Clay Times Magazine Volume 12 • Issue 66

CERAMIC

ART

TRENDS,

TOOLS,

AND

Sandy Culp’s Trompe L’oeil Buying A New Pug Mill One Year Later Ceramic Artists Rebuild After Hurricane Katrina Weighing the Risks of Manganese Exposure Discovering Glazes: Simplified Techniques

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Clay

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September/October 2006 • Volume 12, Number 5 Andrew Brayman demonstrates decal application during a joint Arrowmont workshop with Jane Shellenbarger. For details, see page 51. sandy culp photo

features 34 Real Art: An Interview with Sandy Culp Sandy Culp discusses her transition into the clay world and her fascination with nature and trompe l’oeil.

38 Limited Resources Cuban artists utilize some unusual recycled materials to create their clayworks.

41 Survival of the Artist One year later—ceramic artists share their stories of rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina’s wrath.

Bronze Beauty by Sandy Culp. 8" x 7". Lizella clay and stoneware with oxides, underglazes, and glazes, fired to cone 6 in oxidation. Story appears on page 34.

46 Buying a Pug Mill Learn about the different types and styles of pug mills before you make your purchase.

51 The Yin and Yang of Pottery Making Jane Shellenbarger and Andrew Brayman share their contrasting styles in a two-week workshop.

56 Rustic Antiquity The secret to Mark Gordon’s textural forms: his wonder clay.

60 Pots from Nature Norman Holen sketches forms from the world around him to serve as designs for his pots.

exhibits 14 “Dreams and Memories” Pucker Gallery hosts its 39th Annual Fine Choices Exhibition.

20 Elements of Architecture Wood-fired clay sculpture inspired by architectural themes is displayed in North Carolina.

Baluster Jug by Phil Rogers.

Temmoku with pellet decoration.

12¾" tall. One of several works by various artists featured in this year’s “Fine Choices” exhibition.

To see more, turn to page 14.

®

contents

TIMES

Clay

contents

®

TIMES

Clay September/October 2006 • Volume 12, Number 5

Platter made with recycled materials by Dunieski Lora. For more, turn to page 38.

departments

columns

11 EDITOR’S DESK

23 AS FAR AS I KNOW

CT launches new student image gallery at claytimes.com Web site ...

“Discovering Glazes”

by Pete Pinnell

27 BENEATH THE SURFACE “Mud Mamas III”

by Lana Wilson & Janis Mars Wunderlich

13 YOUR WORDS Letters from our readers

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

Bay Crafts was located in center of the area depicted by this photo before the devastating force of Hurricane Katrina. Story appears on page 41.

55 GREAT GLAZES

31 TEACHING TECHNIQUES “Fluting Wet Pots”

by Bill van Gilder

65 TOOL TIMES

Formulas you can use

60 THE GALLERY

On the cover:

A selection of new works by CT readers

Fruit Cup DuJour

by Sandy Culp.

10" x 10" x 10".

Stoneware with oxides, underglazes, and glazes, fired to cone 6 in oxidation. Photo by Bart Kasten.

73 POTTERY CLASSES Where to learn claywork in the United States and Canada

79 SLURRY BUCKET TIPS Save time and trouble with these studio-tested tips & techniques

“Tools to Maintain Your Studio”

by Vince Pitelka

67 KILNS & FIRING “Instruments for Measuring Temperatures”

by Marc Ward

68 STUDIO HEALTH & SAFETY “Manganese Exposure”

by Monona Rossol

71 BOOKS & VIDEOS

80 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE

“The Yixing Effect: Echoes of the Chinese Scholar” review by Steven Branfman

Goods and services especially for clay artists

82 AROUND THE FIREBOX “Baby Steps”

by Kelly Savino The Axner New Wave de-airing pug mill is capable of pugging 600 lbs. of clay per hour. Our guide to buying pug mills starts on page 46.

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KILNS

CERAMIC ART TRENDS, TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

®

magazine

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Clay

Editor & Art Director: Polly Beach editorial@claytimes.com Circulation Manager: Rachel Brownell circulation@claytimes.com Advertising Manager: Karen Freeman advertising@claytimes.com Accounts Manager: Nanette Greene accounting@claytimes.com Production Assistant: Jenna McCracken claytimes@aol.com Proofreader: Jon Singer Office Assistant: Ingrid Phillips Editorial Intern: Jamie Bussey Editorial Intern: Mac Ward 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: K.T. Anders • Rick Berman • Jamie Bussey Norman Holen • Catherine Merrill Jenna McCracken • Mac Ward Published by: CLAY TIMES INC. 15481 Second St. • PO Box 365 Waterford, Virginia 20197-0365 (540) 882-3576 • FAX (540) 882-4196

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/OctOber 2006

Clay Times® (ISSN 1087-7614) is published bimonthly, six issues per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Waterford, VA, and at additional mailing offices.

Annual subscriptions are available for $30 in the U.S.; $36 in Canada; $55 elsewhere (must be payable in US$). To subscribe, call toll-free 1-800-356-2529, or visit www.claytimes.com.

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

POSTMASTER: Address service requested. Send address changes to: Clay Times, PO Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197-0365. Copyright © 2006 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.

by POLLY BEACH

S

ummer is over, so now seems to be the perfect time to put out a plea for image submissions of student works. We recognize the importance of giving exposure to your student works and educational ceramics programs, so we’re designing a new section of the Clay Times Web site specifically to showcase your works at www.claytimes.com. Check it out!

To submit your images to be viewed on our Web site, please e-mail them along with your name, student program information, and description of the work to: claytimes@aol.com, or send them on disk to Student Works, Clay Times, PO Box 365, Waterford VA 20197. [

Spouting Off I Editor’s Desk

Back to School...

Pictured: Terminal by Max Rain.

Ceramic and wood with shoe polish.

One of the student works featured at the many school exhibitions during the California Conference for Ceramic Art (CCACA) earlier this year.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

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Sweet Man, Sweet Mixer Soldner Clay Mixers by Muddy Elbow Manufacturing phone/fax (316) 281-9132 / conrad@southwind.net 310 W. 4th Newton, KS • 67114 soldnerequipment.com

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Teacher’s Debate Pete Pinnell’s article about criticism (Clay Times, May/June 2006) is informative, but unfortunately not as illustrative as it could be. Discussing art criticism without adequately defining terms does an injustice to the topic and may lead his audience to faulty conclusions.

While careful in the explanation of precedent, he gives short shrift to the term, ‘aesthetics.’ I am not aware of any definition of aesthetics as “the stuff that artists really like to talk about: shape, form, mass, void, color, texture, proportion,” or “how things look.” And I’ve recently checked, just to be sure.

Rather, a more familiar definition of the term is “having to do with beauty; pertaining to beautiful appearances,” or from another source, “sensitive to or appreciative of art or beauty.” The Web-based Wikipedia defines the term in the following way: “Aesthetics is both the study of beauty and the properties of a system that appeal to the senses, as opposed to the content, structures, and utility of the system itself.”

With this definition one can definitely say that the “stuff” of artists, referenced by Pinnell, is not aesthetics, but simply the building blocks from which the subject of aesthetics, i.e., beauty, is created. It is important to recognize and understand this distinction.

Mr. Pinnell additionally confuses the discussion by stating, “the judging of aesthetics can never be completely objective …”

If the attributes of Pinnell’s aesthetics are essentially the objective components of art, then what is it in the judging of aesthetics that he says “can never be completely objective?” We can objectively calibrate the color of a digital display but to calibrate aesthetics, especially when the focus of attention may be beauty, is another question altogether.

So it is in this particular sense (a concern for, or interest in, beauty) that aesthetics would appear never to be objective. The problem lies in the appearance of subjectivity in all things beautiful. This is borne out by the general acceptance of the bromide “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

This hackneyed phrase says nothing about beauty and ascribes a sense of relativism and subjectivity to a term that practically no one disputes or questions.

But is this really so? Is the only truth about beauty that it is wildly subjective, relative, or objectively unmanageable? And, further, that no group of individuals can agree on that which may be beautiful? Having seen a few sunsets with a wide variety of individuals in various locales around the world, I don’t have any doubt as to the answer to that question. Obviously, there can be considerable agreement upon what is beautiful and, by contrast, what is ugly or grotesque.

But since there is much confusion about the definition of the word aesthetics, why throw in more pesky words like beauty to roil the muddied waters even further?

However, and not surprisingly, just as there is a genuine definition of aesthetics, there is a definition for the term beauty. One short one that I use in my classes to stimulate discussion is this: “Beauty is that which pleases the senses and exalts the mind.”

Another is: “The quality that gives pleasure to the mind or senses and is associated with such properties as harmony of form or color, excellence of artistry, truthfulness, and originality.”

It is worthwhile to note the relationship between Pinnell’s discussion of a critique and this definition of beauty. According to Pinnell, harmony of form/color relates to “how things look,” excellence in artistry relates to “how things are made,” truthfulness relates to “what the art means,” and originality relates to “precedents.” This later definition of beauty succinctly embodies all

four points Pinnell makes in his discussion of a critique. Imagine that.

Seemingly to buttress his discussion, Pinnell further describes art critics who simply “don’t tend to discuss the aesthetic nature of art, preferring to spend their time on content and precedents.” This is not surprising since so many contemporary artists and critics don’t understand the concept of aesthetics/beauty, deride it, ignore it, or commit these errors in combination. That is certainly lamentable and gives cause to question such a critic’s discussion of artwork.

In his discussion for a critique, Pinnell merely tap-dances around the concept of beauty—and that is a shame.

Aesthetics is a term with a specific meaning, invented by an 18th-Century German educator/philosopher. His name was A.G. Baumgarten. It is not a bad word. It is not an ugly word. Don’t be afraid of it. Use it in a critique sometime. You might just get an interesting discussion.

Kevin A. Hluch • Montgomery, Maryland

Thank You Thank You! for including one of my pots in John Britt’s article on art centers (Clay Times, July/August 2006).

I like the mag’s new ‘look!’ Keep up the great work—always so much good info I look forward to pouring over! Thanks again!

Lauren Bellero • Red Bank, New Jersey

Corrections • Alicia Ross deserved photo credit for the images published with the article on Todd Leech (Clay Times, March/April 2006). We regret the omission.

• The “Books & Videos” column, by Steven Branfman, was listed incorrectly in the table of contents (Clay Times, July/August 2006). The correct title of the column is “Clay: The History and Evolution of Humankind’s Relationship with Earth’s Most Primal Element.”

— Editor [

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

By virtue of his own description, aesthetics emphasizes “shape, form, mass, color,” etc. But these attributes are the objective elements of art. Certainly we can all agree that a geometric figure with four right angles and four equal sides is a square. We may not all agree, however, that a square is beautiful. For example, one may prefer an oval over a square.

Whether art students, art professors, artists, or critics appreciate or understand it or not, aesthetics, by definition, is an inquiry into the nature of beauty. This, at the very least, should be understood and not obscured by inaccurate or impromptu definitions.

Spouting Off I Letters

Your Words

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Hot Stuff I On Exhibit

Fine Choices 2006

T

he Pucker Gallery in Boston, Massachusetts recently held its 39th “Fine Choices: Memories and Dreams” exhibition. For nearly four decades, the annual exhibit has featured a wide range of art that “engages both the spirit and the mind.”

Pieces in the show were created by a wide variety of artists, all with different styles, media, and cultural origins. On display were ceramic works by Brother Thomas, Phil Rogers, Ken Matsuzaki, Tutsuzo Shimaoka, and Shoji Hamada, among others. [ Punchong Dish by Kang Hyo Lee. 17½" x 17½" x 3½".

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Yohen Shino Water Container by Ken Matsuzaki. 6½" x 8" x 8". Natural ash glaze.

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Honan Temmoku Vase by Brother Thomas. 11" x 8" x 8".

Bottle by Hideaki Miyamura. 15" x 6" x 6".

Cobalt blue crystalline glaze on porcelain.

Big Lidded Jar. Onda Yaki. 20¼" x 13½" x 13½".

Punchong Bottle by Sung Jae Choi. 11¾" x 7" x 7".

Hot Stuff I On Exhibit

Flying Trapeze, rectangular vase

by Fance Franck.

8¾" x 8" x 6".

Porcelain with celadon glaze.

b C

What’s Hot

ceramic art world news • events • calls for entries

Conferences ‰

The College of Arts and Letters and the Ceramics Area of Northern Arizona University will host an international wood firing conference October 11-14 in Flagstaff, Arizona.

The conference will focus on the wood firing process as it relates to ceramic art, as well as celebrate 21 years of the two Tozan kilns built by Don Bendel and Yukio Yamamoto.

Panel discussions will be held beginning on October 12.

Pre-conference activities will include wood firings from October 3-11. Participants may bring as much bisque ware as desired. Kilns will be unloaded October 15.

The conference is limited to 250 people. The cost of both the pre-conference activities and the conference is $175. To register, visit www.nau.edu/ceramics. For more information, e-mail Jason.Hess@nau.edu or telephone (928) 523-2398.

‰ The 22nd Alabama Clay Conference will take place February 2-4, 2007 at the University of North Alabama campus in Florence, AL.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/OctOber 2006

The annual conference will feature lectures, exhibitions, and demonstrations by artists Linda Arbuckle, Sandra Blain, Bill van Gilder, and Lisa Orr.

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Pre-registration for the conference is $110 through December ($45 for students). On-site registration will be $135 ($55 for students). For more information, visit www.alclayconference. org or write to 1809 N. Wood Ave., Florence, AL 35630.

Art Sales ‰ The “Gala in the Garden” art sale/gala raises funds for the Southwest School of Art and Craft education programs. A preview will take place October 4 from 5:30-7:30 pm, and

the sale will be held on October 5 starting at 6 pm. The event takes place at 300 Augusta, in downtown San Antonio, Texas 78205. For more information, e-mail publicrelations@ swschool.org or telephone (210) 224-1848, ext. 328.

‰ Peninsula Potters presents the 2006 Peninsula Potters Sale and Studio/Gallery Tour at Blue Hill Peninsula and Deer Isle, Maine. The sale runs October 6-9 from 10 am-4 pm, and features more than 22 potters in 14 studios and galleries.

The event draws hundreds of visitors and showcases porcelain, teapots, wood-fired works, and sculpture. Other highlights include kiln openings and demonstrations, as well as following the progress of a Noborigama kiln—a two-chamber, climbing, wood-fire kiln at Pitcher Masters Studio Gallery.

To find out more, e-mail kokkola@localnet.com or call (207) 348-5681.

Trips ‰

Horizons of Amherst, Massachusetts, will host two fall “Discover America” trips: “Southern Utah: Our Great American Outback” and “Red Rock Territory: The Grand Four Corners.” Both run from October 7-14 and include ceramic workshops with Hopi potter, Jean Sahme. For more information, visit www.horizons-art.com, e-mail horizons@ horizons-art.com, or phone (413) 367-9200.

Workshops ‰ The educational outreach program, organized by Florida Craftsmen, is hosting a sound sculpture workshop with Brian Ransom. The workshop is being held at Eckerd College and is open to beginner through advanced students. The workshop takes place September 23, from 10 am-4 pm.

Ransom will conduct a slide lecture and hands-on demonstrations with sound sculptures. Participants can expect to form one to three complete sound sculptures by the end of the workshop.

Workshop capacity is 20 participants, and the fee for non-members and/or non-students is $45. For Florida Craftsmen members and/or students, the fee is $35. To learn more, call (727) 821-7391.

‰ Pottery Northwest celebrates 40 years of clay in Seattle, Washington with a series of events including slide talks and workshops with the Gang of Eight on September 8-10.

The Gang of Eight includes Frank Boyden, Paul Soldner, Beth Cavener-Stichter, Tip Toland, Doug Jeck, Akio Takamori, Jamie Walker, and Patti Warashina.

Inaugural events for the celebration include an open house on September 2-3 from 10 am to 5 pm, and an opening reception at the Northwest Craft Center on September 7 for an exhibition of works by alumni and current residents, starting at 6 pm.

The celebration will conclude with a ritual firing at dusk on September 10.

For more information, find Pottery Northwest online at www.potterynorthwest.org or call (206) 285-4421.

New Director Announced ‰ The Archie Bray Foundation has announced that Steven Young Lee will join its staff as new resident director in January, 2007.

Lee will work alongside current director Josh DeWeese starting in September of this year.

Archie Bray is located on the grounds of the former Western Clay Manufacturing Company at 2915 Country Club Ave., Helena, Montana 59601. To learn more, visit www. archiebray.org, e-mail jill@archiebray.org, or call (406) 443-3502, ext. 13.

‰ “Objects d’Art: An Invitational Exhibition” takes place at the Celadon Gallery in Water Mill, New York, September 8 through October 2. An artists’ reception will be held September 10 from 11 am to 1 pm.

The exhibit will feature work by national and international artists Hong-Ling Wee, Betsy Smith, Nancy Robbins, and Mae Mougin.

Functional ceramics with strong sculptural components will be on display.

Celadon Gallery is located at 41 Old Mill Rd., Water Mill, New York 11976. For further details, call (631) 726-2547.

‰ The Burchfield-Penney Art Center, supported by the Sylvia L. Rosen Endowment, is hosting Craft Art Western New York 2006, the Center’s tenth biennial exhibition devoted to the celebration of works in clay, fiber, glass, metal, and wood. The exhibition will be on display from September 16 through January 7, 2007. A preview reception for the artists, their guests, and members of the Center will be held on September 16 from 6-8 pm.

The Art Center is located on the campus of Buffalo State College in Buffalo, New York.

For more information, e-mail burchfld@buffalostate.edu or telephone (716) 878-4143.

‰ “Covering the Surface,” an exhibition featuring the work of Tom and Elaine Coleman, will be held at Xiem Gallery in Pasadena, California through October 21. The show concludes with a joint workshop on October 22 at Xiem Studio from 10:30 am-4:30 pm.

The Colemans have been working in clay for almost 40 years. Tom’s use of texture and color results in surfaces that reflect his interest in the landscape of Nevada, where they make their home. Elaine’s work explores a preoccupation with the experience of daily life in an arid environment.

‰ The fourth juried exhibition, “Craft Houston 2006: Texas,” runs until October 1 and is hosted by the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. The exhibit features contemporary crafts from 29 artists throughout Texas, and is free to the public.

The Houston Center is located at 4848 Main St., in the Museum District, and is open

Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am-5 pm, and Sunday, 12-5 pm. For more information, visit www.crafthouston.org, call (713) 529-4848, or e-mail abby@theprboutique.com.

‰ The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Craft Show presents its 30th annual exhibition and sale November 2-5. Hosted by the museum’s craft show committee and its women’s committee, the show will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The event attracts 25,000 people and includes 195 artists from the United States.

Twenty-six artists from Finland will also exhibit and sell their work. The show offers an opportunity to meet artists and provides an online auction of selected works.

Ceramic Ranch!!

Located in Las Vegas, NV Workshops & Classes ✺

September 23 & 24, 2006

Patrick Horsley

A public preview will be held Wednesday, November 1 from 6-9 pm. Ticket prices vary.

For more information, visit www.pmacraft show.org or call (215) 684-7930.

Patrick will be focusing on: ✺ Two-piece vase forms and lidded jars (thrown and slab built).

‰ “4 High Fire Potters,” an exhibition hosted

by Red Star Studios Ceramic Center in Kansas City, Missouri, will feature works by Doug Casebeer, Peter Olsen, Hide Sadohara, and Lynn Smiser Bowers through September 30.

✺ One and two-piece bowls

and teapots with extruded parts.

Lynn Smiser Bowers, originally invited to show her painterly porcelain, invited three other potters to add variety to the exhibit.

Though they represent diversity in vision, methods, and choice of materials, all of the artists in the exhibition produce high-fired, functional pottery.

✺ Cone 6 reduction clay &

glazes (a savings on fuel, cost and time).

✺ Wholesaling and marketing

of your work.

The center is located at 821 West 17th St., Kansas City, MO 64108. For more information, visit www.redstarstudios.org.

✺ A slide show from Patrick

‰ Douglas Dawson’s West Loop Gallery in Chicago presents “Ukhamba: Masterworks of Zulu Potters,” on display from November 4 through December 22.

Patrick will be sharing 4 days of information packed into 2 days. Fee $225.

Ukhamba, or beer fermentation and serving vessels, reflect traditional African potting traditions that are now either compromised or extinct among the Zulu tribe. What most distinguishes Zulu beer vessels from other African pots is the surface treatment. The exhibition features twenty-five masterworks that demonstrate the originality and appeal of Zulu vessels.

The Gallery is located at 400 North Morgan at Kinzie, Chicago, IL 60622, and is open Monday through Friday, 10 am-5:30 pm, and Saturday, 10 am-5 pm. For more information, visit www.douglasdawson.com or call (312) 226-7975.

✺

Horsley covering 35 years of work.

✺

November 8 - 12, 2006 60 cubic foot train wood fire kiln building with Don Bendel and Tom Coleman. Fee $250.

For more information on workshops & classes please contact: Amy Kline Phone: 702-987-3023 Cell: 702-845-1715 Email: potterywest@cox.net

Pottery West

5026 N. Pioneer Way Las Vegas, NV 89149 Phone: 702-987-3023

✺

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Xiem Gallery is located at 1563 N. Lake Ave., Pasadena, CA 91104. For more information, call (626) 394-2842, or visit www.xiemclay center.com.

Las Vegas, NV

Hot Stuff I News & Events

Ceramics Exhibitions

1PUUFSZ 8FTU

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Hot Stuff I News & Events

Calls for Nominations September submissions deadline

‰ The National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) is accepting nominations for the position of Director at Large.

The DAL is a three-year position and requires various responsibilities, including aspects of conference and program planning.

Nominations are also being accepted for the following annual awards: Honorary Membership to the Council, Fellow of the Coun-

cil, the Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Outstanding Achievement Award. All nominations should be mailed or e-mailed

by September 15. To find out more, e-mail susanf@nc.rr.com or call (919) 933-9117.

October submissions deadline

‰ NCECA is also requesting nominations for its Emerging Artist program. The program is intended to give early career artists who show exceptional promise the opportunity to present their work to an international

audience at the NCECA Annual Conference.

Nominations are welcomed from professionals in the field of ceramics; also, artists may self-nominate with the support of two professionals.

