxides, white engobe and clear glaze, built from slabs as shown on page 33.

December 1992 35 PHOTOS: SCOTT MCCUE

Above: “Pauline, ”17 inches in height, stained-and-glazed stoneware , by Roberta Laidman, Alameda , California. Right: “Loretta, ” 22 inches in height, slab-built stoneware, brushed and sprayed with stains, oxides and clear glaze. Far right: “Attila, ”18 inches in height, stoneware, with stains, oxides, engobe and clear glaze, fired to Cone 02. “There are no dogs in nature that look like ” Laidman s abstractions. She considers them sculptural metaphors for such human characteristics as energetic, slothful, flirtatious and cunning.

36 CERAMICS MONTHLY Zero Shrinkage Clay and Other Sculpture Bodies by Jerry Rothman

Sculptors who work with clay are al­ Zero Shrinkage Clay Body shrinkage, so I now use a reasonably ways looking for the perfect, all-purpose (Cone 3) plastic Cone 04-01 throwable sculp­ body, but success usually depends onWollastonite...... 150 lbs. ture body, which shrinks at the rate of selecting the right body to suit the Lincoln Fireclay...... 300 about 5% or less, or a Cone 3-10 sculp­ project. Over the past 30 years, I have lone Grain* 20F (fine grog) .... 150 ture body with 2%—3% shrinkage. worked with many different clays, one lone Grain 20X48 Throwable Sculpture Body of the most intriguing of which was a (medium grog)...... 150 (Cone 04) nonshrinking body—at least I could not lone Grain 6FX14F Dolomite...... 25 lbs. measure any shrinkage. (coarse grog) ...... 100 Talc...... 50 Zero Shrinkage Clay is particularly Fiber-glass Strands Kentucky Ball Clay (OM 4)...... 50 well suited to large-scale sculpture, but (chopped) ...... 20-25 Lincoln Fireclay...... 100 there are several limitations: 1) It is not 870-875 lbs. Pfizer C-l Clay...... 100 plastic in the normal sense, and will Blend with 25 pounds Orzan* (mixed Flint...... 25 take some getting used to; standard in water solution). It is possible to sub­ Pyrax (pyrophyllite) ...... 25 working processes may have to be stitute other manufacturers fine, me­ lone Grain 20F...... 50 adapted. 2) It is not good for detail dium or coarse grogs for the lone Grains. lone Grain 20X48 ...... 50 work. 3) The fiber-glass content may Fire to Cone 3, then soak for an hour or 475 lbs. cause skin irritation, and some say it more. Be sure to support the work dur­ could even be carcinogenic. 4) When ing firing. CSUF Standard Sculpture Body building over a support or armature Although the original Zero Shrink­ (Cone 3-10) made of combustible material, you mustage Clay was suitable for my work at the Wollastonite...... 50 lbs. use a material that does not expand be­ time, today I would try substituting Bentonite...... 3-5 fore it burns out. Pfizer C-l clay for part of the Lincoln Lincoln Fireclay...... 100 Much of my work with this body fireclay content, and cut the wollasto­ Pfizer C-l Clay...... 100 was constructed over high-grade (400 nite back by a third to formulate a stron­ lone Grain 20F...... 50 series or higher), stainless-steel armatures, ger body. lone Grain 20X48 ...... 50 which were fired in place along with the lone Grain 6FX14F ...... 50 clay. For cantilevered forms, it is best to Revised Zero Shrinkage Clay Body tie the armature together with stainless- (Cone 3) 403-405 lbs. steel wire; large forms need to be sup­ Wollastonite...... 100 lbs. In the CSUF (California State Univer- ported by suspending with wire or some Lincoln Fireclay...... 150 sity-Fullerton) recipe, you may replace other means until the clay dries. lone Grain* 20F (fine grog) .... 150 the lone Grain 6FX14F with lone Grain It is necessary to use enough clay Pfizer C-l Clay...... 150 20X48, 60-mesh sand or 90-mesh sand; (experimentation is the only way to de­ lone Grain 20X48 the shrinkage rate will change slightly in termine exact amounts) around the ar­ (medium grog)...... 150 accordance with the characteristics of mature to accommodate steels expansion lone Grain 6FX14F the substituted material. during firing. Sometimes the form may (coarse grog) ...... 100 require vent openings to the steel arma­ Fiber-glass Strands The author Jerry Rothman maintains a ture; these spaces can be filled after the (chopped) ...... 20-25 studio in Laguna Beach, California. A firing with slow-setting epoxy (which 820-825 lbs. portfolio on his past and current work may be stained to match the clay). My latest work does not require zero appeared in the November 1992 CM.

* lone Grain is a product of North American Refractories Company, West- t Orzan is a sodium lignosulfate produced by ITT Rayonier, Lignin Prod- ern Division, 7831 Paramount Boulevard, Pico Rivera, California 90660; ucts, Inc., 18000 International Boulevard, Suite 900, Seatac, Washington telephone (213) 723-3316. 98188; telephone (206) 246-3400.

December 1992 37 The Art of Yixing by Terese Tse Bartholomew

Teapot in the shape of a square seal wrapped in cloth, approximately 3 inches in length, signed Molin Tan [Xiang Yuanbian], [Shi] Dabin, late 16th century.

Editor s note: The touring exhibition “ The scholar’s table. The term Yixing ware gen­ lectively as zisha, there are three basic types: Art of the Yixing Potter” brought to North erally refers to the latter, the teapots and zisha, a purplish-brown clay; banshanlu, a America 118 examples of Yixing stoneware vessels of rustic elegance long sought after buff-colored clay; andzhusha, a cinnabar from the K. S. Lo Collection at the Flag­ by tea drinkers and scholars of China. or deep orange-red clay. By mixing these staff House Museum of Tea Ware, a branch The unique feature of Yixing ware is clays, adding minerals and varying the firing of the Hong Kong Museum of Art. After the clay itself, which has unusually beauti­temperature, potters can achieve a wide appearing at the Phoenix Art Museum, the ful colors and textures. The scholar Zhou range of earth colors from beige to light exhibition traveled to the Chinese Culture Gaoqi, in his early 17th-century text Yang- brown, cinnabar red to dark brown with a Foundation of San Francisco, Indianapolis xian minghu xi, the earliest surviving trea­ tinge of purple (hence the name “purple Museum of Art and the Royal Ontario tise on Yixing ware, attributed the discovery sand”), and dark green to black. The last Museum in Toronto. of the clay to an eccentric monk who ap­ two are early 20th-century innovations, re­ peared in the village one day calling out, sulting from the addition of cobalt oxide Yixing, the “pottery capital” of China, is a “Riches and honor for sale!” Jeered by the and manganese dioxide. county situated to the west of Taihu, the villagers, he said, “If you do not care for The stoneware teapots of Yixing have Great Lake of Jiangsu province. The hills honors, how about riches?” He then led long been acknowledged by the tea con­ to the southeast are naturally endowed with the village elders to a cave in the hills where noisseurs of China as the best vessels for rich clay deposits. Products of this area they started digging and found clays of brewing tea. They are highly prized for include dragon jars of all sizes, vessels, roof different colors as brilliant as brocade. their ability to retain the taste, color and tiles, porcelains, Jun- and celadon-glazed Apocryphal though the story may be, aroma of the tea leaves. It is believed that wares and, most important of all, the the southeastern hills of Yixing do produce even in hot weather, tea left overnight in a “purple sand” teapots and objects for the a remarkable group of clays. Known col­ Yixing teapot will stay fresh. These teapots

38 CERAMICS MONTHLY were never washed; the old tea leaves were tarian objects. The signature or seal be­ ware became popular with the Chinese simply removed and the pots rinsed in came such an integral part of Yixing ware literati. However, archaeological evidence cold water. The interior of the pot thus that even pieces mass-produced today are confirms that zisha pottery was made dur­ develops a layer of tea sediment. Yixing individually stamped by the potters. This ing this time. A teapot excavated from the teapots also have a tactile quality that few tradition of signing (or stamping their wares tomb of Wu Jing, a eunuch who died in can resist. As a result, the exterior surface with individual seals) no doubt originated 1533, dates to this period. This teapot has of a teapot long in use bears an especially from the association of potters with the an overhead handle, the base of the spout rich patina reflecting years of handling. scholars of the area. is ornamented with a quatrefoil motif, and Since the early 16th century, Yixing pot­ the surface is smoothly finished. The handle ters have handbuilt hundreds of ingenious The Origin of Yixing Ware is provided with a small loop so that the lid teapot shapes, and this individual variation Although the pottery industry in Yi­ can be attached to it with a string, if de­ continues to flourish in the modern work­ xing can be traced back to neolithic times, sired. This, together with the quatrefoil shops. While some teapots are purely utili­ the beginnings of the zisha production can­ motif, is reminiscent of other Ming-dy- tarian in shape, others copy or stylize objects not be dated with certainty. Zhou Gaoqi nasty ceramic vessels imitating metal pro­ from nature. There are still others that are cited an anonymous monk from Jinsha totypes. archaic in style, or auspicious in meaning. Temple (located about 13 miles southeast From the Wanli period onward, there Creativity is especially evident in articles of Yixing) who learned to make teapots has been a steady stream of known artists- for the scholar’s table: a gnarled prunus from the local potters. Li Jingkang and potters. The foremost was Shi Dabin. branch serves as a brush rest, and a pine Zhang Hong, compilers of Yangxian shahu Sources of the period described him as an tree trunk as a brush container. Okutukao , an anthology of earlier texts on Yi­ austere and elegant man, a demanding pot­ Saburobei, a Japanese Yixing enthusiast of xing ware published in Hong Kong in 1937, ter who destroyed his lesser pieces and the late 19th century, cited in hisIllustrated placed this Jinsha monk in the Zhengde added bits of fired pottery to his clay mix­ Account of Teapots such shapes as the water period (1506-21). The monk made tea­ tures. Shi Dabin was a friend of the scholar- caltrop and narcissus blossoms, the flower pots out of zisha clay and marked them recluse Chen Jiru (1558-1639), who was drum, the egg of a goose, Han-style square with his fingerprints. During that time, instrumental in Shi’s decision to make hu, flat zhi goblet, yu wine jar with over­ Wu Yishan, a scholar studying for his civil smaller teapots. Chen and his friends ad­ head handle, lotus blossom, lotus seed pod, service examinations, was staying at the vocated tasting tea brewed in smaller tea­ fan, Buddhist monk’s cap, chrysanthemum Jinsha Temple. His young servant Gong- pots, because they believed that a smaller blossom, bamboo section, olive, winter chun watched the Jinsha monk at work vessel could better retain the bouquet and melon and many others. and began to make teapots himself. Gong- flavor of the tea. One of the most interesting characteris­ chun and the monk of Jinsha Temple are Early potters often engraved their sig­ tics of Yixing ware is that pieces are usually therefore the first names associated with natures inkaishu , or regular script, on the signed by the potters. With the exception Yixing ware. The type of teapot usually base of their products. Because many of of a few artisans at Dehua and Shiwan, attributed to Gongchun is shaped like the the potters were not calligraphers and did Chinese potters at other kilns did not sign burl of a gingko tree. Rustic and irregular not wish to have their works impaired by their works. Often Yixing potters’ marks in shape, the body of the piece, including bad penmanship, they would ask a man of are substantiated by biographical data in the spout and handle, is pinched out from letters or a fellow potter with a good hand historical texts, thus providing important a single lump of clay. to engrave their names on their ware. By documentary evidence. The signing of their In early records of Yixing ware, no spe­ the end of the Ming dynasty, many potters wares suggests that these potters were proud cific potters are associated with the 50-year had begun stamping their products with of their works, and considered themselves period between the time of Gongchun and their personal seals or used their seals in more than mere craftspeople making utili­ the Wanli period (1573-1620)—before the conjunction with their engraved signatures. Flattened, round teapot with Cuizhu Ju seal, approximately 3 inches in height, early 18th century.

December 1992 39 Cylindrical teapot encased by eight-lobed outer wall pierced with bamboo motif, approximately 5 inches in height, no mark, first half of the 18th century. However, the Wanli style of signing per­ ornamented with appliqued designs; some and his style has been widely imitated. sisted well into the 19th century, and con­ with linglong, or open work. Once in Eu­ During the early 20th century, antique deal­ tinues to be used today. rope, many were embellished with silver or ers in Shanghai invited the best potters Hui Mengchen was another prolific pot­ gold mounts. from Yixing to produce a large number of ter active at the end of the Ming dynasty. Chen Mingyuan, who was active from copies of the works of Chen Mingyuan Noted for his miniature teapots of simple the late 17th to the early 18 th century, was and other famous early potters. design and beautiful workmanship, his certainly the greatest Yixing potter after One of Chen Mingyuan’s contempo­ pieces were widely copied during the next Shi Dabin. He was well known for his raries working in the naturalistic style was three centuries. This type of teapot is still a technical virtuosity and creativity, and his Chen Ciwei. On one of his cups, orna­ favorite of tea drinkers of Chaozhou, who name was particularly associated with tea­ mented with squirrels and grapevines, the prefer to brew strong tea in tiny teapots. pots in the naturalistic style, brush rests grape leaves are depicted so realistically that ingeniously fashioned in the shape of they can be identified as Vitis flexuosa, one The Qing Dynasty prunus branches, containers in the form of of the twelve species of grapes that grows in Yixing teapots were introduced to Eu­ archaic bronze vessels, and objects from the lower Yangzi valley, which includes the rope with the first shipments of tea in the nature, such as chestnuts and peanuts. Chenarea around Yixing. late 17th century. They soon became popu­ Mingyuan traveled widely, and wherever Yixing ware was not unknown at the lar items for export, especially during the he went, the literati would vie with each Qing court during the Kangxi and subse­ next century, and they played an impor­ other to invite him to their homes. Be­ quent periods. The National Palace Mu­ tant part in influencing European ceramic cause the works attributed to Chen Ming­ seum in Taibei has a number of Yixing design. Teapots made for export often have yuan are so delightful, they have been muchteapots painted with enamels, bearing the pronounced surface decoration. Some are sought after by collectors of Yixing ware, imperial seal “Kangxi yuzhi.” There is also

40 CERAMICS MONTHLY Teapot with pewter, brass and copper mounts, 3¾ inches in height, marked Tung King Shun Factory, Weihaiwei, No. 1 (in Chinese and English), 19th century.

a teapot ornamented with the Qianlong these 18 styles consisted of, existing tea­ knobs and spouts, and handles of jade or emperor’s poetry in the Freer Gallery of pots attributed to Chen Mansheng are ves­ silver-inlaid hardwood. Art at the Smithsonian Institution in Wash­ sels of simple shapes, with plenty of smooth Many such teapots were made by the ington, D.C. surfaces for engraving. Chen Mansheng potter Yang Pengnian. Instead of impress­ During the 18th century, Yixing ware and his circle of friends delighted in com­ ing his seal on the bottom of the teapot entered a decorative phase. Teapots from posing poetry for these teapots; they wrote where it would be covered by pewter, Yang this period frequently bear surface decora­ directly on unfired teapots, and then en­ Pengnian would add a little square of clay tion. They are glazed, lacquered, slip deco­ graved them as decoration. These teapots, to the interior of the teapot, then stamp it rated, appliqued with relief elements, as marked “Pengnian” (seal of the potter Yang with his seal. The Field Museum of Natu­ well as enameled. Pengnian) under the handle, “Amantuo ral History, Chicago, has a number of such The early 19th century brought along a Shi” (name of Chen Mansheng’s studio) teapots. revolution in style, and the man respon­ on the bottom, and decorated with the The last great literati patron of the 19th sible was the scholar-official Chen Hong- poetry and signature of Chen Mansheng, century was Wu Dacheng (1835-1902). shou (1768—1822), better known as Chen are known as Mansheng teapots. As inspector general of Guangdong and Mansheng. He was a scholar, artist and Another scholar who left his mark on Hunan provinces, he was a scholar-official, expert seal carver, one of the Eight Masters early 19th-century Yixing ware was Zhu as well as a collector of antiquities (stone of Xiling. He is recorded as having de­ Jian, also known as Zhu Shimei. He started stelae, coins, seals and bronzes). Among his signed 18 teapot styles, and he commis­ the fashion of encasing Yixing teapots in friends were such leading painters and cal­ sioned the two leading potters of the time, pewter, then engraving the metal surface ligraphers as Ren Bonian, Wu Changshuo Yang Pengnian and Shao Erquan, to make with calligraphy. These pewter-covered tea­ and Hu Gongshou. them. Although we no longer know what pots were further embellished with jade Ren Bonian (properly Ren Yi, 1840-

December 1992 41 1896), a leading painter of the Shanghai School, was also an avid engraver on Yi­ xing teapots. Indeed, he was so engrossed in Yixing ware that for a period of at least two years he neglected his own painting. For many years, his artist friend Wu Chang- shuo (1844-1927) displayed on his desk in Shanghai a teapot engraved by Bonian in 1879, carved with a design of turtles. When Wu Changshuo became the di­ rector of the Xiling Society of Seal Carvers in Hangzhou in 1904, he carved a special seal for the group, with his surname “Wu” 1. To form the walls of a squared 2. The top consists of two slab in the middle. Sometime during the early teapot, trapezoidal slabs are cut squares; the inner is slightly smaller 20th century, the society commissioned with the aid of a paper template. than the outer layer. special seal paste containers to be made at Yixing. A surviving example is made of buff-colored clay, its interior coated with a white crackle glaze. Decorating the cover is a facsimile of the seal of the Xiling Society, one carved by Wu Changshuo himself. The Early 20th Century The early 20th century was an exciting time in Yixing, with taste dictated not so much by the literati as by the industrialists from Shanghai. This was a time of interna­ tional trade, and Yixing wares were shipped off to Japan and Southeast Asia as well as 6. The slurry-brushed vertical edges 7. The layered top piece is then to Europe and America. There were shops of the four walls are pressed fitted to the slurry-brushed top edge specializing in the trade of Yixing wares in together to form the body. of the body. Shanghai, Yixing, Wuxi, Tianjin and Hangzhou. Among them, the best known were Chen Dinghe, Wu Desheng, Tiehua Xuan and Liyong Gongsi. All the shops commissioned wares from Yixing, but each had its own artists to decorate them. In a few cases, the owners of these shops were themselves calligraphers, and they would personally wield the carving knife for calli­ graphic inscriptions. As a result, a teapot from this era may be impressed with at least two seals—the potter’s, and the name of the shop. The decorations on the body 11. A foot ring is formed by cutting 12. A square, which will form the may also carry two names, that of the shop and removing a large square from lid, is then cut and removed from and that of the engraver who did the carv­ the false base. the large top layer. ing. Decorations continue the style of the early 19th century, a combination of in­ cised images borrowed from painting and various styles of calligraphy. Facsimiles of stone and bronze rubbings became very popular, as did motifs of old coins and pottery tiles of Qin and Han. During the 1920s and ’30s, some en­ terprising antique dealers of Shanghai came up with an ingenious solution to meet the demands of Yixing collectors. They invited the famous contemporary potters of Yi­ xing to come to Shanghai for the express 16. After the spout walls are joined 17. A handle is cut from a thick purpose of making forgeries. These potters with slurry, excess clay is trimmed slab, again with the aid of a paper were able to take their time, sometimes from the rim and base. template. three to five months, to produce these “mas­ terpieces.” As a result, they were able to

42 CERAMICS MONTHLY 3. The two layers that form the top 4. The base is also formed from two 5. Before assembly, each piece is are then joined together at the edges squares; the smaller will be the bent slightly convex to offset with slurry. bottom , the larger a false base. contraction depressions.

