Clay Times Magazine Volume 15 • Issue 82 by claytimes

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Volume 15 • Issue 82 July/August 2009

Considerations for Critiquing Claywork Mark Hewitt Interview More About Spouts Before Designing Your Own Gas Kiln: What You Need to Know Terracotta Warriors of Emperor Qin NCECA Clay Biennial & Regional Student Juried Exhibition New Tools for Clay Artists $7.95 U.S./$9.95 CAN

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contents

TIMES

Clay

July/August 2009 Volume 15 • Issue 82

On the cover: Bee Girl by Lori Doolittle of Richwood, WV. 7" x 6" x 12". Earthenware clay with nichrome wire, underglazes, and oxide stains, electricfired to cone 04. Submitted to “The Gallery” of Clay Times and selected for a surprise cover! Inset photo: Gallon Jar by Mark Hewitt. 13".

Susan Peterson, 1925-2009

Large wood-fired pots grace the yard of North Carolina potter Mark Hewitt.

features 25 The Terracotta Warriors of Emperor Qin Sandy Huff travels across the globe to experience the wonders of the ancient ceramic army of more than 8,000 life-size statues that comprise China’s greatest archeological find.

35 Conversations: Mark Hewitt Originally from the United Kingdom, this prolific clay artist has embraced the North Carolina pottery-making tradition with great passion. Author Joe Campbell interviews him to find out what influences have had the most impact on his work.

exhibits 14 NCECA 2009 Regional Student Juried Exhibition Irma 1 by Helen Gladysheva. 40" x 10" x 8". Featured in this year’s NCECA Regional Student Juried Exhibition. See story, p. 14.

32 NCECA 2009 Clay Biennial 5

contents

TIMES

Clay July/August 2009 • Volume 15 • Issue 82

departments

columns

9 YOUR WORDS

19 AS FAR AS I KNOW

Readers share frustrating craft show experiences ...

“A Real Utility Vehicle” by Pete Pinnell

10 WHAT’S HOT

23 BENEATH THE SURFACE

Clay world news, events, and calls for entries

“Considerations for Critiquing Claywork” by Lana Wilson

25 TEACHING TECHNIQUES

21 GREAT GLAZES

“Making ‘Trough’ Spouts” by Bill van Gilder

A couple of our all-time favorite glaze recipes

41 KILNS & FIRING

42 THE GALLERY

“What You Need to Know Before Designing Your Own Gas Kiln” by Marc Ward

A selection of unique works by CT readers

50 SLURRY BUCKET

45 BOOKS & VIDEOS

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

“Clay Books for Kids” review by Steve Branfman

47 TOOL TIMES

53 POTTERY CLASSES

“What’s New in Pottery Tools” by Vince Pitelka

Where you can learn claywork in your community

51 STUDIO HEALTH AND SAFETY

56 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE

“New Laws on Lead and Plasticizers” by Monona Rossol

Goods and services offered especially for clay artists

57 AROUND THE FIREBOX

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

Front and back views of claywork by Darien Johnson (above) and Shanna Fliegel (top right), respectivey exhibited in NCECA’s 2009 Regional Student Juried Exhibition and the 2009 Clay Biennial.

“Keeping the Faith” by Kelly Savino

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•Wind and rain at outdoor shows. Summer

thunder, hail, and rain storms that come up with little notice. Pottery doesn’t blow away, but does break when the tent blows over. Mary Lovell, Dickinson, ND

• When we bought a new trailer to cart our pots to a garden show ... my husband tied all the boxes down too tightly, they didn’t have enough room to move up and down, and EVERYTHING (about $3000 worth) was completely smashed to pieces! Natalie Harrop, Perth, W.A., Australia •

Toppling one of my display shelves into my booth neighbor’s shelf while taking down our displays at the end of a show. I didn’t break TOO many of her pieces, but still it was a tremendous loss of her time (even though I paid for the broken pieces). Sue Cline, Cincinnati, OH

Clay magazine

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

• Being put in the middle of a bunch of

Contributing Writers: Joe Campbell Sandy Huff

• Not anticipating the crowd and bringing the wrong items. Stephanie Ramm, Kannapolis, NC

CLAY TIMES INC. 15481 Second St. • PO Box 365 Waterford, Virginia 20197-0365 540.882.3576 • FAX 540.882.4196

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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 $33 in the U.S.; $40 in Canada; $60 elsewhere (must be payable in US$). To subscribe, call toll-free 1-800.356.2529, or visit www.claytimes.com. 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 © 2009 Clay Times, Inc. All rights reserved. The material contained herein is derived from various sources and does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. All technical material is offered as general information only and should not be acted upon without expert supervision. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2009

The final sentence of the State of Clay exhibition article on page 16 of the May/June 2009 Clay Times should have read as follows: “Kate Oggel’s sculptural “Intrados Series #28,” Steve Murphy’s anagama-fired “Fossil,” and Naoko Matsumoto’s nerikomi stoneware “Small Cosmos” all received honorable mentions.” We regret the error. — Editor [

•Doing a first-time show that the promoter forgot to advertise. Patricia Watkins, Slidell, LA

TIMES

Clay Times asked: What’s your most frustrating craft show experience?

