Clay art
trends,
tools,
and
techniques
®
TIMES
Volume 14 • Number 2 March/April 2008
Sam Chung’s
Architectural Pots
Meredith College Builds A New Multi-purpose Kiln Trompe L’Oeil Exhibit Highlights Ian Gregory Shares Paperclay Secrets What to Consider When Designing Your Claywork Wacky Wall Vases by Diana Crain
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contents
TIMES
Clay
March/April 2008 Volume 14, Number 2
Teapot by Sam Chung. 8" x 5" x 5".
on exhibit
features
19 Trompe L’Oeil
35 The Potter As Designer: Sam Chung’s Architectural Pots
Is it real ... or is it clay? Peek at a few of the true-to-life objects recently on exhibit at John Natsoulas Gallery, starting with Sylvia Hyman’s work, pictured below.
Function and form both play key roles in works by this Minnesota-schooled potter.
40 Sculpture and Paperclay: A Workshop with Ian Gregory The beloved British paperclay master shares structural secrets during a hands-on workshop at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland.
43 Hanging it Up: The Wacky Wall Vases of Diana Crain This California clay artist combines whimsy, bright colors, and creativity to elevate the vase form to new heights—from table to wall!
48 That’s Hot Meredith College students in Raleigh, NC build a multi-purpose kiln for their art department.
Buzzards Bay by Sylvia Hyman. 21" x 24" x 19". Stoneware and porcelain.
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contents
®
TIMES
Clay
On the cover: Ewer by Sam Chung. 9" x 7" x 3.5". Soda-glazed porcelain. Photo by the artist.
March/April 2008 • Volume 14, Number 2
departments
columns
9 EDITOR’S DESK
21 AS FAR AS I KNOW “Thinking About Zinc” by Pete Pinnell
Cruisin’ for Clay ’08 was a great success — come join us in 2009 for our next potters’ conference in the Caribbean!
25 BENEATH THE SURFACE “Art by Design” by Lana Wilson
11 YOUR WORDS Thanks for the memories
29 TEACHING TECHNIQUES “A One-Piece Project: Making A Pedestal Bowl” by Bill van Gilder
13 WHAT’S HOT Clay world news, events, and calls for entries
54 KILNS & FIRING
18 SLURRY BUCKET TIPS
“More On Rising Fuel Costs” by Marc Ward
Save time and trouble with these studio-tested tips and techniques.
51 GREAT GLAZES Warner Hyde shares several formulas for firing to cones 9/10 in reduction.
Cheryl Yawata carves one of her lanterns for the holiday sale at Diana Crain’s Tortuga school in Petaluma, California. To learn more about Crain and her work, turn to page 43.
“What’s That Tool Made Of?” by Vince Pitelka
57 STUDIO HEALTH AND SAFETY “Fresh Air in the Pottery” by Monona Rossol
52 THE GALLERY A selection of unique works by CT readers
62 AROUND THE FIREBOX “Feel the Burn” by David Hendley
59 POTTERY CLASSES Where you can learn claywork in the U.S. & abroad
65 BOOKS & VIDEOS “Three Icons of American Ceramics” review by Steve Branfman
63 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE Goods and services offered especially for active clay artists One of Ian Gregory’s paperclay dogs in progress. Story begins on page 40.
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55 TOOL TIMES
“Pots seem to throw themselves on these wheels” —Robin Hopper
Ask a potter who owns one.
Photo by Judi Dyelle
800-848-9565 ThomasStuart.com
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First Annual CT “Cruisin’ for Clay” Conference a Roaring Success!
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n late January, more than 90 people including guest presenters Pete Pinnell, Lisa Orr, Bill van Gilder, and Sheri Leigh; clay conference registrants and several of their friends and relatives; and members of the Clay Times staff all boarded Royal Caribbean’s Navigator cruise ship in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for a 5-night adventure to Cozumel, Mexico and Belize City, Belize. It was an experience we’ll never forget.
Spouting Off I Editor's Desk
Who Says You Can’t Mix Business & Pleasure?
From the fabulous and informative clay presentations offered during our time at sea to the outstanding sunny Caribbean weather, ship facilities, and service provided by the Royal Caribbean staff, we could not have been happier with the outcome.
— Polly Beach, Editor [
Guest presenter Lisa Orr provided this photo of Cozumel, Mexico, where she and her son, Roy, swam with the dolphins.
As Barbara Calhoon can probably tell you, part of the cruise fun was the great food — and a choice of several mouthPhoto by Devany Vickery-Davidson. watering desserts each evening!
SCHOOL OF ART AND ARTISTS’ RESIDENCY
Pictured here and on page 11 are a few images from the conference. We wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to all who attended, for helping to make our first conference such a wonderful success. As a result, plans are now in the works for next year’s Clay Times cruise. Details will soon be announced at CT’s NCECA conference booth #112, on our Web site at www.claytimes.com, and in our May/ June issue of CT, so stay tuned ... we hope you’ll join us!
CHANGING HOW ARTISTS SEE THE WORLD FOR 98 YEARS. two-week intensives for experienced and aspiring artists, from June through August.
www.ox-bow.org 800.318.3019 Conference goers were treated to live large-screen video of each presentation. A DVD loaded with great information from the event will be available in April ... watch CT online for details!
