Clay Times Magazine Volume 16 • Issue 86 by claytimes

ceramic

art

trends,

tools,

and

C e l e b r at i n g 1 5 Y e a r s • 1 9 9 5 - 2 0 1 0

TIMES

Clay

techniques

Volume 16 • Issue 86 SPRING 2010

Bernadette Curran: Oxidation Firing with Dramatic Results Shino & Carbon Trap Exhibition

$7.95 U.S./$9.95 CAN

Ten Tips Every Electric Kiln Potter Should Know

PLUS: Water Blue Glaze Variations • Asbestos Hazards of Outdated Kilns • The Studio Scales You Really Need • How to Make a Chip ‘n’ Dip • Is Your Claywork Cover-Worthy?

New from L&L Kilns! SCHOOL-MASTER K-12 School Kilns A new kiln - designed for K-12 schools. Two sizes: 7 and 10 cubic feet. Includes a industry-leading Five-Year Limited Warranty. Also includes the new four-button One-Touch™ Intuitive Kiln Control. One touch and you are ready to fire the bisque and glaze programs typically used in schools (also easy to adjust simple parameters like cone, delay, hold, heat-up and cool-down rates). You can even create four custom ramp/hold programs • “Easy-Lift, Easy-Load” stainless steel spring hinge system with full-support when door is up and back (there is no support bar to get in the way of loading) • Mercury-free • c-MET-us listed to UL499 standards

EASY-FIRE Square & Rectangular Kilns

The School-Master Kilns feature a Five Year Warranty and our One-Touch™ Intuitive Kiln Control

L&L has combined its unique square & rectangular kiln construction with the many great features of the Easy-Fire Series to come up with a value replacement for oval kilns. Six sizes: from 7.8 cubic feet to 14.6 cubic feet. The Easy-Fire Square and Rectangular kilns feature a square or rectangular body shape and construction as used in our

more expensive DaVinci Series • The spring hinge is a modified and reinforced version of our Easy-Lift spring stainless steel spring hinge used on the Easy-fire kilns (except with support bars) • 3” brick with all brick construction (including lid) • The stand consists of six of our strong aluminized Easy-Fire stands • The separate control panel is mounted the element box • Automatic DynaTrol with Dynamic Zone control (two zones for 18” high models and three zones for the 27” high models) • Mercury-free • c-MET-us listed to UL499 standards (pending) • Three-Year Limited Warranty

eQUAD-PRO Production Kilns These are enhanced Easy-fire kilns with extra power and super heavy-duty elements using our Quad element holder system. Two sizes: 28” Diam x 27” High (10.2 cubic feet) and 28” diam x 36” High (13.6 cubic feet) Automatic DynaTrol with thee-zone control • 3” brick • Quad element system (fours rows of super heavy gauge elements per 9” high section) • Extra power with branch fusing for high production work • “Easy-Lift, Easy-Load” stainless steel spring hinge system with full-support when door is up and back (there is no support bar to get in the way of loading) • Mercury-free • c-MET-us listed to UL499 standards (pending) • Three-Year Limited Warranty

L&L Quad elements system have been used with great success in our JH Crystalline Glaze Kilns

HERCULES Front Loading Kiln Compare this professional-quality kiln - feature by feature - to anything on the market and you will see its incredible value. One size: 24” x 24” x 24” (8 cubic feet). Adjustable door • Plug seal with gasket • Heavy-gauge (1/8”) welded case

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with separate but attached stand • Leveling pads • Extra-tough K25 2500°F 4-1/2” firebrick arch • Other insulation is 3” of K23 brick with 2” of mineral wool backup insulation • Elements on door, sides and back • Automatic DynaTrol with two-zone control • Door power safety shut-off switch • Direct wire • Mercury-free • MET-us listed to UL499 standards

L&L Kiln’s patented hard ceramic element holders protect your kiln. 505 Sharptown Rd, Swedesboro NJ 08085 Toll Free: 888.684.3232 Fax: 856.294.0070 sales@hotkilns.com

OWNER REGISTRATION Leon Roloff Artist: 55 years experience -El Cajon, California -Taught High School Ceramics for 35 years “I bought my first GG in June of 1983 for $128.50... Could have just bought replacement sliders, as I’ve never had any trouble with my old unitbeyond replacing the pads a couple of times. I decided to help the economy and buy the whole new shiny unit. I like the new sliders. I got 26 years out of my first GG, and 26 years from now I’ll be 102 years old. You may not have a chance to sell me another.”

Thanks Leon! Giffin Tec Inc Contact your local clay supplier - Giffin Grip Model 10 3 90 days Money Back Guarantee, 10 years free replacement for parts that wear out or break in normal studio use

contents

TIMES

Clay

SPRING 2010 Volume 16 • Issue 86 On the cover: Oxidation-fired Tumblers by Bernadette Curran. Cover inset photo: Shino Bowl by Caroline Cercone.

Is your work ready for the Clay Times cover? ®

Enter the Clay Times national juried show, “A New Decade of Clay 2010,” and your work could earn you a cover story in the magazine and participation in the Sept. 2010 group exhibition at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort ... plus a potential ceramics scholarship to Lake Tahoe’s Sierra Nevada College! Juror: Richard Shaw. Turn to page 8 for show information and submission details. TM

Covered Jar by Matt Hyleck: part of SHINO REDUX show, p. 32.

features 14 The Hermaphrodites: Living in Two Worlds On view in conjunction with NCECA 2010 at Wexler Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

27 Electric Kilns: Maintenance and Firing Discover the top ten things every electric kiln owner should know to keep your firings safe and successful ...

32 SHINO REDUX 2010 Wardrobe by Chris Antemann, in Hermaphrodite show, p. 14.

Malcolm Davis juries an encore show at the Clay Art Center, Port Chester, New York 5

contents

TIMES

Clay

SPRING 2010 Volume 16 • Issue 86

departments

At left: Shino Platter by Tom Coleman. One of several works featured during the Clay Art Center’s recent SHINO REDUX exhibition. Story appears on pages 32-33.

9 EDITOR’S DESK Exciting new changes in store for CT readers!

11 WHAT’S HOT Clay world news, events, and calls for entries

13 GREAT GLAZES Basic formulas to try at Cone 6 Oxidation & Cone 10 Reduction

34 THE GALLERY A selection of unique works by CT readers

columns

42 SLURRY BUCKET Studio-tested tips to save you time and money

45 POTTERY CLASSES Where you can learn claywork in your community

48 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE Goods and services offered especially for clay artists

50 ADVERTISER INDEX A quick reference to find your favorite ceramics suppliers in this issue (be sure to tell them you found them in Clay Times!) 6

17 AS FAR AS I KNOW “Water Blue Glaze Revisited” by Pete Pinnell

21 BENEATH THE SURFACE “Bernadette Curran, Part 1” Interview by Lana Wilson

23 TEACHING TECHNIQUES “Making A Three-Bowl Chip ‘n’ Dip” by Bill van Gilder

31 KILNS & FIRING “New Kilns & New Valves” by Marc Ward

37 BOOKS & VIDEOS “Two Books for the Beginning Potter’s Library” reviews by Steven Branfman

39 TOOL TIMES “Weighing Your Scale Options” by Vince Pitelka

43 STUDIO HEALTH AND SAFETY “Old AsbestosInsulated Kilns” by Monona Rossol

49 AROUND THE FIREBOX “Originality and Destiny” by Kelly Savino

Editorial & Advertising: Polly Beach claytimes@gmail.com Circulation Manager: Rachel Brownell ctcirculation@gmail.com Accounts Manager: Nanette Greene clayaccounts@gmail.com Proofreader: Jon Singer Regular Columnists: Steve Branfman, Books & Videos David Hendley, Around the Firebox Pete Pinnell, As Far as I Know Vince Pitelka, Tool Times Monona Rossol, Health & Safety Kelly Savino, Around the Firebox Bill van Gilder, Teaching Techniques Marc Ward, Kilns & Firing Lana Wilson, Beneath the Surface Contributing Writer: Joanie Turbek

magazine

TIMES

Clay

his year marks Clay Times’ 15th anniversary in print. It still amazes me that our original local newsletter has evolved into such a widely embraced, worldrenowned magazine. Back in 1995, pottery making was a relatively obscure subject—even difficult to research at public libraries due to a widespread lack of available ceramics books and periodicals. But 15 years later, ceramic arts publishing has exploded into a vast ocean of information. And considering the downward spiral of printed periodicals during recent years, I’m especially pleased to report that thanks to all of you—our loyal supporters—we’ve weathered the storm and are firmly committed to making our next 15 years even stronger than ever!

roots Clay Times has established throughout the world ceramic community, we’ve grown a global communications network with a foundation strong enough to monitor the latest and greatest developments of the clay arts field on a daily basis. As a result, an expanded version of the magazine itself and our original Website at www.claytimes.com, “Clay Times Online ,” will debut in mid-April. It will serve as an unprecedented communications network and resource for ceramic educators and students, professionals and hobbyists, collectors, and clay enthusiasts worldwide, offering daily newsfeed and a single all-encompassing resource and forum where you may access and share anything and everything having to do with ceramics.

To achieve this goal, we realize that flexibility is key. We need to listen to the voices of our readers and advertisers, and do whatever possible to continue providing you with the very best of the services you desire. One very clear, overwhelming concern of late is the need for us all to operate on a ‘greener,’ more ecologically-aware basis. Clay Times is answering that call in several ways:

• Several subscriber-only supplements to the print publication will now be available online throughout the year. As such, we are combining our previous 6 bimonthly print issues into 4 quarterly issues to be published in spring, summer, fall, and winter—PLUS we’ll be adding a colorful studio poster insert in each seasonal issue. This will allow “fresh” clay news to be accessed online daily, and will greatly reduce the overall annual waste generated by paper used for printing.

• We’re now printing the magazine on 100% FSCcertified, 75% post-consumer recycled paper. (The very green, new Vermont-based company that prints CT even generates 100% of the heat for their printing plant from waste captured from the printing process itself.) • We are expanding our online, “paperless” presence dramatically. Thanks to the very strong

Spouting Off I Editor’s Desk

Keeping Up with the Times — for 15 Years!

ceramic art trends, t oo l s & t e c h n i q u e s

• We’re now offering online “paperless” invoicing—but we need your help! Log onto claytimes. com to provide us with your e-mail address, and your name will be entered into a drawing to win

a spot on our “Cruisin’ for Clay 2011” potter’s cruise to the Caribbean next April! Tune in to claytimes.com for further details as they arise ... [

✦ Printed on 100% FSC-certified and 75% post-consumer recycled paper ✦ Published by: CLAY TIMES INC. 15481 Second St. • PO Box 365 Waterford, Virginia 20197-0365 540.882.3576 • FAX 540.882.4196

Toll-free subscription line: 800.356.2529 Clay Times® (ISSN 1087-7614) is published quarterly, four issues per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Waterford, VA, and at additional mailing offices. Annual subscriptions are available for $33 in the U.S.; $40 in Canada; $60 elsewhere (must be payable in US$). To subscribe, call toll-free 1-800.356.2529, or visit www.claytimes.com.

M.F.A. in Ceramic Arts The M.F.A. and Graduate Certificate in Ceramic Arts provide students with skills and knowledge from which to build a strong aesthetic direction. Kevin Crowe Multi Chambered Kiln Firing: May 1, 8 and 15 Throwing Large Forms: June 21-26 Catherine White Composite Sculpture June 5-6, 12-13 and July 12-15 Joyce Michaud Master’s Throwing II: June 17-20 East Asian Coil Video available in March

Shawn Grove Wheel Courses: June 28-July 10

All rights reserved. The material contained herein is derived from various sources and does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. All technical material is offered as general information only and should not be acted upon without expert supervision. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

Phil Berneburg Clay and Glaze Chemistry, Theory and Practice: June 30-July 7, July 6-9 and July 12-14 Visit Hood’s Web site for more information. Hood College Graduate School Art Department (301) 696-3456 n Fax (301) 696-3531 www.hood.edu/ceramics Hood College subscribes to a policy of equal educational and employment opportunities.

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Freelance editorial and photographic submissions are welcome: Please contact Clay Times or visit our Web site for writer’s and photographer’s guidelines.

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MARK your CALENDAR now for the 2011 post-NCECA Clay Times “Cruisin’ for Clay” Conference at Sea! Depart Tampa, Florida following NCECA conference closing on Saturday, April 2 • Cruise to Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico with 100 potters & guest artists • Return to Tampa on Thursday, April 7 • Awesome clay speakers & demos! For details, updates, and early registration discounts, visit www.claytimes.com

Conferences ‰ “NCECA 2010: Independence,” the 44th Annual Conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) takes place Mar. 31-Apr. 3, 2010, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The event will include informative lectures and demonstrations by leading clay artists, as well as a trade show where attendees can view and purchase the industry’s latest goods and services for potters. Area schools, universities, museums, galleries, and nonprofit and alternative spaces will host exhibitions of clay objects and tableware, sculpture, and more. For complete details, log onto www. nceca net. (Be sure to visit Clay Times at booth 300 for giveaways and special offers!)

‰ “Cruisin’ for Clay,” the acclaimed Clay Times Potters’ Cruise Conference to the Caribbean, will take place again next year—

immediately following the 2011 NCECA Conference in Tampa, Florida. Back by popular demand, this 5-night event will be held on board Royal Caribbean’s ‘Radiance of the Seas’ cruise liner and will feature informative demos and presentations by some of the nation’s most highly acclaimed clay artists. The ship will depart the port of Tampa at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 2, setting sail for Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, and will return on the morning of Thursday, April 7. All conference activities will take place while the ship is at sea, so you’ll have plenty of time to relax and explore when the boat is docked. Better yet, your travel expenses to and from Tampa, our departure port, will already be covered by your NCECA conference budget! So mark your calendar now, and check the Clay Times Website often at www.claytimes.com for conference programming updates and earlybird registration specials ...

Calls for Entries ‰ The Kansas City Clay Guild is accepting entries postmarked by Apr. 10, 2010, for its Tea Bowl National, to take place May 10-July 9, 2010. Juror: Pete Pinnell. Entry fee: $30 for three works. $1000 will be awarded in prizes. Contact: Susan Speck, 5932 Nall Ave., Mission, KS 66202 or e-mail president@ kcclayguild.org. For more information, visit: www.kcclayguild.org.

