Emerging Potters magazine issue 21 - Central Saint Martins special 2020

EMERGING

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Issue 21 October December 2020

Potters

Emerging Potters - 21

2020

Introduction Welcome to this the last edition of the magazine in 2020.

Here we look at the Central Saint Martins College final year show and wish all the students well in the future, and particularly during these difficult times.

Interesting finds featured are the new outlet for both makers and students of ceramics via the internet. We are particularly grateful to Wendy Kershaw for her practical step-by-step experience of running an online course. Larger studios such as Kiln Rooms and Turning Earth have had to adjust to the new distancing regulations, and it would be good to hear from other studios around the country to see how they are coping.

The cover features the original team from Grove Vale who have combined a studio with a small gallery in London. They are now very much a part of the high street community.

Regards Paul Bailey

Cover: The four resident makers outside Grove Vale Ceramics.

From left Elza, Amanda, Karine and Lise.

The magazine is an independent journal. The publishers do not accept any liability for errors or omissions.

The views expressed in the features are not necessarily those of the editor. Reproduction in part or whole must be with the consent of the editor. All rights reserved.

Contributions to the gallery of work from makers and students are welcome and will be included wherever possible on a first come basis. Send to the email address – paulbailey123@googlemail.com. The editor’s decision is final. © Paul Bailey 2020 Emerging Potters is produced in association with Aylesford Pottery UK.

Emerging Potters Issue 21

2020

Contents

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Central Saint Martins Show Phoebe Simmons/ Subikehha Tamang Sara Howard/Mette Mullnen Rosie Christopher/ Miranda Swanson Jan Nardini/Emily Bird Em Bentzen Kraft/ Phoebe Christie Tabitha-Storm Bartlett-Garrard/ Tony Pickford Yanming Lai/Vivien Muller Gayi Soori Alice Fyles

3-13

9 10 11 12-13

Crafts Council Grove Vale Ceramics Celia Dowson Brave New World Janina Myronowa News Home Possesions

15-16 17-20 21-22 23-26 27-29 31 32-33

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Emerging Potters – Issue 21

Central Saint Martins Show 2020

Central Saint Martins Show Papier mâché, tinfoil, marzipan, video, masking tape, air drying clay, loo rolls, sound recordings, cyanotypes, painting, cereal boxes, newspaper, bread, wallpaper, packaging materials, wood, wire, origami, plastic bottles, emulsion paint, plasticine, fruit, fridges…

As a student in an art school, being presented with a problem, accepting the challenge, experimenting and taking risks are pretty much ingrained approaches – a sort of constant state of being. But, what do you do when the problem is so vast, so complex that it breaks almost all accepted methodologies that we already have in place?

Just how do you complete a ceramics degree from your kitchen, bedroom or shed? How do you transpose your creative practice from art school to home? This is not something to take lightly, the challenge lies in the question: how do we as a team of teachers and learners develop an experience that sustains everyone’s interests, their intellectual development and builds future-ready skills while working online?

The answer: you supercharge the art school experience, embrace the friction of the online medium, allow students agency over their process and encourage them to take risks – really big ones!

The work you see here is a creative response to the impact of lockdown on our students’ education.

Of course, they were working on these research questions before the pandemic struck, however their projects should be viewed through this prism. The scarcity of the ceramic medium, its processing or technical possibilities, is eclipsed by the imaginative responses to the context and the arresting quality of future concepts captured here.

Those who present their work here do so as students graduating during one of the most extreme global crises in living memory. They have showed great fortitude and patience in rising to the challenge, and tenacity in completing exciting proposals for a future physical exhibition.

I am very proud of their work, and of the endless energy of the staff team who have supported them: Emma Lacey, Duncan Hooson, Ian McIntyre, Liz Wright, Tessa Peters, Anna Barlow, Maham Anjum, Patricia Van Den Acker, Matt Raw, Andy Allum, Bridgette Chan and Richard Doss.

Anthony Quinn, Course Leader BA Ceramic Design Central Saint Martins

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Phoebe Simmons Phoebe’s work (below) is heavily influenced by the geology and colour palette of the Mojave Desert.

After living in the northern Mojave for three months in the spring of 2019, she was inspired to recreate her experience into a collection of ceramic furniture and lighting.

Each piece is part of a family – a Mojave Family, all reflecting the different erosion processes and colour palette of the Mojave, whilst retaining the playful qualities of the geology found in areas such as the Joshua Tree National Park. They are sculptural-functional furniture pieces that can be placed in a gallery or the home.

