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

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

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

Copyright © 1983 Professional Publications, Inc. All rights reserved March 1983 3 4 Ceramics Monthly Ceramics Monthly Volume 31, Number 3 March 1983 Feature Articles Polly Frizzell...... 29 The Great American Bowl...... 30 Ken Vavrek’s Wall Sculpture...... 34 Scandinavian Modern...... 36 David Keator by Nadene Wegner...... 38 Japanese Ceramics Today...... 41 Christine Federighi...... 48 Canadian Plates...... 50 Pattern 52 Portfolio: Jugtown Pottery by Mary Durland Fields...... 53 The Arkansas Sandblaster by W. Lowell Baker...... 61 Departments Letters to the Editor...... 7 Where to Show 13 Suggestions...... 15 Questions...... 17 Itinerary...... 19 Comment: The Ethic of Craftsmanship by Alice Kling...... 21 News & Retrospect 65 Technical: Methylcellulose by D. Paul Stimers and George Greminger, Jr...... 83 New Books 85 Classified Advertising 86 Index to Advertisers...... 88 The Cover “Pleated Jar,” 14 inches in height, handbuilt, glazed, by Kenzo Okada. This Mashiko ceramist’s interests have centered around sculptural works, mostly large- scale forms with delicate details. Additional objects by contemporary Japanese potters are featured in the article beginning on page 41. Photo: courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution. March 1983 5 6 Ceramics Monthly Letters Should Collectors be Credited? but a very few would make more in other colors sell best, and no, I won’t lend my mail­ With reference to Daniel Jacobs’s letter fields. Am I the only potter out there who ing list of customers. If I were teaching, or in the January issue: I also am a collector, can and does say, “No, I don’t make that item, selling an article to CM, most of those an­ but what is important to me is being able to but leave your name and I’ll call you if I find swers would not be the same. I’m just another own some of the beautiful work that is being out”? And then I do call, or pass the name potter trying to make enough money from produced today, not collector credit. on to the potter. my work to keep me in my studio and out Anne Davis I make what I make, and I can’t keep up of the 8 to 5 life I left. I work hard to keep El Paso with my own ideas. Why would any potter a sense of integrity and humility without being want to make pots “like” another’s? For the plain stupid. Here in Sumner, Washington Daniel Jacobs gets credit for purchasing record—no, I don’t want to tell how much (population 5190), I know what Steve Coffey ceramic art, [but] his motive appears awfully clay to cut, what size to throw it, what glaze Continued self-serving, not benevolent or altruistic. When I want to support the ceramic artist, I donate to the Ceramic League, volunteer my time to sweep floors or answer the telephone. I hear Daniel Jacobs tooting his own horn. Name withheld by request Miami Who is Daniel Jacobs? Enclosed, please find a slide of my work. CM may take advantage of me and use it three times, as no collectors are supporting me at the moment. The magazine cover will do nicely. Barbara Woodruff Serota Spicewood, Tex. Pansy Pots Discovered I can help Jo Helms with her search for pansy pots (see Letters in the January issue), as I’ve been making them for years. The idea came from the frustration of trying to arrange my fa­ vorite flower. The form is a small round pot with slits cut through the wall about one-fourth of the way down so the stems will have enough water. With a slight neck it will hold some long stems. Ruth Hub be 11 Conway, N.H. My January CM comes and I get set with a pot of tea. I read very little and start to choke! Jo Helms, of Sumner, Washington, wants to know what pansy pots are. More­ over, she wants us to send pictures and details of our new, useful items to justify the price of CM and prove there are new, useful items. To start with, “pansy pots” were my new Spring 1982 item. No big arty deal, just a nice seller. With luck I’ll have the market alone again this spring until everyone sees and copies them. Jo wants instructions with­ out the wear and tear of having to see one in person. Rather than “a few pages complete with pictures and details,” I suggest CM address the question of whether we are , artists or merely copy artists. If the goal is money, all March 1983 7 8 Ceramics Monthly Letters rative arts,” she says. But this is happening ent Greenberg, while confessing that he him­ now. Ceramists, art historians, gallery own­ self had never given ceramics much serious (Letters, same issue, next column) means when ers, free-lance writers are expressing criti­ thought until asked to address the “Ceramics he says CM helps him “cope with over­ cism. Examine the trends in the old publica­ Symposium: 1979” on that subject, did come whelming aesthetic ignorance” but I was sur­ tions, look at the new publications and books. up with a real jewel, and I quote, “[painters prised to see printed evidence of it from my All ceramic definitions (and I believe these and sculptors], too, get little serious formal town in the pages of CM. ceramic definitions will probably always stay criticism—not as little as clay does, yet the Pansy pots are for pansies. Tulip pots are fuzzy with poorly defined “territories”) and difference isn’t all that great (and ceramists taller and are for tulips. Daffodil pots are especially the vessel, are getting thoughtful might well congratulate themselves on being even taller and hold daffodils (we grow lots and scholarly considerations by art histori­ spared what mostly passes for serious public of flowers in the Puyallup Valley). Forsythia ans, ceramists and other observers. One may criticism of painting and sculpture nowa­ pots are lots taller and—oh, you guessed! not always agree and some articles are really days).” More ceramic criticism will continue After at least ten years of subscription- quite bad, but the point is that they are hap­ hopefully in spite of Clement Greenberg. [But] prescription, this was my first letter. I think pening. Critical skills are developing. Clem­ Continued that lady hit a nerve. Betty Bell Sumner, Wash. I used to make what I called “pansy pots” when my children were pre-schoolers. I cre­ ated them in a moment of desperation one morning when I found every juice glass in the house filled with charming, though drowning, little stemless bouquets. Pansies predominated, hence the name. From about a mug-sized lump of clay, I formed an almost-closed container. This was as nearly horizontal on the top as I could make it, so that very short stems would reach the water. I then cut petal-shaped slots ra­ diating from the opening (for dwarf iris) with holes in between for pansies, etc. Some sand mixed in the outside glaze gave them a stony appearance. As I recall, a Q-tip with a little Vaseline rubbed in the cutouts saved a lot of clean-up time. Joy Wallner Wayland, Mass. Egging on Chicken Coop Potters It was good seeing that Chris Gustin has become a chicken coop potter. There’s hope for all of us. After all, it’s not the coop, but what you do with the eggs. Are pansy pots anything like wimp ves­ sels? Brad Pekoe Chesterhill, Ohio December Portfolio Why print so many color plates of Chris Gustin’s Fergusonesque pots? The back­ grounds are the biggest difference between them. Sandra Johnstone Los Altos, Calif. December Comment “Comment” is becoming my favorite CM section. Congratulations to Harriet Cohen for her superbly thought out and expressed ideas in “Looking Forward, Looking Back”— an excellent article. She should know that the vessel aesthetic does continue stronger, the makers work harder, the critics and re­ viewers observe more closely, and the vessel aesthetic lives energetically. “The new ce­ ramic critic will indeed legitimize the deco­ March 1983 9 10 Ceramics Monthly Letters I disagree with Harriet Cohen that we should have a ceramist leader do much of the crit­ icism. Let many speak and there will be crit­ ical growth and standard reevaluation; why encourage these attributes within one person solely? That concentrates too much power. I think we will be lucky if we can avoid that. We don’t need a Clement Greenberg—as he himself hints in the previously mentioned ad­ dress: “Let ceramists not bother themselves so much about the lack of serious formal or public criticism in their field. Just let them make their art good enough.” Simplistic yes, but valid. Sally Bowen Prange Chapel Hill, N.C. The ancient [ceramic] medium, using to­ day’s technology, is rapidly blossoming into such innovative and exciting directions, how could “expert critics” possibly keep up with­ out getting their hands muddy? Aimee Dixon Little Rock, Ark. Thank you, Harriet.Cohen. Please, keep writing. Always articulate verbally and vis­ ually, you set significant standards for ex­ cellence without stylistic bias in our profes­ sion. Paul Berube Pelham, Mass. Dear Harriet, we don’t need Greenberg or DeVore when we have you. I commend you on a lucid and timely essay—well thought out and right on target. May I send copies to the New York Times or have you already done so? Kay Eddy New York City Subscribers’ Comments I am constantly impressed by how greatly CM has improved in the last decade, going from a hobbyist emphasis to that of a serious art journal. However, until criticism of con­ temporary work by recognized art critics is included in CM, it will not attain the stature it seeks and deserves. Karen Ann Shlomberg Fredonia, N.Y. CM spends too much time showing what some great artist has done, but it doesn’t do me any good. I look for material to help my operation or give comparison as to how other potteries are producing pots. I enjoy the art but it is overdone. Steve Peeples Lake Providence, La. Share your thoughts with other readers. All letters must be signed, but names will be withheld on request. Address: The Editor; Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. March 1983 11

Where to Show exhibitions, fairs, festivals and sales

Send announcements of juried exhibitions, fairs,hibition” (July 24-August 27) is juried from works. Village Art Fair” (June 4-5) is juried from slides. festivals and sales at least four months before the $7000 in awards. Fee: $10. Contact: Olga Welch, Contact: Kathy Gaines, Countryside Village Art entry deadline to: The Editor, Ceramics Monthly, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown 13326; or call: (607) Fair, 8725 Countryside Plaza, Omaha 68114; or Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212; or phone (614) 547-9777. call: (402) 391-2200. 488-8236. Add one month for listings in July and March 15 entry deadline two months for those in August. Madison, Wisconsin The Madison Art Center’s Regional Exhibitions “25th Annual Art Fair on the Square” (July 9-10) March 13 entry deadline is juried from 4 slides. Screening fee: $5. Booth International Exhibitions Topeka, Kansas “Topeka Crafts Exhibition 7” fee: $150. Contact: Madison Art Center, 211 State March 8 entry deadline (April 2-30) is open to residents of Kansas and St., Madison 53703; or call: (608) 257-0158. Golden, Colorado Fifth annual “North American the Saint Joseph/Kansas City, Missouri areas. Ju­ March 20 entry deadline Sculpture Exhibition” (June 5-July 10) is open ried from works. Juror: Richard Mawdsley. Awards. Pendleton, South Carolina “Historic Pendleton to artists in the U.S.A., Canada and Mexico. $6000 Fee: $10. Contact: Larry Peters, Topeka Public Spring Jubilee” (April 2-3) is juried from 3 slides in awards. Juried from photos. Send a self-ad­ Library Gallery, 1515 West Tenth Street, Topeka or photos. Contact: Patricia Porter, Pendleton Dis­ dressed, stamped envelope to: Foothills Art Center, 66604; or call (913) 233-2040. trict Historical and Recreational Commission, Box 809 Fifteenth Street, Golden 80401; or call (303) April 1 entry deadline 234, Pendleton 29670; or call: (803) 646-3782. 279-3922. Chicago, Illinois “Ceramic Installations” (July March 22 entry deadline April 1 entry deadline I-29) is open to residents of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Edwardsville, Illinois “Womanfest Arts and Crafts Boston, Massachusetts The National Council on Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Juried from 15 Fair” (April 21-22) is juried from 5 slides. Entry Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) is re­ slides, resume and proposal. Send self-addressed, fee: $5. Booth fee: $30 for a 60-square-foot space. ceiving slides for consideration for exhibitions at stamped envelope to: Kristin Poole, Lill Street Send self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Ann Boston and New England area museums and gal­ Gallery, 1021 West Lill Street, Chicago 60614; or McKinnon, University Center Craft and Graphics leries in conjunction with the 1984 conference (April call: (312) 248-4414. Shop, Box 174, Edwardsville 62026; or call: (618) 10-13). Send 4 slides (not returnable) identified April 10 entry deadline 692-2178. with your name, material, title and size of work Clinton, New Jersey “Small Sculpture and March 25 entry deadline to: David Davison, Federal Furnace Pottery, Har­ Drawing Juried Exhibition 1983” (May 8-June Meridian, Mississippi “Art in the Park” (April dy Street, Dunstable, Massachusetts 01827. 19) is juried from hand-delivered work, not ex­ 9) is juried from slides or photos. Awards. Fee: April 15 entry deadline ceeding 75 pounds or 30 inches in any direction. $25 for a 1 Ox 10-foot space. For further infor­ Koblenz, West Germany “Salzglasur ’83” (Salt- Awards. Fee: $10 each entry, up to 2 per artist. mation contact: Art in the Park, Box 790, Merid­ glaze ’83), second international exhibition (June Contact: Hunterdon Art Center, 7 Center Street, ian 39301; or call: (601) 483-8241, extension 147; 11-July 9), is open to ceramists working in salt Clinton 08809; or call: (201) 735-8415. or 483-6889; or 693-1306. glaze. Juried from works. DM6000 (approxi­ April 14 entry deadline March 25 entry deadline mately $2500) in awards will be given to partic­ Goldsboro, North Carolina “4th Annual Juried New York, New York Seventh annual “American ipants under 35 years of age. Works will be pub­ Art Show” (April 15-17) is juried from works. Crafts Festival” (July 2-3 and 9-10) at the Lin­ lished in a catalog. No commission. Contact: Awards. Commission: 25%. Fee: $12 for 2 entries. coln Center for the Performing Arts is juried from Handwerkskammer Koblenz, Galerie Handwerk For further information contact: Community Arts 5 slides. Entry fee: $6.50. Booth fees: $125—$150 Koblenz, Rizzastrasse 24-26, Postfach 929, 5400 Council, 901 East Ash Street, Goldsboro 27530; for one weekend, $250-$300 for two. Contact: Koblenz. or call (919) 736-3300. Brenda Brigham, American Concern for Artistry May 13 entry deadline April 29 entry deadline and Craftsmanship, Box 221, Upton Station, Ho­ Auckland, New Zealand “The Fletcher Brown- Little Rock, Arkansas “Sixteenth Annual Prints, boken, New Jersey 07030. built Pottery Award” (June 5-19) is juried from Drawings and Crafts Exhibition” (May 27-July March 30 entry deadline works. Purchase Award: NZ$3000 (approximate­ 3) is open to artists born or residing in Arkansas, Andover, Massachusetts “Andover Crafts in the ly $2100). Accepted works will be on sale with Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Park” (May 7) is juried from photos. Contact: Su­ 20% commission. Contact: The Competition Or­ Tennessee and Texas. Juried from objects. Pur­ san Wahr, Andover Chapter, American Field Ser­ ganizer, Fletcher Brownbuilt, Private Bag, Auck­ chase awards. For further information contact: Ar­ vice, 1 Seneca Circle, Andover 01810; or call: (617) land. kansas Arts Center, Box 2137, Little Rock 77203; 475-7210. or call: (501) 372-4000. March 30 entry deadline May 7 entry deadline Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania “Three Rivers Arts National Exhibitions Middlebury, Vermont “Table Ware” (June Festival” (June 10-26) is open to artists living in March 11 entry deadline II-July 9) is open to current and former Vermont Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and western Omaha, Nebraska “Cast Clay” (April 29-May 30), residents. Juried from up to 3 slides per entry. New York. Juried from 5 slides of work and 1 focusing on casting techniques, is juried from up Jurors: Fran and Priscilla Merritt. Awards. Con­ slide or drawing of display. Awards. Fee: $15. Send to 10 slides. Entry fee: $10. Contact: Ree Schon- tact: “Table Ware,” Vermont State Craft Center two first-class stamps, name and address to: Three lau, Craftsmen’s Gallery, 511 South 11 Street, at Frog Hollow, Middlebury 05733; or call: (802) Rivers Arts Festival, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pitts­ Omaha 68102; or call (402) 346-8887. 388-3177. burgh 15213; or call: Nancy Brem (412) 687-7014 April 1 entry deadline or 935-1433. State College, Pennsylvania “Central Pennsyl­ March 31 entry deadline vania Festival of the Arts 17th Annual Juried Crafts Fairs, Festivals and Sales Eureka Springs, Arkansas “Seventh Annual Exhibition” (July 5-August 31) is juried from slides. March 10 entry deadline Spring Art Fair” (May 6-8) is juried from slides. Awards. Jurying fee: $5. Exhibition fee: $15. Send San Francisco, California Eighth annual “Craft Awards. Fee: $45. Send self-addressed, stamped self-addresssed, stamped envelope to: Shirley Sie- Fair at San Francisco” (August 11-14) is juried envelope to: Venita Sellers, Eureka Springs Guild genthaler, 126 West Marylyn Avenue, State Col­ from 5 slides. Entry fee: $10. Contact: American of Artists and Craftspeople, Box 182, Eureka lege ^16801; or call: (814) 237-4023. Craft Enterprises, Box 10, New Paltz, New York Springs 72632. April 1 entry deadline 12561; or call: (914) 255-0039. March 31 entry deadline Galveston, Texas “National Craft Show II” (June March 10 entry deadline Skokie, Illinois The 26th annual “Old Orchard 3-26) is juried from slides of up to 2 entries. Juror: Croton-on-Hudson, New York “Sixth Annual Art Festival” (September 10-11), a fine arts event, Walter Nottingham. Fee: $7.50 per entry. Contact: Great Hudson River Revival” (June 18-19) is ju­ is juried from 5 slides. $4000 in awards. Contact: Catherine Brunner or Eric Riedel, Galveston Arts! ried from 5 slides. Fee: $50 for a 1 Ox 10-foot space. North Shore Art League, 620 Lincoln Avenue, Center Gallery, 2127 Strand, Galveston 77550; or Contact: Penny Cohen, Crafts Committee, R.D. Winnetka, Illinois 60093; or call: (312) 446-2870. call: (713) 763-2403. 1, Box 304, Putnam Valley, New York 10579. March 31 entry deadline May 1 entry deadline March 15 entry deadline Murrells Inlet, South Carolina “11th Annual Guilford, Connecticut “Women’s Perspective Ex­ Baltimore, Maryland “Artscape ’83” (July 22-24) Murrells Inlet Outdoor Arts and Crafts Festival” hibit” (May 28-June 18), works by and on the is open to residents of Maryland, Delaware, Vir­ (April 22-24) is juried from 2 slides or photos. subject of women, is juried from 3 to 5 slides or ginia and Washington, D.C. Juried from slides. Send self-addressed, stamped enveloped to: Wilma photos. Fee: $5. Cash awards. Contact: Women’s Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Crafts— Martin, Magnolia Park, Box 231, Murrells Inlet Perspective, Guilford Handcrafts, Box 221, Route Artscape ’83, c/o MACAC, 21 South Eutaw Street, 29576; or call: (803) 651-7555. 77, Guilford 06437; or call: (203) 453-5947. Baltimore 21201; or call: (301) 396-4575. April 1 entry deadline June 22 entry deadline March 15 entry deadline Evansville, Indiana “Ohio River Arts Festival” Cooperstown, New York “48th Annual Art Ex­ Omaha, Nebraska “13th Annual Countryside Please Turn to Page 62 March 1983 13 14 CERAMICS MONTHLY Suggestions from our readers Rib Rack Refiring Hint A table top rack for ribs and other thin tools keeps them upright When fired colors look washed out or you wish to add color to and accessible. To make one, saw slots in a small piece of 2 X 4-inch an already fired pot, mix the stain or oxide with wax resist before lumber every ½ to 1 inch (cut only part way through the wood). redecorating. This will greatly improve application, especially on Tools slip in and out readily and thereafter can be found all in one vertical surfaces. —Raymond Serrano, Seattle place. —Marlene J. Wolf, Lake Stevens, Wash. Rib Handle Wire Alternative When throwing with a metal rib, attach a wine bottle cork to the Small-diameter, twisted nylon twine, or seine cord (available at unused side by drilling two small holes through the cork and rib. most hardware stores), makes a much better cutting tool than a Insert brazing rods through the holes, bend the rods over and around twisted wire, and one spool should last a very long time. A match the cork. This gives an excellent handhold on what used to be a flame cuts it to length and at the same time seals the end from slick, sharp edge. The cork also makes the rib float in the water bucket, and is better than having sliced fingers from a “slipped rib.” —R. Fillingane, Brea, Calif. Glaze Sieve A flat bacon spatter screen, sold in supermarkets, can successfully sieve glazes. It has a long handle, which also comes in handy when screening, and will fit on top of most 5-gallon buckets. —Ilene Kratka, Haiku, Hawaii Dollars for Your Ideas fraying or raveling. A suitable handle can be fashioned from the Ceramics Monthly pays $10 for each suggestion published; submis­ screw top of a plastic milk bottle by punching a hole with a heated sions are welcome individually or in quantity. Include an illustration ice pick. When cutting off a pot, squeeze the little finger, as shown or photo to accompany your suggestion and we will pay $10 more in the drawing, to prevent slippage. if we use it. Send your ideas to CM, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio — Trudy Loper, Conroe, Texas 43212. Sorry, but we can't acknowledge or return unused items.