Residents of the United States as well as international NCECA members are eligible for nomination. Nominees may not be students and may not have previously received major recognition for their work. Applications must be submitted online by October 2. For more information, visit www.nceca.net/ conference/eartists.html.

Calls for Entries September submissions deadlines

GLAZES INC.

Introducing our new Low-Stone 900 Series colors.

We’re coming out with 36 brand new colors for our most popular low-fire glaze line. As always they are lead-free and dinnerware safe. Each color will work with the existing colors to create new layered effects. Watch this space for pictures of the other 18 new colors and some great new layering ideas.

‰ “Mixed Messages,” an exhibition sponsored by the Target Gallery, is accepting submissions from all artists in the United States and abroad. Entries must be comprised of two or more materials/media. The show is being juried by Veena Singh, owner of Sansar Gallery in Bethesda, Maryland, and will take place from December 6, 2006 to January 14, 2007.

The entry fee is $30 for three images (slide or CD); entry deadline is September 29. For a prospectus, send an SASE to Target Gallery, Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 North Union St., Alexandria, VA 22314. For more information, visit www.torpedofactory.org, e-mail targetgallery@torpedofactory.org, or call (703) 838-4665, ext. 4.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

‰ “Craft Forms,” the 12th Annual International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Craft, is accepting entries for its 2006 exhibit scheduled to take place December 1, 2006 through January 24, 2007. Gretchen G. Keyworth, director and chief curator of Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, Massachusetts, will jury the show.

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926 to 928 94 Fenmar Dr. Toronto, ON Canada M9L 1M5

929 to 932 P.O. Box 874 Lewiston, NY US 14092-0874

933 to 937

938 to 943

Phone:(800)970-1970 or (416)747-8310 Fax:(416)747-8320 www.spectrumglazes.com info@spectrumglazes.com

Entries are open to all professional artists working in clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, and/or mixed-media crafts. All work must be original and created within the last two years. Artists may submit up to two entries. Applications must be postmarked by September 26; entry fee is $25. More than $3,000 in prizes will be awarded to artists.

Mail submissions to the Wayne Art Center, 413 Maplewood Ave., Wayne, PA 19087.

For further details, visit www.wayneart. org, e-mail info@wayneart.org, or telephone (610) 688-3553.

November submissions deadline

‰ The 4th World Ceramic Biennale 2007 Korea International Competition is accepting applications until October 6. Artists may submit works for two different categories: ceramics for use, and ceramics as expression. The competition is open to all individuals. There is no theme for the show and there are no size restrictions. Individuals or groups may submit a maximum of three entries, regardless of category. A grand prize of $55,000 will be awarded to one artist per category.

‰ The University of Dallas Regional Ceramics Competition in Irving, Texas is now accepting submissions. An exhibition will be on view from January 27-March 4, 2007.

Applications are available via the Curatorial Department of the World Ceramic Exposition Foundation (WOCEF), and may be found online at www.wocef.com. For details, email cebiko@worldceramic.or.kr.

The competition is open to artists 18 years or older currently residing in AR, CO, KS, LA, MO, NM, OK, or TX. Val Cushing will serve as the juror.

Submission deadline is November 1, 2006; entry fee is $25 for up to three entries. All works must be original and completed within in the past two years. Clay must be the dominant material in all work submitted, and submissions must be in the form of 35 mm slides.

For more information and a prospectus, send an SASE to the University of Dallas, Haggerty Gallery, U-Dallas Regional, 1845 East Northgate Dr., Irving, TX 75062, or visit www.udallas.edu. [

Hot Stuff I News & Events

October submissions deadlines

‰ Applications for the 2007 Artisphere International Arts Festival of Greenville, South Carolina are now available online. The deadline for submission is October 20. The festival is scheduled to take place April 20-22, 2007. For more information, e-mail mary@greenvillearts. com or call (864) 271-9398. ‰ “Ink and Clay 33,” sponsored by the W. Keith and Janet Kellogg University Art Gallery of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, is accepting submissions through October 30. An annual competition established in 1971, the exhibit is scheduled to take place from January 18 through February 24, 2007.

For additional information, call (909) 869-4302, visit www.csu pomona.edu/~kellogg_gallery, or e-mail pemerrill@csupomona.edu. The gallery is located at 3801 West Temple Ave., Pomona, CA 91768.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

“Ink and Clay” will feature prints and drawings, ceramic ware, and clay sculpture. The call is open to all artists in the Western States, including AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, ND, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, and WY. A virtual catalog will be published and mounted on the gallery’s Web site.

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Hot Stuff I On Exhibit Dwelling #3 by Bill Griffith. 11" x 12" x 7". Slab-constructed stoneware, anagama/wood-fired.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Key Stone 2 by Steve Sauer. 44" x 10". Five-day wood-fired stoneware.

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#1 by Al Tennant. 29" x 9" x 18". Stoneware with porcelain inlay.

Ritual Vessel Awaiting Light by Judith Dove. 19" x 14" x 9". Wood-fired stoneware.

Hot Stuff I On Exhibit

Elements of Architecture Shino Basket by Jan McKeachieJohnston. 18" x 6". Wood-fired stoneware.

Upside Downtown by Nina Hole. 20" x 8¾" x 10¾". Wood-fired stoneware.

T

The exhibit is being held in conjunction with the residency of Danish clay artist Nina Hole, and also features her sculptural work as well as her drawings. Images of various works selected for the show appear on these pages. [

Currents by Joy Brown. 34" x 57". Wood-fired stoneware.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

he works of 13 internationally recognized wood-fire potters from the United States and Canada will be featured as part of “Architectural Echoes in Clay” September 19 through November 10 at two western North Carolina venues.

The Center for Craft, Creativity, and Design in Hendersonville, NC, and Appalachian State University’s Katherine Smith Gallery in Boone, NC will host the show, curated by Judith Duff and featuring ceramic art inspired by architectural themes.

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CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

There are two rules you’ll have to follow if you want to better understand glazes. First, you must mix, apply, and fire a lot of different glazes; and second, you must pay close attention to the results.

by PETE PINNELL

I

n my previous column, I described the differences between primary and secondary research, and the value of each. In this column, I promised I’d provide some simple methods for doing your own useful, primary research with the intent of learning more about glazes and glaze materials, and finding some new glazes of your own.

My second rule for learning about glazes is that you have to pay attention to the results. Most of us only do this partially: we take a close look at the test tiles that look good, but tend to ignore the ones that don’t look good. If you want to learn, you have to pay equal attention to the “bad” tests, since they provide at least as much useful information as the “good” ones. I put the words good and bad in quotations because that’s how

OK, enough sermon—let’s start mixing.

A great way to learn about materials is through the direct substitution of one material with a similar material.

Sometimes just the small chemical or geological difference between two materials can radically change the fired quality of a glaze. A good example of this is when we change the clay content in a high-fire celadon: a change from one brand of kaolin to another can cause the color of a celadon to shift dramatically from blue to green. This is the kind of result that one can’t find or predict by looking at recipes or reading books, but only by making the substitution and firing it.

Glaze rooms contain a large and confusing number of materials, but these can be more easily understood if they are divided into categories. In fact, all these materials can fit into just a handful of categories, and within each category we can substitute all or part of a material and almost always get interesting, informative results. Here are the basic categories that are represented in most glazes:

• Alkalis • Alkaline Earths1 • Boron • Alumina • Silica The fluxes we need for the glaze are mostly found in alkali sources, such as feldspars; and alkaline earth sources, such as whiting and dolomite. Boron is required in most medium-fire and almost all low-fire glazes, and is contained in complex materials like Gerstley borate and frit. Alumina and silica are found in clay, and most glazes contain at least some clay—both to provide these oxides and to keep the wet glaze in suspension.

Because many glossy glazes require more silica than is found in these other groups, we often also add quartz (“flint”) to the glaze. These five categories are what make up almost all base glazes, to which we add colorants and opacifiers. I’ve written about colorants and opacifiers in the past,2 so in today’s column I’ll stick with the materials in base glazes.

Potters use feldspars (and other feldspathic materials) as sources of sodium,3 potassium, and lithium. These materials also contain sizeable amounts of alumina and silica. The materials I’ve listed on the following page each provide differing percentages of sodium and potassium, though you can substitute equal amounts of any of these materials for any of the others. I’ve listed these in ascending order of their fluidity at high temperatures, with the least fluid on top and the most fluid at the bottom.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

There are two rules you’ll have to follow if you want to better understand glazes. The first is that you must mix, apply, and fire a lot of different glazes; and the second is that you must pay close attention to the results. As for the first, the only way to learn about the qualities of the raw materials is to get your hands dirty. I’ve taught a number of glaze classes over the years, and I’ve found that watching others mix glazes is a poor substitute for doing it myself.

Yes, I learn a lot by looking at all the tests the students generate, but that’s like eating the meal without doing any of the cooking: it appeals to the gourmand in me, but it doesn’t make me a better cook. If I want to improve my cooking, I need to get out of the dining room and into the kitchen.

fired tests are often described; but the reality is that all tests are good because they all provide information. A “bad” test tile tells us what doesn’t work, and taken together with other “bad” tiles, they can tell us why they don’t work—a very important and powerful piece of information. When we combine enough of these conclusions, we can begin to understand materials enough to get the results we want on a consistent basis.

Perspectives I As Far As I Know

Discovering Glazes

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giffingrip.com

Like potassium and sodium, lithium is also an alkali and is found in similar materials, which also contain alumina and silica. The two sources most commonly used are petalite and spodumene, with spodumene being the more active of the two. These materials don’t usually work alone as an alkali source in a glaze, but can produce very interesting qualities when either of them is substituted for part of the feldspar content in a glaze. Besides altering color and texture, these will tend to make a glaze a bit more craze-resistant.

The second major category in glaze materials is the alkaline earth fluxes.

Potters use four different ones: calcium, magnesium, barium, and strontium. Any of the materials containing these can be substituted—in whole or in part—for any of the others, often with very nice (but surprisingly different) results. Here is a list of materials, along with the oxides they provide: • Whiting (calcium) • Wollastonite (calcium and silica) • Bone Ash4 (calcium and phosphorus) • Magnesium Carbonate (magnesium) • Dolomite (calcium and magnesium) • Talc (magnesium and silica) • Strontium Carbonate (strontium) • Barium Carbonate5 (barium)

Boron is used in many glazes, and is especially useful in mid-range and lowfire temperatures, since it both lowers the maturation temperature of a glaze and also helps the glaze work over a longer firing range. Boron is found in raw materials like Gerstley borate, Colemanite, Gerstley substitutes, and

Almost every glaze has some clay in it, such as EPK (a kaolin) or OM-4 (a ball clay). As mentioned above, clay is the ingredient that prevents the glaze from settling out like a rock. It also provides the alumina and silica needed to make a glaze durable and practical. Substituting one clay for another can give nice results and also helps you learn what qualities each clay brings to a glaze. Following is a list of clays that can be used in glazes.

I’ve listed them with the most pure clays at the top, descending to the least pure (or most complex, depending upon how you look at it) at the bottom. I’ve offered these because they’re all commonly available—but don’t let that limit you!

Any clay available to you can make an interesting test, including the one you may have dug in your own yard.

• Grolleg China Clay • Edgar Plastic Kaolin (EPK) • Tile #6 Clay • Helmer Kaolin • Ball Clay (any) • XX Sagger • Foundry Hill Creme • Goldart • Fire Clay (any) • Redart • Alberta Slip As for our fifth category, silica, there isn’t a great deal of variation among the different brands of silica that are commercially available, so there isn’t much use in substituting one for another.

You could always try different meshes of silica, and potters sometimes find this useful. But more is usually learned by varying the amount of silica in a glaze rather than the brand or mesh size.

You’ll notice that I haven’t listed any of the results you might expect to get when you make these substitutions. In the case of primary research, this might taint the process by causing you to favor one thing over another. Instead, it is better for you to do these kinds of things blind and find your own conclusions. Even better, find another potter to partner with and run parallel tests so the two of you can compare your results and conclusions.

It’s always useful to have another pair of eyes whenever we’re looking at new information and attempting to draw conclusions.

Next issue—more on glaze testing. [

Footnotes 1 We borrow the terms alkali and alkaline earth from chemistry, and specifically from groupings in the periodic table of elements.

If you’re unfamiliar with these terms, Wikipedia provides an excellent, simple overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodic_table_of_ elements.

2 See “Coloring Outside the Lines,” Clay Times, May/June 2003, p. 21, 55; and “Coloring Further Outside the Lines,” Clay Times July/ August 2003, p. 21, 29.

3 For you sticklers, potters only use the oxides of these materials, and not the simple elements. Because everything we use is an oxide, we don’t bother writing (or saying) it constantly—just assume it’s there.

4 I prefer the synthetic version to the natural—it doesn’t spoil in the bucket, like natural bone ash, which often contains a little residual organic matter.

5 It should go without saying that if you include barium carbonate in a glaze, you should take care to use it safely, and not apply it to food-contact surfaces.

Pete Pinnell teaches at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has been a potter for many years and has numerous exhibitions and workshops to his credit. You can reach him with comments or questions at ppinnell1@unl.edu.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

As with lithium, it often works better to use two different oxides from this category, so you might want to try substituting just half of the material already in the glaze. For instance, if the glaze contains 20% whiting, you might try it with 10% whiting and 10% strontium carbonate.

many commercial frits. Because all insoluble sources of boron are a complex mixture of many oxides, each brings with it a wide range of qualities. As with the others, you can try substituting any of these sources for any other, in whole or in part. Another very interesting substitution is to use a boron source in place of part of the alkaline earth materials that are listed above. This isn’t as crazy as it sounds, since most boron sources contain a fair amount of calcium or other alkaline earth. There are myriads of commercial frits available, as well as a number of Gerstley borate substitutes that appeared when Gerstley started to run out. You can try any of them, but please be aware that you should avoid any that contain lead, for obvious healththreatening reasons.

Perspectives I As Far As I Know

• PV Clay (Plastic Vitrox) • Cornwall Stone • Custer Feldspar • G-200 Feldspar • Kona F-4 Feldspar • Nepheline Syenite

25

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CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

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26

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by GUEST COLUMNIST JANIS MARS WUNDERLICH

This is the third article in a series on parenting and working in clay. Janis Wunderlich, a mother with five children, is well known for her figurative sculptures. She is thoroughly committed to her family and her work, a balancing act she discusses in this column.

In the next issue of CT, she will share her glazes and techniques.

— Lana Wilson

I

had my first baby at 21—before I went to grad school; and my second after grad school. I didn’t have a studio at that point. I just took over a little corner of the dining room, and had a used kiln in the garage. When my children were very small and wanted to be held constantly, I would put them in a baby backpack and just carry them around and let them watch me do sculpture. I would even (I’m not kidding) tie toys on my head to keep them occupied!

All through undergrad and grad school, my teachers made us enter shows, so I had a large file of rejects. We would almost brag about how many rejects we had. We had to apply to shows. We all began to realize it is OK to be rejected. It was three years before I got into a show (I felt like kissing the feet of the juror who let me in)! I figured if I really liked the juror’s work, he/she might like mine.

I obviously don’t produce nearly the quantity of art I did while in school or back when I had a smaller family. But I find that I am more willing now to enjoy the process. I’m not afraid to invest

Now I have five children between the ages of 2 and 14 years old, and I am still into clay. My spouse is very supportive and understanding of my need to be an artist. He has a demanding job away from home so during the daytime, it’s just me and my kids and my art. Even though my husband doesn’t help during the day, there are certain things he does that help me beyond words: He doesn’t complain when his shirts and pants are wrinkly; he doesn’t expect a clean house or perfect meal when he gets home; and when he arrives home, he immediately gets involved by helping with the kids, and dinner, and more.

I have an established, structured routine to my day. My husband and I both exercise before our kids even wake up.

Then the kids get up (all of them pop up around 7 am or earlier) and everyone is gone to school or work by 7:45. That leaves me and my two youngest children, my almost 2-year-old and my 5-year-old.

We finish breakfast, get dressed, and tidy up the house a little. Then the girls watch their favorite show (DORA!) on TV, which gives me an hour of “clean-hands” studio work like computer/paperwork/ calendar work/Web site stuff. After their show we read and play, then eat lunch and I take my 5-year-old to preschool.

It’s now timed perfectly so that my baby will fall asleep as I play relaxing music

on the ride home. She takes a 60- to 90minute nap, and that is when I go into high production in the clay studio.

My studio is in a room attached onto the family room of our house, so I’m within listening distance of my sleeping baby, yet I can still work. This is my most productive time of day for art making—it is amazing what I can do in two full hours without interruptions! If my baby does wake up, she joins me. And if my older daughter doesn’t have preschool, she works with me in the studio, too. I have a kid’s workspace set up for them, and they’ll play in clay all day if I let them.

By 4 pm, my kids are all home from school, so my art window is over. Now it is time for piano lessons, after-school activities, sports, homework, and housework. Then we have dinner, activities, and bedtime. Sometimes—if I’m lucky— I get to squeeze in a tiny bit more art time at night. If I have a big deadline, I’ll bring my banding wheel up to the kitchen: I have a little spot on the counter where I’ll stay up late and work on a sculpture.

My parents do not live close by, but if I am teaching a workshop or traveling for art, they sometimes help with the kids. I have two brothers who live nearby, and they also help if I’m really behind. If I am up against a deadline, our 14-year-old daughter will play with all her siblings so I can get a little more time. But that is it: no nannies, nor housekeepers, nor anything fancy.

My subject matter has been family, motherhood, and womanhood ever since I touched clay. That’s all I’ve

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Now that I have five children and life is so full, I don’t take as many risks as I did in grad school. I work with a more manageable scale (20"-30") than I used to. I also handbuild now instead of slip-casting and all that bulky, technical, messy stuff I did when I was working on my M.F.A. I fire lower because I’m paying the electric bills now instead of grad school tuition. I live in a little suburb where I can’t set up a high-fire kiln in my yard.

I don’t have a big studio, so I only mix a few glazes and don’t do much glaze experimenting because I would have to give up my limited work time to do it.

the time in one sculpture to make it just right. My average turnaround for a big sculpture is one or two per month.

I think I’ve improved the quality and craftsmanship of my work. I have just a limited time to dedicate to art, so I make sure I’m working on a piece that I like and that won’t fall apart. Usually, I’m quite happy with it when it’s all done.

Cup by Janis Mars Wunderlich.

Perspectives I Beneath the Surface

Mud Mamas III

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Perspectives I Beneath the Surface

thought about for the past 16 years! I got married right after my freshman year of college, and took my first clay class right after that, so clay has really been my instrument to record all of my struggles, failures, and triumphs in parenting. I probably have 200 sculptures out there that are visual journal entries on parenting.

I feel like I’m doing a good job when my kids know that they are more important to me than my art is. I don’t ever want them to feel like I can’t be there for them or help them because I’m too busy with my art. If I have a big show or a nasty deadline coming up, it is really hard for me to leave my studio for those “simple things,” but I have to do it to keep my sanity. I have to keep a balance. Even the way I handbuild has evolved to fit my frequent comings and goings with my claywork. Early on in my clay career, I decided that I would put my family first, even if it means not having the greatest sculptures in the world.

Parenting teaches you a lot of humility.

Flexibility is also key: I need to be able to find a way to somehow fit my artwork into my routine. I don’t think I am particularly talented, nor do I have a great ability with technique; yet I do spend a lot of time with the material.

I don’t get to do my art, I get depressed. I feel like my art is my medication. I’m an introvert. I have been to the art museum once in the past three years. I keep thinking that when my kids get older, I will have time to do things.

I keep pressure on myself on purpose. I say ‘yes’ to all good show opportunities that I possibly can, and I say ‘no’ when I know it is going to overstress my family. That pressure (the pressure that a gallery or museum is expecting a piece from me) keeps me going some days when I’m feeling frustrated with the whole mom/art thing. I think to myself, “Someone out there needs me to finish this sculpture!” As silly as that sounds, it keeps me going.

If I had to choose between family and art, I would be out of balance. My art would be about nothing without my family, and I think I’d be a really highstrung, depressed mom without time for this creative expression!

There are a lot of hard parts. It is very difficult to know I must drop my clay tools at any given moment to take care of kids, even if I’m in “the art zone.” I have to be very careful with glaze ingredients and keep some things way up high and out of reach. My studio gets so dirty from my kids working in there— they tend to drop half of their clay on the floor. They also like to dump underglazes out, make messes on the wheel, and not clean up afterward. My youngest daughter likes to “help me” with my sculpture, so it definitely takes enormous patience and flexibility to do what I do. Again this week, she climbed up on the kitchen counter and squashed up one of my works in progress. Incidentally, I’ve gotten really good at repair surgery!

“If I had to choose between family and art, I would be out of balance.”

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

—Janis Mars Wunderlich

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Since I am constantly around my kids, they serve as the imagery that feeds my ideas. I get a lot of bad days. My kids are cranky, or I am tired. Just the other day, I went out for a moment and my youngest sat on my sculpture and then used slip to paint over it! I realized I could make a big deal out of it, but decided not to. I simply fixed it. Unfortunately, though, the next morning she got up early and “worked” more on it, really ruining it. So much for two weeks of my work—now gone.

My art is therapy for me. I need to have a voice, and I can express my emotions. If

Another reality is that I have to give up all of my free time to clay. I don’t have time to read artsy books or magazines, or shop for artsy clothes. I don’t get time to organize my studio or my house, so things tend to be a bit unkempt.

Little details, like keeping track of library books and scrapbook pictures, are things I give up. I also have to be very careful not to overdose on too many activities

for my kids. The older kids do piano and one sport per season; the younger kids choose one extra thing at a time (like gymnastics or ballet, but not both at the same time). In the summer, they spend a lot of time playing together in the backyard, which is right next to my studio.

(When I have a big deadline coming up, I’ll buy a fresh bag of play sand and a few new matchbox cars, and that buys me an enormous amount of time!)

I have to get used to everything taking me twice as long as it should. Even as I type this, there’s a Strawberry Shortcake movie going on in the background to keep Emma happy, and my youngest is doing some sort of Olympic sport all over me. I’ve had to give up being a perfectionist! I used to be the sort of person that had to do everything “over-the-top,” perfectly, especially art: I had to have the best, most detailed work in every show.