Ceramics featured are initial tests created in the second term. Throughout lockdown Phoebe has been experimenting with illustration, animation, film, and materials such as marzipan, plasticine and papier-mâche as an alternative to ceramic.

Subikchha Tamang

https://phoebesimmons.com/ Suby is a ceramic artist who is interested in expressing the philosophical concept of the importance of ceramics in encouraging mindfulness and mental well-being. Her final year project discusses the current issue of isolation the world is facing now and how people are interacting with objects that they surround themselves with in their homes.

Mindfulness in Lockdown is a body of photographic work, documenting the everyday objects from around the house that create a sense of home.

This project discusses lockdown, where the home becomes the main environment and the objects that reside in it become our connectivity. The still life photo book series focuses on themes of balance, comfort and function.

Objects coming together to serve an unexpected function. Photographs of improvisation, where objects are removed from their original context. Luring awareness out of the mind and into the moment through the act of balance. subikchha.tamang@hotmail.com

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Sara Howard Sara is a ceramic designer and materials researcher whose practice is focused on reducing the environmental impacts of industrial mass production. In Sara's final project 'Circular Ceramics' which includes a tableware collection and book, Sara has designed an industrial symbiosis around the ceramics industry, whereby the waste by-products from one manufacturer becomes the raw material in another. Minimising the consumption of finite raw materials and diverting waste away from landfill.

Circular Ceramics is a method of reclaiming industrial waste by-products for ceramic production, which minimises the consumption of finite raw materials and diverts waste away from landfill. By building relationships between industries that consume the same raw materials as the ceramics industry, there is the opportunity for waste by-products from one manufacturer to replace the raw materials in another, forming an industrial symbiosis. http://sarahowardstudio.com

Mette Myllynen Mettes’ fermentation collection (above) is called Jera, the name of a Norse rune that symbolizes fertility and harvest.

With an increasingly busy lifestyle, Mette believes fermentation may offer a simple but effective solution to access the nutrients in natural produce and not only help us keep well but also boost our immune system and mental health. These crocks are for the urban farmer, to feel pride in harvesting something one has made with one’s own hands.

Her collection consists of an open crock, and a watersealed fermentation crock, both with three different sizes and lastly, a bottle that has two different sizes.

The final pieces will be decorated with oxides and various clays to render an earthy and welcoming look, in addition to their fundamental uniqueness. https://jeracollection.com/

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Rosie Christopher CONVIVE (below) is a hand thrown dinnerware collection which enables the diner to eat convivially in modern day life. Born out of a need for tableware adapted to, and as a reaction to, our increasingly isolated society, CONVIVE consists of 12 multi-functional items for the home setting and six for a restaurant setting. She invites you to become a 'convivialist' and, through using this dinnerware, to partake in convivial living which is warm, open, joyous, celebratory and inherently relational. rosiemchristopher@gmail.com

Miranda Swanson An artist-designer working mostly in ceramics, mixing seriousness with playfulness to produce both functional and sculptural objects. These usable objects encourage people to question their perception of normality, by inviting the bizarre and eccentric into their lives.

Her final year at CSM, while studying Ceramic Design, and all she could think about were bananas! after listening to a mind-blowing podcast on the BBC4 Food Programme. She learned that the banana we know and love are under threat from the Panama Disease and will, more than likely, soon disappear forever.

This led to her being curious to learn more, and the research led her to Chatsworth House, where the Cavendish Banana, the yellow one which is so familiar, was first cultivated in 1826. The history of the banana and it’s heritage has fascinated her for the last six months, providing inspiration for the final project; a Banana Chandelier for Chatsworth House. https://www.mirandaswanson.com

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Central Saint Martins Show 2020

Jan Nardini Culture and transformation are central to Jan’s work and research. The natural world and cross cultural identity are key interests.

Based in Oxfordshire and London, Jan’s background in art and technology has led to work in multiple countries around the world and experience of creativity across cultures. Jan supports community activities in clay design, making and research, and is a keen Mud Larker on the Thames Foreshore. Her graduation project ‘Mystery of the ‘Chrysanthemum Cargo’ (below) contains hidden histories from the 1700s to the present day. These are illustrated on fine tin glazed ceramics which can be enjoyed as artworks and functional furniture. mountainblue21@outlook.com

Emily Bird Her practice intends to bring a gift to the future, while the work combines mural art and tile production to speak about durability at a time when most goods are disposable, and to bring integrity to a process in a culture where surface impressions are often all that matter. She is responsible for harnessing optimism and reflecting positively to our history, honouring buildings and cultures, and promoting unity and progression.