March 1983 15 16 Ceramics Monthly Questions Answered by the CM Technical Staff

Q We are often asked if our pottery is dishwasher safe, and wish with food. Dishwasher detergent compositions vary, a factor that is to know the effects of automatic dishwashing on ceramic ware. as important as glaze composition in determining whether or not a What actually constitutes “dishwasher safe”? —AM. glaze is dishwasher safe. Phosphate detergents, for example, may Nearly all stoneware and porcelain competently produced by react with calcium in the glaze to etch out deposits of calcium phos­ functional potters is “dishwasher safe” in the sense that it will not phate (a harmless but unattractive white scum) in pits on the ware. deteriorate or give off toxic quantities of harmful substances, but Detergents may attack particles not bound tightly in the glassy most potters ought to know more about the subject. While there is matrix as efficiently as an acid. no federal standard for calling ware “dishwasher safe,” automatic Glazes which resist detergent attack tend to have qualities in dishwashers pose two threats to ceramics: common: They are homogeneous, with low surface tension and of The first is a physical attack caused by the combination of high fine initial (raw) particle size. They are glassy and formed turbu- heat and moisture, which may take its toll on relatively porous bodies lently (the batch gives off gas which provides a mixing, dissolving by causing their expansion and contraction. The result is a crazed action within the glaze). Often, they contain low-temperature fluxes glaze surface when the glaze and clay do not fit each other well. which have a wetting effect on larger particles in the melt. Vitreous porcelain or stoneware is the most resistant to this physical The practice of soaking (holding near peak kiln temperature for problem, but if these bodies are underfired or have gross glaze/body half an hour or more) seems to increase glaze resistance to detergent interface stresses, they, too, may fall prey in the dishwasher to in­ attack as does the substitution of ZrO for some of the silica in the creased susceptibility to crazing, chipping and shivering. glaze, and/or the use of lithium as a2 principal flux rather than The second threat is chemical attack by alkaline detergent. The potassium or sodium. harder, more completely melted and insoluble the glaze, the more There are industry tests for dishwasher safety. Among them is resistant it will be to dishwasher detergent. Higher-fired glazes tend weighing ware before and after extended boiling in a 3% sodium to be more resistant. Low-fired luster glazes are never dishwasher carbonate solution, but such tests are inconclusive and impractical safe and eventually are dissolved by low viscosity, alkaline detergent. for the studio potter. Matt glazes which consist of particles suspended in a glassy matrix may be quite susceptible to dissolving, and earthenware matt glazes Subscribers' inquiries are welcome and those of general interest will are the most suspcct. We have seen earthenware glaze turn porous be answered in this column. Due to volume, letters may not be through repeated washing, and any glaze which exhibits this quality answered personally. Send questions to: Technical Staff, Ceramics should be excluded not only from the dishwasher, but also from use Monthly, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212.

March 1983 17 18 Ceramics Monthly Itinerary conferences, exhibitions, workshops, fairs and other events to attend

Send announcements of conferences, exhibitions,Brady; at Braunstein Gallery, 254 Sutter Street. 15-April 10 “Ten Year Retrospective”; at the workshops, juried fairs and other events at least California, Santa Ana March 1-31 Rudy Hand and the Spirit Gallery, 4222 North Mar­ seven weeks before the month of opening to: TheFleck; at Neally Library, Santa Ana Community shall Way. Editor, Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Columbus, College, Seventeenth and Bristol Streets. March 17-April 20 “Gallery Owners Show” in­ Ohio 43212; or phone (614) 488-8236. Add one California, Westlake Villagethrough March cludes works by Beverly Hunt; at the Mind’s Eye month for listings in July and two months for those14 Tom Turner, large porcelain vessels; at the Craft Gallery, 4200 North Marshall Way. in August. Retreat, 3865 East Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Arizona, Tempe March 27-April 24 Ceramic Westlake Hills Plaza. sculpture from the Arizona State University Art D.C., WashingtonMarch 13-19 Judith Sal­ Collections; at Matthews Center, Arizona State Conferences omon; at the American Hand, 2904 M Street, University, Second Floor. Delaware, Newark April 22 The “Sympo­ Northwest, Georgetown. California, Fresnothrough April 28 “San sium on American Art” at the University of Del­ Massachusetts, Boston March 3-31 Rudy Joaquin Clay Association”; at the Central Federal aware will focus on the evolution of American Autio; at Impressions Gallery, 275 Dartmouth Savings Gallery, West Shaw at Forkner. sculpture from the beaux arts tradition at the turn Street. California, La Jollathrough March 12 A joint of the century through current movements. The Nebraska, Omaha through March 6 Charles show with Curtis and Suzan Benzie, translucent topics to be discussed will include: “Archaism in Simonds, clay dwellings; at Joslyn Art Museum, porcelain; at Gallery Eight, 7464 Girard Avenue. American Sculpture 1900-1930,” “Collecting 2200 Dodge Street. California, Los Angelesthrough March Sculpture for a University Campus from an Ad­ New Jersey, Trentonthrough March 27 Albert 9 “Innovations in Clay” by Ryusei Arita, Ralph ministrative Point of View,” “Sculpture of the Six­ Green, “Clay—A Potter’s Canvas”; at New Jersey Rankin and Robert Shay. March 13-April ties,” “Conceptual Art, Earthworks and Ecology.” State Museum, 205 West State Street. 7 Lukman Glasgow, Howard Kottler, John La Registration fee: $20, $14 for students. Contact: New Mexico, Gallup March 1-30 Diane Francesca, Richard Shaw, Patricia Warashina and 1983 Symposium on American Art, Conference Botham-Hoover, functional stoneware; at the Gal­ Stan Welsh, sculpture; at Marcia Rodell Gallery, Center, John M. Clayton Hall, University of Del­ lup Public Library Gallery, 115 West Hill Avenue. 11714 San Vicente Boulevard. aware, Newark 19711. New York, New Yorkthrough March 12 Shaw through May 22 “Handmade in Nepal,” domes­ D.C., WashingtonApril 24-29 “Connoisseur- Stuart. March 15-April 2 Warren Angle; at tic folk art; at the Craft and Folk Art Museum, ship of Chinese Ceramics.” For details, consult Fourteen Sculptors Gallery, 164 Mercer Street. 5814 Wilshire Boulevard. CM January Itinerary. March 5 registration through March 16 Marjorie Abramson, wall California, Oakland March 7-April 6 A dual deadline. Contact: Selected Studies, A&I 1190, forms; at Soho 20 Gallery, 469 Broome Street. exhibition with Sharon Rowell, “Sounds in Clay,” Smithsonian Institution, Washington 20560. through March 30 “Glen Lukens: Pioneer of the musical gourds; at Studio One Gallery, 365 Forty- May 5-8 “Crafts Today.” For details, consult CM Vessel Aesthetic”; at the American Craft Museum fifth Street. January Itinerary. Contact: Smithsonian Associ­ I, 44 West 53 Street. California, Sacramento March 12-April ates Travel Program, Arts and Industries Building March 15-April 9 Donna Polseno, raku vessels; 17 “California Crafts XIII,” a biennial regional 1278, Smithsonian Institution, Washington 20560; Neil Tetkowski, low-fire salt-glazed earthenware; competition; at the Herold Wing, Crocker Art or call: (202) 357-2477. at Elements Gallery, 90 Hudson Street. Museum, 216 O Street. Georgia, AtlantaMarch 16-19 The annual New York, Syracusethrough March 6 Adrian California, San FranciscoMarch 1-April conference of the National Council on Education Saxe: “Between Sevres and Momoyama”; at Ev­ 2 Stephanie Chiacos, John Gill, Jay Kvapil, Jens for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). For details, con­ erson Museum of Art, 401 Harrison Street. Morrison and Yoshio Taylor, “Buildings”; at Mey­ sult CM January Itinerary. Contact: Don Mc- Oklahoma, NormanMarch 4-24 Jun Ka- er Breier Weiss, Building A, Fort Mason Center. Cance, Georgia State University, Department of neko; at the Firehouse Art Center Gallery, 444 California, Taft March 5-31 “Vessels Aes­ Art, University Plaza, Atlanta 30303; or call: (404) South Flood Street. thetic 1983”; at Taft College Art Gallery, 505 Kern 658-2257. Oregon, Grants PassMarch 28-April 21 Chris­ Street. Michigan, DetroitMarch 24-29 The 23rd Na­ tine Pendergrass, sculpture; at Rogue Community Colorado, Denverthrough September tional Art Education Association annual conven­ College Gallery. 25 “Black and Blue,” American Indian work; at tion. Contact: J. Theodore Anderson, 1916 As­ Oregon, Portlandthrough March 19 Laura the Denver Art Museum, 100 West 14 Avenue sociation Drive, Reston, Virginia 22091; or call: Andreson; at Roberts Gallery, Contemporary Crafts, Parkway. (703) 860-8000. 3934 Southwest Corbett Avenue. Colorado, Goldenthrough March 13 “Colo­ New Mexico, Albuquerque March 24-26 Pennsylvania, Carlisle through March rado Clay Exhibition.”March 20-April 24 Second “Clay as Art.” For details, consult CM February 18 Toshiko Takaezu; at Trout Gallery, Dick­ annual “Energy Art,” international competition; Itinerary. Contact: Hoyt Corbett, University of New inson College. at the Foothills Art Center, 809 Fifteenth Street. Mexico, Albuquerque 87131. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia through March Georgia, AtlantaMarch 9-April 1 “Function 12 Allison Lee Newsome. March 19-April in Clay: New Works,” National Council on Ed­ 2 Ron Lang; at the Clay Studio Gallery, 49 North ucation for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) national International Conferences Second Street. invitational; at Georgia State University, Univer­ Australia, South Australia, AdelaideMay sity Plaza. 15-21 “The Potters Third National Ceramics Illinois, Chicagothrough March 20 “Japanese Conference” at the University of Adelaide. For de­ Group Exhibitions Living Treasures,” crafts made by masters hon­ tails, consult CM December 1982 Itinerary. Con­ Alabama, Mobile through March 15 “Hills ored by the Japanese government. Through March tact: Potters Guild of South Australia, Box 234, and Streams: Landscape Decoration on Chinese 27 English Staffordshire figures from the Hope Stepney 5069, South Australia; or Craft Council Export Blue and White Porcelain”; at the Fine McCormick Collection, decorated earthenware of South Australia, 169 Payneham Road, Saint Arts Museum of the South, Langan Park. figures from the late 18th or early 19th century; Peters 5069, South Australia; or call: (08) 42 4001. Arizona, Mesa March 11-April 2 Fifth an­ at the Art Institute of Chicago, Michigan Avenue nual “Vahki Juried Competition”; at Cultural Ac­ at Adams Street. tivities Department Gallery, 155 North Center Indiana, Evansvillethrough March 6 “Intimate Solo Exhibitions Street. Spaces,” traveling NCECA exhibition; at the Ev­ Arizona, Scottsdalethrough March 22 Mau­ Arizona, Phoenixthrough March 27 “Con­ ansville Museum of Arts and Science, 411 South­ rice Grossman, “Bridged and Winged Vessels”; at temporary Japanese Pottery”; at the Helen Wells east Riverside Drive. Udinotti Gallery, 4215 North Marshall Way. Decorative Arts Gallery, Phoenix Art Museum, Indiana, Indianapolis March 1-31 A dual California, Fresnothrough March 10 Chris 1625 North Central Avenue. exhibition with Clare Ferguson Hollet, raku Colver, raku and pit-fired work. March 14-May through August 1 “Frontier Merchants and Na­ sculpture and paper-thin porcelain; at the Indi­ 19 Frederick Paynter, functional and nonfunc­ tive Craftsmen” and “Pottery from the Heard Mu­ anapolis Museum of Art, 1200 West 38 Street. tional works; at Guarantee Savings and Loan Gal­ seum Collection”; at the Heard Museum, 22 East Kansas, Lawrence through March 11 “Mid lery, Blackstone at Ashlan. Monte Vista Road. States Six Designer Craftsman Exhibition”; at California, Los Angelesthrough March Arizona, Scottsdalethrough March 9 Grace Kansas Union Gallery, University of Kansas. 5 “Akio Takamori: Archie Bray Series”; Beatrice Medicine Flower and Jody Folwell. March Kansas, Wichita through March 13 “K.A.C.A. Wood, luster pottery. March 12-April 2 Ken 24-April 6 Nancy Youngblood Cutler and Na­ 3 Plus Exhibit”; at the Wichita Art Association, Ferguson, thickly glazed vessels and decorated than Youngblood, pottery in the tradition of Santa 9112 East Central. platters; James Lawton, raku; at Garth Clark Gal­ Clara Pueblo; at Gallery Ten, 7045 Third Avenue. Kentucky, CovingtonMarch 11-April 1 The lery, 5820 Wilshire Boulevard. through March 16 A dual exhibition with Rick 16th annual juried show of the Craft Guild of California, San FranciscoMarch 1-26 Robert Dillingham, handbuilt earthenware vessels. March Please Turn to Page 66 March 1983 19 20 Ceramics Monthly Comment The Ethic of Craftsmanship by Alice Kling