‰ The South County Art Association of Kingston, Rhode Island is accepting entries from New England artists through Apr. 16 for its show to take place Apr. 22–May 15. To learn more, call 401.783.2195, log onto www.southcountyart.org, or e-mail ocart@verizon.net. ‰ Contemporary Work in Clay is accepting entries through May 7 for its Sept. 30–Nov. 5 show at the University of Tulsa School of Art in Tulsa, OK. For details, call 918.631.3700, log onto www.utulsa.edu/art, or e-mail whitney-forsyth@utulsa.edu. ‰ Entries of wood-fired ceramics are being accepted through June 15 for Wood Fired Pottery for the 21st Century, to take place September 1–19 at New Fire in Arroyo Seco, New Mexico. For details, call 575.776.1042 or e-mail newfire taos@gmail.com. ‰ Is your work ready to be featured on the cover of Clay Times? That’s the grand prize to be awarded to the winner of the upcoming Clay Times “A New Decade of Clay 2010” exhibition, to take place September 17-October 16, 2010 at the beautiful Northstar-at-Tahoe resort in Truckee, California. Additional cash awards and prizes will be offered, including the chance for a ceramics scholarship to Sierra Nevada College at Lake Tahoe’s Incline Village, Nevada. Juror: Richard Shaw. Entry fee: $25 for up to three entries (digital preferred). Submission deadline: July 12. For prospectus and complete details, log onto: www.sierranevada.edu/clay. TM

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

‰ The American Art Pottery Association Annual Convention takes place in Cleveland, Ohio Apr. 21-25, 2010. Events include a two-day pottery show and sale; art pottery auction; educational presentations by guest experts; pottery displays; author’s book signing; guided bus tours to pottery and tile installations and collections; and much more. All activities are open to the public (fees may apply). For complete information, visit www.aapa.info.

• ceramic art world news • events • • calls for entries •

Hot Stuff I News & Events

What’s Hot

Hot Stuff I News & Events

‰ The DHM Digital Gallery invites designers working in fiber, clay, wood, metal or glass to participate in The Art of Applied Design, an international juried competition. Entry deadline: July 15. Entries must be functional objects commonly used within interior spaces, such as furnishings (hard or soft), utensils, fixtures, or containers. Purely decorative objects are not eligible. Evaluation is based on uniqueness and creativity of design, craftsmanship, and quality of submitted digital images. The online exhibit will run Sept. 15-Dec. 1, and will include e-mail addresses of accepted artists to facilitate their independent commercial interests. For a prospectus, visit http://ches.okstate. edu/dhm/gallery; or e-mail any questions to dhm.digital.gallery@ okstate.edu. ‰ Blue Spiral 1 of Asheville, North Carolina is accepting entries through July 15 for Emerging Clay, to take place January 6–March 26, 2011. Entry is open to artists from the states of AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, and WV with less than ten years of experience. For details, call 828.251.0202, e-mail info@bluespiral1.com, or log onto www.bluespiral1.com.

GClay Times

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

original Potter’s T-shirts make wonderful gifts! View & order the full line of designs online at www.claytimes.com

To view additional “What’s Hot” listings, please visit www.claytimes.com.

‰ The San Joaquin Potter’s Guild of Modesto, California, is accepting entries through August 1 for Hands in Clay 2010, to take place August 3–September 4, 2010.

To list your clay conferences, calls for entries, exhibitions, and ceramic news items in Clay Times, please e-mail the complete details to: claytimes@gmail. com, with “What’s Hot” in the subject line, or visit www.claytimes.com and click on the “What’s Hot” link to fill out an online submission form.

For additional information, please call 209.634.3653, e-mail info@ sanjoaquinpottersguild.org, or visit www.sanjoaquinpottersguild.org. [

ODYSSEY CENTER FOR CERAMIC ARTS 2010 SUMMER WORKSHOPS

Innovative Handbuilding Techniques LANA WILSON • May 31-June 4

Satake

Forbes-deSoule

The Art of Raku STEPHEN FORBES-deSOULE • June 7-11

Porcelian Pots for Service SILVIE GRANATELLI • June 14-18 Cordova

China Painting: New Directions PAUL LEWING • June 21-25 The Misunderstood Extruder HAYNE BAYLESS • June 28-July 2 Japanese Aesthetics JOHN DIX • July 9-10 FIGURE: form + content CRISTINA CORDOVA • July 12-16 Gamble’s Low-Fire Clay Adventure DAVID & TRACY GAMBLE • July 19-23 Narrative Ceramics JAMES TISDALE • July 26-30

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Finding the Beauty in Imperfection AKIRA SATAKE • August 2-6 Lewing

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www.highwaterclays.com ODYSSEY CENTER FOR CERAMIC ARTS, 236 Clingman Ave, Asheville NC 28801 odyssey@highwaterclays.com • 828-285-0210

Basic Matte Base Glaze Cone 10 Reduction Soda Feldspar Whiting Talc Silica Frit 3269 Nepheline Syenite Ball Clay (Tenn #10)

USA

So many options at Cone 6

16.8% 15.8 9.9 19.9 14.9 4.9 17.8 TOTAL

Readers Share I Glaze Recipes

Great Glazes

Minnesota Clay Co.

100.0%

Test the above base glaze with various quantities of different stains or colorants to determine your favorite effects on various clay bodies. (Refer to the sample chart of colorants for oxidation and reduction firing at www.claytimes.com.) See us at booth #206 at NCECA Conference in Philadelphia, PA.

FPS Base Glaze Cone 6 Oxidation

www.minnesotaclayusa.com

Created by From Miry Clay Pottery

800-CLAY-USA

Nepheline Syenite 35.0% Whiting 15.0 Frit 3110 17.0 Zinc 2.0 Bone Ash 1.0 Talc 3.0 Silica 27.0 TOTAL 100.0% add Copper Carbonate add Tin Oxide

1.5% 1.5%

Each formula is provided in percentage (by weight). Results vary with clay bodies and firing conditions; always test first to be sure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re happy with the results. To mix a glaze batch to store in a 5-gallon bucket, multiply each percentage ingredient by 50 grams (for a half-bucket with room for dipping) or 100 grams (for a very full bucket). It is the responsibility of the user to have glazes tested for stability. [

CLAYTIMESÂˇCOM n SPRING 2010

The above is a stable base glaze, worthy of experimentation with many different colorants (such as the blue-green copper carbonate addition listed above). Omit the tin oxide for a transparent glaze, or leave it in for solid, opaque coverage.

THE HERMAPHRODITES:

Living In Two Worlds term as it applies to sculpture that can be categorized equally as contemporary fine art sculpture or decorative art. The exhibition concentrates on works by contemporary ceramic artists who also adopt other processes, materials, and techniques commonly found outside of their discipline. Featured artists include Chris Antemann, Beth Cavener Stichter, Cynthia Consentino, Anne Drew Potter, Judy Fox, Gerit Grimm, Bridget Harper, Sergei Isupov, Myungjin Kim, Dana Major Kanovitz, Kelly Rathbone Garrett, Dirk Staschke, Mara Superior, Tip Toland, Jason Walker, Kurt Weiser, Red Weldon Sandlin, Irina Zaytceva, and several others.

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

TOM HOLT PHOTO

“The artists in this exhibition produce sculpture that is categorically often confusing when placed in private or public collections,” remarked show curator, Leslie Ferrin. “Depending on the curatorial mission of the institution or vision of the collector, works by these artists can be found in contemporary collections of fine art, decorative arts, and even, at times, design. The title of the show was chosen to first draw attention from its social meaning, and then challenge its interpretation from various metaphorical perspectives.”

oinciding with the 44th annual National Council for Education on the Ceramic Arts Conference in Philadelphia (March 31-April 3, 2010), Wexler Gallery of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is hosting “The Hermaphrodites: Living in Two Worlds,” a group show curated by Leslie Ferrin, owner of Ferrin Gallery in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The exhibition takes place on the gallery’s

second floor and runs from March 5-May 1, 2010, with an opening reception on Friday, April 2 from 5 to 8 pm. “The Hermaphrodites: Living in Two Worlds” showcases figural sculpture that both embodies the literal definition of hermaphrodites (encompassing both genders) and the conceptual nature of the

Wexler Gallery is located at 201 North Third Street in the historical district of Old City Philadelphia. For further details about the show, please e-mail Sienna@wexlergallery. com, call 215.923.7030, or visit www. wexlergallery.com. Co-sponsor Ferrin Gallery is located in downtown Pittsfield, in the heart of the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. To learn more about the gallery, please visit www. ferringallery.com. [

Pictured, this page: At left: Red Queen by Kurt Weiser. 19" x 12". Painted porcelain. Below: Infiltrator by Dana Major Kanovitz. 38" x 33" x 23". Paper pulp, steel armature, oil paints, human hair, coyote pelt & mixed media.

Pictured, opposite page:

Below: The Heavenly Horn of the Moon by Tip Toland. 39" x 9" x 14". Stoneware, paint, chalk pastel.

CLAYTIMESÂˇCOM n SPRING 2010

Above: Bounty by Dirk Staschke. 15" x 24" x 10". Ceramic, paint, mixed media.

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CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

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23 raku– 7 Cu. ft., Cone 10 Raku, bisque or glaze in Olympic raku gas kilns. The unique firing chamber keeps temperature hot inside the kiln even when opened. Sizes range from 18” to 28” wide to accommodate small to large pieces. Propane or natural gas.

strong, duraBle affordaBle! Olympic Freedom kilns really free you up! Each Freedom kiln comes with their own emergency repair kit — 2 elements, crimping tool, pint of mortar, wiring schematic and extra thermocouple at no additional cost to you! And Freedom furniture kits contain shelves and posts to fit your kiln and a free bag of assorted stilts (33 stilts) for firing glaze ware. Freedom kilns are equipped with electronic controllers and fire to cone 10. Sizes range from 14” wide x 14” deep to 25” front to back, 37” wide x 27” deep.

Olympic commercial electric and gas kilns are heavily insulated (6” of insulation and air space) for energy efficiency and built to last with heavy angle iron frames, stainless steel skins. The electric kilns have options for electronic controller, 480 volts, 3-phase, and 3-zone control. Olympic DownDrafts are designed to fire on propane or natural gas. Stainless steel or galvanized vent hoods can be added as an option in addition to pyrometer and blower burners. Olympic commercial electric kilns range in sizes from 5.5-53 cubic feet and the gas kilns range from 9-40 (useable space) cubic feet.

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Cone 6 Oxidation Gerstley Borate 6% EPK 7 Frit 3110 77 Silica 10 TOTAL 100% add Bentonite

by PETE PINNELL

Perspectives I As Far As I Know

‘Water Blue’ Glaze Revisited

Josh’s Water Blue Variation

Fig. 1: In the original article, this was color variation “O”, containing 8% red iron oxide and 6% copper carbonate (I’ve started calling it “Grass Green”). This cup experienced a very slow cooling cycle (the one detailed in the first article), developing a mirror-like iridescence. You can see examples of popped bubbles at the intersection of the bottom of the handle and the body, and also under the end of the thumb rest. The cross-hatch texture you see is scratched into the surface of the damp clay.

or the outsides of utilitarian pots (I wrote more about this in the first column). In fact, this glaze crazes so much, and the crazing is so close together, that it’s not terribly noticeable unless you’re looking for it. Instead, what tends to stand out with this glaze (besides the bright color and glassy surface) is the way it pools, revealing and emphasizing even the slightest textures in the surface of the clay.

As I mentioned in my previous article on this subject, Ferro Frit 3110 is a very alkaline frit, meaning that it will tend to have particular characteristics. For one, alkaline frits (and, by extension, alkaline glazes) tend to have a clear, bright, relatively intense color response. Another characteristic of alkaline glazes is they have a higher than normal rate of thermal expansion, which means that they craze on almost any kind of clay body. Third, these glazes tend to be more fragile than usual; that is, they don’t stand up well to exposure to the acids or bases found in foods. This crazing and fragility tends to limit their use to sculptural forms

Because of its alkaline nature, this glaze also has a tendency to settle. That’s because small amounts of alkali (sodium ions in particular) can leach out of alkaline materials, like this frit. This soluble alkali will cause the clay portion of the glaze to deflocculate, meaning that the clay particles repel each other, rather than being attracted together, which allows the other, heavier particles in the wet glaze to settle to the bottom of the bucket. Someone added 3% bentonite to this recipe, obviously in an attempt to fix this problem. Bentonite, by the way, is a very fine-grained volcanic clay that potters add to a glaze when there

Fig. 2: This color was variation “G” in the original article, containing 6% copper carbonate and 1% cobalt carbonate (I’ve started calling it “Blue-Green”). This cup had a scattering of popped bubbles throughout the surface after the first glaze firing. I painted a little dot of glaze over each of the bubbles, refired the cup, and the bubbles disappeared, leaving no residual mark. Note the slight roll of glaze at the bottom of the cup: the glaze became thicker at the bottom (over the course of two firings), but didn’t run off the cup. isn’t enough clay in the recipe to keep the other materials in suspension (note that this recipe contains only 7% EPK, which is a bit on the low side). However, if there is enough alkali, it can deflocculate the bentonite as well, so the glaze will continue to settle excessively (which is what this glaze did for me). The remedy for this problem is addition of a solution of Epsom salts and water (yup, the same

Epsom salts that are sold in drug stores). Epsom salts act as a flocculant, counteracting the tendency of soluble alkalis to act as deflocculants. If you haven’t flocculated a glaze before, don’t worry—it’s quite easy. Dissolve a cup of dry Epsom salts in a pint of hot water (I do this in a glass quart jar). You can keep this solution in your studio and it will stay good just about forever. A small amount of it can be added to a liquid glaze to thicken it and prevent it from

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

n the November/December 2009 issue of Clay Times, I introduced some new color variations on the classic Water Blue glaze. I was intrigued enough with the glaze that I decided to use it myself. This experience has resulted in my learning more about the glaze, which I’ll share with you in this column. (Just to refresh your memory, the base glaze recipe appears in the box above.)