I used to always send the maximum amount of work, and always say ‘yes’ to every show. Now I’m happy with the minimum. Often, I’m late getting work to shows, or I don’t quite meet my goals because a kid gets sick, or something comes up. So to be really successful, I have to start way in advance for any deadline. I also have to say ‘no’ to a lot of shows that I would really love to do.

I know I can’t bite off more than I can chew. And I have to be realistic when I set goals for myself.

I’ve had my share of no sleep and cranky babies. There are times when I sculpt one-handed, with kids on my lap or in my arms, singing goofy songs to keep them happy, or letting them squish little clay worms into my sculpture, just so that I can make my sculpture time happen.

I look back on these times fondly, because they really do go by quickly.

Pretty soon the kids are off to school, and then the house is quiet. I have to achieve a healthy balance, or it doesn’t work for anyone. I can tell very easily in my life when I’ve got it right and when it needs adjustments. [ Lana Wilson is a handbuilder from Del Mar, California. She gives frequent workshops and is the author of Ceramics: Shape and Surface. Her Web site is www.lanawilson. com. She is very interested in your thoughts on this series of columns on parenting and clay. E-mail her at lana@lanawilson.com.

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CLAyTIMES·COM n September/OctOber 2006

Wet Fluting

by BILL van GILDER

Necessary Supplies • (1) 3-lb. ball of throwing clay • a bat • water and a small sponge • a rib tool • an under-cutting stick • a fluting tool • a cut-off wire

F

ollowing on the heels of my ‘Fluting Methods’ column in the previous issue of Clay Times, this column describes a more immediate decorating technique: fluting the pot when it’s partially made and wet on the wheel. It’s a project that will cause students to hone in on organizing the making steps of their thrown forms.

Thickness, neatness, and fluid tool use are the controlling factors.

Again, you’ll need to have the basic throwing tools on hand, plus a fluting tool and a lump of well-kneaded clay.

THE TOOL Each hard metal fluting tool has two bladed end-shapes. One is rounded

So gather the class around your wheel, attach a bat to the wheelhead, and center your lump of clay.

THE FORM Open the lump with an average floor thickness—a bit less than ½". This is a project that will have its foot edge visually softened and rounded at the leatherhard stage. No tool trimming later, so no extra floor thickness is needed.

The wall of your cylinder will need to be thrown with a ½" cross-section. As with fluting at the leather-hard stage you’ll be cutting deeply into the wall, so an ample wall thickness is essential.

As you complete the pulling-up, use a fingertip or the small, rounded end of a rib to push a curved groove into the base area of the form. This indent creates a sharp-cornered edge at the bottom of

2

The rounded and pointed ends of the fluting tool.

the straight wall, which is where the fluting tool work will begin. Finally, rib the wall as straight and flat as possible [Fig. 1].

Now, move your fingertips to the top of the form and collar it inward about ½"—but still big enough to allow you to slide your hand into the pot. Start the collaring move 2" below the rim.

This move does three things: It creates a distinct sharp corner at the top of the straight wall; it begins to define the sloping shoulder area; and it also sets up the neck of your vase, which will be pulled, thinned, and defined further after the fluting step. Remove the water from the inside of the form. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a soggy bottom. And no one wants a soggy bottom, right?

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CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

1

for concave flute cutting. The other is pointed and intended to create a convex or humped-shaped flute on leather-hard pots. But with this project you’ll be using both end-shapes in a similar way—pulling them up and into the wall of your pot to create two different grooved shapes.

In Form I Teaching Techniques

Stretching the Surface

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In Form I Teaching Techniques

FLUTING

rounded flute and the next, for a minimum of 16 total cuts.

Stop the wheel. Pick up the fluting tool and position the rounded blade edge below the bottom corner of the straight cylinder wall [Fig. 2, previous page].

Press the tool against the wall and, using a relaxed fluid movement, pull the blade straight upward. Clear the tool of clay, invert it, and position the pointed blade edge at the bottom of the cylinder wall. Place it about ¼" away from one edge of your first rounded cut.

Pull it upward and, like your first cut, through the top edge of the wall. Again, clear the tool of clay. Now cut another rounded flute, then another pointed one, working your way completely around the form [Fig. 3, previous page]. Continue to leave a ¼" flat, ribbed wall area between the cuts. This adds an additional decorative element to the pattern, which will become obvious later on.

Next step: set the tool aside and, using your small throwing sponge and a slow wheel speed, liberally wet the inside wall of your fluted cylinder. Squeezing your water-loaded sponge against the inside wall at the rim accomplishes this easily, without distorting the form or wetting the outside surface.

At this point I tell my students, “Mugs, pitchers, and bowls can all be fluted. Go for it.

No fear!” [

SHAPING With the wheel now moving at a medium speed, slip one wet hand inside your pot and, starting at the base, begin to expand the form. Use the broad pads of your combined fingers or hold onto your dampened throwing sponge, and gently pressure and coax the fluted wall outward [Fig. 4]. Take your time—the expansion should happen slowly.

Pushing the wall outward too fast or too far can cause it to tear open at the center of each cut flute. Like most potting projects, knowing when to stop isn’t always easy! So be wary.

Again, remove the excess water from the interior of your pot. Move to the top of the form and lightly wet the neck area. Collar it in some more [Fig. 5] and complete the rim [Fig. 6]. On my vase form, I’ve flattened and angled the rim downward to mimic the angled shoulder shape.

Try these fluting techniques on different forms.

An alternative cutting order to the consecutive method described above would be to cut your flutes following the clock positions; cut all the rounded flutes at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock.

Then, cut more rounded flutes between these first four, giving you a total of eight (more for a larger diameter pot). Now, reverse the tool end and cut a pointed flute between each

4

5

to complete the foot: On a clean, dry, flat, work surface, roll and rotate the foot edge in a circular motion [Fig. 7]. Start with a large rotating motion, gradually rotating the pot in smaller and smaller circles. Use your thumb to soften and smooth the sharp edge, which appears at the top of the rolled area. Signature or ‘chop’ your project … and pass out the fluting tools!

Lastly, use a very damp sponge to lightly stroke over the fluted areas in a footto-rim direction. This softens the sharp edges of the cut flutes. Use your undercutting stick to cut a small bevel at the foot of your vase and wire cut it from the bat.

FINISHING Allow the pot to dry on its bat until it’s leather-hard. Then use this simple technique

6

WET-FLUTING TIPS Smooth clays containing a minimum of sand or grog aggregate work best.

Throw your form with a ½" crosssection wall thickness.

Flute into a straight wall, then add shape by pressuring the wall outward from the inside.

Flute with a quick, lively tool movement.

Bevel-cut a bit of clay from the foot of the form for easy finishing.

Bill van Gilder has been a full-time potter and teacher of clay work since the 1960s. He is creator/host of the Throwing Pots DIY Network television series and teaches functional pottery making workshops. He may be reached by e-mail at vangilderpottery@earthlink. net. His new professional potters’ tool line, van Gilder Tools, is now available via the Clay Times online store at www.claytimes.com, or by calling toll-free 1-800-356-2529.

7

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Real Art an up-close look at the works of Sandy Culp AN INTERVIEW By RICK BERMAN

trompe l’oeil a painting, etc. that creates such a strong illusion of reality that the viewer may not at first be sure whether the thing depicted is real or a representation.

— Webster’s New World Dictionary Sandy Culp captures the true essence of trompe l’oeil—defining detail on a pear blossom while wearing jeweler’s glasses.

S

andy Culp works in the tradition of and pays homage to the great American trompe l’oeil clay workers of our time such as Marilyn Levine, Richard Shaw, and Victor Spinski. She is truly a magician, doing things with clay that seem impossible.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

After many years of working in other media such as painting, drawing, and sculpture, she came to clay quite naturally and with almost no learning curve. Culp knew exactly what she wanted and was able to make the transition immediately. Her touch is so pure and her attention to detail so thorough that even the kiln senses her caring and helps her cause. With a relatively short career in clay, Culp has already made that extremely rare transition whereby the maker and the made become synonymous.

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On the following pages, Culp responds to a selection of questions I posed regarding her work and career.

How did you come to work with clay?

Even as a child I had trouble deciding between painting on the walls with my mother’s lipstick or playing in the sandbox; my lifelong quest for both two- and three-dimensional art had begun. I’ve made my living as an artist for my entire life, primarily as an illustrator and painter. As a painter I am fascinated with super-realism and strive to make my

work appear as three-dimensional as possible. In the thrill of actually fooling myself, I become completely immersed in the work, looking behind the canvas to see it from the other side and surprising myself as my paintbrush doesn’t fall off the table’s edge while I paint it. You can imagine the complete and uncontrollable love I have for clay and the ability to actually walk around the pieces and view them from every perspective. The sensuous and responsive feel of actually working in clay, from the beginning to its fired completion as the consistency changes throughout the process, is added enticement.

I’ve experienced a wide variety of two- and three-dimensional mediums, but none have been quite as compelling. I’ve absolutely fallen in love.

Do you sketch your ideas before you begin?

I sketch most of my ideas first to actually work out the composition, particularly when having several options to a series I’d like to work on. The sketches may be so loose that no one else may be able to discern what they might represent. Other times I may actually do a very detailed rendering for the pleasure of obsession. Working out a piece on paper before I begin, particularly if it is a functional sculpture, is very helpful. There is also great satisfaction, alternatively, to just get your hands into the clay and start working while

the inspiration is still fresh in mind without the formality of the preliminary sketch.

What or who is your most important influence?

Nature itself is definitely the most influential thing in my life and work. I am so driven by the natural connection to humanity that I find it hard to divide the two. I can’t help myself when walking through a forest of trees— referring to them as individuals, particularly women. The connection is quite obvious in most of my work.

I have a profound respect and admiration for the arts of Japan: the simplicity of design and composition is so appealing and peaceful.

By contrast, I definitely love some of the arts that are overly decorative. Primarily I draw from my personal experiences in life and the arts. My working repertoire includes painting, sculpture, textiles, woodwork, bookbinding, and illumination. All are very significant, as each somehow surfaces in my present work.

As an example, my desire to write, illustrate, and bind my own books ultimately manifested itself in clay. I may react to a particular occurrence or feeling encountered during the day that later dictates a sculptural piece. The sculpture then becomes my reaction.

Tell us about your process: What clay and glazes are you using

sandy culp

Blushing Blossom in Crate. 8" x 8" x 5". Stoneware with oxides, underglazes, and glazes, fired to cone 6 in oxidation.

and what is the firing range you work within? What other technical details can you provide Clay Times readers about how you make and finish your forms?

Typically I will use either stoneware or porcelain, depending on the ultimate surface and color desired, primarily working in slab and pinch techniques. Sometimes I throw compositional segments on the wheel. Textural enhancement is usually achieved by a combination of impressed and carved details, often in layers as with the bark treatment I like. The

level of detail in some of my work is insane, but I love pushing the envelope. I wear jeweler’s glasses to get the ultimate accuracy, to be certain a grain of grog doesn’t appear in an inappropriate spot. Once I’ve begun the texturing process, I know I can no longer handle the piece with my hands, as it would mar the surface. Holders have to be made, specific to each piece, for drying and firing the more fragile work. They serve to also protect fragile surfaces, like soft peach fuzz. “Art of Tea,” “Garden Tea,” and “Luscious Pear on Pedestal” had the most elaborate firing holders, protecting both structural integrity and carved texture on weight-bearing points.

Often the clay body is left unglazed for the tactile experience of the clay itself. I may even sand the piece with a sanding stone or with wet and dry sandpaper to change the surface of the clay for a refined quality. Most often I begin with iron oxide as a base to enhance a

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Working hand-in-hand with the sketch is research. I am as obsessive about this part of the process as I am with the actual making of the piece. Whether working on an interpretive form that may simply suggest reality, or the ultimate of reality, I research my subject.

The fact is, if I make a design change in nature I want my change to be made on purpose rather than out of ignorance. Books and photographs are very useful, but nothing compares with a live model. I have been known to go through bins of fruit, for example, to find what it really looked like before it made it to the market and started to die back. I learned this step early on—a necessity when I found that reference books and botanical drawings

weren’t necessarily accurate. A leaf may have been added to a stem in the wrong direction.

To prove this point, a friend brought me a pear from the tree in her yard that had the leaf still attached. One of the sculptures I last worked on exhausted my usual avenues of research and I was desperate for an example of bamboo before it was harvested, cut back, painted, or altered in any way. A very good artist/landscape friend cut a few canes that needed thinning. I was then able to decide on form, color, and texture from the real thing— exactly what I wanted.

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glaze or engobe, similar to a sepia underpainting, applying it to the most pertinent areas before altering it using water, a dry paintbrush, or a finger to get the blend needed. Sometimes a second firing is needed at cone 06 or 6 to strengthen the surface before continuing to add layers of color in the form of engobes or underglazes. The glazes I use, if needed, may be cone 6 oxidation, but frequently are cone 10 reduction. Most often I spray the glazes on the exterior surface after preparing the foundation. For exposed clay, iron oxide and waxed areas play an integral part in the finished effect needed for the piece. I almost always pour the glaze on the interior of a functional piece for better coverage.

Some work I’ve enhanced with a light wash of acrylic stain to add a warm blush over the fired underglaze surface. When I use an embellishment of 23k gold leaf, it is always the last stage of the process and will be laid over either glazed or unglazed surfaces.

What are you saying with your work?

I think of the figurative trees [see images online at www.claytimes.com] as representing the life within. The

Bart Kasten photos

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Garden Tea. 17" x 9" x 5½". Stoneware fired to cone 10 in reduction. All parts are clay except for the large handle, which is made from metal rod.

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Emergence. 8" x 8" x 5". Stoneware with oxides, underglazes, and glazes, fired to cone 10 in reduction (inside section) and cone 6 in oxidation (outer section). Assembled post-firing.

I love a challenge and some of the pieces came from my quest to satisfy this thirst, and from my love of detail and trompe l’oeil. The element of surprise as someone realizes the sculpture they are looking at is in fact clay is a delight to witness. The challenge of entering a cup competition gave birth to “Fruit Cup DuJour” [pictured on this issue’s cover], satisfying both a sculptural and functional purpose. Another functional quest was similarly satisfied in “Garden Tea,” the bamboo watering can/ teapot [opposite page], and subsequently the need to out-do it was met with “The Art of Tea,” the bamboo paintbrush/teapot [below]. Obviously, these works address function, but are primarily sculptural. [

Pear Lover’s Companion. 6" x 9" x 5". Stoneware with underglazes and glazes, fired to cone 6. sandy culp

I think of my pear compositions as my light-hearted, more whimsical work. Being a pear shape myself, the theme comes naturally to me.

The sensual pears may be interacting in loving relationships or symbolically illustrating a tribute to the female form. I love watching the titillation of the viewer as they realize it isn’t simply another piece of ceramic fruit. The surrealistic pears are typically presented in their own trompe l’oeil wooden or cardboard boxes, or on linenlike serviettes—all made of clay.

My intense focus on these trompe

l’oeil elements of the compositions made me realize works of this nature could be part of the sculpture itself, and are significant enough to stand alone.

Bart Kasten

destruction of our natural environment is very evident. Nature is such a precious thing and should not be taken for granted. I moved to Atlanta, Georgia 30 years ago because it was rich with beauty— tree-lined streets and very close to the mountains. I’ve watched this change as the years have gone by.

Forests have been cleared to accommodate yet another shopping mall. Birds are nesting in shrubbery or man-made constructions, such as buildings, bridges, and signs, while their natural habitat is stripped away. I’m sure this is an old story by now in so many cities. I try to honor nature in my own way. In my artist’s statement I write “Nature in all its richness and diversity may soon exist only in the arts in our future.” Sadly, I think it is inevitable.

Sandy Culp may be reached via her Web site www.sandyculp.com or by e-mail at s.culp@sandyculp.com.

Rick Berman has been a potter for more than 40 years and serves as instructor of ceramics at Pace Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. He may be reached by e-mail at: rberman@ paceacademy.org.

Sandy culp

Luscious Pear on Pedestal. 23" x 12" x 12". Stoneware with oxides, underglazes, and glazes, fired to cone 6 in oxidation.

Acrylic applied post-firing.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

The Art of Tea. 14" x 3". Stoneware teapot (label is actually a removeable lid; bristles form spout; base end of bamboo is hollow to serve as a handle that doesn’t get too hot; holds about 1½ cups of liquid). Fired to cone 10 in reduction.

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Limited Resources

Cuban Ceramic Artists Create Art from Scrap STORY AND PHOTOS by Catherine Merrill

C

uban culture, particularly music, dance, literature, and painting, is a passionate interest of the international world. However, little is known about the unique and flourishing development of Cuban ceramics. Ceramic artists in the “First World” have access to an abundance of equipment, technology, and ready-made supplies. But Cuban ceramists, on the other hand, create worldclass art with severely limited access to raw materials and equipment, often inventing new techniques that could influence the wider ceramic world.

MARGE D’WYLDE

I have traveled to Cuba nine times and, since 2002, I have co-directed an ongoing international cultural exchange project, the Proyecto Arte del Fuego (PAF) with Cuban master ceramist Antonio Lewis.

To further our primary mission to promote peace and friendship through the universal language of art, we have offered workshops, exhibitions, lectures, and residencies in the ceramic arts in Cuba, Canada, and the United States.

Santiago de Cuba by Dunieski Lora. 72" x 72" x 1". Red clay with multicolored engobes and glazes. Gas-fired to 1900° F.

Havana: Pastor Fumero

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

In May of 2005, we presented a workshop in Havana at the studio of ceramic sculptor Pastor Fumero. Fumero explained later that all his materials and equipment were made from recycled materials.

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“Fundamentally, I work with recycled materials and objects,” Fumero said. “I also look at the natural world, not only to nature where one can find metal oxides and kaolin, but also to those things which people throw away on a daily basis, the things that contaminate our environment. With these materials, I can dispense with the marketplace.”

Fumero developed a series of low-temperature glazes for sculptural work based on discarded car batteries. He extracted lead oxides from a plate inside batteries

covered with a brown lead-bearing powder. For calcium carbonate, he calcines animal bones, coral, or eggshells. He obtains silica from rum bottles, manganese oxide from batteries, and copper from electric cables and copper fragments, which he calcines to produce powdered copper oxide.

Fumero uses vents, a respirator, and surgical gloves to protect himself when working with lead. But whenever possible, he uses alkaline materials not detrimental to human health, such as tubes for fluorescent lighting and television tubes, both made of glass that melts at 1650-1800° F. He will also use ampoules from hypodermic needles that melt at 1300° F.

With the exception of a spray gun, Fumero made all of the equipment in his studio: the kilns, the wheel, the ball mill, and the air compressor. He uses a kiln of Argentine design called “Condor Guasi” that fires to 1850° F, is fueled by either wood or gas, and gives off little smoke.

The exterior is well-insulated, made from the interior of a Westinghouse refrigerator. The interior is hard brick.

The outside is constructed from recycled pieces of soft brick. Fumero also built a large electric kiln that reaches 1850˚ F in eight hours, and a small electric kiln for raku with a Fiberfrax® lid. He built his ball mill using a German bottle mounted on rollers from a printing press and powered by an ancient American motor. The potter’s wheel is made from auto parts and other parts custom-fabricated on a

one is always working on or researching the latest glaze Fumero has discovered.

He believes in sharing his work with all the ceramic artists in Cuba. Since there is no commercial marketplace in Cuba, he is not motivated by competition, but by the passion to create. Fumero’s lifelong goal is to expand communication among the potters of the world until they become one large family.

Pedro Pablo once was able to travel to the Isle of Youth, which has several large ceramic factories. There he collected waste glazes that he mixed together and brought home in plastic bottles. Lopez paints on a mixture of manganese, iron, and copper, then raku-fires the work to achieve smoked effects with metallic highlights. Others, including Lopez, make pigment from the soot in the kiln chimney and grind broken neon tubing into a powder that has a very low melting point to prepare crackle glazes.

painting, developLopez began working in ceraming a new synthesis ics at the Fabrica Balay, a proof line in a series duction pottery that eventually of sculptures closed for economic reasons. based on After the factory closed, he had the bottle difficulties obtaining clay, as form and well as raw materials for slips and glazed glazes. Most of the ceramic artists in with the car battery Pinar del Rio don’t glaze because of glazes. He prefers to sculpt the lack of raw materials, although primarily using the indigsometimes, when they make interior enous coil method because murals, they will glaze some areas of its control in shaping the and paint the rest. “Forced by necesform, which he combines sity, we continue to grow, to learn, with thrown and to face challenges,” and slab-built Bottle Form by Pastor Fumero.

Lopez said. elements. In his 18" x 10" x 4". Red clay with white glaze, fired to 1900° F in an electric kiln. studio, some-

create surrealist machines to make our surrealist art.”

lathe. Fumero constructed his compressor for spraying glazes from a 60-year-old refrigeration unit he found in a garbage dump, combining the unit with a gas tank from an old car.

Fumero attended art school in 1966-67 at the Taller Pinar del Rio: Uldis Lopez Libre de 10 Octobre Eighty miles west of Havana, Lopez has also designed an ingenious where he Antonio Lewis and I presented potter’s wheel using the differmajored in a four-day ceramic workshop in ential from an old Chevy and a painting and Pinar del Rio at the studio of Pedro Russian motor. sculpture, because Pablo Oliva, one of Cuba’s most impora ceramics program did tant contemporary artists. Although Since he does not have much not exist. In the 1980s, Pinar del Rio is known for its painters, studio space, he has used motivated to learn the ceramics is not well develthe same motor to combine technology oped there. a compressor, of clay and Bottle by Pastor Fumero. 16" x 12" x ball mill, potglazes, he 4". Red clay, raku-fired to 1850° F with In Pinar del Rio I met the copper glaze made from car batteries. ters’ wheel, worked at best-known local ceand a jigger the Fulton ramic artist, Uldis into a single Factory, a Lopez. I visited the machine. The construction materials manufacturer foot pedal that makes sewer pipes, bricks, and tiles. studio he shares with his partners and assistants, was from an Everything he learned about industrial old sewing ceramics was essential to him later in Pedro Pablo Palacio and Victor Gonzalez, who have machine, the studio, when looking for raw materiworked together for nine and an anals and recycling.

