Clay Times Magazine Volume 15 • Issue 81

art

trends,

tools,

and

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Volume 15 • Issue 81 May/June 2009

Barry Gregg’s

K-9 Inspiration

Featured Project: Slip Decorating with Stencils & Trails Peter Callas Interview Clever Support Ideas for Handbuilt Works Is Radon Contaminating Your Basement Studio?

A Tribute to Susan Peterson 1925-2009 New Tomato Red Glazes for Cone 6 Oxidation $7.95 U.S./$9.95 CAN

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Clay

May/June 2009 Volume 15 • Issue 81

On the cover: Puppy Mill by Barry Gregg. 18" x 12" x 4".

Stoneware decorated with stains, engobes, underglaze, and glaze. Oxidation-fired to cone 6. Photo by Walker Montgomery.

Inset photo: Hannibal by Peter Callas.

36" tall.

features 25 Slip Decorating with Trails & Stencils Judi Munn shares her techniques for making simple stencil designs using slip, a homemade trailer, and overhead projector tranparencies.

28 A Tribute to Susan Peterson

Susan Peterson, 1925-2009

Well-known worldwide for her extensive research, knowledge, writings, and collections of claywork, the woman considered by many as “the Queen of Clay” was honored shortly after her death at this year’s NCECA Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

33 Conversations: Peter Callas Joe Campbell continues his series of clay artist interviews this issue with Peter Callas, and an in-depth look at the influences and evolution of Callas’s career as a wood-fire artist.

39 Man’s Best Friend ... For Life Following his dog Parker’s cancer diagnosis (and the subsequent amputation of one of Parker’s legs), Atlanta clay artist Barry Gregg has drawn artistic inspiration from his three-legged friend.

exhibits 16 6th State of Clay Exhibition, Lexington, Massachusetts 30 Imprints: A Survey of Faculty and Guest Artists at Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, Arizona At left: Home (Totem) by Barry Gregg. Story begins on page 39.

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contents

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Clay May/June 2009 • Volume 15 • Issue 81

departments

columns

8 YOUR WORDS

19 AS FAR AS I KNOW “Tomato Reds at Cone 6”

by Pete Pinnell

Readers offer their feedback & opinions

25 BENEATH THE SURFACE

10 WHAT’S HOT

“Jan Katz: Thoughts from a Curator” by Lana Wilson

Clay world news, events, and calls for entries

43 KILNS & FIRING

21 GREAT GLAZES

“The Role of Your Gas Kiln’s Chimney”

by Marc Ward

Bright, new cone 6 recipes for Tomato Reds

22 SLURRY BUCKET TIPS

46 BOOKS & VIDEOS

Save time and trouble with these studio-tested tips and techniques.

“Collaborative Ceramics of Tom Coleman and Frank Boyden” review by Steve Branfman

44 THE GALLERY A selection of unique works by CT readers

Small Cosmos by Naoko Matsumoto.

“Using Props and Supports When Handbuilding”

by Vince Pitelka

54 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE Goods and services offered especially for clay artists

56 STUDIO HEALTH AND SAFETY “Radon and the Basement Pottery” by Monona Rossol

55 POTTERY CLASSES Where you can learn claywork in the U.S. & abroad

58 ADVERTISER INDEX A quick reference to locate your favorite ceramics suppliers in this issue

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47 TOOL TIMES

65 AROUND THE FIREBOX Life in Real Life and Virtual Life

by Meguni Naitoh.

Pictured above: Images of works featured in this year’s 6th Annual State of Clay exhibition, recently held in Lexington, Massachusetts.

For more, turn to page 16.

“Effortless Custody of Automation” by David Hendley

00 TEACHING TECHNIQUES Bill van Gilder is taking a break this issue! Check back in July/August for his next awesome clay project ...

SHOJI HAMADA KILN Just as the spirit of Hamada carries on in the ames of his kilns in Mashiko, Japan, VL-Lite

so does the tradition of excellence and ne craftsmanship of Shimpo pottery equipment. Please visit our website at www.shimpoceramics.com for your pottery equipment needs.

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Clay Editor & Art Director: Polly Beach claytimes@gmail.com Circulation Manager: Rachel Brownell ctcirculation@gmail.com Advertising Manager: Janie Herdman claytimesads@gmail.com Accounts Manager: Nanette Greene clayaccounts@gmail.com Proofreader: Jon Singer Office Assistant: Ingrid Phillips 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 Writers: Glen Blakley • Joe Campbell • Judi Munn Jeff Reich • Kelly Savino 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 bimonthly, six issues per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Waterford, VA, and at additional mailing offices.

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CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

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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POSTMASTER: Address service requested. Send address changes to: Clay Times, PO Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197-0365. Copyright © 2009 Clay Times, Inc. 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.

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Spouting Off I Your Words

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

Readers’ Letters Maine Students’ Cup Event Held to Raise Awareness Thank you for publishing my article about the Maine College of Art students’ cup event (March/April 2009 Clay Times).

I would like to make a clarification. I believe the title, “Maine College of Art Student Raise Funds via Cup Sale,” was a bit misleading.

Pottery sales to raise money for causes are wonderful events. However, this particular event was not about selling to raise funds. It was not a cup sale. It was about raising awareness.

The cups and coffee were given out free. They were not an “incentive” gift for a donation to a cause (not a bad idea in itself, but this was not the case here). The whole point of the event (generated by students) was to allow people who would not otherwise own a handmade cup to have that experience.

It was about educating the public to good handmade pottery. Because we rightly anticipated that some people will just not accept a free gift, we were prepared to accept donations by those who insisted, on behalf of a local organization that underscored education in the arts. But donations were not the crucial point; more of a side benefit of the event.

I hope that was made clear in the text of the article (rather than the title) and if not, my apologies.

Marian Baker, Portland, ME Thank you, Marian, for the clarification.

Our apologies for the error. — Editor [

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Hot Stuff I News & Events

What’s Hot ceramic art world news • events • calls for entries

Pictured at left: She Lost Head Book by Kathy Ruttenberg. Her works will be featured in “Tonight, Tomorrow, and Forever,” an exhibition to take place through May 23 at the Clay Art Center of Port Chester, New York.

Center, Heilmannsvej 31 A, 4230 Skælskør Denmark; tel. 45.5819.0016; ceramic@ceramic. dk; www.ceramic.dk. ‰ Presenters including Sonya Clark, Neil Gershenfeld, Sabrina Gschwandtner, Lydia Matthews, Walter McConnell, David Revere McFadden, Stephen Nachmanovitch, and Joe Wood will share their expertise during Making: Past, Present, and Future, to take place July 12–16 in Deer Isle, Maine. Fee: $320.

Contact Candy Haskell, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, PO Box 518, Deer Isle, ME 04627; tel. 207.348.2306; registrar@haystackmtn.org; www.haystack-mtn.org.

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

Conferences

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‰ Fusion Conference 2009, to feature presentations by Tom Coleman and Meira Mathison, will take place May 22-24 in Ontario, Canada.

Fee: $103. Contact Lucie Gilchrist, Fusion: Ontario Clay & Glass Association, 1444 Queen St. East, Toronto, Ontario M4L 1E1 Canada; tel. 416.438.8946; fusion@clayandglass.on.ca; www.clayandglass.on.ca. ‰ Sculpture in Public Space: Symposium, to feature presentations by Christie Brown, Akio Takamori, and Wenzhi Zhang, takes place June 20-July 31 in Skælskør, Denmark.

Contact Ane Fabricius Christiansen, Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research

‰ Outside the Box: The Cheongju International Craft Biennale 2009 takes place September 23–November 1 in the Republic of Korea, Heungdeok-Gu, Cheongju-Si. For details, contact Kang Sun Kyoung, Cheongju International Craft Biennial Committee, 329 Heungdeok-Ro, Heungdeok-Gu, Cheongju-Si, 361-828 Republic of Korea; tel. 82.43.277.2501.3; cjcraft@korea.com; www.okcj.org. ‰ HANDBUILT, the first conference dedicated to handbuilding with clay, will take place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Sept. 17-19, 2009. This down-to-earth event to benefit the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) will feature demonstrators including Hayne Bayless, Sandi Pierantozzi, Lisa Naples, and Holly Walker, to be joined by special guest speaker William Daley. For more details and to register, visit: www.sandiandneil.com or contact Sandi at handbuiltevent@gmail.com.

Hot Stuff I News & Events

‰ The African Ceramics Conference takes place September 18–27 in Durban, South Africa. For details, contact University of KwaZulu-Natal, King George V Ave., Durban, South Africa; tel. 27.0.31. 260.2212; armstrongj@ukzn.ac.za; www.ukzn.ac.za. ‰ The 8th Biennial Mid-Atlantic Clay Conference takes place October 1–4 in Front Royal, Virginia, and will feature presentations by Frank Giorgini, Suze Lindsay, and Gay Smith. Contact The Clay Connection, PO Box 3214, Merrifield, VA 22116-3214; tel.

540.636-6016; conference@theclayconnection. org; www.theclayconnection.org. ‰ Creating a New Craft Culture takes place October 15-17 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Contact American Craft Council, 72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012; www.craftcouncil. org/conference09. ‰ Network 2009: Symposium will take place November 3-December 16, 2009 and January 5-February 17, 2010 in Skælskør, Denmark. Contact Ane Fabricius Christiansen, Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center, Heilmannsvej 31 A, 4230 Skælskør Denmark; tel. 45.5819.0016; ceramic@ceramic.dk; www.ceramic.dk.

Calls for Entries ‰ Entries of all media are being accepted through May 31 for Small Art Objects 2009, to take place in Vallauris, France in July. Contact A.I.R Vallauris Place Lisnard, 1 Boulevard des Deux Vallons 06220, Vallauris, France; tel. +33(0) 493.646.550; contact@airvallauris.com; www.air-vallauris.org. ‰ Digital submissions/proposals are being accepted through June 1 for thematic group exhibitions for the Clay Studio 2009–2010 exhibition calendar. Contact Jeff Guido, The Clay Studio, 139 N. Second St., Philadelphia, PA 19106; tel. 215.925.3453 ext. 18; jeff@theclay studio.org; www.theclaystudio.org/artist/.

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‰ Digital and slide entries are being accepted through June 1 for The Wichita

subscription TODAY by calling toll-free: (800) 356-2529 ... or for instant 24-hour service online, visit www.claytimes.com

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‰ Submissions are being accepted through June 1 for the Earth Matters NCECA Invitational, to take place March 13–April 15, 2010 in Philadephia, PA. Contact Linda Ganstrom, NCECA, 77 Erie Village Square, Erie, CO 80516; tel. 866.266.2322; office@ NCECA.net; www.nceca.net.

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Hot Stuff I News & Events

National All Media Craft Exhibition, to take place September 4–October 18 in Wichita, Kansas.

Fee: $30 for three entries. Juror: Kathleen Royster Lamb. Contact Amy Reep, The Wichita Center for the Arts, 9112 E. Central, Wichita, KS 67206; tel. 316.634.2787, ext. 219; arts@wcfta. com; www.wcfta.com.

‰ Digital and slide entries of work incorporating historic design elements, themes, or trends are being accepted through June 2 for History in the Making IV: Ceramic Traditions/Contemporary Pots, to take place September 18–October 24. Fee: $20 for one entry; $25 for two entries; $30 for three entries. Contact Genesee Pottery, 713 Monroe Ave., Rochester, NY 14607; tel. 585.271.5183; pottery@geneseearts.org; www. geneseearts.org. ‰ Current or recent M.F.A./M.A. students may submit digital entries through June 5 for the 3rd Annual Master Pieces. Contact Manifest Creative Research Gallery, PO Box 6218, Cincinnati, OH 45206; info@manifestgallery.org; www.manifestgallery.org. ‰ Digital submissions are being accepted through June 5 for the 64 Arts National Juried Exhibition, to take place August 22–September 19 in Monmouth, Illinois. Fee: $25 for three entries. Juror: Preston Jackson. Contact Linda Sickmon, Buchanan Center for the Arts, 64 Public Sq., Monmouth, IL 61462; tel. 309.734.3033; bca@frontiernet.net; http://bcaarts.org.

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

‰ Digital and slide submissions are being accepted through June 10 for the Strictly Functional Pottery National, to take place September 26–October 25. Pete Pinnell will jury the works, which may not exceed 30" or 20 pounds. Fee: $30 for three digital entries.

Contact Phil Haralam, Strictly Functional Pottery National, The Market House Craft Center, PO Box 204, East Petersburg, PA 17520-0204; tel. 717.560.8816; artfair@mmoca.org; www. strictlyfunctionalpotterynational.net.

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‰ Digital submissions are being accepted through June 15 for Dining In: An Artful Experience, to take place at the 18 Hands Gallery in Houston, Texas. Fee: $25 for three entries.

Contact Susan Love Fitts, 18 Hands Gallery, 249 W. 19th St., Suite B, Houston, TX 77008; tel.

713.869.3099; susanlovefitts@consolidated.net; www.18handsgallery.com. ‰ Digital submissions of solo and group exhibition proposals for the 2010 calendar are being accepted through June 19 from artists in AZ, NM, and TX. Entry fee is $30. Contact The Las

Cruces Museum of Art, PO Box 20000, Las Cruces, NM 88004; tel. 575.541.2221; jmiller@ las-cruces.org; http://museums.las-cruces.org. ‰ Submissions by U.S. artists are being accepted through June 22 for the Republic of Korea Chungcheongbuk-Do, Heungdeok-Gu, Cheongju-Si Cheongju International Craft Biennial 2009, to take place September 23– November 1. For further information, contact Kang Sun Kyoung, Cheongju International Craft Biennial Committee, 329 HeungdeokRo, Cheongju-Si 361-828; tel. 82 43 277 2501-3; e-mail: cjcraft@korea.com; www.okcj.org. ‰ Actual works by residents of Northern California will be juried through June 26 for Hands in Clay, to take place July 1–August 31 in Turlock, California. Fee per entry: $18 ($15/members).

Jurors: Tom Collins and Bruno Kark. Contact Don Hall, San Joaquin Potter’s Guild, 92 Benjamin Way, Turlock, CA 95380; tel. 209.634.3653; mail@donhallworks.com; www.sjpottersguild.org. ‰ Entries are being accepted through June 30 for the 2009 Art Kudos International Online Juried Competition, to take place August 15– August 14, 2010 in Norcross, Georgia. Fee: $30.

Juror: Scott Canty. Contact Robert Anderson, Artshow.com, 4388 Wickershire Way, Norcross, GA 30092; info@artkudos.com; www.artkudos. com/callforentries.html. ‰ Entries are being accepted through July 1 for Art of Fine Craft 2009, to take place October 1–November 8 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Fee: $30 for three entries. Jurors: Jason Briggs, Victoria Goro-Rapoport, Lulu Smith, Jess Starkel, and Sonya Clark. Contact Regina O’Rear, Nebraska Wesleyan University and Lux Center for the Arts, 5000 Saint Paul Ave., Lincoln, NE 68502; tel. 402.465.2529; rorear@nebrwesleyan.edu; www.luxcenter.org. ‰ Digital submissions are being accepted through July 1 for the Lewis C. Weinberg Biennial Sculpture Competition, to take place October 4–September 1, 2011 in Skokie, Illinois. The competition is open to monumental outdoor sculptures by sculptors living in Illinois or contiguous states. Contact Barbara Goldsmith, Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park, PO Box 692, Skokie, Illinois 60076; tel. 847.679.4265; info@sculpturepark.org; www.sculpturepark.org/ WeinbergCompetition.htm. ‰ Digital entries will be accepted through July 3 for V Fira de Ceràmica 2009, to take place October 15–18 in El Vendrell, Spain. Contact Patronat Municipal de Serveis Culturals, La Rambla 24, El Vendrell, 43700 Spain; tel.

‰ Residents of CO, MT, NM, and WY may submit entries through July 15 for Continental Divide, to take place September–November in Arvada, Colorado. Jurors: Bebe Alexander, Linda Ganstrom, and Collin Parson. Contact Linda Ganstrom, NCECA, 77 Erie Village Square, Erie, CO 80516-6996; tel.