Perspectives I As Far As I Know

Water Blue Glaze (from p. 17) settling. For a 10,000-gram batch (that’s about 5 gallons of liquid glaze) you might add a few tablespoons. It’s not rocket science—just add a bit and stir the glaze, continuing to add until the glaze thickens and the settling stops. You may need to add some water after flocculating, but if the particles are flocculated, then the glaze won’t hardpan when it settles. It will, instead, form a thick, soft layer on the bottom of the bucket.1

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“The switch boxes are made of thick steel. They don't use cheap wire mesh on their switch boxes. The wire mesh is spot-welded and fails after a few years. Stands are heavy duty. The galvanized steel base plate is a great feature especially for setting up a new kiln when you have to shift the kiln on the stand. For kilns without a steel base plate, you have to lift the kiln completely off the stand to adjust the kiln even a quarter of an inch. Otherwise the stand will dig into the bare brick bottom. “Another factor is element design. One production potter I know does literally day in, day out cone 6 firings in his Paragon Viking-28. He had his kiln for right at three years before needing new elements. The element replacement in that kiln could not have been simpler.” Call or email for a colorful free catalog or to find a dealer near you.

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I’ve had a number of people request that I publish a recommended specific gravity for new glazes. Specific gravity is a measure of the relative density of a substance compared with a reference material, like water (for liquids) or air (for gasses). For glazes, we compare the weight of the glaze with an equal volume of water. Glazes always weigh more than water, because glazes are made from rocks, and rocks are almost always heavier than water (even when finely ground). This is why all those rocks we tried to skip across lakes when we were kids tended to sink—the rocks had a higher specific gravity than the lake. For purposes of comparison, we assign water a density of one (1.0), so things that have a lower density than water have a specific gravity of less than one, while those with a density higher than water will be more than one. For instance, the oil that you put in your car has a specific gravity of about 0.9, which is why leaked oil in a parking lot will float on the water in the pot holes. Glazes are heavier than water, so their specific gravities will always be higher than 1. The best way to measure the specific gravity of a glaze is by weighing it. I use an electronic digital scale and a large plastic cup (it came with an immersion blender) that has milliliter gradations on its side. Place the empty cup on the scale and press the tare button so the scale removes the weight of the cup. Then pour the glaze into the cup until it reaches the 500 ml line (and do so as accurately as you can). Divide the total weight of the glaze by 500, and you’ll have the specific gravity. If your scale won’t handle that much weight (over 600 grams) or you don’t have that large a graduated cup or cylinder, then you can use a smaller cup. Just remember that you divide the weight of the glaze (in grams) by the volume of the glaze in milliliters. I don’t measure the specific gravity of glazes very often, but it is an excellent way to make sure that your glazes are the same density every time, which can prevent the loss of work from applying the glaze too thinly or too thickly. I mixed several batches of these glazes (in different colors), adjusting each of them by feel. When I weighed them for this column, I was a bit surprised that the specific gravities of all were almost identical: about 1.4 (each 500-ml cup weighed about 600 grams).

Perspectives I As Far As I Know

shelf, so you should use old kiln shelves and plenty of kiln wash until you learn the feel of the glaze.

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I mentioned in the previous article on this subject that this glaze bubbles pretty badly on stoneware. This is because the glaze begins to melt very early in the firing, trapping gasses Fig. 3: This is the same color variation (Grass Green) as in illustration 1, but cooled more quickly so that it remains more transparent and has only a trace of iridescence on its surface. that are still being I think it’s interesting that the amber color of the iron shows more strongly where the glaze ejected from the body. is thinner (near the rim), but becomes more of a copper green as the glaze becomes thicker No bubbles formed on (further down on this tea bowl). The cross-hatch texture in scratched into the surface of the any of my porcelain damp clay, and revealed by the pooling glaze. test tiles, but some developed on my pots because of the wax Potters are often tempted to use a hydrometer burning out of the body. This is pretty easy to to measure the specific gravity of glazes, deal with: I add a one- to two-hour soak at 1000° but hydrometers don’t work accurately for F on the way up in the firing to allow the wax suspensions (liquid glazes are suspensions, to burn away before the glaze begins to melt. not solutions). Don’t believe me? Try this: Mix a 1000-gram batch of this glaze and let it sit Certain color variations of this glaze have a for a few weeks. Remix it, place it in a tall, tendency to develop crystals, some of which narrow container, and measure the specific are quite jewel-like. If you want to emphasize gravity using a hydrometer. Add a teaspoon or crystal growth, then program a soak at about so of the Epsom salts solution (or enough to 1600° F (that’s 100° F lower than recommended flocculate the glaze), mix it well, and then test in the original article). If you instead want to it again. The true specific gravity of the glaze emphasize clarity and lack of crystals, then should go very slightly down, due to the water don’t do this soak. you added along with the Epsom salts. Instead, the hydrometer will show that the specific Refiring any of these colors will tend to make gravity increased—and depending on how them more iridescent, especially those that thick the flocculated glaze becomes, it may contain copper or manganese oxides. A very also reveal that the specific gravity increased slow cool from the highest temperature down a lot. Remember, with specific gravity we’re to about 1700° F will also tend to produce checking weight, not viscosity, so in this case this effect. the increased viscosity of the thickened glaze will fool the hydrometer into indicating a The hardest part of preparing this article higher weight. was trying to photograph these extremely reflective surfaces. It’s easy to photograph the This glaze is easily applied by dipping (after extruded test tiles that I normally use: I just it’s been flocculated), and doesn’t move so line them up on a flatbed scanner and take much in the firing that the running can’t be a high-definition scan. Pots tend to reflect controlled. I only use it on the outsides of pots, everything around them, though, so please and I apply a clear glaze to the inside and the try to ignore the reflections in the images ... [ rim. After the interior glaze has been applied, I paint wax emulsion to the glazed rim and the upper inch or so of the interior (that way, 1 Footnote: For more on how this works, see there is only a tiny sliver of overlap between “Adjusting Glazes for Application” from the the interior glaze and the exterior). The pot is March/April and May/June 1998 issues of Clay then dipped upside down, so that the rim (the Times, which you can read at the Clay Times top of the pot) enters the liquid glaze first, Website at http://www.claytimes.com/articles/ and exits the glaze last. Of course this means glazeadjusting.html that the glaze application is thicker at the top, and thinner at the bottom. The glaze tends to move downward during firing, so a fairly Peter Pinnell is Hixson-Lied Professor of Art at even fired coating results. The glaze tends to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. You can collect at the foot, so if you pile on the glaze, it reach him at ppinnell1@unl.edu or through his will definitely run off the foot and all over the Facebook page at www.facebook.com.

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A 16-year potter discusses her journey to a successful career in unique electric-fired works

part one of a series by LANA Wilson

things that had group-discounted rates. We didn’t really have art in the house, except our own creations. My grand-

Curran: Each of my siblings is uniquely creative in their own way. Perhaps it is not in a visual arts kind of way, but more

Curran: I think the ones that have attended my exhibitions or have been to my studio have a better understanding.

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

of a ‘survival of the fittest’ kind of way. Half of my siblings became classroom Curran: I showed teachers. To be a an interest in art at teacher, one has to a very young age, be creative in order and my parents to engage students definitely fostered in learning. The this throughout other half of my my childhood and siblings pursued continue to share finance, marketin these experiing, business/law, ences with me. and related fields. I have a brother who Recently, my paris an exceptional ents traveled to musician/vocalist. Penland with me, I have a sister who helping me lug is very creative in a craft booth to a Martha Stewart ACC (along with kind of way. She my husband) and Tumblers by Bernadette Curran. Wheel-thrown porcelain with handbuilt additions; drawn images always asks me if with multiple-glazes, electric-fired to cone 6. even assisting me I ever just make for an all-nighter something round, with my thesis with one glaze on show. When I was a child, they signed mother was an antiques collector. it! She is my proudest supporter, though. me up for any art programs they could. When we would visit her she would Growing up with that many siblings in I just loved it! My mom taught physical show us all of her latest finds—every deone household, we had to be creative education and my father worked as a tail, whether we were interested in it or to survive the rivalry. As the youngest, supervisor in the meat packing indusnot. I don’t think I appreciated this until I was a constant observer and listener. I try. I don’t recall museum trips to, let’s I was much older. witnessed all sorts of things. I tried every say, the MOMA, but I do recall plenty of sport, every club, to keep up with my oldWilson: I remember you were a demroad trips to historical and educational er siblings, but it was always the visual onstrator at Arrowmont’s Utilitarlandmarks. All ten kids and my parents arts (the one thing they didn’t do) that I ian Clay Conference and talked about would drive to just about any place there felt the most joy from. I don’t know if that being the youngest of ten children. was camping. For obvious reasons, we was because it was uncharted territory Then I asked you how you decided to did not stay in hotels. I remember going or because it was truly inherent to my be a potter. You looked up and said, with the whole family to Williamsburg, personal expression. “All the other jobs were taken.” I am where I witnessed various trades being curious—are any of your siblings in demonstrated: candle making, spinning, Wilson: Do your siblings understand the arts? forging, etc. Mostly, we did free events or what you do? Wilson: Did you grow up with an awareness of art?

Perspectives I Beneath the Surface

Bernadette Curran

Perspectives I Beneath the Surface

Bernadette Curran (continued from previous page) I think they don’t believe what I do until they hear it from someone else. My sister in North Carolina called me one day, flabbergasted because my niece’s art teacher had one of my postcards hanging in her office. My brother in Arizona e-mailed me in awe of how many hits my name had on the Web. Then he proceeded to ask me to make him a dinner plate with an image of his cat on it, and he attached a photo of his cat.

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

In my first year of graduate school when I was floundering about, Rebecca asked me a very helpful and yet obvious question: “What don’t you like historically in ceramics.” I found that much easier to answer than “What do you like?”

Wilson: How did you find out about the soda ash in a glaze creating that orange fuming effect? Curran: Oh yes, the orange fuming—a very happy accident/discovery. In anticipation of my thesis show, I had been firing all of my pots in the soda kiln, until one frightening day when the tech revealed that the soda kiln would be shut down for repairs. Why now? Why me? My pots were relegated to either the electric kilns or the downdraft kiln. In those sleepless days before the show, I chose electric. To my surprise, I found that certain glazes continued to fume as if they had been in an atmospheric firing—perhaps not as intense or concentrated, but there was some action. At the time I was disappointed, but then I realized I wasn’t going to have access to a soda kiln after graduation. I started to pay closer attention to which surface combinations and juxtapositions would instigate this faux soda. The drawn images actually became easier to read without the heavy, unpredictable deposit of ash on the surface. It definitely took some time to warm up to the idea of oxidation firing.

Curran: Chris Staley asked me, “Do you think your work is conceptual or intuitive?” At the time I answered “conceptual” because I thought it sounded more impressive. But I believe my work is indeed intuitive.

Nursing the Chickens by Bernadette Curran. Horse tray with salt and pepper set. Cone 6 porcelain; thrown, altered, handbuilt, and electric fired.

several reasons. Because Peter focused on the ‘positive’ in my work, it took away my fear of making something wrong. So I wasn’t afraid of making anything—and there were a lot of bad ‘anythings,’ but among them were some interesting beginnings. I recall one wild thing I made early on that was ghastly, but humorous and intriguing to Peter during our first critique. It was an oversized majolica frog sitting in an earthenware basket. Indeed this was a catalyst for my love of drawing animals and playing with narrative on a threedimensional form. Peter was also responsible for encouraging me to put my pots out in the world for sale, which at the time seemed foreign. What? Sell things I make? It was wonderful. I will always remember the first $15 I made. Having an audience with feedback made it very real.

Wilson: Tell us about your undergraduate work and MFA experience.

Wilson: What was the early style of your work?

Curran: I have a BFA from Pennsylvania State University where I studied with Chuck Aydlett, Chris Staley, and Liz Quackenbush. I spent equal time with all of them. I also apprenticed with Liz for two summers, so we became very close and continue our friendship to this day. I went to Ohio State University in Columbus, where Mary Jo Bole and Rebecca Harvey teach. Most all of my interaction there was with Rebecca Harvey and faculty from other disciplines, in particular the bookmaking and print-making teacher. I also studied with Peter Beasecker as a Special Student for one year. Studying with Peter was pivotal in my development for

Curran: The theme of animals as a catalyst for making pots came about early on after having taken a workshop with Ron Meyers, but it was the execution of the animal as both a form and surface that went through transitions to come to my current work. Early on, I experimented with the human figure as subject matter, but at some point it became too serious, too close to me. Animals not only allowed for personification, but they had these wonderful gestures, skins, and bloated body parts that intrigued me. Wilson: What provocative or helpful questions were you asked by your professors?

Upon reflection, it may have behooved me to delay graduate school for a year or two more than I did. I think some maturity and maybe another residency could have given me a little bit more focused direction. Wilson: How many years did you support yourself with your work? What were the best and worst of those years? Curran: I supported myself through my work and teaching gigs at community art centers for five years. The best part was that I was actually able to do it and come out ahead, even after all my expenses. The worst was making novice wholesale decisions that stifled my creativity and selling pots too cheaply. It was also difficult being the newest faculty at the local art centers; I got the leftover classes that no one else was willing to teach. But that pre-teen wheel class helped pay my studio rent. Wilson: Do you think you are more interested in form or surface, or equally interested in both? Curran: I am equally interested in both form and surface. Depending on the pot’s use, it will lend itself to one or the other. For example, a plate is a blank canvas for surface, while a butter dish calls for form. The challenge and intrigue is bringing those two worlds together on one pot. I would describe my body of work as falling into three categories: animals drawn on the surface of a simple pot (surface), animal or abode as pot (form), and third, the serendipitous pot that is one and the same, both drawn and moving in space as an enlivened volume. [ Lana Wilson is happy to respond to your e-mails. You may reach her at: lana@lanawilson.com. To view her new work and workshop schedule, visit her new Web page at: www. lanawilson.com.

Making a Three-bowl Chip ‘n’ Dip

TEXT & PHOTOS by BILL van GILDER

In Form I Teaching Techniques

It’s an Illusion

Necessary Supplies • (2) 3-lb. balls of throwing clay • (2) bats • (2) small ware boards • water and a small sponge • a ruler • a cut-off wire

Fig. 1

• a fettling knife or wire knife • a small, rubber rib • a trimming tool • an under-cut tool

The Project A chip ‘n’ dip server is one of the most useful pieces of pottery we can make. Every household I’ve ever been in has at least one of them: big bowls and little bowls. How we put the two together can make the finished piece interesting and salable, or boring and

So, to get them moving in a creative direction, talk about, draw, and show them this bit of magic: how to make three bowls from two bowls, and then combine them to end up with one finished piece—a threebowl chip ‘n’ dip server (Fig. 1). Diagramming projects like this one can often be a real help. Some students can easily relate to the making steps if they see them drawn first, through drawings made without too much detail, yet enough to get the idea across (Fig. 2, next page).