Her practice plays an important role in reflecting positively on our past, honouring buildings and cultures, and promoting unity and progression. https://www.emilybird.com

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Em Bentzen Kraft She creates immersive, elegiac projects, “speaking intelligently about a sense of family and belonging”.

Em extensively researches a personal journey on how to express complex relationships, memories and the possibilities of loss. Drawing together fascinating connections of personal narratives and significance of historical and civic archives, Em’s recent work draws vastly into the world of auto ethnography as art.

“Archive of our Home” is an immersive archive experience made for gallery exhibition.

Involving raw clay vessels placed in a setting with performative projection mapping. The exhibition will explore an auto-ethnography as art, with the central focus of her Nana’s home. It will deal with the topics of loss, family history, collective memory and time. Her Nana’s home has been in her family since her mother's childhood. It is located in Formby, near Southport, Liverpool. https://www.bentzenkraft.com

Phoebe Christie The dinner table is where everyone comes together at least once a day in most households. You sit, you eat, and you share stories of the day, exchange ideas and build memories. She wants her dishes to bring people together, spend more time talking, sharing and laughing over the table.

Created as a set of dishes paired with stories and recipes from friends around positive food memories.

Each dish comes with a recipe card on the back of the story for you to recreate this dish and share with your friends to create your own stories to pass on.

The stories behind the dishes are gathered from her friends, the focus of the story not always on the food but the positive experiences around the food. phoebechristie2013@gmail.com

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Tabitha-Storm Bartlett-Garrard Her final project “The Language of Flowers”, (below) follows on from the first project of the year creating interactive and playful vases. Exploring different ways of displaying flowers in domestic and installation settings.

She wanted the vases to become more than just simply vessels to hold flowers. They should also be an integral part of the overall display. Each of the vases stand alone visually even without flowers. Her vases are created in interlinking sets of three, meaning they can be moved around creating different visual patterns each time.

Looking at the idea of forms growing and changing like the flowers placed inside them, keeping it engaging and playful.

Tony Pickford Tony is interested in the intersection of art, design, and science. His work explores the application of industrial processes to studio practice, in particular slip casting and extrusion.

Much of the work explores the use of narrative in ceramic design, and critical design as a methodology for exploring complex issues. He is also interested in exploring the use of silicon carbide to create crater glazes.

Awe and Wonder, Fear and Loathing (above) explores ideas of duality through mutations, radiation and misinformation. Each installation references a particular radioactive element accompanied by background research to create an immersive experience.

The archetypal crucible references a scientific aesthetic and the Coors ceramic labware in the MOMA Machine Art exhibition in 1934. tony.pickford@ntlworld.com

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Yanming Lai

This project (above) is about showing the situations happening in the real world. Presenting funny and awkward lockdown moments using animal sculptures. The project was inevitably affected by the shortage of materials, most of the works were made using cardboard tubes and paper boxes, to represent the shortage of materials, some sculptures are covered only halfway in porcelain clay.

After the lockdown happened, people have been spending more time on the Internet than previously before. The information received in a short time is also being forgotten in a short time. The goal of this project is to illustrate these moments and express them through clay and paper in order to keep its existence alive so they will not be forgotten in the future.

Vivien Muller Double-walled serving dish (below) for the home which aims to keep its contents warm for longer.

She is a ceramic designer who enjoys technical challenges. The work is playful, but at the same time, elegant. Vivien likes to explore objects and the ways they are used. With an eye for slick designs and innovative ideas, she creates user-friendly tableware.

y.lai0420172@arts.ac.uk

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Gayi Soori This work examines the web of interactions between humans and the natural world through the unusual example of the horseshoe crab.

They are now threatened by over-harvesting and habitat loss. Employing imagery of blood vessels, degrading taps and the mythical figure Talos, key themes of extraction and interconnectivity are explored.

Their blue blood is used by the biomedical industry to check medicines and surgical supplies are free from bacterial contamination, something that benefits us all.

gayisoori@gmail.com

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Alice Fyles In the light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate emergency, Alice sought purpose in Voltaire's words "the best thing to do in a world full of hardship is to cultivate our own garden" as well as John Seymour's teachings on selfsustainability.