CLAYTIMES·COM n MARCH/APRIL 2008
2008 Faculty: Sadashi Inuzuka Rob McClurg Israel Davis Francesc Burgos, Visiting Artist
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REVIEW
KATE SCHURICHT COLOURFUL RAKU RICK HIRSCH DELYTH JONES JOHN EVANS VICTOR GREENAWAY CAROLINDA TOLSTOY
CLAYTIMES·COM n MARCH/APRIL 2008
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The Magazine of Ceramic Art and Craft Issue 230 March/April 2008 £6.30 www.ceramicreview.com
Smoke-fired and Raku
CERAMIC REVIEW WILL BE SHOWING AT NCECA 2008 PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, MARCH 19-22
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SUMMER WORKSHOPS 2008 Doug Casebeer, John Neely, Gail Kendall, Alleghany Meadows, Sam Harvey, David Pinto, Joe Bova, Stan Welsh, Mark Pharis, Jill Oberman, Richard Notkin, Tip Toland, Posey Bacopoulos, John Gill, Andrea Gill, Christa Assad, Andy Brayman, Charity Davis-Woodard, Val Cushing, Brad Schwieger, Michael Wisner, Juan Quezada, Mary Barringer, Sam Clarkson, Lorna Meaden SUMMER 2008 VISITING ARTIST Takashi Nakazato
FIELD INTENSIVE JAMAICA
April 25 - May 3, 2008 / John Neely with guest artists: Alleghany Meadows, Doug Casebeer & David Pinto
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Stan Welsh, Dunce (detail)
Juan Quezada, Vase (detail)
TEL +44 (0)20 7439 3377 EMAIL subscriptions@ceramicreview.com WRITE Ceramic Review, 25 Foubert’s Place, London W1F 7QF, UK WEB www.ceramicreview.com CHECKS payable to Ceramic Review
Richard Notkin, Teapot (detail)
CERAMICREVIEW
CERAMIC
A Family Affair Devany Vickery-Davidson (l) and Kay Clark during the pre-cruise lifeboat drill.
So Many Treasures from the Trip Thanks again for hosting this wonderful event. I cannot tell you how many times my clay buddies and I talk about the cruise and how it was such an all-around perfect vacation, as well as learning experience! I am still reliving the zip line and cave tubing day over and over in my mind. It was an absolute blast in every way. I have so many treasures from the trip, from the pottery exchange to things I bought at the Clay Times store, each one presents another reason to smile inspired by delightful memories ...
I just wanted to thank you again for putting the cruise together and for inviting me to take part. I thought it was a great success, and I’m honored to be involved with the first one. As I mentioned in my last e-mail, my kids had a fabulous time, and it’s certainly an experience they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. Peter Pinnell , via e-mail
M.C., Sam, and Joe Pinnell (l to r) soak up some fun in the Cozumel sun.
Expectations Exceeded Thank you so much for all you did to make the Clay Times cruise happen. It exceeded my expectations. A special thanks for the champagne, and for the unexpected blessing of covering our gratuities. Please extend my appreciation to all the participants as well. I hope that even with all your hard work, you came home somewhat rested, if not refreshed — I sure did! Jean Grinnell, via e-mail [
Clay Times® (ISSN 1087-7614) is published bimonthly, six issues per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Waterford, VA, and at additional mailing offices. Annual subscriptions are available for $30 in the U.S.; $36 in Canada; $55 elsewhere (must be payable in US$). To subscribe, call toll-free 1-800.356.2529, or visit www.claytimes.com. 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.
CLAYTIMES·COM n MARCH/APRIL 2008
It was a great idea and I know your hard work was appreciated!
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
Published by: CLAY TIMES INC. 15481 Second St. • PO Box 365 Waterford, Virginia 20197-0365 540.882.3576 • FAX 540.882.4196 Toll-free subscription line: 800.356.2529
Devany Vickery-Davidson, via e-mail
Thanks for the wonderful time on the “Cruisin’ for Clay” cruise! Three of us left snowy Rochester, New York and had the time of our lives in the sunny Caribbean. We can’t stop talking about what we learned and the fun time we had. We’ve tried to incorporate some new ideas into our work and we are sharing with our fellow potters. I think we may have more recruits from our area studios next year!
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 Graphic Designer: Jennifer Zeigler jzeigler@claytimes.com Administrative Assistant: Julie Light jlight@claytimes.com Proofreader: Jon Singer Office Assistant: Ingrid Phillips
Contributing Writers: K.T. Anders Victoria Coulter Warner F. Hyde
We can’t wait till next year’s event is scheduled. My husband even wants to come along this time.
From Snow to Sunshine
magazine
Spouting Off I Your Words
Cathy Barry, Deborah Benedetto, & Lisa Santilli, via e-mail
Clay
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Already looking forward to next year.
TIMES
Clay Conference Kudos
ceramic art trends, t oo l s & t e c h n i q u e s
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CLAYTIMES·COM n MARCH/APRIL 2008
Hot Stuff I News & Events
What’s Hot ceramic art world news • events • calls for entries Pictured: Nageire by Beth Herod, one of several works in the Ikebana show at the Clay Art Center in Port Chester, New York.
Conferences ‰ The 21st Annual North Carolina Potters Conference takes place March 7-9 in Asheboro, NC. “Three Women, Three Countries, Three Ways of Working with Clay” will feature presentations by Mary Law, Jane Hamlyn, and Robin Best. For complete details, log onto the Web site at: www.randolphartsguild.com. ‰ Jackson’s Three Days of Clay will feature an invitational exhibition and presentations by guest artist Bill van Gilder entitled, “The Functional Pot: Tips, Tools, and Techniques.” Events take place March 12-14 at the Ella Sharp Museum of Art & History, 3225 Fourth St., Jackson, Michigan. To find out more, visit the Web site at: www.ellasharp.org, or call 517.787.2320.