The Demo Set yourself up at your wheel with the tools and materials described in the Necessary Supplies list (above, left) and gather your

class. As you attach one of the bats to the wheelhead, describe the project’s ultimate use—a combination of bowls for serving shrimp and cocktail sauce, chips and salsa or guacamole, hot wings and bleu cheese dressing, “or whatever you’re hungry for.” Then, as you attach your first ball of clay to the bat, describe again the magic trick you’re about to perform: “I’m going throw two bowls now, and let them dry a bit. Then, I’m going to turn my two bowls into three bowls and combine all three to make one finished piece. It may seem complicated, but it’s really not as difficult as it sounds. Hang in there and watch. And it starts by throwing, or handbuilding, two identical 3-lb. bowls.” Throw your first 3-lb. bowl low and wide, with a sturdy, rounded rim. Use a soft rubber rib to curve and smooth the inside floor, then use the rib to smooth and remove the wet slip from the outside wall. Use your under-cut tool to trim a shallow bevel at the outside base, then lightly sponge the inside

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

s potters, we seldom hear the words ‘magic’ or ‘illusion’— something that fools the eye—to describe the work we do. But this project has a bit of that in it, or so I’ve been told by students. And magic is cool. The word alone gets students’ attention and keeps them really focused on what you’re doing— until you give it away! But that’s teaching … “This is how I do it. Let’s see what magic you can come up with.”

typical. It’s a challenging project to put in front of students, and you’ll be surprised to see what combinations they come up with if you can get them to ‘think outside the bowl.’

In Form I Teaching Techniques

Fig. 6

Fig. 9

Fig. 2

Fig. 7

the tip of the chopstick close to, but not touching, the rim of your bowl (Fig. 3). Then carefully remove the bat with the bowl attached, being careful not to bump your ‘pointer.’ Throw your second bowl to mimic your first one as close as possible. Keep in mind that the height, width, and the rim shape and thickness are important features here. Here are a few tips to help accomplish that:

Fig. 3

Fig. 8 area of your bowl. Lastly, sponge the rim smooth and round.

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 10

Pull your cut-off wire beneath your bowl with the wheel moving slowly, or not—it generally doesn’t matter if your bowl is spinning or sitting still during the wire cutting. You can push, or pull, the wire underneath the pot from front to back or back to front. The direction doesn’t make much difference one way or the other; just have confidence and be comfortable doing it. Now make a second bowl the same size and shape as the first. Before you remove your first bowl from the wheel, however, record the height and width, then use those measurements to make bowl #2. You can use a ruler or try this simple measuring method: push a chopstick into a small ball of clay, and secure the clay to the edge of your splash pan or water bucket. Position

1) Use the same weight of clay for each bowl. 2) Use the same tools, in the same order, from beginning to end. 3) Use the same hand motions, in the same order, from start to finish. It’s all about repetition and practice—and this is a great project for students to practice their bowl-making skills.

Trimming Allow your bowls to dry until they’re soft leather-hard and, as soon as possible, pry them from their bats. Invert each bowl in turn, then center and attach them securely to the wheelhead with three small coils of clay. Or, place and center each bowl onto a foam-covered bat. Trim the outside wall area of each bowl round (Fig. 4) and smooth or burnish the trimmed surface with your soft rubber

Fig. 13

over, sandwiching the bowls between the ware In this case, cut a piece from only one of your boards. Then remove the top board. trimmed bowls, and connect the two bowls by positioning the cut edge to the outside wall of Using your worktable surface, roll out a long the uncut bowl (Fig. 12). Then attach the small ¼"-thick coil of very soft clay, one long enough piece of bowl you cut away to the inside wall Fig. 11 to completely cover the seam from rim to rim. of the uncut bowl (Fig 13). Dampen the coil and, with a wet fingertip, press and smooth it into the crevice between Finishing Your Demo the bowls. Put your small ware board onto the rib. Note that the diameter of the flat base base again, flip the bowls upright, remove the area of each bowl should be about 1/3 of the top board, and set that part of the project aside. As you complete the project in front of your class, add these two notes: diameter of the top of the bowl, measured from rim to rim. Explain to your class, “A Now it’s time to assemble and attach the bowl with a top diameter of 12" will have a smaller dip bowl to your larger bowls. Pick “The dimensions of the two bowls you make flat base diameter of about 3½" to 4".” Place up each of the curved pieces that you cut are determined by the use of the finished your trimmed bowls onto a small ware from the larger bowls earlier, and dampen piece. So imagine this serving piece on your board, and move the project to a worktable. both cut edges. Then press the cut surfaces dining table, full of great things to eat, and go from there. firmly together (Fig. 8). Press another thin coil Cutting and Assembling into and over the seam at the inside of your “You can add a bit more function and another leaf-shaped bowl. Turn the form over in your Use your ruler to measure and lightly hand and use your knife to trim away about dimension to your chip ‘n’ dip bowl by mark each rim identically (Fig. 5). For your ¼" of clay from the outside curved seam. Set attaching textured handles at each end of the 3-lb. bowls, two marks made 6" apart is your dip bowl on the table, rim down, and form,” (see finished form, Fig. 1 on page 23). about right. Now, holding your cut-off wire make one more long, thin coil. Dampen it and stretched tightly between your fingertips lightly press it along the total length of the “I’m sure there are other creative ways to and using the two rim marks as starting outside seam. Wet the attached coil one more make this serving piece … like, suppose points, cut straight down through each bowl time, position your small dip bowl between you combine three large bowls in a row and (Fig. 6). You’ll be cutting a bit less than 1/3 the two larger bowls, and press it down attached two smaller dip bowls between of each bowl away. Keep the cut-off pieces firmly, attaching it in place (Fig. 9). While them? Hmm … but now I’m anxious to see what kind of illusionary chip ‘n’ dip bowls you nearby, as you’ll need to use them later. pressing your bowl into place, make sure the can design and make. Let’s get to work!” [ rims are lined up—level, crossed-over, and Next, using your small sponge or a floppy- intersecting—to give you the illusion you’re bristled paintbrush, dampen both of the looking for. Bill van Gilder has been a full-time potter since the cut surfaces of your larger bowls. Let the 1960s and teaches pottery-making workshops. He wetness soak in for a minute or two, then may be reached by e-mail at vangilderpottery@ One More Method… push the two bowls together, damp edge to earthlink.net. His potters’ tool line, van Gilder damp edge (Fig. 7). Tightly pinch and join

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

the inside seam with your fingertips, while As I developed this project, I discovered Tools, is available via the online store at www. making sure the rims are level. another way to make the same piece, with the claytimes.com, or by calling toll-free 1.800. same visual result (Fig. 10). I’m not sure which 356.2529. Now you’ve got to secure and fill the seam method is easier … it’s just another option you at the outside of your connected bowls. To might want to show your class later, as ‘Part 2’ accomplish that, you’ll need to flip your of the project. two connected bowls over. But first, place a small towel or a sheet of foam rubber on This method can sound confusing when top of the rims to protect against dents or verbalized, so use of an erasable board to damage. Put your second small ware board diagram the basic steps can be really helpful over the pad and carefully flip the bowls (Fig. 11).

In Form I Teaching Techniques

Fig. 12

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Electric Kilns: Maintenance & Firing BY JOANIE TURBEK

s every artist knows, it takes a wide variety of skills to successfully create fine art. Ceramists are no exception; the most successful of us can wear the hat of chemist or contractor as easily as that of a kiln technician, photographer, or graphic designer. These hats represent the tools we need to enable the most control over our final product and how it is perceived in the marketplace. With ceramics itself, there is always something new to learn, and while this is an invigorating aspect of our material, it is often intimidating to learn a whole new set of skills. With this in mind, The Clay Studio in Philadelphia has rolled out a line of workshops called “Get smARTs”™ that focuses not only on new ceramic techniques, but also on the supplementary skills that emerging artists need to effectively represent themselves.

Jennifer, The Clay Studio’s General Manager, guides participants through the best ways of firing and programming schedules for electric kilns. She leads discussions about strategies for getting the most out of kiln sitters, cones, holds, and firing down to get the results you want. The workshop also offers insight on money-saving techniques for ceramics studios, like how to replace elements, soft brick, thermocouples, relays, connector wires, and other basic equipment in your kiln that you can maintain yourself. That being said, Jennifer offers Clay Times readers these ten indispensable tips to help keep your electric kiln cookin’!

release toxic fumes into the air. Consult the manufacturer’s specifications when you install your kiln to assure a healthy environment in your kiln room and studio space.

10 Tips Every Electric Kiln Owner Should Know

Since The Clay Studio’s mission is intimately tied to the education and promotion of ceramic artists at all levels, the new Get smARTs workshop series is a perfect fit for the education program. We recognized early on that even when individuals have progressed beyond the point of taking classes, there is still a distinct need for support on topics ranging from equipment maintenance to marketing art in a smart and effective way. Get smARTs offer an opportunity for local artists to learn from their peers in the community. In a low- cost, high-impact format, we offer these short, three-hour workshops at affordable prices while retaining the flexibility to schedule timely workshops that are most pertinent to our community.

Before starting any maintenance on your equipment, remember (especially if you are having a problem) … Unplug your kiln! Make sure that your kiln is unplugged or turned off at the power source.

Protect your shelves by covering them with a light coat of kiln wash. Kiln wash will provide a barrier to prevent the glaze from sticking to your kiln shelves. Kiln wash generally is made from a combination of kaolin and aluminum hydroxide, and can be purchased pre-mixed from most major ceramic suppliers.

Make sure your kiln is an appropriate distance away from walls and furniture. As a general rule, kilns should be 18' away from walls, shelves and furniture. However, notwithstanding this rule of thumb, always read the manufacturer’s recommendation before installing a kiln.

[2] Let it Breathe Proper venting is crucial to maintaining safe equipment. As your kiln is fired, it may

It’s not just for rugs anymore! Be sure to vacuum out the bottom of your kiln, as well as the grooves that hold the elements. This will extend the life of your elements and keep the brick walls of your kiln in good shape.

[4] Wash Up

[5] Handle with Care Treat the top of your kiln with special attention. Although it may be tempting, avoid stacking anything on top of your kiln. The top of your kiln is made of fragile soft bricks that will eventually crack and cave in if weight is placed on them, or from the impact of the lid being closed forcefully.

[6] Don’t Rely on Your Kiln Sitter Kilns have made some major advancements in recent years, and are now more reliable and controllable than ever. It is easy

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

One of the most popular workshops to date has been the Electric Kiln Maintenance Workshop with Jennifer Martin, most recently held on January 30th, 2010.

[1] Give it Space

[3] Vacuum

Ten Tips Every Electric Kiln Owner Should Know

(continued from previous page)

to forget that your kiln is a serious piece of machinery. Kilns should never be left unattended while firing, and you should always plan to be present when the kiln is expected to fire off to make sure a mechanical error doesn’t result in a meltdown!

should have at least three cones: the firing cone, which is the cone that you are planning to fire to; one cone number above; and one cone number below. A perfect firing will result in your target cone bending at a right (90°) angle.

[7] Use Cone Packs

[8] Check Your Elements

The surest way to know that your kiln is getting to the correct temperature is to use cone packs in your kiln. For large kilns, you may want to put a cone pack in both the top and bottom of the kiln to assure that your kiln is firing evenly. Your cone packs

If you suspect that one of your elements is not working, take a standard wooden pencil and place the lead on the element when it is cycling on. You should feel a slight buzzing as the electricity moves through the element. This will only tell you that you are getting electricity to the elements, not if your elements need to be replaced.

[9] Chill Out Ceramic – Pottery – Glass – Studio Equipment Discount Packages – Delivery – Installation – Instruction Mike Swauger • (540) 636-6016 TOLL FREE 1-877-KILNDOC mike@thekilndoctor.com www.thekilndoctor.com 202 East Main Street, Front Royal, VA 22630 Serving VA, WV, MD, DC & DE

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Opening the kiln when it is hot can damage your work and cause wear on the elements. Do not open the kiln when it is hotter than 450° Fahrenheit (F). If you do not have a pyrometer gauge on your kiln, you can stick a strip of paper into the spy hole of your kiln. If the paper starts to smoke, the kiln is hotter than 450° F. If the paper does not burn, crack the door approximately 2" until the air inside the kiln feels warm but not hot, approximately 200° F.

CARTOON BY CODY GARCIA

SHOWROOM • RETAIL SALES • SERVICE

[10] Elements are Elementary If you do need to replace your elements, The Clay Studio does not recommend changing kiln elements without prior experience and cannot be held responsible for errors made in installation. This being said, for those with prior experience or instruction, elements can be replaced with just a few basic tools, patience, and some time. (I know we said it before, but always start by unplugging the kiln! It should have no connection to an electrical source while you work with the elements.) New elements will go in the same way the old ones came out (some kilns require the elements to be pinned in place with hightemperature wire). It is also important to label and diagram where all of the elements and wires are attached. Always consult your kiln manufacturer or local supplier to make sure you have the correct elements, as elements are often specific to a particular model. Also, sometimes the new elements may be slightly short or long, but don’t worry—a little crimping or stretching will take care of that. Once you are done, make sure you test-fire the kiln to ensure that any residue on the elements is burned off. And remember: don’t forget your cone packs! [

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Shop Talk I Firing

New Kilns & New Valves BY marc ward

t’s the spring issue and I’m going where I usually go. This article is about new kilns and kiln building; specifically, about the new valves you’re going to be using on old or new burners. To begin with, let’s talk about the little codes, letters, and chicken scratch that appears on the body of shut-off valves:

Since 9/11, folks in North America have seen governments and authorities doing their best to protect us more (even if we don’t want protecting). This is not a political rant, just an observation of what has been going on in the gas world regarding issuance of permits, and compliance. More and more inspectors and installation folks have been looking for specific symbols on gas equipment. Here’s a brief rundown on what they stand for, and what they mean: UL — Underwriters Laboratory. This is a private organization that tests all sorts of things. A manufacturer has to pay big for a listing with them! There are things that are not UL-listed that are perfectly safe, but not things that are UL-listed that are dangerous. If you pay for the service and UL lists your product, it is accepted as safe and insurable. Many valves have this listing, but many do not—which most often means the manufacturer didn’t want to spend the money for listing, not that the product was basically unsafe.