Gallos (Roosters) by Uldis Lopez. 16" years. Pedro Pablo works x 10" x 12". Kaolinitic red clay painted tique hinge with a mixture of iron, copper, and manfull-time in clay. Victor is a provided Although Fumero has designed and ganese oxides; wood-fired to 1850° F. gynecologist. Lopez is the the footrest made wheel-thrown pottery adapted for the left from traditional Spanish forms, his Director of the Consejo de foot.

“We primary focus is now handbuilt vessels. Artes Plasticas (Fine Arts Council) and the ACAA have created a Cuban symbiosis beHis first ceramic pieces were (Cuban Association of Art- tween traditional and modern wheels: sculptural and reflected ists and Artisans) and the union between the United States, the Afro-Cuban tradicreates set designs for Russia, and Cuban technology. Very surtion. He began to express the theater. realist! In Cuba we like surrealism and these themes in

Santiago de Cuba: Dunieski Lora

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

My third interview, with Dunieski Lora, took place at the Taller Cultural Luis Diaz Oduardo in Santiago de Cuba, about 540 miles southeast of Havana. The Taller Cultural is a government-sponsored art center with a gallery and studios for ceramics, metal sculpture, painting, and printmaking. Every May, for 20 years, the Taller has been hosting the “Encuentro Terracota,” an international ceramics symposium. In contrast with Fumero and Lopez, Lora is very young at 31 years old.

Lora is also highly educated, yet shares

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MARGE D’WYLDE

MARGE D’WYLDE

Dunieski Lora with sculpture, St. James-Santiago: Apostle of the City.

68" x 72" x 40". Unglazed red clay, gas-fired to 1900° F with metal.

the same passion to create and the ability to see all obstacles as incentives for discovering creative solutions.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

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Also in 2000, Lora took a course where he and the other participants built a bottle-shaped kiln out of clay and adobe. He has since designed a series of kilns of different dimensions, based on the basic design of the bottle kiln: firebox below, updraft flame, refractory bricks in the combustion chamber covered with adobe—all built with non-conventional, recycled materials. He commented, “We would adapt the size of the kiln to the size of the pieces being fired, taking apart and rebuilding both kiln and chimney for every firing!”

A large part of Lora’s work is about daily life. “Most of my work is telling the story of that which surrounds me, so that I feel as if I am Sonando despierto, or dreaming while awake.” To express another theme, emigration, Lora uses the symbolism of the suitcase and the ballpoint pen.

“The ballpoint pen is the perfect immigrant because, by merely putting it in your pocket, you can travel anywhere without needing so many papers and documents.”

Si Fue Libre (If She Were Free) by Dunieski Lora.

48" x 16" x 14". Glazed red clay with oxides and metal.

MARGE D’WYLDE

He is an instructor at the local art school, the Instituto Juan Joaquin Tejeda, where he received his professional degree in Fine Arts, with a major in sculpture. Lora also studied drawing, printmaking, ceramic sculpture, painting, goldsmithing, and bronze casting using the lost wax method. He achieved the highest postgraduate degree, the Titulo de Oro, at the Superior Institute Frank Pais Garcia, dedicated to training college professors in the Fine Arts.

Lora became a member of the Taller Cultural in 2000.

Based on experiences with the ceramic kilns, Dunieski redesigned crucibles for bronze casting following the same principle.

“The important idea is to adapt the design to the existential necessities,” said Lora.

Lora concluded, “An important theme in my work is humor, satire, and irony, particularly because, in Cuba, it is a constant state of mind. Therefore, all Cubans are implicit in my art.” [

Author Catherine Merrill’s work has been shown in more than 150 national and international exhibitions. Publications featuring her work include Ceramics: Art & Perception, Studio Potter, Neue Keramik and the NCECA Journal.

Daily Life by Dunieski Lora. 15" x 12" x 11".

Red clay with glazes, fired to 1850° F in an electric kiln.

Survival of the Artist

One year later, clay artists impacted by Hurricane Katrina reflect on how their lives have changed

by Jamie Bussey jeff schmuki

Jeff Schmuki’s home in Gulfport, Mississippi was pushed off its foundation during Hurricane Katrina.

O

ne year later, the memories of 130 mileper-hour winds, 30-foot storm surges, and the levy breaches caused by Hurricane Katrina have yet to escape the minds of those in the Gulf Coast region.

As a result of Hurricane Katrina’s impact in late August 2005, many organizations have come together to provide aid to the region. Despite dwindling media coverage of the area, individuals and organizations continue to participate in the slow upward battle of rebuilding the region. “It’s a commitment for a long haul,” explained Cornelia Carey, Executive Director of Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF). “We are continuing to raise visibility and funds … The focus is on rebuilding,” she continued.

Although improvements are made every day, many people have relocated temporarily and, in some cases, permanently. According to Carey, about a third of the artists they work with who were affected by Hurricane Katrina have moved away or at least relocated temporarily. Even so, a commonality among all the victims is their continuing drive to create art, no matter where the wind has taken them.

Before Hurricane Katrina, Kate Tonguis owned a studio and did limited production work for a gallery she co-owned in the French-quarter of New Orleans. Tonguis has now shifted both her focus and her location, moving from retail work to creating wholesale pieces in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Originally, Tonguis and her 17-year-old son, Matthew, had not planned to leave their condominium. But the announcement of a mandatory evacuation forced Tonguis, her son, and her then fiancé to go to Atlanta, Georgia, where Tonguis’ nephew and his wife lived.

“It took us 24 hours to get to my nephew in Atlanta,” Tonguis said, noting that what was normally a 15-minute drive on the interstate leading out of town took six hours. “On the way to Atlanta you could see obvious evacuees. There was

no gasoline. Towns didn’t want people.

Restaurants were turning people away,” Tonguis said.

After staying in Atlanta for a week, Tonguis, her son, and her fiancé eventually returned to New Orleans. “We waited in line for four hours to get into the city,” Tonguis explained. “There was 17 feet of standing water—it was just unbelievable. We had to evacuate again, because you were only allowed to look in and get essentials.”

Tonguis’ condominium suffered some flooding, while her fiancé’s home, near Lakeview, New Orleans, where her studio was located, suffered the most damage.

The house and studio were flooded with 4½ feet of water, which sat for 3½ weeks.

“I lost my wheel and all my chemicals, my kiln, and my place to work,” Tonguis said.

Tonguis had been preparing for a twoday festival before the hurricane hit, and the flooding caused all the ready pots to be misplaced in her studio. “When I got

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

During the year since Katrina’s landfall, CERF has provided craft artists with more than $200,000 of emergency relief, including loans, grants, materials, and equipment. CERF is not alone in their efforts. Organizations such as Alliance of Artist Communities, the Southern Arts Federation, Louisiana Partnership for the Arts, and the Pollack-Krasner Foundation are contributing to the redevelopment of the Gulf region and, more specifically, aiding the artists who for years have contributed to the rich culture of the area.

Kate Tonguis Potter of 17 years

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back it looked like someone had taken a spoon and stirred the room around,” said Tonguis. Along with her pots, Tonguis’s homemade raku kiln survived. Also, the landlord of her gallery relieved her and her partner of their lease because of the damage done to their gallery.

After the initial impact, Tonguis contacted Les Snow, Operations and Financial Services Manager of CERF, and filled out a grant form. CERF provided Tonguis with $1000, which she used to buy a wheel.

Then, Judy Starett, owner of Louisiana Pottery in Sorrento, LA, invited Tonguis to come to Sorrento and work. “I set up on her back porch and I set up my wheel, and used her kiln … I was there from October through January,” Tonguis said. In return, Tonguis ran the store on Sundays so that Starett could have the day off. “[Starett] kept my wholesale business alive. She bought every piece of pottery I had made before I left for the Cape.”

blocks, except for three FEMA trailers. “I will never go back, and it’s not strictly because of the hurricane … We wanted an adventure, but the hurricane wasn’t the adventure we wanted,” Tonguis said.

“Even now, there is barely enough business to support an arts-and-crafts store.

The market is very small there. The conventions aren’t coming.”

Johnson taught public school teachers once a week. He allowed anyone who took classes with him to use his studio 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“It was like a really long funeral that wouldn’t stop. I never want to do that again,” Tonguis said, but “Every year, on August 29, CERF is going to get money from me until the day I die. Even if it’s only $50.”

The hurricane caused two feet of flooding, washing away everything. “I was there digging in the mud into the night,” Johnson said. Johnson’s studio was one of the few buildings that did not flood, although items were water-damaged from rain after the roof blew off.

Since her move to Cape Cod, Tonguis’ business production, now exclusively wholesale, has tripled. “I can’t imagine doing anything else with such a choice as making pots,” Tonguis said.

Talle Johnson Artist of 32 years

Tonguis then received another e-mail from CERF stating that, upon second review of her application, she was entitled to another $1000 grant. She used the money to purchase an electric kiln.

Hurricane Katrina may have relocated Talle Johnson, but it did not divert his passion as a potter. “I am more passionate about clay than I was 20 years ago,” Johnson said.

Eventually Tonguis and her fiancé renovated his home, but one day, as Tonguis looked down the streets, she realized their home was the only one for

Before the hurricane, Johnson was working in partnership with the city of Bay St. Louis. The city provided him with a building for a studio and, in exchange,

When Johnson heard the winds of Hurricane Katrina were blowing 170 miles per hour, he knew that—if true—nothing would be left after the storm.

After the storm, Johnson went through an ambivalent period. He explained, “The facts, or what seemed to be the facts, changed. You couldn’t make an informed decision.”

“I was in motels in Covington, LA, and Jackson, TN, for about a month, traveling back and forth to Chattanooga … running back and forth to the coast.”

Johnson continued, “At one point I got up and I told my family I was going to go to Wal-Mart, and I started driving, not knowing where I was ... I thought I was in Memphis, TN and I was in Covington, LA.”

Benner barclay

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Talle Johnson

42

Downtown Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Talle Johnson sold his pottery at Bay Crafts, about 200 yards away from where this photo was taken.

The glaze room of Benner Barclay’s studio, covered with tree branches lifted by a tornado spawned by Hurricane Katrina.

Many people who formerly owned pieces

by Johnson have requested new pieces from him, to replace the ones they lost in the hurricane.

“I hope in 3½ months I am producing again. I lost a lot of work … $6,000-10,000 worth of pottery,” Johnson said.

He continued, “People have been absolutely wonderful. There are groups of people who have come to set up a tent to feed people. For four days a group from California helped me pack and get it [equipment] out to the curb. Those kinds of things helped me survive.”

Benner Barclay Potter of 21 years

debris, along with the tree that had fallen on the rear of his studio.

Prior to leaving, Barclay had loaded his gas kiln with six weeks worth of work for a bisque firing. “One [tree branch] had fallen on my gas kiln, but it looked okay,” Barclay said. “So amazingly … six weeks of work had been saved, but I couldn’t fire it because a tree had fallen on the propane tank.”

In early September, Barclay began moving forward, after relocating to his mother-in-law’s house with his elder son, Brady. “I had a craft fair to do in Dallas, Texas in the beginning of October,” Barclay said. “My first task was to make a path to get a new propane tank for the broken one. That took a week, and then I was able to bisque-fire the pots.” Barclay was able to do both his shows in October and November, but canceled all of his wholesale orders.

Although Benner Barclay continues to live in Mandeville, Louisiana, his life is not the same since Hurricane Katrina.

Once making a living with an even split of retail and wholesale production, Barclay now works at a local library.

Barclay then found a job working at the library, where he still works. He occasionally makes pots and made enough to participate in two fairs, one in May and one in June. “I have another two shows in October and November. I live in a FEMA trailer, and I use an extension cord to use the wheel and light in the evenings,” Barclay said.

Mandeville is located in southeast Louisiana, and Barclay was accustomed to evacuating at least once or twice a summer. “I have two children: one is 9 and one is 12, so I don’t plan to stay even if the storm is a category one,” Barclay said.

“I think if I go back to making pottery full-time, I will not do what I used to do because it was physically demanding,” Barclay said. “Forcing myself to stop forced me to look at my life as it was, and I wasn’t living it.”

Barclay and his sons, along with other family members, left the Sunday before the storm hit. The five-hour drive to Shreveport, LA took 15 hours that day.

Barclay received a small business loan that he has yet to use, along with $4,300 from FEMA and a $3,000 grant from CERF.

When Barclay arrived in Mandeville, he said the tree had cut through his house like a knife through a slice of butter. “I looked at this, and I was like, ‘I can’t fix that—I am homeless.’ ” Barclay’s studio, located in his garage, was covered with

Andrea Freel Christie Potter of 12 years Andrea Christie learned to live one day at a time as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

“I don’t think in terms of what I am going to do in five years. I had plans and goals in New Orleans, and my goal was to have a home studio and to focus on getting my work out to the galleries.

I worked toward that goal, but it was taken away,” Christie explained. “Now I think short-term, like what I am doing today that can help me get to where I want to go next week.”

Andrea Christie recovers items from her house and studio in March. This was Christie’s first time back.

Christie had relocated from Indianapolis to New Orleans in 2000 to attend Tulane College and obtain her master’s degree in ceramics. Before Katrina, she had taught as an adjunct professor at Tulane, but made the decision to discontinue teaching. Instead, she hoped to channel her energy into her studio that was finally set up for production.

“I had purchased a small gas kiln, just finished getting it hooked up, and was about to do the first firing literally two days before the storm began forming,” Christie said.

Like others, Christie was accustomed to evacuating. Upon news of the storm, she made hotel reservations in Mississippi.

She and her husband, PJ, left the Saturday night before the storm hit. By the next morning, the storm was heading straight for New Orleans, so they chose to drive to Indiana, where PJ’s family lived.

For the next five days, Christie and her husband watched coverage of the storm on TV. On Thursday following the storm, she viewed satellite pictures of their house. They could see the top of a delivery truck that was parked near their house, but no other cars.

“We knew our house was under water,” Christie said. After two weeks, she and her husband rented an apartment in Indianapolis. Her husband was able to return to New Orleans in October, but Christie could not return until March.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

The next day, Barclay and his family watched the hurricane coverage on TV, but heard nothing about Mandeville until Barclay’s ex-wife informed him a tree had fallen on his house. The following day, Barclay picked up two generators and headed back to his home.

pj christie

Eventually a foundation hired by Chattanooga, TN reviewed Johnson’s work and gave him a check for $2000 to pay for the two 18-wheelers required to move his equipment. Johnson is now developing a partnership with the city of Chattanooga.

43

“I am very hopeful. I think the future, to me, seems brighter than ever because I will find a way and I will not give up.

Schools and people are helping, CERF helps, and there could be more help. But I have my life, I am making interesting work, and I keep getting better at what I do.

“Our house had about four feet of water inside. I had a work room in my house that was a studio work space, and I also had a garage that was my studio. It took six feet of water,” Christie said. “It looked like a washing machine—everything went through a spin cycle and drained. Nothing was recognizable.” The only item that survived was a notebook containing 15 years worth of glaze recipes.

“One thing I have learned is to take small steps, because small steps are all you can do at this point,” Schmuki said. “A year from now I know I will still be making work, and will for the rest of my life, because I have found my passion. A storm can’t blow that away.”

A CERF grant allowed Christie to purchase new studio equipment, and she has set up a new studio in the basement of her current apartment.

“I am just now getting back into production three days a week. I occasionally ship my work to a gallery in New Orleans [Ogden Museum of Southern Art], and my goal is to find some galleries in Indianapolis and Chicago.”

Christie and her husband are still undecided about whether they will return to New Orleans. “It’s hard to say. We kind of flip-flop back and forth, wishing to go back, and knowing what we want to go back to isn’t there any more,” Christie said.

During Hurricane Katrina, Schmuki headed 60 miles inland to Hattiesburg, MI and remained there for seven days. “I wasn’t originally going to leave, but I decided to leave at the last minute,” said Schmuki.

“To understand how horrific the damage was, you have to understand what the hurricane did,” Schmuki said. “It turned eastward, it blew heavy winds and a storm surge—a storm surge is wind-driven water—that was 30 feet. So if your house or your school had survived the winds, which were 130 miles per hour, it probably didn’t survive the storm surge.”

44

“The house I had was pushed off its foundation, it was picked up by the water and broken in half,” continued Schmuki. “The good news was my studio survived. I lost all the contents, but the structure only suffered minor damage,” Schmuki said.

For more information about CERF, visit www.craftemergency.org or call (802) 2292306. [

Jamie Bussey is an intern for Clay Times from Hood College, where she is studying English and Communications, with a concentration in journalism.

Following Hurricane Katrina, Schmuki became a resident artist at Hiram College in Ohio for six months. The school provided Schmuki with an apartment and food, free of charge. “It has been the best school I’ve ever been to. They are so kind and generous, and without their help I don’t know where I would be today,” Schmuki said.

Currently a resident student at Santa Fe Art Institute, Schmuki is interviewing with different colleges for a teaching position. He has also been a part of the Sydney Meyer exhibition in Australia, and sold a few pieces. “I have been focusing on more portable works, since I am always working from place to place,” Schmuki said.

Due to the devastation, redevelopment of the art community is going to take time, commented Schmuki. “I feel like I am one of the lucky ones ... The area has a very rich history in art, in ceramics in particular. It has been all wiped clean. There is nothing left,” he explained. “Everyone is in the same boat I am.

This could be global warming, or this could be a storm that happens only once every 100 years, and a lot of people are waiting to see what happens.

Jeff schmuki PHOTOS

Jeff Schmuki Potter of 18 years

With numerous shows in the works, among other things, Jeff Schmuki expected 2005 to be a great year. He had received the Art in Architecture Commission from the government, which meant his work would be permanently displayed in a government building. Before Katrina, Schmuki also taught at William Carey College, a small liberal arts college where he had recently received a promotion from assistant professor to associate professor.

Jeff Schmuki after he had found and laid his favorite pet to rest. He lived in the tent behind him for three weeks after the storm.

The area had no water or electricity. The studio structure that did survive lies behind him.

Bloom by Jeff Schmuki—before and after Hurricane Katrina. 12” x 35” x 35”.

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CLAyTIMES·COM n September/OctOber 2006

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45

Buying a Pug Mill

by JENNA McCRACKEN

Frequent clay wedging over time can put undue stress on wrists, hands, and shoulders. Using a pug mill can alleviate the physical strain and drastically improve the efficiency of the preparation process. In high-volume production environments, whether potteries or public art programs/schools, these machines are especially useful. And in any studio, less time and energy spent preparing means more for making!

Peter Pugger’s model VPM-60, a de-airing mixer/pug mill, has a 140 lb. batch-mixing capacity. It is capable of pugging 1500 lbs. of clay per hour, or mixing and pugging 500 lbs. per hour.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Defining the Pug Mill

46

A pug mill is essentially an electrically powered, motor-driven, rotating auger encased in a barrel that blends clay. The auger is a shaft with blades or paddles welded to it, primarily responsible for advancing clay through the machine. Blending a clay supply may be sufficient preparation in certain environments. In most, compression is also required—therefore, most pug mills are equipped with a vacuum pump that draws air out of the clay and makes it more plastic.

models. These operate like the first, only without the screens/ shredding, de-airing, and recompression. From this point on, both of these types will be referred to as regular pug mills.

Identifying Basic Types

The third type is capable of mixing clay (from dry powder or from wet and dry scrap) in addition to pugging. These machines are characterized by their large feed hoppers and by the ability to reverse auger rotation. The auger rotates toward the motor when mixing, and toward the outfeed when pugging.

They accommodate large amounts of feed clay at one time, and neither constant supervision nor continual feeding are required. One manufacturer has called them “mixers that unload themselves, and pug mills that feed themselves.”

There are three basic types of pug mills available. The first are de-airing models built for blending. Clay is loaded into the feed hopper, moved through the barrel by the auger, forced through screens that shred it, de-aired, recompressed into a mass, and extruded out the nozzle. The second type are non-de-airing

There are two approaches to the vacuum in the mixing pug mill.

Some machines de-air in the manner of the regular pug mill, described above: after mixing is completed, pugging begins. It is during the pugging process that the clay passes through the vacuum chamber. Among these models, there are some new

machines capable of pugging directly after receiving a large batch of clay; the mixing cycle may be skipped.

Another approach to de-airing in a mixing pug mill begins with loading clay into the hopper and sealing the machine. Prior to pugging, a vacuum is applied while mixing. Screens are not used and the clay is not shredded (clay does not pass through a vacuum chamber but, rather, the entire machine’s interior is under vacuum pressure).

Note: Some manufacturers of regular pug mills do claim their machines are capable of mixing clay, in addition to pugging. Contact the manufacturer for instructions on how to do so before buying, and compare the procedure to that of using a mixing pug mill.

Questions Before Buying

Shimpo’s lightest-duty pug mill, the model PM-071, is available with or without a vacuum—which makes later upgrading possible for the very conservative shopper. This pug mill blends and outputs clay at a rate of 800 lbs. per hour.

Several pug mill manufacturers advise asking the potential customer what they intend to use the machine for. Answers can include: to replace wedging/de-air soft clay bodies, to adjust clay consistency, to recycle soft scrap, to recycle hard scrap, to mix and pug clay, or to extrude. Decide which of these fit your studio needs and also consider requirements for processing various clay types. For example, when using clay with a high percentage of grog, a coarse shedding screen may be necessary on a regular de-airing pug mill.

1) What size machine should you buy?

Determine how much clay you use per week, and then slightly exceed that amount when calculating to provide a bit of excess for those super-productive days. Look at the frequency of your clay-preparation activities. Will you spend a day per week or per month preparing clay? Or, will you use your pugger every morning to prepare what you’ll need for a solid day’s work?

Match your frequency needs to the average output per hour the machine is capable of processing. When looking at a mixing pug mill’s output estimate, also determine batch capacity and match it to your needs, too.

The new Bailey MXP-125T, a de-airing mixer/pug mill, is shown here with the optional self-feeding “bulk loader” for use in pug mode. This machine features a dual-auger mixing system and a 125-lb. batch-mixing capacity. It is capable of pugging 1900 lbs. per hour, or mixing and pugging 520 lbs. per hour.

2) Should you buy more than one machine?

Do you change clay bodies frequently? If so, two small machines may be preferable, depending on how picky you are

The Bluebird model 3000, pictured with tile nozzle, de-airs and pugs 3000 lbs. of clay per hour. While this machine was designed specifically for tile production, it will process reclaim, wedge, and output without the tile nozzle, like any other pug mill.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

A machine that is too small will slow your clay preparation.