866.266.2322; office@NCECA.net; www.nceca.net. ‰ Artists of all media are invited to submit entries by July 18 for a National Juried Competition recognizing excellence in craft and fine art. The exhibition will take place in Greenville, North Carolina from August 28September 26, 2009. A complete prospectus may be viewed at www.emergegallery.com. For further details, contact Vicky Fanberg, Emerge Gallery & Art Center, 404 S. Evans St., Greenville, NC 27858; tel. 252.551.6947; Vicky@ emergegallery.com. ‰ Digital submissions of ceramic art that fits within one cubic foot are being accepted through August 1 for Clay3 National Juried Ceramics Exhibit, to take place October 23–November 21 in Warrenville, Illinois. Fee: $25 for two entries. Juror: Mary Kay Botkins.

Contact Marie Gnesda, ClaySpace, 28W210 Warrenville Rd., Warrenville, IL 60555; tel. 630.393.2529; info@clayspace.net; www.clayspace.net.

Ceramics Exhibitions

‰ A Profound Legacy: The Pottery of Mela Youngblood takes place through May 28 at King Galleries of Scottsdale, 7100 Main St., #1, Scottsdale, Arizona.

‰ New Work by John Glick takes place through May 29 at Clay Gallery, 335 Main St., Ann Arbor, Michigan. ‰ The 20th Annual California Clay Competition Exhibit takes place through May 29 at The Artery, 207 G St., Davis, California. ‰ New Works in Porcelain: Lotus Series, featuring works by Dorothy Feibleman, takes place through May 30 at Mobilia Gallery, 358 Huron Ave., Cambridge, Massachusetts, www.mobilia-gallery.com. ‰ New Work by Joe Vitek takes place through May 30 at Baltimore Clayworks, 5707 Smith Ave., Baltimore, Maryland.

Dan Finch Pottery presents the Autumn ’09 Weekend Workshop

featuring guest artists

Tom & Elaine Coleman

‰ Linda S. Fitz Gibbon: Ceramic Plates, an exhibition of wall works, takes place through May 30 at the Rominger West Winery, 4602 Second Street, Suite 4, Davis, California. ‰ Potters on Paper: Selections from the Collection, featuring works by Rudy Autio, Jun Kaneko, Richard Shaw, Peter Shire, Robert Sperry, Akio Takamori, and Patti Warashina, takes place through May 31 at ASU Art Museum Ceramics Research Center Arizona State University, Mill Ave. and Tenth St., Tempe, Arizona. ‰ Small Favors IV, New Work by Julia Galloway, and New Work

by Sharif Bey take place through May 31 at The Clay Studio, 139 N. Second St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ‰ A Potter in West Africa, featuring works by Ann Schunior, takes place through May 31 at Clever Hand Gallery, 52 Central St., Wellesley, Massachusetts. ‰ Featured Artist exhibition, with works by David Hiltner, takes

Saturday, October 31, 9-5 Sunday, November1,9-3 Registration Fee:

$175

includes continental breakfast, lunch both days, and dinner on Saturday evening to register, please visit

www.danfinch.com call (252) 235-4664 or e-mail dan.finch@earthlink.net

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

‰ Tonight, Tomorrow and Forever, featuring works by Kathy Ruttenberg, takes place through May 23 at Clay Art Center, 40 Beech St., Port Chester, New York.

‰ Transitions, featuring works by Bob Dixon, takes place through May 29 at Illinois Wesleyan University, Merwin Gallery, 6 Ames Plaza W., Bloomington, Illinois.

Hot Stuff I News & Events

0034.977.66.56. 84; ceramica@ elvendrell.net; www.elvendrell.net/ default2.aspx.

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CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

‰ Feats of Clay takes place through May 31 at Lincoln Arts Center, 580 Sixth St., Lincoln, California. ‰ Firing a Legacy takes place through June 1 at Pence Gallery, 212 D St., Davis, California. ‰ New Work exhibitions, featuring works

by Kusakabe and Marc Lancet, takes place through June 5 at TRAX Gallery, 1812 Fifth St.,.

Berkeley, California. ‰ No Two Alike, featuring works by Andy Brayman and Ayumi Horie, takes place through June 6 at Greenwich House Pottery, 16 Jones St., New York, New York. ‰ Mentor: Honoring the Historical Relationship Between Master and Apprentice, takes place through June 7 at Cone 10 Studios and Clay Gallery, 285 Meeting St., Charleston, South Carolina. ‰ From the Melting Pot into the Fire: Contemporary Ceramics in Israel takes place through June 7 at Mint Museum of Craft and Design, 220 N. Tryon St., Charlotte, North Carolina. ‰ Recent Ceramics by Ron Meyers takes place May 29–June19 at AKAR, 257 E. Iowa Ave., Iowa City, Iowa. ‰ Born of Fire: One Year Anniversary, featuring works by Margaret Tafoya, takes place June 11–18 at King Galleries of Scottsdale, 7100 Main St., #1, Scottsdale, Arizona. ‰ Dirt On Delight: Impulses that form Clay, featuring works by Kathy Butterly, Lucio Fontana, Viola Frey, Jeffry Mitchell, George Ohr, Beverly Semmes, Arlene Shechet, Peter Voulkos, Beatrice Wood, and Betty Woodman, takes place through June 21 at Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, 118 South 36th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

‰ Painted Clayworks: Ceramics and the Graphic Arts takes place through June 20 at Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, 715 W. Main St., Louisville, Kentucky. ‰ Jersey Shore Clay National 2009 takes place May 23–June 24 at m.t. burton gallery and 19th Street Ceramic Studio, 1819 N. Long Beach Blvd., Surf City, New Jersey. ‰ Featured Artist exhibition, with works by McKenzie Smith, takes place June 1–30 at Red Lodge Clay Center, 123 S. Broadway, Red Lodge, Montana. ‰ Warren MacKenzie takes place June 13–July 3 at TRAX Gallery, 1812 Fifth St., Berkeley, California. ‰ Recent Ceramics works by Kevin Snipes and Featured Artist works by Tara Wilson take place June 26–July 17 at AKAR, 257 E. Iowa Ave., Iowa City, Iowa. ‰ Journeys in Clay: Contemporary Ceramics 2009, featuring works by Katheryn Battles, Susan Beecher, Marybeth Bishop, Steven Fabrico, Frank Georgini, Ruth Sachs, Shoshanna Snow, and Joan Snyder, takes place May 30–July 18 at Greene County Council on the Arts, Main St., Windham, New York.

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

Multichambered Kiln Wood Firing: May 2, 9 and 16

Throwing Large Forms: July 6-11 Pamela Theis Alternative Kilns and Firings: May 29-31 Joyce Michaud East Asian Coil Technique: June 6-7 Ceramic Sculpture: July 18-30 Masters’ Throwing: August 6-9 Glaze Application: August 29-30 Antonio Mendez Portrait Sculpture: August 21-23 and 28 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.

‰ Curiosities, featuring works by Lindsay Feuer, Kathleen Royster Lamb, Kate MacDowell, and Andy Rogers; and The Way I See It, featuring works by Gina Bobrowski and James Tisdale, take place June 12–July 18 at Santa Fe Clay, 1615 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, New Mexico. ‰ Hamada: Three Generations of Japanese Potters, featuring works by Shinsaku Hamada, Shoji Hamada, and Tomoo Hamada, takes place June 13–July 20 at Pucker Gallery, 171 Newbury St., Boston, Massachusetts. ‰ The Artist is in the Details, featuring works

by David Furman, takes place through July 25 at American Museum of Ceramic Art, 340 S. Garey Ave., Pomona, California. [

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 a submission form online.

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

‰ Annual Members Exhibition of the Bay Area Pottery Posse, featuring works by Christa Assad, Rae Dunn, Josie Jurczenia, Sara Kagen, Mary Mar Keenan, Sara Paloma, and Whitney

Smith, takes place June 6–June 28 at MudFire Clayworks and Gallery, 175 Laredo Dr., Decatur, Georgia.

Hot Stuff I News & Events

place through May 31 at Red Lodge Clay Center, 123 S. Broadway, Red Lodge, Montana.

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State of Clay

T

he Sixth State of Clay Exhibition was recently on view at the Lexington Arts & Crafts Society in Lexington, Massachusetts (www. lexingtonma.org/LACS). Organized by the Ceramics Guild and funded in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council as well as private and corporate sponsors, this biennial show focuses on contemporary, innovative work by Massachusetts clay artists. Jim Lawton, Associate Professor of Ceramics at UMass Dartmouth, juried this year’s 285 entries submitted by 106 artists working quite broadly across the ceramic spectrum.

Fossil by Steve Murphy. Honorable Mention.

Lawton chose 76 pieces to represent the exhibit: functional to sculptural vessels, wall-based pictorial and dimensional work, figurative work, and according to Lawton, “those pieces that, always delightfully, defy category. When I look at work, I want to be moved—to be challenged by what the work has to say and the quality of how it says it. I appreciate the terrifying and the beautiful, the nuanced and the bold, the whimsical and the serious—a heart that beats. I was not disappointed. The technology (of digital images) made it possible to zoom in to look at color and surface relationships in the forms, which further assisted me in making my decisions.”

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

He traveled to Lexington to judge prize -winning entries and to present a gallery talk at the opening reception. Twelve awards were given: Best Vessel of Show went to an elegantly tall wood-fired covered jar by Daniel Molyneux. Lawton called ‘Shadow Jar’ “a tour de force of vessel making with its masculine, geometric, architectural edges that define the structure, and a fluidity of movement in the twisting foot. All that gesture is the mark of a potter.”

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He selected Shaun Lynch’s “War Memorial 2” for Best Sculpture of Show, adding that it was “a very provocative piece, with a commanding reference to the Capitol in Washington. The writhing figures on the dome speak to the state’s power to wage war while the clay construction expresses the fragility of the state.”

Tulipiere by Monica Ripley. Juror’s Award.

Juror’s Awards were given to Claudia Olds Goldie and Keri Straka for “Woman with Beads” and “Longing”, respectively.

Jim noted that Woman with Beads was “a strong piece, operating on multiple levels” and described the colorful “Longing” as “three fleshy porcelain vessels sitting on a red blood corpuscle create a sizzling relationship between the place and figurative elements.” Juror awards were also presented for John Bennard’s Teabox, described by Lawton as “the work of an original thinker ... an artist responding to the tradition of tea by

Phoenician Glass by Sonia Simoun. Honorable Mention. making up his own rules” and for Monica Ripley’s Tulipiere: “extraordinary shape and proportions; all it needs for completion is a tulip.”

In addition, the juror bestowed awards to Megumi Naitoh for her tile mosaic wall piece, “Life in Real Life and Virtual Life,” which presented three optical images to the viewer; to Eileen Braun for “Galaxy,” a highly textured, rhythmic black-and-white porcelain bottle; and for Sonia Simoun’s “Phoenician Glass” sculpture, with its electrically illuminated stained glass inserts. Kate Oggel’s sculptural “Intrados Series #28,” Steve Murphy’s anagama-fired “Fossil,” and Naoko Matsumoto’s nerikomi stoneware

Intrados Series #28 by Kate Oggel. Honorable Mention.

Shadow Jar by Daniel Molyneux. Best of Show.

Longing by Keri Straka. Juror’s Award.

Woman with Beads by Claudia Olds Goldie.

Juror’s Award.

17

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CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

18

Multiple Vessels as a Pottery Image Patrick Horsley

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Further Glaze Tests Yield Striking New Recipes

T

his topic actually began over a year ago with a column I did on the unity formula, and how it could be used to better understand how a glaze works. In that column, I used a cone 10 tomato red recipe as an example glaze, analyzed its unity formula, and did a series of tests to figure out what combination of elements caused it to turn red. As a follow-up to that column (which seemed to be of interest to many, judging from my e-mail), I used that formula to generate a series of tests to find out if I could improve on the original recipe, either by tweaking its proportions or by altering the particular fluxes used in the recipe. In one of those tests, I added enough boron oxide (B2O3) to lower the maturing temperature to cone 6 (though I never tested it at that temperature).

It still worked just fine at cone 10, and I mentioned in the article that, at least in theory, it might be possible to get that version of the glaze to work at that lower temperature.

John chose #13 (third row from the top, third tile from the left) as the glaze variation that he felt looked most promising. The mixtures above and to the right of #13 have melted, but are underfired, with pinholes and/or crawling. Others scattered across the lower half of the grid also seemed to produce interesting results, varying in surface from gloss to satin and crystalline. I thought that #18 and #19 looked particularly promising, and ran a number of tests on them, which I’ll discuss further in my next column.

You’ll notice that while square #13 (the one that John chose to investigate) has a very nice, satin surface, it didn’t turn red, despite the 8% iron included in the recipe (the amount I had included in the original cone 10 reduction version). John rightly guessed that he might need to adjust the amount of iron in the glaze. He produced a series of tiles that contained from zero to 20 percent additions of iron (in 2% increments). Tiles with 2% to 6% iron were an increasingly darker green, the tile with 8% iron was both green and red, and the ones with either 10% or 12% iron were a perfect, satin tomato red (with the 12% version being slightly darker and more variegated).

Above 12% iron, the glaze turns a dark, metallic plum, and then black. These tests perfectly illustrated that the new cone 6 oxidation version of the glaze needed more iron than the original cone 10 reduction version, that the optimum amount was fairly flexible, and that 9%

to 12% iron would give positive results— depending on the purity of the red iron oxide that was used, and the way the glaze was fired and cooled.

Did someone say firing? I should point out that John’s firing schedule is also responsible for his success. Here’s the schedule that John programs into his computer-controlled kiln: 1. Fire at 200° F per hour to cone 6.

2. Allow the kiln to cool on its own to 1800° F. 3. Fire down (that is, use the power of the kiln to cool slowly) at the rate of 150° per hour, continuing down to 1300° F. 4. Below 1300°, let the kiln cool naturally.

It turns out that John’s firing cycle (or, more accurately, his cooling cycle) is crucial for the success of this glaze.

Without this slow cooling, the red crystals that give this glaze its color don’t have time to develop, and it is a less interesting brown color. Besides the development of color, the slow cooling has another effect: this glaze develops a very pleasant satin texture that’s quite nice to the touch.

As a follow-up to these excellent tests, John tried a variety of other things in an attempt to improve on this glaze. Some of the tests varied the amounts of bone ash in the glaze, some added lithium carbonate, and others used alternate sources of iron. Increasing the amounts of bone ash in the glaze produced no noticeable improvement. The tests that had an addition of 2% lithium carbonate were less red than the original when mixed with 10% iron, but with 12% iron it produced very interesting, bright, spangly little crystals in the glaze.

Varying the source of iron also produced interesting results. The addition of yellow iron oxide caused crawling, though the

CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

That’s how I intended to leave it, until John Post contacted me last summer.

John took my recipe, fired it to cone 6, and found that it was, indeed, mature.

He then ran it through a Currie grid to find its optimum levels of alumina and silica (see Fig. 1, next page). A Currie Grid, for those of you who aren’t familiar, is a process that was invented by Australian potter and teacher Ian Currie. It is a series of tests that allows the artist to fine-tune the amounts of alumina and silica in a glaze. It works by removing the ingredients that contain just alumina and/or silica, and using that glaze as a base. It appears as the square on the lower left-hand corner of a 35-square grid. In the mixtures above that corner, the amount of alumina is progressively increased, with the highest amounts in the upper row. On the mixtures to the right of the lower-left corner, the silica is gradually increased, reaching its highest

level on the right side of the grid. Moving up diagonally from lower-left to upperright gradually increases both alumina and silica. The squares are numbered, beginning with “#1” in the upper left and moving to the right with numbers 2, 3, 4 and 5, then continuing with the second line, etc.—just like reading text in English.

by PETE PINNELL

Perspectives I As Far As I Know

Tomato Reds At Cone 6

19

Perspectives I As Far As I Know

Cone 6 Tomato Reds colors produced in those tests were also good. Tests using “natural” red iron oxide were as red as those made with Spanish red iron oxide, if not redder. These tests seemed to indicate that the source of the iron used wasn’t as important as the relative purity of that source, and as long as the raw qualities of the iron didn’t cause other problems (like crawling), then a variety of iron sources would work.