8. A special support allows the top 9. The bottom and false base can 10. Once the edges of the walls , top to retain slight convexity when the then be safely fitted to the body as it and bottom are joined, the seams body is inverted rests on its top. are strengthened by beating.

13. A thick slab of clay is attached 14. To form the spout, a slab of 15. Four spout walls are cut to the inverted lid and a flange clay is beaten so that one side is around a template; the thick ends formed by removing a square. thicker than the other. willform the base of the spout.

18. The completed spout and 19. The mouth is formed by cutting 20. Finally, the interior seams and handle are then attached to the a slightly smaller square from the walls of the teapot are smoothed body with slurry. inner top layer. with assorted tools.

December 1992 43 1. To ensure uniform texture and 2. The body section is then beaten 3. From this slab, a rectangle is cut moisture , the clay for body, spout with a mallet into a slab of even using a straight edge and a scribe and handle is taken from one bar. thickness. with parallel blades.

6. The rectangular slab is formed 7. Excess clay at the rectangle's ends 8. One open end of the cylinder is into a cylinder , using the circular is removed, and the edges joined beaten with a spatula to make the slab to measure circumference. with slurry. wall curve inward.

11. The body is then turned 12. After the layered top is fitted 13. Next, a circle from the outer upright and the remaining open into the mouth, the seam is layer of the top is cut out by end beaten to curve inward. smoothed with a bamboo scraper. rotating the compasseslike scribe.

16. With the body turned upside 17. The highest point of the spout 18. At this stage, modeled elements down, the location of the spout is and handle should be at the same may be applied to the body as relief determined and holes drilled. level as the teapot mouth. decoration.

44 CERAMICS MONTHLY create exquisite pieces of superb workman­ ship, a far cry from the “greenware” they supplied to the various ceramic companies of Yixing and Shanghai. These potters were Jiang Yanting, Wang Yinchun, Pei Shimin, Gu Jingzhou, and Jiang Rong. Among them, Jiang Yanting, Pei Shimin and Jiang Rong were known to have made copies of the works of Chen Mingyuan, the early Qing master. One source for these forgeries seems to have been such publications as the monthly 4. A circular base is cut out by 5. Two circular top pieces (outer periodical Gugong (first published in 1929), rotating a needle scribe like a and inner layers) are also cut out which introduced to the public for the first compasses. with a scribe. time the wealth of ritual bronzes and other treasures from the palace of the Forbidden City. The Shanghai dealers no doubt sup­ plied these potters with their own secret models. Another source appears to have been Oku Saburobei’sMinghu tulu, first printed in Tokyo in 1878 and reprinted in China in the early 20th century. This book is lavishly illustrated with over 30 line draw­ ings of teapots from different periods, and includes clear rubbings of inscriptions and seal marks. There is very little doubt that it once served as a reference for the Yixing 9. When the curved wall is as 10. Additional beating with the potters working in Shanghai. symmetrical as a wheel-thrown spatula strengthens the seam Because of the Sino-Japanese War, pro­ form, the base is attached. between wall and base. duction of Yixing ware came to a standstill in the late 1930s. The turbulence of the postwar years did little to encourage the industry, and it was not until 1954 that production was resumed. Communes were set up, and the old craftspeople were re­ cruited to teach the younger generation of artisans. Among the noted potters who responded were Wang Yinchun, Zhu Kexin, Wu Yungeng, Ren Ganting, Gu Jingzhou and Jiang Rong. Thirty years have passed, and a “younger generation” of potters is emerging as the master craftsmen of Yixing. Not only are 14. This top circle is carefully 15. The handle , spout and lid knob they well schooled in the traditional pot­ removed and set aside to make the are fashionedfrom the clay sections ting techniques, but they have also added teapot lid. reserved at the outset. modern techniques and new shapes to the rapidly increasing repertoire of teapots, as well as other objects. The tradition of col­ laboration between scholars and artists con­ tinues. Contemporary artists such as Cheng Shifa and Tang Yun are decorating Yixing teapots with their painting and calligraphy, while Han Meilin and Zhang Shouzhi, in conjunction with the potters of Yixing, are designing teapots. Yixing ware is thriving once again, maintaining its unique posi­ tion in the ceramic arts of China. 19. The inner layer of the top is 20. The gallery, mouth rim and lid Excerpted from The Art of the Yixing Pot­ removed, leaving a gallery to edges are smoothed carefully to ter: The K. S. Lo Collection, Flagstaff support the lid. ensure a tight fit. House Museum of Tea Ware,a branch of the Hong Kong Museum of Art; published by the Urban Council of Hong Kong.

December 1992 45 The Clay War by Barry Targan

“Look at that,” George Barton said, show­ there would be many more pieces. He had thickened into an unbroken wave of forest ing him the handbill. “September the first a month to go. across the state to the sea, he uncovered the to the fifth. A State Fair.” The month went quickly. Besides mix­ pit in which he had buried a great mound “What is a State Fair?” Ephron asked. ing quantities of the clay he would use for of his thoroughly mixed prized clay. “Well, it’s like a county fair, only bigger, this performance, and aging it by quick “I was saving this for you,” he explained I guess. Like the fair we had last year in devices he knew and others he invented, to the boy, “preparing it. In ten years it Allentown, remember, only this is for the there was the wood that always had to be would have aged like...” He shrugged. Who whole state. The first New Jersey State Fair.” cut to dry a little to replace the wood that could imagine a clay body so pure? “So “Good,” Ephron said. “We must go.” already waited to be burned. And there we’ll make more another time, yes?” He The county fair had been a delight. He was the forming of the pots themselves. jumped down into the pit and began to turned back to his work. And when these were completely dried out shovel the fermenting clay up to the sur­ “But look,” George Barton drew him in the sapping August heat, the bisque face. “But now we will need it.” He in­ back. “Look.” He pointed to the small, firing was loaded and completed. He and haled the clay like a soft cheese and nodded tightly packed lines filling the paper be­ Fanny and Aerrie removed the still-warm in approval. neath the large blocky type. It was the bisque and spread out the rough, pinkish “Ephron?” Fanny asked, pleaded. usual list of exhibitions to be judged. Butwhite porous pieces in rows in the work- “Ephron, what?” after livestock, foods and quilts, and be­ yard. But he dug down. It would be easier to tween tinsmithing and harness work, was “I leave them out overnight so the dew show her than to explain. pottery. There had been nothing like that can coat them,” he explained to the boy. All night and into the morning the at the county fair. Ephron took the paper “Then the pieces won’t soak up too much great wheel in the yard spun. Fanny wedg­ and read on. At the bottom were the direc­ glaze like a sponge. They’ll be a little wet ing the clay, pushing and kneading it like tions for submitting: all you had to do was already.” He taught the boy all that he bread as Ephron had shown her; the boy, show up at least a day before the fair was to could. It was all that Ephron would be able until he sagged down to sleep, carrying the open. And there were prizes too, ribbons to give him. clay loaves to his father, riding, riding. blue and red and white. They left the bisqued pots. Tomorrow Everything that clay could be made into, “What about you?” Ephron asked. He Ephron would glaze all morning and dry Ephron Gherst made that night, not sim­ pointed out to George Barton the black- the pieces in the afternoon sun, and in the ply the kinds of things but the limits of smithing. evening they would stack for the glaze firing, them, so that the merest unmeasurable frac­ “Sure,” he said. “I’m going to work and early in the morning after that Ephron tion further and the high-bellying pitcher now,” and left the shed, complications of would kindle the first soft flames in the or bottle would collapse upon itself or the weathervanes already turning in him. kiln. But now, this day’s work done, they cantilevering lip of an incredibly wide plat­ One of Ephron’s wheels was arranged walked off to George Barton’s. ter would slump and crack at the impossi­ so he could pull it outside to work in the They returned home in the last of the bility of maintaining the mathematically air in the good summer months. That was August light. All of the bisqued pieces in perfect curve necessary for its strength. where the wheel was now, the second of the workyard were smashed, methodically Freed by catastrophe, what could he not the wheels he had built here, a refinement and exactly, every one of them crushed attempt or dare? Having already lost, what upon a refinement. The central shaft was where they had been placed as though an risky endeavors could threaten him? All machined steel, a bar that George Barton enormous claw had descended upon them the night long he flung the clay up into the had ordered turned on a lathe. For the first through the unprotesting trees. sky and held it there. time in his life Ephron had used true bear­ Fanny threw up her hands and covered The day was good, dry but not too hot. ings instead of a simple tight hole drilled her face. The boy whimpered. The vessels moved quickly into the leather through a thick oak block. And when “No,” Ephron Gherst commanded hardness they had to have to be trimmed. George Barton had welded to the shaft the them quickly. “No.” Fanny lowered her Fanny slept for two hours but the boy flat round head upon which Ephron hands to his voice. Aerrie stopped like a woke up and moved pots into and out of worked, he had leveled it to tolerances as quivering, uncertain blade between them, the sun according to his fathers explana­ fine as feathers, as certain as spider threads. and then he and his mother ran after tions. “When the rims look dry, like nearly There was no potter’s wheel like it any­ Ephron as he strode heedless through the white, move them under the trees. When where else. When Ephron sat upon it and broken yard. He pulled a shovel away from the bottoms of the bowls lift off at the spurred the great balanced flywheel up to the wall of the shed and dragged after him edges, bring them to me right away.” He its fullest thrumming speed, he rode it like a clattering flatbed cart as he went. All that told the boy everything, singing out like it an ancient charger, mounted, a bold knight was left was now, and that was what he was a song, a canticle. As he finished trim­ after his grail. would work with. What hadn’t failed him ming each pot—a casserole, perhaps, or a Through the afternoon he worked out in the past shouldn’t fail him here. At the sugar bowl or a platter—he would sign his leisurely pieces that he would fire and from perimeter of the cleared land around the name sweepingly across the bottom— which he would select for exhibition. And house, just at the end where the pines GHERST—large, biting into the leathery

46 CERAMICS MONTHLY clay. What would they say when they saw way, not much larger than a campfire, for a He had come close. He had wagered that, his signature on a soup bowl as if it day and a night, the three of them taking and lost. was a painting or a statue? He whooped at turns that the barely smoldering fire should “Ephron,” Fanny whispered, even the thought of it. Fanny woke up to his not go out or grow but only stay. through the rumble of the kiln, and looked laughter. On the second day the fire was enlarged to the edge of the barely lit circle of light By that evening, it was done. All of the and a second fire started at the diagonal glowing about them. broken bisque was gone, swept away into firebox, and after 12 hours of that, with They had come back. Drawn at last by memory. In its place a new and grander Ephron hovering from port to port, ad­ the two days of billowing smoke from his kilnful of greenware waited. justing the damper, checking at peepholes stack, amazed, perhaps, or furious, or merely “But there isn’t time,” Fanny said at the high up or low in the kiln walls, fires were come like creatures to carrion, whatever, supper. And then she said what had been started in the remaining two fireboxes. they had come back. Ephron could not see with her all along, what couldn’t be swept At the beginning of the third day the how many. He did not know them. Only out like the broken bisqueware. “And they kiln began to glow into visible internal life, once he caught a remembered maddened may come back.” the heaviest orange. And now the fire be­ blue glint of eyes in the flickering mantle “I have a way,” Ephron told them both, gan, the upward drive for curing heat, the between the kiln glow and the forest dark. teaching the boy. “You can glaze and fire long drenching heat as the fire hourly “Go to the boy,” he said to Fanny, and greenware all the way through to the glaze clenched the now glassily swimming par­ she was gone. in one firing, but it is full of problems. It isticles further and further into each other He circled the kiln, stuffing its four very hard to glaze the unbisqued pieces, and into perdurable form. Now, when the mouths with the endings of the diminish­ hard to stack them in the kiln, hard to ing heap of pine logs. And then he circled handle them at all. One little nick and a it again and fed it again. He was a potter. piece is ruined. And the firing? Aaaah. It “So well make more another time, By circumstance or destiny he didn’t walk takes forever. Slow? Feeeeh.” He sighed out away from that. And what else was there to and shook his head at the weariness he yes?” He jumped down go to anyway? He circled and fed and the could imagine from such a firing, at the into the pit and began to shovel mantle flickered. hours, at the days. But that is the way that “Ephron,” George Barton said. “I heard it would have to be. the fermenting clay up to the them come along the road and followed About the other thing, those, or what­ surface. “But now we will need it. ”them,” he explained. He pointed to them ever it was, that might come back? What with a long stafif, light and swift in his great could he say? All he could do was what he He inhaled the clay like a arching arm like it was a staff of cleanly could do, which was right now to glaze trimmed larch to walk with through the and stack and fire the most difficult soft cheese and nodded in approval.woods, but it was not a larch stick, it was kilnware in his life. That would have to be an iron rod and he pointed it widely, enough. kiln was unbearable to look into, when the roundly at them all. “Enough?” Fanny said. “But what is it?”flame roiled and licked about for air, Ephron Ephron told him about the wood. Al­ “It’s all I’ve got,” he said, getting up drew yet one more test ring from a port. ready the kiln roared and bellowed. from the table and going into the workshed “Soon,” he said to Fanny. “Two hours, “We could cut wood,” George said. to modify his glazes so that they would maybe three.” He put his arm over her “Not fast enough, I think,” Ephron said. adhere to the greenware instead of the shoulder. What days had gone by! How “And not with them.” He pointed with a bisque. they and the boy, like the ware in the kiln, toss of the head, the circle of grief undu­ “Aerrie,” he shouted out from the at­ had been tempered! “Soon,” he said. lated like an expectation. Soon. tached room after a while. “Come. I’ll show But in less than an hour he saw that So it had come at last to this, from you a trick with glazes.” The boy looked what was left of the wood would not be Fremlen to Fremlen. Maybe Kollowitz had up at his mother. Floating now with her, enough. The huge store from which he been right. he moved in her current, in her tired, sad had fired the bisque he had not had time But maybe not. ebb, and hesitated. to replenish. And now this endlessly long “Come,” Ephron Gherst said, pulling But “Go,” she said to him sharply. “Go. firing had outlasted his calculations and George Barton to the storage shed. “Here.” Quickly.” supply. He took George Barton’s iron bar and Ephron slept through the little of the He looked now at what was left of the smashed it into the corner of the building night that was finally left for him after he former mountain and it dwindled even as and a slab of wood pulled out an inch. He had finished modifying the glazes. By early he watched. At this point in the firing a 4- gave the bar back and George Barton un­ morning he was at the careful work of inch-thick round of wood would break derstood and rose up and hammered the glazing the fragile greenware, first the dri­ and twist into coals in less than a minute slight shed apart and down, crushing it est smaller pieces and then, as the after­ after it was thrown into a firebox. And with learned strength as he had hammered noon dried them out, he worked on the there were four fireboxes circling the kiln at the harder iron all his long life. It was a larger ones. from corner to corner to corner. nothing, siding, posts and beams explod­ At last came the stacking, like a ballet, He adjusted the damper one way and ing into fuel in the late night. the pots held from destruction against the then another or pushed more heat through Fanny ran out of the house at the noise kiln walls or other pieces by gesture and different fireboxes trying to drive the kiln and shrieked at the spectacle, the white- discipline. Piece after piece he offered up more quickly. He drew more test rings and haired, kiln-lit, ancient giant flailing the like a votary. read them like auguries. Fire, they said. shed to splinters. Ephron ran to the kiln After midnight Ephron began the first But there was nearly no more fuel to feed with them. He motioned to her and she small fire in one firebox. It burned that them. did the same.

December 1992 47 In an hour they needed another hour. night evenly. Up and down, the kiln was It would take two days for that seething George Barton shouldered down the lean- equal. All the draw rings were eloquent. kiln to cool, just time enough to pack up to of peeled pine logs where the potter’s Sometime toward dawn, unnoticed, for the first New Jersey State Fair. Ephron wheels were kept, butting it flat and prying they were gone, broken apart by what they looked around. He would have to do a lot the logs apart with his hands. And now had seen, if not forever, at least for now. of rebuilding, but then, he had the rest of they were laughing, already triumphant Fremlens come and go. his life for that. beyond objects, safely beyond dread, as if In the brightening dew of morning they had drawn a sorcerer’s circle in the Ephron and Fanny and George Barton and Excerpted from A Potters Companion, a sand about their wise making that nothing the boy, who could not tell if he had slept collection of ceramics-related fiction and es­ outside of itself could assail. to dreams or had woken to dreams, tired, says compiled by studio potter Ron Larsen Some shelving, a few pieces of heavy smoke-stained, pine-pitched as they had (Canton, New York); reprinted with permis­ furniture, the stairs to the loft in the house, never been, sat and ate, ebullient as the sion from the publisher,;Park Street Press , part of the south wall, and it was done. At spangling day coming quickly. Catbirds a division of Inner Traditions International, every peephole the sun-bright, trembling mewed in the trees. Brown thrashers sang 1 Park Street, Rochester, Vermont 05767. dazzle of the kiln pierced the last of the back, doubling their cries. Part 1 appeared in CMs November issue.

