2 Ceramics Monthly William C. Hunt........................................ Editor Ruth C. Butler.......................Associate Editor Valentina Rojo ...................... Assistant 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 SI 8, 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 January 1987 3 4 Ceramics Monthly Ceramics Monthly Volume 35, Number 1 JANUARY 1987 Feature Articles Verne Funk: The Dance by Elizabeth Skidmore Sasser..................................... 24 A Studio in Manhattan................................................................................ 26 The Politics of Potteryedited by Warren Fredrick ............................................. 28 Functional Ceramics: North Carolinaby Phyllis Clark....................................31 Meltdownby Esther Grillo .............................................................................34 Functional CeramicsAfter 12 years as Savage Interiorsby Juta Savage......................................................................36 a national, the College of Wooster’s annual functional clay exhibition took a regional Neil MOSS by Melinda Barth.........................................................................................39 turn toward North Carolina. Refractory and Meshby Walter Hall...............................................................43 Faenza’s 44th International..........................................................................44 uuith Buon Giomo Faenzaby Dennis Parks Soviet Ceramics at Faenza............................................................................48 A Family of Raku Glazesby Harold McWhinnie.......................................................51 Pack With Care by Debra Berke.....................................................................76 Departments Letters to the Editor..................... 7 Comment: The Death of Ernest Kunst Refractory and Meshartist Walter Hall Itinerary......................................... 11 by Brad Sondahl.................................... 23 began experimenting with ceramic mortar Suggestions..................................... 15 on steel mesh for “wiry strength in pieces New Books..................................... 69 that are thin, even paperlike.” Questions........................................ 17 Classified Advertising................... 78 Meltdown Ceramists don’t work in a vacuum, and increasingly they are using Where to Show............................. 21 Index to Advertisers..................... 80 the medium for social commentary, wheth­ er in vessel or sculpture format. One such artist is Esther Grillo, whose antinuclear installation at 14 Sculptor’s Gallery in New News & Retrospect York left few observers sitting on the fence. The Politics of Potteryaddresses the Free Workshop Listings .............................. 53 Reproducing a Qin Soldier role of today’s potters: Is tradition holding Four Danish Potters ..................................... 53 by Gail Haborak......................................... 63 them back? Should viewers be challenged Jeri Au.......................................................... 65 or visually and tactilely pleased? New Talc Hazard Ruling............................. 53 With this issue, Ceramics Monthly in­ Alabama Clay Conference Sheila Nussbaum at Nabisco....................... 65 troduces a new, more extensive Contents by Susan Younce......................................... 55 In the Round ................................................ 65 page. We hope it will help you readily focus Wholesale Reps ........................................... 55 on articles you want to read, and that on Artpark Installation returning to an issue, you will be able to Laura Speiser .............................................. 57 by Theresa Millard and Jim Neiman .... 67 locate articles easily. Mark Bell .................................................... 57 David Keator ............................................... 73 The coverThrown porcelaneous stone­ Oregon Anagama......................................... 59 ware bowl, approximately 13 inches wide, An American in Germany........................... 75 with saturated-iron and ash glazes, by Cal­ Westminster Gallery Closes........................ 61 Jan Axel ...................................................... 75 ifornia potter Neil Moss. American Clay at Christie’s Photo: Brian Goodman by Christopher Wagner.................................... 61 Animal Spirits.............................................. 79 James Watral................................................ 63 Margaret Ford.............................................. 79 6 Ceramics Monthly Letters It’s What’s Inside That Counts I do truly enjoy photos and copy on the ney, its effective diameter is measured at its I greatly enjoyed the articles by Dennis current whiz kids of our colleges and uni­ narrowest point. So when Olsen tapers his Parks and Colin Pearson in the November versities but often feel that we in the arts are chimney, does everyone realize that the issue. This is an era when technique is wor­ so concerned with the cutting edge that we smallest diameter is what you take into ac­ shiped; more and more gadgets and ready­ no longer care for the sword. count when relating the chimney diameter made items are advertised in CM, and many /. Hoyman to the kiln size? Do you know those charts ceramic artists shown in these pages pride Ukian, Calif. L. L. Bean has for how to measure your body themselves on being able to make clay jump for sizes? That’s the sort of idea we should through hoops. In the work of Pearson and No Assumptions, Please have for kilns. Parks, the artistry shines through and tech­ In regard to the query about smoke from I love it when people speak of trial and nique is secondary. Parks uses a very simple a wood-burning kiln: I have always had less error. That’s really “greasy kid’s stuff.” Nifty idea and simple materials, producing rich and smoke than expected—in fact, except just af­ when you’re in school and all the handsome meaningful images. Pearson also does noth­ ter stoking, no more smoke than my wood- lads want to show off their muscles and tans, ing terribly exotic in the way of either build­ burning stoves produce. Now I wish I could and throw up a kiln every day, then take it ing or glazing (I saw his workshop), but the believe that this happens because I am such apart the next. But when you are an older idea and images are paramount. This is a good person; alas, I know it is not. Is it potter, or one who must count every penny something that is difficult to explain to be­ because I mostly use hard wood? Because and every minute, experimenting is not what ginning potters: Specialized techniques and the wood is barkless (we used discarded slabs you want to do. use of gimmicks will not necessarily produce from a pallet factory) or because our chimney One last thing: Just about a year back, I art. It’s what’s inside that counts. has a passive damper at the foot (as suggested asked about using ground-up old firebrick Bette Drake once by Ceramics Monthly)?