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contents

TIMES

Clay January/February 2007 • Volume 13, Number 1

Tall Green Jar by Brian J. Taylor. Porcelain fired to cone 10 in a soda/salt kiln. Story begins on page 34.

features

exhibitions

34 The Beauty of Pots with a Purpose

18 Ashes To Art

Full of botanical references, the buttery beauty of potter Brian J. Taylor’s forms invites touch while his pots celebrate utility.

42 20+1 Years of Tozan Kilns The recent international woodfire conference in northern Arizona featured numerous guest artists and demonstrators, and lots of hands-on firing.

46 Where the Pot Stops

In its east and west coast exhibitions, Funeria introduces an emerging genre of unique, contemporary funerary artwork.

38 2007 NCECA Clay National A preview of the upcoming invitational exhibition scheduled to open in March for the “Old Currents, New Blends” conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

Altered Bottle by Josh Copus, a participant at the international wood firing conference recently held at NAU (see story on page 42). Bottle is wood-fired local pipe clay; white slip with clear ash glaze.

Blair Meerfeld discusses line and shape during a workshop at Hinckley Pottery in Washington, D.C.

50 Weathered Surfaces Somewhere between a rattle and a buoy, Lars Westby’s sculptural objects straddle a fine line, identifying both with toys and industrial objects.

Freeze (detail) by Jacob Foran. Stoneware and mixed media, from the upcoming NCECA Clay National 2007 exhibition. Turn to page 38 to preview more images of works to be featured in the show this March.

contents

TIMES

Clay January/February 2007 • Volume 13, Number 1

Creation Urn III by Paul McCoy. 22" x 17". Stoneware. Awarded “Best of Show” at the third international Ashes to Art® exhibition. Story on page 18.

departments 11 EDITOR’S DESK Resolutions for the new year

13 YOUR WORDS Letters from our readers

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

columns 70 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE

23 AS FAR AS I KNOW

Goods and services offered especially for active clay artists

“Back to Basics, Part I: An Introduction to Glaze Chemistry” by Pete Pinnell

73 SLURRY BUCKET TIPS

27 BENEATH THE SURFACE

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

“Confessions of an Electric Kiln Repairman” by Lana Wilson

29 TEACHING TECHNIQUES

53 GREAT GLAZES

“Making Plates” by Bill van Gilder

Lars Westby’s weathered surfaces exposed

57 TOOL TIMES “Drying Sensibly” by Vince Pitelka

54 THE GALLERY A selection of new works by CT readers

59 KILNS & FIRING “Instruments for Measuring Temperature, Part III” by Marc Ward

67 POTTERY CLASSES Where you can learn claywork in the United States and Canada

61 STUDIO HEALTH & SAFETY “New: Free EPA Booklet” by Monona Rossol

On the cover: Wood-fired Ewer by Terry Inokuma, one of numerous participants at the recent wood-firing conference held at Northern Arizona University. See story, page 42.

65 BOOKS & VIDEOS Studio space of Lars Westby, resident artist at Baltimore Clayworks. Turn to page 50 to learn how he creates his large handbuilt vessels.

Ray Finch, Craftsman Potter of the Modern Age review by Steven Branfman

74 AROUND THE FIREBOX “Why We Need Teachers” by Kelly Savino

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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 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 • Rand Heazlitt 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 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

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 1-800-3562529, or visit www.claytimes.com.

For more information on workshops & classes, contact Amy Kline Phone: (702) 987-3023 Cell: (702) 845-1715 E-mail: potterywest@cox.net

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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 © 2007 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.

magazine

TIMES

Pottery West

ceramic art trends, tools & techniques

ow that 2007 is here, we have the perfect opportunity to make our New Year’s resolutions.

I’ve decided to make mine about how I work with clay. After all, there are many things that I do/don’t do on a regular basis, which I know could improve the quality of my work. But I ignore them. (I don’t know why ... I just do!) Like when I’ve attached a porcelain handle to the body of a mug after the mug is too dry to accept it. As I’m attaching it, a little voice in the back of my head says, “Why are you doing this? You know it’s not going to work! The pot is too dry; you should have covered it before you left the studio to answer the phone!” Of course, at times like these, the home studio really works against me. I can be sidetracked from the clay process by something as simple as a phone call, and the next thing I know, it’s days before I have a chance to return to my work. Meanwhile, it has all dried too much to trim successfully.

But will I gracefully accept that fate? No way. Even though my little voice tells me otherwise, I’ll find myself immersing those dried-out mug bodies into my slurry water, hoping that they’ll gently accept saturation and return to the desired dryness for trimming and handling. Then I’ll even pull handles, attach them with care, wax the joins so they’re less likely to crack, and gently cover them tightly with dry cleaning plastic. I’ll carry them to the basement where they can dry more slowly. But they all crack anyway! Duh. As if I didn’t know better!

tions you could possibly make for yourself, such as: • Vacuum your electric kiln regularly (see “Confessions of a Kiln Repairman” on page 27). • Commit to understanding and learning glaze formulation (see “Back to Basics: An Introduction to Glaze Chemistry” on page 23).

Well, I’m not doing that anymore. I’m making my 2007 resolution to always cover my work before leaving it for even a moment ... and if it ever does dry out too much to trim or handle, I’ll scrap it and simply throw a new form!