A Conversation with Barry Targan by Ronald Larsen

Barry Targan has had a multifaceted career: I met with Targan in his home off the For “The Clay War,” you wouldn’t have academic, poet, writer of short stories and Battenkill in New York State on a sunny to be a potter to write it, and yet it cer­ novels, journalist and craftsman. Born and afternoon bright with fall foliage; over lunch tainly helped. raised in Atlantic City, New Jersey, he stud­ and afterward, we discussed some aspects Larsen:Yes, it’s apparent the author has ied literature through the master’s level at of his writing and philosophy, and their more than just a passing acquaintance with Rutgers and the University of Chicago. relationship to crafts. What follows is an pottery. Following time at various random jobs and edited version of our conversation. Targan:And at a deeper level, there is a two years in the army, he returned to the Larsen:What is it about crafts per se that way in which that kind of knowledge and academic world and received a Ph.D in attracts you? experience begins to affect how you imag­ English and American literature from Targan:The thing that generates my inter­ ine; it gives a greater confidence. So you Brandeis University. Although he says that est in any of the crafts isn’t so much the know the central character of “The Clay he never had any real intention of teaching objects themselves—for instance, the War,” Ephron Gherst, more fully and richly English—his comment on the subject be­ pots—but rather the nature of the materi­ because he’s a potter and you have been ing, “All I knew was that I liked to read”— als and processes. And beyond that, there one too. he did so at a number of institutions, beforeis the extension of the process into the Larsen:Besides the craftspeople who ap­ accepting his current position in the cre­ examination of ideas and emotions, as well pear as characters in your writing, there are ative writing program at the State Univer­ as the use of techniques to explore the often characters who seem to exemplify sity of New York campus in Binghamton. reinvention of forms and what impact that craft attitudes—an interest in materials and Concurrent with his academic career, may have on perception itself. Moreover, I process, attention to detail, satisfaction and his writing career has yielded, so far, two just have a passionate interest in informa­ fulfillment in working with their hands. poetry books, two novels, and a multitude tion for its own sake, an interest in the way These attitudes play a large role in your of short stories and articles for periodicals things are. work. ranging from American Craft to Fly Fisher­ Larsen:How are these interests reflected in Targan:There is another larger element as man. “The Clay War” was included in a your writing? well, a sort of subsumptive theme in my collection of his stories that won the 1975 Targan:What I discovered is that if, what I writing, because I do think that all writers University of Iowa School of Letters Award call, this is-ness of life, the tactile quality, is are always writing just one story. For me for Short Fiction. so interesting to me, then it should be this theme is order. There has also been deep involvement interesting to other people. I also realized We’re born and the dynamic that drives with various crafts—pottery, weaving, that when I thought about literature I read everything is death. It’s fundamental to bookbinding, printing, paper making and and about what characterizes the best lit­ every thought and decision at some level. wooden boat building—several of which erature, it always uses information, has a And along this inexorable line from birth he has pursued to occupational levels. His real sense of the specific, of detail. And this to death, which is essentially a movement current passion is fly fishing. has crept into my writing. from order to absolute disorder, there are

48 CERAMICS MONTHLY these moments of exquisite ordering, mo­ always claiming to be expressing them­ disqualify it. There are certain limits in ments of producing form and shape. More­ selves. Well, that’s okay, but if you really what you can explore in terms of forms in over, the more complex the elements are want to do it, you need more than four coffee mugs, the same way you can only go that are given form and shape, the more we words, you need more than three chords so far in certain kinds of poems. The forms feel that we are out of the inexorable line of on the guitar. themselves may provide limits, but then flux, at least in that moment. Larsen:Certainly one of the pleasures of there are other forms. What makes Beethoven better than pop crafts is their immediacy; they are activities Larsen:In an essay for the Bennington Re­ music is that there is more form and shape that yield concrete results. view (“Defining Craft,” April 1979), you given, there’s more of what we really want, Targan:Another of their pleasures is prob­ observed that most craft objects today are and that’s order, or at least the illusion that lem solving. It’s just like a game. The whole bought and thus made to be given rather we’re not being swept along heedlessly to point of a game is to play within the rules. than to be used—the guide is what sells, oblivion. Similarly in the crafts, the knowl­ At times, in the midst of playing, someone not what works—and that crafts are mainly edge of materials and processes and their will say: “Don’t take it so seriously; it’s only intended to commemorate events rather application to the making of concrete ob­ a game.” That’s terrible. That perception of than to inform and be used in the rituals of jects is an instance of this sort of ordering. living within the problem, the forms and daily life. How do you feel about these And in this there is something profoundly terms by which it can be addressed, is observations now? beautiful and meaningful. profoundly attractive. Targan:In general, I still don’t think any­ There is also a kind of moral pressure, Larsen:There would appear to be a paral­ body uses ceramics, at least not those pro­ in the best sense, that surrounds order- lel between doing functional crafts, for in­ duced by studio potters. If people use clay giving activity. I think that when people stance making serving pots with their that has been fired in a kiln, it’s usually have large and complex things to deal with utilitarian constraints, and the notion of a something commercially manufactured. it creates a sense of awe and wonder in game where there are certain rules that One reason for this is that we live in a them, even if the things are fairly mun­ constrain one’s actions. Would you care to society with almost no visual life. But per­ dane. It’s like you’re touching something compare this sort of craft activity with the haps more importantly is that the places magical, a nice ldnd of humbling. So very less constrained one of conceptual craft? where potters sell their wares are not the often my characters are humble people, Targan:Let me begin with this analogy. places where people generally go to buy which frees them to be, perhaps, more People make a distinction between “litera­ utensils, utilitarian objects. For these they decent people; and this ties into my real ture” and “junk.” But if you are discussinggo to K-Mart, Macy’s or Crate and Barrel. main theme, which is that all we can hope a story, for example, you can’t use the word If people would perceive pots as some­ for is compassion. “literature” as a judgmental word, becausething to be used, then they very well might Larsen:There are other disciplines and there is no difference in terms of say use them, rather than give them, but they activities that also display an order-giving Shakespeare’s writing narrative and that of rarely see them in that sort of context. character—for instance, most scientific dis­ Sidney Sheldon. The difference is in qual­ They’ll see utilitarian pots, and other func­ ciplines and even, perhaps, some areas of ity. Shakespeare does it better. In fact, what tional crafts, at craft fairs or in galleries, politics and business. But craftspeople and Shakespeare tries to do is reveal the human which are by definition places where people craft attitudes are more prominent in your experience, while Sheldon tries to disguise go to purchase gifts and artifacts. When writing. or distort it. But you can’t say the one is people go to these kinds of places, they are Targan:First, I think that in the crafts literature and the other isn’t. not perceiving use. So I think it is a matter there is a great concreteness, a very specific- Similarly, there cannot reasonably be of perception, and the reigning perception ness, and for me to write abstractly is just any distinction between one piece of ce­ is gift rather than use. not as pleasurable. I think there is such a ramics and any other piece. Whether it can Larsen:One of the things I found fascinat­ special and immediate pleasure in crafts, be used to pour tea or something simply ing about “The Clay War” was trying to there is the tactile quality we like, and the observed on the wall, you’re still dealing distinguish what in the story could have objectivity of things. with mass, line, volume, color, texture, ma­ been based on historical facts or circum­ Further, I think a fundamental con­ terials. All the things you would use to talk stances, and what was purely literary in­ stituent of aesthetic pleasure—and here I about one piece at a reasonably sophisti­ vention. For example, is there in fact an mean practical aesthetics rather than ab­ cated level, you would use to talk about theout-of-the-way niche in the Metropolitan stract theoretical aesthetics—is a sense of a other. Museum of Art in New York City contain­ significant difficulty overcome. You juggle So you can only start thinking in nega­ ing a collection of pots as described in the two balls and no one cares; three and some­ tive terms, that if it can be used, then it is first paragraph of the story? one will watch; four, wow; five balls and disqualified from being, say, art. Unless it’s Targan:Yes and no. In the most literal you’ll get paid for it. It’s difficult and we what, a Grecian urn? What’s that? That’s sense, there isn’t. When I was in college I can see it. When Willie Mays played an object of art. These distinctions are so fell in love with art. I would cut whole days centerfield, he made every catch look hard. arbitrary and, basically, only in the West of school, travel to New York and visit Any fool can write a poem; any fool can are they made. In Japan, for instance, they museums. In the Met there was a room paint; but not any fool can throw a pot. don’t say one is better than the other; they not so much out-of-the-way, but a place Right away you know. You know George honor both equally. you went through to get to some place else, Ohr’s pottery? You have to be a master to I think there is a line between the func­ and in this room were Grecian pots, urns, do that. tional and the blatantly nonfunctional. And amphoras and so on. And I remember Crafts demand rigor, a rigorous appli­ that’s fine; I can live with that. It’s materials once consciously stopping in this room to cation of knowledge, of discipline. And all being formed and shaped in interesting look, and thinking that those pots were this rigor provides freedom. Learn the scales, and exciting ways. However, just because like purely solipsistic acts. They had their then you can do anything. Students are you can drink coffee out of one, doesn’t Please turn to page 80

December 1992 49 J. Sheldon Carey by Tracey Cady

Ceramics innovator J. Sheldon Carey, Lawrence, Kansas.

Textured stoneware vase, thrown upside down, approximately 23 inches in height.

In the 1930s, when J. Sheldon Carey works provided an opportunity to recog­ He came to the Midwest in 1944 entered the field of ceramics, very little nize Careys achievements. when offered a position at the University art pottery was being produced in North Born in 1911 in the rural community of Kansas—teaching ceramics and sculp­ America and few technical books were of Bath, New York, Carey was first intro­ ture in the basement of Spooner Hall, available to the artist/potter. But that duced to clay in high school. At the urg­ using the kiln at the State Geological didn’t stop him from pursuing his inter­ ing of his art teacher, he attended the Survey. A few years later, the ceramics est in ceramics, and only encouraged him New York State College of Clayworking department was moved up to the top to develop new techniques and processes. and Ceramics at Alfred, New York. After floor of Strong Hall (an elevator was in­ Nationally recognized, Careys pottery three years there he was hired for his first stalled to facilitate the delivery of materi­ is graceful and natural, with the organic job, teaching ceramics to the Pamunkey als); then yet another move relocated the lines and smooth, clean compositions that Indians on their reservation east of Rich­ department to Flint Hall. By 1976, it reflect design trends of the 1940s and mond, Virginia. Thereafter, he returned had been established in its current loca­ 1950s, especially those of the Bauhaus to Alfred to complete his degree, even tion in the Arts and Design Building. and Scandinavia. To the curved and swell­ though he had “learned more that year Carey often worked with the Kansas ing shapes of covered jars, bottles, vases than in the first three together.” Geological Survey, a research-based insti­ and bowls he added repeated patterns of Following graduation from Alfred in tution, in a mutually beneficial relation­ textured decoration, cut or painted linear 1936, Carey taught at scout camps and ship. During the 1950s, he collected and designs, or slips and glazes. public schools, then earned a masters tested clay samples, then recorded data In 1990, Carey donated 17 ceramic degree in education from Columbia Uni­ for the survey. Director William Hamble- and 3 glass objects to the Spencer Mu­ versity (1941) and was hired by the Teach­ ton thought Careys talents were wasted seum of Art at the University of Kansas ers College at Columbia to develop a on these tasks; he believed that Carey in Lawrence. A recent exhibition of those ceramics program. could help the survey more by pursuing

50 CERAMICS MONTHLY Stoneware bottle with pinched ridges , approximately 13 inchesLidded jar, approximately 15 inches in height, wheel-thrown in height, thrown using Separan 20 lubricant, reduction fired. and carved stoneware\ with blue and brown glazes.

his own interests, that by concentrating allowed him to throw tall pots in excess does it alter the throwing process. This on his artistic endeavors he could help of 3 feet in one section. Prior to his allows throwing taller, thinner forms with the survey develop new uses for Kansas invention, most potters made tall pots by more stability and time available for pull­ clays. joining several sections. ing/altering the form. When Carey dem­ Looking at techniques and processes The idea for a better lubricant for onstrated the use of Separan at the 1974 with an open mind accounts for several throwing came in 1964. Traditionally, International Worlds Craft Council in ideas Carey developed over the years; most potters use water when throwing. While Toronto, an observer from Australia com­ notable were the upside-down wheel (for effective, water weakens the clay and may mented, “This was worth my trip here.” throwing tall forms) and a slip-free throw­ During his 32 years of teaching in ing lubricant. Carey developed...the upside-down Kansas, Carey reached hundreds of ce­ The upside-down wheel [See “Throw­ ramics students with his zeal for experi­ ing Upside Down” in the March 1954 wheel (for throwing tall forms) and a mentation. By the late 1960s, though, he issue of Ceramics Monthly\ was the result slip-free throwing lubricant. had discovered the excitement of glass of Careys desire to make tall, slender blowing, and devoted the remainder of vessels. He decided to make a wheel that result in lots of slip to clean up. Carey his teaching career to establishing and would allow the clay to be pulled down­ began using Separan 20 (a synthetic poly­ nurturing a glass program at the Univer­ ward, working with gravity instead of mer produced by Dow Chemical for the sity of Kansas until his retirement in 1976. fighting it. For this process, Carey simply paper industry) as a throwing lubricant. Carey still lives in Lawrence, Kansas, centered a large lump of clay on the When the Separan granules are mixed but in recent years has spent most of his potter’s wheel, opened as usual, then with water, a clear, odorless jelly results. time pursuing other earth materials in­ turned the wheel upside down and re­ A small amount on the potter’s hands terests—collecting rocks and minerals, versed the spin of the wheel head. This lubricates but is neither absorbed norand cutting gemstones. A

December 1992 51 Pennsylvania Burning by James Chaney

Last spring, seven potters from across Penn­ glazed, or left unglazed on the exterior, and Much to our amazement, Cone 9 was sylvania converged for a four-day work­ set aside. When finally loaded, these would flat in the first chamber by 7 P.M. We shop sponsored by the Pennsylvania Guild be set on kaolinlalumina wads, elevating continued to side stoke the second cham­ of Craftsmen at the Bernville farmstead of them slightly above the kiln shelves. ber. The time, temperature, damper set­ full-time studio potter John Troup to re­ Kiln loading, carrying bricks for the ting and stoking sequences were carefully discover wood firing for themselves. door, as well as cutting and stacking wood logged throughout the firing for future ref­ Troup began the workshop on a Thurs­ for the next firing, continued all afternoon erence. Repeated stoking and six saltings of day afternoon with a general introduction. and into the evening. At 8:30 P.M., a small the second chamber took till midnight. His slide survey of the work of contempo­ fire was begun in the ash pit to warm the We left tired but satisfied. rary American potters and their wood kilns kiln and dry out the pots. Two hardy vol­ The following Tuesday, we all gathered revealed the dynamic potential of the pro­ unteers kept the fires burning throughoutonce again to peek and poke at a still-hot cess: Results can be every bit as aestheti­ the night. kiln in anticipation of treasure unknown. cally varied and individualistic, for example, By sunrise Sunday, the kiln pyrometer As we unbricked the kiln doors, Troup as the time-honored techniques and tradi­ read a steady 600°F, and the ash pit emit­ carefully logged a description of the results, tions of wheel throwing. A table of fired ted the glow of a deep bed of coals. By shelf by shelf, before any pots were re­ examples of Troup’s own production work midmorning, the kiln temperature was moved. The spectrum of color, texture and provided a different tactile and visual refer­ 1000°F—hot enough to begin loading long sensibilities reflected in these pots exceeded ence for those of us accustomed to gas- and pieces of pine slab-wood scrap into both our wildest imaginings. The “windward” electric-fired wares. After a brief tour of his ends of the “Bourry box” at ten-minute or bag wall side of the pots evidenced the kiln site, we got to work. intervals. The Bourry firebox, popularized deliciously speckled effects of wood ash, As this was a BYOB (bring your own by the Frenchman Emile Bourry around while the opposite “leeward” sides glowed bisque) firing, we anxiously began unpack­the turn of the century, is the power plant brightly. Troup explained that pine ash, ing our cartons, contemplating the joint driving Troup’s 100-cubic-foot kiln. Its de­unlike the more refractory hardwood ash, journey both pots and potters would soon sign provides for the preheating of primary has the advantage of readily combining make. Available shop glazes ranged from combustion air, which is drawn from the with the melted glazes. tried-and-true Shinos to more volatile, top of the firebox and down through the As we packed our pots, John Troup runny, ash-based concoctions. A wash of wood magazine, greatly enhancing effi­ relaxed into the satisfaction of a job well Avery kaolin slip was generously applied to ciency. In fact, this firing would eventually done. In turn, each of us said our good­ the exterior of many pots in anticipation of consume only 1½ cords of unsplit scrap byes and thanks for a truly memorable the warm orange blush it engenders in a wood, start to finish. educational experience. ▲ wood-fired atmosphere. While a healthy air of experimentation prevailed, Troup was helpful in coaching us to put the right type of glaze on the right pot. Having seen the considerable cubic ca­ pacity of his double catenary-arch kiln, many of us returned Friday morning with additional bisqueware. Soon the familiar glazing rhythm of waxing, dipping and pouring was in full swing throughout the ample converted barn studio. After a pleas­ ant lunch break conversing with barnyard chickens, some of us assisted in stacking the first kiln chamber. Troup positioned Shino and Avery wares on the hotter lead­ ing edge or bag wall side of the shelves, while carefully maneuvering those with more fluid glazes to the opposite, more sheltered, side of the kiln. Saturday morning, after concluding our individual glazing, we organized the col­ lective wares to complete the kiln loading. As the second chamber was to be further fluxed during the firing by the addition of John Troup's 100-cubic-foot, two-chambered, Bourry box kiln salt, pots for this space were selectively in Bernville, Pennsylvania.