She is a ceramic designer whose practice is focused on locality and selfsufficiency. With effect from the 1st of May 2020, Alice proclaimed the existence of the Land of Fylesia.

In the land, Alice grows her own food and makes plant pots out of local materials, whether that be vessels made from household waste, papiermâché or local ceramic materials.

Subsequently, Alice proclaimed the existence of the Land of Fylesia.

The land encompasses various territories of East Finchley, including Alice’s apartment, and is governed by the notion of selfsufficiency.

The localized and first-hand ceramic practice aims to enhance Alice's understanding of her work's environmental impact. The venture also aspires to shift our design approach in the age of climate emergency, to design lead by local material opportunities.

In Fylesia, Alice grows her own food and to further facilitate this process, she makes plant pots out of local materials, whether that be vessels made from household waste or papier-mâché. In a post-lockdown scenario, and as Alice is a ceramicist at heart, she seeks to expand the land, purchase a kiln as well as a potter's wheel, and transform her make-do vessels into ceramic plant pots made from resources local to the land.

alice.fyles@gmail.com https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/th elandoffylesia/the-land-offylesia?ref=nav_search&result=project &term=land%20of%20fylesia

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Central Saint Martins Show 2020

Alice Fyles

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Crafts Council 2020

Crafts Council Exhibition Makers were selected by a panel which included Shai Akram (co-founder and design director, Studio Alt Shift), Uli Gamper (project curator, Crafts Council), Natalie Melton (creative director, Crafts Council), Daniel Olatunji (founder and maker, Monad London), Ayesha Patel (jewellery designer and one of Crafts Council’s Young Craft Citizens) and the exhibition curator Janice Blackburn.

This show is in response to the lack of opportunity for this year’s craft and design graduates to exhibit and sell work at physical degree shows. Future Edit exhibitors also benefit from the proceeds of their sales, giving buyers knowledge that their purchases will directly support makers at a precarious time. In addition, exhibiting graduates will benefit from support from the Learning & Talent Development team, with guidance on pricing, promotion and product development from Crafts Council house experts.

The Crafts Council are showing and selling the work from this year’s BA craft and design graduates at their new gallery this autumn. Called Future Edit it presents the work from a selected group of talented graduates, offering the public an opportunity to buy exciting work from gifted emerging makers, and support them in launching their careers.

The Crafts Council Gallery is based on Pentonville Road between King’s Cross and Angel, London.

The exhibition will open from November 2020, and running through to Christmas. It will also be featured on the Crafts Council website if you are unable to attend in personwww.craftscouncil.org.uk.

44a Pentonville Road London N1 9BY The following buses stop near the gallery: 19, 30, 73, 189, 205, 214, 394, 476 Accessibility The gallery and facilities are wheelchair accessible. Crafts Council provides large format print exhibition information, and aims for the space to be well lit with clear signage. The have a hearing loop at reception and portable listening devices for events. There is limited parking for Blue Badge holders (please contact us in advance).

Bringing together graduates from higher education institutions across the UK, the exhibition seeks to represent a range of craft disciplines. This will be the Crafts Council Gallery’s opening exhibition and will demonstrate their commitment to giving a platform to emerging craft talent.

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Crafts Council 2020

In the new look magazine there is a ceramics feature entitled 'Turning green' …ceramics are all too often ecologically unsustainable and toxic, but designers are exploring new materials and scientific techniques to find a more viable approach. Isabella Smith reports on clay with a conscience.

The Crafts Council will be hosting a virtual launch event for the new issue of the magazine as part of London Craft Week on Thursday 8th October. For details of timings and how to register please visit https://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/whatson/crafts-magazine-issue-launch (copy and paste link). ….With pottery becoming ever-more popular, can we reduce the ecological impact of this energy-hungry craft? Crafts magazine brings together pioneering ceramicists and designers in this panel discussion to help envisage a cleaner future for clay. From greener kiln firings through to glazes made from food waste, industrial debris – and even human urine – they will explore the latest innovations and the challenges that lie ahead.

Crafts magazine from the Crafts Council has been completely redesigned, with a great new look and format. https://craftsmagazine.imbmsubscriptions.com/cso284/

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Panellists will be Kevin Rouff of Studio ThusThat, Purva Chawla of MaterialDriven, and Lewis Jones of Granby Workshop.