Calls for Entries March entry deadlines
‰ The 19th Annual California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art (CCACA) takes place in Davis, California from April 25-27 and will feature lectures and hands-on demonstrations by guest artists including Jack Earl, Wesley Anderegg, Rosette Gault, Richard Notkin, Kevin Nierman, Judith Schwartz, Carmen Lang, Shigeru Miyamoto, Cybele Rowe, and Lisa Reinertson. During the conference, works by ceramic students from more than 40 colleges will be on exhibit throughout downtown Davis, with exhibits of local artists’ claywork at ten more locations. Full registration fee is $164 ($146/students) through March 31; $194 ($176/students) afterward. For complete conference details, contact Nancy Resler, John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First Street, Davis, CA 95616, tel. 530.756.3938, or visit the Web site at: http://www. natsoulas.com/html/ccaca/index.html. ‰ Community of Fire takes place in Sweet Briar, Virginia from May 30–June 1, 2008 and will feature presentations and discussions by guest artists including Svend Bayer, Robert Compton, Kevin Crowe, Stephen Driver, Victoria Hansen, Mark Hewitt, Micki Schloesingk, and Jack Troy. Registration fee is $425. To find out more, visit www.kevincrowepottery.com; contact Kevin Crowe at tyeriverpottery@aol.com; or call 434.263.4065.
‰ Digital and slide entries are being accepted through March 7 for the 25th Juried Open Exhibition, to be held by the Visual Arts Alliance of Houston, Texas from May 1-June 5. Entry fee is $25/members; $30/non-members. For further details, visit the Web site at www. visualartsalliance.org; e-mail annmcbride1@ sbcglobal.net; write Ann McBride at 2807 Triway Lane, Houston, TX 77043; or call her at 713.939.1444. ‰ Transforming the Elements: Earth, Water, Fire, and Air takes place May 15-June 25 in Waynesboro, Virginia, and is open to fine craft media creatively articulating a connection to the elements. Entry deadline: March 7; fee is $25. For prospectus and further details, call 540.946.3294, or visit the Web site at www. artisanscenterofvirginia.org. ‰ Digital, slide, and print photo entries are being accepted through March 20 for the Cedar Creek Gallery National Teapot Show VII to take place June 7-September 7 in Creedmoor, North Carolina. $2000 in awards are offered. For prospectus and further details, call Jennifer Dolan at 919.528.1041; e-mail: info@ cedarcreekgallery.com; or visit the Web site at http://cedarcreekgallery.com/events.html.
CLAYTIMES·COM n MARCH/APRIL 2008
‰ The National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) will be holding its 42nd Annual Conference, “Innovation, Community, Environment,” at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 19-22, 2008. Featured guest demonstrators include Ed Eberle, Sandy Brown, Lorna Meadon, and James Tisdale. Additional presenters include several lecturers and panelists on a wide variety of topics affecting the clay community. Trade shows, gallery exhibitions, slide and documentary showings, fund-raiser sales, and more will also take place throughout the event. Register online at www.nceca.net. For additional
information, e-mail office@nceca.net or telephone the toll-free number at 1.866.266.2322.
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Hot Stuff I News & Events
‰ Independence and Ingenuity: Freelance Porcelain Decorators in 18th Century Europe is on exhibit from March 14 through August 17 at the Gardiner Museum, 111 Queens Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ‰ Juror Dan Hammett is accepting digital and slide submissions of sculpture and pottery through March 28 for the Jersey Shore Clay National 2008 to take place May 24–June 23 at the M.T. Burton Gallery in Surf City, New Jersey. For prospectus, e-mail: matt@mtburtongallery.com; log onto www.mtburtongallery.com.; or send your SASE to JSCN 2008, M. T. Burton Gallery, 1819 N. Long Beach Blvd., Surf City, NJ 08008. ‰ Jurors James Crable, William Bennett, and Jerry Coulter are accepting printed photo entries through March 28 for the 2008 Multimedia Art Exhibition to take place June 1-29 at the Park Gables Gallery, Harrisonburg, Virginia. Entry fee is $30. For a prospectus, e-mail: artexhibit@vmrc.org; log onto www. vmrc.org/artexhibition; call 540.564.3400; or send your SASE to Anne Finlayson, VMRC Art Exhibition Director, 1491 Virginia Ave., Harrisonburg, VA 22802.
April entry deadlines ‰ The 25th Carbondale Clay National IV: National Juried Exhibition, to be held June 2-30 in Carbondale, Colorado, is accepting slide submissions through April 1. Entry fee is $30/ three entries to be juried by Jeff Oestreich. For further details, visit the Web site at www.carbondaleclay.org, call 970.963-2529, or write Carbondale Clay Center, 135 Main St., Carbondale, CO 81623.