52 CERAMICS MONTHLY Surface Thought’s John Chalke The strange need to list and weigh ceramic materials has been present throughout my career, but I still don’t know where it comes from. I’d like to. I never had an accountant for a father or mother, unlike a friend of mine who suggested that was the reason for the frenzied and precise cataloging of his CD collection. Surely some of it must be genetic, but the desire seemed to begin back in art school when I made up a purple dye for a textile project. That’s when I discovered the triple-beam balance. To encapsulate knowledge looked like a path toward individualism, a device that might lead to glory and recognition—I would be the only one with such color. I think I needed all that then, and certainly there is a private part that still does. It better be only a small part. What I have feared for years is that I would become that type of shrew who would fuss and piddle around over details. -And yet details may be respected, especially when they become underpinnings for structure instead of mere add-ons. Details have always been luxuries, frequendy described as “minor,” attracting only a small, local audience. My early education seemed to consist of nobler people gliding around me, creating impressive situations that superseded previ­ ous orders. I repeatedly felt like someone in the harvest fields picking up after the main muscle had swept through. I was a gleaner then, and still am, certainly not an advance party. The difference is that now I am somewhat less ashamed; on a fine day, I even glimpse some virtue in the “wee timorous beastie.” This same body has now traveled across large land spaces, and the mind has wreathed itself into tiny woodwork cracks like smoke, in a way more wistful than I could have planned. But even while the main system collected and spent, a side branch has held on to frugality. Of course, I don’t call it that; others do. To me, its merely sensible. But here in the generous New World its still an anomaly, even in these times, like a foreign accent. Most of my glaze recipes add up to 25 grams, not 100, for example. The attraction of 100 must be traditional only, lA Ceramics (JMonthly ^Portfolio cA Ceramics CMonthly ^Portfolio born out of magazines and books, a percentage conve­ glazes look as precious as spices from the Silk Road. nience. If I had a dollar for every glaze test I’ve done, I’d Eventually I went down to Saint Ives for bracken ash and be rich. At 100 grams each, the cost would have made feldspar, to Japan several times for Shino gray, oil-spot me a pauper. temmoku, Oribe greens and reds. I went to Australia for At times, another potter’s written description of a barium and lithium glazes, and to Richard Behrens for glaze was quite exciting. One of the first stirrings for general inspiration. Colin Pearson and I still discuss the personal alchemy came from a lead glaze described as vagaries of calcium across the Atlantic. “burnt orange.” I had never thought of orange—an Whatever it is—vapor glazing from soda or wood, attractive color through the usual routes of tangerine and shards, Palissy diaries—I can only see it all surrounded sunset—as something that could be altered by any agen­ by a specific rich taste and language. Here, in North cies other than yellow or red. “Burnt” acted as only a America, I have pilgrimaged the original Kona feldspar passing, unabsorbed word. Like a perfume, it hovered, mine, the Avery kaolin source, but not yet Nephton, floated, a nonadhesive quality. That was the way I once Ontario, although it is often on my mind. “So why thought of Bernard Leach’s description of the fired, matt, Kona?” I asked the geologist, a nice young guy from subtle qualities of bracken ash and feldspar: utter en­ Ontario at the North Carolina mine. He smiled at me: chantment. So, too, burnt orange remained only semi- “K for potassium, O for oxygen, Na...” I got it, I got it. resolved, but open, like an image from an early fireside Thought someone else might like to know. radio program. Being benevolent, perhaps, I let all kinds It’s all been a series of ldln experiences. This is what of orange in, and I think this has allowed greater toler­ we all have in common. One experience leads like a clue ance for other unusual surfaces when they appear. Not to another and somehow I find the time to follow it up. just tolerance, but even zest for checking out their neigh­ Once Murray Fieldhouse, appealing for glaze recipes for bors, right and left. publication in an earlyPottery Quarterly magazine, soothed Away from words, I found tactile realities themselves us readers to have no fear of plagiarism, for he had in Dame Lucie Rie’s glazes from the early 1960s. They worked out his one and only glaze already. I pondered lay right before me in London galleries. I could touch the that for a while, wondering if I should dispense with craters, ponder on the grays and pinks. I could only stare these silly searches of mine as well. Peter Voulkos said, for a while, then have to walk helplessly away, not know­ too, that he lost his glaze book years ago. That was almost ing even where to begin. Harry Horlock Stringer amazed the final straw. But somewhere down the road I gained me years ago by getting electric kiln results way beyond momentum and discovered that were all built and breathe anything I thought possible. (I would like to visit Harry differently; no one is a flawless, ultimate example; and again, and unwrap a few of my favorite glaze trials as that it just might be possible to believe in one’s own proof of good intent, have blindfold tests, discuss the eccentricities, whatever they are. Melt.) Paul Barron and Frank Hamer could make iron So it’s a quest for unusual melts that I admit to—on

“Green Catchment, ”17 inches in diameter; glazed “Bronze and Purple Shift-Shape," 14 inches in stoneware, multifired at Cone 6. length, glazed, multifired stoneware. “Tie, ” 12 inches in length, slab-built stoneware, with multifired Cone 6 oxidation glazes and low-fired decals.

“Patches, ” 17 inches long, holes drilled with diamond bit after Cone 6firing, covered with glass squares, refired to Cone 019. Ceramics CMonthly ^Portfolio

“Blue Glasses, ”20 inches in Length, stoneware with 1930s willow-patterned plate halves, multifired in oxidation to Cone 6. some week; on others I desire historical knowledge. Yet stretched raku “Copper Matt,” is finding a new, popular there are times when I have a real need to see form only, niche, if the recent appearance of broken ice-flow type unadorned, no specific surface, or at least nothing ex­ glazes is anything to go by. Several times I have substi­ traordinary. And all these things feel comfortable along­ tuted magnesium carbonate in place of the dolomite side one another, until I attempt some rationalization. called for in earlier recipes, and have found that although Glaze is surface enhancement, but it can also be its it is more expensive, it works in a far more textural own master. It needn’t be subservient or secondary to any manner. The carbonate, being somewhat soluble and greater cause. Like appropriate throwing marks, it’s a fluffy, actually expands the glaze batch considerably by declaration of completion. taking on a lot of water, so it isn’t such a relative expense The following are short notes on three materials I use: as it first might appear. Cryolite (Na A1F ) is used in large amounts to help The melt is more toward a worn rock surface than a extract aluminum 6 from the ground. Alumina is first glass, and higher percentages no longer act as a flux, prepared from the mineral bauxite, then dissolved in a unlike lower ones. I like it when Cullen Parmelee says in batch of molten cryolite. Ceramic Glazes that these conditions “give rise to faults of In glazes, cryolite brings fluoride to the dance. It is a serious nature.” My glazes have such faults, but they also a way of introducing soda in insoluble form. It mists have been kindly noted. Robert Fournier put an early the studio windows forever (try a preventative coating of example of such a piece under “crawling” in his Illus­ Vaseline) and runs on even slightly vertical ceramic sur­ trated Dictionary of Practical Pottery. faces unless checked. But it’s a rugged coastline, a moun­ Tricalcium phosphate (3Ca0P205 ) is a type of bone tain range, a frozen slough on a prairie. Try cryolite with ash mined in Ontario and Quebec as the material apa­ talc, with Zircopax, with barium carbonate. tite. Unless you’re ready for it, it’s the one that startles by Magnesium Carbonate (MgC0 3), like that over­ fizzing and bubbling in a glaze, and for a while can make “Dark Gray Coral with Green Handle, ” I6V2 inches in length, stoneware with multifired Cone 6glazes.

“Bronze Line with Blue Shard over Purple and Gray Pod, 5 30 inches in length, multifired at Cone 6. cA Ceramics CMonthly ^Portfolio the studio smell like a badly digested meal. However, glazes (whose vapors could adversely affect results) or these are minor drawbacks for a material of such great temperature change. I don’t completely remember my potential. I’ve started using it much more over a previous favorite 20 recipes, so if I lost my glaze book I’d be sunk favorite—real bone ash (calcined animal bones). Any­ for exact details. My only insurance is that I have two thing up to 12% is a real surface enhancer, especially in different book in separate places. iron glazes. For example, using between 12% and 15% And what of all this? It’ll probably never stop. It’s tricalcium phosphate in magnesium glazes gives dra­ another type of search, like birdwatching. I seek no matic results, forming deep craters and throwing up ultimate surface. There is no final vision. One result segregations of metals like iron so that they lie on the suggests one more—easily, effortlessly. It goes on and on, surface in small clumps. like hedgerows from a car window. One glaze took me The other bone ash is far more staid. I use it in equal five years, according to my notes. Another took four. proportions to calm down cryolite, whereby it adds reli­ The burnt orange from long ago eludes me no longer. ability to a surface otherwise somewhat prone to release A high rutile/barium base seemed to be the solution. A of solubles. more conventional orange is beyond my grasp at the Side by side the chemical breakdown of both bone moment, however. I was investigating iron and zirco­ ashes looks very similar. In practice, they are appreciably nium a little while back, and I have a lead toward sele­ different. Originally, I tried to see their separate and nium with zirconium also. Selenium? There is a Blythe reputed enriching effects on iron; I found that tricalcium stain that will do the job if I really need a good orange, phosphate works better at this. (Odd, though, when a but it’s not always the orange that’s the target. It’s the material containing calcium usually bleaches iron.) whole scenario. Sometimes specific searches like these Unashamedly esoteric, one of my very favorite glazes seem merely academic; sometimes they seem so worth­ usesboth types of bone ash. I can’t get the particular while. It would depend on the origin of the vision. textural results any other way. At times there are useful spin-offs. I did get a satisfac­ I always do two tests per glaze, and always apply them tory orange with blue, all in one glaze, by using copper. to small, shallow bowls thrown off the hump. These give The same search for orange turned up some tasty me much more information than those somewhat use­ temmokus and red oil spots in oxidation. I never thought less, L-shaped slices. I like to see the glaze work. The it could happen, being brought up in the ’60s on iron same test is poured on different days to present varied reduction, but these surfaces are far more exciting than viscosity, and goes in different parts of the kiln to ensure any reduced examples I can recall. Of course, originally, a cross section of circumstances—such as neighboring temmoku always was an oxidized glaze.

blue; sometimes pools to a slight A varying and motded mushroom Some Recipes shine in depressions. I worked years gray, breaking to medium blue, with on this glaze because it would alwayssubdued shine, this melt is more dis­ Matt Gray/PinklBlue Glazebound away from me just when I tinguished on porcelain. Sometimes (Cone 6) figured I had it. If you like your skiesthere will be an odd and unpredict­ Barium the same color all day long, this glaze able outbreak of pink clustering. The Carbonate...... 4.00-8.00 grams probably won’t sit well with you. patterning may look insignificant on Lithium too large an area. (The small amount Carbonate...... 1.00-3.00 Gray to Blue (with Pink) Glazeof barium is to prevent later fluoride Whiting ...... 18.00 (Cone 6, oxidation) scumming on the glaze surface.) Nepheline Syenite .....40.00 Barium Carbonate..... 0.50 gram 6 Tile Kaolin ...... 4.00-9.50 Gersdey Borate...... 1.00 Wild Rose Temmoku 67.00-78.50 grams Talc...... 2.50 (Cone 6) Add: Chrome Oxide ....0.50 gram Cryolite...... 12.50 Lithium Carbonate..... 1.50grams Cobalt Carbonate ..0.25 gram 16.50 grams Tricalcium Phosphate .... 1.50 Manganese Add: Cobalt Nepheline Syenite ...... 8.75 Dioxide ...... 0.50 gram Carbonate..... 0.25 gram 6 Tile Kaolin ...... 2.50 Tm Oxide...... 8.00 grams Rutile...... 1.50-2.50 grams 14.25 grams A worn pebble matt gray/pink/steel Zircopax ... 10.00-16.50 grams Add: Red Iron Oxide .. 1.50grams “Cup Tilt, ” 12 inches in diameter, stoneware slab and shards, with Cone 6 oxidation glazes, multifired.

“White Trough with Two Pools, ”20 inches in length, slab-built stoneware with Cone 6glaze. (_ A Ceramics CMonthly Tortfolio

“Green and Bronze Trough with Surrogate Handle, ” 14 inches in length, glazed stoneware with Kanthal wire, fired to Cone 6 in oxidation, by John Chalke, Calgary, Alberta. December 1992 61 January 16, 1993 entry deadline Call for Entries Wichita, Kansas “Art Show at the Dog Show” Exhibitions Fairs Festivals and Sales (March 1—April 11, 1993), open to art incorporat­ , , ing dog imagery; includes a separate category for ceramics. Juried from slides. Fee: $20 for up to 3 entries. Awards: over $7000. For prospectus, con­ tact Joe Miller, 11301 West 37th North, Wichita National Exhibitions 67205; or telephone (316) 722-6181, evenings. December 11 entry deadline January 24, 1993 entry deadline Lafayette, Louisiana “Lafayette Art Association Syracuse, New York “The 29th Ceramic Na­ Annual Juried Ait Competition of Original Two- tional” (opens May 21, 1993). Juried from slides. and Three-Dimensional Art” (March 9-April 8, For prospectus and entry form, contact C. N. Pro­ 1993). Juried from slides. Awards: over $5000. spectus, Everson Museum of Art, 401 Harrison Juror: Clint Willour, curator, Galveston Art Center. Street, Syracuse 13202. For prospectus, send #10 SASE to J. K. Sommer, February 15, 1993 entry deadline Lafayette Art Gallery, 700 Lee Ave., Lafayette 70501. Lancaster, Pennsylvania “First Annual Strictly January 2, 1993 entry deadline Functional Pottery National” (May 2-June 12, Ames, Iowa “Year of the Craft: Octagon’s Clay 1993). Juried from slides. Juror: Jack Troy. Fee: 1 and Fiber Exhibition” (March 7-April 25, 1993). entry, $10; 2, $15; 3, $20. Cash and purchase Juried from slides. Entry fee: $35 for 1-3 entries. awards. For prospectus, send #10 SASE to Market Clay juror: Paul Dresang, professor of ceramics, House Craft Center, Pennsylvania Guild of Crafts­ Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. Cash men, Box 552, Lancaster 17603; or telephone (717) awards. For entry form, send # 10 SASE to Year of the 295-1500. Craft Exhibition, Octagon Center for the Arts, 427 February 24, 1993 entry deadline Douglas Avenue, Ames 50010. Milwaukee, Wisconsin “Vessels” (April 30—June January 4, 1993 entry deadline 11, 1993). Juried from slides. For information or Gatlinburg, 7ennessee“Pattern: New Form, New prospectus, contact A. Houberbocken, 230 West Function” (February 26-May 15, 1993). Juried Wells Street, Suite 202, Milwaukee 53203; or tele­ from slides. Entry fee: $ 18 for up to 3 works. Juror: phone (414) 276-6002. Clare Verstegen, surface designer/assistant profes­ March 12, 1993 entry deadline sor, School of Art, Arizona State University, Tempe. Tempe, Arizona “Tempe Tea Party” (May 21— For prospectus, contact Arrowmont School of Arts July 18,1993). Juried from slides. Entry fee: $15 for and Crafts, Box 567, Gatlinburg 37738; or tele­ up to 5 works; maximum of 15 slides. Awards: phone (615) 436-5860. $500-$ 1000 minimum. For prospectus, send self- January 8, 1993 entry deadline addressed mailing label and stamp to Tempe Arts Milwaukee, Wisconsin “Folk Art” (March 12- Center, Box 549, Tempe 85280; or telephone (602) April 16,1993). Juried from slides. For information 968-0888. or prospectus, contact A. Houberbocken, 230 West March 19, 1993 entry deadline Wells Street, Suite 202, Milwaukee 53203; or tele­ University Park, Pennsylvania “Crafts National phone (414) 276-6002. 27” (June 6-July 25, 1993). Juried from slides. Fee: January 10, 1993 entry deadline $20 for 3 entries. Juror: Joanne Rapp, founder and Hamilton, Ontario, Canada “Fireworks 1993” director, Joanne Rapp Gallery/The Hand and the (May 25-31,1993, touring through 1995), open to Spirit, Scottsdale, Arizona. Awards: $3000. For clay/glass artists living in Canada. Juried from up to prospectus, send SASE to Crafts National 27, Zoller 2 slides per entry; up to 3 entries. Fee: Can$ 10 per Gallery, 102 Visual Arts Building, Penn State Uni­ work, plus (for nonmembers) Can$53.50 member­ versity, University Park 16802; or telephone (814) ship fee for Fusion, Ontario Clay and Glass Associa­ 865-0444. tion. Purchase awards up to Can$4000. Contact March 26, 1993 entry deadline Carolynne Pynn-T rudeau, 223 Glebe Ave., Ottawa, Lincoln, California “Feats of Clay VI” (May 22- Ontario K1S 2C8; or telephone (613) 233-9455. June 26, 1993). Juried from slides. Fee: $10 per January 11, 1993 entry deadline entry; up to 3 entries. Works should not exceed 24 New Haven, Connecticut“New Ceramics” (April inches. Juror: Patti Warashina. Awards: Over $9000 2-May 22, 1993). Juried from slides. Juror: Val in place, merit and purchase awards. Send SASE to Cushing, head of the ceramics division, Alfred Uni­ Lincoln Arts, Box 1166, Lincoln 95648; or tele­ versity. Entry fee: $ 15 for up to 3 pieces; limit of 9 phone (916) 645-9713. slides. Awards: $ 1000. For prospectus, send SASE to April 2, 1993 entry deadline Creative Arts Workshop, Gallery Director, 80 Rockford, Illinois “2x2x2” (April 30-June 4, Audubon Street, New Haven 06510. 1993), open to all media under 2 inches, excluding Columbus, Ohio “Contemporary Works of Faith frame or base. Juried from actual work. Entry fee: ’93” (March 7-April 4, 1993). Juried from 2 slides $ 15 for up to 3 works. For prospectus, send SASE to per entry; up to 3 entries. Fee: $20; Liturgical Art 2x2x2,Gallery Ten, 514 East State Street, Rockford Guild of Ohio members, $14. Jurors: H. Daniel 61104; or telephone (815) 229-5333. Butts III, director, Mansfield Art Center; and Judith April 16, 1993 entry deadline Lucas, curator, Skirball Museum-Cincinnati branch, Rockford, Illinois “Botanies” (June 18-July23, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Reli­ 1993). Juried from slides. Entry fee: $ 15 for 3 slides. gion. Awards: approximately$2000 in prizes and For prospectus, send SASE to Botanies, Gallery Ten, purchase awards. For prospectus, contact Anita 514 East State Street, Rockford 61104; or telephone Miller, 215 East Selby, Worthington, Ohio 43085; (815) 229-5333. or telephone (614) 847-1027. April 21, 1993 entry deadline Milwaukee, Wisconsin “Over the Edge...Again” Send announcements of juried exhibitions, fairs,(June 25-August 13, 1993). Juried from slides. For festivals and sales at least four months before the information or prospectus, contact A. Houber­ event's entry deadline (add one month for listings bocken, in 230 West Wells Street, Suite 202, Milwau­ July and two months for those in August) to Call forkee 53203; or telephone (414) 276-6002. Entries, Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Colum­ bus, Ohio 43212; or telephone (614) 488-8236. Regional Exhibitions Fax announcements to (614) 488-4561. Regional January 8, 1993 entry deadline exhibitions must be open to more than one state. Beaumont, Texas “Tri-State 1993” (March 6—