CSA — The Canadian Standards Agency was similar to UL. It is now known as CSA International. It has three approvals: the CSA for Canada, CSAus for the U.S., and

WOG — This is usually followed by a number like 250, 400, or 600. It means Water, Oil, or Gas at 250 psi, etc. If this is the only marking, these valves have not been sent off for listing. It doesn’t mean they don’t work, but you’ll have a harder time getting them past the inspectors. Remember, inspectors generally don’t make independent decisions; they enforce rules, and many rules state you’ve got to have a “listed” valve. WSP — Preceded or followed by numbers (psi): It means Wet Steam Pressure. CWP — Cold Working Pressure. This and WSP don’t have much application for gas or burners as far as inspectors are concerned. FM — FMGlobal is an approval agency similar to UL, but more directed at commercial products than consumer products. Many times, an FM approval is harder to come by than a UL approval, but since it is more industrial-based, it is not as recognizable as UL. CGA — This is a tricky one. There is a Compressed Gas Association that deals with medical gases and industrial gases, but when you see this on a valve it means the Canadian Gas Association has approved it. There are subsets under the CGA that conform to CSA standards. ANSI — American National Standards Institute. These guys set standards, then

folks like UL put approvals on things that have lived up to the standards. ANSI codes (usually followed by numbers) are usually only seen on industrial products. You generally won’t see ANSI without association with an approval such as CGA: • CGA 3.16 — Approved to ½ psi • 5g — Approved by CSA to use for 5 psi • 125g — Approved by CSA for use to 125 psi. Just be aware that one valve might have all three of the above stamps relating to pressure. If you see the CGA 3.16 stamp, it probably doesn’t mean it is only good to ½ psi. There may be other pressure stamps (and there may be other stamps I haven’t covered) scrawled all over your valve like strange markings from the Roswell crash site. Many of them pertain to valve body materials, model numbers, and such. So, that was fascinating reading, right? After pondering all this, you may not necessarily be inspired to do much of anything with it, but you should save this information in a spot where you can find it later. When the gas inspector, fire marshal, or neighborhood busybody makes a fuss, this may be some ammunition you will find useful. Next issue, I’ll tell you about some of the kinds of valves these markings can be found on, and whether or not they’re appropriate for gas-fired kilns. [

Marc Ward is owner and operator of Ward Burner Systems, PO Box 1086, Dandridge, Tennessee 37725. He invites you to sign up for his free newsletter, and can be reached by phone at 865.397.2914 or through the online catalog and Web site at: www.wardburner.com.

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

AGA — American Gas Association. No longer a functioning entity, but you will still see their logo. They were bought by CSA in 2007.

CSA International. These guys are now pretty specific to gas equipment and testing, so if your gas guy starts talking AGA, you can pull out your trump card and say, “I guess you’re unaware that AGA was bought by and became part of CSA International and CSAus in 2007.”

Plate by Samuel Hoffman.

Covered Jar by Phil Rogers.

Teapot by Charity Davis-Woodard.

SHINO REDUX 2010 a national invitational exhibition curated by Malcolm Davis

HINO REDUX 2010, a national invitational exhibition featuring a wide variety of works glazed with shino and carbon-traps by 74 clay artists, recently took place at the Clay Art Center in Port Chester, New York. Shino, a generic term for a family of pottery glazes that originated in Japan in the 16th century, is a glaze that has captivated the imaginations of hundreds of potters for hundreds of years. This particular exhibition sequels a similar Baltimore, 2005 show curated by Malcolm Davis. Shino Redux 2010 is an updated version of that exhibition, featuring new artists on the shino scene as well as many who are recognized for their superior accomplishments with this challenging glaze medium.

In the words of curator Davis, the exhibition featured “all manner of pots and nonpots, white and gray, peach and salmon, fat and thick, quiet and dramatic, big and small, crazed and crackled, crawled and pitted ... even some yellows and some blues, and some work that challenges the meaning of what makes shino shino. He concluded that the final exhibition featured “a magnificent spread” of works. Clay Art Center is a not-for-profit ceramic art organization offering exhibitions, clay classes for adults and children, studio spaces for clay artists, and outreach programs in the community. For further details, e-mail leigh@clayartcenter.org or call 914.937.2047. [

Bottle by Walter Hyleck.

Readers Share I Art Works

The Gallery

Botanical Building Blocks. 22" x 22" x 2". Ceramic with fused glass and fiber. Meagan Chaney, 948 S.E. 14th St., Ocala, FL 34471. E-mail: info@meaganchaney. com. Website: www.MeaganChaney.com; www.clayandglassblog.com.

Tilted (Whale Migration). 20" x 28" with lid. Wheel-thrown porcelain textured with slip and multi-glaze fired to cone 10 in reduction. Frank Martinez, 100 S. Ridge Rd. Apt. 518, Wichita, KS 67209. E-mail: fmartinez01@cox.net.

CLAYTIMESÂˇCOM n SPRING 2010

Submit images of your claywork for publication in The Gallery!

Send your high-quality color print, slide, or 1050-x-1500-pixel (minimum) digital image to: The Gallery, Clay Times, P.O. Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197. Be sure to include your name, address, telephone number, Website and/or e-mail address, type of clay, glaze, firing method, and dimensions of the work. (Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for photo/slide return.) Plate. Wheel-thrown stoneware with glazes, oxidation-fired to cone 6. Gloria Singer, 14 Disbrow Ct., East Brunswick, NJ 08816. E-mail: Gloria@GloriaSingerPottery.com. Web: www.GloriaSingerPottery.com.

All Aboard. 15" x 14" x 9". Handbuilt earthenware. Mike Prather, 13461 Cambridge Springs Rd., Edinboro, PA 16412. E-mail: mprather@hotmail.com. Website: www.mikeprather.com.

Hex Jar. 18" x 14½" x 14½". Thrown and altered composite form with sprigged elements; strontium and fake ash sprayed glazes. Fired to cone 10 in reduction. Jake Allee, 392 Ridgeview Dr., Grand Junction, CO 81507. E-mail: jakeallee10@gmail.com. Website: www.jakeallee.com.

B.O. #1. Kwok-Pong (Bobby) Tso, 719 Seneca St., Apt. #1, Webster City, Iowa 50595. E-mail: Hyacinth3219@hotmail.com; Website: http://bobbytso.com.

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

Pitcher. 6" x 8" x 4". Thrown and altered stoneware with white matte glaze, soda-fired in reduction to cone 11. Tom Mull, 23 Malta Dr., San Francisco, CA 94131. E-mail: pot_tom@msn.com; Website: www.mull.aftosawebhosting.com.

Readers Share I Art Works

The Gallery

Adding colorants to a base glaze can be an interesting exercise in glaze chemistry. This gives you countless possibilities with a single base glaze.

Trinity’s Base Glazes are available in Semi Matte or Transparent Gloss and fire to a cone 6. They come packaged dry in a plastic bucket for easy mixing. 1 gallon $18.75 2 gallon $33.75 5 gallon $80.00 A great way to get started mixing colored glazes is with a Glaze Sampler for $25.00. Trinity’s Glaze Sampler contains a ¼# each of both powdered and granular Ilmenite, Rutile, GS-521 Pink, 41720 Yellow, 41715 Turquoise and Manganese Dioxide. Trinity’s Stain Sampler is also available for $32.00. Each sampler contains a ¼# of each of the following ceramic stains: Dark Blue, Bright Yellow, Pink, Red Brown, Coral,Light Blue, Black, and Chrome Green.

Call us or email for a color brochure about Trinity’s Cone 6 Glazes. Trinity Ceramic Supply, Inc. 9016 Diplomacy Row Dallas, TX 75247 214 631-0540 www.trinityceramic.com

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

NEW Must-SEES & Must-HAVES for you and your clay studio!

Now featuring more great stuff—with expanded content & back issue collections—at CT ONLINE!

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reviews by STEVEN BRANFMAN

The Basics of Throwing: A Practical Approach to Form and Design by David Cohen A&C Black • University of Pennsylvania Press • Paperback • $24.95 Is there a subject more written about in the potter’s archives than throwing? I don’t think so! So what is it about this one that has my attention? Let’s start with the subtitle: A Practical Approach to Form and Design. There is a sophistication and recognition of the fundamental, and arguably the most important, basis of creating objects: form and design. I’m thinking that if Cohen can teach throwing and deal with these issues, we’ve got a winning combination.

The Basics of Throwing is divided into nine chapters, and in 144 pages the reader is taken from the properties

The final chapter introduces us to five potters whose work the author hopes will encourage, inspire, and excite the reader. Trust me, they will. Cohen’s throwing methods are personal, as are all potters’ approaches. You will see him center, pull cylinders, and form shapes in his own way that may fly in the face of the way you have already been taught. This is to be not only expected, but embraced, because throwing is very personal. We take elements of technique from different sources and teachers, then meld, combine, and personalize them until they work for us. Although the instructional text is clear, detailed, complete, and comfortable to read and follow, the strength of Cohen’s teaching lies in his consistent focus on form, design, craftsmanship, and creativity. He talks about throwing in series, analyzing and criticizing your work, and the technical and visual vocabulary of design. These are the elements that distinguish The Basics of Throwing from other books on the subject. There are many excellent books on throwing. Is this the best one? Only the reader can decide that, but from where I sit, it is at least near the top of the list.

Ceramics for Beginners: Hand Building by Shay Amber • Lark Books • Hardcover • $24.95. Lark Books knows how to produce craft books, and this series is no exception. Bright, colorful, and imagedriven, Ceramics for Beginners: Hand Building takes the individual new to clay through all of the basic steps of handbuilding. The first part of the book introduces the reader to materials, tools, equipment, process, and the workings of the studio. Amber presents the essentials without burdening the reader with unnecessary technical details that would only confuse and be of no practical use. Clay composition, clay bodies, color, texture, plasticity, stages of dryness, and reclaiming clay are some of the issues discussed. In the section on getting to know the studio, she introduces the reader to the workspace, discussing safety, tools, equipment, furnishings, kilns, and more—again, with just enough detail to make the information understandable and useful. The instruction is project-based, going from elementary to complex and presented within the categories of pinching, coiling, slabs, and making and using stamps. All of the 12 projects are simple in concept, yet sophisticated in design and aesthetics, covering both vessel forms and sculptural objects, functional and non-functional work, simple forming, and more complicated construction. There is a relaxed, comfortable approach taken by the author that the reader will enjoy. Each chapter ends with a selection of work by established clay artists that is stimulating and exciting, but not intimidating. The work is clearly chosen to inspire readers and push them to new heights. Shay’s instructional text is clear and easy to follow, but not at all juvenile, and flows in and out of the full-color

photographs on every page. She is an accomplished and passionate teacher, and this is evident in the careful details and encouraging style of her instruction. Glazing and firing are introduced in the final two chapters, where she gives the reader the basics: just enough to understand, proceed, and instill confidence, but not so much information that it becomes frightening or overwhelming. A basic understanding of glazes including materials, different appearances, and preparation of ware and glaze, is followed by simple application methods and troubleshooting. A short section on firing gives the reader a familiarity with kilns, loading, and firing. Finally, there is a small selection of slips and glazes simple enough for the beginner to start experimenting with. Ceramics for Beginners: Hand Building is for pottery students of all ages and will be equally useful in the hands of a middle school art teacher, high school pottery teacher and her students, or the adult working at home, or as an adult-education class text. It’s now in my school studio library. Good job, Shay! [

Steven Branfman is a an accomplished potter and teacher of pottery and ceramics at Thayer Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts, and proprietor of The Potters Shop and School. He may be reached by phone at 781.449.7687 or via e-mail at sbranfpots@aol.com.

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010 CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

If you are a regular reader of this column, you probably know that I always start a book by reading the author’s introduction (and you should, too). Cohen’s intro was the hook. His sensibilities and the issues that he finds most important are those with which I identify and focus on in my own teaching: mechanics, ergonomics, mental attitude, sense of rhythm, posture, critical thought, and emotional and physical response. Relate to these elements, and you are well on your way to understanding clay and what you can do with it.

of clay to teapots, advanced forms, and complicated expressive approaches. The style of the book is image-driven. The 475 well-done, carefully chosen photographs with extensive instructional captions and overlay details are easy to understand and utilize. Especially helpful are the cutaway photos showing hand and finger position, wall thickness, and other nuances of the potter’s craft. Interspersed are helpful technical details that many books overlook: attaching a wooden bat to the wheel, the mechanics of the potter’s wheel, and making a cut-off wire, to name a few. Cohen covers a variety of forms, handles, lids, spouts, trimming, and more.

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Scales are essential pieces of equipment for the pottery studio—but which ones do you need, and for what? Read on to discover the latest, greatest models Vince has come to prefer for clay and glaze materials ...

hen I first learned ceramics, the only scales we used were triple-beam balances for glaze materials and industrial platform scales on wheels for mixing clay. The range of equipment available today is a bit mind-boggling. I will discuss a number of electronic balances available, but some of the old-fashioned mechanical scales are still going strong, and are often the best choice for the clay studio. If you can’t find the following scales at your favorite ceramic supplier, try: www.affordablescales.com.

The Triple-Beam Balance

I should mention that the Adams Equipment® TBB-2610T triple-beam balance costs less than $100 including tare beam and accessory weight set. I have not used this scale, but it looks good. There is one primary advantage to the classic triple-beam balance that is missing from the less-expensive electronic digital scales that are becoming increasingly popular in ceramics studios. With the triple-beam, you can set the desired weight and add to the weighing container until the balance beam moves. Once you get used to this, it goes very quickly, and you can weigh out exact amounts rapidly. The bargain electronic balances only tell you the amount of weight on the weighing platform, and thus you must watch the digital readout very carefully in order to stop when you reach the desired weight.

There is something reassuring about the certainty of a mechanical-beam balance where all the parts are visible. If you learn to use the Ohaus triple-beam balance properly, zero the weighing container, and avoid physically damaging the unit, it is foolproof.

Countertop Dial Scales When weighing out lumps of clay for throwing, the traditional countertop springbalance dial scale is still my first choice. Bailey.com has the Pelouze® YG-80 for around $70. It weighs up to 50 lbs. and is ideal for general studio weighing tasks where high precision is not needed. Personally, I prefer the more industrial look of the Detecto® T2-5KP for around $95, with a maximum capacity of 55 lbs. The Detecto scales also have dual concentric readouts showing both pounds and kilograms.