Spouting Off I Your Words

Reader Remarks

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

Hot Stuff I News & Events

What’s Hot ceramic art world news • events • calls for entries Grandes region, where Mata Ortiz is located, and himself a potter, was passing through the Mexico City airport. He noticed inferior copies being sold as Mata Ortiz pottery, while prices for genuine, high-quality Mata pots have reached hundreds—and even thousands— of dollars.

Conferences

The Second Annual Mata Ortiz Exhibition and Sale runs through Aug. 22 at Armstrong’s gallery in Pomona, California. Pictured above: Vase by Diego Valles, 14" x 12" diameter, handbuilt, burnished terra sigillata.

News

CLAYTIMES·COM n MAY/JUNE 2009

‰ MATA ORTIZ RECEIVES DENOMINATION OF ORIGIN—Fine wines have long been recognized as unique to their place of origin; Champagne can only be produced in the Champagne region in northeastern France for example. Now fine pottery will have the same privilege. In a meeting between the Potters Association of Mata Ortiz, Chihuahua, and Mexican state and federal agencies earlier this year, an agreement was arranged to protect the world-famous Mata Ortiz pottery from copies.

A Denominacion de Origen will be created for the village, and potters will be provided with identifying seals for their pottery. The Mata Ortiz potters are generally happy with this distinction, but also fear that perhaps their sales will be more easily tracked for income taxes. Renowned Mexican products such as Tequila from Jalisco, coffee from Veracruz, and Talavera Pottery already share in this honor. Motivation for the Denomination came about when the mayor of the Casas

‰ Outside the Box: The Cheongju International Craft Biennale 2009 takes place September 23–Nov. 1 in the Republic of Korea, Heungdeok-Gu, Cheongju-Si. For details, contact Kang Sun Kyoung, Cheongju International Craft Biennial Committee, 329 Heungdeok-Ro, Heungdeok-Gu, Cheongju-Si, 361-828 Republic of Korea; tel. 82.43.277.2501.3; cjcraft@korea.com; www.okcj.org. ‰ HANDBUILT, the first conference dedicated to handbuilding with clay, will take place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Sept. 17-19, 2009. This down-to-earth event to benefit the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) will feature demonstrators including Hayne Bayless, Sandi Pierantozzi, Lisa Naples, and Holly Walker, to be joined by special guest speaker William Daley. For more details and to register, visit: www.sandiandneil.com or contact Sandi at handbuiltevent@gmail.com. ‰ The African Ceramics Conference takes place September 18–27 in Durban, South Africa. For details, contact University of KwaZulu-Natal, King George V Ave., Durban, South Africa; tel. 27.0.31. 260.2212; armstrongj@ukzn.ac.za; www. ukzn.ac.za. ‰ The 8th Biennial Mid-Atlantic Clay Conference takes place October 1–4 in Front Royal, Virginia, and will feature presentations by Frank Giorgini, Suze Lindsay, and Gay Smith. Contact The Clay Connection, PO Box 3214, Merrifield, Virginia 22116-3214; tel. 540.636-6016; conference@ theclayconnection.org; www.theclayconnection.org.

‰ Creating a New Craft Culture takes place October 15-17 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Contact American Craft Council, 72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012; www.craftcouncil.org/conference09. ‰ Pottery from 2 Perspectives with Ellen Shankin and Donna Polseno takes place Oct. 23-25 at the Workhouse Arts Center/Lorton Arts Foundation, 9517 Workhouse Way, Lorton, Virginia. For complete details, visit www.workhousearts. org; call 703.584.2982; or e-mail dalemarhanka@ lortonarts.org. ‰ Network 2009: Symposium will take place Nov. 3-Dec. 16, 2009 and Jan. 5-February 17, 2010 in Skælskør, Denmark. Contact Ane Fabricius Christiansen, Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center, Heilmannsvej 31 A, 4230 Skælskør Denmark; tel. 45.5819.0016; ceramic@ceramic.dk; www. ceramic.dk.

Calls for Entries ‰ Digital entries are being accepted through July 29 for the Carbondale Clay National 2009, to take place Sept. 2–Oct. 29 at Carbondale Clay Center in Carbondale, Colorado. Juror: Doug Casebeer. Fee: $40 for three entries. For details, call 970.963.2529; visit www.carbondaleclay.org; or e-mail lauren@carbondaleclay.org. ‰ Digital submissions of ceramic art that measures within one cu. ft. are being accepted through Aug. 1 for the Clay3 National Juried Ceramics Exhibit, to take place Oct. 23–Nov. 21 at ClaySpace in Warrenville, Illinois. Fee: $25 for two entries. Juror: Mary Kay Botkins. For details, call 630.393.2529; visit www.clayspace. net; or e-mail info@clayspace.net. ‰ Slide and digital submissions are being accepted through Aug. 15 for Functionally Informal, to take place Sept. 25–Oct. 24 at Muddy’s Studio, Santa Ana, California. Fee: $30 for three entries. Juror: Randy Au. For details, call 714.641.4077; visit www.muddysstudio.com; or e-mail muddysstudio@att.net. ‰ The Bemidji Community Art Center and Bemidji State University Visual Arts Dept. are accepting entries through Sept. 4 for the 7th Annual It’s Only Clay Ceramics Competition and Exhibition, dedicated to functional clay vessels. The exhibition will take place Nov. 6-Dec. 19. Juror: Richard Bresnahan. For details, call 218.444.7570; visit www.bcac.wordpress.com; or e-mail bcac@paulbunyan.net.