62 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 63 Call for Entries January 22, 1993 entry deadline Articles for Everyday Living” (March 13—May 2, Quincy, Illinois “43rd Annual Quad State Juried 1993, the Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield; July 10- Exhibition” (March 28-May 3, 1993), open to August 21, 1993, Worcester Center for Crafts; and artists living in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa or Missouri. a third show in autumn); open to residents of New 31,1993), open to residents of Arkansas, Louisiana, Awards: $3000 cash, solo show and other awards. England, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Mary­ Mississippi or Texas. Juried from slides. Cash awards. For prospectus, send 4x9SASE to Quincy Art Cen­ land or Pennsylvania. Juried from up to 2 slides per For further information contact Tri-State, Beau­ ter, 1515 Jersey, Quincy 62301; or telephone (217) work; up to 3 works. Entry fee: $ 10. For prospectus, mont Art League, 2675 Gulf, Beaumont 77703; 223-5900. send SASE to Domestic, Worcester Center for Crafts, telephone (409) 833-4179. January 23, 1993 entry deadline 25 Sagamore Road, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605; January 18, 1993 entry deadline New Britain, Connecticut “Clay Today” (Febru­ or telephone (508) 753-8183. Topeka, Kansas“T opeka Competition 17” (April ary 7-27, 1993), open to ceramists living in the January 29, 1993 entry deadline 3-May 2, 1993), open to artists living in Iowa, Northeast. Juried from works hand delivered Janu­ Wayne, Pennsylvania “Craft Forms 1993” (Feb­ Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska or Oklahoma. Juried ary 22, 3-7 P.M., or January 23, 12-4 P.M. Juror: ruary 6-27, 1993), open to artists residing in Dela­ from slides. Juror: David Shaner. Entry fee: $15 for Walter Hall. Awards. For prospectus, send #10SASE ware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Juried from up to 3 works. For further information contact Larry to “Clay Today,” Art League of New Britain, 30 slides or actual work. Entry fee: $ 12. Jurors: Rick and Peters, Gallery Director, Topeka Public Library, Cedar Street, New Britain 06052. Ruth Snyderman of Works and Snyderman Galler­ 1515 West Tenth, Topeka 66604; or telephone January 25, 1993 entry deadline ies, Philadelphia. Cash awards. For application, send (913) 233-2040. Pittsfield, Massachusetts “The Domestic Object: #10 SASE to Wayne Art Center, 413 Maplewood Ave., Wayne 19087; or telephone (215) 688-3553. March 12, 1993 entry deadline Macon, Georgia “The jhwebb Gallery’s Pots IV” (May 27-August 21, 1993), open to artists residing in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Juried from slides. For prospectus, contact Terri Frolich, the jhwebb Gal­ lery, 2476 Vineville Avenue, Macon 31204; or telephone (912) 746-1653. Fairs, Festivals and Sales January4, 1993 entry deadline Islamorada, Florida “Islamorada’s 14th Annual Rain Barrel Arts Festival” (March 20-21, 1993). Juried from slides. Booth fee: $95 for a 10x10-foot space. Contact Rain Barrel Arts Festival, 86700 Overseas Highway, Islamorada 33036; or telephone (305) 852-3084. January5, 1993 entry deadline New York, New York “17th Annual American Crafts Festival” (July 3-4 and/or July 10-11,1993). “Ninth Annual Autumn Crafts Festival” (August 28-30, September 4-6 and/or 11-12,1993). “Hands Create America” (October 14-17, 1993). Juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $10. Booth fees vary. Send SASE to Maureen Mullin, American Concern for Artistry and Craftsmanship, Box 650, Montclair, New Jersey 07042; or telephone (201) 746-0091. January15, 1993 entry deadline Santa Monica, California “Contemporary Crafts Market” (June11-13,1993 and/or November 5-7, 1993).Juried from 5 slides or photos and resume. Entry fee: $15 for one or both shows. Booth fee: $280-$840,fora 10x5- to 15x10-footspace. Con­ tact Roy Helms or Chris Andrews, Directors, 1142 Auahi Street, Suite2820, Honolulu, Hawaii968 14; or telephone (808) 422-7362. Gaithersburg, Maryland*^pring Arts and Crafts Fair” (April 16-18, 1993); “Autumn Crafts Festi­ val” (November 19-21,1993) and/or “Winter Crafts Festival” (December 10-12, 1993). Juried from 5 slides, including 1 of booth display. Booth fees vary. No commissions. For application, send 3 (29<£) stamps to Deann Verdier, Director, Sugarloaf Moun­ tain Works, 200 Orchard Ridge Drive, Suite 215, Gaithersburg 20878; or telephone (301) 990-1400. Timonium, Maryland “Spring Crafts Festival” (April 30-May 2, 1993) and/or “Maryland Crafts Festival” (October 8-10,1993). Juried from 5 slides, including 1 of booth display. Booth fee: $375. No commissions. For application, send 3 (29

64 CERAMICS MONTHLY Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878; or telephone (301) 990-1400. Stevens Point, Wisconsin “21 st Annual Festival of the Arts” (April 4, 1993). Juried from 5 slides. Jury fee: $5. Registration fee: $35. Cash and purchase awards. Send SASE to Festival of the Arts, Box 972, Stevens Point 54481; or telephone Nancy Whitmire (715) 344-5661. February 1, 1993 entry deadline Columbus, Ohio “Columbus Arts Festival” (June 2-6,1993). Juried from slides. For further informa­ tion contact the Columbus Arts Festival, 55 East State Street, Columbus 43215; or telephone (614) 224-2606. San Antonio, Texas“ 1993 Fiesta Arts Fair” (April 17-18,1993). Juried from 3 slides. Booth fee: $150 for a 10x10-foot space. Awards: first prize, $200; second, $125; third, $75; and four honorable men­ tions, $50. Contact the Southwest Craft Center, 300 Augusta, San Antonio 78205; or telephone Tracey Bennett (512) 224-1848. February 15, 1993 entry deadline Clinton, Iowa “Art in the Park” (May 15-16, 1993). Juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $5. Booth fee: $60 for a 10x10-foot space. No commission. Cash awards. Send SASE to Clinton Art Association, Box 132, Clinton 52733; or telephone Carol Glahn (319) 259-8308. Ann Arbor, Michigan “The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair” (July 21-24,1993). Juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $ 15. For application or information, contact the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, Box 1352, Ann Arbor 48106; or telephone (313) 994-5260. February 17, 1993 entry deadline Indianapolis, Indiana “Talbot Street Art Fair” (June 12-13,1993). Juried from slides. SendSASE to Box 479, Danville, Indiana 46122. March 1, 1993 entry deadline Chicago, Illinois “ 19th Annual Wells Street Art Festival” (June 12-13, 1993). Juried from 5 slides plus 1 of display. Cash awards. Contact Joyce Saxon, Old Town Chamber of Commerce, 1543 North Wells Street, Chicago 60610; or telephone (312) 951-6106. Birmingham, Michigan “Birmingham Art in the Park 1993” (September 11-12, 1993). Juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $15. Booth fee: $225 for a 1 Ox 10- foot space. Awards: six Best of Show awards of $400 each. Contact Art in the ParklCommon Ground, 751 Hendrie Boulevard, Royal Oak, Michigan 48067. March 15, 1993 entry deadline Manayunk, Pennsylvania “Fourth Annual Manayunk Arts Festival” (June 26-27, 1993). Ju­ ried from 4 slides or photos. Entry fee: $10. Booth fee: $225 for a 10x15-foot space. Send SASE to Business Association of Manayunk, 4320 Main Street, Suite 2, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19127. March26, 1993 entry deadline Salem, Oregon “44th Annual Salem Art Fair and Festival” (July 16-18, 1993). Juried from 6 slides. Booth fee: $60 for a 10x10-foot space. Commis­ sion: 20%. Send SASE to 1993 Prospectus, Salem Art Fair and Festival, 600 Mission Street, Southeast, Salem 97302. April 1, 1993 entry deadline Garrison, New York “24th Annual Arts and Crafts Fair” (August 21-22, 1993). Juried from slides. Entry fee: $5. Booth fee: $175 for a 10x10- foot space. No commision. For application, send SASE to the Garrison Art Center, Box 4, Garrison 10524; or telephone (914) 424-3960. Spring Green, Wisconsin “24th Annual Spring Green Arts and Crafts Fair” (June 26-27, 1993). Juried from slides. Entry fee: $75. Awards: approxi­ mately $3000 in cash; over $6500 in purchase awards. Contact Spring Green Arts and Crafts Fair, Box 96, Spring Green 53588; or telephone Miep Kempthorne (608) 588-7326.

December 1992 65 the metal bristles are not as hard as most stone­Q I want to decorate plates and platters with Questions ware, they still might damage the surface. marbled patterns. Would you outline the tech­ Answered by the CM Technical Staff There is only one kind of paint that abso­ niques by which this can be achieved?—A.L. lutely stands up to today’s high-quality paint There are three techniques commonly used removers—milk paint. Milk used as paint was for making marbled designs on flat wares such Q I recently purchased an antique stoneware appreciated by our forefatherslmothers for its as plates and platters. The first is to briefly spiral water cooler (made during the early 1800s) that durability. Milk painting was often done aroundwedge various colors of clay together, then was completely covered with a layer of matt dark slaughtering time so they could mix animal handbuild or throw the resulting marbled body. green paint. Because it hadpeeled in some areas, I blood in for color; other colorants included Thrown or handbuilt ware (centered or cut thought it would be easy to remove the rest of the clays, berry juices and eventually dry pigmentsrespectively out of spiral-wedged colored clays) paint, as I wanted to restore the ceramic surface to imported from England. Milk paint is found will tend to have swirled patterns. For more its original condition. But after trying a wire brushmore commonly on furniture than pottery, butcontrolled patterns, plates can be made from with very little success, as well as various paint its presence does suggest that your pot was slabs cut from blocks of layered colored clays. removers with no effect at all (I even resorted topainted some time ago. Luckily, ammonia takesTo build the marbled blocks, slap together a automotive engine cleaner), I am stumped. What it off handily. Just use a few bottles of the stack of variously colored slabs, then cut it do you think this paint was made of, and how dostandard household cleaner variety to soak the vertically in two with a taut wire; slap one half I get it off—T. T. painted surfaces of your cooler, and the paint face down on the wedging board, and the other There are two schools of thought on painted should wipe away with a washcloth or fine steelhalf face up on top of the first (with a 90° twist pots. Most stoneware collectors want the paint wool. Because of ammonia’s strong smell, you’llin its axis if desired). removed in order to reveal the glazed surface probably prefer removing milk paint outdoors. The major roadblock to success with this and possible cobalt decoration. Yet a more Even though stonewares are considered vit­process is getting a good fit between the various archaeological viewpoint suggests a painted pot reous, many (historical or contemporary) actu­colored clays; poor fit will cause the plate to could hold some secrets in the paint itself that ally are not. And some have small fissures that crack and/or pull apart during drying or firing. might be worth knowing, so the paint should beare not visible until the piece is stressed. LiquidMaking up blocks weeks in advance will help allowed to remain on the vessel as part of its entering fissures or pores in very old ware can equalize moisture differences between the vari­ history. Think this issue through completely induce cracking—a risk you will have to take ousin colored clays. However, there may be dif­ before removing any paint, because once gone,order to clean the paint off the surface of this ferences in shrinkage between the clays—even it cannot be restored. pot. Be sure to handle it gingerly when remov­ when using color variations of the same base First of all, a wire brush is not recommendeding the paint and as it dries, as it will be more clay body, particularly when one colorant is for removing paint from pottery. Even though vulnerable to cracking during those times. refractory like nickel oxide and another is a

66 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 67 Questions

strong flux like cobalt oxide. When this hap­ pens, shrinkage tests must be conducted, and the body composition altered to create a good fit between the desired colored clays. You might want to refer to two articles by and about Ban Kajitani (February 1979 and January 1991, respectively), which discuss neri- komi, neriage and saido tuishumon—Japanese terms for various kinds of in-clay patterning, including marbling. The second marbling method involves pour­ ing and trailing slip onto a slab. A layer of liquid slip (often made from the same clay body or sometimes from a contrasting clay) is poured over the entire slab. Immediately thereafter, a contrasting color of liquid slip is trailed (early English and American redware potters trailed using a ceramic cup with a bird quill spout at its base) in patterns over top of the first layer of slip. Next, the slab maybe tipped and shaken slightly so that the two still-wet slips mingle randomly, or the slips may be combed in opposing direc­ tions with a feather; a combination of both combing and shaking is also possible. Once the slip has set, the slab can be shaped as a plate or shallow bowl over a hump or in a slump mold. Problems of fit are greatly reduced with this technique (in comparison to the first). Slip- marbled work is usually glazed overall with a clear gloss recipe. Irma Starr’s article “The Allure of Slip- ware” in the February 1991 CM shows the slip marbling process in detail, as does Joseph and Marcia Mannino’s “Feathered Slip Trailing” in the September 1975 issue. Finally, the third technique is adapted from the papermaker’s marbling process: Dry col­ ored slip (or a colorant alone) is stirred into oil or glycerine—or any other substance that will not mix with water—then trailed onto the surface of a large tub of water. Sometimes more than one color is trailed sequentially. Like the poured and trailed slips, adjustments in pattern can be made by shaking or combing. Bisque- ware carefully placed face down on this pat­ terned surface film picks up all or most of the oily colorant. In a variation of this method, the water’s surface is trailed with oily colorants, then the plate is slowly submerged through the layer. The bisque will pick up a swirl of colorants as it is pushed down, then brought back up through that oily surface layer. As in the second mar­ bling method, work decorated in this manner is usually glazed overall with a clear gloss recipe. Subscribers’ questions are welcome and those of gen­ eral interest will be answered in this column. Due to volume, letters may not be answered personally. Ad­ dress the Technical Staff, Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212.

68 CERAMICS MONTHLY Letters self from the formal elements of utility, then Continued from page 10 go ahead and continue to exalt the concept of containment or tea drinking by making that heart teapot would make me sick. A “sculptures” with spouts, handles and lids. more appropriate place for it would be a Ponder, though, the possibility that there human anatomy class. may be more important things in life than What concerns me about all this is not the challenge of integrating the parts of a whether folks make what they make to put teapot in new, unusual and useless ways. If a food on the table. And I could really care less customer happens to say, as was the case with if an individual straps neon to his or her pots Madeline Kaczmarczyk (September portfo­ and sprays pastel images all over them. Nor, lio), that the teapot you’ve made is too good for that matter, does it turn my life upside to use, then ponder, too, the possibility of down if someone makes teapots that look like having failed to make a clear statement. If hearts, spleens, livers, penises or whatever! you’re going to create teapots, don’t confuse We are lucky to be as free as we are with howpeople. Make the things work! we express ourselves. I feel sad in a way because, after an enor­ All this indignation, I suppose, comes mous amount of soul-searching, I’ve discov­ from questioning my own work and effort to ered that clay, a substance I have immensely try to understand why I’m making the kinds enjoyed for a long time, is not quite the right of things I make. Looking at some of my vehicle to express my ideas. For years I’ve raku vases one afternoon, I suddenly asked tried to force clay to be the material (or one myself a question remarkably similar to of the materials) of choice, but found I could Ferrin’s. “Why do these forms have an open­ only take it so far. For me, working clay and ing at the top?” They don’t hold anything. I throwing pots remains a really pleasurable never put anything in them. They’re not alive tactile experience, but that can’t be an end in so the hole isn’t a mouth; the hollow interior itself anymore. I’ve got to move and grow. is definitely not a haven for my spirit. (I have Okay. Go ahead and throw your rotten heard some people make such a ridiculous tomatoes. statement.) I’m not trying to redefine the Erik Mandaville, Houston vessel. (The old definition works just fine.) What the hell am I doing? Paperclay Wliat might be responsible for my par­ Re: “Amazing Paperclay” by Rosette ticular approach to vessel making is that I’m a Gault in the JunelJulylAugust 1992 issue: coward, a chicken so-and-so who makes What a great idea! sculptural vases that look like they want to do I work in clay and handmade paper (sepa­ more than just sit on a pedestal in some rately). At present I have cotton paper pulp gallery—only to be adopted, taken to a new (in my freezer) and plan to use it with home, then put on another pedestal, book­ wedged Cone 5 stoneware. shelf or toilet-tank top. I’m afraid (and I bet I sculpt poles up to 8 feet high (built on some of you reading this would find, if you galvanized pipes). When firm, I cut sections 5 would just admit it, that you’re the same typeinches to 7 inches high and lift off the pole to of spineless creature) to simply let go of that fire in my electric kiln. ancient mother of all we create, the first Jeanette Bernhard, Phoenix simple, functional clay pot—or teapot. Fame, galleries, museums and high prices have Stimulus Needed for Growth absolutely nothing to do with pure anistic A closed mind does not admit the stimu­ expression—expression devoid of lids, spouts, lus necessary for growth. Please continue to handles and vacant, useless interiors—expres­ publish a diversified format that informs, sion unshackled and released from function­ educates and occasionally provokes. alism. If everything a vessel-maker makes is Stephanie Sterling, Jackson, Calif. an effort to say something about function, rather than to produce a functional object, “How To” Needed then perhaps such an individual does not I’ve often been inspired by some of the have a great deal to say. What is so intriguing great works shown in Ceramics Monthly, but about function? I’m at a loss on how to do it myself. Please What it all comes down to is: If you ask the profiled artists to be generous with manufacture functional pottery, you can their knowledge, and not to be threatened. make it look nice, but, more importantly, Harriet Thom, Little Falls, N.J. make it comfortable to use and make it work well. If what you want to communicate with From Mediocre to Brilliant clay has to do with things that have nothing We first read CM in 1969-70 and have whatsoever to do with function, then make subscribed since 1973. The magazine has sculpture without feeling obliged to provide gone from mediocre to brilliant. From Down references to teapots or any other tradition­ Under, CM is up on top! ally functional forms. Michael & Karen Ward If you can’t or don’t want to wean your­ Mahogany Creek, Western Australia