• Let your own pots dry properly (turn to “Drying Sensibly” for Vince’s take on this).

As you read through this issue of CT, you might consider some of the clay resolu-

• Make your own resolution ... and share it with us! And have a great new year.

Spouting Off I Editor’s Desk

Starting the Year off Right

• Do what you’re supposed to do to keep your studio safe (see “New: Free EPA Booklet” on page 61).

— Editor [

March 10-11, 2007 (Pre-NCECA) with

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Spouting Off I Letters

Your Words Identifying Amorphous Silica In response to the article that appeared on pages 18-21 of the November/December 2006 issue of Clay Times, entitled “Crystalline Glaze Workshops 2005-06,” several readers wrote to us asking about amorphous silica. We contacted glaze guru John Hesselberth for an answer. His reply:

Respectfully Yielding I had fantasies of seeing my work on the cover, but when I saw the November issue of Clay Times, I was absolutely delighted. Otto is a dear, sweet, brilliantly talented man whom I am honored to call a friend. The enclosed photo was taken of the two of us just this past month in Otto’s Ojai studio. Thank you for the impressive four-page spread about my work. I’m humbled. My one hope is that I don’t have to wait until I’m 91 to be on the cover! Deborah Shapiro • Tigard, Oregon

“Amorphous silica is non-crystalline silica—same chemical composition, but already a glass instead of a bunch of crystals. The most common crystalline form of silica is quartz. Amorphous silica probably melts slightly faster, and that is why crystalline glaze folks might use it. They like to spend as little time at hot temperatures as they can so their glazes don’t run off the pot, but they need to get their materials completely melted. You can buy amorphous silica from some of [the] suppliers [who advertise in Clay Times] (I think—I’ve never tried), but most potters would not be able to tell the difference between that and crystalline silica in their glazes. And no, it’s not in liquid [form]. I hope that helps …” CT [

Thanks Love your magazine! Have been a friend of yours forever. My daughter, Sharon, is becoming a wonderful raku artist—following in my footsteps. She is always taking over my Clay Times: “Just for a couple of days, Mom!” Yeah, right! So, this Christmas she is getting her own … Keep up the great work. I have been reading and learning, back to front, since “day one” of Clay Times! Thank you! Susan Tingelstad • Quilcene, Washington

I found Pete Pinnell’s column [Clay Times, November/December 2006] on Tae Kwon Do especially interesting because I have spent much of my life studying karate. A martial arts workout has a side effect that should appeal to artists of any kind, including potters: It increases the flow of creativity. I get my best ideas after a workout. Arnold Howard, Paragon Industries, L.P. Mesquite, Texas

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Creative Juices

Trinity Ceramic Supply, Inc. and Trinity Ceramic Supply East are proud supporters of Empty Bowls. Each year Trinity collaborates with The North Texas Food Bank, The Tarrant Area Food Bank, The Tupelo Salvation Army and “You” to feed the hungry through the Empty Bowls Benefit. Donating bowls is a simple and direct way for potters to make a difference. 100% of the sale price of the donated bowls goes to feed the hungry. Mail or drop off your bowls at Trinity by February 5.

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

The Museum & Gallery have long been a vital center for the exploration of craft—past, present and future. An expansive new downtown location will help the organization be accessible to a much larger audience and dramatically increase the visibility of its exhibitions, collection, programs and resources. It will allow the organization to more effectively achieve its goals: to guide education about the region’s rich contribution to the history of craft, to build upon and steward the museum’s collection, to deepen the understanding and appreciation of craft and its makers, to expand the audience that values craft, and to further support Portland’s growing reputation as an energetic and culturally-rich destination.

Ceramics Fair ‰ The 2007 New York Ceramics Fair runs January 17-21 at the National Academy Museum in New York City. Its 40 exhibitors will feature important antique and contemporary porcelain, pottery, enamel, and glass created both as table service and as art. In its eighth year, the Ceramics Fair is now a pillar of New York’s winter antiques season—this year it launches Winter Antiques Week. The Fair presents a series of eight lectures by ceramicists, scholars, and authors; and the Fair’s Loan Exhibit will be “Another Man’s Treasure,” a display of objects from a previously unknown trash tip [dump site] in Burslem, England, discovered in 2006 by Don Carpentier. Objects from the Burslem tip are helping redefine the history of a number of late 18th and early 19th Century ceramic forms.

The museum’s current location (where closing exhibitions are on view through

‰

The Craft/Materials Studies Department in the School of the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia is inviting applications for two positions.

• A collateral or tenure track teaching position in Fiber, Metal, Glass, or Clay. The deadline for this position is January 8 for full consideration or until filled. The start date is August 16.

• A full-time adjunct technician position.

For more information, call (804) 828-1477 or go online to www.vcu.edu.

Crafts Museum Relocates

Ceramics Exhibitions

‰

‰ Santa Fe Clay Gallery in New Mexico

After nearly 70 years at its current location in Portland’s southwest hills, Oregon, the Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery is preparing to launch its closing exhibitions, January 13-March 11. Three individual artists—including 2006 Halvorsen Artist-in-Residence Eliza Au—will each present installations in the exhibition galleries. The museum will close for three months in preparation for the grand reopening in its new home in downtown Portland on July 22.

presents “Tea,” a national invitational exhibit of teapots featuring approximately 45 artists from across the US.