There’s a pot in every bag of clay.

‰ Slide and digital entries are being accepted through Sept. 12 for Muddy’s Wood Fire Classic, to take place Oct. 30–Nov. 27 at Muddy’s Studio in Santa Ana, California. Fee: $30 for three entries. For details, call 714.641.4077; visit www.muddysstudio.com; or e-mail muddysstudio@att.net.

Hot Stuff I News & Events

‰ Digital entries are being accepted through Sept. 1 for the 15th Annual Nellie Allen Smith Pottery Competition, to take place Oct. 23-Nov. 23, 2009 at Cape Fear Studios in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Entry forms are available online at www.capefearstudios.com. Juror: Rick Berman. Prizes will be awarded for functional and non-functional categories. For more information, call 910.433.2986 or e-mail capefearstudios@yahoo.com.

‰ Digital entries are being accepted through Sept. 15 for the Illuminations: The Art of Light, to take place Nov. 1–30 at 18 Hands Gallery in Houston, Texas. Fee: $25 for three entries. For details, call 713.869.3099; visit www.18handsgallery. com; or e-mail info@18handsgallery.com. ‰ Digital submissions are being accepted through Sept. 15 for Beyond the Brickyard: 2nd Annual International Juried Exhibition, to take place Jan. 30–March 14, 2010 at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts in Helena, Montana. Juror: Wayne Higby. For details, call 406.443.3502; visit www.archiebray.org; or e-mail archiebray@ archiebray.org. ‰ Digital entries are being accepted through Sept. 17 for Craft Forms 2009, to take place Dec. 4–Jan. 23, 2010 at the Wayne Art Center in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Juror: Bruce Pepich. For details, call 610.688.3553; visit www.wayneart. org, www.craftforms.com, or www.juriedart services.com; or e-mail info@wayneart.org.

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‰ Digital submissions are being accepted through Sept. 19 for the 26th Annual Juried Northern Mines Art Exhibition, to take place Nov. 2–29 at Pioneer Arts Inc., Grass Valley, California. For details, call 770.423.6614; visit www.pioneerart. com or www.acc-southeast.com; or e-mail srobin50@kennesaw.edu.

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Hot Stuff I News & Events

For details, call 202.633.5069; visit www.smith soniancraftshow.org; or e-mail austrpr@si.edu. ‰ Entries by artists working with porcelain and pieces under 40 cm are being accepted through Sept. 26 for Proverbial Porcelain: Zelli Porcelain Award 2009, to take place Oct. 19–31 at Zelli Porcelain, London, England. For details, call 020 7224 2114; visit www.zelli. co.uk; or e-mail info@zelli.co.uk. ‰ Entries are being accepted through Oct. 1 for Curate This! 2009, to take place Nov. 21–Dec. 27 at BECA Gallery in New Orleans, Louisiana. For details, call 504.566.8999; visit www.becagallery.com; or e-mail becagallery@ gmail.com. ‰ Entries of work not exceeding 12 sq. in. are being accepted through Oct. 5 for Pandora’s Box, to take place Dec. 10–Jan. 10, 2010 at Target Gallery in The Torpedo Factory, Alexandria, Virginia. For details, call 301.772.9340; visit www.torpedofactory.org; or e-mail tfaa@ torpedofactory.org. ‰ Artisphere 2010 is accepting entries through Oct. 22, 2009 for its three-day, open-air street festival, to take place May 7-9, 2010 at the Historic West-End District in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. The event will feature works by 100 artists, $10,000 in cash awards, and more than $10,000 in purchase awards. $30 jury fee. For details, contact Liz Rundorff Smith, Program Director/Artisphere, 16 Augusta Street, Greenville, SC 29601; tel. 864.271.9355; e-mail liz@greenvillearts. com. Applications are available online at the Artisphere Web site: www.artisphere.us.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2009

‰ The Contemporary Arts Center of North Adams, Massachusetts is accepting exhibition proposals for its 2009–2010 exhibition schedule through Nov. 1. For details, call 413.663.9555; visit www.thecac.org; or e-mail info@thecac.org.

‰ Entries open to tiles 15×15x5 cm are being accepted through Nov. 30 for the Fourth International Ceramic Tile Triennial, to take place April 15–June 15, 2010 in Santiago, Dominican Republic. For details, call the Igneri Foundation at 809.531.0164; visit www.elit-tile.net; or e-mail thimop@elit-tile.net. ‰ Clay artists practicing in the U.S. may submit entries through Jan. 18, 2010 for The Third Biennial Contemporary Clay: 2010. The exhibition will take place May 14-June 26, 2010 at the Art Center in Grand Junction, Colorado. Entry fee: 1/$15, 2/$25, 3/$30. For a prospectus, call Camille Silverman at 970-243-7337

ext. 6; visit www.gjartcenter.org; e-mail csilverman@gjartcenter.org; or send your SASE to The Art Center, 1803 North 7th, Grand Junction, CO. For juror insights, google “Pete Pinnell: Thoughts on Cups.”