December 1992 69 California, San Francisco December3—January 2,1993 Calendar Annette Corcoran, figurative teapots; at Dorothy Weiss Gallery, 256 Sutter Street. Conferences, Exhibitions, Fairs, Workshops Florida, Boca Raton January 7—30, 1993 Christine and Other Events to Attend Federighi; at Jaffe Baker Gallery, 608 Banyan Trail. Georgia, Atlanta January 23—February 13, 1993 Ron Meyers; at Berman Gallery, 1131 Euclid Avenue. Minnesota, Duluththrough January 4, 1993 Glenn Conferences Nelson; at the Tweed Museum of Art, University of California, San Diego March 24-27, 1993 NCECA Minnesota-Duluth, 10 University Drive. annual conference. Contact Regina Brown, Box 1677, New Jersey, Layton through December 24 Karen Bandon, Oregon 97411. Copensky, “Endangered Species: Rhyton Drinking Florida, Saint PetersburgJanuary 15—17, 1993 “41st Vessels”; at Peters Valley Craft Center. Florida Craftsmen Exhibition and Conference” will New Mexico, AlbuquerqueDecember 11-26 Richard include workshops by Eddie Dominguez and Byron Garriott-Stejskal, ceramic sculpture; at Cone 10 Gal­ Temple. Keynote speaker/exhibition curator: Jane lery, 2937 Monte Vista, Northeast. Kessler, director of Curator’s Forum, Charlotte, North New York, New York December 8—January2,1993Ah Carolina. Contact Florida Craftsmen, 235 Third St., S, Leon, Yixing teapots. January 12—February 6, 1993 Saint Petersburg 33701; or telephone (813) 821 -7391. David Regan. Kurt Weiser. Cindy Kolodziejski; at Michigan, Dearborn January23,1993 “The Potential Garth Clark Gallery, 24 West 57th Street. Place of Ceramics in the Mainstream of Art (Current Oregon, Gleneden Beach through December 31 and Future),” a forum with panelists Tony Hepburn, “Laidman Dogs,” slab-built dogs by Roberta Laidman; ceramist; Ronald Kuchta, director of the Everson at Maveety Gallery, Market Place at Salishan. Museum; Mitchell Merback, historian; Kristin Poole, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia through February 1993 curator; and Maria Porges, critic. Also includes exhibi­Arnold Zimmerman, outdoor installation of 4 large- tions at area galleries. Location: Adray Auditorium, scale sculptures; in Arco Park, next to Haviland Hall, MacKenzie Fine Arts Center, Henry Ford Community University of the Arts. College. Contact Kathy Dambach, Art Department Pennsylvania, PittsburghDecember4—January27,1993 Chairman, Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn Jack Troy, stoneware and porcelain; at the Clay Place, 48128; or telephone (313) 845-6485. 5416 Walnut Street. New York, New York December 7 “The Yixing Tea­ January 6-February 12, 1993Joan Bontempo, ceram- pot—A Symposium: Tradition, Change and Influence ics/mixed-media constructions; at UP Gallery, Univer­ in Contemporary Yixing Ceramics.” Will include pre­ sity of Pittsburgh, Forbes Avenue and South Bouquet. sentations by artists Ah Leon and Richard Notkin, as January 9-30,1993Joan Bontempo, ceramics/mixed- well as by designer Gerald Gulotta and Yixing import­ media constructions; at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, ers Jim and Louise Anderson. Fee: $16; students, $8. 526 Penn Avenue. Location: 92nd Street Y. Contact the Art Center/92nd Washington, Tacoma through January 16,1993 Rich­ Street Y, 1395 Lexington Avenue, New York 10128; ard Fairbanks, “American Potter”; at Tacoma Art telephone Bob Gilson (212) 996-1100. Or contact Museum, 1123 Pacific Avenue. Garth Clark Gallery, 24 West 57th Street, New York Wisconsin, Sheboygan through January 17,1993Tom 10019; telephone (212) 246-2205. Rippon, “A Poet’s Game”; at John Michael Kohler Arts Texas, San Marcos February 12—14,1993“Texas Clay Center, 608 New York Avenue. II Symposium” will include presentations by Joe Bova, Wyoming, Cheyenne throughJanuary 11,1993Carolyn Nick deVries, Piero Fenci, Barbara Frey, Janet Koplos, Palmer Wagner; at Wyoming State Museum, Barrett Claudia Reese, Tom Turnquist, James Watkins and Building, 22nd and Central. more. Contact Michel Conroy, Department of Art, 601 University Drive, Southwest Texas State Univer­ sity, San Marcos 78666; or telephone (512) 245-2611. Group Ceramics Exhibitions Washington, Seattle February 4—6,1993 “College Art Arizona, Scottsdale January 1—31, 1993“Woodfire,” Association Annual Conference.” Contact CAA, 275 with works by Frank Boyden, Paul Chaleff, Catharine Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10001; or Hiersoux, Charles Hindes, Karen Karnes, John Neely, telephone (212) 691-1051. JeffOestreich, Don Reitz, Mary Roehm andJackTroy; at Joanne Rapp Gallery/The Hand and the Spirit, 4222 North Marshall Way. International Conferences Arizona, Tempe through January 10, 1993 “Animal, Australia, AdelaideJuly 11-17, 1993 “7th National Vegetable, Mineral: Functional and Nonfunctional Ceramics Conference: Celebrating the Maker.” Regis­ Ceramics,” juried national; atTempe Arts Center, Mill tration fee: Aus$305 (approximately US$218)/stu- Avenue and First Street. dents, Aus$ 190 (approximately US$ 135) before April California, Los Angeles December 5—January 6, 1993 1, 1993; Aus$320 (approximately US$230)/students, “Rituals of Tea”; at Garth Clark Gallery, 170 South La Aus$205 (approximately US$147) after April 1,1993. Brea Avenue. Contact the Registrar, 7th National Ceramics Confer­ California, Sacramento January 21—March 7, 1993 ence, Box 234, Stepney, South Australia 5069; or “Tesoros de la Tierra: Ceramic Figures from Ancient telephone (08) 4101822, national; or (61) 8 410 1822, America”; at the Crocker Art Museum, 216 0 Street. international. California, San Diego through December 31, 1993 “Raingods, Owls and Animalitos”; at the San Diego Museum of Man, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park. Solo Exhibitions D.C., Washington through December 8“ Bridge of Fire: Arizona, Scottsdale December 1-31 Geo Lastomirsky; Two Potters East and West, ” works by Takashi Nakazato at Joanne Rapp Gallery/The Hand and the Spirit, 4222 and Malcolm Wright; at Japan Information and Cul­ North Marshall Way. tural Center, Lafayette Center III, 1155 21st St., NW. California, Los Angeles January 9—February 3, 1993 December 7—January 22, 1993 “Annual Ceramics Ex­ Carme Collell. Eric van Eimeren; at Garth Clark hibit,” works by graduate/undergraduate students; at Gallery, 170 South La Brea Avenue. the Colonnade Gallery, Marvin Center, Third Floor, George Washington University, 21st and H Sts., NW. Send announcements of conferences, exhibitions, juried January 24-February 21, 1993 Works by Dan Ander­ fairs, workshops and other events at least two months son, Paul Dresang and Ron Kovatch; at the Farrell before the month of opening (add one month for listings inCollection, 2633 Connecticut Avenue, Northwest. July and two months for those in August) to Calendar, January 31-November28,1993“Joined Colors: Deco­ Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212; ration and Meaning in Chinese Porcelain”; at Arthur or telephone (614) 488-8236. Fax announcements to M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. (614)488-4561. Illinois, Chicago through January 31, 1993 “Soviet

70 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 71 Arizona, Tempe December 11—January31,1993“Face Calendar to Face: Traditional and Contemporary Masks”; at the Tempe Arts Center, Mill Avenue and First Street. Arizona, Tucsonthrough January 4, 1993 “Treasures, Propaganda Plates from the Tuber Collection”; at the Toys and Trinkets,” with ceramics by Jan Ekhardt Art Institute of Chicago, Michigan Ave. at Adams St. Butler, Julianne Harvey and Eilene Sky; at Obsidian Indiana, Indianapolis January 10—28, 1993 “Fire­ Gallery, Saint Philips Plaza, 4340 North Campbell works,” juried regional of sculptural/functional Avenue, Suite #90. dayworks; at Leah Ransburg Gallery, University of Arkansas, Little Rock through December 6 “Native Indianapolis. American Tradition.” December 6—27“20th Toys De­ Louisiana, AlexandriaDecember 12—February 14,1993signed by Artists Exhibition”; at the Arkansas Arts “Creative Clays: American Art Pottery from the New Center, Ninth and Commerce Streets. Orleans Museum of Art”; at the Alexandria Museum California,of Davis through December 27 “Gallery Art­ Art, 933 Main Street. ists’ Christmas Exhibition”; at John Natsoulas Gallery, Massachusetts, CambridgeDecember 12-March 28, 140 F Street. 1993 “First under Heaven: The Henderson Collection California, La Jolla through December 31 “Holidays”; of Korean Ceramics”; at Arthur M. Sackler Museum, at La Jolla Gallery Eight, 7464 Girard Ave. Harvard University Art Museums, Quincy Street and California, Los Angeles through January24,1993“Art Broadway. of the Persian Courts: Selections from the Art and Massachusetts, Newburyportthrough December 8“For History Trust”; at the Los Angeles County Museum of the Wall,” Northshore Clayworks juried exhibition; at Art, 5905 Wilshire Boulevard. the Firehouse Art Center, Market Square. through January31, 1993 “Native America: Reflecting Michigan, Detroit through January 2, 1993 “Holiday Contemporary Realities”; at the Craft and Folk Art Invitational”; at Pewabic Pottery, 10125 East Jefferson. Museum, 6067 Wilshire Boulevard. Michigan, Dexter through December 30“ Out of Clay”;California, Sacramento through December 5 Four- at Farrington-Keith Creative Arts Center, 8099 Main person show with ceramics by Michael Hough and Eric Street. Wyss, and Katherine Keefer; at Michael Himovitz Michigan, Royal Oak December 5-January 2, 1993 Gallery, 1020 Tenth Street. Exhibition of works by Carol Roorbach and Chris through December 24 “Women Artists ’92”; at Matrix Staley; at Swidler Gallery, 308 West Fourth Street. Gallery, 1725 I St. Missouri, Kansas CityDecember 18—February 14,1993California, San Francisco through January 3, 1993 “Rookwood Pottery: The Glorious Gamble”; atNelson- “Brushstrokes,” 60 examples of ceramics, paintings and Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak Street. jades from China and Japan; at the Asian Art Museum, New Mexico, Santa Fe through December 7 “Magyar Golden Gate Park. Keramica,” exhibition of Hungarian folk pottery; at California, Sunnyvalethrough February 20, 1993 “Fi­ Clay Angel Gallery, 125 Lincoln Avenue. ber and Clay,” featuring clay by members of the Asso­ New York, New York through December22“ Contem­ ciation of California Ceramic Artists; at the Sunnyvale porary British Ceramics,” with works by Dorothy Creative Arts Center Gallery, 550 E. Remington Dr. Feibleman, Ian Godfrey, Peter Hayes, Nicole Johns, California, Walnut Creekthrough January 16, 1993 Jennifer Lee, Ursula Morley Price, Dame Lucie Rie, Exhibition including clay vessels by Kelly Torche; at Mary Rogers, Geoffrey Swindell, Angela Verdon and Banaker Gallery, 1373 Locust Street. John Ward; at Graham Modern, 1014 Madison Ave. Connecticut, Guilfordthrough December24“Holiday December 2-23 “Annual Faculty Exhibition”; at Jane Festival of Crafts”; at Guilford Handcrafts, 411 Chu rch Hartsook Gallery, Greenwich House Pottery, 16 Jones Street. Street. Connecticut, Middletownthrough December 13 “The North Carolina, Charlotte through February 28, 1993 Wesleyan Potters 37th Annual Exhibit and Sale”; at “In Prayse of Potts: A Tribute to Dorothy and Walter Wesleyan Potters Craft Center, 350 South Main Street Auman”; at Mint Museum of Art, 2730 Randolph Rd. (Route 17). Oregon, Ashland through December 7 “Magyar Connecticut, New Haventhrough December24“Cel­ Keramica,” exhibition of Hungarian folk pottery; at ebration of American Crafts”; at Creative Arts Work­ Clay Angel Gallery, 111 East Main Street. shop, 80 Audubon Street. Oregon, Portland through December 24 “Gifts Ga­ D.C., Washington through December 31 “Casseroles, lore,” holiday boutique; at Made with Clay Gallery, Cookie Jars and Other Covered Containers”; at the Georgies Ceramic and Clay Co., 756 Northeast Farrell Collection, 2633 Connecticut Ave., NW. Lombard. throughJanuary 10,1993“American Craft: The N ation’s Pennsylvania, Pittsburghthrough December 30“Clay Collection”; at the Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian In­ for Collectors: Cups and Bowls,” includes works by stitution. Bennett Bean, Bill Farrell, Ron Kovatch, Warren Mac- Florida, Coral Gables January 28-March 28, 1993 Kenzie and more; at the Clay Place, 5416 Walnut St. “Art that Works: The Decorative Arts of the Eighties, Texas, Houston through January 9, 1993 “A Better Made in America”; at the Lowe Art Museum, Univer­ Class ofMudslinging,” with ceramics by Judy Adams, sity of Miami, 1301 Stanford Drive. Barbara Hillsman, Monti Mayrend and Michael Unger; Florida, DeLand January 15-March 14, 1993 “41st at Foelber Gallery, 706 Richmond. Florida Craftsmen Statewide Exhibition”; at DeLand Washington, Seatde through February 1993Works by Museum of Art, the Cultural Arts Center, 600 North Patty Detzer, John Downs, Margaret Ford, Larry Woodland Boulevard. Halvorsen, John Harris, Anne Hirondelle, Jim Kraft, Georgia, Atlanta through December 31 “An American Debra Norby, Geoffrey Pagen, David Shaner and Patti Sampler of Folk Expressions, 1700-1920”; at the High Warashina; at the Sea-Tac International Airport, Main Museum of Art, Georgia-Pacific Center, 133 Peachtree Concourse. Street, Northeast. Wisconsin, Rhinelander through January 18, 1993 Illinois, Chicago through December 18“Beyond Tradi­ Works by George Pobuda and Jim Rowe III; atNicolet tion,” with ceramics by Carrie Anne Parks; at Objects College Gallery. Gallery, 230 West Huron. through January 3, 1993 “The Ancient Americas: Art from Sacred Landscapes”; at the Art Institute of Chi­ Ceramics in Multimedia Exhibitions cago, Michigan Avenue at Adams Street. Alabama, Birmingham through December 24“Christ­ Illinois, La Grange through December24“Artisans Yule mas Show”; at Maralyn Wilson Gallery, 2010 Cahaba Love”; at Aardvark Gallery, 6 S. Sixth Ave. Road. Indiana, Indianapolis through March 14, 1993 “Afri­ Arizona, Mesa December 1-23 “Table Trappings.” can, South Pacific and Pre-Columbian Art from Pri­ January 5—February 6,1993“ 15th Annual Vahki Exhi­ vate Indianapolis Collections”; at the Indianapolis bition”; at Galeria Mesa, Mesa Arts Center, 155 North Museum of Art, 1200 W. 38th St. Center Street. Iowa, Sioux City through December 27“51st Annual

72 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 73 Calendar

Juried Competitive Exhibition”; at Sioux City Art Center, 513 Nebraska Street. Kentucky, LouisvilleJanuary 23—February 7, 1993 “DinnerWorks”; at the Louisville Visual Art Associa­ tion, Water Tower, 3005 Upper River Road. Louisiana, New Orleansthrough January 10, 1993 “Islamic Art and Patronage: Treasures from Kuwait”; at New Orleans Museum of Art, City Park. Maine, Portland through December 6“Art that Works: The Decorative Arts of the Eighties, Made in America”; at Portland Museum of Art, 7 Congress Square. Massachusetts, Bostonthrough December 31 “Signa­ ture Ornament,” one-of-a-kind ornaments; at Signa­ ture, Dock Square, 24 North Street. Massachusetts, Cambridgethrough January 31, 1993 “The Arts of Korea”; at Arthur M. Sackler Museum, 485 Broadway. Massachusetts, Chestnut Hillthrough December 31 “Signature Ornament,” one-of-a-kind ornaments; at Signature, the Mall at Chestnut Hill, Boylston Street. Massachusetts, Ipswich through December 31 “Holi­ day Traditions”; at Ocmulgee Pottery and Gallery, 263 High Street. Massachusetts, Mashpee through December31 “Signa­ ture Ornament,” one-of-a-kind ornaments; at Signa­ ture, Mashpee Commons, 10 Steeple Street. Massachusetts, Northampton through January 3,1993 “Animal Life”; at Ferrin Gallery, 179 Main Street. Missouri, Warrensburg/anua?j25—February 19,1993 “Greater Midwest International VIII,” juried competi­ tion; at the Art Center Gallery, Central Missouri State University. New York, Brooklyn through December 13 “Bio- morphicism and Organic Abstraction in 20th-Century Decorative Arts”; at the Brooklyn Museum, 200 East­ ern Parkway. New York, Long Island City through December 18 “Evidence Remaining”; at Steelcase, IDCNY, 30-30 Thomason Avenue, Center 1, Suite 343. New York, Piermont-on-Hudson through December 31 “Through the Eyes of a Child”; at America House, 466 Piermont Avenue. North Carolina, Charlotte through January 3, 1993 “Service in Style: Soup Tureens from the Campbell Museum Collection,” exhibition of 18th-century soup tureens, plates, ladles and ecuelles; at the Mint Museum of Art, 2730 Randolph Road. North Carolina, Winston-Salem through December 6 “New Outsiders,” including ceramic sculpture by Billy Ray Hussey; at Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, 750 Marguerite Drive. Ohio, Cleveland through December 31 “Holiday Col­ lectible Show”; at American Crafts Gallery, Sylvia Ullman, 13010 Larchmere. through January3,1993 “Asian Autumn: Later Korean Art”; at the Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Boulevard. Oklahoma, Norman through December 31 “Annual Firehouse Christmas Fair and Gift Gallery”; at the Firehouse Art Center, 444 South Flood. Oklahoma, Tulsa December 13-February 14, 1993 “Objects and Drawings: From the Sanford M. and Diane Besser Collection”; at the Philbrook Museum of Art, 2727 South Rockford Road. Oregon, Corvallis through January 3, 1993 “Winter- light”; at Corvallis Arts Center, 700 S.W. Madison. Oregon, Portland through December24“Holiday Gift Show”; at Oregon School of Arts and Crafts, 8245 Southwest Barnes Road. Pennsylvania, Jenkintown through March 1994 “An­ cient Sources: Contemporary Forms,” sculpture gar­ den exhibition with an adobe structure by Nicholas Kripal; at the Abington Art Center, 515 Meetinghouse Road. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia through December30^Con­ temporary Artifacts”; attheNational Museum ofAmer- ican Jewish History, 55 North Fifth Street. Pennsylvania, Wallingford January 10-February 12,

74 CERAMICS MONTHLY 1993 “Soup’s On!,” soup tureens and bowls; at the Community Arts Center, 414 Plush Mill Road. Tennessee, Nashville January 7-31, 1993 “Reverent/ Irreverent,” works interpreting mystical symbols/reli- gious icons; at Sarratt Gallery, Vanderbilt University. Texas, Austinthrough December 18 “Surfaces,” two- person exhibition featuring handbuilt clay sculpture by Janean Thompson; at the University of Texas Medical School Ground Floor Gallery. Texas, Fort Worth through January31, 1993 “Egypt’s Dazzling Sun: Amenhotep III and His World”; at the Kimbell Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd. Texas, Stephenville January 14—February 12, 1993 “Issues of Color and Gender”; at Tarleton State Uni­ versity, Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center. Virginia, Richmond January 15-March 12, 1993 “Touch: Beyond the Visual”; at the Hand Workshop, Virginia Center for the Craft Arts, 1812 W. Main St. Washington, Seattle December 3-January 3, 1993 Dual exhibition with ceramic sculpture by Margaret Ford; at Foster/White Gallery, Pioneer Square. Wisconsin, Milwaukeethrough January 8, 1993 “A. Houberbocken Holiday.”January 15-February 26, 1993 “Fifth Annual Teapot Show”; at A. Houber­ bocken, 230 West Wells, Suite 202. Fairs, Festivals and Sales Arizona, Scottsdale January 30-March 28, 7^3 “Third Annual Scottsdale Celebration of Fine Art”; at Scottsdale Rd. and Highland Ave., downtown. Connecticut, Brookfieldthrough December 24“Holi­ day Craft Sale”; at Brookfield Craft Center, Rte. 25. Connecticut, Norwalkthrough December2^ “Holiday Craft Sale”; at Brookfield Craft Center, 127 Washing­ ton Street. Maryland, Gaithersburg December 11-13 “Winter Crafts Festival”; at Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Michigan, Madison Heights December 4—6 “17th Annual Potters Market”; at the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Hall, two blocks south of 13 Mile Road, between Stephenson Highway and John R Street. Minnesota, Saint Paulthrough December23“Holiday Market”; at Northern Clay Center, 2375 University Avenue, West. New Jersey, Demarest December 5—6 “18th Annual Pottery Show and Sale”; at the Old Church Cultural Center, 561 Piermont Road. New Jersey, MillburnDecember 4-31 “Holiday Show­ case 1992”; at Sheila Nussbaum Gallery, 358 Millburn Avenue. New York, Eastchester December 4—6 Hudson River Potters’ “Holiday Show and Sale”; at the Eastchester Library Gallery, 11 Oak Ridge Place, between Route 22 and Mill Road. New York, New York December 4-6, 11-13 and 18- 20 “21st Annual WBAI Holiday Crafts Fair”; at Co­ lumbia University, Ferris Booth Hall, Broadway at 115 Street. December 11—13 “Ninth Annual Holiday Craft Sale”; at Greenwich House Pottery, 27 Barrow St. North Carolina, Marion December 5 “Appalachian Potters Market”; at McDowell High School. Ohio. ColumbusDecember 3—6“Winterfair”; at the Multi-Purpose Building, Ohio State Fairgrounds. Oklahoma, Norman December 5—6 “Annual Fire­ house Christmas Fair”; at the Firehouse Art Center, 444 South Flood. Pennsylvania, Wallingford December 4—6 “Art and Utility in Clay,” the Potters Guild holiday sale; at the Community Art Center, 414 Plush Mill Road. Texas, Houston through January 2, 1993 “Christmas Show and Sale”; at Archway Gallery, 2600 Montrose. Virginia, Richmond through December 24 “Holiday Invitational”; at the Hand Workshop, Virginia Center for the Craft Arts, 1812 West Main Street. Workshops California, Baja County January 4-26,1993Creating traditional Apache micaceous clay cooking pots with