Fig. 1: A Currie Grid developed from a Tomato Red recipe. John’s #13 is the third row down, third tile from the left.

Finally, adding 2% rutile to the red resulted in a pleasant pumpkin orange color.

After seeing John’s results, I decided to fire my original #3 variation (the one containing boron) to cone 6 and, like John, found that it needed additional iron to develop into a bright tomato red (10-12% was good). It has a lower alumina and higher silica level than John’s, with the result that it has a similar color, but is a bit shinier.

John’s test piqued my curiosity, and my student assistant and I ran several hundred tests fired in a variety of different cycles. In particular, we tried doing some long soaks at various temperature during the cooling, with some pretty striking results. Next time, I’ll report on those tests, and provide a few nice new recipes.

You can see more photographs of John’s tests and the complete set of grid recipes, along with his pots at: http://www.johnpost. us/. [

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

Peter Pinnell is Hixson-Lied Professor of Art at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. You can reach him at ppinnell1@unl.edu.

20

Fig. 2: John Post’s Tomato Red with Spanish Red Iron Oxide at (reading left to right) 8%, 10%, 12%, and 14%.

Fig. 3: John Post’s Tomato Red with addition of 2% Lithium Carbonate plus Spanish Red Iron Oxide at (from left to right) 8%, 10%, 12%, and 14%.

courtesy of John Post and Pete Pinnell

John Post’s Tomato Red Cone 6 oxidation pictured in Figs. 2 & 3, opposite page Ferro Frit 3134 Nepheline Syenite Bone Ash Magnesium Carbonate Whiting EPK Silica TOTAL

11.0% 23.6 7.9 6.3 7.9 21.6 21.7

Readers Share I Glaze Recipes

Great Glazes

100.0%

Variation One: To develop bright little crystals in the glaze, add 2% lithium carbonate (without diminishing anything else) Variation Two: To alter the glaze color from red to pumpkin orange, add 2% rutile

Pete’s #3 Tomato Red Cone 6 oxidation Ferro Frit 3134 Kona F-4 Feldspar Bone Ash Magnesium Carbonate Whiting EPK Silica TOTAL

100.0%

Each formula is provided in percentage (by weight). Results vary with clay bodies and firing conditions; always test first to be sure you’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. [

CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

9.8% 33.6 10.7 5.9 3.8 12.5 23.7

21

Readers Share I Tips & Techniques

The Slurry Bucket Looking for helpful studio tips? Got some to share? This is the place...

Dual-Purpose Packing

Beachcombed Texture Tools

To make packing for (and packing up after) a show easier, I have switched from newsprint/newspaper to cloth bags. I was able to get some upholstery material at a steep discount (free) and made up a series of different sized bags (I cut a rectangle and sewed up the two opposite sides). The upholstery material is quite thick. The bags are ultimately reusable (I have been using mine for eight years). They have a dual purpose: to protect the pottery in transit and to clean the pottery (any dust on a piece is wiped off as it is taken out of the bag).

Every year, my family goes to the beach for our summer vacation.

Just like many people, I collect shells that I see along the beach. Since I’m always on the lookout for tools or textures for my clay projects, I realized that these same shells would be perfect for textures on my pots or other projects. Not only are they good for various textures or impressions, if you can get the right shell, it can also be used as a tool since it won’t warp or become water-logged in any way.

Chad Fisher, Cross Junction, VA [

After each show, I will take the empty bags and stack them in size groups, then store them in empty bins. When it is time to pack for a show (or after a kiln opening), I take the stacks of empty bags from my bins and re-fill the now empty bins with cloth bags filled with pottery.

Packing in the cloth bags works well—I’ve had no broken pieces in the last eight years.

22

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CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

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Send us your useful clay tip or technique to share with our readers. Mail with your T-shirt size to: The Slurry Bucket, c/o Clay Times, PO Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197.

Jan Katz, Curator of the Center for Southern Craft and Design at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans, was previously a jewelry designer for more than a dozen years. She was also an art consultant for another dozen years. We talked about collectors, mugs, finding new work, and what she looks for when selecting them. A few years ago, Katz organized a show called, “The Art of the Mug” at the Ogden Museum. Based on that experience, and feedback from her audience, cups became her preferred form when helping beginning collectors gain confidence as they start collecting craft objects.

Lana Wilson: Are cups so approachable because they are small, familiar, and not outrageously expensive?

Jan Katz: A cup, skillfully made, is a good starting point for both new and experienced collectors.

And yes, it’s safer to make a few mistakes at that price point. But more importantly, when choosing a cup, you begin an intimate dance with the maker.

Bring the cup to your mouth, feel the weight of it, and the fit of the handle in your hand. You see the actual turn of the cup’s lip and how that clay lip fits against your lips. It should be a luxurious slow dance, and then a rational “deconstruction” of what appeals to you ... the form, the glaze, the gestural markings, the line of the handle.

These visual choices are the basis, albeit in different terms, for anything one chooses to collect—knowing what appeals to you, and why.

That’s the power of appreciating an object, just as the love of an object has power over you.

For me, the fundamental question—does a piece speak to you on a visceral level—is the most important one of all. The importance of listening to that intuitive response, the one you discovered in that dance with the maker, is the basis for building the confidence to collect.

Wilson: So you are asking people to relax and be comfortable with what they respond to, and

Katz: Yes, this is a good starting point and people tend to make excellent decisions if they are open and willing to respond to a piece on a very basic level. Of course, I don’t want to diminish the importance of reading, visiting museums and galleries, and attending auctions, all of which are crucial to creating an informed collector and building a strong collection, no matter its size.

Wilson: I know you had a show where you asked potters for drawings of their mugs before they sent in their work. How did that work out?

Katz: Based on that experience, it seems to me that potters prefer not to draw. I know as a jeweler I felt the rush to create; I didn’t want to stop to draw, but rather let the immediacy of material, form, or color become my partner and play an equal part in the process of creation. It was easier for me to move into the “creative zone” working strictly through the medium.

Wilson: That is certainly true for me. I can’t quickly draw the slight slump or bulge of soft clay and it takes too long to show deep texture and shallow subtle texture. I want to just roll out the clay and start after I have maybe drawn rough quick shapes. I have always felt I was supposed to draw more, but maybe those failure pots are my first rough threedimensional drawings.

You have a theory about the differences between non-degree granting art centers like Penland and Arrowmont,* as compared with ceramic degree university programs.

Katz: Yes, I am interested in the synergy of places like Arrowmont and Penland. These

non-degree granting art centers become a vortex for the larger craft community and the traditions of all craft media. It is an atmosphere different from a school, where there isn’t the same professor for two or three years holding so much power and influence over students.

Wilson: So those craft centers offer something important, although different from the ceramic degrees in universities?

Katz: It seems that way to me. Many students fresh out of universities have trouble breaking away from the influence of their professors.

At Penland*, Haystack, Anderson Ranch, Arrowmont, etc. that tendency to emulate seems less pervasive—students are not in a competitive situation for a grade or a future ceramics teaching position. And as with everything, when learning is an enjoyable process, creativity seems to be heightened.

Wilson: Tell me what you are looking for when you seek new work for the Center for Southern Craft and Design.

Katz: I look for potters who honor tradition, but bring their work forward in a contemporary way. I am always looking for thoughtful work, imbued with integrity. I stay away from derivative work.

Wilson: You have a story of an artist who had an unusual way of reviving herself when she was feeling stuck.

Katz: Yes, she was a nationally known painter who, when blocked in her own progression, would revert to painting in her mentor’s style until she felt strong enough to emerge in a new and intuitive way once again.

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

I do a series at the museum entitled, “Collecting 101.” We discuss the process of building a collection. Panels include artists, curators, teachers, gallery directors, auctioneers, and museum professionals. The series starts broadly, and then focuses on a specific medium. We talk about building collections—how you begin and ways to nurture connoisseurship.

to respect their gut reaction to a piece?

by LANA Wilson

Perspectives I Beneath the Surface

Jan Katz: Thoughts from a Curator

23

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Katz: Just something I’ve observed over the years, and an easy trap to fall in: Try to avoid becoming static. If you have no time to experiment, you are putting your work at risk.

You become stale to both yourself and the people interested in your work.

& MO RE

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I realize that the studio potter is the maker, the salesperson, the PR department, the accountant, the packer, the shipper, etc. The pressure is tremendous to make what you know sells well.

But finding time to experiment and develop is crucial to your future viability.

And I have to add, clay artists are wonderful to work with. They are open, kind and generous. As one potter told me when I made that generalization, “That’s why you see the “kiln gods”—potters are accustomed to disappointment.”

CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

The earTh’s BesT Clays

24

(cont. from previous page)

“If you have no time to experiment, you are putting your work at risk. You become stale to both yourself and the people interested in your work.” — Jan Katz

g r in lo ur co at ll- s! fe fu age w of No ns le im ze p do sam

Perspectives I Beneath the Surface

Thoughts from a Curator

ANOTHER GREAT RESOURCE!

HIGHWATER CLAYS

Asheville, NC

St. Petersburg, FL

828.252.6033 727-553-9344 www.highwaterclays.com

*Some of the Websites for residential nondegree granting art schools are below. There are certainly more places than these to take classes and happily immerse yourself. www.andersonranch.org/ www.arrowmont.org www.folkschool.org/ www.haystack.org/cms/ www.missa.ca/ www.idyllwildarts.org/summer/programs/adult_ arts_center/hot_ clay/hot_clay.html www.penland.org www.petersvalley.org www.shakerag.org To learn about the Sept. 17-19, 2009 weekend handbuilding CERF Benefit workshop with four handbuilders in Philadelphia, log onto: http://sandiandneil.com/handbuilt-event. [

Slip Decorating with trails & stencils by judi munn

RECIPES Crystal White Glaze Cone 10-12 used with the blue or brown slip Custer Feldspar Kaolin Whiting Silica Dolomite Rutile

Complex decoration is easily achieved with the use of stencils cut from overhead transparencies, and outlines from a homemade slip trailer.

I

first started using slip in 1992, during my apprenticeship at the Ozark Folk Center with David and Becki Dahlstedt. I spent 11 years working with “simple” brush and slip trailing designs. Eventually I began to work with more complicated combinations using layers of slip, slip trailing, brushwork, and sgraffito to create depth to the surface.

In an effort to make a repeatable product, I experimented with handmade stencils. I tried newspaper first. That worked very well, but the stencils were short-lived. After trying several other materials, I settled on flexible overhead transparencies. These worked great and have proven to be quite durable. They work especially well on flat surfaces, such as plates and platters. Cylindrical pieces, such as mugs or vases, must be straight-sided, or must be flattened.

Making A Stencil The first step is to draw the idea that you want to work with on a piece of paper.

Then either enlarge or reduce it if you need to. The drawings for the stencils can be simple or complex. Geometric shapes or silhouettes of animals or plants are a good place to start (see Fig. 1, next page). The more detail you put on the interior

Woo’s Blue Glaze Cone 10-11 Custer Feldspar Silica Ball Clay Whiting

TOTAL

add Rutile Red Iron Oxide Bentonite

42.0% 27.0 13.0 18.0 100.0% 4.0 4.0 2.0

Robin Hopper Slip Cone 6-13 Ball Clay Kaolin Silica Custer Feldspar

TOTAL

For blue, add Cobalt Carbonate For brown, add Red Iron Oxide

75.0% 10.0 10.0 5.0 100.0% 2.0% 10.0%

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

The following is a process that I have found to be useful in my work. These instructions are for use with overhead transparencies, but can be adapted to other materials (newspaper, latex, screen, or flat sheet of latex.). You can choose to just leave the decoration as a simple stencil, or add further embellishments with slip trailing, brushing, or sgraffito.

TOTAL

31.0% 5.0 10.0 27.0 17.0 10.0 100.0%

25

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

Fig. 9

has deep finger groves, you will need to trim them off and smooth it down. The slip will seep under the stencil if there is room.

with different brushes and see what effect you get. I have a favorite elk-hair brush that my friend Beth Lambert made. I use it to create the effect of movement or waves in water.

of the stencil, the more interesting the design, but it also becomes more likely to tear.

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

Once you have the size fixed, trace or photocopy the image onto the transparency (Fig. 2). If possible, use a thin, flexible transparency. The stiffer ones tend to tear more easily than the flexible ones (Fig. 3).

26

No matter how well you have drawn your image, the important part is how you cut it.

You will be “drawing” with whatever tool you choose, so find a tool that cuts well for you. I use an X-acto knife (Fig. 4). You could also try scissors, or a transparency-cutting tool from a hobby supply store. I use both the positive and negative as part of my design. It becomes a stylized Tao Yin-yang design.

Before you put the stencil on the pot or slab, check the surface to make sure it is smooth and flat. If you want to use a rounded pot, flatten the side first. I use a flat, wooden board such as a throwing bat (Fig. 5). If the surface

The stencil should be put on the surface of a moist/leather-hard pot (Fig. 6). Sponge down the edges to make sure it is smoothly held in place. If it is too dry, sponge the surface a bit before you put the transparency on. If it is wet and sticky, it is best wait until it stiffens.

If you use a transparency on a pot that is too wet, some of the surface will come up when you remove the stencil (Fig. 7).

Once the stencil is in place, you are ready to paint on the slip. If it is flatware, put it on the wheel and turn it. This way you can just move the brush as the wheel turns, and you can get a pretty smooth coat of color (Fig. 8). For flattened pots, such as a pitcher, just paint slip around the image (Fig. 9).

Brushwork will show up. If you want to add character to the surface, you can experiment

If you want to do any large, gestural sgraffito (carving through the slip), wait until the slip stiffens up but is not hard (Fig. 10). If it is too stiff, the movement of the tool tends to be jerky. If it is too soft, the shavings will stick back to the surface. Keep in mind that if you do sgraffito before you take the stencil off, you can rub out any error and correct it with another layer of slip. Once the fresh slip sets up, you can try again.

There is a wide variety of tools with which to try sgraffito (Fig. 11). For big swirls I use the metal end of a Giffin Grip® post, or a wooden chopstick. For small detail work, I prefer a metal carving tool or rubber tools (Fig. 12).

Carving tools, trimming tool, rubber tipped tools, or a piece of a comb can also be used to make interesting designs.

To remove the stencil, slip the tip of a needle tool under the edge and lift it off (Fig. 13). Clean up any slip that has seeped under the stencil. The rubber tipped tool or a metal carving tool works great for this.

Once you have removed the stencil, you can leave it as is, or embellish it further with slip or carving (Fig. 14). I find that a plain stencil pattern can be a bit bland, even with brushwork (Fig. 15). The slip trailing livens up the surface and gives depth and texture to the design.

If you do want to add slip trailing, let the piece stiffen for an hour or so before starting. This way, if you make a mistake, the freshly trailed slip can be “erased” with a sponge, and the stiffer stencil pattern will stay put. While it stiffens, practice with the slip trailer to get a feel for it. Use a tile or slab for your experiments. Once it is stiff, you can follow the outline of the stencil with slip trailing as well as add lines inside and outside the image (Fig. 16).

We use the same slip for creating the stencil image and the slip trailing (Fig. 17). With the glazes that we use, the raised surface of the slip trail creates a stronger color than the background (see first story photo, page 25). So, even if the dried decoration looks like it will fade into the background, the trailing on the finished product appears darker. If you use this process and you work with a white or clear glaze, you will need to have two different concentrations of colorant in your slips. Otherwise, the colors will look the same and your trailing and brushwork will not show up as well.