Photo courtesy Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery

CLAyTIMES·COM n JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

Position Opening

The deadline for this position is also January 8 for full consideration or until filled. The start date is July 1.

The National Academy Museum is located at 1083 Fifth Avenue (at 89th Street), New York City, NY 10128.

March) is 3934 SW Corbett Avenue, Portland, OR 97239. For more information, visit www.contemporarycrafts.org or call (503) 223-2654.

“Tea” will showcase ceramic artists’ interpretations of this iconic form, bringing numerous combinations of utility and decorative ornamentation to the exhibition.

Eliza Au slipcasts parts for Hymn to Calamity, an upcoming installation at the Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery in Portland, Oregon.

The exhibition opens January 5, with a reception from 5-7 pm, and runs through February 3.

‰

Baltimore Clayworks presents “100 Teapots III,” an exhibition of functional and sculptural teapots that will run from January 13 through February 21. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, January 13 from 6-8 pm. Juror Julia Galloway viewed a very competitive group of more than 670 entries from 165 artists, and chose 100 entries by 69 artists. Baltimore Clayworks is located at 5707 Smith Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland. The Exhibitions Gallery is open 10 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday. More information may be found at www. baltimoreclayworks.org, or by calling (410) 578-1919.

‰

“Timeless Vessels” opens in the Exhibition Gallery at The Society of Arts & Crafts in Boston, Massachusetts, on February 1. The show will be on view Monday through Saturday 10-6 and Sunday 12-5 through April 28. For more information, visit www. societyofcrafts.org, e-mail exhibitiongallery@ societyofcrafts.org, or call (617) 266-1810, ext. 13. The SAC is located at 175 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116.

‰ “On the Table: 100 Years of Functional Ceramics in Canada” will be on display at the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art in Toronto, Ontario, from February 15 through April 29.

Guest curated by Sandra Alfoldy and Rachel Gotlieb, the exhibition explores the theme of Canadian identity and cliché, and examines the intersection between craft, design, and industry. It also traces the colorful rise and fall of pattern and ornament in 20th Century ceramics.

The Gardiner Museum is located at 111 Queen’s Park. Call (416) 586-8080 or visit www.gardinermuseum.on.ca to learn more.

‰ In February, The Kenan Center House Gallery in Lockport, New York, will showcase the work of ceramics faculty from Western New York and Ontario colleges and universities in “Extraordinary Forms: Binational Clay.” The exhibition will open February 11 with a public reception at the Kenan Center. Selected works will be displayed by 17 faculty members including Robert Wood, Buffalo State College; Carl Shanahan, SUNY Geneseo; Mitch Messina, Nazareth College; Lori Mills, SUNY Brockport; Jeremiah Donovan, SUNY Cortland; Marv Bjurlin, SUNY Fredonia; Richard Hirsch and Julia Galloway, Rochester Institute of Technology; and Linda Sikora, Walter McConnell, and Chris Miller from Alfred University. Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario will be represented by department chair Bruce Cochrane, along with Tony Clennell, Marc Egan, Dale Pereira, Cathleen Nicholson, and professor emeritus, Winn Burke. Sharing the bill with “Extraordinary Forms” will be an exhibit of new work by Maryland ceramic artist Gary Schlappal, who received the Master Craftsman Award at the Kenan Center’s 100 American Craftsmen Festival in 1997, followed by four “Best of Show” Awards. Working in porcelain, Schlappal is most noted for his intricate surface detail on functional porcelain pieces and his signature “architectonic” sculptures that combine ceramic elements with handbuilt wooden structures. The Kenan Center House Gallery is located in the Kenan House, 433 Locust Street, Lockport, NY, and may be contacted by phone at (716) 433-2617 or found online at www.kenancenter.org.

‰ Bernice Steinbaum Gallery and Florida Craftsmen present “What’s Next” in the Klein Family Gallery, St. Petersburg, Florida. This multi-media exhibition includes the monumental terra cotta figures of

CLAyTIMES·COM n JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

“On the Table” is a comprehensive exhibition that looks at a century of change through the medium of functional pottery. The exhibition will honor the achievements of Canadian ceramic artists and will present more than 200 works by more than 40 studios and potteries from across the country.

Originated by the Gardiner Museum, “On the Table” will travel to the Winnipeg Art Gallery and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia after its Toronto presentation.

hot stuff I News & Events

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Photograph courtesy of Florida Craftsmen/Klein Family Gallery

Hot Stuff I News & Events

Calls for Entries January submission deadlines

‰

The American Concern for Artistry and Craftsmanship is accepting applications for the following festivals:

•

The 22nd annual Autumn Crafts Festival at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City—September 8-9 and 15-16.

• The 11th annual Craft as Art Festival at the Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn Harbor, New York—October 6-7. The application deadline for both festivals is January 4. After this date, applications will still be reviewed periodically until the shows are filled. Craft artists may apply for one or both weekends for the Autumn Crafts Festival. A jury of crafts experts will select 175 total participants; 120 craft artists will be selected to participate in the Craft as Art Festival. For application guidelines and booth fees, visit the Web site at www.craftsatlincoln. org, send e-mail to acacinfo@gmail.com, or call (973) 746-0091. For an application, send an SASE with $0.65 postage to: Raya Zafrina, Director of Operations, c/o ACAC, PO Box 650, Monclair, NJ 07042. February submission deadlines

CLAyTIMES·COM n JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

Simple Man by Wanxin Zhang. 84" x 22" x 26". Terra cotta and pigment, built using the same processes employed by the creators of the original Qin terra cotta army.