Emerging Potters – Issue 21

Grove Vale studio/gallery 2020

Emerging Potters – Issue 21

Grove Vale studio/gallery 2020

Grove Vale Ceramics

The four have very different and distinctive styles and approaches, allowing a very useful discussion to self development between them, while giving each other feedback and constructive critique.

Four friends who first met at the Kiln Rooms studios in Peckham, London have taken the plunge and started their own combined gallery and studio called Grove Vale Ceramics in Dulwich. They are Amanda-Sue Rope, Lise Herud Braten, Karine Hilaire and Elza Jaszczuk.

The studio space has a mix of personal space for each of them, but within a communally shared area.

When they took over the shop it had recently undergone a complete refurbishment, giving them a clean, blank canvas. The space is long and narrow, and divided into three separate rooms, so planning the layout to maximise each area and ensuring it would really work for each of them, as well as the gallery was quite a challenge.

After just missing the chance to rent a permanent studio/shop their second attempt was successful.

They see the space as being between a gallery and a shop. There is no printed pricelist, as they don’t want to feel ‘stuffy’. Each item is marked with a price, and customers are free to browse, handle and consider their choices without having to refer to a list or a gallery assistant. In addition, they each make work to commission. The space allows for meetings where items can be seen in the gallery context, as well as accommodating a private area to discuss ideas, sketches and look at work in progress.

All the shelving, workbenches and kitchen/wet glazing areas were bespoke designed and made by them. When setting up a ceramics studio there are always environmental concerns. They needed a ventilation system for the kiln, glazing facilities, and a sink had to be connected through a sedimentation tank system to filter out the clay particles and avoid silt and contamination into the water and waste systems.

They have found that visitors are interested to hear about the studio space, and the making process stages. Being able to create work on site, and immediately see the finished pieces in a gallery context is very inspiring and helpful for their own continued development. Having participated in fairs and shows previously they find the continued contact with clients can be very helpful.

Previous page: The four resident makers outside Grove Vale Ceramics. From left Elza, Amanda, Karine and Lise.

Above: “Redware” collection pieces by Amanda-Sue Rope. An antique butchers block table gives character to the displays, with work by all makers on show.

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Grove Vale studio/gallery 2020

The private meeting space in the gallery where the makers discuss commissions with clients

Karine and Lise at work in the throwing area

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Grove Vale studio/gallery 2020

Working with the existing plumbing and structure of the building whilst not loosing precious workspace took meticulous planning and measuring, and some creative solutions along the way. There were also obvious budget constraints, but they did most of the work themselves with the help from very supportive partners.

The permanent gallery space is fairly small, as they wanted a multi-functional space directly behind this part. It allows for office/gallery desk space, workspace for hand-building, private meeting space, and extended gallery display area when they are putting on larger displays and exhibitions.

Above left: . Clean lines and well incorporated storage in the gallery.

The business model of having a studio/ workspace and gallery within the same premises is a much more common concept in Scandinavia and mainland Europe. As far as they know, there are not many examples of a similar set-up for ceramics in the UK. From the gallery visitors can often see one or more of them working, allowing for an experience they would not normally be able to see.

It fosters a real understanding and appreciation of the skills, creativity, processes and time involved.

Above top: Lise working on a textured piece in pale stoneware clay.

Above: Handmade decorative porcelain tiles by Elza on the hand building bench.

Grove Vale Ceramics, 51 Grove Vale, East Dulwich, London SE22 8EQ

Another aim of the enterprise is to help develop and revive the high street, promote local shopping and to create a makers economy. By having the studio attached, they can be productive the whole time, whilst having a permanent shop window to attract potential clients.

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www.grovevaleceramics.co.uk Instagram @grovevaleceramics Photography: Tom Kurek 20

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Celia Dowson 2020

Celia Dowson Through the work she hopes to draw out the beauty and connections which can be made through everyday objects, going beyond the classical concepts of function. Informed by the movement and flux in nature the glass pieces the colours, the changing light, and mystery of the natural world, while porcelain vessels, embedded with mark and gesture, capture an evolving landscape. Tonal blends and colour weave throughout the work and unique surfaces are obtained through thorough material research and testing.

Celia graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2014 and prior to this had studied in Florence, Italy in traditional sculpture.

During these years she began to explore material and techniques, casting, carving and glaze. By the time she started the Royal College of Art (RCA) two years later in 2016 she wanted to hone these skills, pushing herself to develop something unique through experimenting, to achieve unexpected results.