Fig. 10

Fig. 11

Fig. 12

Fig. 13

Fig. 14

Fig. 15

Fig. 16

Fig. 17

When I started developing my stencils, I thought the process would be faster than slip trailing. In fact, it is much more time consuming, even if I don’t add the extra slip trailing. It is much faster to just draw an animal than use the stencils, but I like the detail and a repeatable product. Since it is so time-consuming, I use stencils mostly for large platters and plates. They lend themselves well to the process ... although there seems to be a much greater demand for mugs and bowls. [

Making A Slip Trailer

Judi Munn and her husband, John Perry, demonstrate the art of pottery making at the Ozark Folk Center State Park (OFC) in Mountain View, AR. They lead a variety of workshops at the OFC throughout the year, including one on slip decorating. They can be reached at perrymunn@mvtel.net or judimunn@yahoo.com.

Their workshop schedule is available through the Ozark Folk Center at ozarkfolkcenter.com.

1. Grind off the flange of a veterinary needle.

2. Cut off the tip and sand it smooth.

3. Cut the tip off of an ear syringe.

4. Test and see if you have cut enough. Make sure the tip fits snugly or it will come out too easily.

5. If you make your own, you can have a variety of tips to fit the same tube.

6. The removable tip makes reloading fast and easy.

7. Insert a paper clip or wire in the tip when it is not in use. This will keep the tip from clogging.

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

The slip trailer I use one that my mentors Becki and David Dahlstedt introduced me to. It is an ear syringe with a veterinary needle stuck in it.

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.

A Tribute to

Susan Peterson 1925 - 2009

STORY AND PHOTOS BY GLEN BLAKLEY

S

usan H. Peterson, one of the best known and loved people in the ceramic world — also known by many as “the Queen of Ceramics” — passed away on March 23, 2009.

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“Shoji Hamada,” Held said, “asked her to write a book about him. She stayed at his complex until her research was finished, and then she wrote the book, Shoji Hamada, a Potter’s Way and Work.”

Since 1950, Peterson established numerous ceramic departments, and taught at the Wichita Art Association School, the Chouinard Art Institute, the University of Southern California, the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts in California, and Hunter College in New York City (Emerita in Ceramics, 1994).

Deborah Smith, one of Peterson’s lifelong friends, spoke of Peterson as an accomplished photographer, an avid researcher, and a tireless worker. While they were traveling and lecturing in India, Smith said, “Susan would go to her room, and late at night she would still be working on slides and doing paperwork.” She talked about the Susan

Don Reitz also offered a great tribute to the ‘lady of the desert.’ His heartfelt and emotional comments about Peterson were very touching and powerful. To him, she embodied “energy and creativity ... the power of life itself.”

Clay Times book review columnist Steven Branfman also offered words of tribute to Peterson, characterizing her as the “get it done” figure.

He was always there for her, as she was for him. He was the person she could turn to get things done and books published. She didn’t like to waste time, he said ... she was always working. Their working friendship helped made it possible for her to accomplish her goals.

She had great respect for other writers, and they were some of her closest friends.

Susan’s Peterson’s daughter, Jan, and her family were elated with the concluding presentation. Jan said she was very pleased with the tributes to Susan. “It was a celebration of her life, and Mom would have loved it,” Jan said.

Susan was a member of the International Ceramic Academy, Geneva, and a Fellow of the American Craft Council. Her awards included a Lifetime Achievement Award from NCECA, the prestigious Binns Medal from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred, a Lifetime Acheivement Award from the College of Art at Arizona State University, and similar awards from the governor of New York and the National American Ceramic Society. She also received fellowship awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, and she was a Knight of the Order of the Lion of Finland.

A personal note about the photos of Susan in this issue. On the 26th of December, 2008, I went to Susan’s home in Scottsdale, Arizona to photograph her. It was about 3 p.m. when I arrived; she had just finished the revision of one of her books. When I entered her home, she asked, “Are you here to photograph the pots?” (No museum can match her collection of pots by Hamada, Maria Martinez, Lucy Lewis, etc.) “No, Susan,” I replied. “I’m here to photograph you.”

For the next three hours, we talked as I photographed her. Then we went to her studio, located at her daughter’s home. After about 45 minutes, we wrapped up the shoot and drove Susan home. Susan was a charming, kind, and gracious host, as usual. She thanked me

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June MAY/JUNE 2009

No other ceramic artist, writer, and potter has had more impact on the contemporary ceramic movement than Susan Peterson. Through her 17 books, she gave us icons and heros who are bigger than life.

We could rub shoulders, so to speak, with Shoji Hamada, Maria Martinez, Lucy Lewis, John Mason, Jun Kaneko, and a host of others.

In her textbook, The Craft and Art of Clay, she introduces students to hundreds of impressive contemporary ceramicists with biographies and photographs of their works.

Peterson had spent much of her lifetime traveling the world, giving lectures on ceramics. Most recently, she had been scheduled to speak at the National Council on the Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) as the concluding speaker in her own backyard, Phoenix, but unfortunately passed away just a week before the conference. The ceramic world was saddened to hear of her death, but none moreso than those at the NCECA Conference who were anxiously awaiting her presentation.

As a result, the closing ceremonies became a celebration and tribute to Peterson and her great contributions to the ceramic world. Peter Held told of Peterson’s career as a ceramic educator; her series for CBS-TV called, “Wheels, Kilns, and Clay,” and the books she authored.

Held recounted Susan’s life story, emphasizing her drive to get things done and her lifelong accomplishments as an educator, writer, potter, and photographer.

that was fun to be with, and their strong bonds of friendship.

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Susan Peterson poses for photographer Glen Blakley at her Scottsdale, Arizona home in December, 2008.

In the background are but a few of the many works of art she collected throughout her lifetime.

Throughout her lifetime, Susan Peterson earned the love and respect

of those in the ceramic and academic world, and beyond. She will always be remembered as one of our greatest heros—an icon in the field of ceramics.

Our dear Susan, we will miss you! Thank you for the insight you gave us into the lives of so many wonderful ceramic artists. Their blessing was to know you; our blessing is your heritage. [

Glen B. Blakley is a professor of art at Dixie State College in St. George, Utah.

He is a ceramist, photographer, and educator.

CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

and said, “I wish you could have seen my home in Carefree.” (By the time she had moved to Scottsdale, Susan had already given a large part of her slides, papers, and ceramic collection to Arizona State University.)

Peterson loved, documented, and wrote magnificent books about her friends and fellow artists. They responded with kindness, great respect, and showed her their appreciation. For example, when her ex-husband passed away in November, 2008, Jun Kaneko made a beautiful burial urn for him and also one for Susan as a gift.

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MICHAEL HEALY PHOTO

Order and Release by Kaori Fujitani. 16½" diameter. Terra cotta with terra sigillata, oxide wash, and glazes.

Imprints: A Survey of Faculty and Guest Artists at the Mesa Arts Center

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

By Jeff Reich

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T

he letter from NCECA arrived by mail in June, 2008. It stated, “Your exhibit proposal ‘Imprints’ has been accepted as a 2009 NCECA Concurrent, Independent Exhibition.”

Fantastic—the idea of a show had become a reality, and the work of curating could begin. It was absolutely a joy to choose, from artists’ emails, the images for the show. The exhibition featured works by current and former faculty, resident artists, and guest artists during the past 22 years that I have been director of the ceramics department at the Mesa Arts Center (MAC) in Mesa, Arizona. On display throughout the recent NCECA 2009 Conference in Phoenix, the show was held in the Mesa Contemporary Arts museum at the Mesa Arts Center, along

with three other ceramic shows. The survey highlighted the many talented and dedicated artists who have taught or left their “imprint” at the Mesa Arts Center. In addition to the shows, the MAC hosted an NCECA pre-conference workshop with Sergei Isupov.

The original Mesa Arts Center opened many years ago in an old WPAbuilt elementary school. In June, 2005, we moved into a new $98 million facility with studios, museum, and theaters. It is the largest arts center in Arizona.

Putting together the show brought back memories of workshops with great artists who shared their secrets of clay. Don Reitz came and

wood-fired in a kiln we built with bricks made from scrap clay, sand, and sawdust. He and I talked about firing the kiln with different types of wood, so we choose grapefruit wood from the many acres of citrus groves in Mesa that were being cleared for housing. It rained for two days straight and we had to stand on pallets under a small ramada, but we got the kiln to temperature and the pots came out yellowish with that wood! Don’s work in the exhibit displays his mastery of wood fire and abstract expression. It shares the story of fire, time, and temperature. The forces of fire on clay conjure images that no other method can catch.

Karen Karnes mesmerized us with her wheel-throwing and beautiful jars. Wire-cutting and faceting lids were the highlights, along with her gentle but strong spirit. Patty Warashina did a week-long figurative workshop, and made one of her devil teapots with my name on it.

Hearing about Robert Sperry and their relationship made me appreciate artist couples.

David Shaner was a guest artist and wood-fired with us in what would turn out to be his last workshop. He was a hero of mine when I was in school studying ceramics. Shaner’s work in the show was from the collection of my wife and me. It is a subtle-but-strong example of his “pillow” vessels, with a crystal manganese dioxide black glaze. It was slowly cooled to enhance the growth of the crystals.

JON READ PHOTO

Harvey Sadow gave a wonderful workshop in 1988, reading poetry and purposefully but playfully dropping a freshly thrown 25-lb. vessel onto the ground, much to the horror of my students. They still remember that!

Platter by Don Reitz. 20" x 20" x 5". Wood-fired stoneware.

Farraday Newsome conducted a popular maiolica workshop at the MAC in 2000. She joined the arts center staff as an instructor in 2001.

She continues to teach maiolica at the new Mesa Arts Center, with her own work developing over the past few years to more sculptural forms glazed with drift imagery relating to time, fertility, danger, and chance.

My own work in the show was a debut of sorts, highlighting a transition from wheel-thrown and recombined sculptural vessels to slabbuilt, abstract, rectilinear forms with leaning angles and areas of glaze sgraffitto. “The Insistence of Thorns” was a culmination of abstract expressionist influences and my interest in contemporary desert landscapes. I grow native desert plants on our 11/3 acre, and often refer to them when drawing into glaze. Dry cracking river beds of clay are suggested by a crawling shino glaze with magnesium carbonate.

The double cubes are cone 10, light reduction-fired, black stoneware glazed by taping out areas and then wax-resisting over the glaze. The process is repeated in each area: tape, glaze, wax, and on to the next area (see photo, next page).

Kaori Fujitani is our current artist-in-residence and teaches a low-fire surface effects class as well as soda and wood firing. Her work in the

Somedays by Jon Read. 31" x 14" x 14".

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

Art education in the community of Phoenix has always been a priority to me. Often hiring recently-graduated M.F.A. students, sometimes from nearby Arizona State University, for maybe their first teaching gig has been rewarding. The artist-in-residence program has also helped many early-career ceramicists with studio space after graduation.

Some MAC residents over the years have included Sam Chung, Keisuke Mizuno, Nobuhito Nishigawara, Mitch Yung, and Kaori Fujitani.

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Insistence of Thorns by Jeff Reich. 11" x 17" x 12". Reduction-fired black stoneware.

Bird with Agaves by Farraday Newsome.

33" x 18" x 18". Glazed terra cotta.

Squirrel Skull with Orchids by Keisuke Mizuno. 8" x 14" x 9". Porcelain.

Tea Bowl by Jack Troy. 5" x 5" x 4" (front and back views pictured above and below).

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

Imprints Exhibition

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(cont. from previous page)

show displayed her use of slip sgraffito drawings on terra cotta clay fired to cone 03.

“Imprints” was a chance to reflect on the diversity of work taught and made over the years at the Mesa Arts Center. The exhibit successfully showcased unique artists who have left an impression on those who attended classes, workshops, or exhibits in the charming old or the glamorous new Mesa Arts Center. [

Jeff Reich is the director of ceramics at the Mesa Arts Center and shares a studio, Indigo Street Pottery, with his wife and fellow potter Farraday Newsome. Go to Indigostreetpottery.com for more information.

For more about the Mesa Arts Center, log onto: mesaartscenter.com.

Conversations: Peter Callas STORY AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOE CAMPBELL

I spent some time with Peter Callas at his home and studio in Belvidere, New Jersey during the summer of 2008, and had the following conversation. His work and career span more than three decades, and are very well known to most in the ceramic arts world. For more biographical information, or to see more images of his work, go to www.petercallas.com.

Influences Joe: Could we start by discussing what you feel are the most important influences on your career and work?

Also, the commitment to wood firing has influenced my work and heightened my aesthetic sense immeasurably. It has been a big part of my life for a long time. If you broaden my influences a bit more, there’s music. I would say over the past four decades, music has been a powerful, powerful influence on my life. I think it’s the modern day poetry. From Bob Dylan on down, there are messages and melodies—it just makes life fuller and richer. People are moved by music. I know I am. In fact, it has inspired me to work poetically with clay. Japan has to be included here as well—it changed my life 30-some years ago. The fact is, Japan is where I learned about the Anagama kiln. Travel in general has had a huge influence on my career

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

Hannibal by Peter Callas. 36" tall. Wood-fired.

Pete: I have a punch list. To be honest, I want to start back with my parents. They were a perfect team and workaholics. They instilled an entrepreneurial spirit in me. Today, my wife and kids are equally powerful on that front. It’s not just the responsibility of family life—you want to be a strong role model—but sometimes you have a tough time being

your own best critic and you get support from them. You can’t help it, in the day to day contact with them, you’re influenced by their character—and even their wit—it’s infectious!

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and life. Not just Japan, but really everywhere I’ve gone—Brazil, Australia, Hungary, Norway, China, or Korea—it’s the life lessons, cultural insights, the whole concept of broadening your horizons.

Also, you have to understand how unique it was. At the time, there were no Anagama kilns in this country. So there was a lot of back-andforth “head hunting” going on all the time.

Oddly enough, I recently went through an old carousel of slides. I had taken some high-altitude panoramic shots while on an Alpine hiking trip through the Washington Cascade Mountains in 1973—right before my residency at The Archie Bray Foundation. There were the “traditional” mountain views from walking on ridges. But more importantly there were random, intimate shots of gnarled root systems, and twisted branches of nature struggling to survive. These close-ups were far, far away from my life in New Jersey. I thought about these Bonsai-type structures, which pointed out two things in particular. One was how early on I was stirred by nature; and two, what great skill it takes as an artist to translate that abstract information into works of art (you know, making a connection—finding a source of inspiration and linking it to your own spirit). One obvious example is to look at gardens. Both the natural-looking gardens in Japan and the very formal and elegant gardens of Europe, are not just breathtaking— they’re inspirational havens for artists. I really don’t think there’s any artist worth mentioning who hasn't been inspired by the natural world. So from the very beginning of my career—even before I was even very “conscious” of it—nature has played a critical, influential role. Today my country lifestyle and close proximity to New York City are both intensely influential on my career and work.

Ceramics collaborations were not unprecedented—but they were rare. Historically, Kenzan and Korin from Japan, Joan Miro and Artigas in Spain and France, Picasso’s ceramics at the Madoura Pottery, and my friend Paul Chaleff, who did collaborative work with Anthony Caro, come to mind. But there wasn’t really a footprint here for the groundbreaking things that Voulkos and I were doing with wood fire.

These days, wood fire “collaborations” are becoming more and more commonplace—the whole concept just sort of snowballed. Pete and I just did it because it was absolutely right at the time. We were so immersed in it—it was like sloshing around in a washing machine, really thrashing around, and we couldn’t see what was getting done. Yet what an incredible part of our lives! By the time it was all over—God, we produced some of the most important contemporary ceramics of the century.

People Joe: I know that in many subtle ways all of the things you mentioned are incredibly important—but is there one person you think ties directly to your work in a powerful way?

Pete: Here’s the interesting thing—I didn’t mention my long-time partner Pete Voulkos, and this is a perfect segue into it. He’s definitely the one person from that perspective. Pete and I had more than a working relationship; we had a real bond that energized our lives.