CLAYTIMES·COM n MARCH/APRIL 2008
‰ The 26th Annual Juried Exhibition, to be held July 10-August 2 by the Pleiades Gallery in New York, New York, is accepting slide submissions through April 5. Entry fee is $40/three entries; $5/additional entries. Juror is Joan Young, Associate Curator of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. For
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further details, visit the Web site at www. pleiadesgallery.com, call 646.230-0056, or write Pleiades Gallery, 530 W. 25th St., New York, NY 10001. ‰ Juror Ted Vogel is accepting entries for The 8th Annual Cup Show, to take place May 13-June 7 in Kent, Ohio, through April 15. Entry fee: $20. For complete details, contact Anderson Turner, Director of Galleries, Kent State University, School of Art, PO Box 5190, Kent, OH 44242; e-mail jhaturner@kent.edu; Web site: http://dept.kent.edu/art/galleries; tel. 330.672.1379. ‰ The Clay Studio of Missoula, Montana will host The Soda National IV from November 7-28 and is now accepting digital or slide entries through August 1. Entry fee: $30 for three entries. To request a prospectus, contact Hannah Fisher at The Clay Studio of Missoula, 1106 Hawthorne Unit A, Missoula, MT 59802; e-mail info@theclaystudioofmissoula.org; Web site: www.theclaystudioofmissoula.org; tel. 406.543.0509.
Ceramics Exhibitions March Exhibitions ‰ Mat Hatter’s Tea Party Exhibition will be on view March 6 through April 5 at Armory Art Center, 1700 Parker Ave., West Palm Beach, Florida. ‰ Jun Kaneko will exhibit 20 years of sculpture, drawings, and paintings from March 7-May 10 at The Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, Florida. ‰ Cheers! A MAD Collection of Goblets will be on view March 15-August 2 at Museum of Art and Design, 40 W. 53rd St., Wayne, Pennsylvania. ‰ Synthetic Reality: Susan Beiner will be on view through March 9 at Arizona State University Art Museum, 10th St. and Mill Ave., Tempe, Arizona. ‰ Jeffrey Mongrain will be exhibiting work through March 21 at Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art, NYSCC, 2 Pine St., Alfred, New York. ‰ Christina Bothwell: Invisible Realities is on exhibit through March 30 at the Ohio Craft Museum, 1665 W. 5th Ave., Columbus, Ohio. ‰ David Hendley, Pots and Process is on exhibit through May 30 at the Museum of East Texas, 503 N. 2nd St., Lufkin, Texas.
Nothing to Hide
Exposures, Disclosures, and Reflections by Paul Soldner
Join us at Clay Times booth #112 at NCECA in Pittsburgh for exclusive daily book signings of “Nothing to Hide” by Paul Soldner!
The man who revolutionized modern ceramic art with American Raku, hot tubbing, clay conference tattoos, and streaking has now published a limited edition book — the first in a series of fascinating reflections on the extraordinary life of Paul Soldner.
CLAYTIMES·COM n MARCH/APRIL 2008
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Hot Stuff I News & Events
March Exhibitions, continued ‰ Eden Revisited: The Ceramic Art of Kurt Weiser may be viewed through April 19 at the Bellevue Arts Museum, 510 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, Washington. ‰ Innovation and Change: Great Ceramics from the Permanent Collection of the Ceramics Research Center, Arizona State University Art Museum is on exhibit through March 30 at the Arkansas Art Center, 501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock, Arkansas.
‰ Friends in Clay, featuring the work of Kirk Mangus, Eva Kwong, James Simon and Clay Place Gallery owner Elvira Peake, will open Friday, March 14 in conjunction with the National Conference of Education in the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). The event continues through April 26th, 2008. A reception with the artists will be held on Tuesday, March 18 from 6 to 9. The Clay Place is located at 1 Walnut Street in Carnegie, PA, just 10 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh.
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‰ The Ceramic Annual 2008: 64th Scripps Ceramic Annual will be on exhibit through April 6 at the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery, Scripps College, 11th and Columbia Streets, Claremont, California. ‰ Summer Workshop Artist Preview is a show of master ceramic artists who will conduct summer workshops at the Santa Fe Clay Studios in 2008. The show takes place March 14-April 21 and features artists including Ian Anderson, Tom Bartel, Susan Beiner, Bernadette Curran, Josh DeWeese, Beth Lo, Roxanne Swentzell, Adelaide Paul, and Peter Pinnell. Santa Fe Clay is located at 1615 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, New Mexico. ‰ Voices: 2008 NCECA Invitational Exhibition opens March 14 and continues through June 7 at the Society for Contemporary Craft, 2100 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ‰ Out of Madness – Seven Potters Follow Ohr; Pots by the River: Treasures from the Waynesburg University Collection; and Women with Wood – Three Generations all open March 19 and continue through May 18 at the McGuinn Gallery, Heinz History Center, 1212 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ‰ Made in Clay, the annual benefit sale of Greenwich House Pottery, takes place March 27-April 30 at 16 Jones St., New York, New York. ‰ Clay? II is on view through March 29 at the Kirkland Arts Center, 620 Market St., Kirkland, Washington.
CLAYTIMES·COM n MARCH/APRIL 2008
‰ Synergy: Ikebana and Clay Collaboration will feature the works of five artists who will share their one-of-a-kind containers and flower arrangements during a one-week display from March 30 through April 5 at the Clay Art Center, 40 Beech Street, Port Chester, New York.
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‰ Flower Power showcases work meant to be finished with the addition of fresh cut flowers by 11 current Clay Art Center artists from March 30 through April 26 in the upstairs Henry’s Project space of the Clay Art Center, 40 Beech Street, Port Chester, New York.
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‰ Taste of Power: 18th Century German Porcelain for the Table opens March 31 and may be viewed through June 30 at Harvard University Art Museums, Busch-Reisinger Museum, 32 Quincy St., Cambridge, Massachusetts.