Wanxin Zhang and will be on display from January 19-March 2, with an opening reception from 6-9 pm on January 19. Curated by Bernice Steinbaum, the work will be brought to Florida Craftsmen, courtesy of Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, straight from Art Basel in Miami Beach. Steinbaum will present a curatorial lecture, “Craft & Art: Everything in Life Can Be Art,” in conjunction with the exhibition on January 21 at noon. More information may be found online at www.floridacraftsmen.net, or by calling (727) 821-7391.

‰ The

Lincoln Arts & Culture Foundation, in Lincoln, California, announces its annual call for entries to the “Feats of Clay XX” exhibition. This is the 20th year of “Feats of Clay.” The call is extended to artists working in the United States and its territories, and—for the first time—to artists in Mexico and Canada. The exhibition will be held from April 28 to May 27. The application deadline is February 9. For submission guidelines and fees, awards information, and jury details, visit the Web site at www.lincolnarts.org or call (916) 645-9713. For a prospectus, send a #10 SASE to Lincoln Arts, 540 F Street, Lincoln, CA 95648.

‰ The Artery of Davis, California is now accepting submissions for the 2007 California Clay Competition, to be held April 27 through June 2. Home of the Artists’ Cooperative of Davis, The Artery has sponsored the Competition since 1990, giving California

ceramic artists an opportunity to display their work during the California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art (CCACA). The competition is open to all artists living in California. Approximately 35 works will be accepted from an expected 400 entries. Submission of slides, fees, and entry form must be postmarked by February 20. For fees and submission guidelines, contact The Artery by phone at (530) 758-8330 or by e-mail artery@ davis.com. Located at 207 G Street, Davis, CA 95616, The Artery may be found online at www. arteryart.com.

‰

The Sales Gallery at the Contemporary Crafts Museum in Portland, Oregon, invites professional artists from North America who are working in craft media (ceramic, fiber, wood, glass, or metal) or using traditional craft techniques to submit documentation of their work to be considered for inclusion in the Gallery, scheduled to open this summer. Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery is poised to relocate. The move is expected to take three months, and is scheduled to begin in late March. The new site—situated between Portland’s Pearl District and Oldtown/ Chinatown on the North Park Blocks—is intended to be a vital hub for art lovers and collectors interested in craft. Complete submission materials must be received by 5 pm on February 1. For more information, e-mail wendy@contem porarycrafts.org. March submission deadlines

‰

The Virginia Artisans Center in Waynesboro, Virginia, announces a national call for entries to “A Twist on Tradition,” a juried fine craft exhibition. The exhibition will take place from May 17 through June 27. Deadline for entries is March 10; entry fee is $25. All fine craft media are eligible. Tim Glotzbach, founding Director of the Kentucky School of Craft, will serve as juror. Visit www.artisanscenterofvirginia.org for a prospectus, or mail an SASE to Artisans Center of Virginia, PO Box 452, Waynesboro, VA 22980. For more information,

April submission deadlines

‰

The Clay Art Center in Port Chester, New York, in conjunction with The Westchester Arts Council, is calling for artists and exhibition proposals for “All Fired Up: A Celebration of Clay in Westchester,” a county-wide tour of clay throughout Westchester County, NY in Fall 2008. The Clay Art Center will be accepting proposals from artists and curators for solo, group, and thematic shows which highlight the accessibility and diversity of ceramics as an expressive medium. All proposals will undergo a curatorial review, after which selected exhibitions will be sited at participating galleries and venues in Westchester County. Artists interested in being part of invitational group exhibitions are also encouraged to apply. All proposals are due by April 6. Visit www.clayartcenter.org or www.westarts.com, contact Leigh Taylor Mickelson via e-mail at leigh@clayartcenter. org, or call (914) 937-2047 for proposal forms.

thepark.com, e-mail directors@clinton artinthepark.com, or call Stacy Kinkaid at (563) 242-5120. The mailing address is Art in the Park, PO Box 2164, Clinton, IA 52733-2164.

The deadline for submissions is May 31. The call is open to artists in all media who are at least 21 years old and who reside in one of the eleven member states of the ACC/SE region: AL, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV.

May submission deadlines

To request a prospectus, e-mail info@ whoknowsart.biz or visit www.acc-south east.com, or send an SASE to Wendy Outland, ACC-SE Spotlight 2007, PO Box 1382, Asheville, NC 28802. [

‰

American Craft Council Southeast announces “Spotlight 2007,” the regional annual juried exhibition, to take place at Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, August 17September 22.

Hot Stuff I News & Events

call or e-mail Elizabeth Moss: (540) 9463294, ACV@nexet.net.

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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.

‰ Art in the Park in Clinton,

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CLAyTIMES·COM n JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

Iowa, is accepting applications for the 45th annual Outdoor Fine Arts Festival. Held in Riverview Park overlooking the Mississippi River, the festival features fine arts and fine crafts by national and regional artists, and will take place June 16.