Ceramics Exhibitions ‰ Hamada: Three Generations of Japanese Potters, featuring works by Shinsaku Hamada, Shoji Hamada, and Tomoo Hamada, takes place through July 20 at Pucker Gallery, 171 Newbury St., Boston, Massachusetts. ‰ The Artist is in the Details, featuring works by David Furman, takes place through July 25 at American Museum of Ceramic Art, 340 S. Garey Ave., Pomona, California. ‰ Fired Works and Other Hot Items by The Kiln Club and the Ceramics Guild of Washington, DC, takes place through July 26 at Scope Gallery, located in the Torpedo Factory, 105 N. Union St., Studio 19, Alexandria, VA. ‰ Origins takes place through July 26 at Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, 1701 Main St., Peekskill, New York. ‰ Featured Artist Works by Gerit Grimm, and Featured Artist Works by Ayumi Horie, take place through July 31 at Red Lodge Clay Center, 123 S. Broadway, Red Lodge, Montana. ‰ More than 50 potters from the Dan Finch Studio in Bailey, NC will continue to exhibit and sell their work through Aug. 1 at the North Carolina Pottery Center, 233 East Avenue, Seagrove, NC. ‰ Legacy of an American Potter, featuring works by Warren MacKenzie, continues through Sept. 13 at the Museum of Craft & Folk Art, 51 Yerba Buena Ln., San Francisco, California. ‰ Perspectives 2009: Georgia Pottery Invitational, Georgia’s largest annual pottery exhibition and sale, takes place Aug. 29-Sept. 16 at the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation (OCAF), 34 School St., Watkinsville, Georgia. The event features 5000 pots for sale; an Opening Reception Gala and Preview Sale on Aug. 28; educational exhibitions; free weekend pottery demonstrations; workshops on Sept. 5-6; and Oconee County Potter studio tours, Sept. 13. For further details call 706-769-4565 or visit www.perspectives09.myocaf.com.

‰ 2nd Annual Lillstreet International takes place Sept. 14 through Oct. 11 at Lillstreet Art Center, 4401 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, Illinois.

‰ On the Verge: Contemporary Ceramics, featuring works by Nicole Cherubini, Patsy Cox, David East, Heather Mae Erickson, Erin Furimsky, and Del Harrow, takes place through August 9 at the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount St., Wichita, Kansas.

‰ Recent Ceramics, featuring works by Dan Anderson and Richard Notkin, takes place Sept. 25-Oct. 15 at AKAR, 257 E. Iowa Ave., Iowa City, Iowa.

‰ Royal Porcelain from the Twinight Collection 1800–1850 takes place through August 9 at Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave. at 82 St., New York, New York. ‰ Recent Work by Linda Shusterman and Alan Willoughby takes place July 25-Aug. 12 at m.t. burton gallery, 1819 N. Long Beach Blvd., Surf City, New Jersey. ‰ The Second Annual Mata Ortiz Exhibition and Sale continues through Aug. 22 at Armstrong’s, 150 E. 3rd St., Pomona, California.

‰ 17th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National will be on exhibit Sept. 26-Oct. 25 at Kevin Lehman’s Pottery, 560 S. Prince St., Lancaster, Pennsylvania. ‰ Remonstrations from the Iconic Rustbelt: New Works by William Brouillard takes place Aug. 21-Nov. 1 at Canton Museum of Art, 1001 Market Ave N., Canton, Ohio. ‰ Plinth Gallery Artists 2009, to feature works by Peter Saenger, Amanda Jaffe, Suzanne Kane, Dan Anderson, Conner Burns, Russel Wrankle, and Kevin Snipes, takes place Dec. 4-28 at Plinth Gallery, 3520 Brighton Blvd., Denver, Colorado. ‰ Inspiration and Ingenuity: American Stoneware takes place through Dec. 31 at Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, 325 W. Francis St., Williamsburg, Virginia.

‰ Flower Power, featuring works by The Kiln Club and the Ceramics Guild of Washington, DC takes place July 27-Aug. 23 at Scope Gallery, located in the Torpedo Factory, 105 N. Union St., Studio 19, Alexandria, Virginia.

‰ Taking Shape: Ceramics in Southeast Asia takes place through Jan. 1, 2010 at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 1050 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC.

‰ Pitchers and Made at the Clay Studio both take place August 7-30 at The Clay Studio, 139 N. Second St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

‰ Tangible History: Stoneware from the Holcombe Family Collection, will be on display through June 30, 2011 at the South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC. This exhibit features some of the best pieces of South Carolina stoneware, most of which have never been on public display before, from the extensive collection of the Holcombe family of Clinton, SC. It includes some classic pieces by Dave (a well-known slave potter), plus examples from Thomas Owenby and other important 19th century potters. Also on view are pieces from the State Museum collection and a potter’s wheel that contemporary potters will use to demonstrate their craft on selected weekends. [

‰ International Folk Pottery Exhibition takes place through August 31 at Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia, Georgia Hwy 255, Sautee Nacoochee Center, Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia. ‰ Recent Ceramics, featuring works by Jill Lawley and John Neely, takes place Aug. 28-Sept. 18 at AKAR, 257 E. Iowa Ave., Iowa City, Iowa.