She’s fascinated by industrial processes and adapts traditional modelling and casting techniques to make bespoke pieces. Techniques used in both the making of glass and ceramics are crossed and re applied so that unique forms and surface qualities are achieved. For the ceramics she uses a machine called a jigger-jolly, which is an old piece of equipment that is ordinarily used for massproducing. She doesn’t want to mass-produce the work but is interested in how you can adapt a traditional modelling technique to create something individual.

In the second year at RCA while developing porcelain Seascape vessels, she became fascinated with cast glass and what it had to offer as a material with its colour, translucency and ability to shift and change with light. It felt like a natural transition, using both materials to make work which straddled the functional and artistic.

She has worked with ceramics much longer than glass, but manipulating the latter material feels very natural to her as some of the processes involved are quite similar.

Running her studio which is based in London is her focus. Never only working on one project, so there are lots of deadlines which cross over.

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Celia Dowson 2020

Through much testing she’s leart that there are ways of influencing what the landscapes created might look like, but there’s always an element of surprise, and the love this aspect in the process brings.

Her work proposes a function, vessels which can be used or displayed quietly. Although there is a story behind every collection, people see different things in the work and this is so important to her. The work has to evoke something in you so that it will bring happiness and feelings of contentment and calm to your everyday life. https://www.celiadowson.co.uk Instagram: @celiadowson_ceramics

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Post Lockdown 2020

Brave New World It’s funny how certain industries exist quite happily for a long time and then the unexpected happens, and suddenly people have to adjust and make use of new technologies. This must be true of how ceramics can be taught today, and even open-up new possibilities not restricted by distance.

So for all the non-tech people this is what is needed.

For the participants - a broadband connection, a laptop or iPad and the Zoom app.

For the organizer Software * Zoom for video meetings

Wendy Kershaw is a maker from Scotland who has been running a summer course every two years at the International Ceramics Studio (ICS), Kecskemét, Hungary.

* OBS Studio (allows mixing multiple video inputs, and creating multiple scenes, e.g. scene showing webcam pointed at desk in main screen, with other webcam pointed at presenter’s face in corner.

Another scene might just be the laptop webcam pointing at the presenter’s face, or another scene for screen share, for example to show photos of the technique being discussed. (Free)

There she would demonstrate the techniques for making her ceramic books, and then the participants would explore them. The ICS is a wonderful residential facility, with 24 hour studio access, it runs courses, symposiums and residencies. Then the pandemic struck and the course couldn’t run. Or could it?

* OBS Studio WebSockets plugin - allows an iPad to connect to the laptop and shows a screen with buttons to switch between OBS scenes (free)

She commented, “The ICS course organisers came up with the idea of running it online. We were all unsure whether a ceramics course would work online, I was unsure, Steve who runs the ICS and the students were unsure, but we were all happily surprised at just how well it did work, with our studios joined up electronically”.

* NDI Virtual Input (connects OBS Studio output into Zoom ) (free) * (Optional ) NDI HX Camera (use an iPhone as an additional webcam ) (£20 approx.) * (Optional) NDI HX Capture ( broadcast the screen of an iPhone / iPad to OBS, for photo slideshows, presentations etc ) (£10 approx)

Photo above: Chloe Farrant sharing one of her illustrated tiles with the group.

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Post Lockdown 2020

Photo above: Wendy in her studio teaching on Zoom.

Hardware * Laptop with web cam Photo above: Wendy demonstrating water etching with paper

* Wireless headset - preferably good sound quality and battery life like Plantronics or Jabra * USB webcam attached to laptop pointing at desk

Software: We used Zoom, a video meeting App.

* Anglepoise style clamp for webcam / iPhone to point at desk

How many students took part in each session? For the first one she had four students, the maximum is about eight. We had people in Canada and Australia signing up, but the time differences can be an issue.

* Ideally have laptop plugged into network rather than using wifi for reliability * (Optional) iPad to run slideshows, and change OBS scenes

Response One of the students said that in some ways the online course was better, as they had a very closeup view of her hands and the work, as if they were watching from over her shoulder. She was expecting more pitfalls, it was different, as when the students were trying the techniques she couldn’t stroll around and see what they were doing, and they couldn’t see each other’s work in progress, but it was surprising how well it did work. If they had any questions she was there all the time, working away herself. We interacted well as a group, with everyone seeing what each other had made, hearing all the questions, and the sharing of advice and information. As usual she learned from their experiences!