For 20 years the crafts community has Basic attitudes may be defined as con­ been divided by debate: Are handmade cern for quality in production, integrity goods art or merely craft? Are the mak­ in the use of materials, primacy of the ers artists or merely artisans? This ar­ work process, and the integration of all gument assumes—I think erroneously— elements of experience—life, work and that the object is the definitive element art—into a unified whole. Applying these of craftsmanship. basic work values to social organization, One may discuss the aesthetic merits craftspeople develop an alternative life­ of an object—an easel painting as well style which is essentially ethical and re­ as a pot—but to confuse the object with markably consistent given the individ­ craftsmanship as a way of life is to mis­ uality and diversity of the field. understand the essence of production by Quality does not refer to precious or hand and the position of craftspeople in costly material; nor does it suggest ma­ contemporary society. chinelike perfection in surface or form. What distinguishes hand producers Rather, it involves achievement of a level from both mainstream society and fine of skill appropriate to the function of the art traditions is adherence to a discern­ object, whether utilitarian or entirely ible set of ideals. Those who identify aesthetic, and that intangible content themselves as craftspeople and whose lives which craftspeople see as distinguishing center on the process of creative pro­ handmade objects from the impersonal duction share attitudes toward work and products of industrialization. In the ver­ life that transcend objects and are widely nacular of the crafts world, quality re­ held, regardless of whether the maker fers to both technical expertise and aes­ produces traditional or experimental thetic content. To meet quality standards, ware. handcrafted items should be well made, Sociologists Saul D. Feldman and well designed and express the maker’s Gerald W. Thielbar have defined a rec­ personality and aesthetic vision. ognizable lifestyle as one which revolves California potter Harrison McIntosh around a central activity that dominates has urged: “Make the best pots you pos­ other aspects of participants’ lives. For sibly can. Never, never compromise; oth­ craftspeople this is the process. Whether erwise there is no point in operating your hammering metal or waiting for a kiln own studio.” Beyond exhorting crafts­ to cool, they are subject to the properties people to do good work, his remark ex­ of their media. Materials must be heat­ presses the maker’s personal identifi­ ed, cooled, dried or dyed in accordance cation with the work. Everything the with their cellular and molecular char­ individual stands for is expressed in that acteristics. These properties, not a time handmade product. To maintain self-re- schedule or production chart, determine spect, the highest standards must be met. the pace, length and order of the work While commercial manufacturers may routine. Attitudes that the maker devel­ claim quality in their products, planned ops toward the medium and the process obsolescence, recalls and widespread spill over into other areas of life; inter­ dissatisfaction with design, durability and nalized as positive values, they are tac­ malfunction of many consumer com­ itly understood and, according to Feld­ modities are testimony that industry man and Thielbar, will be adopted by rarely meets the standards craftspeople individuals wishing to gain membership impose on themselves. in the group. Continued March 1983 21 ZZ UERAMICS MONTHLY Comment Association Prize of the Ceramic Na­ tional Exhibition. Artists, too, often appear to be un­ Whether formally trained or casually concerned with tangible standards of introduced to a medium, craftspeople quality. Their primary interest is in the display feelings that can only be shared idea. Flaking paint, the use of imper­ by those who work directly with a basic manent materials, even the artistic “hap­ substance. During the early period of pening” which leaves no artifact, indi­ industrialization, when people were re­ cate a distinctly different attitude toward moved from direct contact with mate­ concepts of quality among those who rials, technology was utilized to mold, identify themselves as artists. plate and embellish substances to give Integrity in the use of materials means them the appearance of other, often more working within the physical character­ costly materials. Virtuosity was equated istics of strength, fluidity, flexibility, with mechanical skill that could disguise softness, hardness and durability inher­ and alter the characteristics of any given ent to each medium. Responding to these substance. It was craftspeople, under the physical attributes, craftspeople find both tutelage of William Morris and later limitations and artistic inspiration. While Walter Gropius and other Bauhaus artists may use watercolors, pastels or leaders, who reestablished the principle oil paint to express their aesthetic vi­ of integrity to materials in machine as sions, they exhibit no overriding concern well as hand production. with material as material or as a con­ In finding their chief source of pleas­ tributing factor in the creative process. ure and satisfaction in the work process, By contrast, craftspeople see the quali­ craftspeople differ markedly from blue- ties of clay or wood or metal as integral collar workers who are separated from to the act of forming. Matter is not “in­ design, from participation in all stages animate,” but exerts its own influence of manufacture and often from direct as do the maker’s hand, eye, mind and contact with raw materials. They work memory. out of necessity or as a means toward Often a close relationship stems from the more desirable ends of leisure or af­ a natural affinity which draws individ­ fluence; financial return rather than the uals to a specific medium. The “discov­ work process provides their reward. ery” phenomenon is common among Nor do artists, even those working in craftspeople. Viennese-born ceramist Otto traditional craft media, find primary Natzler recently recalled that on his sec­ satisfaction in the work process. Often ond meeting with his future wife, Ger­ they are content to let others fabricate trud presented him with a ball of clay. their designs. Ceramist Ken Price, who “It was,” he said, “love at first touch. I thinks of himself as an artist, has said knew I wanted to spend the rest of my he does not feel the impulse to person­ life working with clay.” Another immi­ ally make his work and he does not feel grant to California, Marguerite Wil- an affinity with the craft world. denhain, trained at the Bauhaus, studied By comparison, craftspeople are deeply wood sculpture and was designing dec­ and personally involved in the many stages orations for commercially produced china of hand manufacture. Functional stone­ when she accidently came across potters ware potter Karen Karnes, who has throwing at wheels. In her autobiogra­ worked in an independent studio since phy, she wrote: “I was simply hypno­ 1954, has commented: “After all these tized, and in that second I decided that years as a potter, I am still conscious of that was what I was going to do.” the privilege of my life. There is still the Generally trained in the fine arts in deep pleasure of making pots on the a university setting, American crafts­ wheel, the excitement of firing and kiln people often trace their commitments to opening, the challenge for new forms.” craftsmanship to a casually taken or long- While many kinds of work are seg­ delayed course required for graduation. mented or intellectualized, craftspeople For instance, it is part of the Peter Voul- find great personal pleasure and satis­ kos legend that he did not discover crafts faction in their direct, step-by-step in­ until his last semester at Montana State volvement in the work process. University. However, the story is cer­ Finally, craftspeople display an un­ tainly apochryphal as he completed his usual concern for the integration of all B.A. in 1951, yet by 1949 already hadaspects of their lives. They do not sep­ won both the first prize for pottery at arate their days into periods at the office, the Montana State Fair and the Pottery Continued March 1983 23 24 Ceramics Monthly Comment accounting for only about one-third of total income. About 43% of all crafts­ at home or in leisure activities. Art is people teach and require subsidy in that not an “interest” they pursue as a col­ form or from a working spouse in order lector might pursue Ming vases; rather, to engage in crafts. In fact, craftsman­ it is an essential element of their exis­ ship is an activity that drains the total tence. Nor is work merely a prelude to family income. On the average, crafts family or social life. Don Reitz once re­ earnings contribute 28% to 42% of gross marked: “When I talk, people think I household income, but only 4% to 5% of am talking about clay, but I don’t sep­ net income. Even among craftspeople who arate clay from my life. My work, myenjoy high sales, their earnings contrib­ family, my farming, my teaching, my re­ute 40% to the gross household income, ligion are all one. Some days I plow the but only 20% to net income. fields, work with horses or teach at the With a higher than average level of university—it’s one flowing event.” education—56.7% of craftspeople have This strong effort to relate all aspects completed four or more years of college of their lives leads craftspeople to apply (31% with graduate degrees) compared basic work attitudes toward social or­ to 16.4% of the total population and 17.8% ganization and to develop a lifestyle of of heads of households—craftspeople identifiable characteristics. They con­ clearly could make other occupational sciously choose alternative values, aware decisions. Their choice of work is made that they stand apart from mainstream in spite of, rather than because of, their society. Daniel Rhodes observed: “We expectation of financial reward. Daniel need people who will hold values that Rhodes, who taught at Alfred Univer­ are not necessarily capable of wide re­ sity, acknowledged that while he enjoyed tention. . . . Crafts are one place where the security of a teacher’s salary and some people can state values which are not income from the sale of texts, which freed even known by the mass of the popu­ him to explore ceramic sculpture rather lation and, yet, may turn out to be rather than having to produce marketable pots, important in the long run.” Speaking to he also would like to sell more of what the third national conference of the he makes—but with reservations. “When American Craft Council, Leo Lionni, I say I would like to sell more pieces and art director of Fortune magazine, un­ expand my sales opportunities,” he ex­ derscored the sense of separateness from plained, “I would do it only by pro­ popular culture often felt by craftspeo­ moting what I am making, not by chang­ ple: “As artists, we are traditionally ing what I am making so that it would committed, or temperamentally com­ move more easily.” mitted to a scale of values that lies closer Accepting a life of limited consump­ to the basic, simple conditions of man, tion, craftspeople find positive values in than to the intricacies and the indirec­ a lifestyle they characterize as simpler tion of mass production, mass consump­ and more fundamental. Simplicity refers tion and mass culture. Groping as we not only to nonmaterialism, but also to are for universal meaning and elemental a tendency to reduce the number and truths, we feel more at home, at least intensity of external demands on daily we think we do, in a hut than a house. life. Since the industrial revolution, We prefer bread and wine to Wheaties craftspeople have rejected the imperson­ and Coca Cola. We prefer the market­ ality of factory production as a process place to the supermarket. We prefer and as a source of goods for personal leather to plastic. We prefer live music use. They tend to see “progress” and the to Muzak, and so on.” concurrent development of vast multi­ In choosing an economically anach­ national corporations, satellite commu­ ronistic vocation with minimal financial nications and other manipulative insti­ expectations, craftspeople frequently elect tutions of modern society as contrary to a life of voluntary simplicity. They tradethe needs of the human spirit. Seeking affluence, security and other widely held individuality and direct experience, they standards of success for more intimate look beyond standardization and imper­ satisfactions which are internally rather sonality toward social organization on a than externally derived. In one sense, human scale. this is a matter of necessity. A recent Common assumptions about crafts­ National Endowment for the Arts study manship as a way of life have generated found that the mean gross individual in­ stereotypes that certainly are exagger- come from the sale of crafts is $2493, Please Turn to Page 72 March 1983 25

28 CERAMICS MONTHLY Polly Frizzell Photos: Charlie Frizzell and courtesy of Elizabeth Fortner Gallery

“Low Tech Downtown with Polly Frizzell,” a recent solo exhibition fea­ turing narrative sculpture about life in the city, was presented at Elizabeth Fortner Gallery in Santa Barbara, Cal­ ifornia. Constructed with thrown, hand- built and cast low-fire clay and “color applied under, within and over the glaz­ es,” Berkeley ceramist Polly Frizzell’s works “encompass the utilitarian, the sculptural and the painterly.” Above Portrait of Berkeley artist Polly Frizzell, whose narrative sculptures were shown in “Low Tech Downtown,” a recent solo exhibition. In the center foreground is “The Waitress,” thrown and handbuilt, low-fire whiteware, with underglaze and overglaze color. Right “Across the Street from Ratto’s,” wheel-thrown, 16 inches in diameter, handbuilt additions, low-fire clay, underglaze pencil, overglazes.

March 1983 29 I \: Stanley Unities, Mel Liebennan, l.xndutu Smith and cnurtes\ of the artists 30 CERAMICS MONTHLY Bowl, 13inchesindiameter,thrown,withmultijiredglazesandslips,byHarveyGoldman,Westport,Massachusetts. Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Chris Gustin,South The GreatAmericanBowl

Jay Lacouture, Newport, RhodeIsland. uid n ivttoa so, a peetd eety t Salve at recently presented was show, invitational and juried of ourpresent,”notedguestcuratorJayLacouture.“Uni- Te ol a sre a a eod f u ps ad mirror a and past our of record a as served has bowl “The eiate epr Clee n epr, hd Island. Rhode Newport, in College Newport Regina—the 6 eait, Te ra Aeia Bw, a combination a Bowl,” American Great “The ceramists, 86 FEATURING ucinl n mtpoia itrrttos by interpretations metaphorical and functional Lafayette, Indiana. West Levy, Marge

versally, the form evolved into an object of function and ritual. “Each of the ceramists represented in the exhibition ap­ The daily preparation and storage of food necessitated the proached ‘the idea of a bowl’ as a vehicle for expression. development of this form. As life became more settled and Some altered the bowl’s surface and spherical form (while infinitely more complicated, so did the bowl and its place in maintaining the open format); others chose to retain function, society. The shape and surface decoration took on ritual char­ bringing new vitality through modern materials and processes acteristics not simply dictated by function. to this unassuming, familiar object.”

“Dog Bowl ” 15 inches in length, handbuilt, raku fired, by Lucia Jahsmann, Saint Louis. Joe Monk, St. Stephens Wayne Higby, Christina Bertoni, Church, Virginia. Alfred, New York. Pascoag, Rhode Island.

March 1983 31 “Interior Series—Gauguin ” 9 inches in diameter; low-fired stoneware with underglazes, by Cindy lies, Baton Rouge. “Dot Bowl ” 5 inches in diameter, thrown porcelain with over glaze, by Ed Eberle, Pittsburgh. Above Low-fire whiteware bowl, handbuilt, 22 inches in diameter; Marge Levy, West Lafayette, Indiana. Left “Sea Green,” 20 inches in diameter, thrown red earthenware bowl with polychrome slip decoration, by Charles Malin, Atlanta.