April Exhibitions ‰ 16th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National will be on exhibit April 19-May 18 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and then travels to the Wayne Art Center in Wayne, Pennsylvania for exhibition from May 27-June 27. For driving directions, log onto: http://www.strictly functionalpotterynational.net/directions.html. ‰ Made in China: Export Porcelain from the Leo and Doris Hodroff Collection is on view through April 20 at the Mint Museum of Art, 2730 Randolph Rd., Charlotte, North Carolina. ‰ The Figurative Impulse: The Diane and Sandy Besser Collection will be on exhibit through April 26 at Arizona State University Art Museum, Tenth St. and Mill Ave., Tempe, Arizona. ‰ Maren Kloppmann: New Work may be seen April 4-27 at The Clay Studio’s newly renovated home at 137-139 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ‰ The Industrial Hand: Tableware Design by Heather Mae Erickson will be on exhibit April 25-June 1 at The Clay Studio, 137-139 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
550 Sutter Street in San Francisco, California. This show features more than 70 ceramic objects, including works by Laura Andreson, Peter Voulkos, Ruth Duckworth, Hans Coper, Philip Cornelius, Shoji Hamada, Jun Kaneko, Kanjiro Kawai, Bernard Leach, Kenneth Price, Billy Al Bengston, James Lovera, James Melchert, Mineo Mizuno, Gertrud and Otto Natzler, Lucie Rie, Paul Soldner, Beatrice Wood, and Betty Woodman—most of which is culled from the Marer Collection of Contemporary Ceramics at Scripps College. [
To list clay conferences, calls for entries, exhibitions, and ceramic news items in Clay Times, please e-mail details to: editorial@claytimes.com.
SEND YOUR FAVORITE POTTERY TEACHER TO THE CARIBBEAN! Nominations are being accepted through April 30 for the Clay Times “Excellence in Teaching” Award. To enter, visit Clay Times NCECA booths #112-114 or log onto www. claytimes.com.
Odyssey 2008 Workshop Center For Ceramic Arts
Series
Jill Allen Akira Satake Janis Mars Wunderlich Holly Walker Conner Burns Meredith Brickell Gertrude Graham Smith Tip Toland Lana Wilson Susan O’Brien McKenzie Smith
Because it feels so good.
With weekend workshops by Liz Summerfield Allison McGowan
May Exhibitions
Image: Akira Satake
highwaterclays.com
236 Clingman Ave. I Asheville, NC 28801 I 828.285.0210
CLAYTIMES·COM n MARCH/APRIL 2008
‰ Feats of Clay XXI, an exhibition of 70 contemporary ceramic works displayed in the historical (still operating) Gladding, McBean terra cotta factory, takes place with docentled tours on Wednesdays through Sundays from April 30 through May 25, 9 am-noon. A donation of $10 per person is requested. Reservations are required and early bookings are encouraged as desirable dates fill quickly. Tours begin at the gallery and are handicapped accessible. Closed-toe shoes are required for insurance purposes. School and club groups can be accommodated with prior arrangements. For further information or to make reservations, call Lincoln Arts and Culture Foundation at 916.645.9713.
‰ Within Two Hands: The Eye of The Collector is on view May 9 through June 29, 2008 at the San Francisco Museum of Craft+Design,
Hot Stuff I News & Events
‰ Eating Wonderland: Recent Works by Sue Johnson will be on exhibit through June 15 at Lora Robins Gallery of Design from Nature, University of Richmond Museums, 28 Westhampton Way, Richmond, Virginia.
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Readers Share I Tips & Techniques
The Slurry Bucket Looking for helpful studio tips? Got some to share? This is the place...
Something Extra in the Drying Cabinet Need to dry out a finished project more evenly? To help my students’ projects dry at a more even rate, I put Sport Court tiles on top of the shelves in my dry-out cabinet. Their perforated pattern and design let air circulate underneath the projects to encourage the bottoms to dry out at a rate closer to the rest of the project, helping to solve some of the cracking problems of pot bottoms. It lets the whole pot dry more evenly. Steve Nelson • Blaine, MN
Mending After Bisque Firing This is for anyone who has had the misfortune of having a piece of a sculpture break off before or after the bisque firing. If various methods of reattaching have not worked for you (clay menders, paperclay mender, and so on), I can offer a helpful way to mend your work after the bisque firing.
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In my case, it was an ear that broke off a pig. I drilled a hole in the ear and the stub on the body. I then took a bisqued piece of the same clay (I keep bisqued clay on hand for mending) and ground it down to a rod the right length and diameter to fit into the drilled holes. I coated the insides of both holes and the surface of the rod with paperclay slip and inserted the rod into the holes, making sure the ear was firmly attached. After another bisque firing, I was able to glaze and fire the piece successfully. The rod gave the attachment the strength required to stay firmly attached to the body. After the glaze firing, there was no sign of the earlier break.