CLAyTIMESÂ·COM n JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

Harvest Urn II by Paul McCoy. 13" x 10". Stoneware.

Hot Stuff I Crystalline Glazing

Art

Hot Stuff I On Exhibit

Ashesto

Hunebedden Family by Karen Aumann. Among 130 works recently featured in the third international Ashes to Art® exhibition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Fifty original funerary urns and artworks from the third international Ashes to Art® exhibition come to rest in Sonoma County, California following the Philadelphia east coast debut.

genre of unique, contemporary funerary artwork. Ashes to Art® is organized by FUNERIA—an arts agency based in Northern California’s Sonoma County town of Graton. FUNERIA is also in the process of transforming an 1800-sq.-ft. space previously occupied by a martial arts studio into a fine craft and art gallery. Following the installation at the Sonoma County Museum, several pieces will remain in the museum’s gift shop while the balance will move to FUNERIA’s new gallery in Graton.

“arthonorslife@funeria,” as the gallery will be called, is the first of its kind, focusing primarily on original contemporary funerary art. The gallery intends to expand the concept in future exhibitions to include work that reflects on the art honors life™ theme FUNERIA has been advancing since 2001, with its first exhibition at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center. arthonorslife@funeria is scheduled to open as early as the end of January 2007 at 2860 Bowen Street, in Graton, CA.

CLAyTIMES·COM n JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

n an interesting twist that acknowledges the role of those we love and think of during the holidays, the Sonoma County Museum in Santa Rosa, CA, recently showcased a group of 50 original artist-made urns, vessels, and personal memorial objects during an annual holiday event and sale. The artwork arrived directly from Philadelphia’s 5,000-sq.-ft. ICE BOX gallery at Crane Arts. The works had been selected from a group of 130 pieces from 26 states and 6 foreign countries that comprised the east coast debut of Ashes to Art®—an international exhibition that has been leading the emerging

Hot Stuff I On Exhibit

East Coast Award Winners PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania—Working artists who are also long-time respected educators took top honors at the east coast debut of the recent Ashes to Art® exhibition. “Best of Show” was awarded to Baylor University Professor of Art and Ceramistin-Residence, Paul McCoy, for his large bell-shaped stoneware Creation Urn III (pictured on page 8). “Excellence in Clay” was awarded to Winthrop University’s Professor of Ceramics, Jim Connell, for Red Green, his carved and sandblasted lidded jar (pictured at left). Red Green, carved and sandblasted lidded jar by Jim Connell. 11" x 11". Stoneware. Recipient of the “Excellence in Clay” award at the third international Ashes to Art® exhibition.

The “People’s Choice” award was based on popular vote throughout the show and was won by Jack Thompson, Professor of Fine Art/3-D at Moore College of Art and Design. Thompson’s clay Anubis (pictured, lower left), the jackal-headed guide to the underworld in ancient Egyptian lore, figured prominently in all promotional materials for the exhibition.

CLAyTIMES·COM n JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

Jurors for the 130-piece Philadelphia exhibition included lead juror Michael W. Monroe, Director of the Bellevue Arts Museum and former chief curator of the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery, and artist jurors Carol Green and Christiane Michaela Vincent. Green, Vincent, and FUNERIA’s arts counsel Adela Akers gathered in Philadelphia to select the award-winning works prior to the October 21st opening reception. Akers had also served as lead juror when Ashes to Art® debuted at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center in 2001.

To learn more about FUNERIA and its Ashes to Art® exhibitions, visit www. funeria.com or e-mail arthonorslife@ funeria.com. [

What memorial object will stand in for you when you’re no longer here to speak for yourself? Anubis (detail) by Jack Thompson. 16" x 13" x 14". Painted ceramic. Recipient of the “People’s Choice” award at the third international Ashes to Art® exhibition.

—FUNERIA

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An Introduction to Glaze Chemistry by PETE PINNELL

arlier this year, I wrote about methods that can be used to alter existing glazes and develop new ones, and at that time I promised that I’d explain yet another way. The method I had in mind is called the Unity Molecular Formula, otherwise known as

the stuff in the universe that you can see is made of atoms.1 Atoms are built of three kinds of particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. An atom is a bit like a tiny solar system, with electrons (playing the role of planets) orbiting a large, central nucleus made up of protons and

use of the names of these categories, whether you’ve realized it or not—you’ve probably heard someone refer to a glaze as being really “alkaline,” for instance, and “alkali metals” are one of the groupings in the table. A little later in this series I’ll provide a chart that some

the Seger formula, in honor of Hermann Seger, the 19th Century German scientist who invented this way of looking at glazes. It’s the best and most powerful technique for designing, analyzing, or altering glazes; but since it uses some chemical symbols and a few numbers, it can look complex. This scares away a lot of potters, especially those who have not had much technical education. However, the reality is that it isn’t nearly as complex as it looks and with a little coaching, anyone can learn how to read, understand, and use a Unity Formula. Really.

neutrons. Protons have a positive charge, electrons have a negative charge, and neutrons have no charge. What keeps the electrons in their little orbits around the nucleus of an atom is the electrical attraction between the electrons and protons, and so the numbers of each in an atom will normally be equal. Atoms can range in size from small ones like hydrogen—which has just one proton, one electron, and no neutrons—to large atoms like uranium—which has 92 protons, 92 electrons, and 146 neutrons. Note that in both cases, the number of protons and electrons is equal (more on this later).

people refer to as “the potter’s periodic table of elements,” and within it are abbreviated versions of some of these categories.