March 1983 33 Ken Vavrek’s Wall Sculpture

INSPIRED by architectural interactions Matt Glaze (Cone 8, reduction) Very Dry Glaze (Cone 8, reduction) in the city (particularly bridges and Barium Carbonate...... 15% Whiting ...... 20% building roofs with randomly placed Lithium Carbonate ...... 5 Nepheline Syenite...... 40 water towers, billboards, smokestacks) Whiting ...... 10 Edgar Plastic Kaolin ...... 30 and desert horizons, cliffs and canyons, Nepheline Syenite...... 45 Flint...... 10 multisectioned wall sculpture by Ken Edgar Plastic Kaolin ...... 20 Vavrek, faculty artist at Moore College Flint...... 5 100% of Art, was exhibited recently at Rosen- 100% Matt Glaze (Cone 06) feld Gallery in Philadelphia. Slab build­ Barium Carbonate...... 10% ing the stoneware sections, he “varied Lithium Carbonate ...... 15 their solidity and fragility as a kind of Frit 14 (Hommel)...... 30 metaphor for reality.” While appearing Edgar Plastic Kaolin ...... 45 solid from one angle, another view re­ 100% veals that many of the slab forms are actually shell-like constructions “allow­ After firing, the sections are mounted ing access to interior space for implied onto 3/8-inch plywood with silicone caulk vulnerability.” Barlike struts are often adhesive. For a small unit (50-60 arranged like triangular support sys­ pounds), a beveled wooden bracket (glued tems under and within the components and nailed onto the back of the plywood) of the wall works. “The use of struts as is hung over a beveled wall bracket held props for cliff walls recalls for me si­ Philadelphia artist Ken Vavrek mounts with four or five sixpenny nails into the smaller sculptures with silicone caulk to multaneously city billboards and the plywood. A bracket on the back (above wall alone. Large ceramic units are metaphysical props of Giorgio de Chir­ left) fits over another beveled bracket on mounted on a backboard in sections with ico and Salvador Dali.” the wall. For larger works, such as Rough the same system of beveled brackets, Glazed with color variations of the and Ready ” (top), individual sections are starting from the bottom up. The back­ following recipes, the sections were fired mounted on a backboard with the same board itself is hung on a horizontal length at Cone 6-8 (reduction), then at Cone system, but the backboard itself is hung on of beveled IX 4-inch board screwed into 08-06 (oxidation) in a 30-cubic-foot, top- a horizontal beveled board screwed into wall studs—six screws into three studs hat, updraft, fiber kiln: wall studs (above right). will hold 500-600 pounds. 34 CERAMICS MONTHLY “Crossed Wind approximately 38 inches in width, slab-built sculpture, with high- and low-fire glazes.

“Riders ” 40 inches in width, slab-built stoneware, reduction fired at Cone 6-8, then oxidation fired at Cone 08-06.

“Easy Breach” approximately 6 feet in length, slab-built stoneware, glaze fired and assembled in sections, by Ken Vavrek. March 1983 35 Scandinavian Modern

Stoneware bowl, 14 inches in diameter, designed by Gertrud Vasegaard for Dansk, Copenhagen.

“SCANDINAVIAN Modern 1880-1980,” Scandinavia’s version of art nouveau Ceramic designs from the 1940s, ’50s an exhibition surveying the development (Jugend) appears in much turn-of-the- and ’60s include the whimsical and of decorative arts and industrial design century work. Drawn primarily from painterly works by Bjorn Winblad of in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway regional flora and fauna, the Jugend de­ Denmark and Stig Lindberg of Sweden, and Sweden, recently began a year-long signs were frequently depicted in the ce­ along with production ware from Ara­ tour at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in ramics of Gustavsberg in Sweden and bia, Gustavsberg and other Scandina­ New York City and is currently on view Royal Copenhagen, Denmark. vian ceramics manufacturers. at the Minnesota Museum of Art in Saint A consciously modern style appeared The 1960s and ’70s saw the revival Paul. As one of six exhibitions that com­ in works from the 1910s and ’20s. Func­ of the individual craftsperson and small prise “Scandinavia Today,” a series of tional ceramic designs by Wilhelm Kage workshops, existing side-by-side with events celebrating Scandinavian culture, of Gustavsberg express concern for the industry. Designers such as Kaj Franck the show features approximately 350 ce­ quality of everyday objects, while formsof Arabia in Finland continued to pro­ ramic, glass, wood, metal and fabric ob­ designed by Christian Joachim of Royal duce within the industrial sector, while jects, selected to illustrate the interna­ Copenhagen represent luxury items in a growing number of studio artists, such tional influence of Scandinavian design, the international style favored by artists as Danish potters Hans Munck Ander­ as well as emphasize the relationship be­ at the 1925 Paris Exhibition. sen, Jane Reumert and Bo Kristiansen, tween tradition and innovation. Works from the 1930s mirror the worked independently to develop new Comparing and contrasting the work growth of functionalism in Scandinavia, forms and decoration, as well as main­ of each country, the exhibition is orga­ as well as awareness of international de­ tain traditional values. nized chronologically. The earliest ob­ velopments in modern design on the Following the showing at the Min­ jects reflect the emergence of cultural Continent. Combining elements of the nesota Museum of Art through April awareness; “Viking Revival” ware in­ old and the new, Scandinavian designers 24, the exhibition will travel to the Ren- corporated the symbols of Old Norse life reconciled theory with respect for ma­ wick Gallery in Washington, D.C., July and myth. terials and traditional techniques. 8 through October 10. 36 CERAMICS MONTHLY Covered bowl, 8 inches in diameter, incised stoneware, by Bo Kristiansen, Denmark.

Stoneware bowl, 16 inches in diameter, with silver inlay, designed by Wilhelm Kage for Gustavsberg, Sweden. Left “Surrea” vase, 13 inches in height, designed by Wilhelm Kage for Gustavsberg. March 1983 37 David Keator byN adene Wegner

Raku-fired vessels and mixed-media Raku Clay Body Between 4 and 12 percent of various stains sculpture were shown by faculty artist Talc...... 20% are added to the previous base, depend­ David Keator in a recent exhibition at Nepheline Syenite...... 15 ing on the desired color intensity. Louisville School of Art, Kentucky.—Ed. Edgar Plastic Kaolin ...... 30 Jackson Ball Clay...... 25 Raku Clear Glaze Although David Keator incorporates Flint...... 10 Gerstley Borate...... 75% personal metaphors in the decoration of 100% Frit 54 (Pemco) ...... 10 his raku work, he chooses not to explain Nepheline Syenite...... 15 them, expecting the viewers to draw in­ dividual meanings. In recent sculpture 100% derived from wheel-thrown forms, the Usually applied over slips, this recipe egg as a literal element denoting life, may be stained, but sometimes results in intimacy and fragility, has appeared. glazes flecked with color. Another recurring image on his vessels and sculpture is a long-necked bird placed Raku Semitranslucent Glaze in situations confronting basic human Gerstley Borate...... 78.9% conditions. As in the Oriental tradition, Frit 54 (Pemco) ...... 5.3 this crane represents longevity and for­ Nepheline Syenite...... 10.5 titude, yet at the same time is graceful, Edgar Plastic Kaolin ...... 3.2 fragile and vulnerable. Some of David’s Flint ...... 2.1 metaphors include a paradoxical scale 100.0% change. Other works have elements such Louisville artist David Keator. Add: Zircopax...... 5.3% as rope or barbed wire, forming an ag- gressive-versus-passive relationship with For red, orange and yellow, David em­ the crane. Rectilinear shapes, which re­ Wet-to-Dry Ware Slip ploys Cone 05 Duncan glazes; however, late to drawing and paper, are also uti­ Borax...... 4.3% he adds 10 grams Pemco Frit 54 to each lized not only to set up a confinement Talc...... 17.4 small jar to ensure firing compatibility. of the crane, but also to provide a figure/ Zircopax...... 4.3 David feels the raku process is quick­ ground relationship as well as depth for Nepheline Syenite...... 13.1 er and more in accordance with the forms rich slip and glaze color. Edgar Plastic Kaolin ...... 21.7 themselves—and that the results are more Embellished with the following reci­ Jackson Ball Clay...... 30.5 immediate. He prefers to raku without pes, the forms are thrown from this clay Flint ...... 8.7 assistance so that he alone controls the body: 100.0% culmination of his work.

38 CERAMICS MONTHLY Far left “Raku Covered Box ” 7 inches in diameter; with incising, colored slips and glazes, raku fired to Cone 06. Left “Raku Funerary Vessel,” 16 inches in height, thrown, incised, with colored slips and glazes, raku fired to Cone 06. March 1983 39 Covered box, 10 inches in diameter, thrown, incised, with slip, glaze, raku fired to Cone 06, by David Keator.

40 CERAMICS MONTHLY Japanese Ceramics Today

Heirs to a 10,000-year-old clay tradi­ Japanese decorated porcelains, others revived 16th-century Mino ware tech­ tion, many of the 101 contemporary have reinterpreted the vessels utilized in niques) and Osamu Suzuki (a founding Japanese ceramists, whose work is being classical Japanese cooking and the tea member of the Kyoto-based Sodeisha shown at the Smithsonian Institution’s ceremony, sometimes transforming them group, which since 1948 has sought to National Museum of Natural History/ into abstractions. relate ceramic objects to postwar trends National Museum of Man (through April Together with this survey of current in international painting and sculpture). 3), were influenced by historical ceramic ceramic diversity by younger Japanese At the close of the “Japanese Ce­ forms and surfaces. While some focused artists, the exhibition from the collection ramics Today” exhibition in Washing­ on the techniques, shapes, glazes and of Tomo Kikuchi, Tokyo, also includes ton, the 300 works will travel to London decoration of Chinese imports, medieval the influential work of both “living na­ for display at the Victoria and Albert Japanese stoneware or Chinese and tional treasure” Toyozo Arakawa (who Museum May 18-July 17.

Porcelain bowl, 12 inches in diameterthrown,; altered rim, celadon glazed, by Koheiji Miura. The son of a ceramist who operated a kiln on Sado Island, Koheiji graduated from the sculpture department of Tokyo University of Fine Arts in 1955, where he became a ceramics instructor in 1958. He also formed a student ceramics study group with the aid of Living National Treasure Hajime Kato. Though he has produced celadon-glazed ware for some time, in 1977 Koheiji began incorporating overglaze enamels into his work. Photos: courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution Celadon-glazed “bird ” approximately 7 inches in height, porcelain, by Osamu Suzuki. Shortly after World War II, a group of young Kyoto potters initiated an avant-garde movement in Japanese ceramics, taking the position that use was not a fundamental attribute for clay objects. One of the leaders of this Sodeisha group since its founding thirty years ago, Kyoto-born Osamu Suzuki makes sculptural ceramic forms either in unglazed, high-fired Shigaraki-style stoneware or in celadon-glazed porcelain.

Nabeshima-ware bowl, 9 inches in height, porcelain, with overglaze enamel and blown design of dewy grasses, by Imaemon Imaizumi. For generations, the Imaizumi family worked as decorators of porcelain made in Arita for the Nabeshima clan. When the latter s’ patronage ended in the late 19th century, the Imaizumi family learned the remaining skills necessary to produce Nabeshima porcelain. The Japanese government has designated their workshop an Important Intangible Cultural Property for its preservationthese skills.of As head of the workshop, the thirteenth Imaizumi draws upon tradition, but is also involved with new decorative interpretations.

42 Stoneware jar, 19 inches in height, by Shoji Kamoda. Born near Osaka, the artist studied traditional techniques at Kyoto College of Fine Arts, and since that time has been concerned with sculptural form and surface decoration. Rather than affiliate with any one group, he has followed an independent career, operating workshops in Mashiko, then in Kasama since 1959.

March 1983 43 Porcelain jar, 15 inches in height, under glaze cobalt and gold Right Stoneware platter, 21 inches in length, by Osamu Suzuki. enamel landscape, by Giichi Shinoda. After apprenticing to Yuzo Born and raised in the area formerly known as Mino province, Kondo, a Living National Treasure, Giichi Shinoda built his own where Shino and Oribe ware were developed during the kiln in Matsumoto, in the mountainous Nagano prefecture, a Momoyama period (1568-1615), Osamu Suzuki creates setting often reflected in his ceramics. Early in his career he contemporary versions of these wares. His work is fired in a gas showed his work in the Nitten exhibitions, but in 1962 he kiln, rather than the Momoyama wood-fired tunnel kilns now changed to the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. experiencing a revival among other area potters.

44 CERAMICS MONTHLY Left Porcelain plate, 77 inches in diameter, overglaze enamel design of three birds, by Masahiro Maeda. Since finishing the graduate ceramics program at Tokyo University of Fine Arts, Masahiro Maeda’s participation in exhibitions has centered around one-man shows and the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Above Bowl, 17 inches in diameter, inlaid slip decoration, by Yutaka Kondo. After graduating from Kyoto College of Fine Arts in 1955, the artist studied with both his father (Yuzo Kondo) and Kenkichi Tomimoto. Now teaching at his former school, Yutaka Kondo’s present work utilizes the techniques associated with Zizhou (Tzu-chou) wares of China’s Sung dynasty (960-1278), with white and black slip on large plates and vases. Left “Glacial Slope,” thrown, altered neriage form, approximately 18 inches in height, by Ban Kajitani. An independent potter since 1965, he came to the United States, receiving his B.A. and M.F.A. degrees from Utah State University in 1974 and 1976, respectively. Ban's work incorporates neriage and nerikome techniques (an article by the artist on this subject appeared in the February 1979 CM) and reflects the desert/ mountain landscape of Utah. He presently teaches at the Columbus College of Art and Design, Ohio. Plate, 19 inches square, with over glaze enamel design of grasses, by Takahisa Furukawa. Following his graduation from Tokyo University of Fine Arts in 1964, the artist worked for several years at the Gifu Prefecture Ceramics Research Institute in Tajimi before settling in Mashiko. He shows his ceramics in the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition and is a permanent member of the Japan Crafts Association. His present work consists of abstract enamel decoration over white slip on stoneware.

March 1983 47 Christine Federighi

Terra-cotta sculpture with low-fire ry,” the artist commented. “The image language communication, living in a new glazes and dusted oxides by University evolves from a physical or psychological architectural environment, seeing Re­ of Miami associate professor Christine encounter with an environment, a group naissance art everywhere and bumping Federighi, Coral Gables, Florida, was of people or a person. Through the work into contemporary Italy. The images were featured recently at the Gallery at 24 in I become the storyteller.” at times secret, like the narrow streets I Miami. “I’m interested in the narrative, While her ideas come from a variety walked, and at other times ambiguous. whether that be in letter writing, pic- of sources, the work shown “developed A gesture from someone on the street tographs, a spoken word or physical ex­ after a two-month stay in Italy. Images may be translated in a variety of ways— perience that communicates a visual sto­ resulted from my having difficulty in some familiar, some misunderstood.” Photos: courlcsy of Gallery at 24 handbuilt terracotta, byChristineFederighi,Miami. Left Above earthenware, low-fireglazes,dusted oxides. left Far narrative sculpture,withoxides,low-fire glazes. Cnestos t y idw” 1 nhs n height, in inches 21 Window,” My at “Conversations A te tis” 1 nhs n egt handbuilt height, in inches 21 Stairs,” the “At Dg a M Wno” 2 nhs n height, in inches 22 Window” My at “Dogs

March 1983 49 Canadian Plates

“PLATES,” a Toronto exhibition of re­ gesture with the material. The marks fingerprints or rim splitting. Residual gional ceramics featuring large stone­ from slip/glaze application * suggest soda fired, the plates were stacked on ware by Bruce Cochrane, raku platters movement, as well as the plate form and edge, one against the other; the heat and and trays by Ann Cummings, and paint­ the process by which it was made. There weight distribution caused the plates to erly earthenware by Ian Symons, was has been no attempt to disguise the warp. I like the idea of the kiln not only recently presented at Prime Canadian sharply ribbed edges, slip separation, giving surface, but also contributing to Crafts. a natural alteration of form (as opposed Both Ann and Ian have found influ­ to forcing it in the wet stage).” ence for decoration in Oriental ceramics. While Ann’s patterns are often based on the repetitive design elements of Japa­ nese Oribe ware, Ian’s imagery is some­ times translated from Chinese Tang and Han dynasty works. He has also been influenced by contemporary painting, and frequently uses the red clay as a ground for polychrome slip and underglaze brushwork. Setting aside a commitment to utili­ tarian ware to develop his exhibited works, Bruce found “a change in scale and a disregard for functional limita­ tions have allowed more freedom and Below Small earthenware plate, 6 inches Above “Geometric Fan Tray,” 10 inches in length, underglaze slip decoration, clear in length, slab built, slip trailed, raku fired, soda glaze, by Ian Symons. by Ann Cummings. Photos: Jeremy Jones 50 CERAMICS MONTHLY Wheel-thrown stoneware platter; 23 inches in diameter, finger combed slip, ash glaze, fired to Cone 10 reduction, by Bruce Cochrane. Left Earthenware plate, 16 inches in length, with underglaze slip decoration, clear glaze, by Ian Symons.