Electronic Digital Scales An ever-increasing variety of electronic digital scales is available, ranging from reasonably priced to very expensive. There is no reason to get an expensive one, because they are generally intended for specialized applications beyond what we need in the glaze lab. As long as you stick with those designed for general weighing purposes, an electronic scale will often be far less expensive than a precision mechanical scale.

continued on next page

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

The “old reliable” Ohaus® triple-beam balance is still the standard in most studio and university glaze labs throughout North America. The most popular unit is the Ohaus model 760 with tare beam for around $180. The tare beam allows you to zero the weight of the empty container, which is a great advantage. Without the tare beam, you have to weigh the container separately, and then take that into consideration when weighing your material. The capacity of the model 760 is only 610 grams, and thus the accessory metric weight set for around $35 is mandatory. The weight set includes two 1000-gram weights and one 500-gram weight that hang on the end of the balance beam in different combinations, allowing precision weighing up to 2610 grams.

If you get the Ohaus 760 balance with tare beam, I recommend the Ohaus “Maxi-Scoop” for around $23, a sturdy, all-purpose weighing scoop that fits the scale platform. You do not need the one with the tare weight, because the tare beam on the scale will accommodate that. Keep in mind that if you get the less-expensive Ohaus model 750S scale without tare beam and want one of the Ohaus weighing scoops, you will need the more expensive model that includes a counterweight to compensate for the weight of the scoop. More importantly, that counterweight will take up one of the pegs on the end of the balance beam, severely compromising your ability to use the accessory weight set. There’s no point in getting an Ohaus triple-beam balance unless you get the model 760 with tare beam.

by VINCE PITELKA

Shop Talk I Tool Times

Weighing Your Scale Options

Shop Talk I Tool Times

Scales for the Clay Studio (continued from previous page)

Ohaus offers the compact CS series of digital gram scales. The CS5000 for about $90 has a capacity of 5000 grams, but is only accurate within 2 grams. That’s inconsequential if you are weighing 2500 grams of potash feldspar, but of concern when weighing 15 grams of red copper oxide or cobalt carbonate. The CS200 for about $80 is accurate to 0.1 grams, but only weighs a maximum of 200 grams. For the discerning glaze-mixer, I suppose it would make sense to have both. The Acculab Econ series does a little better. The EC-211 for around $42 has a capacity of 210 grams and an accuracy of 0.1 grams, while their model EC-4100 for $62 has a capacity of 4100 grams and an accuracy of 1.0 grams, which is quite a bit better than the Ohaus model mentioned above.

Electronic Digital Counting Scales All of the electronic scales mentioned earlier will allow you to zero the weight of an empty container, but beyond that they just read the weight of whatever you add to the platform. If you want the full capability of the mechanical triple-beam balance, where you can set the weight and then add material until the set weight is reached, you’ll need to move into the more expensive category of “counting scales,” which generally cost at least $200. For example, the Citizen® brand CKG-series digital counting scales feature an audible alarm that goes off when you reach a preset weight. Most of the counting scales will keep track of multiple weights in sequence in order to determine an accumulated total. Many even have computer and printer connections (although I am not sure how we would use those features in the glaze lab).

Electronic Digital Scales for Clay Mixing For weighing larger quantities of materials when mixing clay, the new electronic balances have great advantages over the old mechanical bench scales, and the prices are reasonable. I like the Ohaus SD75 digital bench scale for around $125, with a capacity of 165 lbs. and 0.1-lb. accuracy. It has a sturdy, low-profile weighing platform connected by coiled stretch cord to a digital readout that can be mounted on the wall. As you can see from the image below, the digital readout can be out of harm’s way and won’t get obscured by spilled materials when the weighing platform is placed on the floor to handle bags and buckets.

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

When you move into the realm of the counting scales, you also get greater accuracy. The Citizen® CKG-6 counting scale for $240 (pictured above) has a capacity of 6000 grams and an accuracy of 0.2 grams, which is a very generous capacity and enough accuracy for anything we normally encounter in the studio glaze lab. If I were buying a digital glaze-lab scale, this is the one I would get—but I must admit, I’m still stuck on the triple beam balance. [

If you’d rather have a self-contained unit, the Ohaus C11P75 has the same capacity and price, but it has the digital readout located at the edge of the weighing platform. For those who weigh out serious amounts of clay materials, the Ohaus SD200 for around $150 has a capacity of 440 lbs.

Vince Pitelka is professor of clay at Tennessee Technological University’s Appalachian Center for Craft, an active participant on the Clayart Internet discussion group, and author of Clay: A Studio Handbook. You can contact Vince through his Web site at http://iweb.tntech. edu/wpitelka.

Discover EVERYTHING you want to know about clay online at www.pot-lovers.com

The Slurry Bucket Slurry & Glaze Recycling Options Everyone has some way to deal with glaze and clay slurry so it does not go down the drain. Me? I have a 5-gallon plastic bucket in my sink that has 10½" holes spaced around the bucket about 4" down from the top. All my water and whatever is in the water goes into that bucket. The heavier components settle out, and the water on the top flows out the holes. If I am going to throw a large quantity of liquid waste in the bucket, I tip the 5-gallon bucket first and drain the liquid down to the solid, then toss in the liquid waste. Things settle out quickly.

A second big advantage of always having that nearly-full bucket of water sitting in the sink is that I always have standing water to rinse out my glaze-holding yogurt cups, squeeze bulbs, and paintbrushes. I give them a swish in the standing water and don’t have to turn on the faucet. That bucket saves the drain, saves me time, and saves water, too. I am not a prodigious maker, as my pots are time- and labor-intensive. I don’t empty the sink bucket more than three times a year. When I do, I decant the water and the clay slurry goes into the dumpster. Perhaps it’s not the perfect eco-friendly solution, but it works well for me. And in 15 years, my drains have never stopped up!

Reclaiming Clay I have found that using a pre-stretched artist canvas provides a great surface for drying clay. Initially, I put a 16" x 20" canvas over a 5-gallon bucket—it catches any drips and still allows for air circulation. As the clay becomes drier, I place the ends between two buckets, increasing the air circulation. It’s light enough to move about the studio, and provides an easy-to-clean, well-ventilated, plaster-free drying surface. — Robin Tetterton Woodbine, GA [

— Tim Eberhardt, St. Louis, MO

Share your useful clay tips or techniques with our readers and earn a free T-shirt! Mail your tip with your shirt size to: The Slurry Bucket, c/o Clay Times, PO Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197. Bill van Gilder 2010 Workshops & Presentations Mar. 31-Apr. 2

‘van Gilder Clay Tools’ Demo NCECA Conference at the Philadelphia Convention Center Contact: (301) 416-2970 Email: vangilderpottery@earthlink.net

Apr. 15-17

‘The Functional Workshop’ at Wayne Center for the Arts, Wooster, Ohio Contact: (330) 264-2787 www.functionalworkshop.com

Apr. 23-24

‘Functional Pots: Tips, Tools & Techniques’ at the Penryn Workshop, Penryn, CA Contact: (916) 663-2815 www.penrynartgallery.com

Apr. 27 Aug. 2-6

‘Making Functional Pots’ Foothill College, Los Altos, CA

August 24-28

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

October 1-3

October 21-23

‘Hands-On: Thrown & Assembled Pottery’ Sierra Nevada College at Lake Tahoe, NV Contact: (775) 881-7588 www.sierranevada.edu/workshops ‘Hands-On: Functional Pots’ Rehoboth Art League, Rehoboth Beach, DE Contact: (302) 227-8408 www.rehobothartleague.org ‘Strictly Functional Pottery’ Kevin Lehman Pottery Studio, Lancaster, PA Contact: (717) 291-2154 jlehman73@earthlink.net www.strictlyfunctionalpotterynational.net ‘Functional Pots: Tips, Tools & Techniques’ Green Valley Recreation, Inc. Green Valley, AZ

Ceramics Studios, Guilds, Universities, Colleges: To schedule a van Gilder workshop call 301.416.2970 or e-mail: vangilderpottery@earthlink.net

Crystalline

Glazing

Workshops with

Xavier González April 10-May 23, 2010

“Renaissance Pleasure Fair” Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area Irwindale, California April 24-May 30, 2010

Feats of Clay Lincoln Arts Gallery Lincoln, California June 11-13, 2010

Raku Ho’olaulea Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Waimanalo, Hawaii

To schedule a workshop with Xavier González, call 818.779.0990 or e-mail: xgceramics@sbcglobal.net

Is it safe to use them in your studio?

esterday, a friend showed me a very old kiln she wants to rehabilitate. It was hexagonal, had about a cubic yard of interior space, and was wired for 110 volts. The brick was still in pretty good condition, but the electrical plug had only two prongs, which meant there is no ground wire. Technically, it is illegal to use this kiln in a school or any pottery where there are employees since it does not meet the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) electrical standards. Unfortunately, OSHA has no jurisdiction over my friend who works alone in her own small pottery. This old kiln’s electrical cord was frayed and there was asbestos insulation under the cloth sheath. There also was an asbestos board behind the connectors on the control panel. The kiln could be rewired, but to do this legally would require the services of someone certified to abate asbestos. I suppose, since my friend works alone, no one would know if she did it herself. But she would be exposed to asbestos. So I told her about these risks.

Asbestos Diseases

Large exposures to asbestos dust can lead to asbestosis or a type of fibrosis somewhat similar to

Another type of cancer that is caused almost exclusively by asbestos is malignant mesothelioma. This cancer occurs in the membrane that surrounds the lungs, the heart, or the intestinal tract. It develops 20 to 40 years after the exposure and it is always fatal. It is called a “marker” cancer because it is so unique that when it occurs in a population, it tells researchers that there must be a source of exposure to asbestos involved somewhere. Not everyone exposed to asbestos dies of one of these cancers. I can even make this personal, because I’ve been exposed and I’m still here. I did get an expert to read my lung x-rays and found I have a small amount of pleural plaque that is often seen in people who have been exposed to asbestos, and some lung fibrosis (scar tissue), which is consistent with silica and asbestos exposure. That is, this article about asbestos can apply to me, as well.

Other Asbestos Kiln Elements Some of these old kilns also have asbestos insulation in the form of a woven gasket around

the door and asbestos insulation between the brick and the metal shielding on the outside of the kiln. This insulation was the cause of students being kept out of their school for a week sometime around 1990. In this case, a principal in a New Jersey high school was told he would have to call a hazardous waste company to dispose of an old ceramic kiln. He found that this would be very expensive. So he “hired” two of his students to use metal saws to cut the kiln up on a Saturday after hours and just put the pieces quietly into a dumpster. After this was done, somebody squealed on the principal. I believe it was the parents of one of the boys who cut up the kiln. As a result, the New Jersey State Health Department inspectors who enforce the state’s Public Employees OSHA (PEOSHA) showed up and tested the dust in the school and in the ventilation system. It was found that when the kiln was being dismantled, the ventilation system was still on. The asbestos had gotten all through the ducts. A school-wide professional abatement costing just over $150,000 was done, and the school had to be closed for a week. What bothers me most about this story is that if no one had alerted officials, everyone in that school would have been regularly exposed to asbestos. The fine asbestos dust on surfaces and in the ventilation ducts would have been circulating in that school for years.

Asbestos in Schools I wonder how many other kilns, over the years, were improperly exposed in schools and universities. Let’s not just pick on kilns—there were many other sources of asbestos in schools. So if, as I believe, schools 20 to 40 years ago were doing a rotten job of dealing with asbestos, shouldn’t we see a peak in mesothelioma cases in teachers? To answer this question, we first need to know that in the absence of asbestos, mesothelioma is an extremely rare disease occurring in about one person in 1 million. So the statistics in the United States indicating that there are 14 mesothelioma deaths per million people indicates that asbestos exposure in general in the United States in the past was significant. In April of 2009, the Centers for Disease Control published a study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) which analyzed annual multiple-cause-of-death records for 1999-2005.* These are the most recent years for which complete data is available. In those 6 years, a total of 18,068 deaths of persons with malignant mesothelioma were reported. Next, NIOSH calculated the proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) found for certain professions. PMRs are the fraction of all deaths from a given cause in the study populations (in this case, various professions) divided by the same fraction from a standard population. As a continued on next page

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

One of the most important facts about asbestos is that there are no symptoms after you have inhaled asbestos. There is also no treatment or cure once the asbestos has been inhaled. The diseases it causes arise years later.

silicosis, the disease caused by inhaling clay dust that contains silica. Smaller amounts of asbestos can cause lung cancer. Since some of the asbestos dust we inhale is raised by the lung’s clearing mechanisms and swallowed, several types of stomach and intestinal cancers are also linked to asbestos.

by MONONA ROSSOL

Studio I Health & Safety

Old Asbestos-insulated Kilns

Studio I Health & Safety

result, certain professions were found to have a higher rate of mesothelioma than that of the general population. Of the 163 occupations reported, five professions were found to have significant PMRs: plumbers; pipe and steamfitters; mechanical engineers; electricians; and ... elementary school teachers! This means that in order for these teachers to die between 1999 and 2005, their asbestos exposures had to have occurred mainly from 1965 to 1985. Well, bingo! I was a practicing potter, teacher, and industrial hygienist consulting with schools between 1965 and 1985. So I can tell you that there were three major factors affecting exposure during this period of time: 1. Elementary schools were often in old buildings containing many sources of asbestos-containing building materials. Bad maintenance practices contributed to exposure such as yearly resurfacing and buffing of asbestos vinyl floor tiles and failure to repair damaged pipe insulation. 2. In the early years of asbestos abatement, the containment regulations were not always followed. Abuse of the asbestos regulations was sometimes flagrant.

The THE RefRacToRy REFRACTORY SupeR SUPER SToRe! STORE!

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

3. There were many sources of asbestos in elementary school art materials. For example, Milton Bradley’s instant paper maché, contained 80% chrysotile asbestos powder. This was not evident to teachers because the ingredients were not listed on the plastic bag and the label carried the AP (Approved Product) nontoxic seal

on it from the organization known today as the Arts & Creative Materials Institute! Years ago, asbestos was an accepted and common art material ingredient in this time period. For example, the “Art for Elementary School” booklet published by the University of the State of New York’s State Education Department in Albany in 1967 includes the following [unsafe] recipe for a modeling material: • 3 cups ground asbestos or asbestos shorts (used for covering furnace pipes) • 1 teaspoon Glue • 1 cup flour • Water Add enough water to make a dough of the right consistence for modeling. Ground asbestos is very inexpensive. When dry, it is light in weight, durable, a light gray color, and may be painted with powder paints. The booklet also suggested zonalite and vermiculite be used in projects. As early as 1970, we knew that these minerals were contaminated with significant amounts of asbestos, too. But I was still finding this booklet in the state’s elementary schools until the mid-1980s. The issue of asbestos-containing ceramic materials is personal. I have written in previous Clay Times columns that certain ceramic talcs contain asbestos. I’m now getting ready to testify in the third and latest case filed against RT Vanderbilt Company, which mined the talc. This suit is for the estate of a teacher who taught ceramics to disabled children in the 1970s, and who died of mesothelioma October 12, 2008, two days after her 58th birthday.