We grew together, and suffered together. We had the same aesthetic thread, kindred spirit and soul. When you talk about being influenced by people—I think if Pete was alive today he would identify with the fact that through his infectious demeanor and shared insights he helped galvanize my own spirited style. There are plenty of people out there who were inspired by Voulkos, but when you work with someone for over 20 years, obviously a special relationship develops. Ours was one of mutual admiration. It was very nurturing, had great elements of humor, and was really an intimate dialogue, with respect, and love.

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

Joe: Spending that much time in an intense collaborative situation is sure to have influences that travel both ways.

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Pete: In context you are right. I brought the “wood fire” aesthetic to the table, so there was a collaborative dimension to our relationship.

Voulkos was intrigued with the patinas from my kiln, and made visual connections with things he’d never seen before. Equally important for me was Voulkos’s artistic insight. He was masterful to watch and work around, and I soaked it all in. I was the beneficiary of his consummate skills and enthusiasm. At our best we ignited each other and fed off of that energy. Influences ... well there was our Greek heritage, which to us, was very serendipitous. More importantly, there was really a genuine bond: a spontaneous, seamless, and intimate rapport. It was very Zen-like; a constant ebb-and-flow situation.

Abstract Expressionism Joe: Both your work and Voulkos’s work have a definite relationship to Abstract Expressionism—and really were two primary voices in clay to do so. Some thoughts about this?

Pete: Abstract Expressionism is as thorny a relationship with art as one could imagine. To that end, Voulkos’s character was energized by wood fire, and he viewed it as a momentous home run. The shoe fit perfectly when we melded the intuitive ideologies of Abstract Expressionism with the dynamic qualities of the Anagama kiln. There was no linear, no occidental. We embraced its parameters, believing in the kiln’s vocabulary and capabilities. It was an enticing challenge for Pete to let go of complete control. He had to submit to, and trust the expressiveness of, fire ... or the fire man, so to speak. He related to the wood fire’s abstract nuances; the trail of incredible textures, colors, and depth that spoke loudly on his work. He loved the mysteries of nature.

So the relationship of wood fire and Abstract Expressionism was that we just stretched the parameters of both traditions ... abstractly, of course!

Think about this—the concept of individual studio art pottery in the United States is really only about 60 years old. The one outstanding exception is, of course, George Ohr. Today “change” has been the common thread in trying to establish what our aesthetic identity is—or will be. In that regard, the whole field is totally abstract. Prior to the industrial revolution, for at least a millennium, wood was the predominant fuel for ceramics. Japanese storage jars, Porcelain production, Chinese Terra Cotta, Majolica ... the list could go on forever.

Wood as a viable fuel was never in doubt; it was simply reinventing this arcane tool, connecting the dots to abstract expressionism and layering it into the work. Japanese storage jar surfaces are wonderful examples. When they are masterfully fired you can begin to understand the language. The key, of course, for me was how to create color, manage charcoal, and have the work translate well. I would say you need to invest at least a decade into wood firing to develop a genuine relationship with the clay and kiln; and ultimately a lifetime to master them.

Now there are two basic ways to approach wood firing: wood as a source of heat, or as both a source of heat and glaze. The latter only makes sense when you have work with content that makes the

Peter Callas in his Belvidere, New Jersey studio. commitment worthwhile. It takes tremendous skill, knowledge, and time to get to a level where you are really doing something exceptional with the glaze phase on a consistent level. It’s often overlooked, and I believe that has to do directly with its inherent difficulties. The point is, it was so seductive, we just kept at it. It was a great abstract tool, a lot of fun, and good for the soul. A Japanese friend of mine made a comment that I think exemplifies this concept. He said, “There are a lot of people who understand the shape of pots; [but] there are very few who understand their soul.”

Design

Pete: When you are approaching a material intuitively, the aesthetic result has an organic feel about it. Design becomes a workflow of instinctive efforts expressing 35 years of insights with both clay and fire. At this point, my youthful exuberance has been replaced with clarity of thinking and age-appropriate perspective. The ethic “work produces work” is a main driving design force for me. Through the years of trial-and-error, you learn a lot of “what not to do” as well as what works. Basically, design confidence is “knowing”—knowing

Patrons and Environment Joe: Is there any way that you think your patrons, and/or the physical and cultural environment in which you work, influences your work?

Pete: The fact that I live in the shadow of New York City has had a profound effect on all the things you mentioned. People here have access to everything and anything, so I am constantly influenced by the challenges of that environment. Travel, as I said before, has been

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

Joe: Do you have a primary “design” concern when you approach your work?

what you’ve already done, and having the persistence to build on it. I focus on the clay’s seductive character, drawing on its freshness and vitality. Making my mark on the raw clay and not having it perceived as contrived is a major anxiety of mine. It’s also a design challenge.

In my approach, I make every attempt to rise above “technique only” and technical fascination. Technique is just a learned discipline with too much predictability. For me, it is much more important to reveal your passion and character, not just your dexterity. When you’re working with natural sensibilities, you need to be aware of—but more importantly—to link the abstract geological imagery to your design sense. Even though my “design elements” are somewhat constant, they are always influenced by my materials, and my perspective. All these things build on my perception of form and design.

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a real career catalyst. At the end of the day you want people to respond passionately to your work and to endorse it. Information overload today makes it so important for artists to have a signature “style”—it forces you to set your goals higher. It’s not enough to be a skilled maker—you need vision and a statement. You want that kind of identity. All the technique, special clay, glaze, and firing methods are really unimportant without recognizable imagery. It’s what you leave behind that’s important. I know that part does not come easy, but my physical and cultural environments have certainly influenced my thinking here. I never try to forget where I’m “from”, or how I live—simply not to be limited in my thinking because of it.

You know—look at the big picture.

Legacy Joe: Would you talk about the concept of legacy—both from the past—and what you see as the legacy you hand forward, please?

Hot Pocket by Peter Callas. 16" tall. Wood-fired.

Pete: From the very beginning of my career, events shaped the way I viewed my life and legacy—they were like signposts. Really my first trip to Japan in 1973 where I was introduced to the wood fire aesthetic was very important.

Back home, I guess it started in 1978 when I saw an exhibition that was entitled “100 Years of American Ceramics” that was curated by Ron Kuchta at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in Manhattan. Curiously enough, Ron also wrote the catalogue essay for my recent exhibition “Sparks” at the Daum Museum—sort of coming full circle, I guess. Anyway, when I saw the CooperHewitt show that represented American ceramics from 1876-1976—there wasn’t one natural ash- glazed piece represented in the entire show!—I thought to myself, “I would much rather be in the first year of the next hundred, than in the last year of the first hundred.”

CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

I built my first Anagama kiln in 1976, and by 1979 the collaboration with Voulkos was getting started. Voulkos and I both shared Greek heritage, and also before meeting him when I was at the Bray Foundation, my studio was his old house– it was weird. Then there was the monumental Sculpture “Gallas Rock” on the back jacket of the book about Voulkos by Rose Slivka.

Of course I saw it as “Callas Rock”—it was a little eerie. Then from 19811986 I had an old Cadillac dealership for a studio, reminding me of Ohr’s Biloxi Studio. All these things began to add up conceptually—as not just a legacy from the past, but for the future as well. All the time keeping me focused, giving me a sense of purpose. Then we moved to Belvidere and it all just sort of made sense. It gave me a chance to finally reflect. Looking back we made a lot of work, and along the way made some history.

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Grand Slam by Peter Callas. 28" tall. Wood-fired.

Author Joe Campbell is Professor of Art/Ceramics at Frederick Community College in Frederick, Maryland.

In 2009, Pete will have been gone for 7 years or so—and I am now feeling that I’m at a crossroads of a second life, a second career. Hell, there are people that retire after doing something for 20 years. I am just grateful that I still have the health to keep on working and enjoying it. Looking into the future, I stay in touch with many of my old studio assistants, and some of them who are working in clay are really doing well. It’s a small group, and only time will tell how it all works out. I’ve really reached a point in my life where I feel I need to make the very best use of my time. In the end—take Picasso, Jackson Pollock, David Smith, Phillip Guston, whoever—you show me 50 to 100 major works of Art. That’s a career—that’s a legacy. The concept is so personal, but that sense of legacy certainly existed with Voulkos. I feel like the torch bearer, with all its responsibilities. I know I need to be more ambitious with my time now. It really is my most important asset.

After all my years of working, building the infrastructure, I’ve finally got all my “tools in the bucket.” It’s time now to empty out the bucket; empty everything out—my soul—everything. So there’s nothing else left—nothing left in the bucket, and perhaps I might just break even. [

CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

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Man’s Best Friend ... for Life STORY BY KELLY SAVINO PHOTOS BY WALKER MONTGOMERY

I

Following his dog Parker’s diagnosis with cancer, Atlanta clay artist Barry Gregg’s work has focused on a canine theme.

n the mid 1990s, Atlanta graphic designer Barry Gregg was seeking a creative outlet, and some relief from the corporate cubicle.

of trophy fish hanging on a wall.

Those memories carried into his clay work, functional serving dishes and vessels with fishy handles and glaze motifs.

He found his way to the Callanwolde Fine Art Center, a historic Gothic-Tudor mansion built for a Coca-Cola heir, which had been transformed into a cultural center for arts. Ceramic space occupied what had once been the mansion’s bowling alley.

Earlier schooling in drawing and design have a strong influence in much of his ceramic work as well, even though it hadn’t seemed like a great career move at the time. (His BFA in drawing from Newberry College in North Carolina had provided him with the prerequisites, he says, “to become a Master Bartender.”)

Gregg signed up for a class in pottery, and found himself moving though the initial pinching, slabbing, and coiling experiments, excited by the endless possibilities of clay.

Before long he was a studio monitor, and then he applied for the residency program.

His passion was deepened by being involved in every step of the process, from glaze mixing to kilns, which he found more fulfilling than the typical student experience of dipping in the community glaze bucket and handing work over to be fired.

Parker—Barry Gregg’s best friend. He still thrives, runs, and jumps several years following removal of his cancer-infected leg.

Gregg’s early work reflected a childhood in Florida, where the beach was an endless playground full of color and towering sand castle constructions. He remembers that every house had some kind

Suddenly, Gregg’s work—both functional and sculptural—is full of dogs. Flying dogs top tall, stacked “totem” constructions; standing dogs attend in rows like icons; and other dogs sit in boats he calls “bark arks,” watching birds sail overhead.

The boats, for Gregg, are about survival and “the resilience of the human spirit.” While the work began, for him, in a dark place, the color, exuberance, and joy of his finished pieces

CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

Now Gregg teaches pottery at Callanwolde, and operates his own pottery studio as well. He found a house with a workable studio space, and let go of both his “day job” in the cubicle and his fashionable downtown living space to become a full-time ceramic artist.

Through all the changes in Barry Gregg’s life, his best friend—Parker the dog—was by his side, keeping him company in the studio, and providing moral support. When Parker was diagnosed with bone cancer in one of her legs, Gregg was devastated. After reviewing the options, he chose to have Parker’s cancerous leg removed.

It was the right decision. As he explains in a YouTube video full of images of his work, “She ran up the stairs on the day of her surgery, excited to be home. She runs, jumps, swims and dances.

Most of all, she inspires.”

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bring great satisfaction to Gregg and his customers. About art and concept, he says, “I have made dark, political work in the past, but it kept me angry all the time.” He finds that with the troubled economy, people seem drawn to work like his that provides some joyful relief, much the way Gregg’s six-foot totems have provided much needed color to his drought-stricken Atlanta flower garden.

Like many artists, he has found his tendencies toward ADD to be more a benefit than a barrier. He doesn’t sketch, plan, or stay on task, preferring to work on several projects at a time. Firing to cone 6 electric in his own studio—and with access to gas, salt, soda, and raku firing at the art center—he follows his enthusiasm in several directions at once. “It comes together organically,” he says.

CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

His painting and graphic design experience have clearly influenced his approach to surface. He mixes and experiments with color and materials, layering colors on a stoneware body, and sometimes firing more than once. People attracted to his workshops are often looking for new ways to approach surface color and design. Glazing and finishing his work is the most satisfying step of the process for Gregg. “I like the small surprises in the finishing that I may not be aware of as I am building,” he says.

“It can be as simple as a small expression or gesture. That is the thrill of clay, for me.”

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Even the time in the cubicle has fed Gregg’s current work in clay. He says, “I have taken advantage of some standard as well as unconventional ways to promote my work: a couple of YouTube postings here, a Facebook posting there.

Never underestimate the power of an online mailing list.” His work has appeared in some of the Lark “500” series books, and sells through open studio sales, art festivals, and “a terrific gallery representation.”

Gregg draws from his childhood, his training, his education, and his surroundings, and considers his short attention span to be a creative blessing.

It helps his work continue to grow and change. He has overheard people at art fairs advising friends who admire his work: “Better get it now! By next year, he’ll be on to something new.”

For the moment, though, his muse is his dog, Parker, who teaches him life lessons daily. “Growl only when growled at,” he says. “Let unimportant (and some important) things go. Remain loyal. Bark less, and wag more.” [ To view a touching multimedia presentation of Barry Gregg’s work and the full story on his cancer-surviving dog, Parker, log onto: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=UunEpQdC55U. Author Kelly Savino is a regular contributor to Clay Times.

Fly by Barry Gregg. 20" x 12" x 8". Stoneware decorated with stains, engobes, underglaze, and glaze. Oxidation-fired to cone 6.

Flight by Barry Gregg. 18" x 5" x 7". Stoneware decorated with stains, engobes, underglaze, and glaze. Oxidation-fired to cone 6.

Candlestick Fetchers by Barry Gregg. Approximately 18" x 6" x 6" each. Stoneware decorated with stains, engobes, underglaze, and glaze.

Oxidation-fired to cone 6.

CLAYTIMES¡COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

The Dog Jumped Over the Moon by Barry Gregg. 14" x 12" x 6". Stoneware decorated with stains, engobes, underglaze, and glaze. Oxidationfired to cone 6.

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42

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

BY marc ward

F

irst of all, I want to give a “shout out” to Lee Rexrode for suggesting the topic for this issue’s article. Thanks, Lee. What might that topic be? It’s something that’s not inside the kiln, but can make or break the functionality of the kiln. But then again, some kilns don’t even need one. It can be made of brick or even some metal. So what is it? Your chimney.

function is the more important for the behavior of the kiln. A column of heated gases moves upward. In the process, it creates a negative pressure zone behind its exit, pulling in more air in the process. This column of heated gases will move up even if there is a break in the chimney (collection hood over the top of a shorter chimney). Within this scenario are two subsets.

Updraft kilns (those with the exit flue at the top of the kiln) don’t need chimneys. The exit flue, the kiln, and the nature of heat all make the updraft an easy design for removing the flue gases from the kiln. By doing so, they draw in secondary air around the burners to help with combustion. The kiln itself is a combination of a ware chamber and chimney. The potential problem with updrafts (especially at temperatures above cone 6) is one of unevenness. This is where the downdraft, with its flue at the bottom of the kiln, steps in.

(I know, you’re thinking, “subsets? … What’s with the subsets?” How else do I justify 4+ years of higher education if I don’t write like I had 4+ years of higher education?)

Chimneys play two different roles in a downdraft kiln. One is to simply get the heat and byproducts out of the space the kiln is in.

Whether that’s a large building or a simple shed, you need to evacuate potential dangerous gases (i.e. carbon monoxide). The second

When you don’t have enough air, you can’t realize the heat potential of the gas. Most people assume that all the air they need for their Venturi burner is pulled in through the back of the burner (the air mixer or mixing bell) by the motion of the injected gas. Nope.

If you’re real lucky, (read: if you have very good burners) you may get 60% of the air you need through the burner. The rest of the air your burners need comes from around the outside of the burner head as secondary air.

That’s where your chimney height plays its crucial role.

The height of the column of exiting gases produces the amount of draw (negative pressure) your atmospheric burners need as secondary air. Whether you have a base of brick capped by a metal culvert pipe or a beautiful spiral brick chimney by Donovan

Palmquist, it needs to be high enough to do its job. So, now I guess you want me to tell you how high. (I have two jobs as a writer: to tell you how high, and to drag the answer out to the end.)