Let’s start at the beginning, and do so with a very scientific term: stuff. All of

Considering how many different kinds of stuff there are, even just on Earth, it’s surprising to note that all of them are composed of surprisingly few different kinds of atoms; at latest count, there are just 117. Each different kind of atom has its own name, structure and characteristics, and we refer to them as “the chemical elements.” In order to better understand the elements, chemistry organizes them into a chart known as the Periodic Table of Elements.2 In it, the elements are arranged into specific groupings that place similar elements together. As potters, we make regular

On the following page is our list:

CLAyTIMES·COM n JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

As I outlined the column, I realized that if I were going to write about this, it would take more than just one column and would require that I first define some basic chemical knowledge for those of you who didn’t take a chemistry class in school, or who have forgotten what you learned there. As a result, I’ve planned a series of columns in which I’ll try to simplify and present some very basic chemistry knowledge, along with an introduction to the Unity Formula method.

We generally use a one- to threeletter symbol to represent each of the elements (both the names and symbols are included in the Wikipedia link in the footnote). Some of these are pretty easy to recognize, since they have the same root as the English name: Li for lithium, for instance. With others, it seems to make little sense because they are based on the Latin or Greek words for those elements, such as Na for Sodium (from the Latin “Natrium”), or Pb for lead (from the Latin “Plumbum”). To become comfortable with reading chemical formulas, one of the first things we have to do is memorize the chemical symbols. As potters, we don’t have to memorize all of them, since there are many we never use. Here is a “bare minimum” list of elements that a potter needs to know. These won’t appear on our final exam. I’m joking—actually they will be on the final, and I will be sending your grades home to your parents, so start memorizing!

Perspectives I As Far As I Know

Back to Basics, Part I

Perspectives I As Far As I Know CLAyTIMES·COM n JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

ELEMENT aluminum antimony barium bismuth boron cadmium calcium carbon chromium cobalt copper fluorine hydrogen iron lead lithium magnesium manganese nickel nitrogen oxygen phosphorus potassium praseodymium selenium silicon sodium strontium sulfur tin titanium vanadium zinc zirconium

SYMBOL Al Sb Ba Bi B Cd Ca C Cr Co Cu F H Fe Pb Li Mg Mn Ni N O P K Pr Se Si Na Sr S Sn Ti V Zn Zr

See, that’s not so bad. Memorizing them means that when you see “Ti,” you know that it means “titanium,” and not “tin,” which can make a big difference in a glaze. Even more commonly, potters confuse magnesium (Mg) with manganese (Mn). Just remember—“they mine manganese (Mn) in Minnesota (Mn)” (not really, but it makes it easy to remember). Individual elements tend not to live alone in the wild. Instead, elements tend to bond together to create more complex structures, and among these are forms we call molecules. A molecule can be defined as a chemically stable entity made up of two or more atoms. These atoms can be the same, such as with the case of an oxygen molecule

(O2) that is made up of just two atoms of oxygen (O), or with different atoms, such as with water (H2O), the chemical bonding of hydrogen and oxygen. What’s interesting is that when atoms are joined together into molecules, they usually change qualities in surprising ways. Even such a simple molecule as O2 has

oxides. In pottery, virtually everything we use is in an oxidized form. Non-oxides are fairly rare in our branch of ceramics, at least if you don’t include our silicon carbide kiln shelves. Our little branch of the ceramic world is sometimes defined as the “oxide branch” of ceramics, and there are “non-oxide” and “composite”

qualities very different from O, and H2O certainly has qualities different from the two gasses that made it up: think about ice, for instance, compared with either oxygen or hydrogen.

branches as well. I mention this because “oxide” is such a common suffix in our field that we often fail to even mention it. You hear potters talk about a “magnesium” matte, or a “lead” glaze. The reality is that we’re really talking about “magnesium oxide” and “lead oxide” in each of those cases. We quit saying “oxide” after every element name because it’s unwieldy in conversation, and in our field, we can just assume that everything is an oxide (with a few rare exceptions).

A little closer to the ceramic world, let’s consider the molecule aluminum oxide, which has the formula Al2O3 and is found in clay and some other common glaze materials. By the way, those little numbers after the chemical symbols mean that one molecule of aluminum oxide contains two atoms of aluminum and three atoms of oxygen. You are all familiar with the realworld qualities of aluminum (the “Al” in aluminum oxide). It is a soft, light, malleable metal with a melting point of just 1220° F (about cone 020). This is just barely hot enough to register as red heat in a kiln, and is actually a temperature that you can reach on top of a kitchen stove. I know, because I melted one of our aluminum pans while fixing Christmas dinner for guests a couple of years ago, when I failed to put any water into the pan in which I was trying to steam broccoli (I kept the little silvery nuggets that resulted, and threw away the broccoli). You’re also certainly aware of the physical qualities of oxygen: it’s light, a gas at room temperature, etc. Now, logic would seem to say that if you combine a soft, light metal with a gas, you might get something even softer and lighter. Instead, what results is aluminum oxide, which is very heavy,3 dense, hard,4 abrasive,5 and melts at about 3725° F, or cone 42. I mention this to reinforce the point that chemical reactions can tend to seem illogical. One particular kind of molecule is called an “oxide,” which is any element that is chemically combined with oxygen. Some potters mistakenly use the term oxide to mean just the materials that we use to color a glaze, but those are the coloring