March 1983 51 Pattern

Inlaid , glaze trailed, airbrushed, sand­ blasted and painted, the clay work fea­ tured in “Pattern: An Exhibition of the Decorated Surface” at the American Craft Museum II in New York City through January 28, represented 11 diverse ap­ proaches influenced by modern mate­ rials and processes, as well as traditional designs. The growing interest in pattern in contemporary crafts “can be attrib­ uted to causes ranging from a response to modernist severity to delight in the ever-widening eye of the camera,” ob­ served arts writer Akiko Busch. “And at a time when visual representation is more intriguing than the verbal mode, the fine tuning of our visual literacy is accom­ panied by a renewed attention to detail in design . . . whether painterly or pre­ cise. Although one can attribute the vi­ tality in the patterned surface to any number of aesthetic variables, it remains “Synthesis,” table with plates, 69 inches in length, glazed tile over plywood above all an instinct, an impulse.” base, by Mamie Siegel, Lake Hill, New York. “Platter No. 1,” stoneware, 15 inches in diameter, sgraffito through colored slips, by Wayne Bates, Murray, Kentucky. Photos: George Erml and courtesy of the American Craft Council

52 Ceramics Monthly

A Ceramics Monthly Portfolio

To create a market for Jugtown pottery, Juliana Busbee opened a tea room in Greenwich Village, where she displayed and served from the North Carolina ware. OverleafLily vase with four handles, 10 inches in height, white-glazed stoneware.

In a photograph from the 1930s, Ernest Williamson hands ware from the kiln to Jacques Busbee. The design for the groundhog kiln came “straight from Staffordshire ” Established in the 1920s by Jacques and serve from North Carolina ware. and Juliana Busbee, Jugtown Pottery Demand was soon beyond the in Moore County, North Carolina, is capacities of the elderly potters Jacques not really near anything. The way to had employed. To keep up with his the closest large town, Seagrove, is left wife’s successful marketing, Jacques on Highway 705, past the Why Not leased several acres of land, put up log Wesleyan Church. buildings with dirt floors and hired The Busbees’ dream was to produce young potters to produce functional pottery that was true to its heritage of ware much as it had been made in the utility while achieving significant 18th century. Clay brought in from artistic value in form and color. Their nearby was dried, then ground in a ideals still guide Jugtown today in pug mill turned by a mule. Mixed making pottery entirely by hand, with water, it was stored underground keeping the old methods cultivated by until needed. the Busbees wherever possible, but Straight from Staffordshire came the adopting some modern efficiencies, design for groundhog kilns still in use such as electric wheels. at Jugtown today. Jacques also Before World War I, the Busbees introduced Oriental shapes to pursued careers in art and lecturing Jugtown’s line and developed several (often about North Carolina crafts). In new glazes. Among the young potters 1915 at a county fair in Lexington, he hired was 18-year-old Ben Owen, One of the first potters Jacques Busbee Juliana saw what to most people who worked at Jugtown for nearly 40 hired was Ben Owen, who stayed at would be a perfectly ordinary orange years. Together they established high Jugtown for almost 40 years. earthenware fluted pie plate from a standards; neither was willing to pass dying pottery. She bought the entire pots that did not meet design and stock at 104 each, packed them in her craft requirements. suitcase, put her clothes in a cardboard Meanwhile, Juliana worked just as box and rushed home to Raleigh to hard encouraging appreciation. In the show her find to Jacques, who was as Village Store’s calico salon, where enthusiastic as she. Together in their good food was secondary to good speeches throughout the state they conversation, she presided at a round tried to interest North Carolinians in table at which all the guests tried to saving this part of their cultural be seated. A cousin remembers heritage. Juliana’s “wonderful mind. She was At the close of the 19th century, very knowledgeable about many many potters were kept busy supplying things.” She was also highly the local market of home kitchens and independent, “didn’t care a flip about Covered bean pot, 7inches in height, whiskey distillers. Early in the 20th what people thought.” From the with “tobacco spit” glaze. century, two blows were dealt the beginning, Juliana attracted celebrities business of pottery making: cheap, to the Village Store, including many available “chiney” for the table and young writers such as Eugene O’Neill. glass fruit jars for the kitchen became The Greensboro Daily News reported popular, and Prohibition was passed. that guests could be anyone “from By 1915, when Juliana spotted the Rachmaninov to Jackie Coogan, from handsome orange pie pan, there were fashionable preachers to Florida real only a few potters at work in the estate speculators.” Outgrowing the North Carolina sandhills. Greenwich Village address, Juliana When the Busbees realized they moved the business uptown where she were having no luck in turning the entertained Eleanor Roosevelt and the attention of a state hurtling into Rockefellers. Nevertheless, in 1926 industrialization back to a past where when she felt she had achieved the craftsmanship was valued, they goal of making Jugtown pottery determined to revive the potter’s art known outside North Carolina, she themselves. Jacques found and hired closed the Village Store and moved some capable craftsmen in Moore into a log house on the pottery’s County, and Juliana went to New York premises. Jardiniere, 17 inches in height. In City to establish a tea room, the After Jacques’s death in 1947, addition to traditional forms, Jacques Village Store, where she could display Juliana and Ben Owen kept things at introduced Oriental shapes. A Ceramics Monthly Portfolio

Jugtown much as they had been. By 1957, however, Juliana was becoming forgetful. Ben was to have inherited the pottery or been given the option to buy. Instead, Juliana deeded it to one group; then, three months later, deeded it to another corporation headed by New York native John Mare, then living in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Litigation closed Jugtown for a year, and Ben Owen opened his own pottery just two miles away A judge declared John Mare and his company (Jacques and Juliana Busbee’s Jugtown, Inc.), the owners. Juliana received a settlement, monthly stipend, and remained in her log house. Jugtown reopened in April I960 with Vernon and Bob Owens (Ben Owen’s cousins) as potters. Two years later, Juliana died and shortly thereafter John Mare died before his plans for Jugtown could be implemented. Vernon and Bob continued operating the pottery and in Vernon Owens throws a traditional candlestick. After Ben Owen 1968 Jugtown was purchased by a left Jugtown and set up his own pottery, his cousins, Vernon and nonprofit corporation. Pottery is still Bob Owens, were hired as potters. They are still producing there produced by the Owenses as it was in today, with the same methods introduced by the Busbees. the Busbees’ day, except the milled clay is sieved now and when mixed with water is kept in airtight containers—still only enough for about two weeks’ work. After wedging and weighing a portion of clay, the potter throws it on a bat held to the wheel head with clay. A gauge is kept near the wheel for quick checks of height and width. When dry, the forms are bisqued at Cone 06. The ware is then dipped into vats of glaze and fired to Cone 02 for earthenware or Cone 10-12 for stoneware. One of the few changes is that the kilns are fired with kerosene instead of wood, with the exception of the groundhog kilns, which burn a combination of these fuels for firing salt-glazed ware. One of the latest potters, Cynthia Burns Monroe, applied to Jugtown for a summer job just two years ago. “Still learning,” she says, while she takes graduate courses in ceramics and related design subjects at the Candlesticks, approximately 13 inches in height. Among the few University of North Carolina at changes at Jugtown are the conversion to electric wheels and Greensboro, only an hour or so away kerosene firing—though the groundhog kilns use a combination of from the seclusion of Jugtown. wood and kerosene for producing salt-glazed ware. Salt-glazed jar; approximately 18 inches in height, wheel-thrown stoneware, with incising, slip. A Ceramics Monthly Portfolio

Mixing local clay by horse power at Jugtown. The old-fashioned wooden clay mixer. In later years, The mixer shaft is supported in the rafters. Jugtown records show $5 a month rent for the horse.

Vernon Owens, right, and his brother Bobby, salt ware in the larger of the two groundhog kilns. They use the traditional method of salting from ports in the arch rather than through the walls. Earlier reports mention “blasting” the kiln: after the stoneware kiln reached maximum temperature, pine splints were thrown in for about three hours, creating flames that ran the full length of the kiln, emerging from the chimney with dense, black smoke. Immediately after blasting, the kiln was salted.

A hungry groundhog; this half-under ground descendant of Part of a Jugtown apprenticeship: sorting and pricing the English Newcastle kiln eats wood by the cord. fired ware fresh from the groundhog kiln. Preparations for loading the kiln reveal the variety of traditional shapes made by Jugtown potters. A Ceramics Monthly Portfolio

Left “Persian Jar ” approximately 14 inches in height, wheel- thrown stoneware, with applied clay rope, blue-green glaze. Below Covered vegetable dish, 9 inches in diameter, wheel- thrown stoneware, “tobacco spit” glaze. Bottom Traditional North Carolina shapes from Jugtown pottery, to 10 inches in height. The covered jar and pitchers are wheel- thrown, salt-glazed stoneware, with incising and stenciled cobalt blue decoration. The Arkansas Sandblaster by W. Lowell Baker

SANDBLASTING THE SURFACE of a fired hand and the sandblaster’s trigger mech­ bon paper on the taped area, then cut ceramic object allows the potter to accent anism, and line the sharp edge with foam out the design with an X-acto knife. The and change glaze qualities, with a great rubber. If the booth will be indoors, an excess tape covering the part to be blast­ deal of control in an otherwise often un­ air exhaust hole may be cut through the ed is removed, resulting in a mask or controllable medium. Sandblasting will side nearest an existing outdoor vent. Fi­ stencil. Cutouts may be saved for later matt shiny glazes, remove glaze drips, nally, for illumination during the pro­ use as a positive mask. All tape edges and eliminate surface faults, or scour away cess, drill a hole through the top so that should be burnished to make sure they glaze entirely or through stencilled pat­ a light bulb (protected by a glass jar with adhere and are not blown out of position terns. If you don’t have access to the nec­ a hole drilled through the lid for the by the sand and air. The remainder of essary equipment (at a local monument cord) can be suspended at either side of the pot should be covered with news­ works or auto body shop), a sandblasting the window. Powered by 100 psi from paper taped in place to prevent deflected booth can be readily built from a dis­ an air compressor, the Arkansas sand­ sand from dulling the surface. Placed on carded refrigerator. blaster is ready for use. a turntable in the sandblasting booth, First remove everything but the mid­ The initial step in sandblasting a de­ the pot is ready to abrade exposed sur­ dle shelf from inside the refrigerator. The sign on a pot involves converting the pro­ faces to the desired depth and texture. sand receptacle of a commercial sand­ posed image to a silhouette with no ex­ A few precautions should be taken blaster (Sears 16803, approximately $90) tremely fine lines or details. (Sand cannot when sandblasting: Avoid breathing the is positioned below a canvas funnel se­ cut a line smaller than the individual inevitable dust; it contains free silica and cured to the wire shelf. Next, drill a hole grain.) The area of the pot to be blasted can damage your lungs. Wear eye pro­ through either side wall to pass the sand is then covered with masking tape, tak­ tection and gloves—although it is pos­ feeder hose to the outside. Cut a 4x6- ing care not to leave gaps. (Baker’s law sible to work with bare hands, the sand inch (or larger) window through the up­ for sandblasting: No matter how fine the will ruin jewelry. per half of the same side with an au­ gap between pieces of tape, the exposed A readily applicable postfiring tech­ tomotive panel cutter on a pneumatic area will be abraded even though your nique, sandblasting the hard, resilient hammer, or a sabersaw with a metal cut­ most carefully cut line won’t.) Vinyl cloth surfaces of glazed or unglazed clay pro­ ting blade. Mount plate glass in the can be substituted if the image is to be vides the artist-potter with another tool opening with silicone glue and protect sandblasted many times. Rubber cement for altering the medium in the search for the interior glass surface (from the ab­ or white glue will also resist the sand individual expression. rasive sand) with replaceable plastic wrap. and often give an interesting random edge Then, cut a hole beneath the window, to the final design. The authorW. Lowell Baker is a stu­ just large enough to accommodate your Trace around the silhouette over car­ dio potter in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Raku-fired bottle, 9 inches in height, with design sandblasted through a masking tape stencil, by the author. To convert a discarded refrigerator to a sandblasting booth, remove all but the middle shelf. A canvas funnel wired to the shelf leads to the receptacle of a commercial sandblaster, and the sand feeder hose is passed through a hole drilled in the bottom side. If the booth is to be used indoors, cut an exhaust hole (bottom side) near an existing outdoor vent. An opening covered with plate glass, lined on the interior with replaceable plastic wrap, serves as a window, while the foam-lined hole beneath will accommodate your hand and the blasting gun. Finally, a light bulb protected by a glass jar, suspended through a hole drilled in the top, will provide the necessary illumination.

March 1983 61 (May 28-29) is juried from 2 slides. Fee: $35 for Market” (October 7-9) is juried from 5 slides. Fee: Where to Show non-members. For further information contact: $7.50. For further information contact: Michael/ Continued from Page 13 Riverbend Arts Center, 142 Riverbend Drive, Barbara Feno, Morristown CraftMarket, Box Dayton 45405; or call (513) 225-5433. 2305R, Morristown 07960. (May 7-8) is juried from 3 slides or photos. For April 1 entry deadline April 15 entry deadline further information contact: Joyse Briding Kra­ Portsmouth, Virginia “The Thirteenth Ports­ Evanston, Illinois “Fountain Square Arts Fes­ mer, Evansville Arts and Education Council, 16½ mouth Seawall Art Show” (May 28-30) is juried tival” (June 18-19) is juried from 5 slides. Cash Southeast Second Street, Suite 210, Evansville from 3 slides. Awards. Fees: $37.50-$40. Contact: and purchase awards. Entry fee: $10. Exhibitors 47708; or call: (812) 422-2111. Portsmouth Parks and Recreation, 801 Crawford fee: $40. Contact: Evanston Chamber of Com­ April 1 entry deadline Parkway, Portsmouth 23704; or call: Deborah merce, 807 Davis Street, Evanston 60201; or call: Dubuque, Iowa Fifth annual “DubuqueFest” Avant, (804) 393-8481. (312) 328-1500. (May 21 -22) is juried from 3 slides or color prints. April 1 entry deadline April 15 entry deadline Fee: $35 for two days, $20 for one, includes a Milwaukee, Wisconsin “Art Fair USA” (April Muskegon, Michigan “Celebration 82 Seaway 10x10-foot space. Purchase awards. Contact: Du­ 16-17) is juried from 5 slides or photos and re­ Arts Fair” (July 1-3) is juried from 3 slides. Con­ buque Fine Arts Society, 422 Loras Boulevard, sume. Fee: $75 for a 10x10-foot space. Send self- tact: P. A. Dolislager, West Michigan Seaway Fes­ Dubuque 52001; or call (319) 583-6201,. addressed, stamped envelope to: Dennis Hill, 3233 tival, 470 West Western, Muskegon 49440; or call: April 1 entry deadline South Villa Circle, West Allis, Wisconsin 53227; (616) 722-6520. Midland, Michigan “Midland Art Fair” (June or call: (414) 321-4566. April 15 entry dealine 4-5) is juried from 3 slides. Fee: $5. Contact: Toni April 4 entry deadline Hamilton, New York “Village Artists’ and Pott or Mary Ann Anschutz, Midland Art Coun­ Saginaw, Michigan “19th Annual Saginaw Craftsmen’s Ninth Annual Art and Craft Fair” cil, 1801 West Saint Andrews Street, Midland Westside Arts Festival” (June 2-3) is juried from (July 23-24) is juried from 5 slides. Fees: $30-$50. 48640; or call: (517) 631-3250. 3 slides. Send self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Contact: Village Artists and Craftsmen, Box 44, April 1 entry deadline Nicholas Opperman, Old Saginaw City, 114 South Eaton, New York 13346; or call: (315) 824-1343 Margate, New Jersey “Craft Concepts ’83” (June Michigan Avenue, Suite 14, Saginaw 48602; or or 684-3655. 11-15) is juried from 5 slides and resume. Jurors: call: (517) 790-0266. April 17 entry deadline Cecily Laidman, Patricia Malarcher and Paul April 6 entry deadline Aitkin, Minnesota “Aitkin’s Memorial Week­ Stankard. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope Atlanta, Georgia “Atlanta Craft Show ’83” (Oc­ end” (May 28) is juried from 3 photos. Fee: $15. to: Craft Concepts, Jewish Community Center, tober 6-9) is juried from 6 slides. $9500 in awards. Contact: C. A. DesJardins, 1911 Viking Boule­ 501 North Jerome Avenue, Margate 08402; or Entry fee: $10. Booth fees: $200-$300. Contact: vard, Northeast, Cedar, Minnesota 55011; or call: call: (609) 822-1167. Atlanta Craft Show ’83, 1931 Peachtree Road, (612) 434-9237. April 1 entry deadline Northeast, Atlanta 30309. April 23 entry deadline Woodstock, New York “Woodstock/New Paltz Art April 9 entry deadline Marietta, Ohio “Indian Summer Arts and Crafts and Craft Fair Spring Show” (May 27-30); and Demarest, New Jersey “Center Craft ’83” (Sep­ Festival ’83” (September 16-18) is juried from 5 “Woodstock/New Paltz Second Annual Art and tember 9-11) is juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: slides. Contact: Tanya Wilner, Indian Summer Crafts Fair Fall Show” (September 2-5) are juried $10. Booth fee: $90 for New Jersey Designer Festival, Marietta 45750. from 5 slides each. Entry fee: $5. Booth fees: Craftsmen members, $100 for nonmembers, Con­ April 30 entry deadline S170—$ 195. Contact: Quail Hollow Events, Box tact: Coco Schoenberg, 119 Erledon Road, Tenafly, Birmingham, Michigan “Art in the Park” (Sep­ 437B, Woodstock 12498; or call: (914) 679-8087. New Jersey. 07670. tember 24-25) is juried from 6 slides. Entry fee: April 1 entry deadline April 9 entry deadline $3. Booth fee: $80 for a 10x10-foot space. Contact: Dayton, Ohio The 16th annual “Art in the Park” Morristown, New Jersey “Morristown Craft- Jim Neubacker, Common Ground, 1090 South