Conversely, buying one that is too large is not economical. If you decide to purchase a large model, or if you intend to use it only monthly, ask the manufacturer about storing clay inside the machine between regular uses and over an extended period of time (such as summer break in the school system). Determine the procedure for using/clearing the machine after clay dries hard inside of it, and ask whether this will be problematic for the machine or for you (will disassembly be required?). Also, determine the minimum amount of feed clay required to maintain a constant vacuum in a regular de-airing pug mill. Clay’s presence in the vacuum chamber creates a seal. Under-filling the chamber can cause a void to form, breaking the seal. The pugged clay then may not actually be completely de-aired.

47

Venco’s Supertwin pug mill is sold as a modular system. The bayonet (twist-and-lock) locking system allows the barrel, nozzle, expansion chamber, and extrusion die holder to be removed quickly, without tools. The shredding screen may also be removed by twist-and-lock disassembly.

Venco’s roller ramp facilitates easy extrusion removal, catching the clay as it exits the machine. This feature is another of the many accessories available with the Supertwin modular system pug mill. Also pictured, a cutting bow for slicing pugs to separate them from the machine.

about cross-contamination. If you are concerned about mixing different clay bodies, and opt for a large pug mill to accommodate a rigorous production schedule, determine what is required to disassemble and clean it when switching from red clay to a lighter body. Or, if you do not mind a batch of pink clay in your studio, you can feed and re-feed, flushing the machine, until the working batch is as light as desired.

a few models that feature twist-and-lock components. Several heavier models that incorporate shedding screens feature trap doors for easy access to screens, so that cleaning may be performed without disassembling the entire machine.

3) Do you need a de-airing machine?

Some manufacturers report that upwards of an approximate 25% of schools do not order vacuum-equipped systems. Here are several situations in which simple blending is all that is required and, therefore, purchasing a non-de-airing pug mill may be preferable: A few teachers may use pug mills to process clay and recycle scrap, but don’t fire finished projects; some want to encourage students to learn the basics of the process, beginning with wedging clay; a few potters may prefer the qualities of less dense (non-de-aired) clay. Most studio potters, production potters, and hobbyists however, find the de-airing feature instrumental in compacting clay, not only because of the dramatic increase in plasticity, but also because wedging becomes unnecessary.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/OctOber 2006

4) What are your electrical requirements?

48

Electrical demands are placed on the machine by both the operating motor and the vacuum pump. Most manufacturers are willing to design a machine to your specifications, so know what they are. If you are a large commercial/industrial studio, you may require 3-phase wiring. Many machines are 220v, but several manufacturers make 110v models.

Features To Consider 1) Disassembly: How difficult is it to dismantle the machine for maintenance and repairs? Some machines split apart horizontally, while others come apart in sections, separating at vertical seams. Most are held together with bolts, but there are

How often disassembling a regular pug mill is required depends upon several factors, including: frequency of use and proper storage between uses; desire to clean when changing clay bodies; access to shedding screens and their maintenance; and placement of foreign objects into the machine. Foreign objects can become lodged in screens on de-airing pug mills that use them; access to screens is necessary for removal. Some culprits include: plastic, towels, tools, sponges, twist-ties, and dry clay.

(This list of factors may not apply to some mixing pug mills—because some do not employ shedding screens, and because the machine clears its own barrel when the auger is rotating in the mixing direction.)

2) Extruding: Many manufacturers sell dies and other various extruding attachments, including extruding nozzles and bridge dies for making hollow tubes. Tile nozzles, in particular, continued on page 50

on pug mill storage: to keep clay stored inside a pug mill indefinitely, place a wet towel around the feed hopper opening, another around the nozzle, and a small towel or piece of damp foam in the vacuum chamber. cover all 3 tightly with dry-cleaner’s plastic and secure with Bungee cords. check towels and re-wet once per week. Be very careful to remove all towels and plastic before pugging—and to teach students to do so. taking the machine apart to dig out a towel is maddeningly counter-productive.

—This does not apply to mixing pug mills, most of which seal air-tight when closed properly.

A Sampling of Pug Mills Manufacturer & Web Address

Model(s)

Machine Type

Nozzle Dimensions Opening L x W x H (inches)

Machine Weight (lbs.)

MSRP

(lbs./hour)

Output

Axner Pottery Supply www.axner.com

New Wave De-airing Pug Mill

De-airing pug mill with stainless steel auger, aluminum barrel

600

3"

41" x 12" x 19"

200

$1988

Bailey Pottery Equipment Corporation www.baileypottery.com

A-400T

De-airing pug mill with stainless steel auger, aluminum barrel (stainless also available)

600

2¾"

38" x 17" x 14"

210

$1990

MSV-35T

De-airing mixer/pug mill with stainless auger, 35-lb. batch capacity aluminum hopper

600 (pug) 150 (mix)

3"

60" x 16" x 52"

500

$3950

MXP-70T

De-airing mixer/pug mill with stainless augers, 70-lb. batch capacity aluminum hopper

800 (pug) 280 (mix)

3¼"

69" x 28" x 58"

670

440

De-airing pug mill with stainless auger, aluminum barrel

300

3¼"

36" x 14" x 11"

112

$2749

Powerstar

De-airing pug mill with stainless auger, aluminum barrel

1200

4"

56" x 20" x 16"

400

$5107

3000

De-airing pug mill with stainless auger, aluminum barrel

3000

5"

64" x 40" x 28"

780

$9449

VPM-20

De-airing mixer/pug mill with stainless auger, 45-lb. batch capacity aluminum hopper

600 (pug) 180 (mix)

3"

42" x 13" x 20"

230

$3950

VPM-30

De-airing mixer/pug mill with stainless auger, 85-lb. batch capacity aluminum hopper

800 (pug) 240 (mix)

3"

46" x 20" x 33"

410

$4960

VPM-60

De-airing mixer/pug mill with stainless auger, 140-lb. batch capacity aluminum hopper

1500 (pug) 500 (mix)

4"

58" x 24" x 31"

520

$6820

800

3"

38" x 12" x 15"

195

$3050

Bluebird Manufacturing, Inc. www.bluebird-mfg.com

Peter Pugger Manufacturing, Inc. www.peterpugger.com

(non-de-airing model also available)

Shimpo Ceramics www.shimpoceramics.com

PM-071V

De-airing pug mill with stainless auger, aluminum barrel

$5600 (check online for sale prices)

(non-de-airing model also available)

Non-de-airing pug mill with stainless augers, aluminum barrel

880

3½"

25½" x 12" x 22½"

240

$2700

PMX-060

Non-de-airing mixer/pug mill with stainless auger, 60-85-lb. batch capacity aluminum hopper

1200 (pug) 300 (mix)

3"

67" x 20¼" x 36½" (with nozzle

450

$3990

De-airing pug mill with stainless auger, marine-grade aluminum barrel

400

3"

43" x 13" x 15"

110

$2758

3" Pug Mill

extension)

(non-de-airing model also available)

SuperTwin

Non-de-airing pug mill with all stainless parts (de-airing kit available)

1100

3"

53" x 18" x 25"

180

$2703

4" Pug Mill

De-airing pug mill with stainless auger, marine-grade aluminum barrel

1200

4"

63" x 14" x 25"

350

$3923

Preparing to Buy: The table above offers a sampling of pug mills currently available. Most of the companies listed offer not only a wider range of models, but also some options for customizing them. The MSRP column lists retail prices suggested by the manufacturer. These prices change over time, because of competitive pressures and fluctuating materials costs. Check manufacturer Web sites and local distributors for special sales and in-depth product information.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Venco www.venco.com.au

NRA-04

49

continued from page 48 extrude a ribbon of clay, easily sectioned into tiles. Some dies are fastened to the nozzle using bolts, while others employ C-clamps or feature a twist-and-lock attachment that replaces the regular nozzle. Most flanged nozzles should be capable of supporting homemade dies

Shredding screens are used on many pug mills equipped with de-airing systems. This example, on a Bailey machine, shows a rubber O-ring—which serves as a seal, preventing loss of vacuum pressure while de-airing. This screen dismantles in two parts and is accessed by removing four bolts to detach the barrel.

The inside of a Bailey pug mill hopper, fitted with an elevated safety screen to keep fingers out of rotating augers.

secured with C-clamps. When extruding is an important feature, consider pug diameter/nozzle opening and match to your extruding needs.

3) Plunger and hand lever: The type of plunger and hand lever style on the regular pug mill varies between almost every manufacturer, and includes leverpressing systems such as: a handle/lever welded onto a hinged hopper door that pushes the clay down into the auger chamber; and a pivoting plunger with a counter-weighted handle that operates like a piston—plunging vertically, straight down into the hopper. Other feed systems include a rotating bucket, in which a handle is attached to an L-shaped cup that swings on an axle, allowing the clay to fall into the auger chamber (instead of plunging). When properly operated, a pug mill plunger should not require the use of excessive force.

4) Safety: What features are important for your environment? Exercising caution around pug mills is always essential! There is an enormous amount of intake power behind auger rotation, and serious injury can occur.

Various safety features are available, some of which simply prevent overall usage of the machine, thus depending upon the operator to abide by safe usage practices. Such features include padlocks and chain, and key-operated activation switches. When in place, these will prevent students from accessing the machine. However, it may be wise to consider additional safety options for protection during operation, especially when the machine will be located in a classroom.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/OctOber 2006

For more information on pug mills:

50

Go to www.ceramicindustry.com, and from the vertical navigation bar on the left side, under Resources, click on Archives. choose the december 2004 issue, then click on

“ppp: processing clay the easy Way,” by Jim Bailey. choose the Archives october 2005 issue, then click on

“ppp: efficient clay recycling,” by randy Wood. these informative articles discuss both regular pug mills and mixer/puggers in depth.

Screens mounted inside the mouth of the hopper offer further protection, preventing hands from entering auger proximity at any point during machine usage.

Another effective safety mechanism is the rotating-bucket-style plunger/ hand lever, also designed to totally shield the user from the augers. Because it is L-shaped, as it swings downward to drop clay into the auger chamber it simultaneously closes the mouth of the hopper and opens the throat. When the mouth is reopened to continue feeding, the throat closes so that there is never an open path between user and auger chamber.

Many of the mixing puggers are equipped with automatic shut-off, a feature activated when the hopper door is opened, immediately ceasing auger rotation.

Some regular pug mills are offering a version of this feature, too.

5) Metal: Machine barrels and hoppers are available in either aluminum or stainless steel; sometimes a manufacturer offers a choice between the two on the same model. While stainless steel is the ultimate rust-resistant metal, it does cost more. All auger shafts and blades are stainless steel. Bolts and various other components are available in stainless steel or brass (corrosion-resistant), electro-plated and painted steel, or just painted steel. These details may become important because rusted steel bolts are extremely difficult to remove when, after years of use, a pug mill requires disassembly.

6) Other features, accessories, and machines: Compare vacuum pumps and motors (a few models have variablespeed drive motors); single versus double auger systems; work tables, stands (with or without wheels); extrusion ramps; custom-task nozzles; various optional shedding screens, including screens for processing dry wheel trimmings or deairing very coarse clay; multiple-position plunger/handle mounting options; expansion chambers; chute-feeding attachments for bulk-loading hoppers on regular and mixing pug mills; and industrial-duty machines capable of processing over 12,000 lbs. of clay per hour. [ Jenna McCracken is a Clay Times staff writer and potter who lives in Alexandria, Virginia. She may be reached via e-mail at claytimes@aol.com.

the of

Yin & Yang

Pottery Making

A Workshop with Jane Shellenbarger and Andrew Brayman Story and photos by K.T. Anders

Mishima slip-inlaid box by Jane Shellenbarger. 6" x 9" x 9". Soda-fired stoneware.

T

Shellenbarger, assistant professor at the Kansas City Art Institute, also has her own studio, Mill Station Pottery. Her work is featured at the Renwick Gallery

in Washington, DC. Brayman, who works from his Kansas City studio, has taught at Bennington College and has developed a ceramic decal business.

Brayman was the visiting artist for Shellenbarger’s workshop at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The class was called “Alternative Processes: On and Off the Wheel.” It sounded fascinating.

Arrowmont dates back to 1912. The campus is a little enclave of artistic civility that rises above the kitschy cacophony of touristy Gatlinburg. I arrived a little early, and the afternoon before the first evening class crept in its petty pace. I could not wait to get into the studio.

Although I’d attended one-week classes

at Arrowmont, this was my first twoweek session. For potters, one week is barely enough time for the clay to dry and the bisque kiln to cool. Two weeks was a luxury—and we twelve students made the most of it. We hit the studio after breakfast at 8:30 am, dashed to the dining hall for a quick lunch and dinner, and staked out our terrain until 11 or 12 at night. Yes, we were all pretty tired at the end!

Making Plaster Molds Our first assignment was to make a one-piece plaster mold for slip-casting.

Shellenbarger directed us to throw a core upside-down shape of solid clay, then expand the shape by adding various thrown or handbuilt components— spheres, cones, squares, squiggles. The

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

hey are a great teaching team, representing opposite approaches to pottery-making.

Jane Shellenbarger’s slow, relaxed pace and loose approach to throwing, handbuilding, and glazing stand in stark contrast to Andrew Brayman’s precise, system-oriented production in which he streamlines traditional craft practices and merges them with industrial processes.

Shellenbarger’s vessels, subtle with historical references, reveal the process of creation and are richly colored with layers of glaze. Brayman’s minimalist functional ware, sleek and stylish, is made primarily by slip-casting in plaster molds.

51

resulting composite pieces provided a glimpse into how this technique could be used to form unusual work that would be difficult to handbuild and impossible to throw.

A core solid form and some “add-ons” are used to create a piece for the plaster mold.

With the not-quite-leather-hard solid clay pieces placed face-down on a Formica® surface, we coated wooden boards with Murphy’s Oil Soap® and clamped them together to create a box 2" wider than the clay. After sealing the seams with coils of clay, we poured plaster into the form 2" higher than the piece, hammering on the table and sides of the form to bring the bubbles to the surface, and then spritzing them with alcohol. After the molds set up for about half an hour, they became warm; it was time to remove the boards, flip over the plaster, and dig the clay from the mold.

Once the plaster molds were dry, Brayman mixed casting slip for us. We filled molds to the rim, waited about 10-20 minutes for the slip to firm up to 1/4"-3/8" thickness at the edges, then poured out the excess slip and turned the mold upside-down on two slats on the table to drain. When the slip was no longer shiny, we gently released the pieces from the mold. Instant bowl!

Well, not exactly instant. Mold-making and slip-casting seemed a long process to me until I realized how fast I could turn out multiple bowls from this one mold.

Jane Shellenbarger scrapes slip from a textured bowl decorated with the mishima technique.

Throwing Tips Although Shellenbarger’s newer work focuses on exquisite animal imagery painted and etched into terra sigillata, her demonstrations during the workshop were about form—an elegant ewer; a carved-foot, two-piece, darted triangular vase; a thrown and handbuilt oil can; a thrown and textured mishima bowl; and a handbuilt box.

She describes her work as being about edges, explaining that she often leaves a squish of slip showing where two parts come together. “I like how shapes intersect,” she notes. “Think of the bend at your elbow or knee.”

Shellenbarger is throwing the top of a one-piece oil can, using a small stick to thin the neck.

52

Although some potters approach a lump of clay and make up the form as they go along, Shellenbarger prefers to work from nature and source

material. “History is your research assistant,” she notes. “Look at how shapes have evolved; look at the details. People have been making pots for thousands of years. Tap into their knowledge.” We posted copies of historic pots on the windows and she encouraged us to “let the source lead us.”

Most of all, Shellenbarger wanted us to be bold with our pots—to be conscious of what we were choosing and what our choices implied. Here are some of the tips she passed along during the demonstrations: • Marking your pot will help you know how to glaze. For example, where does the rim begin? Where does the interior begin? By delineating changes in direction, you draw the eye and set up borders. Build variation into your surface to catch or affect glaze in some way.

• Good pots are about details. What integrity and specific characteristics do the foot, rim, and lip have on their own? Do they have a beginning, middle, and end? How do feet meet the table?

• When throwing a cylinder, open beyond the width you want and then pull up toward the center, forming a cone shape rather than a straight side.

You can bring the base in after you’ve pulled up.

• Use a slightly rusty, steel knife with a little bend in it to curve a facet just slightly so it fits the bowl. A stainless steel knife will suction against the clay.

• When trimming the base, mirror the inside curve of the pot. “Take your time, look at the pot, feel where the thickness is and where the curve is,” says Shellenbarger. “Trim a little, then take it off the wheel and reassess.”

• Handles should spring off the pot from a wide space, become a little narrower, then grow wide again for reattachment.

To create a natural flare at the edge of the handle where it will attach, hold the handle near the end and tamp on the clay until it is the width you want.

• To push out a smooth, globe-shaped belly on a cylinder, use a rib to shape upward from the bottom to the equator, then shape downward from the top to meet the equator.

Platter with Bird Drawings

by Jane Shellenbarger.

2" x 11". Terra sigilatta on soda-fired porcelain.

Mishima

Some of Brayman’s systems were downright ingenious. His cardboard tray pattern, with corners cut so the sides could be turned up was common enough, but he sewed buttons on the outside. An attached string wound around the buttons and held the sides up as the clay dried.

Brilliant.

Ceramic Decals

Flexible Molds Brayman demonstrated the use of flexible molds made from strips of carved balsa wood glued about ¼" apart onto stretchy fabric. Over a

Brayman also introduced us to digital ceramic decals from his company, Easy Ceramic Decals.

We e-mailed him images of everything from photos of flowers

Ewer with Bird by Jane Shellenbarger. 8" x 6" x 4". Terra sigilatta on soda-fired porcelain.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

My favorite technique that Shellenbarger demonstrated was mishima slip inlay. The term mishima dates from between the 16th and 17th Centuries, but the technique dates back to Korea’s Koryo Period (935-1392).

It has several variations, but basically it is an incised or relief design covered with colored slip and then scraped to reveal the pattern. Shellenbarger textured the interior of a stoneware bowl with a small piece of rope, then applied three layers of white slip over cheese-hard clay to cover the indentations. At leather-hard, she scraped the surface to smooth it and uncover the subtle pattern.

slab of clay draped around an upright mug form, he wrapped the flexible mold, secured it with a rubber band, and then squeezed the mold into the clay. The result was a cylindrical cup patterned from the carved wood with loose vertical lines where the cloth was.

53

Andy Brayman presses the flexible mold around clay on the wooden form to create a tumbler.

to random geometric patterns.

He turned them into decals made from a patented system that offers near-photographic, full-color printing. We soaked them in distilled water and applied them to glazed surfaces, allowing them to dry for 12 hours before firing our pieces to cone 016. The results were extraordinary. The decals merge into the clay surface with no typical decal “edge” to define them. It’s a great way to add surface design.

Stamp Carving To create stamps, we rubbed cast blocks of plaster with acetone, then placed a Xerox® image on the plaster, face down, and rubbed acetone

over it. [Note: Acetone is a lipid solvent, potentially damaging to the nervous system. Use caution when handling!] The image was transferred to the plaster so we could carve it for a stamp.

This was a chock-full workshop that ended with a soda gas firing, a soda wood firing, and a reduction gas firing.

We produced so much work that we nearly wore out our outstanding studio assistant, Michelle DeVaul, with our constant bisque firings. But the workshop did what all good workshops should do—it gave us an exciting introduction to new techniques and ideas to take home and explore. [

Jane Shellenbarger may be reached at (816) 914-9250. Andrew Brayman may be reached by e-mail at brayman@mac.com. Information on ceramic decals is available at www.easyceramicdecals.com.

K.T. Anders, a regular contributor to Clay Times, is a professional writer and potter who resides in Upperville, Virginia.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Several of Brayman’s balsa wood and fabric flexible molds, the cone form, and a completed cup.

54

Cups by Andy Brayman. 13" x 13". Wheel-thrown stoneware fired to cone 10 in oxidation; decal firing to cone 018.

Spodumene Orange Matte è

Cone 8-12 reduction

furnished by Debbie Holman Flat Rock, Alabama

Custer Feldspar NC-4 Feldspar Spodumene EPK Dolomite Whiting Tin Oxide TOTAL

14.8% 14.8 19.7 19.7 21.7 3.4 5.9 100.0%

An earthy glaze that can be very orange, but also turns creamy depending on the reduction.

May be dipped or sprayed.

Olive Green ê

furnished by Linda Nielsen Kjellerup, Denmark

8.9% 88.9 2.2 TOTAL

è

Cone 6 oxidation

furnished by Frederick Pottery School

Soda Feldspar Gerstley Borate Whiting Silica (325 mesh) EPK TOTAL add Tin Oxide Chrome Oxide

43% 20 20 12 5 100% 7.50% 0.85%

Sieve twice through an 80-mesh screen. For best, bright-red results, use on a white clay body. Glossy surface.

Jade Green éé

Cone 6 oxidation

furnished by Frederick Pottery School

Nepheline Syenite Gerstley Borate EPK Silica (325 mesh) TOTAL add Tin Oxide Copper Carbonate

éé Should be suitable for functional and decorative/sculptural pottery. è Questionable for use on functional pottery.

Test thoroughly before using. ê Limit to use on decorative/sculptural work.

5% 2%

Cone 6 oxidation

furnished by Frederick Pottery School

Volcanic Ash/Pumice Gerstley Borate EPK TOTAL add Bentonite Zinc Oxide Tin Oxide Rutile

58% 33 9 100% 2% 3% 4% 4%

Sieve twice through an 80-mesh screen. Glossy surface. Speckled tan to yellow on iron-bearing clay bodies. A creamy tan on white clay.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

2.7% 2.7%

100%

Mottled Straw

100.0%

add Red Iron Oxide Copper Oxide

38% 38 12 12

Sieve twice through an 80-mesh screen. Glossy surface. Best on a speckled, iron-bearing clay body.

A pastel green on white clay.

è

Raku

Kaolin Frit 169 Bentonite

Chrome Red

Readers Share I Glaze & Slip Recipes

Great Glazes

Share your glaze with us!

If it’s published, you’ll earn a FREE Clay Times T-shirt!

Send glaze recipes, photo of glaze (if you have one), and your T-shirt size to: Great Glazes, c/o Clay Times, PO Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197.