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

Kevin Crowe

Multichambered Kiln Wood Firing: May 2, 9 and 16

Throwing Large Forms: July 6-11 Pamela Theis Alternative Kilns and Firings: May 29-31 Joyce Michaud East Asian Coil Technique: June 6-7 Ceramic Sculpture: July 18-30 Masters’ Throwing: August 6-9 Glaze Application: August 29-30 Antonio Mendez Portrait Sculpture: August 21-23 and 28 Visit Hood’s Web site for more information. Hood College Graduate School Art Department (301) 696-3456 n Fax (301) 696-3531 www.hood.edu/ceramics Hood College subscribes to a policy of equal educational and employment opportunities.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2009

‰ Object Factory: The Art of Industrial Ceramics takes place through Aug. 23 at the Museum of Art and Design, 2 Columbus Circle, New York, New York.

M.F.A. in Ceramic Arts The M.F.A. and Graduate Certificate in Ceramic Arts provide students with skills and knowledge from which to build a strong aesthetic direction.

Hot Stuff I News & Events

‰ Go Figure!: The Human Form in RAM’s Collections takes place through August 2 at Racine Art Museum, 441 Main St., Racine, Wisconsin.

NCECA 2009 Regional Student Juried Exhibition

Without Mother by Crista Ames, Undergraduate, Utah State University. 24½" x 21½" x 11".

he NCECA 2009 Regional Student Juried Exhibition took place at the Tempe Center for the Arts in Tempe, Arizona in April of this year. This annual student exhibition showcases the finest graduate and undergraduate ceramic artists from around the country, and takes place in conjunction with NCECA’s annual conference. The 2009 exhibition at the Tempe Center for the Arts highlighted work from the 10-state southwestern region: Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.

Enter by Mark Monette, Graduate Student, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas. 3½" x 6" x 6".

The gallery at the Tempe Center for the Arts offered visitors a warm and friendly environment for thoughtful and engaging experiences. The gallery features a variety of curated, traveling, and juried exhibitions, from contemporary art by local and internationally recognized artists to themes of popular and cultural interest. This year’s student exhibition explored new trends and revealed some of the top emerging ceramic artists working in a variety of formats, from functional pottery to abstract sculpture to theme-based installations.

Images of several works featured in the show appear on pages 14-17. [

The Beginnings of Pleasure by Lindsay Pichaske, Graduate Student, University of Colorado, Boulder. 12" x 14" x 12".

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2009

Jurors for this show included Michaelene Walsh and Geoffrey Wheeler. Walsh holds a B.F.A. in crafts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Master of Fine Arts degree from New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Wheeler holds a B.F.A. in fine art from the Kansas City Art Institute and an M.F.A. from the University of Minnesota.

Untitled by Lee M. Mattingly, Graduate Student, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas.

Untitled 2: In-tangibles by Tristyn Bustamante, Undergraduate, Northern Arizona University. 12" x 15" x 9".

Where's Everybody? by Julia Feld, Undergraduate, San Jose State University. 12" x 12" x 12". 16

Iced Tea Pitcher by Perry J. Haas, Undergraduate, Utah State University. 11" x 4".

Communicant by Carla Potter, Graduate Student, University of Nebraska Lincoln. 7" x 4" x 4".

Dicephalopod: Excrescence by James Coquia, Undergraduate, Northern Arizona University. 8¼" x 7¼" x 7¾".

Punch Through by Danny Crump, Undergraduate, Utah State University. 24" x 15" x 10".

CLAY

FALL 09 one week & weekend workshops Julia Galloway

Multiple Vessels as a Pottery Image Patrick Horsley Introduction to Wood Firing Bill van Gilder Teapot Form: Utilitarian vs. Diminutive Fong Choo

New! Manabigama Kiln Rental call for details

Master Workshop Personalized Pots: Surface, Form & Problem Solving Julia Galloway

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Can Function Alone Carry the Message? by PETE PINNELL

have a cheap plastic double-wall travel mug in my office, the kind that is given away (when you buy a large drink) at truck stops throughout the Midwest. I don’t drink out of it very often, but it’s a very useful teaching tool. Every so often, a student potter will tell me that he (or she) “just wants to make purely functional pots.” This statement usually occurs when I’m pressing the student to answer some difficult Art-related question. When this subject comes up, I like to bring out that travel mug—which, in my opinion, is an excellent example of a “purely functional” pot. It’s inexpensive, durable, resistant to spilling, and keeps drinks warm (or cool) for long periods of time. It even advertises the name of the truck stop that gave it to me. When we’re faced with an object that is obviously more “functional” than anything we can make out of clay, it becomes obvious that there is more to “functional” pots than many of us initially realize. With further discussion, it usually comes out that the student is also interested in making objects by hand (and what is useful about such a slow, awkward, and antiquated method of production?), that they want the objects they make to be (at least) “expressive,” while some might even confess a desire to make objects that are “beautiful.” Suddenly, it seems that “purely functional” has fallen by the wayside.

enlightening. Let’s see what they’ve than enlightening. Let’s seeelse what else got: they’ve got:

Many artists will tell you that they’re not interested in function because they’d rather wrestle with “ideas.” A good friend of mine (who teaches philosophy) will tell you that everything is functional, especially ideas. So, perhaps we need to tighten our language a bit and choose a narrower word than function for the actions I enumerated in the previous paragraph. Function is one of those English words that serves multiple purposes—it takes nine definitions in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) just to define it as a noun, and its use as an intransitive verb requires two more. Yet none of these definitions really reflects the simple actions described above. Functional (the adjective form) comes a lot closer. From the OED:

Utility: “1. a. The fact, character, or quality of being useful or serviceable; fitness for some desirable purpose or valuable end; usefulness, serviceableness.