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On a Different Note ... A musician friend just made me the best cut-off wire I have ever had! It looks like what we’re all used to, but the wire he used is a guitar string. He used a standard acoustic steel string, medium gauge E (or first) string. He drilled a hole in 2 dowel rods for handles, and threaded the string through on one side. Guitar strings come with a small ball on the end that works perfectly for a stopping point on one of the dowels. On the other dowel, he threaded the string around a washer to utilize as an anchor for the string. It may sound silly to get excited about a cut-off wire, but it is so smooth and strong! I plan to use his next broken string to create a cut-off wire on my wedging table. Janet Capetty • Grants Pass, OR
Sponges on Sticks My students have found another use for those handy painter’s sponges on sticks (you know—the chisel-shaped foam brushes that come in 1", 2", and 3" widths you can get from your local hardware or home supply store): They use them as simple sponges-on-a-stick at the wheel for removing excess water from the interior of small pots while throwing. One clever student of mine has even attached a narrow piece of PVC pipe to the handle of the larger 3" brush for use on large pots. Bill van Gilder • Gapland, MD [
Veena Raghavan • Falls Church, VA
FREE CLAY TIMES® T-SHIRT! Send us your useful clay tip or technique to share with our readers. If it’s published, we’ll send you a Clay Times T-shirt. Mail your tips (and T-shirt size) to: The Slurry Bucket, c/o Clay Times, PO Box 365, Waterford, VA 20197.
Is it Real ... ... or is it Clay? T
he John Natsoulas Center for the Arts in Davis, California recently hosted its first annual Trompe L’Oeil Ceramic Artists Exhibition featuring a wide variety of works by some of the nation’s foremost clay artists including Richard Shaw, Victor Spinski, and Sylvia Hyman.
The French term Trompe L’Oeil literally means “deception of the eye.” It is painting that utilizes the knowledge of perspective and games of light and dark to create, if only for a moment, the illusion of something that in reality does not exist. These illusions, whether serious or playful, allow the viewer to perceive art and nature through a different perspective. In the 1960s, distinguished ceramic artists such as Marilyn Levine, Richard Shaw, and Victor Spinski began further experimenting with Trompe L’Oeil in ceramics by transforming clay into leather, metal, wood, plastic, glass, or steel and creating found objects, banal if by themselves but gaining significance and intrigue when combined with other clay-created found objects. The Trompe L’Oeil movement has recently been escalating in popularity throughout the country as new breeds of artists mentored by Richard Shaw and Victor Spinski are gaining recognition through their artwork. For more information about this or future exhibitions, contact Nancy Resler at 530.756.3938. The John Natsoulas Gallery is located at 521 1st Street, Davis, CA 95616. [
Above: Paint Tray by Victor Spinski. 11" x 14½" x 9". Ceramic. At left: 100% Pure by Richard Shaw. 37" x 14" x 18". Porcelain. 19
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Z
inc is a soft, bluish-gray metal. It has a very low melting point— about 420° C (787° F), which, in ceramic terms, is long before a kiln even reaches incandescence (“red heat”). Its boiling point is also quite low—just 907° C (1665° F), which is about the point in a reduction firing where most of us begin reducing. Zinc has some really interesting properties, both in and out of glazes, and a fascinating history. Zinc and copper are the two major ingredients in brass, which has been around long enough that it is even mentioned in the Old Testament. TubalCain, who was the seventh generation after Adam, (and the son of Lamech and Zillah, for those of you who follow these things), was “an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron” (Gen. 4:22). The archaeological record seems to indicate that brass was produced as far back as 1000 BCE in India and throughout the Middle East, and was widely used by the Romans during their empire. This might lead a person to think that zinc was in common use, but it turns out that this isn’t so. As I mentioned, zinc boils at a pretty low temperature, so it has a tendency to vaporize during smelting. Because of this, brass was made by combining the raw, zinc-containing ore in a crucible with copper, so that when the zinc vaporized out, the metal was “captured” by the copper before it could dissipate. This explains that while zinc was in use a long time ago, for many years it existed only as an alloy.
by PETE PINNELL
The first European to recognize zinc as a distinct metal (as opposed to considering it a mixture of other metals) was the physician Paracelsus (1493-1541), who also gave zinc its modern name. He called it “zincum” from the German “zinke,” meaning “pointed,” since this was the form that zinc crystals took when smelted. Paracelsus is a name that should be otherwise known to all modern potters (with our never-ending concerns about toxic materials and health): he is widely considered the father of toxicology. He famously wrote “Alle Ding sind Gift, und nichts ohn Gift; allein die Dosis macht, daß ein Ding kein Gift ist.” (All things are poison and nothing is without poison, only the dose permits something not to be poisonous.) In modern English, this is usually expressed as “the dose makes the poison,” or “the quantity alone makes the poison.”
Another familiar name that plays its small part in this history is James Smithson (1765-1829). It was Smithson who established (in 1803) that calamine wasn’t really one mineral, but two: zinc carbonate (Smithsonite) and zinc silicate (Hemimorphite). Smithson’s bequest, you’ll remember, led to the formation of the Smithsonian Institute.
Wilhelm Homberg (1652-1715) was the first European to correlate zinc with the mineral calamine. Andreas Marggraf (1709-1782) was the first European to produce metallic zinc from that raw mineral, and published “On the method of extracting zinc from its true mineral, calamine” (1746). That name, calamine, should ring a bell for anyone who experienced poison ivy as a kid. Calamine lotion is made from a combination of zinc oxide (99.5%) and iron oxide (.5%)—which gives it that amazing pink color—and gets its name from this archaic mineral name for zinc ore. Metallic zinc (in slab form) was imported into England from India beginning about 1700, and the technology for producing it came from China in about 1740. There was still some misunderstanding about zinc’s true nature, and it was referred to by a number of names, including spelter, Indian tin, and calamine. It was Antoine Lavoisier (1743-1794) who first declared it an element.