55

Mark Gordon’s Textural Forms of “Wonder Clay”

Rustic Antiquity

by MAC WARD

B

elts, bracelets, collars, and clothing in recent years have shown a trend toward spikes and studs.

Mark Gordon has taken that trend and moved it into the world of ceramics. His sculptural works react to the feelings suggested by these accessories. “These works began as a response to sharpcleated wrist-bands and bulldog collars I saw worn in many parts of San Francisco,” says Gordon. “As pieces of jewelry, the spike sculptures are aggressive, oversized, crusty, and fragile. My intent was to embody in ceramic materials a sense of rustic antiquity—to explore the genre of ‘alumino-silicate Mastodon punk.’ ”

Thirty years of study and experimentation with making thick-walled pieces and bricks by hand have led Gordon to the discovery of an uncanny clay body.

Not only does his recipe call for twice as much aggregate as clay, but the pressmolded pieces he creates with it also seem to prefer a dry-wet-dry bonding method that makes timing easy. Since all the small pieces of his sculptures are joined at the bone-dry stage, using a wet slop of the same ingredients, Gordon is never forced to worry about his sculptures getting too dry before he finishes them.

The Clay Body

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Such pieces as “Morningstar” and “Spike Log” are provocative in several ways.

For instance, their rustic, textural, and sharp-edged surfaces assault the tactile sense. Their size, up to 44” wide, threatens the viewer much more than spiked jewelry does. The interplay of the spikes and bricks with the table surface creates an uneasy sense of balance. The fact that they are high-fired in one piece is a technical feat that deserves explanation!

56

To make his ‘wonder-clay,’ Gordon begins by gathering stoneware scraps from local potters. He slakes these scraps (i.e., he soaks them in water until they are fully softened) and adds powdered clay (mostly fireclay) until the mixture is of slop consistency.

In a clay mixer, he adds a small handful of shredded nylon fiber to a 200-lb. batch

Spiral. 12" x 11" x 12". Handbuilt from solid clay, unglazed and anagama-fired to cone 10-11.

of this slop. This will increase the clay body’s dry strength, and will grab onto the nooks and crannies created by the aggregate (“a Velcro® effect,” says the artist). Sometimes Gordon will add mason stains to this mixture for color.

Last, Gordon adds two parts aggregate for every one part of the slop mixture (I know, it sounds like a lot, but it works!).

Perlite is the aggregate he prefers, for its rough texture and toughness (“tooth”) in forming. Mixed-size sawdust can be substituted for perlite. The advantage of using sawdust is its low cost and ready availability. Gordon says, however, that the sawdust tends to create a strong odor if the clay is left to age, which can cause problems in a classroom or public studio.

“The mixed batch will be of the ‘stiff slop’ consistency used by artisan brick-makers,” says Gordon. “The freshly-mixed clay is way too wet to wedge. Because of its softness, full-mixer batches of this clay can be made without strain on the bearings, gears, or belts of most mixers.

Due to the predominance of absorptive

Morningstar. 16" x 16" x 16". Thick layer of cone 06-05 commercial black glaze, fired to cone 09 in an electric kiln.

Zigzag. 5" x 26" x 5". Handbuilt from solid clay, unglazed and anagama-fired to cone 10-11.

non-plastics, even slight aging will cause the clay to stiffen quickly. It is possible to leave the mixed ‘mound’ in the open air: the resultant crust can easily be remixed or slaked in just moments. This clay is not fussy!”

Forming Methods Most of Gordon’s sculptures consist of two elements: (1) Hollow appendages such as spikes and bricks that are formed in plaster press molds, and (2) Hollow, press-molded cores to which the appendages are attached with slop clay.

These cores will be drilled into before firing, so as to free the air inside.

Both of these elements and the slop clay that bonds them are made from the clay mixture described on the previous page.

For some sculptures, Gordon foregoes the core and just attaches the molded parts to one another. For his arch shapes, he uses a solid core of his clay body, formed around used electric kiln elements. The wire element coils help hold these cores together during the forming process.

Gordon also mentions that his plaster molds are cast both from found objects and from clay objects he handbuilds or throws.

The dry-wet-dry process is key to bonding the several parts of each sculpture together. Gordon makes sure that all appendages and the core are bone-dry before attempting to bond them with slop clay. The slop clay can be kept wet from the original clay mixing. Or, because it is so easily slaked, the slop can also be made quickly from dried scraps of the clay.

“For the assembly phase,” says Gordon, “I slake a large quantity of the perlite/clay/ fiber mixture, sometimes adding mason stain. This thick slop clay is trowelled or smeared onto the individual modular pieces, which are then pushed onto the base form (or onto each other).

“There are a variety of factors holding these seemingly-incompatible parts together. First, the large quantity of aggregate (perlite or sawdust) reduces

Surface Treatment Before the Bisque Firing “For a number of pieces,” says Gordon, “I paint or spray a thin coating of the same slop mixture; this helps unify the surface visually. I use about seven different

Cylinder Arch. 13" x 14" x 6". Glazed earthenware fired in reduction to 1900˚ F with white raku glaze and a light wash of copper.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Brick Sphere. 22" x 23" x 20". Glazed earthenware fired to cone 2 with inclusions of iron, copper, salt, and glass.

shrinkage. Second, the nylon fibers help tie together the parts. Third, as the bone-dry pieces are joined to the thick wet clay ‘mortar,’ they are partially slaked, especially around the edges.

Fourth, these dry parts are interlocked and overlapped in the matrix of very rough wet clay. Fifth, the edges of each form and the surfaces of the inner core structure are craggy, allowing for a ‘grabbing’ of the wet clay (the English muffin effect). Sixth, I push very hard so that the mortar-clay squeezes out and squeezes around. Seventh, there might be a sort of ‘paper-clay effect’ going on that I don’t know how to articulate.” He adds that, “sometimes pieces crack, but usually this is cosmetic rather than structural.

Generally the surface treatment covers cracks; sometimes I leave them in.”

57

Spike Log. 12" x 44" x 13". Unglazed, handbuilt, anagama-fired to cone 10-11.

Extra ashes covered the piece prior to greenware firing.

spray devices, from a standard spray gun to an automotive undercoating gun, to a ceiling-texture sprayer. Sometimes, to finish the surface prior to bisque firing, I spray or paint a coat of thick, white slip.”

Bisque Firing “Due to the presence of communicating capillaries of sawdust/perlite,” Gordon says, “firing can be done quickly without danger of blow-outs. The water-smoking phase (from around 180˚ F to 220˚ F) proceeds smoothly, even with thicksectioned pieces. At roughly 451˚ F the sawdust begins to ignite, causing an exothermic reaction within the pieces.

For many pieces, such as “Spike Log,” Gordon relies on the flashing and ash deposits of an anagama firing as his only glaze (temperatures vary). Keep in mind that he may add mason stains to his clay body for color. For other pieces, he uses combinations of oxide washes, slips, raku glazes, and commercial low-fire glazes [see recipes provided on opposite page].

These pieces are raku- or low-fired.

Handbuilding on such a large scale as this usually challenges the nature of typical, commercial clay bodies when formed using standard techniques such as coiling and slabbing. Most readers have probably had difficulty at some point when varying wall-thickness has caused cracking in the firing process, when sculptures dry unevenly, or when they become too dry to modify. For these reasons, the advantages of new techniques for large sculptures—such as Beth Cavener-Stichter’s solid building (see “Animal Confrontations,” Clay

Times, July/August 2006)—have become increasingly popular in the field. But this technique is still generally used with regular clay bodies and is still limited by the drying process, as pieces have to be finished when wet or leather-hard.

Mark Gordon’s dry-wet-dry technique may be preferred for several reasons. It does not require the artist to complete a sculpture before its parts are bone-dry; the clay body this technique requires is economical, as the bulk of its volume is composed of sawdust that is often obtained for little or no cost; and the clay is unusually resilient in firing. [ Mark Gordon is Associate Professor at Barton College inWilson,NC.He may be reached via his Web site at www.markgordon.com, or by e-mail at mgordon@barton.edu.

Mac Ward is an aspiring potter from Tacoma, WA. He recently completed a BA in Liberal Arts at St. John’s College, Annapolis, MD, and is continuing his studies at Penn State University this fall.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

“Firing time can be greatly reduced by ‘catching’ the upward curve of this progression, and adjusting the burners to support a continued temperature increase (otherwise, the temperature tends to decrease after the exothermic peak). Care must be taken to extend the carbon burn-out phase (572˚ F to 1292˚ F) to avoid black coring.”

Glazing and Final Firing

58

Goblet Log. 10" x 32" x 9". Glazed earthenware fired in reduction to 1900º F. Surface composed of a thin layer of white raku glaze over a thick coating of copper wash with added copper chunks.

SLIPS, WASHES, & GLAZES* used by Mark Gordon

White Slip Feldspar Ball Clay Kaolin Silica TOTAL

25% 25 25 25 100%

Copper Wash Copper Oxide Gerstley Borate TOTAL

90% 10 100%

add: a sprinkling of rough-screened chunks of calcined copper wire.

Slab XX. 21" x 21" x 3". Basic clay mixture described in text, with addition of the following during forming: glass, pyrometric cones, copper and iron chunks, and assorted hardware. Fired to cone 3 in gas reduction.

Use thickly!

Raku White Gerstley Borate Nepheline Syenite EPK or English Kaolin Zircopax or Opax TOTAL

66.67% 16.67 8.33 8.33 100.00%

Copper Raku 80% 20 100%

*SAFETY NOTE:

Green Star. 27" x 26" x 24". Commercial earthenware fired to cone 02 in gas reduction.

Cone 06-05 green glaze underneath; dry-brushed commercial low-temperature black glaze overcoat.

With the exception of “White Slip,” the above formulas should be limited to decorative use only and should not contact surfaces used to contain food or drink.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Gerstley Borate Nepheline Syenite TOTAL

59

Pots from

Nature

CLAyTIMES¡COM n September/October 2006

STORY and ART

BY Norman Holen

60

It’s only natural that the potter taps into the wellspring of inspiration provided by plants, animals, and other life forms...

Beetle Pot II. Stoneware. 51/4" x 81/8" x 2".

PETER LEE PHOTOS

Seashell Pot. Stoneware.

6" x 6" x 7¼".

N

ature is one of the areas of influence for form and texture in my pottery. While looking at mollusks, crustaceans, fish, insects, fungi, and animals, I may incorporate the entire image into my work, or just a portion of it.

In a recent series of pots, variations on the elaborate shapes of sea shells were used. The smooth, curving surfaces of a beetle and the scaley body of a fish were also transformed into ceramic pieces.

Then I chose the tail of a lobster, the skin pattern of the pangolin, the ongoing irregular ridges of a

morel mushroom, and the nine bands of the armadillo with its rows of beads on either end. My concern is to incorporate these elements into the vessel, and not just copy them in a realistic manner.

Nature has had a positive effect on my work and the infinite variety provides me with a continuing source of inspiration. [ Professor Norman Holen has taught art for 40 years, including 38 at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Seashell Pot II. Stoneware.

75/8" x 101/2" x 31/2"

Fish Pot. Stoneware.

5¼" x 10¼" x 2".

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Readers Share I Art Works

The Gallery

Rhead Lown PHOTO

Corvus Cornu Nidus. 24" diameter. Handbuilt stoneware with oxides, fired to cone 10. Twyla Wardell, 1634 Redwood Way, Upland, CA 91784. Web: www.twylawardell.com.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Shino Teapot. 8" x 8" x 6½". Wheel-thrown porcelain, fired in reduction to cone 6. Sharon Murray, 10705 Margate Road, Silver Spring, MD 20901.

E-mail: smurray@gwu.edu.

62

Prayer House No. 1. 10" x 9" x 6". Slab-built earthenware with oxides, fired to cone 04 in oxidation. Hong-Ling Wee, New York, NY. Web: www.ceramicus.com.

A-soy, Matey–Crew-it! 13" x 10" x 10". Handbuilt, wheel-thrown, and altered stoneware, oxidation-fired.

Annie Chrietzberg, PO Box 770431, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477. Web: www.earthtoannie.com.

To have your work considered for publication in “The Gallery,” please send a high-quality color print, slide, or 300 dpi digital image to: The Gallery, Clay Times, P.O. Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197. Please include your name, address, telephone number, Web or e-mail address, type of clay, glaze, and firing method used, and dimensions of the work. (Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for photo/slide return.)

Readers Share I Art Works

The Gallery

Yin & Yang. 12¼" x 15½" x 5½". Wheel-thrown and altered porcelain; red section pit-fired with colorants, yellow sections raku-fired. Finished with leather string and handmade porcelain beads. Genez Malebranche, 6400 Knotts Island Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23457. Web: www.potterybygenez.com.

Lemma II, from Isaac Newton’s Principia. 18" x 21" x 4½". Slab-built stoneware, fired in oxidation to cone 6. Mac Ward, Tacoma, WA. E-mail: mac.ward@gmail.com.

Basket. 10" x 6" x 6". Porcelain, fired to cone 10 in a soda/salt kiln. Brian J. Taylor, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Web: www.brianjtaylorceramics.com.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Gravity I. 23 x 52 x 18 cm. Handbuilt stoneware with matte black glaze, fired to cone 10 in oxidation. Edith Garcia, 40 Sunlight Square, London E2 6LD, UK. Web: www.nenadot.com.

63

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

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• 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.

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Register today for a Master Artist Workshop in Ceramics Peter Callas January 6 - 7 Ron Korczynski January 19 - 21 Eva Kwong January 27 - 28 Richard Notkin February 9 - 11

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Hide Sadohara February 24 - 25

64

Bonnie Seeman March 3 - 4 Paul Andrew Wandless, “Keeper of Secrets” paper clay, ulti-fired, 14” x 7” x 9”

The Armory Art Center is a visual arts education center offering courses in ceramics, painting, drawing, jewelry and sculpture. Visit our website for a complete listing of workshops and classes. www.armoryart.org 1700 Parker Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida

Paul Andrew Wandless March 30 - April 1

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A SPECIALIZED SALES AND SERVICE COMPANY

Your Studio

by VINCE PITELKA

I

n past columns I have discussed different types of studio tools you can make, buy, or adapt, but recently I was asked about the tools and supplies needed for studio maintenance. Any serious clay worker encounters times when various hand and power tools are needed to install, adjust, repair, or modify studio tools, equipment, or fixtures. To maximize the potential of your studio, it is very much to your advantage to have a dedicated workbench or workshop accommodating standard hand and power tools for simple wood- and metal-working projects and repair tasks. It also provides opportunity and facility to build tools and simple fixtures for the clay studio, allowing you to tailor your studio to your specific needs. In this column I will give a brief overview of some of the most important tools and supplies for your workshop or workbench.

It pays to have a dedicated space for tools and maintenance tasks. In a very small studio it may be necessary to do repair and maintenance tasks on a multipurpose studio work table, but whenever possible it’s always best to have a separate workbench stocked with the necessary tools and maintenance/repair supplies. Some people store all their tools in toolboxes, while others like to hang them on racks within easy reach. If your workbench or workshop is away from your studio, it makes sense to keep frequently-used tools in a toolbox to facilitate easy transport. If in the studio, then frequent-use items are more accessible hanging on the wall above the workbench.

General-Use Tools A good basic tool assortment will cover most home and studio repairs, plus simple automotive tasks. A well-equipped, all-purpose toolbox should include a range of straight and Phillips screwdrivers, standard 6" slip-joint

Keep in mind that the best brands of mechanic’s tools (wrenches, sockets, pliers, screwdrivers, etc.) feature a lifetime guarantee. Don’t settle for less, no matter how good the deal seems. Poor tools will cause nothing but trouble and frustration, while good tools well-cared-for will bring reliable and satisfying use for the rest of your life.

Electrical Repair Caution: before undertaking any electrical repairs, make sure that you know exactly what you are doing, and check and doublecheck to make sure that the electrical unit is completely unplugged from the wall. For a hard-wired kiln (one that is permanently wired to the wall circuit), make sure that the appropriate circuit breaker and all other switches are in the off position, and use a circuit tester (available from hardware and home improvement stores) to ensure that all circuits are dead before attempting electrical repairs.

Electrical repairs on top-loading kilns and pottery wheels require a few specialized tools. Purchase a set of screwdriver-handle “nut-drivers,” or purchase individual ¼" and 5/16" nut-drivers, the standard sizes needed for the hex-washer-head sheet-metal screws used on most top-loading electric kilns. The

" nut driver will also work on most automotive hose clamps, such as those used for tightening the stainless steel jacket on many kilns.Surform® Pocket Plane

5/16

Wiring repairs require high-quality wireterminal crimping pliers and a wire stripper.

Both can be purchased at an auto supply store or in the electrical department of your local home improvement center. Get an assortment of insulated and non-insulated crimp-on wire terminals to fit 10-gauge and 12-gauge wire. Don’t use insulated terminals in high-heat areas, such as the connections on terminal blocks where supply wires connect to the heating elements. If non-insulated terminals aren’t available, simply remove the plastic insulating sleeve with a pair of pliers before installing in high-heat areas.

The wire terminals most often used in pottery equipment are loop terminals to fit a #10 stud, and female spade terminals to fit manual kiln switches and terminal blocks. Get a supply of butt-connectors for splicing #10 and #12 wire.

Also get a roll of high-quality plastic electrical tape—the 3M Scotch® brand is standard, but any high-quality plastic electrical tape will do. As mentioned above, if you are unsure about any of these items, just give the information to the store clerk to locate the right parts.

Plumbing Almost all building codes require taper-thread black iron pipe for gas plumbing installations.

Even simple plumbing repairs or installation will require high-quality pipe wrenches.

Do not skimp on these—buy the best pipe wrenches available. The “Ridgid™” brand is the standard used by professionals. Pipe wrenches are not expensive as tools go, but a cheap one will deliver nothing but frustration. All adjustable wrenches, including pipe wrenches, are identified by length. For studio plumbing needs, purchase 10” and 14" pipe wrenches, and if you anticipate working with pipe larger than 1" for bigger kilns or long supply lines, get an 18" pipe wrench as well.

CLAyTIMES·COM n SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006

If any of the following references to tools or supplies are confusing, simply give the information to the store clerk in your local hardware store or home improvement center and they can help you locate the items.

pliers, needle-nose pliers, “Channel-Lock™”type tongue-and-groove pliers in 10" and 12" lengths, adjustable wrenches in 6", 8" and 12" lengths (the “Crescent™” brand adjustable wrench is the standard), diagonal wire-cutters, a good claw hammer and a smaller ballpeen hammer, a combination square, a small torpedo level, 12' and 24' tape measures, and metric and fractional-size sets of the following: combination wrenches (box-end on one end, open-end on the other), 3/8"-drive socket wrenches, and Allen hex keys. Get a centerpunch for marking holes to be drilled, and a few small cold chisels for working metal and for removing glaze drips from kiln shelves.

A hacksaw with 18- and 24-tooth (per inch) blades and a good pry bar will fill out your tool set.

Shop Talk I Tool Times

Tools to Maintain

65

Standard pipe threads are a taper fit, but do not provide a positive seal. Always use Teflon® tape or an appropriate pipe-joint compound to ensure a perfect seal. All plumbing installations should be done to code and inspected by the local municipal building department. Standard inspection procedure involves pressurizing the system with compressed air and checking for leaks at all joints with a soap solution. Any leaks will cause the soap solution to foam.

Pilot burner installations and propane highpressure supply often involve copper tubing, which will require a tubing cutter and tubing bender to accommodate up to 3/8" tubing.

Power Tools Normal installation, maintenance, and repair tasks encountered in the clay studio will be simpler with a few standard power tools. A good-quality cordless drill is very handy for installation and assembly work, but if you like to use a drill-mounted impeller mixer for blending slips and glazes, get a good-quality VSR (variable-speed reversible) 3/8" corded drill like the Makita 6408K or the DeWalt D21002. They deliver higher speed and torque than cordless drills, and you’ll do your mixing and blending a lot faster.

a power miter box. If you want to make your own throwing bats from marine plywood or Medex® waterproof MDF, you’ll need a bandsaw and drill press. A saber saw is handy for making extruder dies, foam slump molds, and various other workshop fixtures and tools. A stationary disk-belt sander is very useful for shaping ribs and modeling tools.

For good deals on high-quality stationary and portable power tools, check out www. grizzly.com. They import tools from around the world and are known for good prices and high standards of quality and customer service.

If you have a kiln, you inevitably need to clean kiln shelves. The previously-mentioned cold chisel works for small glaze drips, but any serious glaze run will require an angle grinder. In the March, 2002 column I discuss grinders and grinding media in greater detail, but for general studio use I suggest you get a good angle grinder made

by Makita, Bosch, Milwaukee, DeWalt or other makers of high-quality power tools.

The readily-available fiberglass-reinforced grinding wheels and flexible sanding disks are useful for many tasks, but for cleaning kiln shelves, most home improvement centers now sell diamond-impregnated disks that fit these grinders. They are a bit pricey, but last a long time.

As a lifelong tinkerer, inventor, and general fix-it guy I have a great appreciation for fine tools. When buying tools for the studio or workshop, go for the best. Purchasing high-quality tools is always a wise investment in your future. [

In my March, 2001 column I discuss the importance of a bench grinder as a versatile tool for sharpening existing tools and making new tools. Prices have come down over the years, and you can now get a good bench grinder for less than a hundred bucks. As mentioned in the column, for maximum versatility, equip one end of the bench grinder with a 6" by 1" 120-grit abrasive flap wheel, available from www.grainger.com.

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.

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Measuring Temperature by marc ward

T

his issue’s article is the first of a series on pyrometers and thermocouples—those little guys that measure temperature. What types are available? How do they work? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the various types? How much money must you part with in your quest for temperature indication? This is about how the different thermocouples compare: what they are made from .... how they work ... and which types to use for different temperatures and processes. (Hmm … maybe this will be a three-parter ...)

Analog pyrometers work off of the voltage produced by the heated end of the thermocouple. It isn’t much voltage. The current produced by a thermocouple is measured in millivolts. A thousandth of a volt! This tiny charge, running through resistors, has to physically move the needle. Hard work, slow work, and unfortunately, pretty inaccurate work.

Most analog pyrometers have a small set-screw on the front of the meter, right where the needle is connected.

This screw is an adjustment set-screw.