62 Ceramics Monthly Adams Road, Birmingham 48011; or call: (313) 645-1173. April 30 entry deadline Saratoga, New York “Kool Jazz Festival Craft Fair” (July 3-4) is juried from slides. Entry fee: $5. Booth fee: $150. Contact: Charley Dooley, Craftproducers Markets, R.D. 1, Box 323, Grand Isle, Vermont 05458; or call: (802) 372-4747. May 1 entry deadline Traverse City, Michigan The 23rd annual “Tra­ verse Bay Outdoor Art Fair” (July 30) is juried from slides. Fee: $20. Contact: Carolyn Risk, 2666 Hammond Highlands Drive, Traverse City 49684; or call: (616) 223-7268. May 1 entry deadline West Orange, New Jersey “June Days Folk Fes­ tival of Crafts and Music” (June 4-5) is juried from 5 slides. Booth fees: $55-$80 depending qn size. Contact: Howard Rose, Rose Squared Pro­ ductions, 8-5 Cardinal Lane, Hillsborough, New Jersey 08876; or call: (210) 874-5247. May 1 entry deadline Sheboygan, Wisconsin “Thirteenth Annual Out­ door Arts Festival” (July 16-17) is juried from 5 slides. Awards. Fee: $25. Contact: John Michael Kohler Arts Center, 608 New York Avenue, Box 489, Sheboygan 53081; or call: (414) 458-6144. May 7 entry deadline Burlington, Vermont “Second Annual Church Street Festival of the Arts” (August 19-21) is ju­ ried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $5. Booth fee: $150. Contact: Charley Dooley, Craftproducers Mar­ kets, R.D. 1, Box 323, Grand Isle, Vermont 05458; or call: (802) 372-4747. May 7 entry deadline Manchester, Vermont “4th Annual Southern Vermont Craft Fair” (August 5-7) is juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $5. Booth fee: $150. Contact: Charley Dooley, Craftproducers Markets, R.D. 1, Box 323, Grand Isle, Vermont 05458; or call: (802) 372-4747. May 18 entry deadline Greensburg, Pennsylvania “Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival” (July 2-4) is juried from slides. $2000 in awards. No commission. For fur­ ther information send self-addressed, stamped en­ velope to: Olga Gera, Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival, Box 21C, R.D. 8, Greensburg 15601; or call: (412) 836-1703. June 15 entry deadline Highlands, North Carolina “High Country Art and Craft Show” (July 1-4) is juried from slides or photos. Fee: $55. Send a self-addressed, stamped business envelope to: Virginia Smith, High Coun­ try Crafters, 29 Haywood Street, Asheville, North Carolina 28801; or call: (704) 254-0070. June 30 entry deadline Saratoga Springs, New York “Eighth Annual Adirondack Green Mountain Craft Fair” (Sep­ tember 16-18) is juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $5. Booth fee: $150. Contact: Charley Dooley, Craftproducers Markets, R.D. 1, Box 323, Grand Isle, Vermont 05458; or call: (802) 372-4747. July 1 entry deadline Gaithersburg, Maryland “8th Annual National Craft Fair” (October 13-16) is juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $5. Booth fees: $125-$200. No com­ mission. Contact: Noel Clark, National Crafts Limited, Gapland, Maryland 21736; or call (301) 432-8438. July 1 entry deadline Boone, North Carolina “High Country Art and Craft Show” (July 15-17) is juried from slides or photos. Fee: $60. Send self-addressed, stamped business envelope to: Virginia Smith, High Coun­ try Crafters, 29 Haywood Street, Asheville, North Carolina 28801; or call: (704) 254-0070. July 1 entry deadline Mount Snow, Vermont “The Eighth Annual Mount Snow Craft Fair” (September 30-0ctober 2 and October 8-10) is juried from 5 slides. Entry fee: $5. Booth fees: $125 for the first weekend, $150 for the second. For further information con­ tact: Charley Dooley, Craftproducers Markets, R.D. 1, Box 323, Grand Isle, Vermont 05458; or call: (802) 372-4747. March 1983 63 64 Ceramics Monthly News & Retrospect Indianapolis Acquisitions A lid cut is made with a surgical scalpel and U.W.S.P. College of Natural Resources Early Chinese stoneware, English porce­ the interiors are smoothed. Then the form is building (which Richard said seemed delib­ lain and 19th-century American pottery were reassembled and the decorative lid pull (con­ erately left blank for later decorative treat­ among the recent accessions exhibited at the structed from extruded clay segments) is at­ ment). Indianapolis Museum of Art late last year. tached. When completely dry, the vessel is After it was agreed the theme should be Added to the museum’s collection during sandblasted for uniform roughness, and university related with emphasis on the Col­ 1981, this cupid and dolphin vase, 16 bisqued to Cone 04. Next, clear glaze is ap­ lege of Natural Resources, as well as rep­ plied to the interior and exterior areas that resentative of the state of Wisconsin, Richard will receive gold luster, and the form is fired began the design with “Old Main,” because again to Cone 04. A Cone 019 firing follows that building was the first home of the nat­ the gold luster application. Then I cut tri­ ural resources disciplines. An enlarged image angles from 100% cotton fabric (such as pol­ of Old Main’s cupola, the university’s sym­ ished chintz upholstery material) to match bol, appears in the design along with UWSP, the surfaces. Burning the fabric with a pro­ the university logo. To represent the city of pane torch transfers the dyes onto the white Stevens Point, a map of the vicinity is in­ clay. The last step is enhancing incised lines corporated in the center of the mural. Leo- and dots with permanent marker colors.” Wisconsin Mural Proj’ect With the installation of a 53x150-foot computer-translated ceramic mosaic, said to be the largest of its type in the United States, ceramics professor Richard Schneider wit­ nessed the completion of a seven-year project at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. 53x150-font ceramic montage Composed of 286,000 tiles with silk-screened nardo da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man” is includ­ images in varying shades of brown that form ed to represent humanity, but was redesigned a montage when viewed from a distance, the with the left side as a woman to symbolize Cupid and dolphin vase the integration of the sexes in the university’s inches in height, soft-paste (fritted) porce­ population. The four seasons are introduced lain, with polychrome glaze on a gold ground, with sun rays for summer, a snowflake for was probably made at the Chelsea Porcelain winter, a sugar maple leaf for autumn (al­ Manufactory or Derby China Works in Eng­ so a representative of Wisconsin’s state tree) land, circa 1775. and for spring a wood violet (the state flower). Other state symbols incorporated in the de­ David Ward sign are a robin and a pair of fledglings, a Patterned with dye from fabric burned onto badger, a muskellunge fish, a white-tailed the surfaces, sculptural earthenware by Dav­ deer and the Wisconsin River. To represent id Ward, Layton, New Jersey, was exhibited a bit of Wisconsin’s history, Richard included at Landsman Gallery in Cherry Hill, New one of the state’s Indian leaders, Black Hawk, Jersey, through February 24. Among the ves­ surrounded by a pattern of trees. sels shown were “Ceremonial Basket,” left, With the help of computer techniques, the 14 inches in height; and “Treasure Box,” 9 mural design was optically scanned and ana­ lyzed for light/dark values. The computer created a grid indicating each tone needed, and translated this grid for individual tile placement. More specifically, 28 different brown tones were needed to complete the de­ sign; of these, one was completely dark and one completely light. Working with this anal­ ysis, Richard rendered symbols of the Col­ lege of Natural Resources for the remaining Richard Schneider with mural detail 26 tiles, according to the tonal quality need­ mural was inspired by a similar work at the ed. Among these symbols are a microscope, Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio, and beaver, amoeba, mallard, poison ivy leaf, installed on the southern facade of the prairie chicken, water molecule, tree and trout. Seen from a distance, these individual tile You are invited to send news and photo­images blend together to form the larger mu­ Earthenware vessels with fabric dye transfers graphs about people, places or events of ral patterns, using the same principle as a inches in height. Each pyramidal form was interest. We will be pleased to consider half-tone print. constructed from slabs scraped with a Sur- them for publication in this column. Mail By 1977, a funding campaign had brought form rasp when “just past leather hard to submissions to: News and Retrospect, in enough donations and volunteer help to reveal the grogged clay,” David explained. Ceramics Monthly, Box 12448, Colum­ build a mural studio, equipped with mate­ “After several hours of setting up, the surface bus, Ohio 43212. rials for the silk-screening, firing and in- is planed again to make a perfect pyramid. Continued March 1983 65 Michigan, Birmingham through March 12 A Continents/Between Seas: Pre-Columbian Art of Itinerary dual exhibition with Rina Peleg, sculpture; at Robert Costa Rica,” includes ceramics from 500 B.C. to Continued from Page 19 Kidd Associates Galleries, 107 Townsend Street. the mid-16th century; at the Detroit Institute of Michigan, Bloomfield Hillsthrough April Arts, 5200 Woodward Avenue. Greater Cincinnati; at Carnegie Arts Center, 1028 3 “Cranbrook Ceramics 1950-80”; at Cranbrook Michigan, Lathrup VillageMarch 5-26 A Scott Street. Academy of Art Museum, 500 Lone Pine Road. dual exhibition with Rick Foris, raku; at Venture Maryland, Bethesda March 13-April 3 “Pieced Michigan, Detroitthrough March 13 Peter Gallery, 28235 Southfield Road. Alternatives”; at Appalachiana/Recollections, Callas, Thom Collins, Jun Kaneko, Katsuyuki Minnesota, Minneapolis through April 2 Georgetown Square Shopping Mall, 10400 Old Sakazume, Jeff Schlanger, Toshiko Takaezu and Nancy Jurs Castle, John Gill, Jim Makins, Con­ Georgetown Road. Peter Voulkos, “Anagama Kiln Firing from Peters stance Mayeron, Charles Olson, Sandra Simon and Massachusetts, BostonMarch 18-April 30 A Valley.” March 18-April 9 Linda Heckenkamp Betty Woodman, porcelain; at By Design Gallery, dual exhibition with Chris Richard, low-fired salt and I. B. Remsen; at Pewabic Pottery, 10125 East Lumber Exchange Building, 10 South Fifth Street. and raku vessels; at the Society of Arts and Crafts, Jefferson Avenue. Minnesota, Saint Paul through April 24 175 Newbury Street. through April 10 “The Art of South Italy: Vases “Scandinavian Modern 1880-1980”; at the Min­ Michigan, Ann Arbor through March 11 from Magna Grecia,” terra cotta from Greek col­ nesota Museum of Art at Landmark Center, 75 “Michigan Ceramics/83,” a juried exhibition; at onists in southern Italy and Sicily during the fifth West Fifth Street. Selo/Sheval Gallery, 329 Main Street. to third centuries B.C. March 7-May 22 “Between Missouri, Saint LouisMarch 5-29 “Textures” with Elizabeth MacDonald and David Raney; at Craft Alliance, 6640 Delmar Boulevard. New Hampshire, Manchester March 26-May 3 “Third New Hampshire Arts Biennial”; at the Manchester Institute of Arts and Sciences, 148 Concord Street. New Jersey, Newark March 5-September 30 “Fulper: New Jersey’s Art Potters,” utilitarian decorated ware from the Fulper Pottery; at the Newark Museum, 49 Washington Street. New Jersey, Tenafly through March 30 “Interiors—Craftworks for Private and Public Spaces”; at America House, 24 Washington Ave. New Mexico, Albuquerquethrough April 3 “Clay in New Mexico ’83”; at the University Art Museum, University of New Mexico Fine Arts Center. March 22-April 15 Don Bendel and Vern Funk; at the Art Education Gallery, Department of Art Education, University of New Mexico. New Mexico, Los AlamosMarch 25-April 17 “Clay and Fiber,” regional competition ex­ hibition; at the Fuller Lodge Art Center, 2132 Central Avenue. New York, New Paltz March 27-April 27 “Northeast Clay: Newly Scene”; at the State Uni­ versity of New York-New Paltz Art Gallery. New York, New Yorkthrough March 12 “Clay: A Medium for Personal Iconography”; at Ele­ ments Gallery, 90 Hudson Street. March 3-18 “Clay/Fiber/Glass/Metal,” facul­ ty work; at the Parsons Exhibition Center, 2 West 13 Street. New York, Port ChesterMarch 6-April 6 “A Quarter Century Clay Art Center Reunion Show”; at Sound Shore Gallery, 112 North Main Street. New York, Rochesterthrough March 26 “Six Plus Twelve,” national invitational; at Pyramid Arts Center, 163 Saint Paul Street. New York, Scarsdale March 12-April 16 “Invitational 1983” with David Bigelow, Thomas Hoadley, Lee McKeown, Jerry Roe, Mary Roehm and Sally Silberberg; at the Craftsman’s Gallery, 16 Chase Road. North Carolina, Ashevillethrough May 31 “Cherokee Crafts Today”; at the Folk Art Center, Blue Ridge Parkway. Ohio, Cincinnati March 17-April 9 “Art Nouveau from Cincinnati Collections”; at the Tangeman Fine Arts Gallery, University of Cin­ cinnati. Ohio, ClevelandMarch 31-April 29 A dual exhibition with Neil Tetkowski, low-fire salt-glazed ware; at DBR Gallery, 13225 Shaker Square. Ohio, Columbusthrough March 17 “Whim­ sical Works” includes ceramics by Cindy Butler- Jones, Mary Gates Dewey, Susan Healy and Pe­ nelope Valmassoi; at Nationwide Gallery, 1 Na­ tionwide Plaza. March 6-31 Leslie Ferrin and Emily Rossheim, porcelain; at Helen Winnemore’s, 150 East Kos­ suth at Mohawk, German Village. Oregon, AshlandMarch 7-18 A dual exhi­ bition with Christine Pendergrass; at Central Hall Gallery, Southern Oregon State College. Oregon, Portlandthrough March 19 Anne Hirondelle, Roberta Kaserman, Shelley Stoffer and Judy Teufel, porcelain; at Contemporary Crafts Continued 66 CERAMICS MONTHLY News & Retrospect stallation of the mosaic. To assure quality control and eliminate the overwhelming task of handmaking 286,000 tiles, Richard se­ lected a 2 X 2-inch weatherproof tile pro­ duced by American Olean Tile Company of New York in a “Beach Tan” color to com­ pliment the existing masonry. A low-tem- perature Amaco china paint (Versa Color), meant for decoration on high-temperature ware after the initial glaze firing, was uti­ lized in the silk-screening process. Initially, the brown glaze was silk-screened on decals which in turn were applied to the tile and fired to Cone 018, but this process proved tedious and with mostly inexperi­ enced volunteer help, frequent imperfections occurred. Silk-screening directly on the tile with the aid of a jig eliminated the high per-