The rule of thumb for chimney height when firing atmospheric burners is: 3 times the vertical draw plus 1/3 the horizontal draw. Following is an example.

If your kiln in 50 inches tall from the floor to the top of the arch, multiply that by 3. You get 150 inches. Your kiln is 36 inches deep. But wait! That’s not your entire horizontal draw.

The kiln chamber is 36 inches, but the gases then pass through 9 inches of wall, and then go back, say, another 9 inches to the rear of the chimney. That’s another 18 inches total.

So, your horizontal draw is really 54 inches (36+9+9). Now, we multiply our horizontal draw by 1/3 (.333) and we come up with about 18 inches. We now have our two numbers: 150 + 18. So, this 168 inches means a chimney of 14 feet, as measured from the floor of the kiln.

One last item: When you are using atmospheric burners, a small (10%) restriction at the top of your chimney can help increase the gas velocities and help with the draw.

With forced air, this is unnecessary and unwanted. As far as other restrictions in the flue and chimney system … I don’t care for them. After all, you’ve got a damper. That’s an adjustable restriction. Who among the control freaks (I’m a regional chairman and delegate to the national convention) would want something that would decrease their level of control during the firing? Not me! [

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 this address: www.wardburner. com.

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

Heat rises. That’s why the chimney plays an important role in the proper functioning of the downdraft. Once the heat rises in a downdraft, it needs to find its way back down to the flue and exit the kiln. All gasfired kilns are dynamic systems. Things are happening. Things are moving. If they quit moving, things quit happening. One of my most used explanations to folks having stalling problems is this: “Gas kilns are not insulated boxes that hold in heat. Gas kilns are insulated boxes in which heat transfer takes place. If you can’t efficiently get rid of the combustion byproducts you’re introducing into the kiln, you can’t introduce more and more gas to combust. And if you can’t do that … well, that’s when you shriek into the night at your stalled kiln.”

Gas kilns have either atmospheric burners (Venturis) or forced-air burners with blowers.

The forced-air burners don’t need a critical height to help pull in air because the proper amount of air is provided by the blowers. In addition, they are pushing things along and creating a draft. They just need the height to evacuate the gases through the roof. Venturi burners are different animals. Much of the air they use is being pulled into the burner by the negative pressure created by the upward motion of the flue gases. Not enough motion—not enough air.

Shop Talk I Firing

The Role of Your Gas Kiln’s Chimney

43

Readers Share I Art Works

The Gallery

CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

Crown Vetch Teapot. 8" x 8" x 6" tall. Wheel-thrown stoneware, altered and incised.

Decorated with stains, underglazes, slips, and satin overglaze. Fired to cone 6.

Eileen McDaniel, Oakhaven Pottery, W5021 N. Oakhaven Circle, Wautoma, WI 54982.

E-mail: theteapotlady@live.com; Website: www.oakhavenpottery.com.

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Untitled. Paveen “Beer” Chunhaswasdikul, 117 Lakepoint Dr., Gadsden, AL 35901.

E-mail: beerandyuka@hotmail.com.

Bowl Form. 7" x 12" x 10". Thrown and altered stoneware, cone 06 matte glazes, electric firing.

George Roby, 92 E. Belmeadow Lane, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022.

Have your work considered for publication in The Gallery! Please send a high-quality color print, slide, or 1050-x-1500-pixel digital image to: The Gallery, Clay Times, P.O. Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197. Be sure to include your name, address, telephone number, Web 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.)

Untitled. 24" tall. Wheel-thrown with extruded and slab-built lid. Copper green glaze, raku-fired.

Travis Thomason, 9189 Fallen Rock Rd., Conifer, CO 80433.

E-mail: ttpottery@msn.com.

Website: sites.google.com/site/travisthomasonpottery.

Readers Share I Art Works

The Gallery

Midnight Bottles. 19" x 9" x 9". Cone 10 reduction-fired stoneware with white shino and glaze inlay.

Cyrus Swann, 39579 W. Arrowhead Dr., Pine River, MN 56474. Website: www.cyrusthepotter.etsy.com

Bob & Carolyn in the ’60s. 12" x 9" x ¼". Slab-formed stoneware, decorated with black wax resist and homemade glazes.

Fired to cone 6 in oxidation. Craig Wood, 2733 E. 34th St., Tulsa, OK 74105. E-mail: craig@craigwoodstudios.com.

Website: www.craigwoodstudios.com.

CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

Teapot. 9" to the top of the handle. Unglazed, wood-fired porcelain with handmade wisteria handle. Dan Greenfeld, 361 W. 36th St., New York, NY 10018. E-mail: dangreenfeld@mindspring.com.

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Resources I Books & Videos

On the River Through the Valley of Fire: The Collaborative Ceramics of Frank Boyden & Tom Coleman review by steven branfman

the founder and director of the American Museum of Ceramic Art. He pays homage to the role of ceramics in the documentation of human civilization. He introduces us to Coleman and Boyden, and reflects briefly on the origins of their collaborations. Armstrong writes succinctly and respectfully, and his introduction makes us want to turn the page.

On the River through the Valley of Fire: The Collaborative Ceramics of Frank Boyden and Tom Coleman by Daniel Lamberton American Museum of Ceramic Art — $40 When this book came into my hands, I was impressed by its handsome appearance, surprised by its weight, and attracted to the lovely pot on the cover. The words in the title intrigued me: river, valley, fire. Despite this introduction, I was not very hopeful about what might lie inside. Sure, I know who these two are and have always been drawn to your individual works. I even thought, “It’s time a book was written to document their work together.”

What I expected was a vanity book—a collection of pots with captions, and maybe some text explaining technique or process.

(Not that this type of book is bad; we all love looking at wonderful pots. But a book with that simple formula would be, well, nothing special … and there would certainly be nothing much for me to write about!)

Vanity book? Hardly. On the River through the Valley of Fire is a chronicle. It is a history. It is a record of a unique collaboration between two mud workers who in their cooperation, respect, and love of each other’s art and friendship, have created a body of work that transcends each of them. It takes them to places that they would not have visited on their own. I am here to review the book, not the art; but in this case, it’s hard to separate the two.

Director of the humanities program at Walla Walla University in Washington state, Lamberton does a masterful job of writing, adhering to the vital theme: collaboration.

He guides us, not so much through the pots, but through the personalities of the artists.

He explores and exposes their interactions, aesthetic sensibilities, observations, and thinking processes. He presents their work in a legitimate framework of contemporary craft while drawing provocative connections between the words of historical figures, ancient artifacts, and modern innovation. Lamberton is worldly, intelligent, and smart. His voice about pottery is effectively captivating because he has a clear and personal knowledge of ceramics: its history, importance, and vitality, as well as the technical challenges that the potter faces. Lamberton is a lover of the pot.

On the River through the Valley of Fire opens with a thoughtful introduction by David Armstrong,

Throughout his essay, he remains true to the theme and importance of collaboration and

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

This book is a gem—plain and simple. In fact, if I were convinced that you, the readers of this column, would listen to me, I’d stop here, tell you to get the book, read it, and get back to me.

Review done, case closed, time to move to the next assignment. No such luck.

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Following the introduction, Daniel Lamberton lays the groundwork for the validity of the pot and its universal characteristics. He gives us some brief background on the artists, then moves right into the origins of their collaboration. He calls upon the environments in which they live, as well as the irony of those apparently disparate atmospheres. Through his knowledge of, and experience with, literature, poetry, creative writing, aesthetics, vocabulary, and clay, Lamberton serves as the perfect tour guide. His writing is intelligent without being affected, admiring of the artists without a hint of undeserved praise. Lamberton is writing for us, the reader, not for the artists. Thanks to him, On the River through the Valley of Fire is an easy and enjoyable book to read. The text flows smoothly off the page and, I dare say, it is poetic to a degree. He is educating us, enlightening us, and causing us to focus on aspects of creativity that we might not otherwise be sensitive to or even aware of.

cooperation between the artists. However, there is no getting away from talking about, and examining the pots. Lamberton probes them, analyzing the form, the volume, and the surface. He brings our attention to the imagery and the influence each artist has had over the piece. He probes without undue dissection and scrutinizes without unnecessary criticism or praise. He considers each artist’s strengths and how, over time, they learned to cooperatively exploit these strengths.

The second part of the book presents Coleman’s and Boyden’s collaborative work in four sections that chronicle the place and time: East Creek Anagama, 1985-1990; Al Tennant’s Wood-Fire Kiln, 2006-07, Tom Coleman’s Geil Gas Kiln, 2006-07; and Donna Potter’s Soda Kiln, 2007. Some of the photos stand alone, while others include a brief narrative. You’ll spend as much time gazing at the pots as you did reading the text.

On the River through the Valley of Fire, The Collaborative Ceramics of Frank Boyden and Tom Coleman is a hefty volume that is a pleasure to hold. The pages are clean and bright, and the 39 pieces illustrated in the 55 lifelike color photos are breathtaking. The American Museum of Ceramic Art is the new spokesperson and advocate for the potter’s art and they know how to produce a book.

Upon turning the final page, I was impressed with a renewed consideration of the nature, quality, challenges, difficulty, and rewards of working in close quarters. It reminded me of my own experience with artistic collaboration, and how it changed my life.

Take a seat with Tom and Frank. Listen to their words and follow along with them on the path they followed. Unless you are so blinded by a personal direction that you are resistant to veer from, their journey will expose some hidden creative places that you’ve never been to before. [ Steven Branfman is an accomplished potter, author, and teacher of pottery and ceramics at Thayer Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts. He is the proprietor of The Potters Shop and School and may be reached by phone at 781.449.7687 or via e-mail at sbranfpots@aol.com.

by VINCE PITELKA

W

hen you are handbuilding vessels or sculpture, it frequently becomes necessary to support your work, especially in the case of flaring forms or horizontal extensions. Over the years, my work has shifted almost entirely to coil and slab construction, and I have faced almost every imaginable support challenge.

Supporting Coil-Built Forms During coil-building, you may need support on the inside, the outside, or both. Advance planning and careful control of drying are the most important considerations. With any coil-built piece that is purely sculptural and does not serve as a vessel, always incorporate internal bracing as you build the form. This will eliminate many situations that might otherwise require temporary support. Any sort of vessel where the interior is open (without permanent internal bracing) may require props or supports.

One of the best approaches is to simply place some plastic sheeting or trash bags against the outside lower portion of a coil form under construction. As you build upward and outward, keep adding chunks of clay outside the plastic. Don’t force or blend the chunks of

As soon as the form starts curving upward vertically, no additional external support will be needed. As soon as the lower portion is stiff enough to support itself, pull the clay away and peel the plastic from the form. As long as you keep the support clay covered with plastic, it will remain soft and re-useable.

For a quick save, wrap the lower portion of a coil form in cloth or foam rubber and cinch a rope or long piece of cloth around it just enough to keep it from expanding or sagging.

This has worked many times. The primary intent is to keep the form from collapsing just long enough to allow it to stiffen and develop structural integrity.

Sometimes support is needed internally, as when the upper portion of a coil form turns inward fairly abruptly. For temporary support in this situation, sticks or thin pieces of wood (like cheap dowels) can be broken or cut to length, capped on each end by a wad of clay, and put in place internally to hold up a portion that seems inclined to sag. Another very effective option is to place an empty trash bag inside the form and fill it with Styrofoam peanuts. Keep adding more as you build upward. This is especially useful with asymmetrical forms that seem inclined to fold inward.

When the time comes, the simplest way to remove the peanuts is with a shop-vac. Clean out the vac canister first so that you can reuse the peanuts. You will have to turn off the shop-vac every time it tries to suck up the plastic bag, but with some care you can remove most of the peanuts with the vac.

For external parts in need of temporary support such as an extended arm on a figurative coil form, use wood sticks or dowels with wads of clay on the ends. I have watched

sculptors coil-build abstract or figurative sculpture very quickly, using this method to support the parts as they go. Keep in mind that the wood doesn’t shrink, and the wads do not shrink enough to match the overall shrinkage of the sculptural form, so you will need to adjust the length and/or position of these supports several times before the form stiffens enough to support itself. It sometimes works best to pierce the form with sticks or dowels in such a way that they provide the needed support, and then pull them out once the form stabilizes.

A cloth sling supported from above can be used to support horizontal extensions, similar to a sling used to support an injured arm. The sling can be suspended from a rope attached to any overhead structure or ceiling.

In many situations an all-clay prop works best, and is necessary if the prop is to remain in place throughout the firing. Without proper accommodations, the prop can be very difficult to remove when the form reaches leather-hard, bone-dry, or the fired state. This is easily avoided. Use several thicknesses of newspaper between the ends of the prop and the form being built, in order to keep the prop from sticking. In the center of the prop, pinch one or more fairly narrow portions. If that compromises the support capability of the prop, wait until the prop and the sculpture become leather-hard, and carve one or more narrow portions in the prop. With this accommodation, it will be easy to carefully break the leather-hard, bone-dry, or fired prop to facilitate removal without damaging the sculpture.

Supporting Slab-Built Forms All of the methods mentioned above may, of course, be used in slab construction. For large vessels or closed forms utilizing any combination of soft-slab and stiff-slab, I have used a method initially learned from

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

I teach a handbuilding workshop where every participant builds a huge coil-built form, regardless of previous experience in coil construction. Needless to say, a considerable amount of “rescue intervention” is required.

In some case, the form flares out too quickly and begins to sag, and I can usually work the clay back together to increase stability and then pack in some sort of temporary prop.

But advance planning is always preferable to rescue intervention. If you want to create a large form that flares out abruptly, temporary support can be provided in several ways. It must be added as the form is built in order to allow thorough blending of the coils inside and out.

clay. Gently push them into place just enough to provide support for the developing coil form. This will simplify removal later on.

Shop Talk I Tool Times

Using Props & Supports When Handbuilding

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Scott Creek Extruders

SC033 XL Clay Gun

SC001 Clay Gun

2636 Pioneer Way East Tacoma Wa 98404 800-939-8783 Fax 253-922-5349 www.scottcreekpottery.com SC002 Clay Gun Die Kit

SC035 Clay Gun Shape and Coil Set

Bill van Gilder 2009 Workshops & Presentations May 31-June 12 Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer lsle, ME Contact: www.haystack-mtn.org July 20-24

Sierra Nevada College, Incline Village at Lake Tahoe, NV Contact: www.sierranevada.edu/workshops Ph: (775) 881-7588

July 31-Aug. 2

Hands-on at The Art Center, Grand Junction, CO Contact: info@gjartcenter.org • Ph: (970) 243-7337, ext. 1

August 25-29

Hands-on at Rehoboth Art League, Rehoboth Beach, DE Contact: www.rehobothartleague.org

CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

Ph: (302) 227-8408

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Sept. 11-13

Greater Lansing Potters’ Guild, Haslett, MI

Sept. 27-Oct. 3

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN

Contact: www.arrowmont.org • Ph: (865) 436-5860

Oct. 8-10

Clayworkers’ Guild of Illinois, Crystal Lake, IL

Contact: www.clayworkersguild.com • Ph: (815) 455-8764

Oct. 23-25

Southern Arizona Clay Artists, Tucson, AZ Contact: www.sa-clayartists.org • Ph: (520) 615-9581

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

SC034 Clay Gun Handle Die

SC036 Clay Gun Tile Trim Set

Introducing the Paragon Iguana cone 10 easy-to-load digital kiln The new Iguana is a smaller, less expensive version of our popular Dragon kiln. The Iguana’s 18” wide, 18” deep, 22 ½” high interior fires rapidly to cone 10.

The front-loading Iguana is easy on the back muscles.

With the optional 22” high stand, the interior floor is a comfortable 34 ½” high.

• Saves electricity with 3” firebricks.

• Proportional power elements for more even heating • Heavy-gauge steel completely covers the bottom under the firebricks.

• 1 ½” air gap between the The Paragon Iguana plugs into a standard switch box and kiln.