Functional: “1c. As related to the arts, esp. to architecture: designating work executed with a view to its utilitarian purpose; also, of artists, builders, etc.: concerned with the use intended for their product, not with traditional or other theories of design.” That second part, “not with traditional or other theories of design,” is a bit confusing, but I think they’re referring to visual systems, not design in the practical sense. That definition is more confusing

“2d. Pertaining to or serving a function (opp. functionless). Also, practical, utilitarian.” That’s OK, but “Functional: serving a function”—is this really the best they can do? (I’m tempted to quote my kids: “Well, duh!”) At least this definition leads us to another useful word: utility (or utilitarian). Again, from the OED:

I think this comes a lot closer to what we’re talking about. Yet even a fairly casual conversation with a student will usually reveal that we (as artists) are also interested in expressing (or even exploring) a lot of other things; visual, experiential, and intellectual. Are these desires incompatible? These questions are at the heart of the field of ceramics, and this is the aspect of pottery that is most misunderstood by artists, both in and out of the field of ceramics. If I had to sum up the most important thing I’ve learned in 35 years as a potter, it’s that utility is the vehicle, not the destination. When utility—those basic actions like pouring or drinking—become the entire purpose of the object (the destination), then we almost inevitably end up with the equivalent of that cheap, ugly (but useful!) travel mug. By contrast, utility is an enormously powerful vehicle for carrying ideas and expression. It can carry (and has carried) a wide range of meanings, and is endlessly adaptable to just about any aesthetic or expressive purpose. Let’s

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2009

At this point, many students will decide to abandon function entirely, in order to focus on “more important things.” The coin can suddenly flip, and the “limitations” of function can seem to become serious impediments to creativity. “How can I truly express myself if I have to deal with all these restrictions?” they’ll ask.

Let’s back up a bit and define one of the terms in our discussion. What are these “functions” we so often hear about? When potters talk about function, what we’re usually referring to is a group of actions related to the kitchen, dining, and living spaces of the home: drinking, eating, pouring, serving, cooking, storing, presenting, and displaying. As I’ve previously written in this column1, this is a fairly narrow definition, but it encompasses most of the tasks we ordinarily assign to pots.

Perspectives I As Far As I Know

A Real Utility Vehicle

Perspectives I As Far As I Know

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A Real Utility Vehicle (from p. 19) start with the basic meaning of pottery’s appointed tasks: probably few objects more naturally talk about the idea of home than pottery, with its close association with the preparation and serving of food. This, in turn, is closely related to other important social ideas, like family and sharing. These acts take on even more importance when these simple acts are extended beyond one’s immediate family. In the book Three Cups of Tea2, Journalist David Relin describes Greg Mortenson’s inspiring work building schools in Northern Pakistan. The title refers to a proverb that describes what happens when you share three cups of tea with a stranger: with the first cup you are strangers; with the second cup you become friends; and with the third cup you become family. It’s hard to overstate the symbolic importance of the sharing of a meal, and the enormous influence this idea has had on societies around the world. Do I even need to mention an event known as “The Last Supper?” Every time Christians celebrate communion, they are symbolically recreating this meal. Pottery is also closely tied to the idea of beauty. This includes the beautiful object, as well as the beautiful event or experience. Contemporary potters, like other artists, are often uncomfortable discussing beauty, and sometimes afraid that even acknowledging beauty will somehow diminish the objects they produce—to make them seem shallow and unimportant. But few artists (and almost no potters I’ve ever met) would be insulted to have their work described as beautiful. Real beauty isn’t shallow or boring, after all, and it’s interesting how often the word beauty is preceded by words like “unexpected,” “simple,” or “quiet,” or is combined with seemingly contradictory traits like “awkward,” “coarse,” or “rustic.” There is no formula for creating beauty, and formulaic objects are almost never beautiful. In fact, beautiful objects are sometimes surprisingly odd or idiosyncratic. Beauty can also describe the experience of using pottery, or making it a part of some larger event. Beauty is at the heart of the Japanese tea ceremony, for instance, and it’s not just the objects that are beautiful, but the entire experience. Every movement, every sound, every flavor is selected for its aesthetic effect. For those of us who are most interested in utility, it’s good to