You get to decide if you want to set the temperature to be pretty accurate at room temperature, or at elevated firing temperatures. It really is that far off.

They come out of the box set at room temperature, but can be off a couple hundred degrees at cone 10 (yeah, really — 200 degrees)! Or you can set them, via that little set-screw, to be accurate at cone 10. But then you might get a reading of 250ºF when it’s 60ºF outside! This is the nature of the beast: Cheap. Dumb.

Slow. But it can work great for you if you understand its limitations.

If you want to glance around and get an idea of where the kiln is, an analog pyrometer is perfect. It will give you an easy visual indication of how vigilant you need to be in relationship to starting a reduction cycle or turning off the kiln.

After a few firings, you will get a good feel for how the analog pyrometer’s readings relate to the cones. Remember, cones are the true measure of what is happening in the kiln via heat work (see Clay Times, March/April 2001, or read the

“Heat Work” article at www.wardburner. com/technicalinfo/claytimesarticles.html).

Here’s one more limitation of analog pyrometers: because they are powered by the small charge of the thermocouple, the wire that connects the pyrometer to the thermocouple has to be the proper length and thickness for that particular meter. You can not add extra wire, nor can you shorten it. This will drastically change the reading. That’s not all folks— you cannot usually swap out wires from different meters or substitute different brands of meters and use the same wire.

These meters are calibrated for a specific wire size and length.

Next issue I’ll talk about digital pyrometers and their pros and cons. Maybe I’ll go into the IR pyrometers that I mentioned at the start of the article. You’re probably wondering what the hell an IR pyrometer is. Well, that would be an infrared pyrometer—the best, most accurate pyrometer out there (oh yeah, it is also the most expensive). Go figure! I will talk about the different types of thermocouples, RTD (resistant temperature detectors), thermoelectric alloy properties, IR emissivity (yes, emissivity is a real word), single-wavelength thermometry, thermal shunting … oops, I guess it’s getting late and I’m starting to geek out about this. The next two or three issues will (hopefully) clear it all up! [ Marc Ward is owner and operator of Ward Burner Systems in Dandridge, Tennessee. He 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 September/October 2006

There are three basic types of pyrometers: analog, digital, and IR. Analog pyrometers have been around for decades.

They are flat with a big needle that goes from left to right and points to the temperature—sort of. Analog pyrometers are the least expensive to buy, and they are generally the cheapest. (The difference between the terms “least expensive” and “cheapest” could take up another whole article.) The reason I said “sort of” in regards to temperature indication is because analogs are the least accurate of the three types of pyrometers. Here’s my standard stock line I say when people ask me about analog pyrometers: “They will, sooner or later, give you sort of an idea of what the temperature might be—or pretty close to it, or maybe not that close, sort of. You get the idea; they are not very accurate. They also do not have a very quick response time.

You can stare at an analog pyrometer for half an hour before realizing your kiln has stalled. The reason analog pyrometers are so slow is because of the power source.

The analog pyrometer: cheap, dumb, slow ... and yet if you just want a quick visual indication of your position in the firing cycle, you may want to hang on to this dinosaur.

Shop Talk I Firing

instruments for

67

Studio I Health & Safety

Manganese Exposure in the pottery and at the table

by MONONA ROSSOL

T

exas potter Doug Brown e-mailed me recently about a glaze formula he saw in a magazine.¹ The glaze contained 10% manganese dioxide and 10% copper carbonate and it was being recommended for use on food ware.

Brown was so concerned about the glaze’s potential toxicity that he sent a sample of ware coated in this glaze to an independent laboratory.² As I was helping Brown interpret the lab test, I realized I’ve never written about manganese for Clay Times. It is about time.

Exposure to Manganese Manganese exposure can occur when potters inhale the dust from manganese compounds such as manganese dioxide or manganese sulfate. Dust from these compounds can get airborne and then settle on surfaces throughout the pottery. Further exposure occurs when dust gets on clothing, shoes, hair, and skin.

In addition, manganese fume particles get airborne when manganese metals or glazes are heated to high temperatures.

There may be manganese fume emitted by kilns. But the most common exposure to manganese fume is among welders.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Exposure Standards

68

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has set a workplace air quality standard, called a threshold limit value (TLV), for manganese dust and fumes. This TLV is 0.2 milligrams per cubic meter and it has been set to avoid health effects that ACGIH believes are associated with exposure, including Parkinsonism (more correctly called “manganism”), lung effects, and reproductive system damage.

A number of lawsuits have been filed by welders claiming manganese fumes caused their Parkinsonism. In one

important case, the court awarded 65year-old Lawrence Elam $1 million and affirmed the welder’s claim that welding rod manufacturers should be liable for this injury.³ The manufacturers appealed the case, but the Illinois Appeals Court upheld the Elam verdict.4 The judge found that there was adequate credible scientific evidence to allow a link between Elam’s manganese exposure and his Parkinson’s disease. “The record is replete with articles, scientific papers, and testimony showing a correlation between welding and Parkinsonism,” the judge said.

Next, the welding rod manufacturers appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court.5 But the court refused to overturn the verdict, saying, “The evidence here supports the jury’s finding that plaintiff suffers from a central nervous system injury caused by the manganese in welding fumes.”

It is expected that the welding industry will appeal to the Supreme Court next, and it is likely they will lose again.

These decisions are good news for approximately 10,000 welders countrywide who seek to hold welding equipment manufacturers responsible for their Parkinson’s disease.

The decisions also should give more credibility to potters who have claimed manganese nervous system damage from exposure to manganese glaze colorants.

Until there are regulations for metals other than lead and cadmium, I recommend using the EPA drinking water standards as rough guidelines to interpret ceramic leach test results. These standards are not perfect by any means, but there is a kind of common sense in assuming that if the pot doesn’t leach more than what would be allowed in a rather lousy public water supply, it’s probably not going to be a problem for the user.

Drinking Water Standards EPA has two major types of standards for drinking water: maximum contaminant levels (MCLs), which are enforceable; and health advisory levels (HALs), for other unregulated metals. In 2002, EPA set a HAL for manganese.6 EPA noted that manganese is needed for normal growth and function in small amounts, but that several diseases are associated with manganese.

Cancer & Developmental Effects Whether or not manganese causes cancer is unknown. EPA says “There is no information available on the carcinogenic effects of manganese in humans, and animal studies have reported mixed results.” However, EPA does think that data suggests that manganese has a small potential for affecting the developing fetus and development of young children (see also “New Data,” opposite page).

Ceramic Learning Standards Neurological Effects Manganese can also leach from glazes into food and drink. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only regulates lead and cadmium in ceramics. FDA proposed setting standards for other metals in the 1980s, but when they called for data on leaching of other metals, there was none reported. The proposal was dropped.

EPA found only three studies of the effects of manganese-contaminated drinking water, and only one met EPA’s scientific standards. This study looked at neurological symptoms and deaths in a group of 25 individuals who ingested high levels (close to 29 mg/L) of manganese in well water contaminated with

Metal

Lab Results

HAL

MCL-Action Level

Manganese

5.11 mg/L

0.3 mg/L

N/A

Copper

23.70 mg/L

N/A

1.3 mg/L

dry cell batteries buried near the wells over a three-month period in 1941. Autopsies revealed changes in brain tissue.

Data from Diets EPA also considered studies of the diets of many large human populations because manganese is found naturally in many vegetables, fruits, and nuts.

EPA determined that people should not ingest more than 10 milligrams per day (mg/day) total from all sources.

EPA noted that this limit may easily be exceeded, especially among individuals eating a vegetarian diet. (I also worry about vitamin/mineral supplements that increase the intake of manganese.)

The Health Advisory Level (HAL) After considering all of the data, EPA set a HAL for manganese in drinking water of 0.3 mg/L. I will use this HAL as a rough advisory guideline for glaze leach tests until better data is available.

pearance. Doug also sent a sample to Alfred Analytical Laboratory to be tested with the FDA leach procedure.2 The test results are shown in the table above.

The level of manganese clearly is well above the 0.3 mg/L HAL. To determine fully what this means, further study should be done. For example, the amount of manganese added to the diet from use of ware coated with this glaze could be determined, especially when the glaze is used in casseroles heated in the oven and/or with acid foods like tomatoes. It may be that the entire daily dietary limit of 10 mg per day could be exceeded by such uses.

you make your own glazes or use premixed “food-safe” glazes. We also need to ask glaze manufacturers to consider leaching of metals other than lead and cadmium when they label glazes safe.

All of us in the ceramics community owe Doug Brown a round of applause for his efforts. [

Studio I Health & Safety

Glaze Sample Test Results: 10% manganese & 10% copper

FOOTNOTES 1. Ceramics Monthly, Apr. 2006, p. 40-43.

2. Alfred Analytical Laboratories report to Potters Brown, 6/23/2006. Roland D. Hale, Lab Director.

3. Elam v. BOC Groups, Inc., Ill Cir. Ct. No. 01 L

The copper also was 18 times above the EPA Action Level of 1.3 mg/L. EPA says: Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over a relatively short amount of time could experience gastrointestinal distress.

Some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over many years could suffer liver or kidney damage. People with Wilson’s Disease should consult their personal doctor.8*

1213, verdict 10/29/03.

4. Elam v. Lincoln Electric Co., App, Ct., No. 504-10120, verdict upheld 12/20/05.

5. Elam v. Lincoln Electric Co., Ill., No. 102015, petition to appeal denied 3/29/06.

6. Federal Register: 67 FR 38222-38244, June 3, 2002—manganese information on pages 38235-6.

7. Environmental Health Perspectives, 114:124129 (2006).

8. 40 CFR Part 9 et al., National Primary Drinking Water Regulations.

9. The MCL for aluminum is 0.2 mg/L, but it

New Data

is set primarily for taste and odor protection.

Conclusion

Toxic effects were not considered. However, EPA put aluminum on a list of chemicals for

The amounts of manganese and copper that leach from this glaze appear to be of concern. More study is needed to completely quantify the risk, but we have an ethical duty to tell our consumers that glazed pottery can be a potential source of metals in their diet. We can address this problem by:

which additional research is needed due to its potential for chronic neurotoxicity. I have data from antique ware showing aluminum leaching at well over the MCL, but no data from modern ware.

*Author’s Note: People with Wilson’s Disease can be seriously harmed or may even die from exposure to copper at levels that other people tolerate well. Such people need to avoid all

The Glaze Test Doug Brown first did a simple test on the glaze that contained 10% manganese and 10% copper. He left vinegar on the glazed surface for 24 hours. His before and after pictures showed a dramatic difference in the glaze’s ap-

1) Using glazes on the insides of food ware that only contain metals of negligible toxicity, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and aluminum;9 and/or 2) Developing and maintaining a regular periodic laboratory glaze testing program to ensure that toxic metals leach from our food ware in only very small amounts. This applies whether

sources of dietary copper. Currently, I advise these people not to use craft ceramics unless test data indicates that copper is not released.

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.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

There is new data indicating that this 0.3 mg/L level may not be protective enough for some children. A study of 142 children in Bangladesh published this year7 found a relationship between the amount of manganese in water and children’s intelligence. This appears to be similar to the loss of IQ seen in children whose water contains lead.

69

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review by steven branfman

W

hen I suggested to a potter friend, and one who shares my love and appreciation of books, that I would do my next review on a book about Yixing teapots, her reaction was skeptical. “Yixing teapots?” she said. “Isn’t that a pretty esoteric subject?

Is the book going to appeal to a wide enough audience to warrant a review in an international magazine?” Her comments caused me to pause. I only had to think for a moment as I quickly reviewed my own interest in Yixing ware and the reaction of friends and visitors when they see my own collection of almost 60 Yixing teapots. Thinking about my personal interest and connection to the wares and the influence that Yixing pottery has had on my own work and love of ceramic art made this a no-brainer.

It is easy to see when a writer has a passion for the subject they are writing about. The Yixing Effect, Echoes of the Chinese Scholar was a labor of love. Marvin Sweet, the author, is a potter, educator, collector, and writer, and he has used all of his experience, dedication, and skill to craft a book of immense thoughtprovoking content, historical and cultural significance, and aesthetic inspiration. The Yixing Effect does not report on an obscure facet of pottery history and style. On the contrary, Yixing pottery and the circumstances from which it originated have affected virtually every person who works in clay. Early on, the author reminds us that the very first teapot was made in Yixing, a fact unknown to many who make teapots.

by Marvin Sweet Foreign Languages Press Hardcover • $40.00 Chapter 2 features 44 Yixing teapots from the author’s collection. Sweet presents the collection with a discussion of his introduction to Yixing ware. He goes on to talk about his subsequent visit to China and his immersion in Yixing pottery and culture while there. A brief discussion on the hallmark of collecting gives us additional insight into Sweet’s personal interests in and reasons for collecting. Chapter 3, “Yixing Ware and its Influence on Early European Ceramics,” is a fascinating contribution to the book, by William R. Sargent, curator of Asian export art at the Peabody Essex Museum. In it, he examines not only the aesthetic influences of Yixing ware, but the cultural significance that the import of Chinese ceramics has had on western sensibilities. His writing is academic and intellectual, yet comfortably readable.

Chapter 4, “Contemporary American Interpretations,” is the heart and soul of the book. In the chapter, Sweet examines the influence that Yixing ware has had, and continues to have, on American ceramic art. The chapter is carefully researched and displays Sweet’s extensive knowledge of the subject. Sweet offers critical analysis of the work and his own interpretations of the connections the artists share with the origins, cultural attachments, and aesthetics of Yixing pottery. Fifty-nine potters are represented through carefully chosen images of their work, followed by statements divulging their personal perspectives

Sweet’s writing is careful and comfortable. His desire to teach, to inform, and to share his knowledge and his passion comes through clearly. The fact that The Yixing Effect is a book equally at home in the environment of academia as it is in the hands of pottery makers is a testimony to the ability of the author to frame and advance the subject to be widely inclusive and consequential. The extensive text is packed with information, yet it is far from the usual dryness of a textbook. Instead, The Yixing Effect reads more like a story that keeps you captivated through twists and turns.

It is a book that connects the dots and illustrates the often unrealized and unrecognized links and ties between the past and the present, and the inspirations that fuel the creative spirit.

Until recently, Yixing pottery garnered only minor interest among potters and collectors here in America. Not so anymore. Just a brief look at available workshops on making Yixing pottery, exhibitions of Yixing ware by both foreign and American potters, travel opportunities to China, articles in magazines, and the proliferation of books on the subject make it very clear that Yixing pottery is in the mainstream of contemporary ceramic art. The Yixing Effect, Echoes of The Chinese Scholar is a welcome addition that will further our knowledge and appreciation of the wares, the history, the culture, and—most importantly—the influence and significance Yixing pottery has had on our own work as potters. [

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 at (781) 4497687 or via e-mail at sbranfpots@aol.com.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

The Yixing Effect is a handsome volume of 206 glossy pages. The design of the book is pleasing to the eye, with lots of white space framing the text and more than 150 full-color photos. The book is well organized, divided into four chapters, and opens with a thoughtful preface by Rick Newby, a scholar and well-known cultural journalist with a particular interest in ceramics. Chapter 1, “The Scholar’s Path,” explores the concept of the Chinese scholar, and his role and significance in Chinese art, culture, and intellect. It lays the groundwork for the author’s ensuing examination of Yixing pottery.

and their attractions and connections to Yixing ware. The artists are honest and revealing, and their words give us important insights into the creative process. Accenting the book is a map of the Yixing region, a chronology of Chinese dynasties and periods, a bibliography, and useful chapter notes.

Resources I Books & Videos

The Yixing Effect: Echoes of the Chinese Scholar

71

72

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Community Pottery Classes Check out these listings to find local programs for learning wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculptural techniques & more...

Listings are organized alphabetically by all 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and Canada.

ALABAMA Red Dot Gallery — 2810-b third Avenue South, birmingham, AL 35233; (205) 254-8800; www.reddotgallery.com; scott@reddotgallery.com; wheel-throwing.

info@coloradopottery.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, glazing, fused glass jewelry.

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.

ALASKA Joyce Munson — 935 east 79th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99518; (907) 344-2013; wheelthrowing, handbuilding.

ARIZONA Clay Hands Gallery & Studio — 5 camino Otero, tubac, AZ 85646; (520) 398-2885; clayhands@ clayhands.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, raku.

ARKANSAS Flat Rock Clay Supplies — 2002 South School Avenue (Highway 71), Fayetteville, Ar 72701; (479) 521-3181; www.flatrockclay.com; info@flatrockclay.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, tile.

CALIFORNIA Blossom Hill Crafts Pottery — 15900 blossom Hill road, Los Gatos, cA 95032; (408) 356-9035; www.blossomhillcrafts.com; joanne@ blossomhillcrafts.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

CONNECTICUT Farmington Valley Arts Center (FVAC) — 25 Arts center Lane, Avon, ct 06001; (860) 6781867; www.fvac.net; info@fvac.net; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

DELAWARE Creatable Crafts — 146 rehoboth Avenue, rehoboth beach, De 19971; (302) 227-1020; elona@creatablecrafts.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Hinckley Pottery — 1707 Kalorama road, NW, Washington, Dc 20009; (202) 745-7055; www.hinckleypottery.com; info@hinckleypottery.com; wheel-throwing.

FLORIDA The St. Petersburg Clay Company — 420 22nd Street South, St. petersburg, FL 33712; (727) 896-2529; www.stpeteclay.com; stpeteclay@ stpeteclay.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

Mendocino Art Center — 45200 Little Lake Street, mendocino, cA 95460; (737) 937-5818; mendocinoartcenter.org; mendoart@mcn.org; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, sculpture, decorating, glazing.

Fire and Mud Ceramics — 134 Ne 1st Avenue, Hallandale, FL 33009; (954) 455-3099; www.fireandmudceramics.com; potter@fireandmudceramics. com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

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GEORGIA

Northern Colorado Potters’ Guild — 209 christman Drive, Fort collins, cO 80524; (970) 416-5979; www.coloradopottery.org;

Creative Arts Guild — 520 West Waugh Street, Dalton, GA 30720; (706) 278-0168; www. creativeartsguild.org; kjoye@creativeartsguild.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

HAWAII YWCA of O’ahu — 1040 richards Street, Honolulu, HI 96813; (808) 538-7061; www.ywca. org/oahu; info@ywcaoahu.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

IDAHO The Art Center/ Fort Boise Community Center — 700 robbins road, boise, ID 83702; (208) 384-4486; www.cityofboise.org/parks/activities; activities@cityofboise.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

ILLINOIS The Fine Line Creative Arts Center — 6N158 crane road, St. charles, IL 60175; (630) 584-9443; www.finelineca.org; info@finelineca.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, decorating, glazing, raku.

INDIANA Union Studios — 900 east 7th Street, bloomington, IN 47405; (812) 856-6381; www. imu.indiana.edu/studios; studios@indiana.edu; wheelthrowing, handbuilding.

IOWA Octagon Center for the Arts — 27 Douglas Ave., Ames, IA 50010; (515) 232-5331; www.octagonarts.org; director@octagonarts.org; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, sculpture, mold making.

KANSAS Hutchinson Recreation Commission: Keller Leisure Arts Center — 17 east 1st Avenue, Hutchinson, KS 67501; (620) 662-3448; www. hutchrec.com; hutchrec@hutchrec.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/OctOber 2006

Palto Art Center — 1313 Newell road, palo Alto, cA 94303; (650) 329-2366; www.paenjoy. org; lynn.stewart@cityofpaloalto.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

City of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs, S.P.A.C.E Studios — 9 West Henry Street, Savannah, GA 31402; (912) 651-4248; www.savannahga.gov; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, decorating, glazing, raku, jewelry-making.

Resources I Classes

KENTUCKY Living Arts and Science Center — 362 North Martin Luther King Blvd., Lexington, KY 40508; (859) 252-5222; www.lasclex.org; info@ lasclex.org; sculpture.

LOUISIANA Louisiana Pottery — 6470 Highway 22, Cajun Village, Sorrento, LA 70778; (225) 675-5572; www.louisianapottery.com; lapottery@eatel.net; handbuilding, special focus classes.

MAINE Starflower Farm & Studios — Ceramicsfocused Retreat Center; 941 Jackson Road, Monroe, ME 04951; (207) 525-3593; www.starflowerstudios. com; squidge@starflowerfarmstudios.com; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, sculpture, private lessons, critiques for advanced students.

MARYLAND Baltimore Clayworks — 5707 Smith Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21209; (410) 5781919; www.baltimoreclayworks.org; matt.hylek@ baltimoreclayworks.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile, mosaic, decorating, printmaking, slipcasting, wood firing, salt firing.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Juliet Rose Gallery & Studio — 191 Reimers Road, Monson, MA 01057; (413) 5969741; www.julietrosegallery.net; julietrosearts@aol. com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, surface design.

MICHIGAN Bailey Community Center — 819 Abbott, Lansing, MI 48823; (517) 333-2580; www. cityofeastlansing.com; kmiller@cityofeastlansing.com; wheel-throwing, youth ceramics.

MINNESOTA 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.

Shiloh Pottery, Inc. — 1027 Brodbeck Road, Hampstead, MD 21074; (410) 239-8888; www.shilohpottery.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

MISSISSIPPI

The Frederick Pottery School — 5305 Jefferson Pike, Suite C-2, Frederick, MD 21703; (301) 473-8833; www.frederickpotteryschool.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

Bodine Pottery & Art Studio — Rebuilding: New location coming soon in Hattiesburg, MS; (228) 806-3153; www.bodinepottery.com; hukmut@bodinepottery.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, PMC.

Greenbelt Community Center — 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770; (301) 3972208; www.greenbeltmd.gov; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, tile.

MISSOURI

Glen Echo Pottery — 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD 20812; (301) 229-5585; www. glenechopottery.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, raku and soda firing.

74

Mudflat Pottery School, Inc. — 149 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02145; (617) 628-0589; www.mudflat.org; info@mudflat.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, tile.

Craft Alliance — 6640 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63130; (314) 725-1177; www.craftalliance.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

MONTANA

Chesapeake Arts Center — 194 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park, MD 21225; (410) 636-6597; www.chesapeakearts.org; davidj@ chesapeakearts.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, fully-equipped, open studio hours.