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• Call your local community waste disposal service and find out what is the best way to dispose of asbestos items. Small items usually can be double-bagged and picked up. Bigger items may need the services of an asbestos abatement company. • Rather than repair an old asbestos-containing kiln, buy a new one. Get one made with good old-fashioned insulating fire brick instead of those made of ceramic fiber, which is also listed as a carcinogen by several health agencies. Support the economy and spend some money. You are worth it. [

Firebrick – straights, arches, wedges & tiles Insulating Firebrick – straights, arches & wedges Ceramic fiber blankets, boards, papers & textiles Castables in several insulating & dense compositions Mortars, patches & inexpensive coatings

P.O. Box 716, Lithonia, GA 30058 Phone: 678.336.7090 Fax: 678.336.7094

• Your life is too precious to take any unnecessary risks! Get rid of old kilns, talc, old asbestos gloves, Transite or other asbestos fiber boards, and any other asbestos source in your pottery.

Footnote: *Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC, 58(15), April 24, 2009, pp. 396-400. Monona Rossol is an industrial hygienist/chemist with an MFA in ceramics/glass. She may be reached at ACTS, 181 Thompson St., #23, New York, NY 10012-2586; telephone 212.777.0062; e-mail ACTSNYC@cs.com.

44 Larkin Refactory.1_4.5-6_08.indd 1

4/2/08 11:16:05 AM

Check out these listings to find local programs for wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculptural techniques, & more … Classes are listed alphabetically by state

ARIZONA

FLORIDA

MARYLAND, cont.

Tucson Clay Co-op — 3326 North Dodge Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85711; 520.792.6263; www. tucsonclayco-op.com; tucsonclaycoop@yahoo.com. Fully equipped studio, studio rental, gallery. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, gas firing, raku firing, sculpture, mosaics, classes for adults and children, clay parties, more.

Artistic Services — 6810 Green Swamp Road, Clermont, FL 34714; 321.947.7667; RMrsNice@ yahoo.com; Sammyhorse.com. Relaxed pottery for children and adults on Saturday mornings at our horse farm. Wheelthrowing, handbuilding, electric firing.

baltimoreclayworks.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile, mosaic, decorating, printmaking, slipcasting, wood firing, salt firing.

CALIFORNIA Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge — 4469 Chevy Chase Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011; 818.790.4353; www. cclcf.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, glazing, firing, raku, classes for children and adults. Get Centered Clay Studio — 8186 Center Street, Suite D, La Mesa, CA 91942; 619.667.7077, www.getcenteredclay.com; getcenteredclay@cox.net. Fully equipped clay studio with 24/7 access, classes, supplies, private/semi-private spaces available. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, guest artist workshops, classes for adults.

CONNECTICUT

Milkhouse Pottery — 30 River Road, Cornwall Bridge, CT 06754; 860.672.6450; milkpotsfox@juno. com; www.milkhousepottery.net. Small, year-round classes; students aged 9 to adult; experienced teacher; individual attention. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, classes for adults and children.

GEORGIA Callanwolde Fine Arts Center — 980 Briarcliff Rd., Atlanta, GA 30306; 404.874.9351; www. callanwolde.org; gdair@callanwolde.org. Callanwolde is located in Mid-town Atlanta, and offers basic through advanced wheel and handbuilding classes, as well as electric, gas, raku, salt, and soda firing. Ocee Community Art Center — 6290 Abbotts Bridge Rd., Building 700, Johns Creek, GA 30097; Tel. 770.623.8448; Fax 770.623.6695; www.johnscreekarts.org; dawnjcac@bellsouth.net. Wheelthrowing, handbuilding, sculpture, and electric firing; classes and workshops for adults, teens, and children. Gallery space for rent.

MAINE The Red Door Pottery Studio — 44 Government St., Kittery, ME 03904; 207.439.5671; exfpottery@yahoo.com; www.reddoorpottery.com. Year-round classes, all skill levels, monthly workshops, private lessons, retail gallery, shows. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children.

MARYLAND Baltimore Clayworks — 5707 Smith Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21209; 410.578.1919; www.baltimoreclayworks.org; marycloonan@baltimore clayworks.org; workshop contact: forrest.snyder@

Glen Echo Pottery — Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD 20812; 301.220.5585; www.glenechopottery.com; info@glenechopottery.com. Year-round pottery school. Day & evening classes. Generous open studio time for individual exploration. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, gas firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children; special raku, soda, and wood firings. Jayne Shatz Pottery — 452 Laurel Valley Court, Arnold, MD 21012; 410.757.6351; www.jayneshatzpottery.com; jesclay@aol.com; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, sculpture, glazing, firing, wall relief and tile, workshops, critiques, marketing strategy, group and private sessions. Renaissance Children’s Arts Center — 12116 Darnestown Rd., Suite L-4; Gaithersburg, MD 20878; 301.987.0377; Fax 301.987.0377; www.rcarts. com; info@rcarts.com. Art classes for all ages. Drawing, pottery, clay, mixed media & digital arts. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, summer camps & workshops. Shiloh Pottery, Inc. — 1027 Brodbeck Road, Hampstead, MD 21074; 410.239.8888; www.shilohpottery.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

MASSACHUSETTS Cynthia Curtis Pottery — 80 Pigeon Hill St., Rockport, MA 01966; 978.546.6186; cynthiacurtispottery@verizon.net; www.cynthiacurtis pottery.com. Year-round classes for all ages and abilities. Also private lessons, independent study program, retail gallery. Wheelthrowing, handbuilding, electric firing, guest artist workshops. Mudflat Pottery School, Inc. — 149 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02145; 617.628.0589; www.mudflat.org; info@mudflat.org. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, tile. Non-profit clay community offering three semesters annually for all ages and skill levels.

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

Lakeside Pottery Ceramic School and Studio — 543 Newfield Avenue, Stamford CT 06905; 203.323.2222; studio@lakesidepottery.com; www.lakesidepottery.com. Lakeside Pottery is a ceramic art school & studio in Stamford, CT offering pottery & sculpting classes and workshops, private lessons, afterschool programs, and summer camp. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, raku firing, classes for adults and children, guest artist workshops, pottery events, and corporate teambuilding workshops.

Carla’s Clay — 1733 Northgate Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34234; 941.359.2773; www.Carlasclay.com; cobrien@ carlasclay.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, gallery, tools, and supplies.

Resources I Classes

Community Pottery Classes

Resources I Classes

Potters for Peace

offers technical design and marketing assistance to potters in Central America, and worldwide training in the production of inexpensive, highly effective ceramic water filters. Your tax-deductible donation will help. Learn more at our Website:

www.pottersforpeace.org

Potters4Peace1109.indd 1

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MASSACHUSETTS, cont.

NEW MEXICO

Two Rivers Ceramic Studio Co. — 77 Elm St., Amesbury, MA 01913; 978.388.2215; www. tworiversceramics.com; info@tworiversceramics.com. A cooperative studio with programs and classes for both the independent and student ceramic artists. Wheel-throwing and handbuilding; electric and gas firing; guest artist workshops; classes for adults and children.

Taos Clay — 1208 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, Taos, NM 87529; 575.770.4334; potmaker@gmail.com; www.taosclay.com. Private and community studio & gallery offering classes, workshops, residencies, & studio space. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, gas firing, raku firing, wood firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children.

MICHIGAN

NEW YORK

Ox-Bow — 3435 Rupprecht Way, Saugatuck MI 49453; 800.318.3019; ox-bow@saic.edu; www.oxbow.org. Two-week intensives with Tip Toland, Franscesc Burgos, Sarah Lindley for beginning and experienced 11:47 AM artists. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, gas firing, raku firing, wood firing, mold making & casting, classes for adults.

MISSISSIPPI Natchez Clay — 101 Clifton Ave. (overlooking Mississippi River), Natchez, MS 39120; 601.660.2375; natchezclay@gmail.com; www.natchezclay.com. Ongoing classes; great workshop schedule; great facilities. See our Web site for more info. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, gas firing, raku firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults, classes for children. Private and shared studio rental.

The

Fulwood Measure

Bodine Pottery & Art Studio — New location: 432 West Frontage Dr., Wiggins, MS 39577; tel. 601.928.4718; www.bodinepottery.com; hukmut@ bodinepottery.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, PMC (precious metal clay).

Artworks at West Side YMCA — 5 West 63rd St., New York, NY 10023; 212.875.4129; ymcanyc.org/westside; kmissett@ymcanyc.org. A friendly studio with three clay bodies, great open studio hours, fabulous teachers. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, photo-ceramics, majolica classes, lustre firings, guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children.

BrickHouse Ceramic Art Center — 10-34 44th Drive 1st Floor, Long Island City, NY 11101; 718.784.4907; ellen.day@brickhouseny.com; http:// www.brickhouseny.com. Spacious, fully-equipped studio, year-round adult classes, ceramic artist rental shelves, pottery for sale. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, guest artist workshops, private parties. Clay Art Center — 40 Beech Street, Port Chester, NY 10573; 914.937.2047; www.clayartcenter.org; mail@clayartcenter.org. Clay classes for adults & children and monthly workshops in wheel-throwing, sculpture, & special topics. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, gas firing, raku firing, guest artist workshops, summer camps, studio space, gallery.

MISSOURI The Potter’s Obsession, LLC — 13035-B Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO 64145; 816.941.2555; pottersobsession.com; obpotter@ kcnet.com. Wheel-throwing; handbuilding; cone 6 electric firing; raku firing; classes for adults.

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

NEW HAMPSHIRE

The perfect tool for same-size production pottery. Unique hinged pointer measures height and diameter of the pot and moves out of the way when not in use. With the Fulwood Measure, you can get it right every time. Handcrafted in beautiful hardwood and made in the USA.

Kissimmee River Pottery

One 8th Street #11 Frenchtown, New Jersey 08825 908.996.3555 riverpots @ earthlink.net www.kissimmeeriverpottery.com

Pottery at Phoebes Barn — 16 North Main St., Mont Vernon, NH 03057; 603.673.3410; Pottery@PhoebesBarn.com, www.PhoebesBarn.com. Pottery at Phoebes Barn is a warm and comfortable environment to relax and create. Wheel-throwing and handbuilding; electric, gas, and raku firing; guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children.

The Painted Pot — 339 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231; 718.222.0334; www.paintedpot.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

OHIO Yost Pottery Studio — 1643 Massillon Road, Akron, OH 44312; 330.734.0763; www.yostpottery. com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, tile, firing. Clayspace — 831 S. Front St., Columbus, OH 43220; 614.449.8144; tamiknight@ clayspace831.com; www.clayspace831.com. Fully equipped ceramic studio offering clay classes taught by ceramic artists in a casual atmosphere. Wheelthrowing, handbuilding, electric and raku firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children, glass.

NEW JERSEY Laplaca Pottery Works — 1200 Ocean Ave., Suite 502, Asbury Park, NJ 07712; 732.861.2276; greglaplaca@aol.com, www.laplacapotteryworks.com. Oceanfront studio in historic Asbury Park, NJ. Wheel-throwing, electric and raku firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children.

PENNSYLVANIA The Clay Studio — 139 North Second Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106; 215.925.3453; www.theclaystudio.org; info@theclaystudio.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

VIRGINIA, cont.

WYOMING

Mud Puddle Pottery and Supply — 538 Highway 70, Pegram, TN 37143 (20 minutes outside Nashville); 615.646.6644; www.mudpuddlepottery.com; mudpuddle@bellsouth. net; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

survivors, & others facing life’s challenges. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, classes for adults and children, mixed media, sculpture, and specialty workshops.

Potters’ Depot LLC — 75 East Benteen St., Buffalo, WY 82834; 307.684.4555; pottersdepot@msn. com.Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, gas firing, raku firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults, teens, and children. Fully-equipped pottery studio with gallery and supplies. 2010 Summer Workshop with Tara Dawley. [

TEXAS Eric Orr Clay — 22 Blackjack Lane, Lewisville, TX 75077; 940.241.1242; ericorrclay. com; ericmuddorr@yahoo.com. A complete teaching studio for lovers of clay and glass. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, gas firing, raku firing, glass fusing and slumping, classes for adults and children. Potter’s Wheel — 5419 FM 1960 W Suite E, Houston, TX 77069; klanier327@sbcglobal.net; www. giftedpotter.com; 281.537.8447. We are a private teaching studio and gift gallery in a busy shopping center. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, raku firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children, paint-your-own pottery. SUNIN Clay Studio — 13473 Wetmore Road, San Antonio, TX 78247; 210.494.9100; suninpottery@ sbcglobal.net ; suninclaystudio.net. A full-service working and teaching studio where potters and students express themselves in clay. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, raku firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children.

Lorton Arts Foundation-Workhouse Arts Center — 9504 Workhouse Way, Bldg. 8, Lorton, VA 22079; (703) 584-2982; www.workhousearts. org or www.lortonarts.org; dalemarhanka@lortonarts.org. A collective and highly dynamic environment with the goal of promoting ceramic art through research, education, and outreach. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, ceramic sculpture, tile, electric firing, gas firing, raku firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children. Nan Rothwell Studio Pottery — 221 Pottery Lane, Faber, VA 22938 (near Wintergreen); 434.263.4023; www.nanrothwellpottery.com; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, glazing, firing for ages 16 & up.

WISCONSIN Bethel Horizons - Art Ventures — 312 Wisconsin Ave., Madison, WI 53703; 608.767.8767; www.bethelhorizons-artventures.org; huntk@tds.net. Many levels classes/groups for wheel-throwing, handbuilding, wood-firing, at our state-of-the-art studio in the beautiful hills of SE Wisconsin. Wheel-throwing and handbuilding; electric, gas, raku, and wood firing; guest artist workshops; classes for adults and children, school groups, church groups, and assorted community groups.