be reminded that it’s not the pour that’s important; it’s the beauty of the pour. On the flip side, the friendly and approachable nature of pottery provides it with the opportunity to be a surprisingly subversive vehicle for artists who wish to express social, political, or religious views. Grayson Perry (winner of the Turner Prize in 2003) is a perfect example of a contemporary artist who uses the unassuming nature of pottery to explore a wide range of social issues, including child abuse and sadomasochism. “I like the whole iconography of pottery. It hasn’t got any big pretensions to being great public works of art, and no matter how brash a statement I make, on a pot it will always have certain humility ... for me, the shape has to be classical invisible: then you’ve got a base that people can understand.”3 Closer to home, American artist Ian Anderson has received a fair amount of attention for his politically inspired pottery, including his series of anti-war soap dishes. Seriously—when was the last time you saw the words “anti-war” combined with “soap dish?” Which brings me to humor—and sexiness—and silliness, and comfort, and stylishness—and, well, everything else we might want to express or talk about as people and as artists. There is no limit to the ideas that can be combined with utility. Remember, Marcel Duchamp chose a urinal (a porcelain vessel, you know) to express his idea of the “ready-made.” In the end, both idea and utility are not only compatible with pottery—it’s almost essential that they be married within it. As a happily married couple they can agree, disagree, argue, negotiate, and find accommodation. And, they’ll be far happier together than either would be separately. [ Footnotes: Clay Times Magazine, “Fully Functioning,” 2003 Mar/Apr:20-21, and “Transcending the Naked Truth,” 2004 May/Jun:19-21.

Three Cups of Tea—One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David O. Relin.

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

a look back at a few of our all-time favorites Shiny Clear Glaze Cone 6 Oxidation When applied too thickly, this glaze appears cloudy or milky. Gerstley Borate Silica EPK add Bentonite

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Variation One: Add 2-5% tin oxide to make this glaze opaque. Variation Two: For color, add 0.5% to 4% coloring oxides such as cobalt for blue, iron for brown, or copper for green. Experiment! Byron Temple Orange Cone 9-10 Reduction A satin matte glaze, burnt orange in color. An easily applied, stable glaze good for functional work. Spectacular with temmoku glaze applied on top. 49.0% 18.0 18.0 6.0 9.0 100.0% 6.0% 3.0% 4.0%

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

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Custer Feldspar Cornwall Stone Whiting EPK Ball Clay TOTAL add Red Iron Oxide add Zinc Oxide add Rutile

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Yep ... we like to work in clay, but sometimes we need to stop to ask ourselves evaluation questions. It helps to ask a plethora of detailed questions because they pinpoint areas of strength or weakness in your work. Some of the questions below will not seem relevant to your work. Skip them. Add your own questions. Try evaluating work other than your own, and pretend your own work is by someone else to distance yourself from it. Ask yourself if you are evaluating the art, or the craft of how well made the piece is, and what are the ideas or meanings intended by the piece. You might circle what seems particularly relevant and skip over the parts you are not interested in.

Idea Are you making what most fascinates you? Which of the following holds the greatest intrigue for you: shape, surface, design details, content, new techniques, pattern, texture, simplicity, intricacy, organic qualities, appendages, edges, narrative line, etc.? Do you want to emphasize functional tableware combined with one of the above fascinations? Of course, it could be some combination or added thing to the above questions. The main point is to keep paying massive sweet attention to your ideas. I often find the first piece I make based on a new idea has enthusiasm, but I need to do a series of five to ten to work out the nuances of details. How could I have thought that looked good? Consider whether you need to look at ceramic history, contemporary ceramics, nature, painting, etc. to be further inspired and figure out more what fascinates you in clay and how you might do it.

One Native American culture has a “rule of six.” The rule advocates that people think of

Shape Do you like the top, middle, and bottom parts of the shapes you make? What section of the shape is the weakest? If you changed part of it, would you make it larger or would you trim it down? Does it need to be taller or shorter or wider or thinner? In other words, do you like the height/width proportions? Does it need a foot to set off the shape, or a lid or top to complete the shape? Is it a good size? Recently, when a competent group was critiquing my work, one woman said there was something she hesitated to bring up (which probably meant it would be very helpful information that other people were also thinking about and hesitant to mention). She wondered if I realized I was making what I wanted to be serious work, yet it was craftfair size. I could immediately see that she had a point. The size was too small to carry the message; it trivialized what I was trying to do.

Surface: Color, Texture, Shiny or Matte Are you satisfied with the color or does it need to be darker, lighter, mottled, more varied, all warm, all cool, or is it one of those “totally different let’s start again” surfaces? Maybe the color is great but the surface needs to be

more mottled instead of one flat color. At a critique, I once heard one teacher say all the colors worked on a piece, but the background black was so plain that it just detracted from and pulled down the work. The student then showed a piece that had slivers of a Redart slip showing in crevices of the black, and that detail made a significant difference. Should your piece be shiny or more matte? Do you like the color but want a different feel to the surface? Do you need to have it the same color but a mixture of shiny and mottled matte surfaces? Would your piece be stronger if you made it smooth or had areas of texture or an overall texture? You may want to make a series of the same shape and, after brainstorming on ways to handle the surface, follow with the “rule of six,” or attempt six different surfaces.