Student silk-screening a tile design centage of imperfect images, as well as re­ ducing the steps to completion. However, the screens did wear out more quickly and need­ ed replacing more often. As images were printed and fired in num­ bers prescribed by the computer analysis, volunteers began setting the tiles in the 646 panels dividing the entire mural surface. The

Volunteer setting tiles according to a computer grid computer grid was employed as a sort of ar­ chitectural blueprint for exact placement of each tile. One of the biggest concerns was the permanence of the mortar adhering the tiles to the 3 X 4-foot cement/fiberglass back­ ing panels (Wonderboards). After testing many mixtures for resistance to Wisconsin tem­ perature fluctuations, Richard chose port- land cement mixed with sand and a water- based acrylic bonding medium. The mor­ tared and tiled panels were allowed to dry Continued March 1983 67 Frasca/Richard Aerni, stoneware with ash glazes; 18-April 21 An exhibition including Piero Fen- Itinerary at the Clay Place, 5600 Walnut Street. ci; at Objects Gallery, 4010 Broadway. Gallery, 3934 Southwest Corbett Avenue. Rhode Island, Providencethrough March 20 Texas, San MarcosMarch 25-April 14 “Texas Pennsylvania, Eriethrough March 13 “Clay “RISD Faculty”; at the Rhode Island School of Clay” by Danville Chadbourne, Piero Fenci, John National”; at the Erie Art Center, 338 West Sixth Design Museum of Art. Fleming, Barbara Frey, Claudia Reese, Steve Rey­ Street. Tennessee, Memphis through March 27 “4th nolds and Nicholas Wood; at the University Gal­ Pennsylvania, Meadvillethrough March 11 Biennial Paper/Clay Competitive Exhibition”; at lery, Art Building, Southwest Texas State Uni­ Richard Dennis, Cindi Morrison and Jane Pleak, the University Gallery, Memphis State University.versity. “Clay Space Invitational”; at Doane Hall Art Gal­ Texas, Dallas March 1-May 31 “Ban Chiang: Texas, Wichita Falls March 6-31 “Works in leries, Allegheny College. Discovery of a Lost Bronze Age”; at the Science Clay III,” biennial exhibition; at the North Texas Pennsylvania, PhiladelphiaMarch 18-April 16 Place, Fair Park. Federal Savings and Loan Gallery, 2733 Mid­ Marvin Bjurlin, Dick Studley, Kurt Weiser, “Three Texas, Fort Worththrough April 3 A selection western Parkway. Statements Clay”; at Swan Galleries, Rittenhouse from the collection of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan Vermont, Middlebury through March 12 Square, 132 South 18 Street. includes Islamic ceramics; at the Kimbell Art Mu­ “Winter into Spring,” works by Frog Hollow Pennsylvania, Pittsburghthrough March 3 seum, 1101 Will Rogers Road West. members. March 19-April 23 “Folk Art Today Contemporary Italian folk pottery from the col­ Texas, San Antoniothrough March 15 A dual in Vermont”; at the Vermont State Craft Center lection of Karen Rychlewski. March 7-31 Mike exhibition with Michel Conroy, vessels. March at Frog Hollow. West Virginia, HuntingtonMarch 6-April 3 “Exhibition 280—Works off Walls,” annual juried competition; at the Huntington Galleries, Park Hills. Wisconsin, Eau Claire March 1-25 A dual exhibition with Robert Turner; at the Foster Gal­ lery of the Fine Arts Center, University of Wis- consin-Eau Claire. Fairs, Festivals and Sales Arizona, ScottsdaleMarch 25-27 “Scottsdale Center for the Arts Festival 14”; at 7383 Scottsdale Mall. Florida, Boynton BeachMarch 4-6 “G.A.L.A., Great American Love Affair”; at the Civic Center Grounds, 128 East Ocean Avenue. Florida, Saint PetersburgMarch 26-27 Eighth annual “Mainsail Arts Festival”; at Straub Park on the waterfront. South Carolina, ColumbiaMarch 26-27 Third annual “Sandhills Festival”; at Sesquicen- tennial State Park. Texas, Dallas March 25-27 “Craft Fair at Dallas”; at Market Hall, Dallas Market Center, 2100 Stemmons Freeway. Texas, HoustonMarch 19-27 “The Houston Festival,” 12th annual crafts and arts exposition; at Sam Houston Park, downtown. Workshops California, SunnyvaleMarch 26 A workshop on handbuilding porcelain with Virginia Cart­ wright. Fee: $10. Contact: Sheryl Nonnenberg, Visual Arts Program Coordinator, Box 60607, Sunnyvale 94088; or call: (408) 738-5521. Connecticut, BrookfieldMarch 26-May 8 The Brookfield Craft Center is offering a series of workshops: “Reduction Kiln Controls” with Eric Havill (March 26-27); “ ‘Appendages’ for Pro­ duction” with Ahren Ahrenholz (April 9-10); “Low- Fire Techniques” with Dick Kenyon (April 16-17); “Casting Workshop” with Jolyon Hofsted (April 23-24); “Large Scale Construction” with Jan Hol­ comb (April 30-May 1); and “Architectural Ce­ ramics” with Marylyn Dintenfass (May 7-8). Contact: Brookfield Craft Center, Box 122, Brook­ field 06804; or call: (203) 775-4526. Connecticut, GuilfordMarch 5-June 5 The Guilford Handcrafts Center is offering a series of workshops: “The Handbuilt Vessel” with Mary Barringer (March 5); “Sgraffito and Related Dec­ orating Techniques” with Carolyn Jacobs (March 26); “Problem Solving in Functional Stoneware” with Harry Holl (April 16-17); “Terra Cotta” with Anita Griffith (May 1, 8, 15, 22, June 5). Contact: Fernn Hubbard, Guilford Handcrafts, Box 221, Route 77, Guilford 06437; or call: (203) 453-5947. Illinois, ChicagoMarch 26 Jun Kaneko, demonstration and slide presentation. April 16-17 Don Pilcher, demonstrations, technical discussions and slide presentation. Contact: Kristin Poole, Lill Street Gallery, 1021 West Lill, Chicago 60614; or call: (312) 248-4414. Illinois, Elmhurst April 7 A demonstration on handbuilding techniques with Maria Simon. Con- Continued 68 CERAMICS MONTHLY News & Retrospect for about a week, then grouted, coded for installation and stacked until needed. Approximately 7000 holes were drilled into the brick facade, and channel-iron strips were bolted into place as a skeletal support for the 27-ton mural. Nine screws hold each panel

Bolting channel-iron strips into brick

Installing the 646 panels

Applying silicone rubber caulking to the metal strips. Finally, silicone rubber caulking was applied between the panels to allow for expansion. Having titled the $114,000 mosaic “E Plu- ribus Unum,” Richard stated: “On reflection, it seemed singularly coincidental that our na­ tion, as is true of our university, is represen­ tative of the many individuals who contribute to it in a way similar to that in which the mural is made of many individual pieces. The completed mural will always be a mem­ orial to the volunteers of time and money.” Text: Jeana Jaeger-McGivern; photos: An­ drew McGivern and courtesy of UWSP. Michigan Dinnerware Competition 7. B. Remsen (Ann Arbor) recently re­ ceived a $1500 commission for a ten-place stoneware dinnerware set selected by Wil­ liam and Helen Milliken, the former Mich- Continued March 1983 69 tact: DeCordova Museum, Sandy Pond Road, lodging; “Clay in Architecture: Who’s Doing It Itinerary Lincoln 01773; or call: (617) 259-0505. and How It’s Done” (April 8) with Marylyn Din- tact: the Elmhurst Public Library, 211 Prospect, New Mexico, Albuquerque March 22-24 tenfass, fee: $5. For further information contact: Elmhurst 60126; or call: (312) 279-8696. “Salt Kiln Construction and Decorative Tech­ Office of Design, Craft and Technology at Par­ Illinois, RockfordMarch 10-11 “Illinois Sur­ niques” with Don Bendel and Vern Funk. For sons, 66 Fifth Avenue, New York 10011; or call: vey of Clay,” lectures by Thom Bohnert and Ruth further information contact: Neal Townsend, De­ (212) 741-8668 or 741-5795. (For “The Crafts of Duckworth at Burpee Art Museum. Open to the partment of Art Education, College of Education, Woodstock,” call: (212) 741-8942.) public. Contact: Ellen Nadeau, Art Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 87131, New York, SchenectadyMarch, 19 “Positive Rockford College, 5050 East State Street, Rock­ or call: (505) 277-4112. Approaches to Marketing Your Art,” a workshop ford 61101; or call: (815) 226-4136 or 226-4100. New York, New YorkMarch 11-May 11 The with Jayne Shatz. Fee: $20. Contact: Jayne Shatz Massachusetts, BostonMarch 23 “West Coast Parsons School of Design is planning a series of Pottery, 1178 Glenwood Boulevard, Schenectady Ceramics,” a slide lecture by Rudy Autio. For fur­ seminars: “Viewpoint: Perspectives on Contem­ 12308; or call: (518) 393-5963. ther information contact: Program in Artisanry, porary Ceramic Art” (March 11) with moderator Ohio, ColumbusApril 15-16 “Color Work­ Boston University, 620 Commonwealth Avenue, Michael McTwigan, editor of American Ceramics shop” with Jeanne Otis includes demonstrations Boston 02215; or call: (617) 353-2022. magazine, fee: $5; “The Crafts of Woodstock” (April and slide lecture on coloring bodies and the use of Massachusetts, Lincoln March 4-5 Slide lec­ 26-27, May 3-4, and May 10-11), a two-day guided stains. Fee: $20 includes lunch. Contact: Colum­ ture and demonstration with Elsbeth Woody. Con­ tour through artisans’ studios, fee: SI 15 includes bus Clay Company, 1331 Edgehill Road, Colum­ bus 43212; or call: (614) 294-1114. Oklahoma, NormanMarch 4-6 A slide show, demonstration and lecture with Jun Kaneko. Fee: $20. Contact: Les McAuliffe, Firehouse Art Cen­ ter, 444 South Flood Street, Norman 73069; or call: (405) 329-4523. Tennessee, Gatlinburg March 7-April 1 Ar- rowmont School of Arts and Crafts is offering a series of spring workshops: “Handbuilding” with Yosuke Aruta (March 7-11); “Production Stone­ ware” with Tom Mason and Susan Holder (March 14-18); “Surface Decoration” with Bennett Bean (March 21-25); and “Porcelain” with Catharine Hiersoux (March 28-April 1). Contact: Arrow - mont School of Arts and Crafts, Box 567, Gatlin­ burg 37738; or call: (615) 436-5860. Texas, San MarcosMarch 24-26 “Texas Clay Symposium” will feature exhibitions, demonstra­ tions and slide lectures by 12 Texas artists. Fees: $5 for students, $10 for professionals. Contact: Michel Conroy, Department of Art, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos 78666; or call: (512) 245-2611. Wooster, OhioApril 21-23 “Functional Ce­ ramics Workshop” includes studio sessions and slide discussions with William Hunt, Jennifer Lind and David Shaner. For further information contact: Phyllis Clark, The College of Wooster, Art De­ partment, University Street, Wooster 44691; or call (216) 263-2388. International Events Belgium, Brussels March 3-31 Claude and Cecile Delhaye; at La Main, Art Contemporain Ceramique Textile, 215 Rue de la Victoire. Canada, Nova Scotia, Halifaxthrough March 13 “Atlantic Visions/Vues Atlantiques”; at the Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery, Bed­ ford Highway. Canada, Ontario, Ottawa March 4-23 Wayne Cardinalli and Jeanne McRight, new work; at Hiberna Gallery, 463 Sussex Drive. Canada, Ontario, TorontoMarch 4-26 “Ra­ ku” at the Pottery Shop, 140 Yorkville Avenue. Canada, Quebec, Montreal March 9-April 10 The Centre des Arts Visuels is offering a se­ ries of workshops: “Ceramics as Sculpture” with Virginia McClure (March 9), fee: $10; lecture on raku by Monique Ferron (April 6), fee: $5; and “African Handbuilding Techniques” with Kent Benson (April 9-10), fee: $20. Contact: Centre des Arts Visuels, 350 Avenue Victoria, Montreal H3Z 2N4; or call: (514) 488-9559. England, LondonMarch 21-April 2 New members exhibition; at Craftsmen Potters Shop, William Blake House, Marshall Street. England, NottinghamshireMarch 1-April 10 Gillian Radcliffe; at Rufford Craft Centre, Rufford Country Park, Ollerton, Near Newark. France, Bourges March 7-April 1 David Davison, raku and soda raku vessels and sculpture. March 7-19 A workshop with David Davison on raku and soda raku, kilnbuilding and firing, and slide presentation; at the Ecole National des Beaux-Arts et des Arts Appliques a l’lndustrie. Japan, TokyoMarch 22-April 5 Kenji Kato, “Turkish Blue Glazed Vases”; at Akasaka Green Gallery, 8-8-4 Akasaka, Minatoku. 70 CERAMICS MONTHLY News & Retrospect igan governor and his wife. The statewide competition was sponsored by the Michigan Potters’ Association and the Pewabic Society of Detroit to honor the couple for their years of support for the arts. From approximately 40 entries, jurors John Glick (Farmington) and Susanne Stephenson (Ann Arbor) chose 11 designs for exhibition at Pewabic Pottery. Alan Vigland (Benzonia) received a $500 first place prize for the por-

Alan Vigland’s porcelain dinnerware celain dinnerware set, shown above, deco­ rated with poured polychrome glazes. Two $150 second place awards were given to Mi­ chael Kahn (Greenbush) for his porcelain set, decorated with underglaze pencil; and to I. B. Remsen for another stoneware set, in-

I. B. Remsen s soup tureen and ladle eluding this 14-inch-diameter soup tureen and ladle, with white slip decoration on a blue slip ground, celadon glazed; the bird’s- eye maple handle was fitted and pinned onto the ladle bowl. In addition, a “people’s choice award,” determined by balloting during the exhibition, was given to Elizabeth Lurie (Detroit) for her white-glazed porcelain. Photos: I. B. Remsen. Larry and Terry Brown Patterned and textured after the surfaces of tiny natural forms, “macro-organism” stoneware sculpture by Larry and Terry Brown (Anaheim, California) was presented in a January exhibition at Del Mano Gal­ lery in Los Angeles. Larry threw the basic spheres (up to 18 inches in diameter); then when the clay was nearly leather hard, Terry altered the shapes by stretching, pushing and paddling, sometimes adding small coils and balls. “Visual patterns and forms in nature are actually very restricted,” Terry observed, Continued March 1983 71 Comment Continued from Page 25 ated, but there is a basis in reality for many of the public’s perceptions. For instance, craftspeople often do live the rural ideal. Unlike the world of salon art, which radiates from a small number of urban centers (primarily New York City), craftsmanship occurs throughout the country. About 50% of practicing craftspeople report that they live in a community of 50,000 people or less and about half of those communities consist of 5000 or less. This choice, too, may reflect necessity. Many craftspeople need large amounts of space for work, storage, materials and equipment. Such space is more readily affordable in a rural set­ ting. The choice also is made out of pref­ erence, for those who work closely with the raw materials of nature also exhibit a special feeling about the natural en­ vironment. Some also exhibit a resistance to ex­ ternally imposed authority and prefer personal independence and maximum self-sufficiency. About 40% barter for goods and services; they often grow their own vegetables or farm on a larger scale, and tend to find entertainment in hiking or playing a musical instrument rather than attending sports events. Contrary to the goals and practices of competitive business and some urban artists, they choose to conduct small, independent businesses rather than expand by taking on employees or apprentices. On a horizontal scale, stretching from rote manual labor at one pole to the pro­ duction of high art at the other, crafts­ people occupy a middle position. As handmakers and creative inventors, they relate to both worlds but may be distin­ guished because of attitudes not shared by “fine” artists or the majority of the public. Whether craftspeople produce humble ware for daily use or objects in­ tended for museum display, they exhibit the same ethic. The dominance of the ideal over the object is illustrated by the willingness of the crafts world to admit those who adopt craft values and strive for excellence, integrity and a coherent way of life and work even if they do not fully achieve the highest levels of creative production. These commitments, not the object produced—whether primarily utilitari­ an or a visual statement—constitute the essence of craftsmanship and give its participants a unique role in contem­ porary society. 72 CERAMICS MONTHLY News & Retrospect “but the variety achieved within the limita­ tions is incredible. I select and isolate certain elements and then exaggerate and/or sim­ plify.” After bisquing, the forms, such as