A year-round listing of your community pottery class in CT and on our Website is available for just $99 — an EXCELLENT VALUE! To feature your classes, visit our online submission page: www.claytimes.com/classes. html or call 540.882.3576.

Resources I Classes

TENNESSEE

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Subscribe or renew your Clay Times® subscription, and get a GIFT subscription for your (non-subscriber) friend for FREE! Order today! ~ Call 800-356-CLAY or visit www.claytimes.com

VIRGINIA The Art League School — Located near the Torpedo Factory at 305 Madison Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703.683.5358; www.theartleague.org/school; blairm@theartleague.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, gas firing, raku firing, wood firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children, corporate retreats, associates program. Art Pottery Studio — 4810 Tabard Pl., Annandale, VA 22003; 703.978.1480; artpottery@earthlink.net. Yearround classes for all ages and abilities; group and private lessons, with special programs for Girl Scouts, cancer

CHARLOTTE NC

The Adamah Clay Studio campus sits on a hilltop in the inspiring driftless area near Dodgeville, WI. This state of the art facility awaits your arrival. Whether you are a beginner or experienced with clay, our expert instructors will take you to the next level and beyond.

All are Welcome! Opportunities with wheel throwing, hand building, firing a wood kiln, meeting nationally recognized ceramic artists, and more, can be experienced during our summer workshops. Visit www.BethelHorizons-ArtVentures.org or call Kathy Hunt, Program Coordinator, at 608/767-8767 for more information.

CLAY TooLS & ReFeReNCe MATeRIALS

New Book Mastering Portraiture:

Advanced Analyses of the Face Sculpted in Clay $54.95 + S/H

CAROLINA CLAY CONNECTION

704/376-7221

e-mail: carolinaclay@aol.com www.carolinaclay.com

PO Box 722 Honeoye, NY 14471 585-229-2976

www.pcfstudios.com

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

Setting up a studio? Your full-service pottery supplier featuring clays by Standard, Highwater and Laguna; kilns, glazes, chemicals and equipment. School orders welcome!

A Summer with Clay

Resources I Classified Marketplace

Classified Marketplace Events

Opportunities, cont.

Videos & Books, cont.

• Pots & Potters Showcase & Sale — March 31-April 3 (NCECA). Meet eight potters, see hundreds of great pots! Ellen Shankin, Nick Joerling, McKenzie Smith, Susan Filley, Linda McFarling, Lisa Naples, Neil Patterson, Sandi Pierantozzi. Held at the studio of Sandi Pierantozzi and Neil Patterson: Neighborhood Potters, 2034 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA. Walking distance from the Convention Center. www.sandiandneil.com.

• I have been commissioned to work on an in-depth look at American studio ceramics, 1940-1980. It will explore the makers, their teachers, and societal currents that influenced them during those years. To that end, I would like to hear from any makers and/or teachers who were working during those years, to learn about their work and what influenced them. The thoughts can be captured in personal memories, letters, or articles. If you have information, please contact me: Martha Drexler Lynn, Ph.D.; e-mail: marthalynn@mac.com; or write 189 Upper Walden Road, Carmel, California, 93923. Thank you!

• PotteryVideos.com — DVDs with Robin Hopper, Gordon Hutchens, and Graham Sheehan. Video workshops for potters at all levels of experience. Choose from 21 titles. E-mail info@potteryvideos.com or call 800.668.8040.

• 16 Hands Spring Studio Tour & Sale — May 1 & 2, 2010. Tour our showrooms and experience Appalachian spring in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Copus, Crane, Hensley, Polseno, Shankin, Snyder, & Warstler. Welcoming 6 guest artists. Information and maps at www.16hands.com.

For Sale • KILN FOR SALE — 64-cubic-foot soft brick downdraft. Includes shelves, stilts, plumbing, burners, etc. Located in Maryland. $3,850.00. Contact Steve Wright at 800.990.4263, e-mail: steve@ wrighthanddrums.com. • Lots for sale in creative community located in the NC mountains, near Penland School of Crafts. Hundreds of art/ craft studios nearby. Ninety acres includes forest preserve, trails, organic farm site, green homes. Studios/galleries welcome. Lots have electricity, water, fast Internet, from $55,000. High Cove, a community for arts, environment, and lifelong learning: www. highcove.com.

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

Opportunities

• The BCAC 8th Annual “It’s Only Clay” National Juried Competition and Exhibit — Bemidji, MN. Dedicated to functional clay vessels. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes equaling $1,600. Purchase awards for Margaret Harlow Vessel Collection at BSU. $30 for 3 entries. Postmark deadline: September 3, 2010. www. bcac.wordpress.com for more information. • Clay Times® presents “A New Decade of Clay 2010” National Juried Ceramics Show — Co-sponsored with Sierra Nevada College and Northstar-at-Tahoe® resort, Lake Tahoe. Juror: Richard Shaw. Cash awards and other prizes. Submission deadline: July 12, 2010. $25 for up to three entries. Visit www.sierranevada. edu/clay for prospectus and complete details.

JOIN AMERICANPOTTERS.COM • TODAY! Be a part of a national, searchable database for FREE ... or an “online gallery/ portfolio” to sell your work, without commissions. If you have a Website, join with a “link” page. All information is editable by you, without Web knowledge. Go to the site and click on “FAQ” for more information. • K-12 Ceramic Exhibition — The 13th Annual K-12 Ceramic Exhibition opens in March 2010 at the NCECA Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Open to K-12 students by teacher entry, the annual event is a great success. Check out past award winners and their works online at www.k12clay.org.

Tools for Potters • Manabigama Wood Firing Kiln Plans — Fires and ‘flashes’ 30 cu. ft. of pots beautifully in 8 hrs. Plans include: Complete materials list, step-by-step kiln building photo disc w/descriptive notes; plus kiln prep, loading and firing, cooling/ unloading details, glaze & slip recipes, more. Kiln building workshops available at your site. Contact: John Thies, Bill van Gilder at www. monocacypottery.com or tel. 301.898.3128.

Videos & Books • Pottery classes in retreat setting in Boerne, Texas. DVDs — Basic Beginning Pottery, Advanced Pottery Projects, and Carving Candle Lanterns by Doug Oian. $50 each includes shipping. www.SunrisePottery.com; tel. 210.494.8633.

• Rick Berman: Clayworker — This 78page full-color paperback explores the original and varied works of Atlanta potter Rick Berman (for more about Rick and his work, see the feature article on “Carbon Trap Raku” on pages 32-33 of the Sept/ Oct ’09 CT issue). The book is available for $25 including shipping & handling. To order, e-mail: rberman@paceacademy.org. • Order Great Glazes I & II for just $15 each at the Clay Times online store at www.claytimes.com. These classic hands-on studio glaze books offer dozens of favorite glaze recipes for all kinds of firing & atmospheres.

Workshops • Steven Hill: Two 2-day workshops, May 22-23 & May 25-26; fee $185. Polo Zapata Ramirez: July 10-11; fee: $125. Cynthia Bringle: Sept. 11-12; fee: $180; location: Prescott, Arizona. For reservations call Karen vanPrice at 928.443.9723, visit www.vanprice.com, or e-mail vanprice1@msn.com. • “Electric Firing: What’s all the fuss about reduction, anyway?” with Steven Hill. May 28-May 31. Fee: $350. Demonstration of basic techniques of spraying and more advanced theories of layering and blending glazes. Firing schedules and how they affect glazed surfaces will be included in the discussion. Participants should bring 6 to 8 small-to-medium size bisque-fired pieces to glaze. Contact Bob Walsh, Bullseye Pottery, 711 M 8/10 Road, Mack, CO 81525; bullseyerw@gmail.com; 970.858.9290. [

Place your classified ad in the magazine and on the Clay Times Website for as little as $50—an amazing value! For details, e-mail: claytimes@gmail. com or log onto: www.claytimes.com/ classifieds.html

n the daily loop of ceramic trial and error, the potter’s eye develops a knack for dividing a process into steps, and recognizing recurring patterns. Since my energy is now divided between making and teaching, I have found that skill as useful in the classroom as it is in the studio. In the same way that I have learned to predict the half-dozen ways a beginner’s pots are likely to go haywire on the wheelhead, I have worked out the predictable advantages and pitfalls for each stage of learning, whether for beginners, intermediate potters, or advanced students. Most of my beginner students are in my classes at the community college. While I have some art majors who are preparing to transfer to other colleges, majors range from culinary school to dental assisting, fire fighting to welding to interior design. Except for a few kids who are home from too much partying at Big State U and trying to salvage their GPAs, my students have real-life work experience and an appreciation for the value of their time and money. Many have kids to support and full-time jobs in addition to their studies. I have bartenders, displaced auto and construction workers, an exotic dancer, military personnel just returned from the fighting, recently single moms training for higher-paying jobs, hairdressers, and truck drivers.

My beginners, like my kids, have a rare opportunity to take on a challenge with no preconceptions of how it “should” turn out. They try wild ideas and impractical designs with sometimes stunning results. They have no struggle to think outside the established box, because they have never seen the box. It’s all new. Instruction for beginning throwers is fairly straightforward, as beginner pots have the same recognizable falterings. It’s quite objective. Even my own kids, who have helped me unload many a student kiln, can groan at the weight of a chunky pot and say, “That’s a beginner!” Powerpoints, bisected pot post-mortems, and assessment of my collection of orphaned beginner clunkers make clear the goal and the hurdles. The students learn to recognize the predictable elements of their early pots: square, bottom-heavy forms with V-shaped interiors; walls that collapse at that too-thin midsection; bowls with beginner’s bumps; tentative trim jobs; dumpy oneto-one ratios; and unplanned, toosharp rims that say, “This is where I ran out of clay.” Slab and coil pots have their lists of foibles, as well. Critiques are direct and painless. They want a good grade, and while they care about the pots

they spent so many hours on, their identities and self-esteem come from elsewhere. While most beginner pots look alike, I find that when my students learn to eliminate problems on the list, their own personalities begin to come through. Eventually, their pots stand on the critique table with something like an identifiable style. My students at the potter’s guild, on the other hand, are working at a more intermediate level. While I do get newbies, half my class consists of juried guild members. Some have been students for longer than the eight years I have been teaching there, and seem as much a part of the place as the mop bucket and wheels. Their skills are well beyond those in a community college class, and these folks have learned not just how to make a pot, but which pots seem worth making. They have trained their eyes with history books and ceramics magazines, and look at pots with a spirit of inquiry and assessment. At this level, though, students are a bit more emotionally invested in their work. The more that intentionality and decisionmaking goes into design, the harder it is to step back and coolly reflect on its success or failure. These are not college students, and I hand out no grades. Assignments are just suggestions, and critiques are by request only. Over the years I have identified the ones looking for serious feedback, and the ones who require kid gloves and lots of pats on the back with every “suggestion.” Those who are not up to critique are often subtly placed within earshot when I point out similar problems in a braver student’s work. While these potters are not egotistical navel-

BY KELLY SAVINO gazers by any means, they fight (as we all do) for balance between being satisfied with their work, and being frustrated with the distance between vision and final product. The problematic temptation for intermediate students is the eagerness to imitate. The latest magazine cover, or the work of the most recent workshop attended, can certainly provide inspiration, and trying to reproduce work we appreciate can be a useful exercise and “stretch.” The danger, though, is to lose sight of your own valid ideas, your own style and skills, while accepting anyone’s pots as better and more worth making than your own. I have seen too many potters reject the laborious search for their own “voice” and satisfy themselves with making poor imitations of other people’s “officially sanctioned” good work. Originality and an adventurous approach seem to become more elusive as skill level rises. Potters working in community studios may find that their work is better than that of their peers, thus they have a hard time getting critical feedback. Others work in isolation, and miss the outside perception of their work. If beginner students make fresh work and intermediate students can make derivative work, the curse of an advanced student is the tendency to imitate themselves, repeating their successes until they are caught in a loop with little freshness or originality.

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CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

They want to get their money’s worth from their tuition dollars, and have a “git ’er done” approach to coursework. This is no MFA program, and there is no melodramatic hand-wringing about artistic identity. While they will learn the language of 3-D design and the vocabulary of

process and critique, there will be no artspeak in these classes. The goal is to train hands and learn the materials, forming in clay the pots they have designed in their sketchbooks. It is as natural a process as learning to tie shoes or ride a bike (and equally impossible to teach someone by just talking about it). They see it, try it, fail, and revise. They have persistence in their favor, and a complete lack of “artist ego.”

Opinion I Around the Firebox

Originality & Destiny

Originality & Destiny (continued from previous page) The pitfall for advanced students is that they find success, acclaim, gallery sales, and some notoriety, and then begin to work in an increasingly smaller circle, focusing on their “signature work.” This is certainly not unique to our medium ... the wider a potter’s fame, the more firmly the public would like to keep that potter making the stuff they like. Ask any famous musician who has launched a passionate exploration into new and different music, only to face the fans in concert shouting requests for greatest hits from a decade ago. A lot of us would be distressed if Rimas Visgirda gave up his angular profiles, Ron Meyer quit scratching his sinister critters, or Jack Troy switched from wood-firing to cone 6 oxidation. It’s not an easy dilemma. A few advanced students come to my studio for private lessons, looking for a new challenge and some straightforward critiques. Since I have no business dictating aesthetics and vision for someone else’s work, I confine my feedback to clear technical issues, details of craftsmanship, and design problems. Critique time with advanced students is largely about guiding their own self-assessment, with pointed questions and a subtle trail of bread crumbs.

My best trick for getting established potters “unstuck” is to put them back in the shoes of my community college students, by challenging them to take on some aspect of clay that they have never tried before, or have failed at in the past and abandoned. Their very best work gets set aside for a while, as they fumble with beginner hands at areas they have never explored. That is the value of instruction: teachers make us do the things we don’t want to do, and often that’s where growth lies. The wider challenge for the individual potter is to be your own coach: resist the temptation to imitate yourself or others, have enough distance from your work to experiment with a beginner’s abandon, and be willing to start all over in some facet of ceramics that you have never considered “your area.” I’m in the lucky position, now, of heading into my studio inspired by what I have learned from the pots of gallery artists, potter’s guild “weekend warriors,” and an exotic dancer named “Destiny.” [ Kelly Savino can be reached via e-mail at: primalpotter@yahoo.com.

CLAYTIMES·COM n SPRING 2010

Index to Advertisers

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