In 1739, the Champion family began producing zinc in Bristol, England. It was there, in the late 18th or early 19th century, that zinc was first introduced into glazes. We’re not sure if the use of zinc in glaze was begun by William Champion, whose family also produced Bristol Porcelain, or by another Bristol potter named William Powell, of Temple Gate Pottery. Powell sold prepared zinc glazes to other potters beginning in about 1835. They quickly became very popular. In either event, the use of zinc in ceramic glazes definitely began in Bristol, and we still refer to zinc glazes as Bristol glazes. Metallic zinc isn’t used in glazes, of course. As with our other glaze ingredients, we use it in the form of an oxide. Unlike metallic zinc, the oxide melts at a pretty high temperature—about 1975° C (3585° F), which is equivalent to about cone 41. This high melting point doesn’t keep it from being an active flux. Many of our fluxes have remarkably high melting points, but will still enter into a eutectic reaction. As a flux, zinc oxide is most active at cone 1 and above, and is used most commonly in mid-range oxidation glazes. It can have an odd effect on color, but that can be both a positive and negative quality. It can be used in glossy glazes, but it’s in matte glazes that you often see appreciable amounts of zinc. Zinc glazes tend to have a pleasant, smooth, soft-feeling quality that is sometimes described as being like vellum paper, which explains why these glazes are sometimes called vellum mattes.
CLAYTIMES·COM n MARCH/APRIL 2008
Marco Polo (1254–1324) described the production of metallic zinc in Persia, and also how a compound of zinc was used as a salve. We know that zinc was in production in India by about 1300, and also existed in China, as zinc coins were made during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644, by the Western calendar). In all these places, they were able to produce the metal because they discovered ways to condense it from the vapor, rather than smelting it directly as
a liquid, as they would with other metals like iron, tin, and copper.
Perspectives I As Far As I Know
Thinking About Zinc
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Zinc has a low thermal expansion, so it tends to prevent crazing in glazes. It also increases durability, so it is often used in glazes that need to have a strong resistance to acids or alkalis. What also interests modern potters is that zinc has a tendency to produce crystal growth in glazes. These crystals can be microscopic, like those in a matte glaze, or they can be grown to an enormous size, such as those in high-fire crystal glazes. However, you won’t see zinc called for very often in reduction glazes, and then just as a minor, auxiliary flux. Why? Well, that’s a source of some discussion (and minor controversy). As I mentioned at the beginning of this column, zinc melts and boils at pretty low temperatures (at least by ceramic standards). It also reduces from the oxide form to the metal fairly easily. This is why early metallurgists had difficulty making zinc—the darn stuff boiled away so easily. As it turns out, Europeans had been making it for a long time before they discovered what it was: it would vaporize out when they were smelting other metals, and end up condensing in the chimney. It was referred to as “false silver,” and simply thrown away. This is what many potters believe happens with zinc oxide: during reduction the metal simply boils away, leaving no sign that it was ever in the glaze. Or at least that’s the theory.
She mixed 500 grams of each glaze in a blender, and then dipped a test tile into it (the “before” tile). Additions of zinc oxide were then made, with tiles dipped between
What we found was pretty definitive: in reduction glazes, the zinc causes … (drum roll please) … absolutely nothing. That’s, right, even 10% zinc caused no real visual change. There was one very minor change: because zinc tends to absorb a lot of water in the bucket, the zinc-containing tests tended to go on thicker, but (after vaporizing away) actually resulted in a slightly thinner application of glaze, the same as we would see with an addition of organic gum. Other than that, the zinc caused no change in the color, texture, viscosity or glaze fit with any of the three test glazes fired in reduction. By contrast, the three glazes fired in oxidation were all changed by the addition of the zinc. The Charlie D. White was altered the most, and in the most positive way, developing small white crystals on the surface that were pretty interesting. I didn’t have a chance to try it at lower temperatures, but this might now be a pretty interesting mid-range glaze. The other two glazes saw obvious (but less interesting) changes in both color and texture. So, does this prove conclusively that there’s no reason to put zinc oxide in a reduction glaze? No, I don’t think so. Obviously, this is just one test, and the outcome might be altered by reducing either earlier or later (our reduction was at about 1600°, or cone 012). Besides, this was just three glazes out of many we use in high-fire reduction. That said, I see little reason to use such a fugitive material, and I’ll certainly not use zinc again in a reduction glaze without some serious testing. Insert your own comment here about old dogs and new tricks! You can reach me at ppinnell1@unl.edu. [ Pete Pinnell teaches at the University of NebraskaLincoln. He has been a potter for many years and has numerous exhibitions and workshops to his credit.
CLAYTIMES·COM n MARCH/APRIL 2008
I’ve always been a bit skeptical of this theory. Not of the facts in the paragraph above—those are pretty indisputable, in my opinion. It has always seemed to me that we tend to simplify things a bit too much with our theories. It strikes me as unlikely that a material melting to a liquid, then boiling vigorously, would leave no trace—either chemical or physical—on the remaining glaze. I’ve never done any real tests, but I’ve occasionally added a bit of zinc to a reduction glaze, and if it seemed to add a nice quality, I’ve left it in. This hardly qualifies as research, of course. When this topic came up in my glaze class last fall, we decided to do some methodical testing. I choose three different glazes to act as our test bases: an early melting copper red (Pete’s Orange-red), a mid-range melting temmoku (Leach Clear with 9% iron), and a late-melting matte glaze (Charlie D. White). One of my students, Kyla Strid (Thanks, Kyla!) kindly volunteered to mix and fire the tests.
each addition, so we could see the glaze with 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10% zinc oxide. My assumption was this: if zinc was causing some visual effect, then we would see this effect develop and increase across the range of additions. These same tests were done with each of the three glazes. Just to be thorough, the tests were done on both stoneware and porcelain, and on sets of tiles that were fired to cone 9 (reduction), as well as sets fired to cone 9 (oxidation), for comparison.