Now, a chemist would speak even more specifically and tell us how much oxygen is joined with each particular element: “oxide” for one atom of oxygen, “dioxide” for two, “trioxide” for three, etc. An international group called “IUPAC” governs correct usage.6 They publish a book 7—updated every decade or so—that provides current standards for what’s known as nomenclature. As potters, we don’t need to be really careful of what we verbally call our different oxides—we can just call all of them oxides—but we do need to be careful that we write them correctly. How an element oxidizes depends upon that element’s valence. Valence? The valence of an atom is a measure of its ability to bond with other elements. Remember when I talked about electrons orbiting the nucleus of an atom? It turns out that some of these electrons can be transferred to another atom, or shared between atoms. This sharing of electrons forms the basis for chemical bonding. In beginning chemistry classes, they often have kits for building little models of molecules.8 In these kits, each atom is represented by a little colored ball, and each ball has sockets in which you can stick little pegs to hold the molecules together. Some of the balls have more sockets, some fewer. This is essentially what valence is: how many “peg holes”

Why on earth would a potter need to know anything about valence? It turns out, it’s pretty important to us because it can help us predict the role that an oxide will play in a glaze. We’ll go into this more next time, and also gather that information into a simple, practical chart that will make this all a bit more clear (I promise). I can now see your eyes glazing over! But before I end, I’d like to offer you this list of terms to contemplate between now and next issue:

As you read this list, think about what the terms mean. If you don’t remember, please go back and reread my explanation, or go online to Wikipedia (or another Web site) and read some more formal explanations. Next time, we’ll put all this into a ceramic perspective. [ FOOTNOTES

• Atom • Proton • Neutron • Electron • Molecule • Element • Periodic Table • Oxide • Valence

black. 6. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. 7. Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry IUPAC Recommendations 2005, Edited by N.G. Connelly, T. Damhus, R.M. Hartshorn, and A.T. Hutton. This is also referred to as “The Red Book.”

1. I’m going to leave out any discussion of

8. This looks like the kind of kit we had when

quarks, photons, neutrinos, etc. here: from the

I was a student, and that schools are probably

standpoint of a potter, if you can’t buy a bag

still using: www.molymod.com.

of it from the store, you don’t have to worry about it. 2. You can find a nice one on Wikipedia, at http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodic_table_%28big%29.

5. It’s the grit on any sandpaper that’s not

3. 3.97 grams per cubic centimeter, versus 2.70 grams per cubic centimeter for aluminum metal.

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.

Perspectives I As Far As I Know

an atom has, to represent how many other atoms it can join.

4. Aluminum oxide has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale—diamond is 10, while aluminum metal is 2.8.

CLAyTIMES·COM n JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

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by LANA WILSOn

This is the first of two columns based on scary but informative chats with my kiln repairman. I wanted to give him credit, but he wanted to be anonymous. He is too busy already ...

asked him to start with a slightly hilarious, but true, story. He quickly responded. “Three times a year, I am called to repair a kiln because the maintenance man stood on top of it to paint the ceiling. Imagine his surprise when he plummeted through the kiln lid and never got a bit of the ceiling painted. There should be a prominent sign in every group studio telling people never to stand on a kiln lid and not to put things on the lid of the kiln.” I asked him for more common mistakes people made with kilns. “Years ago, a frantic potter who had bought a kiln from us phoned to complain the kiln was not working correctly. I checked the whole kiln carefully. I couldn’t find one thing wrong. I carefully questioned the customer. The problem was, the kiln had not been properly loaded. The bottom third of the kiln had been tightly packed and the top third was totally empty.

the shortest in height, and the top shelf post should be at least four inches in height before the final shelf. Always have a top shelf just before the lid because it will help even out the firing.” When my sensor rod in the kiln sitter looked thin, I ordered a new one and he had definite advice. “Check the kiln sitter. When the sensing rod begins to look like a toothpick, you need to change it. If it looks curved, you need to change it. And put the cone near the end of the kiln sitter prongs, not next to the tube. I have seen the cone stuck back and melted into the tube that holds the kiln sitter prongs. I replace more kiln sitter tubes because of this. A little kiln wash on the kiln sitter’s cone supports can also help prevent cones from sticking.” He added, “Don’t place the soft bricks or any kind of posts right up against the kiln wall because it is hard on the elements. It makes the kiln elements too hot in that area, and then that is where they will be weak—that will be the first place an element will break.”

“If your kiln is wide and not too tall, consider the logic of having the first shelf be on top of two-inch posts. You can’t have the bottom shelf or two be one or two inches in height, the middle shelf a tall vase, and the top three more low shelves of plates. Instead, the bottom shelf post should be at least four inches tall while the middle shelves should be

He noticed my kiln wasn’t super clean. He told me, “Cleaning the kiln is important. Any clay or glaze that gets in the element groove will burn the element out. Clay remaining on an element or glaze fused to the element can burn a hole in the element. As a glaze particle starts to melt, it will burn a hole in the soft brick that holds the element.