“Ammonite* “Ammonite,” 17 inches in diameter, were stained with iron oxide; then Larry fired them to Cone 10 in reduction. Terry considers “the sculptures to be sized on a ‘human’ scale—a collaborative cubit. If the spheres were any smaller, I wouldn’t be able to maneuver my arm around inside them; any larger, I wouldn’t be able to reach the inner surfaces effectively. “It is important that people feel the need to touch my work,” she commented. “I feel that fingertips respond to texture and palms to contour. I want my sculptures to attract the entire hand; actually a two-handed re­ sponse is what I really want.” Jerry Caplan An exhibition of “mini pots,” ranging from 3 to 6 inches in height, by Chatham College art professor Jerry Caplan was presented re­ cently at Lustre Gallery in Pittsburgh. Handbuilt from stoneware or porcelain clay, the forms were crackle glazed and fired at

Gold-lustered stoneware bowl Cone 2. Layers of colored lusters, as on this stoneware bowl, 4 inches in height (predom- Continued March 1983 73 74 CERAMICS MONTHLY News & Retrospect inantly gold), required as many as 11 suc­ cessive firings. Maishe Dickman Stoneware by Connecticut ceramist Maishe Dickman was among the objects recently fea­ tured at the opening show of Endleman-Kraus Galleries in New Haven. From the exhibi-

22-inch stoneware platter tion, this 22-inch platter was decorated with colored porcelain slips, ash glazed and fired in reduction. New York Folk Art Decorated stoneware pots were among the 19th-century functional objects selected for “Found in New York’s North Country: The Folk Art of a Region,” an 18-county survey exhibition recently presented at the Munson- Williams-Proctor Institute in Utica, New York. Brushed with cobalt slip, this water cooler, 19½ inches in height, was made at

19th-century water cooler J. J. Hart Pottery, Ogdensburg, St. Law­ rence County, circa 1869-72. “A modern viewer can find in each object evidence of artistic intent on the part of its maker, wheth- Continued March 1983 75 76 CERAMICS MONTHLY News & Retrospect er inspired by group tradition, by popular trend or by personal invention,” noted cu­ rator Varick A. Chittenden, director of the Center for the Study of North Country Folk Life in Canton, New York. “And collectively the objects represent the importance of the context of their making and use, a broad ov­ erview of the history and culture of an Amer­ ican place, subtly stated in the creative out­ pourings of its folk artists.” Benzie Workshop Porcelain artists Curt and Suzan Benzie (Columbus, Ohio) recently conducted a two- day workshop at the Gibbes Art Gallery School in Charleston, South Carolina. Fol­ lowing an introductory lecture and slide pre­ sentation, they demonstrated techniques to

Translucent porcelain “A-Train” produce translucent slab-built vessels with intricate colored clay decoration, such as in “A-Train,” above, 6 inches in diameter. Since their porcelain body is not very plas­ tic, the rolled and cut slabs are formed inside plaster press molds taken from smooth, solid stoneware shapes. (Surface decoration is lat­ er incised directly into the porcelain forms to ensure clean lines and fine detail.) Inverted and covered with plaster mixed to a cream- like consistency, a stoneware prototype is re­ moved and discarded when the mold has set. Porcelain slabs, rolled out and cut into tri­ angular pieces, are then arranged in the plas­ ter mold according to the desired effect. Polychrome imagery is developed with stained clays. Although Curt and Suzan have tested numerous ceramic stains, they now work only with yellow, pink, blue and black. These four commercial stains can be com­ bined for variations much in the same way a painter mixes pigments. The stains are blended into the dry porcelain body, usually as 100-gram batches, in the following per­ centages: 5% stain for pink, 5% for yellow and 3% for blue. Water is added to achieve a creamlike consistency and the batch is poured onto a plaster bat to dry until work­ able. When a color variation is desired, an equal parts mixture of stain is added to the dry body—half yellow/half blue will yield green. (Fairly uniform color from stains can be attained with most porcelain and white Continued March 1983 77 78 CERAMICS MONTHLY News & Retrospect stoneware bodies; however, the pink stain may be affected by impurities in the stoneware.) At the workshop, Curt and Suzan dem­ onstrated two design techniques: a color inlay process similar to millefiore in glass, and a variation on slip trailing. Millefiore dates to the ancient Egyptian and Roman cultures and was later perfected by the Italians. Adapting the process to clay, Curt utilized an extruder gun to produce small, thin clay coils. Coated with oxides in contrasting

Curt brushing coils with oxides colors, the coils are bundled together—with­ out slip. Patterns are developed by wrapping the coils with thin slabs to form geometric bundles of multicolored clays. Cross sections of the bundles are cut approximately ½ inch thick; unused bundles can be stored in small plastic containers for future work. An outline of a cut slab is drawn with a pencil on a piece of muslin; then millefiore sections are arranged on the cloth. The slab is placed over the sections and another piece of muslin is laid on top. Rolling firmly attaches the mil­ lefiore pattern to the slab. Muslin is also used to transfer slip-trailed designs. First, a cut slab is painted with slip, and smoothed with a metal rib. The outline of the slab is again drawn onto muslin. With a slip trailer, Suzan applied a repeated dot design on the muslin pattern. The porcelain

Suzan slip trailing a design on muslin slab is then placed slip-side down onto the slip dots and covered with another piece of fabric. Rolling subsequently transfers the dotted design onto the porcelain slab. Before the decorated slabs are assembled, a layer of paper toweling is placed inside the Continued March 1983 79 80 Ceramics Monthly News & Retrospect plaster mold. After the slabs are arranged, thin coils are often attached along the outside edges. When dry, the forms are supported with bowl-shaped setters of castable refrac­ tory, and single fired to Cone 9 in an electric kiln. Some are then clear glazed and refired to Cone 06. Text: Valerie Miller;photos: Ter­ ry Richardson. MCCN Terminated Valdis Garoza, chairman of Marietta Col­ lege art department, has confirmed reports that the Marietta College Crafts National (see the February CM, page 36), was ter­ minated effective with the 1982 exhibition, “due to increasing financial and logistical problems.” MCCN, held annually in the fall, has served as a major showcase for new talent in contemporary crafts since 1972. The Mar­ ietta National, an annual painting and sculp­ ture exhibition, which had been scheduled to open April 2, also has been cancelled. Joanne Wilbert “Embellished Clay Vessels,” an exhibition by Joanne Wilbert, was presented recently at the Brockton Art Museum/Fuller Me­ morial in Brockton, Massachusetts. Con­ structed by stacking and joining geometric

“Helen's Vessel” shapes, forms such as “Helen’s Vessel,” 36 inches in height, low-fire whiteware with un- derglazes, were altered with abstract relief, and incised lines were developed to suggest gesture and rhythm. Depth of surface was Please Turn to Page 87 March 1983 81 82 Ceramics Monthly Technical Methylcelluloseby D. Paul Stimers and George Greminger; Jr.

Potters often seek the means to throw tall­ A liquid soap dispenser was used to apply er, thinner or wider, and one way to achieve the methylcellulose lubricant to the hands, these goals is by switching from the tradi­ but dipping hands into a bowl of the solution tional lubricant (water), substituting meth­ is also possible. Avoid returning any leftovers ylcellulose. In fact, this synthetic carbohy­ to the storage container because bacteria drate gum has several other properties of value transferred to the solution might, over a pe­ in the studio. As a lubricant or binder, it can riod of days, produce an enzyme reaction that save on exertion, lower the number of rejects, breaks down methycellulose. improve forming stability and green strength. The first test consisted of throwing two Ceramic and refractory industries currently pitchers from equal amounts of clay with as use methylcellulose in tape casting electronic little lubrication as possible. Water was ap­ circuits, to improve bonding and hardness of plied as lubricant for one; a 12,000 cP meth­ green dinnerware glazes, and to extend the ylcellulose solution for the other. The differ­ range of shape retention for complicated ex­ ences and results are noted in the following truded forms. table: There is a family of methylcellulose prod­ Water Methylcellulose ucts. As chemical materials, this group may Wet height 9.5 inches 11 inches be described as cellulose ether polymers: these Drying time 24 hours 24 hours Cone 06 bisque height 8.5 inches 10 inches somewhat fibrous, grayish-white powders Wet to bisque shrinkage 10.5% 9% (such as Methocel A4M or Methocel A12M) Cone 10 glaze height 8 inches 9.5 inches are differentiated by viscosity. Based on a 2% Bisque to glaze (by weight) solution in water, viscosity is rat­ shrinkage 5.8% 5% ed in centipoises—for example, 4000 cP or Total shrinkage 15.7% 13.6% 12,000 cP. Since slumping and green strength are both Completely water soluble, methylcellulose important concerns when throwing large becomes extremely slippery to the touch when forms, tests for these properties were com­ wet or dissolved. In solution, it displays ther­ bined as one. Two 6-pound platters, each mal gelation: When heated to 122°F, the 16½ inches in diameter (11-inch-diameter methylcellulose forms a gel; if then cooled, bottoms with 2 3/4-inch rims), were thrown the gel qualities disappear as the methylcel­ with water and a solution of 4000 cP meth­ lulose goes back into solution. (Dispersed ylcellulose. The rim of the platter lubricated throughout a green body heated for thermal with the methylcellulose pulled out straight gelation, it can thus provide additional strength and level, without feeling as if it would slump. to the unfired object.) In fact, this rim was manipulated to various A number of tests were performed to dem­ angles during throwing, and still would re­ onstrate the qualities of methylcellulose. In turn to 180° with no apparent weakness. The each experiment, the clay body consisted of rim of the water-lubricated platter could not 1 part A. P. Green Fireclay and 2 parts Cedar be made completely level without slumping. Heights Goldart Clay. This simple body was Each platter was to be single fired to Cone chosen for its susceptibility to cracking to see 10 with an Albany slip/rnethylcellulose mix­ how methylcellulose as a lubricant would re­ ture. Glazed when bone dry, the platter thrown duce or eliminate this defect. with methylcellulose solution accepted the Approximate 2% solutions of high-viscos- glaze well. When the other platter was glazed, ity methylcellulose were mixed by blendingit split in half. 3 ounces Methocel A12M (a Dow Chemical The water retention capability of meth­ product available from your local ceramics ylcellulose aids greatly in reducing absorp­ supplier or from C and L Pottery, Box 23, tion and thereby reduces the possibility of Midland, Michigan 48640) into 1 quart of cracking while glazing. Although tested as water heated to 175-195°F; then 3 quarts an additive only with Albany slip glaze, chilled water and ice were stirred in until methylcellulose should contribute the same the mixture was smooth. Poured into a clean benefits to most natural glaze slips. container, the solutions were refrigerated for From 0.001 to 0.0025% methylcellulose two hours; in refrigeration, methylcellulose powder was dry mixed with Albany slip; then solution will keep for several weeks. Please Turn to Page 88 March 1983 83 84 Ceramics Monthly New Books The Kiln Book Materials, Specifications and Construction by Frederick L. Olsen “Organized as a step-by-step guide to build­ ing a kiln of your own design,” this updated second edition begins with a chapter on re­ fractory materials and applications. Methods of construction (bricklaying techniques and fiber installation) and principles of design precede examples of different types of fuel- burning kilns, i.e. crossdraft, downdraft and updraft. Black-and-white photographs and line drawings illustrate specific characteris­ tics. Systems and safety equipment for effi­ cient combustion of common fuels are also discussed. The text concludes with a chapter on electric kiln building. “There are so many variables involved in kiln building,” the au­ thor notes, “that experience, common sense and one’s mistakes determine success.” 284 pages including appendixes and index. 250 black-and-white illustrations. $19.95. Chil­ ton Book Company, Radnor, Pennsylvania 19089, or through the CM Book Department, Box 12448, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Electric Kiln Pottery by Emmanuel Cooper For years ceramists have bisque fired in their electric kilns because of the controlled, slow temperature rise; however, many are now taking a second look at glaze firing electri­ cally because of space and economic advan­ tages. In this text British potter Emmanuel Cooper has “looked at the processes used by the potter and written about them from the point of view of producing attractive results in an electric kiln, [bearing] in mind the needs of the potter making functional pots for use in the home, as well as the needs of the potter seeking out more specialized or unique ef­ fects.” After describing various kiln designs and control/safety devices, he explains how to load and fire for optimum results. Infor­ mation on altering standard clay bodies for richer texture and color is followed by a chapter on glaze formulation and application. Dec­ orating techniques include colored slip and body inlay, resist, double glazing, crystalline glazes, saggar firing and reduction effects with silicon carbide. Also discussed are clay bodies and glazes for single firing. Descriptions of methods employed by several British and American ceramists who fire with electric kilns and 68 of their slip and glaze recipes con­ clude the text. 144 pages with list of chemical formulas for ceramic materials; analyses of tree and bituminous coal ashes; chamber col­ or/temperature chart; installation, mainte­ nance and firing tips; bibliography; sup­ pliers’ list; and index. 71 black-and-white photographs, 14 color plates, 5 line illustra­ tions, 4 graphs. $24.95. Batsford, North Pomfret, Vermont 05053. March 1983 85 86 CERAMICS MONTHLY News & Retrospect Continued from Page 81 achieved through multifiring layers of color. Photo: Jon Goell. Betty Feves An exhibition of ceramic sculpture by Pendleton, Oregon, artist Betty Feves was featured recently at Otter’s Lair Gallery in Orcas, Washington. Forms such as “Small

Ash-glazed “Small Figure” Figure,” 20 inches in height, ash glazed, with additional ash deposits from wood firing, were assembled of thrown, handbuilt and extruded components. Some of the sculptures, standing 6-7 feet tall, were fired in sections and joined with tie rods and cement. Frequently adding

Betty Feves slips and making use of deposited ash (from her kiln, built to accommodate wood and gas), Betty recreates colors and textures of natural rock formations and plant life from her sur­ roundings. Text: Julie Gorrell, photos: Walt Quade. March 1983 87 Technical Continued from Page 83 water was added to the proper consistency. Applied to other greenware, the glaze was extremely tough and withstood much han­ dling without adverse effects. This may not seem unusual because of the common strength of Albany slip glaze; however, a batch mixed to identical consistency (but excluding the methylcellulose gum) flaked and chipped badly before and during the Cone 10 firing. The ware also cracked when glazed with a water-based mixture. The consistency of glaze and body batches can be controlled by product viscosity selec­ tion. Mixes containing low-viscosity meth­ ylcellulose (4000 cP) will flow more; high- viscosity methylcellulose (12,000 cP) is best when applied to the hands for throwing lu­ brication. Because methylcellulose synthetic gums are strong binders and adhesives, washing tools and hands before the lubricant dries will en­ sure easy cleanup. Finally, methylcellulose products have a very low toxicological profile: there is essen­ tially no hazard from skin contact, inhalation or even ingestion under normal conditions. The authors D. Paul Stimers maintains a studio pottery in Leland, Michigan; George Greminger, Jr., is a research and development scientist with 33 patents in cellulose ether technology.

88 C eramics Monthly