Perspectives I As Far As I Know
Thinking About Zinc
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The new Iguana is a smaller, less expensive version of our popular Dragon kiln. The Iguana’s 18” wide, 18” deep, 22 ½” high interior fires rapidly to cone 10. The front-loading Iguana is easy on the back muscles. With the optional 22” high stand, the interior floor is a comfortable 34 ½” high. • Saves electricity with 3” firebricks. • Proportional power elements for more even heating • Heavy-gauge steel completely covers the bottom under the firebricks. • 1 ½” air gap between the The Paragon Iguana plugs into a standard switch box and kiln. 6-50R outlet, so you can fire it on the outlet Electrical components stay most studio kilns already use. cool and last longer. • Sentry 2.0 digital controller with controlled cooling 2011 South Town East Blvd., • Available in 200, 208, 220, Mesquite, Texas 75149-1122 240, 480 volts, 800-876-4328 / 972-288-7557 1 and 3 phase Toll Free Fax 888-222-6450 Call or email for a free www.paragonweb.com catalog. See your local Paraparagonind@att.net gon dealer.
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by LANA Wilson
Running the traditional and online galleries at the Red Lodge Clay Center in Montana has honed Anthony Schaller’s eye. He is a potter, as is his wife. I called to ask a two-minute question and we talked for an hour on techniques he uses to help artists develop their work. He graduated with a degree in business first, and worked in that field before going back to college for a degree in art education. He taught at Indiana University, was an artist in residence at Krasl Art Center in St. Joseph, and taught ceramics classes while he was there. He has also curated and juried shows and recently served on an NCECA panel on curating. Lana Wilson: Is this a progressive list for how to improve your work (i.e., you’d better do them all), or a pick-and-choose list? Anthony Schaller: Pick and choose. You certainly don’t have to do them all. Here is the first one. A valuable way to develop your art is to draw more. Instead of photos, draw (use the word sketch if it is less daunting) pieces from reality, from books, from museums, from anywhere and anything that inspires you. When you make the drawing, some things happen. The first thing is that the visual perception, or the image of the pieces, enters through your eyes into your brain. Only you see the way you do. The second thing that happens is how the memory of the piece is transformed in your brain; you remember what you liked, what connected and appealed to you. Then when you draw, it’s creating with your senses, your hand, your talent. There is another gift that comes through drawing; it removes color, texture, clay type and the firing method. It breaks the pieces down to line and form. Later you have to add those things back, but you have first clarified the form, proportions,
size relationships, and perhaps texture. If you want to push the drawing further, make drawings of your drawings: it makes them more and more your own. You can also make drawings from memory. See what works best for you. Wilson: That sounds more than sensible, but when I draw I capture so little of the piece I want to make. I can’t draw the puffiness in a piece or the bas-relief subtle texture. Schaller: Yes, that is true, but you can work on those huge issues of proportion, size relationship of parts, how many parts, etc. By drawing, you can solve if you want to add, and make it more complicated; or simplify if you want to. Artists can get a head start on paper so they won’t make as many mediocre pieces in the studio that don’t quite work. Wilson: You are right. It reminds me of a painting class I took. The teacher wanted us to make 20 division of space sketches to plan the composition before we worried about color, texture, line quality, etc. Next idea?
Schaller: I think it is of enormous importance to look outside of the clay realm. There are lots of places to go, (take your sketchbook) outside in nature, the grocery store, the mall, a furniture store, a machine shop, a tool store or hardware store, etc. Be astutely aware of what catches your attention, draw it, and make it your own. Everything is just a combination of form, volume, texture, proportion, and color. Look for shapes and curves, for volumes, and for textures. Draw them and figure out how to incorporate these found ideas into your work.
Perspectives I Beneath the Surface
Art By Design
I want to expand that to include inspiration from historical or contemporary pots, or nature or typefaces. Try drawing something instead of photographing it. Your own drawings will be used as the starting point. Wilson: Do you have a way of working with words to help artists? Schaller: Take a sheet of descriptive words and circle the ones that describe how you want people to describe your work. continued on next page
Which terms would you like for people to use when they describe your art? asymmetrical balanced beckoning beautiful biomorphic bright British broken bulbous campy celestial childlike cliché collegiate complicated
connotation continuity contour country crude curious curvilinear cut cutting edge Dada dead delicious democratic derivative descriptive
designed dichotomy didactic dignified disheveled distempered distorted disturbed dominant dry dull dumpy dynamic earthy edgy
elegant emotive entreating erotic ethereal euro expressive feminine fine art fine craftsmanship flashy flat folk fragile
frenetic fresh functional futuristic fuzzy geometric gestalt gestural ghetto glossy grandiose grotesque guttural hard-edged harmonious
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2-dimensional 3-dimensional abstract academic alive ambiguous amorphous analogous ancient androgynous angular anthropomorphic antiquated appealing Asian
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