Joe ir Repa Kiln uy G

“If you don’t clean out glaze particles, they will eventually melt into the element. Remember, it gets hotter in the element grooves than the temperature you fire to. This means any glaze in there will just flux or melt all over. Someone brought me a kiln once and all the element grooves had melted glaze in them. If I had put new elements in that kiln, they would have just burned out again very soon because glaze was still in the grooves.”

CLAyTIMES·COM n JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007

“I didn’t have to fix anything in that unhappy potter’s kiln. I just had to explain how heat rises, [that] colder air goes to the bottom, and how kilns should be loaded. You have to get ceramic work up off the bottom of the kiln. Always put a one-inch post on the bottom of the kiln and then load the first shelf. This way the ceramic work is up off the floor of the kiln.

Perspectives I Beneath the Surface

Confessions of an Electric Kiln Repairman

Perspectives I Beneath the Surface

He didn’t like my emergency use of Nichrome™ wire for element pins. He elaborated, “I have seen people use paper clips as element staples. The element is ruined because the paper clip became molten and the element can’t take that. Nichrome wire used as pins also burns up the elements because they are made of Kanthal®. You can’t go to Radio Shack™ and use their push-on connectors because you need push-on connectors and terminal rings made for high temperatures. The Radio Shack connectors get hot if you use them in your kiln because they can’t take the heat; they are made for low current.”

He added, “I have often seen people use hard brick for kiln posts in electric kilns. They should not be used because the hard brick absorbs too much heat. Soft brick does not absorb as much heat and should be used instead of hard brick. You don’t want to spend your money heating up bricks.” At least I hadn’t made that mistake. I phoned and asked him for more general advice for this column. He answered, “I advise people to leave spy plugs out until you reach about 1600º F when firing. You are not wasting heat. I leave both the

top and bottom spy plugs out because, in bisque firing, over 40 chemicals are burning out—you don’t want all that stuff to stay in your kiln. Leaving the spy hole plugs out lets the elements breathe better. When you keep the atmosphere cleaner, the elements last longer. Kiln vents not only keep the studio air safer but also even out the firing because you are pulling heat out of the bottom of the kiln.” He continued, “The heat is coming out of the lid area more than out of the spy holes. At about 1600º F you have burned out the organic material, so once you have good red color in the kiln, you can put the spy hole plugs back in. Check periodically until the cone bends over. Then put the spy hole plugs back in and let your kiln cool slowly.” I had to admit, it was amazing how much I didn’t know about my electric kilns. For more information, go to www.ortonceram ic.com. Click on Resources, then on Reference Library, for details on cones and firing. [ Lana Wilson is a handbuilder from Del Mar, California. She gives frequent workshops and is the author of Ceramics: Shape and Surface. She may be reached via her Web site, www. lanawilson.com, or by e-mail at lana@ lanawilson.com.

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Making Plates by BILL van GILDER • photos by rex looney

“A

ttention, everyone. For today’s demo, I’m going to make a plate. You all know how to center, so I’d like to see each of you try this project. “Knead-up a 3-lb. ball of the softest clay you can find and wrap it in plastic. Attach a 12" bat to your wheelhead and get your water and tools set up. Then take a seat around my wheel. I’ll be starting in five minutes.”

Illustrating the Project Necessary Supplies • two 3-lb. pieces of well-kneaded soft clay • one 12"-diameter bat • water and a small sponge • a needle tool • a rounded rib tool • an under-cutting stick • a cut-off wire • a looped trimming tool Optional: • one 8-oz. piece of clay • a pointed chop stick • a small erasable board and marker

So, now students know what’s coming. I follow my own directions and set up my wheel with water, a bat, tools, and clay. I’ll use an erasable board and marker to diagram a few cross-section images of the sample plate I’m going to make. I’ve also previously made a demo plate, which is now very stiff leather-hard, and I’ll keep that at my wheel to use for the trimming part of the demo. With the class surrounding your wheel, draw two cross-sectioned diagrams on your board (Fig. 1). Keeping things simple, explain, “There are two basic plate forms thrown on the wheel—one has a foot ring; the other doesn’t. The top sides of these plates are identical: they’re thrown in a very shallow curve, from rim to rim. Why? Because during a high-temperature glaze

firing, clay becomes slightly soft and pliable; hence, warped plates. The wide rim, or flange, will drop downward slightly; the inside floor area will rise up slightly. The foot ring will be the pivot point, or fulcrum—like a seesaw. So, to avoid making plates that are domed inside, throw them with a very shallow curve—here— across the inside floor. As I said, this floor will ‘float up’ a bit during the firing, to become flat.

In Form I Teaching Techniques

A two-piece project

“The rim, or flange, of a plate can be made wide or narrow. A wide flange is considered more ‘formal.’ A narrow rim tends to be more ‘working class’ (more room for food)! For this demo, we’re going formal: a wide rim and a trimmed foot ring.”

Centering and Opening Center your 3-lb. ball of clay on the bat, in a low, wide profile. Push downward and draw the clay outward. Everyone has their own hand configurations for opening, and mine is with thumbs crossed over at the top of the centered clay, pushed downward and drawn outward. I use plenty of water to avoid any ‘dry-drag’ between my hands and the clay (Fig. 2). As you open and create the shallow, curved, inside floor of the plate, mention this im-