6-50R outlet, so you can fire it on the outlet Electrical components stay most studio kilns already use. cool and last longer.

• Sentry 2.0 digital controller with controlled cooling 2011 South Town East Blvd., • Available in 200, 208, 220, Mesquite, Texas 75149-1122 240, 480 volts, 800-876-4328 / 972-288-7557 1 and 3 phase Toll Free Fax 888-222-6450 Call or email for a free www.paragonweb.com catalog. See your local Paraparagonind@att.net gon dealer.

All sorts of adapted and scavenged shapes can be used as temporary props or supports for slumping and stiffening component parts to be assembled when leather-hard. For angular component parts, combinations of wood blocks or quickly-assembled wood jigs work well. For larger angular forms, use assembled wood jigs or cardboard boxes filled with Styrofoam peanuts. Boxes can easily be cut and reassembled with packing tape or hot glue to get the size and shape required.

japanpotterytools.com

For simple curves, drape slabs over cardboard tubes or PVC pipe. For larger curves, heavy cardboard tubes for casting concrete piers are available in many diameters, and cardboard shipping drums work for very large curves.

Needless to say, these forms work best for partial curves that can be left in place as they stiffen to leather-hard. Such a form can be used to create a complete cylinder only if the tube or drum is wrapped in several thicknesses of newsprint. As long as the slab is thick enough, you can stand the form vertically and remove the tube or drum almost immediately before the clay starts to shrink, but the layers of newsprint are essential.

Years ago, while making a series of large cylindrical forms about 24" tall and 12" in diameter, I fabricated an appropriate mockup cylinder with tar-paper, with the ends overlapped and taped together on the outside.

I filled the cylinder with a trash bag tightly packed with Styrofoam® peanuts. With this cylinder lying horizontally on top of the slab, I grasped one end of the slab and rolled it onto the cylinder. Once the whole slab was wrapped around the cylinder, I trimmed the ends, joined them together, and stood the whole thing up so that the clay cylinder was vertical on the work table. I opened the trash

bag and removed the peanuts and the bag, and then grasped the inside end of the tar-paper and spiraled it inward to reduce its diameter, pulling apart the taped joint, and lifted it out of the slab cylinder. This same method could also be used to make a tapered cylinder.

Kids’ balls, beach balls, and exercise balls work great as temporary slump forms for making compound-curve (domed) component parts.

Put a plastic bag over the ball and slump the clay over that. When the clay has stiffened, remove the ball and peel the plastic from the clay.

Shop Talk I Tool Times

Bill Daley during a workshop many years ago.

With a combination of corrugated cardboard for flat sections, tar paper (roofing felt—pick a thickness appropriate to the scale of your project) for curved sections, and a hot glue gun, you can mock up almost any form to provide temporary support as the piece evolves. A single mock-up might support the entire form as you complete it, as in the case of Daley’s large slab vessels, or a series of smaller mock-ups might support separate component parts to be assembled when leather-hard. The hot glue allows very rapid assembly of the cardboard and tar-paper, and it is a wonderful way to mock-up a sculptural or vessel form even if you are not going to use it as a mold/ support for the actual piece.

Building sculptures or vessels from leatherhard component parts is very satisfying. The above suggestions allow forming of almost any sort of component section to be joined when leather-hard. Plan the piece carefully if you wish, or simply make plenty of component parts, let them stiffen a bit, and start assembling. Just see where it takes you, and use props to support the piece as you go. [ 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.

The Steve Tool ®

Wild Texture on Pottery!

One Tool - Many Results CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

www.graberspottery.com

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Studio I Health & Safety

Radon and the Basement Pottery

by MONONA ROSSOL

M

ost potteries, from small individual workshops to large university ceramics departments, are on ground floors or basements. Basements are great places for potteries. Heavy supplies don’t have to be carried upstairs, water is usually readily available, floors are of loadbearing cement, and so on.

But if you spend a lot of time in a basement pottery, you really should know if there is radon gas there, too.

Where Does it Come From?

Radon comes from natural deposits of uranium and radium in the soil. Typically, radon in homes and buildings is not a result of man-made landfills or other suspicious sources. Nor is the radon likely to be the result of the basement being built over a deposit of uranium ore or other uraniumrich minerals. Instead, the radon in most homes is there from the trace amounts of uranium in soil that exist everywhere in the world.

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

How Does Radon Form?

50

Uranium is an unstable radioactive metal that breaks down to radium, which in turn decays into radon gas. Radon is an inert gas, which means that it does not react or combine with the elements in the ground, remaining bound in the soil. Instead, the radon gas moves steadily up through the soil into the atmosphere. Once in the atmosphere, it is diluted and dispersed.

However, if the radon encounters a building on its rise, it is trapped and can build up to levels that increase the health concern significantly.

Can You Seal It Out of the Basement?

Radon can enter through cracks in the foundation, especially at floor-to-wall joints

and control joints. Unless buildings are set up on piers without any skirting placed around them, radon can enter.

Field research has shown that attempting to seal all of the openings in a foundation is not only impractical, but does not work. Radon is a gas and can enter through very small cracks and openings. These small cracks and openings are too small to locate and effectively seal.

Even if you did manage to seal everything up, which would be very expensive, the building would settle, causing new cracks to occur and negating all of your previous sealing work.

For this reason, all basements have the potential for elevated levels of radon. It is usually not a question of “Is there radon?” but rather, “How much radon is there?”

measure the amount of radioactivity that radon produces. These measurements are in picocuries per liter (pCi/L). A curie is a unit of radioactivity equivalent to 1 gram of radium.

The prefix “pico” means a trillionth.

Levels of Radiation Nowhere on the planet is there a zero pCi/L radon level. Outdoor air levels of radon in the U.S. range from 0.02 to 0.75, with an average of 0.4 pCi/L. Even these low levels are responsible for a few cancers because there is no “safe” level for radon.

Detectors

Average (mean) radon level in U.S. homes is 1.25 pCi/L, or three times higher than the average level outdoors. Your house may be lower or higher depending on where you are located in the country, since geological levels of uranium vary.

People cannot see, taste, or smell radon. There is no way that one can sense the presence of radon, so it must be measured. There are inexpensive single test kits in the hardware stores. There also are good continuous radon detectors in the range of $100-150. You can also hire a consultant to test radon for you.

If your basement or home is found to be at levels of 2 pCi/L, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says one should “consider taking action” to mitigate the radon. EPA sets 4 pCi/L as an “action” level at which mitigation should be done. The EPA also makes it clear that there is no safe level.

No matter which radon detector you use, none measure radon directly. Instead, they

It is believed that radon gas leaking into homes and buildings in the U.S. causes approximately

Estimated Effects of Radon Levels on Smokers and Nonsmokers* Radon level (pCi/L)

No. of lung cancers per 1000 smokers

No. of lung cancers per 1000 nonsmokers

0.4 (ave. outdoor level) 3 1.25 (ave. indoor level) 2.0 (“consider action” level) 4.0 (“action” level) 8.0 (2 times the action level)

not determined 20 32 62 120

not determined 2 4 7 8

* Data derived from the EPA’s Citizens Guide to Radon

some new exotic varieties coming in now that we’ve never seen before, and we need to use sound science to evaluate them.”

Mitigation

The fact is, pottery is made mostly from minerals mined from the earth, like feldspars, quartz, and mica. Most granites also are composed of feldpars, quartz and mica, too.

Examples include feldspars such as custer feldspar, fluorospar, potassium, and sodium spars. Although I have never seen tests of ceramic minerals, it is certain that most materials taken from the earth will contain some small amount of radioactivity.

There are several ways to set up mitigation systems for radon in your basement. Most of these systems rely on drawing air either from the basement floor or from under the foundation and exhausting it with the radon it contains at the roof level where it is dissipated.

Most of these systems are unobtrusive, well designed, and easy to maintain. The EPA’s Website has tips for selecting a good certified contractor to do this work.

Another Radon Source in Homes Kate Murphy, a reporter for the New York Times, wrote an article in its July 24, 2008 edition called, “What’s Lurking in Your Countertop?

The article began with the a story about a woman in New Jersey whose summer home was found to have very elevated levels of radon gas on a routine inspection. A technician traced the problem to a cream, brown, and burgundy granite countertop. Levels of 100 pCi//L were recorded in this New Jersey kitchen. Yet in the basement of the home, the readings were only 6 pCi/L. This was conclusive that the high kitchen levels were from the granite.

Health physicists and radiation experts agree that most granite countertops emit radiation and radon at extremely low levels from uranium and many other radioactive metals like thorium and potassium isotopes that are in most granites. The paper reported that preliminary results from research scientists at Rice University in Houston and at the New York State Department of Health show that of the 55 samples which emit radiation at higher-than-background levels (collected from fabricators and wholesalers), a handful tested at levels 100 times or more above background.

The Marble Institute of America originally called claims that the countertops were highly radioactive “ludicrous.” Now the Institute says it plans to develop a testing protocol for granite. “We want to reassure the public that their granite countertops are safe,” Jim Hogan, the group’s president, said. “We know the vast majority of granites are safe, but there are

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These powdered glaze materials can be inhaled during handling, which puts radioactive dust in direct contact with lung tissue or into the digestive tract when these dusts are cleared by the lung’s cilia (hair-like cells that raise dust to the throat to be swallowed). This is just one more reason for potters to provide good dust control.

Some potters also still use uranium oxide itself as a glaze colorant. Antique or collectible pottery made from the 1920s through the 1950s, such as Fiesta ware, and in many types of antique glassware, also contain uranium.

Suggestions • If you have a basement pottery or slabbuilding pottery, check for radon levels. If the tests show levels above 2 pCi/L, consider getting a mitigation system installed. In some small slab-building potteries, mitigation may be as simple as low-level exhaust fans to flush air out once daily to keep radon levels from building up.

• Practice good dust control and hygiene at all times in your pottery—not only for radon control, but because most ceramic dusts are also toxic. Wet mopping and ventilation can make dust exposure negligible.

Spectrum • Shimpo/ConeArt 942 Pitner Ave • Evanston, IL 60202 TEL 847.425.1900 • FAX 847.332.2575 www.ceramicsupplychicago.com $-": 500-4 3&'&3&/$& ."5&3*"-4

• Ideally, your pottery should be in an out building, garage, or separate location. It is extremely difficult to keep dusts from being tracked into living areas. [

New Instructional DVD $69.95 + $4 S/H

Monona Rossol is an industrial hygienist/chemist with an M.F.A. 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.

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

www.pcfstudios.com

CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

Industry Responds

The Smooooooooth Alternative to Canvas!

How Is This Relative To Ceramics?

Studio I Health & Safety

14,000 to 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year.

These levels vary greatly between smokers and non-smokers. As you can see from the preceding table on page 50, one of the best things you can do to protect yourself is to avoid tobacco smoke in all forms.

51

CALL FOR ENTRIES The best in contemporary American functional ceramics

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“When I am in the throes of working on a series of pots and thinking about design and process, this mindset seems to carry over to other areas of life.”

S

ay what? Until a few weeks ago I had never heard this phrase, either. A fellow potter had come for the day, to help me fire the wood kiln. Firing a wood kiln is a great way to get to know someone—you are busy working all day, but not too busy for lots of discussion. I was elucidating that this was one aspect of being a potter that I particularly like: A repetitive task, such as feeding a wood-fired kiln, frees the mind to explore unlimited and wide-ranging avenues of thought.

“Oh yeah,” he said, “the effortless custody of automatism.”

A quick search that evening revealed that the expression was used by the 19th-century philosopher William James. In Talks To Teachers on Psychology and To Students on Some of Life’s Ideals, James wrote, “The more of the details of our daily life we can hand over to the effortless custody of automatism, the more our higher powers of mind will be set free for their own proper work.”

repetitive job all day and working as a skilled craftsperson. The mind can wander in either circumstance, but, because the assembly line worker’s job is so boring, it is mind numbing,

BY DAVID HENDLEY

allow the mind the freedom to pursue higher avenues of thought. I think this happens because different areas of the brain are used for different tasks. It hasn’t been completely mapped out yet, but in the last 10 years, scientists performing functional MRIs have discovered which parts of the brain are used for different tasks. In their experiments, different parts of the brain light up with increased blood flow in response to different stimuli. This is a big increase in understanding beyond the “left-brain, right-brain” notion that became popular 30 or 40 years ago. Perhaps using one part of the brain, such as that governing motor skill, can serve to stimulate another section of the brain—perhaps a part that controls creative thinking.

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

Thinking back to my first ceramics class, a big attraction of working with clay was that it required physical activity as well as study. I loved the “I find myself thinking in three dimensions, and it’s a different way purely physical work of mixing to perceive objects in the environment.” and preparing clay, the mental activity of learning the theories of clay and melting glazes, and especially all not stimulating. His thoughts usually run no the intermediate steps that presented both deeper than thinking about how long it is Not being a student of philosophy, I guess I physical and mental challenges. until break time or what’s for lunch. He’s just was surprised to learn that my thoughts were waiting for the shift to end. not so original and had been articulated long With the recent and continuing exponential ago. I later found out that this was not a new growth of technology, that attraction has only The craftsperson at work, however, enters notion at all. The idea that repetitive physical become stronger. With each passing year, it into a state of heightened sensory awareness, activity allows the mind the independence to seems like I spend more and more time staring which seems to be conducive to more contemplate esoteric or profound ideas dates at a computer screen or otherwise fooling substantial contemplation. Even a potter with back many centuries. I found this quote on with some new technology or digital medium. decades of experience must still pay attention meditation from the 8th century, by Rabia of I’m not complaining; both my personal life to the work at hand. Clay that is a little softer Basra, from a translation by Daniel Ladinsky: and my career as a potter are better as a than usual, for instance, requires a different “It helps, putting my hands on a pot, on a result. The great thing about technology is touch than stiffer clay. Working with clay broom, or in a washing pail.” Now that I think that it “levels the playing field.” Here I am, forces one to become attuned and sensitive about it, many religious rituals probably came out in rural East Texas, yet I can easily be to the environment and materials. into favor because the physical act helps put in communication with people all over the the mind in an attentive and receptive state. world. With my Website, my base of potential At first glance, it might seem illogical that customers is unlimited. I can publish my own doing a job that requires skill, practice, and As a veteran of college summer jobs on the making hundreds of small decisions—such assembly line, I know first-hand that there is as throwing on a potter’s wheel—would a world of difference between doing a boring continued on page 58

Opinion I Around the Firebox

Effortless Custody of Automatism

53

Resources I Classified Marketplace

Classified Marketplace For Sale

Kiln Repair

Videos & Books

• RETIRING: Downdraft Kilns for Sale — 22 cu. ft. propane-fired sprung-arch kiln with hinged door; 50 cu. ft. forcedair burners sprung-arch kiln with stacked door; K26 insulating fire brick, full safety equipment, shelves, posts, plate holders, etc. Large kiln has a commercial stack for indoor placement. Art center or production studio would be perfect. Make an offer.

A pdf is available to view details. David L. Davis, Flemington, NJ; 908.782.0788; davidldavis@comcast.net.

• Kiln Repair. All makes — Washington, DC metro & Northern Virginia. $55/ hour (one-hour minimum) plus parts.

Larry Safford, The Studio Resource: 703.283.7458; larrysafford@comcast.net.

DVD: Advanced Pottery Projects with Doug Oian — Enhance your skills to include Large Bowls, Pitchers, Handles, Lids, and Carved Candle-lanterns. $50 fee includes shipping. www.SunrisePottery.com; tel. 210.494.8633.

• Two Kansas Houses for Sale. Kiln, 2 fireplaces, concrete lofts, raku kiln, hoist, solar panels, Brent potter’s wheel, ample storage. Photos — http://www. eggshellmosaics.com/keeney.html.

Information — TessMichaelis@aol.com.

• Manabigama Wood Firing Kiln Plans — Fires and ‘flashes’ 30 cu. ft. of pots beautifully in 8 hrs., or extended firings to c.12 using approximately ½ cord of stove wood. Great teaching tool: 6-8 students/firing: 25-30 pots ea. 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. Questions?

