focus MONTHLY food and pots and food Euan Craig The Art of Function, the Function of Art focus food and pots DECEMBER 2008 $7.50 (Can$9) www.ceramicsmonthly.org Ceramics Monthly December 2008 1 Publisher Charles Spahr The Editorial [email protected] telephone: (614) 794-5895 fax: (614) 891-8960 editor Sherman Hall Ceramic assistant editor Holly Goring assistant editor Jessica Knapp technical editor Dave Finkelnburg online editor Jennifer Poellot Harnetty Advertising/Classifieds Arts [email protected] telephone: (614) 794-5834 fax: (614) 891-8960 classifi[email protected] telephone: (614) 794-5843 advertising manager Mona Thiel Handbook Only advertising services Jan Moloney Marketing telephone: (614) 794-5809 marketing manager Steve Hecker Series $29.95 each Subscriptions/Circulation customer service: (800) 342-3594 [email protected] Design/Production Electric Firing: production editor Cynthia Griffith Glazes & Glazing: design Paula John Creative Techniques Finishing Techniques Editorial and advertising offices 600 Cleveland Ave., Suite 210 Westerville, Ohio 43082 Editorial Advisory Board Linda Arbuckle; Professor, Ceramics, Univ. of Florida Scott Bennett; Sculptor, Birmingham, Alabama Tom Coleman; Studio Potter, Nevada Val Cushing; Studio Potter, New York Dick Lehman; Studio Potter, Indiana Meira Mathison; Director, Metchosin Art School, Canada Bernard Pucker; Director, Pucker Gallery, Boston Phil Rogers; Potter and Author, Wales Jan Schachter; Potter, California Mark Shapiro; Worthington, Massachusetts Susan York; Santa Fe, New Mexico Ceramics Monthly (ISSN 0009-0328) is published monthly, except July and August, by Ceramic Publications Company; a Surface Decoration: Extruder, Mold & Tile: subsidiary of The American Ceramic Society, 600 Cleveland Ave., Suite 210, Westerville, Ohio 43082; www.ceramics.org. 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All rights reserved. www.ceramicsmonthly.org Ceramics Monthly December 2008 2 Ceramics Monthly December 2008 3 Ceramics Monthly December 2008 4 DECEMBER 2008 / Volume 56 Number 10 MONTHLY focus food and pots 26 The Art of Function and the Function of Art by Euan Craig An Australian–born potter living in Japan discusses his collaborations with chefs to create ware specifically designed for the presentation and enjoyment of food. 30 Cooking with Clay for Slow Food and a Healthy World by Robbie Lobell A potter establishes a line of ware to reflect her social values regarding how food is produced and consumed. with Connections through Cooking by Deborah Bernstein features 34 Kirk Mangus: The Crystalline Moment by Glen R. Brown Employing ancient forms and primitive processes of surface decoration, an artist pursues an understanding of the human condition. 38 In Search of Sanctuary: The Work of Giselle Hicks by Mary K. Cloonan An artist explores ideas of memory, home, comfort and shelter through iconic structural forms in porcelain. 42 Ashley Howard: In Tune with Color by Helen Bevis Using transfers and enamels, a functional potter embraces decoration and color to enhance forms meant for ceremonies both spiritual and domestic. monthly methods Having Fun for Now by Ashley Howard 46 The MFA Factor: Bowling Green State University A small department packs a powerful punch in this graduate program profile. 48 Walter Dexter by Brian Grison A cavalier attitude toward craftsmanship and a narrow focus on bottle forms provides for limitless exploration. 48 cover: Detail of Nana sun sankaku zara, triangular plate, 7 in. (18 cm) each side, cut from a 21cm thrown plate, porcelain with tenmoku glaze and Igusa hidasuki straw markings, wood fired, 2007. Cuisine by Chef Touru Hashimoto, Kappo Toyoda, Nihombashi, Tokyo; page 26. Photo: Akira Okada. 34 38 30 Ceramics Monthly December 2008 5 departments 8 from the editor 10 letters from readers 12 answers from the CM technical staff 14 suggestions from readers 14 Tip of the Month: catching runny glazes 16 upfront reviews, news and exhibitions 52 call for entries 52 International Exhibitions 54 United States Exhibitions 56 Regional Exhibitions 56 Fairs and Festivals 58 new books Craft Perception and Practice edited by Paula Gustafson, Nïsse Gustafson and Amy Gogarty 60 calendar 60 Conferences 60 Solo Exhibitions 62 Group Ceramics Exhibitions 66 Ceramics in Multimedia Exhibitions 68 Fairs, Festivals and Sales 70 Workshops 74 International Events 78 classified advertising 79 index to advertisers 80 comment The Piece You Wish You Made by Larry M. Brow online www.ceramicartsdaily.org information and inspiration from inside the artist’s studio 18 Features Tips, techniques, profiles and more—delivered to your inbox. Education Listings of colleges, classes, guilds, workshops and residencies. Galleries Artist gallery pages, plus our comprehensive listing of museums and galleries that showcase ceramic art. Bookstore Complete line of ceramic art books to inspire, inform and instruct. Free Gifts Handy downloadable resources for the studio, including projects, recipes, our annual Buyer’s Guide and more! Magazines Current and archived features, exhibition reviews, article index. 20 18 Ceramics Monthly December 2008 6 Ceramics Monthly December 2008 7 from the editor by Sherman Hall free summer When you are a teenage boy (and by you of identity. It reminds me that bad pots I mean me) and girls praise you for some- are not always bad pots—especially when I workshop listings thing—anything—you will likely do more consider that the pot in question somehow of whatever it is they praise you for. With- possessed the mystical power of creating In our April 2009 issue, we will be out getting too far into adolescent social real conversation between awkward high- publishing our annual listing of sum- dynamics and my opinion that they are school girls and an awkward high-school mer workshops. Institutions and venues largely in place (in one form or another) boy. That is some serious mojo. presenting workshops between June 1 throughout adulthood, I will simply say I did not realize at the time that hand- and August 31, 2009, are encouraged to that girls are the reason I initially decided made items of utility have always been submit their workshop information for to pursue ceramics. Sure, my family rein- conversations between maker and user. It is listing free of charge (regularly scheduled forced my artistic efforts, instructors pro- the unspoken communication of use. The classes are not eligible). Simply go to vided great guidance, and I like to think maker, of course, is not actually present at www.ceramicsmonthly.org and click on there was some natural ability at work, the table, but their design and execution of the “Submit a Workshop Listing” link but compliments from members of the the objects being used can affect the ex- on the right side of the page. opposite sex who would otherwise never perience of those present. In this month’s We also encourage you to submit im- speak to me was really why I kept working focus on food and pots, Euan Craig (p. 26) ages from previous workshops. We accept in clay through high school. At this point, and Robbie Lobell (p. 30) share their per- high school is far enough in the past for spective as the makers in this conversation. professional-quality digital images (300 me to not feel ashamed in admitting that. And I’m happy to say that neither of their ppi resolution on CD), plus a color print Of course, the first pot I made (which stories involve adolescence or bad pots. of each image. Mail to Summer Work- I still have) is like most first pots; its value shops Images, Ceramics Monthly, 600 N.