December 1992 75 Calendar Center at Frog Hollow, Mill Street, Middlebury 05753; or telephone (802) 388-3177. Virginia, Richmond December 4— ^“Smokeless Raku” with Jerry Caplan. Fee: $110. Contact the Hand Felipe Ortega. Contact Home Pottery, 449 Rutland Workshop, 1812 West Main Street, Richmond 23220; Road, Brooklyn, New York 11203; or telephone (718) or telephone (804) 353-0094. 797-3924 or (505) 866-0582. California, Concow January 4—11, 1993“Wood-fire Workshop,” includes firing a 200-cubic-foot kiln for 5 International Events days with Nolan Babin. All skill levels. Fee: $250; Canada, Nova Scotia, Halifax through December 18 includes materials, use of studio/equipment, firing andAlexandra McCurdy, “From beneath the Covers”; at lodging for 11 days; or $150; includes firing/lodging Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery. for 7 days (participants must provide bisque- or green­ Canada, Ontario, Burlington through January 3,1993 ware). For further information contact Nolan Babin, Ann Roberts, “Harvest, Coming Full Circle”; at the 13191 Mullen Way, Oroville, California 95965; tele­ Burlington Cultural Centre, 425 Brock Ave. phone (916) 534-9137. Canada, Ontario, Toronto through January 10, 1993 California, Walnut CreekJanuary 9, 1993 “Master “Figures from Life: Porcelain Sculpture from the Met­ Potter Workshop: A Way of Seeing” with Roxanne ropolitan Museum of Art”; at George R. Gardiner Swentzell. Contact Walnut Creek Civic Arts Educa­ Museum of Ceramic Art, 111 Queen’s Park. tion, Box 8039, Walnut Creek 94596; or telephone December 4—6 “Tenth Annual Christmas Show and (510) 943-5846. Sale”; at Woodlawn Pottery Studio, 80 Woodlawn Connecticut, BrookfieldJanuary 16—17, 1993 “Ce­ Avenue, East. ramic Tilemaking” with Lisa Breznek. January 23—24, England, Chichester December 4—6 “Master Potter 1993 “Taxes and Business Issues for Artists” with KimSeries: Studio Ceramics” with Peter Lane.December Butler. For further information contact the Brookfield 11—13 “Throwing and Turning” with John Gunn. Craft Center, Box 122, Brookfield 06804; or telephone January 15-17, 1993 “Throwing and Turning” with (203) 775-4526. Alison Sandeman. January 29—February 1, 1993 Mo­ Florida, Belleair December 11—12 “Majolica Ceramic saic” with Emma Biggs. Contact the College Office, Workshop” with artist-in-residence Janice Strawder. West Dean College, West Dean, Chichester, West Fee: $65; Florida Gulf Coast Ait Center member, $50. Sussex P018 0QZ; telephone Singleton 0243 63 301. Contact the Florida Gulf Coast Art Center, 222 Ponce England, Honiton December 18 Auction of ceramics, de Leon Boulevard, Belleair 34616; or telephone (813) glass and objects; at Bonhams, Dowell Street. 584-8634. England, London through December 24 “Christmas Florida, Orlando February 11-12, 1993S lide lecture/ Show”; at Contemporary Applied Arts, 43 Earlham demonstration on the use of altered wheel-thrown Street, Covent Garden. vessels to produce sculptural pieces, with Chris Staley. December 1-January 8, 1993 “A Celebration of British Fee: $50. Registration deadline: January 15, 1993; Contemporary Ceramics,” works by nine ceramists, limited to 20 participants. Send SASE to Mike Lalone, including Svend Bayer, Ewen Henderson, Janet Leach Ceramics, Dr. Phillips High School, 6500 Turkey Lake and Po Chap Yeap; at Godfrey Far Eastern Art, 104 Road, Orlando 32819; or telephone (407) 352-4040, Mount Street. extension 250, and leave name and address. December9-18“Orangerie Italiana 1992,” Italian fine Georgia, Adanta January 23—24, 1993 A session with art and antiques fair; at Accademia Italiana, 24 Rutland Ron Meyers. Contact Callanwolde, Attention: Glen Gate. Dair, Director, 980 Briarcliff Road, Northeast, Atlanta December 9—January 15, 1993 “Christmas Exhibi­ 30309; or telephone (404) 872-5338. tion”; at Galerie Besson, 15 Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond New Jersey, Oceanville December 17 “Made for Use: Street. Ceramics in the Eastern and Western Traditions,” December 1 6Auction of ceramics and glass; at Bonhams, director’s lecture series. Contact the Noyes Museum, Chelsea, 65-69 Lots Road. Lily Lake Road, Oceanville 08231; or telephone (609) England, Oxford December 7-January 6,1993Exhibi­ 652-8848. tion of ceramics by James Campbell. January 11— New York, Troy December 5$lide discussion/demon- February 10, 1993 “Food!” with ceramics by Christina stration on pinching large shapes, problems with large Dodd, Sophie MacCarthy, FanellaMallelieu and Karen shapes, sectioning forms vertically and horizontally, Ross; at Oxford Gallery, 23 High St. with Elsbeth Woody. Fee: $35. For further informa­ France, Mulhousethrough March 13, 1993 Exhibition tion contact Hudson River Clay Factory, Potter’s Co­ of works by Erich Haberling; at Maison de la Ceramique, op, 621 River Street, Troy 12180; or telephone (518) 25 Rue Josue Hofer. 274-2722. France, Paris through December 17 Three-person ex­ North Carolina, Brasstown December 6—19 “Wood- hibition with daywork by A. and E. Leperlier; at fire Special” with Marcia Bugg. Contact John C. Galerie Capazza, 8, rue Eugene Varlin. Campbell Folk School, Route 1, Box 14-A, Brasstown Germany, Arnbruckthrough December 15 Exhibition 28902; or telephone (800) 562-2440. of ceramics by Gunther Gotte and Fritz Rossmann; at Pennsylvania, Philadelphia December 11—13 Lecture the Kunst and Form Galerie, Zellertalstrasse 13. (December 11) and hands-on workshop (December Germany, Hohr-Grenzhausen through December 6 12-13) with Magdalene Odundo. Lecture fee: $5; “Deutsche Keramik 92”; at Keramikmuseum Wester- student, $2. Workshop location: the Clay Studio. wald, 5430 Montabaur. Workshop fee: $60; Clay Studio members, $50; in­ Mexico, Oaxaca January4—12,1993“Ceramics: From cludes materials and firing. Limited enrollment.Janu­ the Zapotec Tradition and Beyond” workshop with ary 29, 1993 Lecture with Akio Takamori. Fee: $5; Miquel Audifred. Contact Horizons, 374 Old students, $2. February 19-March 2, 1993 Lecture Montague Road, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002; or (February 26) and hands-on workshop (February 19- telephone (413) 549-4841. March 2) with Will Ruggles and Douglass Rankin. Netherlands, Deventer through December 25 Exhibi­ Participants will make work on February 19-21 at the tion of ceramics by Johan Broekema. throughJanuary 4, Clay Studio, then wood fire pieces on February 27-28, 1993 Three-person exhibition with ceramics by and unload works on March 2 at Chester Springs Thiebaut Chague and Arnaud Lang; at Kunst and Studio. Lecture fee: $5; students: $2. Workshop fee: Keramiek, Korte Assenstraat 15. $240; Clay Studio or Chester Springs Studio members, Netherlands, Oosterbeek through December 20 $225. All lectures located at Philadelphia Museum of “Ungarischer Traum/Magyar Alom,” sculpture and Art. For further information contact the Clay Studio, functional ware; at Galerie Amphora, Van Ouden- 139 North Second Street, Philadelphia 19106; or allenstraat 3. telephone (215) 925-3453. Switzerland, Vallorbe through December 12 Exhibi­ Vermont, Middlebury February 1—5, 1993 Asession tion of works by Marc Besacier; at Galerie Artcadache, with Andrea Gill. Contact the Vermont State Craft Rue des Grandes-Forges 5.

76 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 77 78 CERAMICS MONTHLY drilled (in gradually increasing increments) to about $20) is a handy piece of equipment in Suggestions the diameter required to insert and solder in the studio. I screwed the legs of my tub to a From Readers place a metal tube with the required male piece of plywood set on casters to make it brass adaptor on the opposite end. I removed portable. the valve so as not to impede air flow. The Usually, I use the tub when glazing. It’s An Inexpensive Airbrushing Compressoradaptor fits perfectly into the compression great for glazing large plates, platters, etc. It’s The inspiration for an inexpensive way to fitting on the compressor and is easily at­ also good for screening glazes; a Talisman get into airbrushing came to me on a recent tached/removed. sieve fits easily onto the tub rim. Just place a visit to the States where I purchased a micro­ A 12-volt, DC power supply could be an bucket underneath the drain to catch the processor-controlled, variable-pressure com­ expensive item (I was told). While a car screened glaze. pressor for less than $20. It operates on 12 battery or an extension cord to your car would With a slight alteration (laying a piece of volts of direct current (DC) and comes with a work well, I discovered that a 4-amp battery wood on top), the tub becomes a portable ten-year guarantee. I attached this to a com­ charger will also do the job even though the worktable as well.—Lois Romano w, Nepean, compressor is supposed to draw up to 8 amps. Ontario, Canada The meter on the charger only draws down to 2 amps so I figure it is not too heavy a drain Decorating Support for it. A camera tripod with a piece of foam Again one could make solid connections wrapped over the top can be used to support mercial airbrush bottle and found it works to the compressor, but I mounted a cigarette a large bowl upside down while decorating or like a charm—especially with the added lighter receptacle onto the charger so that the glazing.— -JeffDiehl, Lockbridge, W.Va. flexibility of variable pressure. Of course, I compressor can be easily plugged in as needed. wouldn’t want to use this for large-scale spray­This way the battery charger is still available Dollars for Your Ideas ing, but it is excellent for details or highlights. for ordinary uses as well. Just remember to Ceramics Monthly pays $10for each sugges­ The challenge lies in figuring out ways to double-check the polarity on your DC con­ tion published; submissions are welcome indi­ attach the components and secure a power nections (i.e., red is positive, black is nega­ vidually or in quantity. Include an illustration source for the compressor. I preferred to make tive).—Stephen Plant, Revelstoke, British or photo to accompany your suggestion and we all connections using existing hardware. This Columbia, Canada will pay $10 more if we use it. Mail ideas to way I still have a portable compressor for all its Suggestions, Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, “normal” uses—e.g., tire inflation. Portable Tub/Worktable Columbus, Ohio 43212; or fax to (614) 488- I found that a truck tire inner tube stem Ais counter-height, plastic laundry tub 4561. Sorry, but we cant acknowledge or return made of almost solid brass and could be (available through household catalogs for unused items.

December 1992 79 methods and their subtle grace and variety. The Clay War Where do such potters fit in the contem­ Continued from page 49 porary scene? Targan: Somewhere between the making value and beauty but they were just thereof beautiful objects and trying to survive, and forgotten. One walked by and didn’t something remains. I think those kinds of see them. So here was something with its things will probably always remain. They own history, its own truth, and we walked have a particular value. It is analogous, right by it; the light goes out and we forget. perhaps, to a pilot flame, always there to So, too, with Gherst’s pots. The mills in ignite imagination and possibilities. Arts Trenton certainly had historical existence, and crafts will continue simply because and they would bring over whole villages there is such intense pleasure in doing well of people, say from Ireland, and many something difficult, particularly when it would contract silicosis and die. But other has such strong traditions as pottery. than such generalities, there is nothing spe­ Take gardens. Lots of people have gar­ cific in the story. dens today. Why? Generally, not for sur­ Larsen: And the role ofTennessee and Ken­ vival. Perhaps to save money, but that’s tucky ball clay? debatable. I think it’s primarily for the Targan: Again nothing historical. One of achievement, the mastery of the thing. It’s the tricks of fiction is to make the reader a pleasure in its own right, watching leeks believe utterly in the story. Then the feel­ thicken, digging potatoes, harvesting beans. ing conveyed is that anything as convinc­ Some people grow gardens because they ing as this must be rooted in the real world. need to, but overwhelmingly it is just plea­ But this is rarely so. If the things you wrote sure, pure and simple. depended upon or were rooted in real As we become more and more isolated events, then you could only write as much and insulated from the direct experiencing as you knew about real events. What you of life, the direct experiencing of ourselves, do instead is get details, each one of which then opportunities for direct experience is real, but the configuration of these de­ will become more and more precious. So tails you invent. activities like gardening, boat building, pot­ So, in “The Clay War,” I knew details ting will persist for these reasons alone. about pottery, about immigrant life, aboutLarsen: Pursuing the garden analogy, it the Trenton mills, and I used them to con­ seems that one cannot overlook the ques­ figure a convincing context. Sometimes, tion of quality. One of the reasons I have a though, real events sort of creep in; for garden is that my tomatoes taste a lot bet­ example, the burning of the buildings to ter than the ones I can buy in the super­ fuel the kiln is from an old myth about market. some French potter. Targan: Absolutely, not to mention greater Larsen: Indeed, it’s from the life of Ber­ variety. Overall, I think that crafts are a nard Palissy, a 16th-century French potter strong element in our culture and society; and polymath. The event is described in they have a modest, healthy status. But we his essay “On the Art of Earth” in his book should be careful not to sacrifice this health DiscoursAdmirables (Aurele LaRocque,The in the quest for fame and money. For ex­ Admirable Discourses of Bernard Palissy, Uni­ ample, there is no way one of my books is versity of Illinois Press). going to compete with Scarlett , or a book It seems to me that after arriving in the by Malamud or Bellow, but that doesn’t United States most immigrants with mean I have failed. It’s very important to Gherst’s pottery skills would have gone to keep a proper perspective. the mills in Trenton and sought employ­ I have what I call a theory of primary, ment there. But this alternative never seems secondary and tertiary rewards. A primary to interest Gherst. From the beginning he reward is a reward you give yourself for is intent on establishing his own workplace doing something, and that has to be 100% where he can make and market his pots in of the reason for doing it. The secondary his own way, independent of the nearby reward is, say, when someone buys it, a factories. This clearly has parallels with stu­ pot, a story, whatever. Then you feel good. dio pottery today. The tertiary reward is when it wins an What words of wisdom might you have award. Not that somebody buys it, but for the potter whose penchant is the pro­ somebody says: “That’s the best.” Then duction of functional pots for everyday you feel terrific. You should want all three use, who is not attempting to enter the of these rewards, but you have to want the world of fine art, and yet does not choose first one most. So if you never get the other to adopt factory methods in the interest of two, you will still continue to do what you economic survival, but rather prefers hand are doing just because it feels so good.A

80 CERAMICS MONTHLY Shake that Sales Slump by Ernest W. Fair

Nobody is exempt from a sales slump the craftsperson, but frequently offer new now and then, whether there is a reces­ opportunities for additional sales. sion or not. Outlasting a dip in sales can Are other factors, perhaps seemingly be easy or difficult, depending on its unrelated ones, affecting buying condi­ cause and the action an artist or crafts- tions? Often they are not readily appar­ person takes. Here are some of the time- ent. This is definitely a factor to consider proven starters toward shaking off even whenever a sales slump occurs. Selling the granddaddy of all sales slumps. techniques may have to be altered to Never let it become personal. Accept accommodate such changes. the slowdown as part of your business Take a really close look into personal routine. Realizing that a sales slump is affairs; many times problems (worries) something that will occur regularly is therein can affect one’s production ca­ the first big step toward shaking one. If pabilities and eventually throw sales into you are planning to stay in business a a slump. The trick to getting past per­ long time, you should acknowledge the sonal barriers is simply realizing that fact that you will probably have to deal this is what has been happening. Do with a number of sales slumps—each what you can to remedy the situation, one different from the last. then concentrate on your work, not on Those hardest-to-shake slumps oc­ your worries. cur when you are convinced that this Have your personal selling efforts could not possibly be happening to such slipped into a rut over the past six a capable person. Thats when finding months? When selling becomes routine, solutions to the problem (s) becomes it usually lacks sparkle and drive. really difficult. Staleness and complacency are often con­ Never just guess about the cause oftributors to sales slumps. They are not even a minor sales slump. Take the time easy to recognize, but, once spotted, to find out the real problem. Only then they’re not difficult to change. Just break can a feasible solution be found. the routine; try something new. Look for something immediately ap­ If your whole approach has become parent. This is rarely the main reason, stale, maybe a few days vacation (even but it may be a contributor that willthough it might temporarily hurt the lead to the real cause. Keep digging un­ bottom line) would be the best way to til you understand the entire situation. restore freshness. Changes are often at fault. Make cer­ Most of us focus on constantly im­ tain that no alteration of sales procedure proving design, but lack of constant im­ or billing policy has temporarily thrown provement in sales methods can be the things out of whack. If a change is im­ reason for slumping sales. Take advan­ plicated, the problem usually involves tage of every opportunity that comes one’s means of adapting to the new pro­ along to study others’ sales methods. By cedure or policy. picking up on missed marketing points, Have styles changed or have new at­ then adapting them to your situation, titudes cast a bad light on what you are the slump may soon vanish. making and selling? Have there been Above all, keep in mind that there is sudden changes in customers’ require­ a specific reason for each sales slump. ments? These are good points to check. They just don’t happen for no reason at If observed and understood, such all. Find the reason. Once remedied, the changes not only can be addressed by slump then will be shaken.A

December 1992 81 82 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 83 CERAMICS MONTHLY Annual Index January-December 1992