Edges Is the top edge the final glorious detail, or does it look as if you got tired and stopped working too early? Should it be thicker, thinner, irregular, or ragged? One time at a critique, what bothered the class members was that the slab-constructed box of a fellow student showed an uneven thickness of the slab. It wasn’t a smooth edge, so your eye got stuck on that unfinished detail. Should the color be different on the top edge for emphasis, or be the same to blend in? Is the foot or bottom area of your piece defined enough? Should it be wider or taller? Does it need to be in better relationship to the top edge? We have all seen pieces where the artist seems to specialize in gorgeous rims or feet, but leaves one of those

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2009

As you generate new ideas, consider that thinking can be divided into two distinct modes: generating and judging. You cannot effectively generate ideas and freely judge them at the same time. During your idea production time, don’t worry about the right answer, or seek elegant divergence and an excessive number of ideas. Have fun and create some ridiculous plans. Judging comes later. Don’t worry about speed or efficiency during ‘idea time.’

a minimum of six possibilities to explain all events of life. Maybe you should adopt the “rule of six” for ideas about what you are going to make (OK, at least test out a “rule of three”).

by LANA Wilson

Perspectives I Beneath the Surface

Considerations for Critiquing Claywork

Perspectives I Beneath the Surface

Questions for Evaluating Claywork (from p. 23) two underdeveloped. Are the edges within the piece satisfying? Should they be more smooth, textured, or a different color?

Appendages Do the handles or appendages add to your piece? Should you make them larger, smaller, textured, and smoother, or would your piece look better with no appendages?

Influences (contributed by Hayne Bayless) “Sometimes I realize what I like about a piece I’ve just made is that it looks like or reminds me of something someone else made—some image that I have stored away in the memory bank that resonates without revealing itself. That’s not necessarily a problem; there isn’t much that has nothing to do with what came before it. But the thing is I don’t necessarily know that while I’m making it. I think it’s different from judging. It’s more about being aware of what influences you, where it came from, and why you’re drawn to it. Sometimes the subconscious is good at hiding that process from your conscious (at least mine is).

Selling (contributed by Hayne Bayless)

SchoolArts magazine inspires…

Expression How will SchoolArts inspire you?

How much does “will it sell?” enter into your thinking? In other words, are you considering only aesthetic and technical aspects of the piece, or do the realities of commerce and making a living come into play? Should selling never influence creating, or are they inseparable aspects of the craftsperson’s job?

Gut Feeling: This is your intuitive feeling about whether the piece works and you like it, or perhaps something is not right. You can grow by changing the piece in front of you or starting a fresh one in the series. Your intuition can be a non-verbal coach helping you out and nudging you toward better work.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2009

These are just some of the questions you can use. You will think of others. Pause and look ... and look, and look, every single day—at your own work, at others’ work, and at the world. [

Rock and Roll guitar. Created by a middle school student. Article in the January 2008 issue, “ART Rocks!”

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LanaWilson is a long-time handbuilder and her e-mail is lana@lanawilson. com. She alerts you to a weekend handbuilding CERF Benefit workshop with four handbuilders on Sept. 17 to 19, 2009 in Philadelphia, log onto: http://sandiandneil.com/handbuilt-event.

Making ‘Trough’ Spouts TEXT & PHOTOS by BILL van GILDER

In Form I Teaching Techniques

Part Two of a Series

Necessary supplies for this project include teapot body forms, bowl of water, Surform® rasp, rubber rib, fettling knife, wooden dowel, sponge, and cut-off wire.

Fig. 1

s described in my Part One column about making teapot spouts, the usable teapot with an efficient, graceful spout attached will often be the first method of spout-making a student will attempt to master. Now, take it a step further. In your demo, show students how to change the scale and look of their spouts, as well as the pot.

Prior to your demo, as I described above, make a round-shaped bowl with a thick, rounded rim. Trim an indented foot into its base or leave it flat-bottomed. Either foot-style will do. Bowl trimming tip: The average diameter of the foot of a bowl will generally be one-half the measured diameter of the rim. The bowl I’ve made for this demo is 9" in diameter, rim to rim, across its center. The total width of the foot is 4½". These proportions allow for stability yet visually lift the bowl from the table in a lively way.

Take your leather-hard bowl, your necessary tools, and your 2-lb. lump of clay to your wheel. Center the clay into a solid form that’s twice as tall as it is wide. At the top of the form, open downward to a depth of about 1" and then widen the opening to 3". Now coax the wall upward and slightly inward during the first pull. As you make this first pull, keep in mind that the inside base area of your spout will, like a teapot spout, need to remain wide for an easy attachment later on. Wet your spout thoroughly and pull the wall upward again until it’s a bit less than ¼" thick and 2½" to 3" tall. The inside diameter of the spout will need to be about 2" at the rim (Fig. 2), next page. If the width is less than 2", the spout won’t pour efficiently. A spout that’s too big or too small will look out of proportion and will visually appear out of balance in relation to the bowl. With the wheel moving at a medium speed, use your narrow dowel to smooth the inside wall of the spout, then use it to create a very small bevel at the inside edge of the rim. Use your curved rib to remove the slip from the outside wall as you press and coax the form into its final, curved shape (Fig. 3), next page.

CLAYTIMES·COM n JULY/AUGUST 2009

To make the trough-type spouts described here (Fig. 1), you’ll need to have previously made a now leather-hard, round-shaped bowl form. If you choose to extend your demo, have a tall, round pitcher form on hand, too. Both forms will already be trimmed or footed and ‘attachment-ready.’ The bowl form is the first thrown shape I teach to students. Adding a thrown spout to their bowl project is an interesting small-scale addition, using a few simple attachment techniques.

The Throwing Demo