December 1987 1 2 Ceramics Monthly William C. Hunt..................................... Editor Ruth C. Butler..................... Associate Editor Robert L. Creager......................... Art Director Mary Rushley ............. Circulation Manager Mary E. Beaver.... Circulation Assistant Jayne Lohr ................. Circulation Assistant 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., 1609 Northwest Blvd., Columbus, Ohio 43212. Second Class postage paid at Columbus, Ohio. Subscription Rates:One year SIB, two years $34, three years $45. Add $5 per year for subscriptions outside the U.S.A. Change of Address:Please give us four weeks advance notice. 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All rights reserved December 1987 3 4 Ceramics Monthly Ceramics Monthly Volume 35, Number 10 December 1987 Feature Articles Fishing at Navy PierWhat makes Chi­ Portfolio: High Reliefby Lee Stoliar.......................................................................23 cago’s International New Art Forms Ex­ position so interesting? Find out in the re­ view beginning on page 47. Symbolic Clayby Barbara Tipton ...........................................................................31 A 1000-Year-Old Craft Endures Zhijin James Tanner....................................................................................................36 County is one of the few places in China where earthenware cooking pots (the best for simmering stews and brewing tradi­ Personal Reflectionsby Chris Staley .......................................................................38 tional Chinese medicines) are still made. Though a chemist by profession, Zhou Rongzhang regularly makes pots, using the A 1000-Year-Old Craft Endures by Gail Rossi ....................................................42 same techniques practiced by her ances­ tors; page 42. Fishing at Navy Pier High ReliefImagine building a wall re­ Chicago’s New Art Forms Expositiona review by William Hunt..........................47 lief 4 feet deep. New York artist Lee Sto- liar’s portfolio beginning on page 23 tells the story of her efforts “to tackle and master Washington Potters Annual by Matthew Kangas..................................................51 technical aspects” of enlarging a 7-inch-deep, terra-cotta prototype to 4x5x4 feet, then of making a 1500-pound plaster mold rein­ forced with aluminum pipe. Departments Letters............................................... 7 Comment: Art in the Unexpected Questions.......................................... 9 by Robert VN Brown........................ 19 Classified Advertising................. 76 ItinerarV........................................... 11 New Books.................... 77 Suggestions.................................. 15 Ceramics Monthly Index: January-December 1987 ......................... 79 Where to Show........................... 17 Index to Advertisers.................... 80 News & Retrospect Free Workshop Listings............................ 57 Sacramento Source In the Netherlands..................................... 57 by Ken Magri............................................ 63 Waymon Cole, 1905-1987 ....................... 57 Donna Bouthot.......................................... 63 Earth Views............................................... 63 Everson Receives Ceramics Grant............ 57 Squidge Davis........................................... 65 Marvin Sweet........................................... 57 Canton Invitational.................................... 65 Nancy Carman........................................... 57 Madeline Kaczmarczyk............................. 67 Paul Stein................................................... 57 Randy McKeachie-Johnston..................... 67 Deborah Horrell......................................... 58 New Harmony Clay................................... 69 In Pittsburgh.............................................. 59 Gail Weissberg.......................................... 69 The coverIn his studio, a table is ar­ Margaret Forde.......................................... 59 Jack Earl..................................................... 71 ranged for comparison of thrown and fac­ Dalita Navarro.......................................... 59 New Ceramics in London......................... 73 eted porcelain vases by Chris Staley (above), Steven Hill................................................. 60 Wichita, Kansas. Turn to page 38 for this West Coast Show...................................... 73 artist’s thoughts on making pots in the 1980s. Michael Lucero.......................................... 61 Looking to the Future................................ 75 Pre-Columbian Art on Display................. 61 John Toki................................................... 75 December 1987 5 6 Ceramics Monthly Letters Standards Approved your expertise), the NCECA board, or should NCECA conference in Portland, Oregon. I When my October CM arrived a few days we call them the mysterious “13,” has seen invite your participation in program events. ago, I took one glance at the cover and thought fit to guide the organization in a manner that And, I invite your critiques of NCECA; it was going to be one of those issues—one we hope broadens the intellectual scope of however, I would hope they would come from that makes me wonder if the pots I make the program and indeed diminishes thea more sound foundation than your past dia­ have anything to do with what’s currently “technical” part that is currently available in logue. going on in ceramics. (I always manage to numerous textbooks. Lenny Dowhie, glean something of value from each issue but NCECA and the membership have evolved. NCECA Past President sometimes it’s not easy to find one’s place We, those of us who serve on the board, wel­ Evansville, Indiana among such a mixed bag.) Then, while I come your input, but to criticize is easy and scanned through the magazine, I found de­somewhat of a cop-out. To take positive steps Real Pots, Please light in the article by Willem Gebben! What takes courage and time, one heck of a lot of It seems like “functional” has become a a refreshing bit of wisdom to bring the ce­ time. I, and all the other board members, are dirty word! I try very hard to understand ramic world down to earth a little. I reread willing to listen to any complaint or sugges­ and be open-minded, but I just can’t take all it while firing my wood kiln and found my tion—hell, we’ve modeled the NCECA the garbage stuff seriously. Much of it isn’t own standards somehow challenged. I havestructure on membership input. As a result, even good craftsmanship—and it’s so ugly! a fine bowl that Willem gave me in trade for the conference you read about, instead of at­ How about more articles about real pottery? a pitcher, and the more time I spend with it tending, was, as mentioned earlier, a mem­ Peg Tootelian the more aware I am of his keen craftsman­ bership directed event. The conference in Naperville, 111. ship and the spirit in which he works (his Portland, Oregon, directed by Frank and spirit is very evident in his pots as well asCindy Irby, will also be a membership event. It is interesting to note that at the Ann his writing). And, I am convinced that it will be informa­Arbor, Michigan, street fair (one of the top I was thoroughly pleased with the article tive, educational and a success. fairs in the country) utility type pots sell best. [Reacting to the Industrial Standard] by Wil­ Jens, I’m not certain what your complaint Julie and Ty Larson (North Carolina) were lem but it all ended