Ceramics Monthly has indexed the year’s articles in each Classified Advertising Art in a Factory, Agee, Oct., p 24 December issue since 1962. An index covering January Letters Art of Yixing, The, Bartholomew, Dec., p 38 1953 through December 1961 was published in the New Books: Feb., May, June/July/Aug., Sept., Building Experience, Davis-Rosenbaum, Mar., January 1962 issue. Additionally, a 20-year (1953- Oct., Nov. p 36 1972) subject index, covering feature articles plus the Questions Answered by the CM Technical Staff Cast of Pots, A, Eshelman, Oct., p 46 Suggestions and Questions columns, is available for $1.50, Suggestions from Readers Conversation with Tom Coleman, A, Nance, Jan., postpaid, from the CM Book Department, Box 12448, Summer Workshops 1992, Apr., p 29 p 38 Columbus, Ohio 43212. Up Front Cultural Focus,Kendall, Feb., p 46 Video: Jan., Mar., June/July/Aug., Nov., Dec. Decorative Functional Pottery, Apr., p 34 Business Establishing a Creative Livelihood, Stark, June/ Coconut Grove,reports by Risak, Husby, Briscoe, Exhibitions, International Works July/Aug., p 29 Foris, Howell and Saenger, May, p 43 Alev Siesbye, Nov., p 30 Feeding the Fire, Crowe, Oct., p 28 Displays that Sell, Fair, May, p 80 Ancient Egyptian and Nubian Ceramics, Apr., Freedom to Discover, Jacobson, Feb., p 32 Establishing a Creative Livelihood, Stark, June/ p 28 Heroic Raku,Gillberg, Jan., p 34 July/Aug., p 29 Egypt’s Dazzling Sun, Oct., p 43 J. Sheldon Carey, Cady, Dec., p 50 Fountains: Sweet Music,Steedle, June/July/Aug., Fina Gomez Collection, The: At the Louvre’s Marie Woo, Apr., p 49 p 33 Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Jan., p 26 Pots Made of Memories, Watkins, June/July/Aug., Shake that Sales Slump, Fair, Dec., p 81 Johan van Loon, Staal, Sept., p 45 p 46 Utilitarian Booth Display, A, Gross, Apr., p 82 Ryoji Koie, Blackie, Apr., p 50 Richard Fairbanks, Kangas, June/July/Aug., p 36 Richard Zane Smith, Burnett, Sept., p 58 Clay and Glazes Exhibitions, United States Ryoji Koie, Blackie, Apr., p 50 Amazing Paperclay, Gault, June/July/Aug., p 96 7th Wichita Falls National, Gleason, Apr., p 25 Shiro Tsujimura: A Certain Sense of Serenity, Building Experience, Davis-Rosenbaum, Mar., 18th- and 19th-Century American Ware, Nov., Lancet, June/July/Aug., p 57 p 36 p 34 Soba-Choko, Beall and Haworth, Sept., p 56 Cast of Pots, A, Eshelman, Oct., p 46 48th Scripps Annual, June/July/Aug., p 54 Table Settings, White, May, p 34 Cone 1-3 Computer Glazes, McWhinnie,)2.n., American Wood Fire, Lowe; No Ideas but in Tatsuzo Shimaoka: An Autobiography, Part 1, p 74 Things, Troy, May, p 35 translated by Veri, Jan., p 45 Crystalline Glazes: A Precise Method: Technical, Artists on Their Own, Mar., p 40 Tatsuzo Shimaoka: An Autobiography, Part 2, Norkin, Mar., p 78 Collecting Teapots, Ferrin, Sept., p 33 translated by Veri, Feb., p 39 Designing a Matt Red Raku Glaze, Buck, Apr., Conversation with Tom Coleman, A, Nance, Jan., Sherrill, p 81 p 38 Valdez Flashfiring, Nov., p 52 Firing Wet Pots, Grupe, Feb., p 80 Decorative Functional Pottery, Apr., p 34 Sculptors and Sculpture Furnace Metaphors, Burris, Sept., p 30 Federighi’s Symbolism, Feb., p 49 Amazing Paperclay, Gault, June/July/Aug., p 96 Glaze Calculation Software: HyperGlaze IIx, Fred Stodder, Telford, May, p 27 Clay Carpentry, King, Sept., p 48 Insight, Mud File, Malmgren, Jan., p 29 Functional Ceramics: Renewed Commitment, Eddie Dominguez, Tom, Jan., p 42 Pots Made of Memories, Watkins, June/July/Aug., Clark, Nov., p 32 Emotional Metaphors, Allen, June/July/Aug., p 42 p 46 Hair Sculpture and Its Roots, Feb., p 52 Federighi’s Symbolism, Feb., p 49 Richard Fairbanks, Kangas, June/July/Aug., p 36 Jack Earl, Berman, June/July/Aug., p 50 Fountains: Sweet Music,Steedle, June/July/Aug., Valdez Flashfiring, Sherrill, Nov., p 52 Marie Woo, Apr., p 49 P 33 Wood Ash in Glazes: Economical and Ecological, New Faces at Navy Pier, Feb., p 35 Fred Stodder, Telford, May, p 27 Grupe, May, p 84 Oregon Invitational, Lou, Feb., p 30 From China to Ainerica, Zhou, Sept., p 96 Zero Shrinkage Clay and Other Sculpture Bodies, Ron Kovatch, Madonick, May, p 32 Furnace Metaphors, Burris, Sept., p 30 Rothman, Dec., p 37 Ruth Duckworth, Mar., p 32 Hair Sculpture and Its Roots, Feb., p 52 Spirit Realm Series, Kerrigan, Feb., p 27 Jack Earl, Berman, June/July/Aug., p 50 Collecting Johan van Loon, Staal, Sept., p 45 Collecting Teapots, Ferrin, Sept., p 33 History Confessions of a Collector, Harding, Mar., p 49 18th- and 19th-Century American Ware, Nov., Roberta Laidman, Telford, Dec., p 33 Fina Gomez Collection, The: At the Louvre’s p 34 Ron Kovatch, Madonick, May, p 32 Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Jan., p 26 Ancient Egyptian and Nubian Ceramics, Apr., Russian Night, A, Saifulin, Nov., p 49 London Theme Auctions, Stanbridge, Mar., p 27 p 28 Ruth Duckworth, Mar., p 32 Art of Yixing, The, Bartholomew, Dec., p 38 Siglinda Scarpa, Anderson; Patina Finish, Scarpa, Commentary Egypt’s Dazzling Sun, Oct., p 43 Apr., p 36 Amateur Ceramists,Dresel, Apr., p 86 Ice Age Ceramics: Oldest Kiln Now Dates to Solid Clay Laminates, Owen, June/July/Aug., p 95 Art and Purpose,Hluch, Jan., p 82 27,000 B.C., Shatz, Feb., p 78 Spirit Realm Series, Kerrigan, Feb., p 27 Craft Fairs and Originality, Ozereko, June/July/ Soba-Choko, Beall and Haworth, Sept., p 56 Tatsusuke Kuriki: The Invisible Mirror,Wilson, Aug., p 102 Sept., p 62 I Like Onions with My Potatoes, Lehman, Dec., Miscellaneous Without Laws, Soldner, May, p 30 p 86 Clay War, The: Part 1, Targan, Nov., p 44 Letter of Appreciation, A, Troy, Sept., p 100 Clay War, The: Part 2, Targan, Conversation Studio, Tools and Equipment North of the 49th Parallel, Clennell, Mar., p 86 with Barry Targan, A, Larsen, Dec., p 46 Amazing Paperclay, Gault, June/July/Aug., p 96 Politically Correct Pots, Sondahl, May, p 86 Coconut Grove,reports by Risak, Husby, Briscoe, Art of Yixing, The, Bartholomew, Dec., p 38 Recovery, Kokis, Oct., p 76 Foris, Howell and Saenger, May, p 43 Cast of Pots, A, Eshelman, Oct., p 46 Sex, Art and Rock ’n Roll, Gustafson, Nov., p 86 Emerging Talent, Nov., p 38 Clay Carpentry, King, Sept., p 48 Whine Tasting, Sobriquet, Feb., p 86 Geyser Bottle Performance Raku,Crimmins, May, Crystalline Glazes: A Precise Method: Technical, p 82 Norkin, Mar., p 78 Decoration Hair Sculpture and Its Roots, Feb., p 52 Decorating with Volatile Materials in Saggars, Clay Carpentry,King Sept., p 48 Mosaics: Solid Images, Gallucci, Dec., p 31 Allan, Jan., p 75 Crystalline Glazes: A Precise Method: Technical, Yoko Ono’s Promise Piece, June/July/Aug., p 56 Displays that Sell, Fair, May, p 80 Norkin, Mar., p 78 Environmentally Safe Spray Booth, An, Campbell, Decorating with Volatile Materials in Saggars, Portfolios Nov., p 51 Allan, Jan., p 75 Don’t Ever Get a Steady Job, Kvasbo, Apr., p 41 Federighi’s Symbolism, Feb., p 49 Freedom to Discover, Jacobson, Feb., p 32 East European Ceramics, Clark; Behind the Feeding the Fire, Crowe, Oct., p 28 Richard Zane Smith, Burnett, Sept., p 58 Crumbled Wall,LaPointe, Oct., p 33 Firing Wet Pots, Grupe, Feb., p 80 Siglinda Scarpa, Anderson; Patina Finish, Scarpa, Elizabeth MacDonald, Mar., p 41 Fred Stodder, Telford, May, p 27 Apr., p 36 Jerry Rothman, Levin, Nov., p 55 Glaze Calculation Software: HyperGlaze IIx, Valdez Flashfiring, Sherrill, Nov., p 52 No Food, Just Art, Kaczmarczyk, Sept., p 37 Insight, Mud File, Malmgren, Jan., p 29 Sandy Brown and Takeshi Yasuda, Birks, May, Heroic Raku,Gillberg, Jan., p 34 Departments p 49 Pennsylvania Burning, Chaney, Dec., p 52 The following departmental features appear monthly Surface Thoughts,Chalke, Dec., p 53 Richard Zane Smith, Burnett, Sept., p 58 except as noted: Solid Clay Laminates, Owen, June/July/Aug., p 95 Calendar Potters and Pottery Utilitarian Booth Display, A, Gross, Apr., p 82 Call for Entries Alev Siesbye, Nov., p 30 Valdez Flashfiring, Sherrill, Nov., p 52

84 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 85 Comment

I Like Onions with My Potatoes by Dick Lehman

Third Street is a one-way street going Early each spring Gordy brings in his first south out of Goshen, Indiana. A few ripe tomato of the season—usually be­ blocks past the courthouse on the south­ fore the rest of us have even planted ours. east corner is a little restaurant called the Those of us who work at the pottery County Seat Cafe. When Freda bought here in town usually start off Monday the restaurant some years ago, it was pos­ morning with a breakfast at Freda’s. The sible to sit at any of the seven tables or ten Monday special is two pancakes (your barstools and, looking through the huge choice of buttermilk or buckwheat) for plate-glass window, have a wonderful view 98<£. Coffee is extra. But you can get of the county courthouse. That was one peanut butter to go with the syrup at no of the reasons she named her place the extra charge. I always order the pancakes County Seat Cafe. But that was also be­ with peanut butter. After breakfast we fore the industrial dry-cleaning company take a few minutes to size up the week, across the street expanded by adding a then make some plans for what we hope second story to the building. Now you to get done. cant even see the cupola or flag on top of I seldom go to the County Seat except the courthouse. for Monday breakfast. But once in awhile The owners of the dry-cleaning busi­ I get there for lunch, and because they ness still eat at the cafe each day. They serve breakfast all day, I have occasionally were the butt of a lot of good-natured ordered eggs and potatoes. Once or twice, ribbing during construction. Freda (her when Fritz wasn’t too busy, I asked her to friends call her “Fritz”) even threatened to fry in a few onions, because I like onions rename the cafe for the “new-and-im- with my potatoes. Fritz never forgets. proved” view that they had erected. But Several months ago the pottery had the teasing was always amiable. And I scheduled a special 36-hour wood firing. sensed Fritz knew that whatever was good I was due out at the kiln site to take my for their business or the towns would be shift of stoking at 5:30 one morning, so I good for hers too. stopped at the County Seat Cafe for a Still, its really a shame not to be able hearty breakfast beforehand. I was amazed to see the courthouse anymore. Its a Mid­ to find the place completely packed. In western classic: manicured lawn, war me­ fact, only one seat, tucked away in a cor­ morial, fountain, maple leaves shimmering ner, was available. It was Thursday, and in the breaths of breeze, three stories of the breakfast special was eggs and pota­ newly sandblasted concrete and red brick, toes. I was running a bit late, and there clock tower and, of course, cupola and were 13 orders hanging above the grill flag. You used to be able to see all of this ahead of mine. I ordered, but decided not from the County Seat Cafe. to ask for the onions, figuring we were Fritz wont change the name, of course. both too busy. Besides, the cafe hasn’t changed inside: It I had just finished my first cup of is still the sort of place where you can coffee when my order arrived, complete order “Aunt Beulah’s coffee cake” and with grilled onions on the potatoes. I know for sure that Aunt Beulah really couldn’t catch Fritz’s eye until I was leav­ made it. You can still hear the curious mix ing. “How did you know?” I asked. “You of low German and English (they call it didn’t even see me come in.” “Dutch”) spoken by the Amish and con­ “Oh, I don’t miss very much,” she servative Mennonite “regulars” as they smiled. down a big breakfast of fried mush and Last Monday, I went in early to our head cheese (syrup on the fried mush, breakfast meeting. I had some book work please). Each summer Lenny picks enough to do. Fritz wasn’t at the grill when I elderberries for a couple of pies. He gives arrived, so I slipped up the stairs to a the berries to Fritz; she makes the pies, newly remodeled room that had just been gives one to him and sells what’s left. added to this tiny cafe. The only contact

86 CERAMICS MONTHLY December 1992 87 Comment peek around the corner to be sure this customers than she. (Maybe not.) I have isn’t an order from Dick.’” three other people to supervise. (She has After paying my bill, I went back up five.) I work long hours. (She comes in at between this room and the grill is a small and left a bigger-than-usual tip, then 3:30 in the morning and works until 3:00 hole in the wall through which the wait­ looked for Fritz. “I suppose you keep each afternoon.) I have better things to ress passes the order, as she rings a bell. track of all your customers’ food prefer­ do than to remember all that—I have When a bell from the other side announces ences?” I kidded. pots to make. (She runs the grill and the orders completion, the waitress takes “I try to. And their names too,” she makes almost every food order.) I have the food as it is pushed back through the added. “I always try to remember their galleries to service. (She does catering.) I opening. (The whole arrangement has a names.” have my own vision as an artist that I curious, primitive, slow-motion vending “How many breakfasts do you serve need to follow. I have my career to de­ machine feeling to it: You put something each day?” I wondered aloud. velop; I haven’t time for such things. (Two in a slot, push a button...later weeks ago Fritz mentioned an the food slides out to you.) opportunity she has to manage Well, it was early; it seemed I certainly recognize my own feelings of loyalty an additional restaurant.) a long time until lunch. I de­ The indictment of her “just cided on eggs and potatoes, fore­ toward a business that treats me with such attention working at it” stayed with me. going my usual pancakes. But I and respect. Fd like my business to be But so also did the warm feel­ forgot to order the onions. By ing of inclusion, the feeling of the time I remembered, the or­ that kind of place, too. special attention, and the feel­ der had long since been passed ing of being cared for that I through the hole, no doubt already started. “Oh, I suppose about 400, roughly.” experienced when she remembered some­ You probably know what I am going “And the same people aren’t here every thing so simple, so innocuous as frying to say next. When my order arrived, there day,” I said. some onions with my potatoes. But she were the onions with my potatoes. “No, and there’s lunch too, you know.” always remembered! Fritzs daughter Stacy, home on holi­ “How do you do it, Fritz?” Maybe Fritz’s cafe is Goshen’s equiva­ day break from a Chicago college, was at “Oh, I just work at it,” she replied. lent to television’s Cheers—“where every­ the cash register when I went to pay for As I drove back to my studio I tried to body knows your name.” I certainly my meal. She had a smirk on her face. extricate myself from the horns of the recognize my own feelings of loyalty to­ “How did she know?” I asked. indictment that I felt: I do not remember ward a business that treats me with such “Well,” she said, “Fritz knew it was very many of my customers’ names. I attention and respect. I’d like my business Monday, and she also knew it was too remember even less about their product to be that kind of place, too. early for you to be here, and she knows or color preferences. I am going to care a bit more this year. that you get pancakes with peanut butter, I tried to give myself excuses for my Like Fritz, I’m going to try to “just work but she told me, ‘Just go up the stairs and own unpolished memory: I have more at it” a little harder.

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A.R.T. Studio...... 15, 23 Cornell...... 69 Kickwheel...... 4 Potters Shop ...... 28 Aftosa...... 67 Creative Industries...... 17 Kiln Sitter...... 70 Pure & Simple...... 26 Aim...... 28 Creek Turn...... 28 Kraft Korner...... 76 Resco...... 30 Amaco...... Cover 3 Davens...... 79 Laguna Clay...... 61, 86 Rings &c Things ...... 10 Amherst Potters...... 80 Leslie...... 78 Anderson Ranch...... 83 Del Val...... 62 Sapir...... 73 Arrowmont...... 10 Dolan...... 62 Marjon...... 86 Scott Creek...... 73 Artfixtures...... 26 Duralite...... 72 Miami Clay...... 75 Sheffield...... 74 Axner...... 24, 25 Falcon...... 28 Miami Cork...... 27 Shigaraki Park ...... 63 Fiber Tec...... 72 Mid-South...... 2 Shimpo ...... Cover 2 Bailey ...... 1, 6, 7, 11 Flotsam & Jetsam...... 72 Mile-Hi...... 69 Skutt...... Cover 4 Bennett’s...... 3 Minnesota Clay...... 13 Soldner...... 19 Bluebird...... 73 Geil...... 77 Molly’s...... 70 Southern Pottery...... 70 Brickyard...... 76 Giffin...... 87 Standard...... 71 Buyers Market...... 29 Great Lakes Clay...... 78 NCECA...... 66 North Star...... 76, 85 Summit...... 72 Ceramic Review...... 85 Great South Clay...... 70 Old Town...... 80 Trinity...... 75 CeramiCorner...... 69 Handmade Lampshade ...... 72 Tucker’s ...... 74 Ceramics Monthly ...... 21, 68, 71 High water Clays ...... 77 Olsen ...... 78 Classified...... 82 Hood ...... 65 Orton...... 65 Venco...... 9 Clay Factory ...... 62 Paragon ...... 76 Vent-A-Kiln ...... 63 Clay Valley...... 67 IMC...... 83 Peter Pugger...... 83 Viking...... 76 Contemporary Kilns ...... 70 Innovations & Frivolities...... 69 Peters Valley...... 83 Wise...... 72 Continental Clay...... 64 International Technical...... 81 Philadelphia Pottery ...... 62 Wolfe...... 62 Corey...... 81 Jiffy...... 85 Piepenburg...... 83 Worcester Center...... 63

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