Contact: John Thies, Bill van Gilder at www.monocacypottery.com or tel.

301.898.3128.

Opportunities

Travel

• 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 Web site, join with a “link” page. All information is editable by you, without Web knowledge. Go to the site and click on “FAQ” for more info.

• Mata Ortiz Contact — Week-long workshops for potters in Mata Ortiz.

Learn their unique handbuilding, decorating, and firing techniques in the Mata Ortiz potters’ homes. $900 fee includes transportation, food, lodging and all workshop expenses.

Small groups, all skill levels welcome, a high-quality experience. Next workshop will be July 14-22. Visit www.mataortizcontact.com or e-mail peterpfp@gmail.com.

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

• Working Pottery and Consignment Art Gallery established 30+ years with 30+ artists. Beautifully situated in upscale Historic Downtown Stuart, Florida. Call 772-214-5458 or visit www.rare-earth-pottery.com/4sale.

54

Tools for Potters

• K-12 Ceramic Exhibition — The 12th Annual K-12 Ceramic Exhibition opened in March 2009 at the NCECA Conference, Phoenix, Arizona. Open to K-12 students by teacher entry, the event was a great success. Check out the award winners and their works online at www.k12clay.org. The 13th Annual K-12 Ceramic Exhibition opens in March 2010.

• Potter’s Workshops and Tours in an Undiscovered Mexico. Explore the immense, but little-known, ceramic diversity of deep Mexico. Handson learning and uncommon, smallgroup travel among the ancestral masters. www.traditionsmexico.com; traditionsmexico@yahoo.com.

• 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 feature dozens of favorite glaze recipes for a wide variety of firing temperatures and atmospheres.

• PotteryVideos.com — DVDs with Robin Hopper, Gordon Hutchens, and Graham Sheehan. Video workshop for potters at all levels of experience. Choose from 21 titles.

E-mail info@potteryvideos.com or call 800.668.8040.

Workshops Cynthia Bringle Hands-on • Workshops — Throwers and handbuilders welcome. June 20-22 (Sat.-Mon.), “Lids and How They Fit,” Highlands, NC. Contact thebascom.org.

Sept 22-24 (Tues-Thurs.), “Improving Your Skills,” Little Switzerland, NC (Wildacres).

Visit cynthiabringlepottery.com for more information and to sign up. [

Reach tens of thousands of CT readers with your classified ad in the magazine and on our Web site for as little as $50—a real bargain!

For full details, e-mail: claytimes@gmail.com

Check out these listings to find local programs for wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculptural techniques, & more …

Classes are listed alphabetically by state

ARKANSAS

CONNECTICUT

Flat Rock Clay Supplies — 2002 South School Ave. (Hwy. 71), Fayetteville, AR 72701; 479.521.3181; www.flatrockclay.com; info@flatrock clay. com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, tile, special topic classes and workshops.

Creative Arts Workshops — 80 Audubon Street, New Haven, CT 06510; 203.562.4927; www.creativeartsworkshop.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, firing.

CALIFORNIA Get Centered Clay Studio — 8186 Center Street, Suite D, La Mesa, CA 92124; 619.884.4597, www.getcenteredclay.com; ellylou@cox.net. Classes for beginners and intermediates; studio space for rent; fully equipped pottery studio and showroom. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults.

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.

COLORADO Art Students League of Denver — 200 Grant Street, Denver, CO 80203; 303.778.6990 x100; www.asld.org; membership@asld.org. Full ceramics program with classes for adults and children, taught by nationally-recognized faculty artists including Barry Rose, Gayla Lemke, and Shelley Schreiber. Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults, classes for children.

Trails Recreation Center — 16799 East Lake Avenue, Centennial, CO 80015; 303.269.8400; www.aprd.org; arts@the-trails.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, glazing.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Eastern Market Pottery — New location on Capitol Hill at 320 3rd Street NE, Washington, DC 20002; 202.544.6669; cbrome@earthlink.net. Sculpture, gallery, tools, and supplies; stoneware, wheel-throwing, glazing, decorating.

Hinckley Pottery — 1707 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20009; 202.745.7055; sweber@ hinckleypottery.com; www.hinckleypottery.com. Day, evening, and weekend classes are offered for all skill levels.

Enrollment is ongoing. Wheel-throwing, electric firing, gas firing, raku firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children.

FLORIDA 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.

Florida Craft Gallery — 5911 South Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach, FL 33405; 561.585.7744; www. thecraftgallery.net; bettywilson@thecraftgallery.net; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, architectural sculpture, glass fusion, workshops, gallery, supplies, and kiln rental.

The Lake Eustis Arts Accord — 205 & 211 North Grove Street, PO Box 1619, Eustis, FL 32727; 352.589.4ART (4278); info@lakeeustisartsaccord.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, raku, firing, sculpture.

Workshops and classes.

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. Wheelthrowing, handbuilding, electric firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children.

MARYLAND Art Space on Main — 138 West Main St., Elkton, MD 21921; 410.620.6020; info@artspaceonmain. com; www.artspaceonmain.com. Classes for beginner to advanced adults and children, wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, workshops, raku, warm/fused glass, 24/7 studio access, studio membership for independent artists, gallery.

Baltimore Clayworks — 5707 Smith Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21209; 410.578.1919; www. baltimoreclayworks.org; matt.hyleck@baltimoreclayworks. org; workshop contact: forrest.snyder@baltimoreclayworks. org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile, mosaic, decorating, printmaking, slipcasting, wood firing, salt firing.

Shiloh Pottery, Inc. — 1027 Brodbeck Road, Hampstead, MD 21074; 410.239.8888; www.shilohpottery.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

The Frederick Pottery School, Inc. — 5305 Jefferson Pike, Suite C-2, Frederick, MD 21703; 301.473.8833; www.frederickpotteryschool.com; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, wood firing, cone 6 oxidation.

Glen Echo Pottery — 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD 20812; 301.229.5585;

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

Northern Colorado Potters’ Guild — 209 Christman Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80524; 970.416.5979; www.coloradopottery.org; ncpg@comcast.net; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, glazing, fused-glass jewelry.

Meiklem Kiln Works — 46 Lebanon Rd., Bozrah, CT 06334; 860.886.8562; meiklemkilnworks@ yahoo.com; www.meiklemkilnworks.com. Pottery, art, yoga & energy classes, artisan gallery/gift shop, teambuilding workshops, birthdays, and more! Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, classes for adults and children.

Resources I Classes

Community Pottery Classes

55

Resources I Classes

Crystalline

www.glenechopottery.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, raku and soda firing.

Glazing

Workshops with

Xavier González

Jayne Shatz Pottery — 452 Laurel Valley Court, Arnold, MD 21012; 410.757.6351; www.jayneshatzpottery.com; jesclay@aol.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, glazing, firing, wall relief and tile, workshops, critiques, marketing strategy, group and private sessions.

MASSACHUSETTS Cynthia Curtis Pottery — 80 Pigeon Hill St., Rockport, MA 1966; 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. Wheel-throwing, 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.

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

The

Fulwood Measure

TM

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 artists.

Wheel-throwing, handbuilding, electric firing, gas firing, raku firing, wood firing, mold making & casting, classes for adults.

Edina Art Center — 4710 West 64th Street, Edina, MN 55435; 612.915.6604; www.edinaartcenter.com; artcenter@ci.edina.mn.us; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile.

Northern Clay Center — 2424 Franklin Avenue East, Minneapolis, MN 55406; 612.339.8007; www.northernclaycenter.org; nccinfo@ northernclaycenter.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile.

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

The Art School at Old Church — 561 Piermont Road, Demarest, NJ 07627; 201.767.7160; www.tasoc.org; info@tasoc.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile, glazing, raku.

Thompson Park Creative Arts Center — Monmouth County Park System, 805 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, NJ 07738; 732.842.4000, ext. 4343; www.monmouthcountyparks.com; sliu@ monmouthcountyparks.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, workshops, raku & electric kilns, beginners thru advanced for adults, children, parent/child.

Visual Art Center of New Jersey — 68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ 07901; 908.273.9121; www.artcenternj.org; Deemick@artcenternj.org. All things clay.

MICHIGAN

MINNESOTA

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

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.

NEW JERSEY

July 18-19, 2009 “Art Affair” Boulder, Colorado

Aug. 1-2, 2009 Crested Butte Arts Festival Crested Butte, Colorado

56

MISSOURI

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

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.

NEW MEXICO 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.

NEW YORK 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, wood firing, guest artist workshops, independent study, studio space, summer camps.

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

Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts — 236 Clingman Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801; 828.285.0210; www.highwaterclays.com; odyssey@ highwaterclays.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile.

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.

OHIO Yost Pottery Studio — 1643 Massillon Road, Akron, OH 44312; 330.734.0763; www.yostpottery.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, tile, firing.

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

TENNESSEE

VIRGINIA Creative Clay Studios — 5704 E General Washington Drive, Alexandria, VA 22312; 703.750.9480; www.creativeclaypottery.com; daisy_gail@msn.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, classes, workshops, studios, retail supplies, tools, clay.

Manassas Clay & Tin Barn Pottery Supply — 9122 Center Street, Manassas, VA 20110; 703.330.1040; www.manassasclay.com; manassasclay@ aol.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, glazing, raku.

The Clay Lady’s Studio: The Educational Facility at Mid-South Ceramic Supply Co. — 1416 Lebanon Pike, Bldg C, Nashville, TN 37210; 615.242.0346; www. midsouthceramics.com; danielle@theclaylady.com; full schedule of ongoing pottery classes as well as weekend workshops.

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.

Potter’s Wheel — 14011 Falba, Houston, TX 77070; klanier327@sbcglobal.net; www.giftedpotter. com; 281.728.0747. We are a private teaching studio and gift gallery in a busy shopping center. Wheelthrowing, handbuilding, electric firing, raku firing, guest artist workshops, classes for adults and children, paintyour-own pottery.

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. [ A year-round listing of your community pottery class in CT and on our Web site 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.

The Art League School — Located near the Torpedo Factory at 105 North Union Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703.683.2323; www.theartleague.org/school; school@theartleague.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile, mosaic.

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.

TEXAS

WYOMING

Resources I Classes

NORTH CAROLINA

Chinese Clay Art

SHOWROOM • RETAIL SALES • SERVICE

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

Texture Mats

www.ChineseClayArt.com

Round Edger

Glaze Sprayer

CHARLOTTE NC

CAROLINA CLAY CONNECTION

704/376-7221

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

CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

Setting up a studio?

Your full-service pottery supplier featuring clays by Standard, Highwater and Laguna; kilns, glazes, chemicals and equipment.

School orders welcome!

57

Opinion I Around the Firebox

Effortless Custody of Automation (cont. from page 53) books, videos, or music, and produce my own promotional materials. But it seems like the more time I spend on these ancillary activities, the less time I have to actually make pots. Interestingly and more importantly, it seems like spending a lot of time with a computer can actually change the way my mind processes my environment. I’ve found that it can be difficult to get a good night’s sleep if I’ve spent several hours with the computer in the evening before retiring. I keep seeing those little icons and wanting to click on them.

In contrast, an evening working with clay usually portends a good, restful night’s sleep. I think there are a couple of reasons. First, since there is actual physical work involved, even though it is not strenuous it serves to make the body ready for rest. Second, and again this seems to be confirmed by those brain studies, I think the mind is functioning in a different way when working directly with concrete materials rather than with abstract representations such as words or numbers.

When I am in the throes of working on a series of pots and thinking about design and process, this mind-set seems to carry over to other areas of life. I find myself thinking in three dimensions, and it’s a different way to perceive objects in the environment. I have always been interested in extruding as a means of forming clay. I have noticed when I spend time thinking about and designing extruder dies, that my brain stays in this mode of thinking. I notice an everyday object such as a chair or a wheel and immediately try to picture what a die to produce such an object might look like.

With more and more jobs requiring sitting at a desk and manipulating pixels rather than concrete material, it’s no wonder that ceramics is a popular pursuit. It’s a welcome change to grab some clay—for body, spirit, and mind. [

David Hendley operates Old Farmhouse Pottery in Maydelle, Texas. Visit his website at www.farmpots.com or contact him at david@farmpots. com.

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CLAYTIMES·COM n May/June 2009

Index to Advertisers AMACO.........................................................59 Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts..................18 Bailey Pottery Equipment..................................3 BigCeramicStore.com.....................................38 The Bone Tool................................................58 Bracker’s Good Earth Clays............................10 Carolina Clay Connection................................57 Ceramic Supply Chicago................................51 Chinese Clay Art USA.....................................57 Clay Times Products...................11,24,38,42,52 Clayworks Supplies........................................51 The Cookie Cutter Shop.................................57 Davens Ceramic Supply.................................12 Euclid’s Elements..............................................4 Evenheat Kilns................................................52 Dan Finch Pottery...........................................13 Fulwood Measure...........................................56 Georgies Ceramic & Clay Center.....................21 Giffin Tec..........................................................9 Graber‘s Pottery, Inc.......................................49 Great Lakes Clay & Supply Co........................15 Herring Designs..............................................51 Highwater Clays.............................................24 Hood College.................................................15 Japan Pottery Tools........................................49 Kentucky Mudworks.......................................49

The Kiln Dr.....................................................57 L & L Kilns........................................................2 Larkin Refractory Solutions..............................22 Master Kiln Builders........................................51 Minnesota Clay USA.......................................21 MKM Pottery Tools.........................................58 Muddy Elbow Mfg./Soldner Wheels................14 North Star Equipment.......................................8 Olympic Kilns ................................................18 Paragon Industries..........................................48 PCF Studios...................................................51 Peter Pugger..................................................37 Saint-Gobain Ceramics...................................18 School Arts....................................................52 Scott Creek/Clay Art Center............................48 Sheffield Pottery.............................................24 Shimpo America...............................................7 Sierra Nevada College....................................57 Skutt Ceramic Products..................................60 Strictly Functional Pottery National...................52 Trinity Ceramic Supply....................................11 Tucker’s Cone Art Kilns...................................38 U.S. Pigment Corp.........................................22 van Gilder Workshops.....................................48 Ward Burner Systems.......................................8 Xavier González Workshops............................56

    

 For all your animal stamp needs. 

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Visit www.MKMPotteryTools.com 

Wholesale: Fax: 920-830-9394   Voice: 920-205-2701  Retail: Your local distributor.  

 Visit booth #336 at NCECA!

58 MKM Pottery Tools.1_6V.5-6_08.indd 1

4/1/08 10:30:48 AM

“Brushing the great colors of AmAco Velvets thick and thin over any lichen glaze and firing just once is a fast way to get a wonderful surface.”

Visit us at NcEcA AmAco®/ Brent® Booth# 311 & 408

Lead Free 572 Colors

10-year Warranty

Lana Wilson, Professional Potter

Brent® Division of AmAco® • (800) 374-1600 • amaco.com

What’s all the fuss about reduction, anyway?

Debunking a myth on the first try

For years, the conventional wisdom has been that colors and surfaces like these were not possible to achieve in electric kilns. These tumblers, oxidation fired in Steven Hill’s first ever electric firing, show how conventional wisdom is about to be turned on its head.

To find out more in-depth information about how to get rich, atmospheric like surfaces in electric firing visit centerstreetclay.com.

Porcelain tumblers—thrown by Steven Hill on a Skutt potters wheel—were single fired to cone 7, soaked for 1 hour and down-fired to 1700°F in a Skutt KM-1027 Electric Kiln equipped with an EnviroVent2.

Center Street Clay Upcoming Workshops

Electric vs. Gas Firing: What’s all the fuss about reduction, anyway?

June 4–7 or July 9–12

Functional Stoneware/Single Firing: Pouring Vessels and Cups August 1–8

Journey Workshop October 3–11

CERAMIC PRODUCTS

We help you make great things.

For more information on Skutt Kilns or to find a local distributor, visit us at www.skutt.com, email skutt@skutt.com, or call 503-774-6000