Custer County Art & Heritage Center — Waterplant Road, P.O. Box 1284, Miles City, MT 59301; (406) 234-0635; ccartc@midrivers. com; carpotsfe@hotmail.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

MASSACHUSETTS

NEBRASKA

Ancient Echos Arts — 10 Tyngsboro Road, North Chelmsford, MA 01863; (978) 869-2912; www.ancientechosarts.com; ancientechosarts@gmail. com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

Adventure in Art — 6001 Maple Street, Omaha, NE 68104; (402) 556-4278; www. adventureinart.net; kristipederson@adventureinart. net; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, mosaic, PMC.

OHIO

TENNESSEE

Pottery West — 5026 North Pioneer Way, Las Vegas, NV 89149; (702) 987-3023; potterywest@cox. net; wheel-throwing.

Valley Art Center — 155 Bell Street, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022; (440) 247-7507; www.valleyartcenter.org; office@valleyartcenter.org; wheelthrowing, handbuilding.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Cuyahoga Valley Art Center — 2131 Front Street, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221; (330) 9288092; www.cvartcenter.org; cvartcenter@sbcglobal.net; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, decorating, glazing.

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.

League of New Hampshire Craftsmen in Hanover — 13 Lebanon Street, Hanover, NH 03755; (603) 643-5384; www.nhcrafts.org/hanover; craftstudies@valley.net; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, decorating, glazing, wood firing.

NEW JERSEY The Art School at Old Church — 561 Piermont Road, Demarest, NJ 07627; (201) 7677160; www.tasoc.org; info@tasoc.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile, glazing, raku.

NEW MEXICO New Mexico Clay — 3300 Girard Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM 87107; (800) 781-2529; www.nmclay.com; sales@nmclay.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

NEW YORK The Painted Pot — 339 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231; (718) 222-0334; www.paintedpot.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

The Educational Alliance Art School — 197 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002; (212) 780-2300 x463; www.edalliance.org/artschool; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, sculpture.

La Mano Pottery — 237 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011; (212) 627-9450; lamanopottery.com; lamanopottery@aol.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, glazing, decorating.

NORTH CAROLINA 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.

NORTH DAKOTA Theo Art School — 1810 Schafer Street, Suite 5, Bismarck, ND 58501; (701) 222-6452; www.theoartschool.com; handbuilding, sculpture, decorating, glazing, mold making.

Gracefully Made Ceramics & More — 6623 NW 23rd Street, Bethany, OK 73008; (405) 495-1445; funatemc@coxinet.net; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, decorating, glazing.

OREGON Multnomah Arts Center — 7688 SW Capitol Hwy., Portland, OR 97219; (503) 823-2787; www.multnomahartscenter.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, decorating.

Sunset Canyon Pottery — 4002 East U.S. Highway 290, Dripping Springs, TX 78620; (512) 894-0938; www.sunsetcanyonpottery.com; customerservice@sunsetcanyonpottery.com; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, tile.

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PENNSYLVANIA The Clay Studio — 139 North Second Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106; (215) 925-3453; www.theclaystudio.org; info@theclaystudio.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

Abington Art Center — 515 Meetinghouse Road, Jenkintown, PA 19046; (215) 887-4882; www.abingtonartcenter.org; studioschool@abingtonartcenter.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile, mosaic, raku and pit firing.

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RHODE ISLAND Dew Claw Studios — 95 Hathaway Street, Suite 30, Providence, RI 02904; (401) 461-2069; dewclawstudios.com; kris@dewclawstudios.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, wood firing.

SOUTH CAROLINA

TEL 215-427-9665 • FAX 419-735-1063

Adele’s Pottery Studio & Gallery — 1659 Middle Street, Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482; (843) 883-9545; wheel-throwing, handbuilding for children and teens.

The Blue Ridge Arts Center — 111 East South 2nd Street, Seneca, SC 29678; (864) 882-2722; www.blueridgeartscenter.com; blueridgearts@bellsouth.net; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

SOUTH DAKOTA Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science — 301 S. Main Ave., Sioux Falls, SD 57104; (877) 927-4728; www.washingtonpavilion.org; info@ washingtonpavilion.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

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CLAyTIMES¡COM n September/October 2006

Finch Pottery — 5526 Finch Nursery Lane, Bailey, NC 27807-9492; (252) 235-4664; www. danfinch.com; danfinch@bbnp.com; wheel-throwing.

OKLAHOMA

TEXAS

Resources I Classes

NEVADA

75

Castle Hill Summer & Fall Clay 2006

Faculty Include: Jim Brunelle Jack Charney Nat Doane Anne Goldberg Ayumi Horie Rebecca Hutchinson Barbara Knutson Washington Ledesma Warren Mather Nancy Selvage Mark Shapiro Gay Smith Bruce Winn Two 22 Fall Clay Intensives: Mikhail Zakin

Barbara Knutson

Resources I Classes

TRURO CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Mary Barringer & Ron Dean

Go to www.castlehill.org or call for a catalogue: (508) 349-7511 PO box 756, Truro, MA 02666 - castlehill@gis.net

Community Pottery Classes UTAH

WISCONSIN

Petersen Art Center — 1025 east 2100 South, Salt Lake city, Ut 84106; (801) 467-5444; www.petersenartcenter.com; info@petersenartcenter. com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, decorating, glazing.

Blueraku Studios — river center Shoppes, 133 State Street, medford, WI 54451; (715) 748-3407; www.bluerakustudios.com; lindsey@ bluerakustudios.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, mosaic.

VERMONT

WYOMING

River Street Potters — 141 river Street, montpelier, Vt 05602; (802) 224-7000; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

Pottery By You — 1627 east 2nd Street, casper, WY 82601; (307) 472-9087; potterybyyou.biz; michele@potterybyyou.biz; handbuilding, decorating.

VIRGINIA

CANADA

Creative Clay Studios — 5704 c-e General Washington Drive, Alexandria, VA 22312; (703) 7509480; www.creativeclaypottery.com; daisy_gail@msn. com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, raku.

The Art League School — Located near the torpedo Factory at 105 North Union Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; (703) 683-2323; www.theartleague.org; school@theartleague.org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture, tile, mosaic.

LibertyTown Arts Center — 916 Liberty Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401; (540) 371-7255; www.libertytownarts.com; libertytownarts@verizon.net; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, glazing, decorating, tile, raku.

Nan Rothwell Studio Pottery — 221 pottery Lane, Faber, VA 22938 (near Wintergreen); (434) 263-4023; www.nanrothwellpottery.com; wheelthrowing, handbuilding, glazing, firing.

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Northwest Ceramic Art Institute (The Clay Zone) — 2727 Westmoor court, Olympia, WA 98502; (360) 943-7765; www.theclayzone.com; ddurso@theclayzone.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, sculpture.

WEST VIRGINIA Heritage Craft Center of the Eastern Panhandle, Inc. — 137 North Queen Street, martinsburg, WV 25401; (304) 264-9440; www.heritagecraftcenter.org; info@heritagecraftcenter. org; wheel-throwing, handbuilding.

Pickering Potters Studio — 1867 Valley Farm road, pickering, Ontario L1V-3Y7; (905) 4202667; ppf_pottery@yahoo.com; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, glazing.

Cedar Hill Recreation Centre — 3220 cedar Hill road, Victoria, british columbia V8p 3Y3; (250) 475-7121; www.saanich.ca; seversot@saanich. ca; wheel-throwing, handbuilding, raku. [

A year-round listing of your community pottery class in CT and on our Web site is available for just $99—a real bargain!

To feature your classes, contact Jenna McCracken at (540) 882-3576 or e-mail: claytimes@aol.com.

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

Sit On It! If you’re anything like me, you have several old bags of clay laying around that have gotten too hard to work with because you didn’t think to check on the clay’s dampness on a regular basis. (I have it twice as bad because I’m twice as lazy!) I have several bags of harder-than-ideal clay at my home studio and the college studio. In the past, if the clay wasn’t bone dry and had some dampness, I would slice it up with a wire, use my finger to make depressions in each slice, sponge water between each layer, and wrap the clay up again so the moisture would redistribute itself in the clay. It took a lot of time and effort.

Readers Share I Tips & Techniques

The Slurry Bucket

To make indentations in the clay, I’ve made what I call a dimpler. It is an ordinary wood rolling pin into which I’ve drilled several ½" holes, then glued in ½" rounded dowel pieces. A couple of light passes with the dimpler, and you’re ready to add the water and put the slices back together.

Pat Faville • La Vale, Maryland

Small Wax Containers

Paveen “Beer” Chunhaswasdikul • Gadsden, Illinois [

EARN A CLAY TIMES T-SHIRT! Send us your useful clay tip or technique to share with our readers. If it’s published, we’ll send you a Clay Times T-shirt. Mail your tips (and T-shirt size) to: The Slurry Bucket, c/o Clay Times, PO Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

I’ve since come up with a device that makes this chore a little easier. I got the idea while watching a television commercial for a food slicer. The simple frame is made from 2 x 4 lumber.

At one-inch intervals I’ve stretched 13-gauge piano wire (guitar strings would work well, too) across the frame. I’ve attached 12" legs to the frame. I’ve used 2½" deck screws, dowels, and carpenter’s glue to put the frame structure together to withstand the weight of the clay—and my big butt (here’s why): I place canvas below the frame, position the block of clay on top of the frame, and put a piece of plywood on top of the clay. By placing weight on the plywood (i.e., sitting on it), the clay is forced through the wires and slices like a hard-boiled egg.

To keep liquid wax resist from drying out, I pour a small amount of wax resist into clear plastic containers that Fuji® film comes in. They have tight-fitting caps so leftover wax doesn’t dry out, and because they are clear, I can see what is inside them at a glance.

79

Resources I Classified Marketplace

Classified Marketplace Classes & Workshops

• Classes, classes, classes! The Frederick Pottery School in Frederick, Maryland. Yearround throwing and handbuilding classes for teens and adults. (301) 473-8833. Visit www.frederickpotteryschool.com.

• “Keeping the Craft Alive!” Fall workshops include architectural pillars with Irene de Watteville; image transfer with Doug Gray; talavera painting with Ivette Vaillard. Visit www.tileheritage.org.

•

Pottery West in Las Vegas, NV. A ceramic ranch offering workshops and classes. Call or e-mail for a current schedule. 14 pottery wheels, slab roller, 2 damp rooms, 27-cu.-ft. Geil Gas Kiln, cone 10 reduction, spray booth. Workshops: Patrick Horsley, Sept. 23-24, $225. Also, build a train wood-fire kiln with Don Bendel and Tom Coleman Nov. 8-12, $250. Call Amy Kline for more information at (702) 9873023, or e-mail potterywest@cox.net.

Employment & Residencies

•

Residency available — Large studio space. Wood, salt, gas, and electric kilns.

New facility with new equipment on 100acre historic farm. Visit www.cubcreek.org or e-mail jessiman@ceva.net.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Events

80

• First Annual Illinois Regional Potters Exhibition, Part 1 — Northwest featuring functional pottery by the Twenty Dirty Hands Group: Ken Bichell, Paul Eshelman, Charles Fach, Bill Farrell, Delores Fortuna, Ron Hahlen, Kent Henderson, Doug Reynolds, Adrienne Seagraves, and Stephanie O’Shaughnessy. August 28-September 30, 2006. Northern Illinois University Art Museum, (815) 753-1936. Visit www.vpa. niu.edu/museum.

• Second Annual Vasefinder Nationals.

For details, please visit www.vasefinder. com.

• “State of Clay” biennial juried exhibition — For residents and former residents of Massachusetts. Chris Gustin, Juror.

Deadline: January 8, 2007. Visit www. lexingtonma.org/LACS.

Opportunities

•

Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) — Visit www.craftemergency.org. The Craft Emergency Relief Fund exists to help you and your fellow artists strengthen and sustain your businesses. Visit our Web site for information on emergency assistance and check out our resources on prevention, protection, recovery, and professional development. Click ‘Contact’ to sign up for CERF e-mail updates.

•

“Craft Forms 2006” 12th Annual National Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Craft. December 1, 2006-January 24, 2007. Juror: Gretchen G. Keyworth, curator of the Fuller Craft Museum. $3,000 + Cash Awards & Group or Solo Exhibitions. All craft media. Entry fee: $25.

Deadline: September 26, 2006. For prospectus, send SASE to Wayne Art Center, 413 Maplewood Avenue, Wayne, PA 19087. Visit www.wayneart.org.

•

Visit the potters of Nicaragua on a Potters for Peace brigade. January 1428, 2007. Fee of $1100 covers all expenses except RT airfare. Nicaragua is warm and beautiful in January, and you will visit a variety of rural communities that use local materials to create distinctive pottery.

For more information, e-mail pchartrand@ bsn1.net or call Peter at 520-432-4616.

• Workshops and Tours in an Undiscov-

ered Mexico. Hands-on learning and uncommon small-group travel into the potter’s world of deep Mexico. Winter 2007.

January: Pre-Colombian Woodfiring, Zapotec Handbuilding; February: Great Masters of Tonala; March: Potters of Michoacan; April: Mata Ortiz Workshop. www. traditionsmexico.com, traditionsmexico@ yahoo.com.

Books & Videos

•

To All K-12 Ceramic Arts Teachers — The 10th Annual National K-12 Ceramics Exhibition opens March, 2007 at the NCECA Conference in Louisville, KY. Deadline for student entries (by their teachers only) is December 21, 2006. Visit us at www.k12clay.org.

Products and Services

• Kiln and Studio Repair Service — Mike Swauger, The Kiln Doctor, licensed and insured. (877) 545-6362; mike@thekilndoctor. com. Equipment sales, delivery & set-up, installations. Most parts and accessories are in stock on my full-service vehicle. Serving VA, MD, WV, DC. Rely on more than 17 years of experience.

• Kiln Repair. All makes — Washington, DC metro & Northern Virginia. $45/hour (one-hour minimum) plus parts. Larry Safford, The Studio Resource, 703-283-7458; larrysafford@comcast.net.

•

Travel

NEW! Bill van Gilder’s Professional Hand Tools. 10 very functional tools for handbuilding and wheel work: Classroom and studio-safe wire knife, corrugated handle-making boards, no-clog hole cutters, profiled foot ribs, textured butter paddles, rope-textured dowels, slip/glaze spray cans, wiggled cut-off wires, beveled undercutting stick. All designed by a potter, for potters! Visit store at www. claytimes.com to view and order tools.

• EXTRUDE IT! Getting the Most From Your Clay Extruder, new instructional DVD videos by David Hendley. Volume I—extrusions as handles, feet, and additions; Volume II—two-part dies for hollow extrusions; Volume III—the expansion box and extrusions as building components. $40 each or $100 for the set (more than four hours of video). (903) 795-3779; www. farmpots.com.

• SAVE $10 NOW when you order Great

Glazes for just $19.95 (reg. $29.95) at the Clay Times online store at www.claytimes. com. This popular hands-on studio handbook features dozens of favorite glaze recipes for all firing temperatures and atmospheres. COMING SOON: Bill van Gilder’s new book of DIY television pottery projects from Lark Books. Watch claytimes.com for details! [

For complete details, visit the Web site at www.claytimes.com or call ad manager Karen Freeman at 540-882-3576.

a year round pottery school

New!

M.F.A. in Ceramic Arts

Visit www.hood.edu/graduate for details.

The M.F. A. and Graduate Certificate in Ceramic Arts provide students with skills and knowledge from which to build a strong aesthetic direction.

JOYCE MICHAUD �

Generous Open Studio Time Cone 10 Reduction & Raku Firing Beginners, Intermediate & Advanced Visit glenechopottery.com for class schedule, workshops, and more!

7300 MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo MD 20812 301 229-5585 • info@glenechopottery.com

Photographing Ceramics: Oct. 7-8

KEVIN CROWE �

Woodfiring Theory: Sept. 28-Oct. 1

XIAOSHENG BI �

Decorative Techniques for Porcelain: Sept. 23-24

PHIL BERNEBURG � �

Properties of Clay: Oct. 14-15 Properties of Glaze: Nov. 9-12

PETE PINNELL �

Firing Theory: Oct. 20-22

TONY CLENNELL �

Composite Throwing: Nov. 3-5

Watch for our Ceramic History Lecture Series in January and Japenese Tea Bowls with Takao Okazaki in April.

Hood College Graduate School Art Department (301) 696-3456 � Fax (301) 696-3531 www.hood.edu/academic/art Hood College subscribes to a policy of equal educational and employment opportunities.

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81

Opinion I Around the Firebox

Baby Steps

by Kelly Savino

I

don’t know a lot about glaze calculation, or the daunting requirements of an MFA. I don’t yet understand the mechanics of reduction, and my ignorance of burner systems is complete. But I know a lot about babies, and they have taught me that I can master whatever I set my mind to—and use those skills to take on the next step, and the next.

Babies, once they figure out which end is up, spend a lot of time watching big people.

Their minds, uncluttered by stock market reports, things-to-do lists, or self-analysis, are focused on one basic human urge. It is the one that might well have driven evolution. When babies watch us walk past, deftly maneuvering on two legs, the reaction is, “Wow. Cool. I want to learn that.”

And so they set to it. For a few months they crawl, then pull up to stand, and eventually—after innumerable spectacular diaper-padded crashes—set off on two feet for lifelong bipedal locomotion. When that no longer presents a challenge, they start climbing furniture.

CLAyTIMES·COM n September/October 2006

Happily, some of us never lose the “Wow,” or the determination to master the cool thing we just saw. Ask any potter how she discovered clay, or where he first saw someone making a pot on the wheel. Anyone who does demos for the public is used to hearing, “Wow! I want to try that!” Observers with a real hunger to push their boundaries and master new things will find their way to a school or art center, and begin.

82

Some push for the next step, and the next.

Like the baby who has mastered walking and wants to climb, they want to see what new horizons this skill has opened for them.

A few of my evening students at the potter’s guild began at the local paint-a-plate studio.

It seemed challenging but they wanted to try it, so they swallowed their doubts and learned to decorate mold-made pottery forms. Soon, they decided they wanted to make their own dishes, and found a place where they could learn. They channeled their energy to mastering the wheel. Eventually, they may tire of

dipping in buckets of class glaze, and wish to mix their own. They’ll want to know about loading and firing electric kilns. They’ll start to acquire equipment of their own. Within a year or two, they’ll be guild members, hungry to learn new raku techniques or experiment with reduction. They’ll be off at a dead run.

Why is it that some go on to master the next step, and the next, while others shrug and never try? Books like Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, and David Bayles and Ted Orland’s Art and Fear, challenge creative types to stay hungry, keep moving ahead, and not give in to the nagging voice of doubt, whether internal or voiced by peers and loved ones.

What if, as babies, we had the self-imposed restrictions we acquire in adulthood? Many of us would never try to stand on our own two feet to begin with. “Nah,” we’d say, “looks too complicated.” Or we’d decide we are just not cut out for that sort of thing. “I’m perfectly happy with the view from my stroller,” we’d say—never mind that we can only go where the driver steers us!

Or maybe we would think we could try it, until some baby in the next playpen says, “It is harder than it looks, you know. And even if you get that walking thing, the next thing you know they will expect you to run, skip, dance, climb a ladder, and ride a bike.

Better just to sit here and watch the ones who know what they are doing.”

Worst of all, imagine if an experienced walker discouraged us at that crucial stage. “No, this is way too complicated for you. Only skilled, practiced pros like me should attempt this.”

Sadly, some potters and artists do this to budding creatives all the time.

Sure, we have to smile when someone sitting down at the wheel for the first time announces their intention to throw seven place settings with matching serving pieces, which they will “paint” with flowers and lemons. Like the baby who falls 20 times a day, that potter will struggle and fail and try again, and will find that it’s not as easy as it looks. Mentors need to be the voice of encouragement, no matter how proud they

are of the skills they have mastered by their own persistence. I wish more beginners had a chance to try their hand at clay. They become the customers who appreciate the long, bumpy road to good pottery, and never ask why a well-thrown coffee mug costs so much.

Fighting self-doubt is a full-time job. This morning, my son flipped through the manual for his build-a-radio kit and was about to give up, bewildered by complex instructions toward the end. “Just try the first step,” I counseled, and he began, puzzling it out and gaining confidence on his way to step two.

One step at a time, we make our way. I do not know about unity formulas, but for now I make glazes the way I bake—I follow a recipe, give it a try, succeed or fail, and keep going.

It takes constant resolve not to listen to the little voice that advises us not to try, or points out how unqualified we are, cautioning that we will fail. We have to know that we will fail, and do it anyway until we get it right.

When this story goes to press, I’ll be starting an MFA in ceramics. This is a very bad idea, and I know it. After all, I am a middle-aged, overscheduled, home-schooling mother of three entering a world of tech-savvy kids who have the time and energy to immerse themselves in studies. I have been out of school for 20 years. We have a limited budget. And I am inordinately proud of being self-taught, as well as a little spoiled by being able to work in the privacy of my own studio, where my many spectacular failures remain unwitnessed. I simultaneously crave and dread critique—a bar set by others—plus deadlines and assignments. I know going in that this will be really hard, and I will have setbacks and failures. But there are skills I cannot master on my own, and my children are watching me. Maybe one day they will sit in folding chairs at my graduation ceremony thinking, “Wow. Cool. I want to do that.”

So, off I go—one wobbly, tentative step at a time. [ Kelly Averill Savino is a studio potter and homeschooling mother of three in Toledo, Ohio. She can be reached at primalpotter@yahoo.com.

I’ve spent over 28 years with potter and partner Richard Meyer, and over 30 years with Laguna’s Soldate 60 clay body. Each relationship has exceptional qualities, and I don’t know where I’d be without them both.

Where you find me and my pottery, there you’ll find Richard and Soldate 60, whether it be in our studios, on the art show circuit or at our website (www.Barker-Meyer.com). Both relationships are reliable, consistent and dependable. And both have that “touchable” quality that makes me feel lucky we have been together for so many years.

Thank you Laguna, and thanks to you too Richard.

—Cathra-Anne Barker

�

P.S. Jealousy? Not a problem. Richard has his very own Laguna clay body: WSO (WC-389).

Cathra-Anne Barker and Richard Meyer’s pottery has been featured in numerous exhibitions, festivals, publications and collections nationwide. To learn more about their work and upcoming activities, visit their online gallery at www.barker-meyer.com

800 4-LAGUNA www.lagunaclay.com info@lagunaclay.com

®

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