* separate large monitor to show participants She commented, “The above hardware and software lets me see the students on the large screen, let me see what they were seeing on my laptop, let them see my hands and the work with the webcam on the stand, or my face with the laptop, or a combination of both, ie. a large image of my hands and the work, with a small insert of my face. Having the iPad to change between images was helpful, with the click of an onscreen button I could quickly change between my face to my hands, or to an image of another potter’s use of the technique”.

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She also learned that it’s important to know not just your download speed, but the upload speed too.

Living out in the countryside too far for fiber broadband, she discovered that the upload was too slow, technical advice sorted this out by adding a 4G modem to the home network, and a pay as you go data sim.

After the success of the first online course the ICS had another one lined up, in August 2020. There were one or two of the techniques that she could have had better finished examples of, time was spent making some. Another issue was to make it clearer the hardness or softness of the clay needed for each technique. The students need to know ahead of time how many tiles they will need, the size and the condition. Now we send them a list of this in advance, as well as the tools and materials needed.

The course is Illustrating on Clay, and covers twelve surface techniques on clay. She has finished examples of all of the techniques, and demonstrates each one, discussing possible variations, and pitfalls, and talks about how other ceramicists use those techniques. Some of the techniques she demonstrates, as the students might not have access to some of the materials required, such as plaster. But many of the techniques they all tried, and at the end they experimented with combining them. At the start of the course she explains the plan that they will be following, and each evening emails out a sheet on the techniques that have been explored that day, and on the last day she summarises everything that they’ve done, and invite any final questions.

Photo: Wendy demonstrating water etching with paper

Post Lockdown 2020

All of this seems a long way from traditional studios or maybe not? Most importantly it does offer-up the chance to study and explore ceramic making anywhere in the world that has broadband. It is also how our art colleges have been teaching their students during lockdown and no access to college equipment. A brave new world. The only other advice to students is – you will need your own supply of tea and chocolate buscuits.

Some helpful notes: * OBS https://obsproject.com/ Free software used widely for live-streaming and video production.

Allows multiple scenes to be created ( webcam pointing at table might be a scene, or webcam pointing at presenters face, or screen capture of an app on iPad or laptop ) and quickly switched between Also allows video to be tuned, eg colour correction or mixed together. Simple case is to have two webcams broadcast together, with main picture showing work on a table, and the presenters face in a small box at the bottom corner. Or could do likewise with screen capture, with presenter face on screen at same time as slideshow etc. Scene can also be a static picture or text, like in a silent movie, like a slide with intro about the broadcast, or a back in 5 minutes bio-break page.

Emerging Potters – Issue 21

Post Lockdown 2020

** NDI HX Camera https://www.newtek.com/software/ndi-camera/ Turns a phone into a web cam. ** NDI Virtual Input https://ndi.tv/tools/ Used to be needed to use OBS with Zoom. Since mid July 2020, Zoom can now work directly with OBS as a virtual web cam, so NDI virtual input no longer needed. Might be useful for other apps that don’t work with OBS.

* OBS virtual camera plugin

Photo’s: Wendy demonstrating paper printing with underglaze stains and coloured slips.

https://streamshark.io/blog/using-obs-as-a-virtualwebcam-on-windows-and-macos/

Instagram - wendykershawceramics

Turns the output of OBS into a pretend webcam that other apps, like Zoom or Skype, can use. Once the virtual camera is started on OBS, can go into another app and choose it from the list of webcams. Needs an up to date version of Zoom.

International Ceramics Studio web site http://icshu.org/page27.html (copy and paste link)

* OBS Websocket Plugin ( Optional )

The course has now stared taking bookings from North America and Canada.

https://www.obs.live/articles/2019/7/23/the-best-3add-ons-for-obs-studio Free add on for OBS that makes it easy to change scenes. Can be used on its own with a web browser to show a big button for each scene. Or with the Touch Portal app for iPad / Android / iPhone. Touch Portal is free except for the Pro version. * NDI HX Suite of video apps from Newtek. Was free during Covid lockdown, so some may be chargeable now.

3 optional apps that might be needed ** NDI HX Screencapture. https://www.newtek.com/software/ndi-capture/ Run on an iPad to broadcast the screen. Good for slideshows using Keynote, showing photos, or working with an app.

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Emerging Potters – Issue 21

Janina Myronowa 2020

Janina Myronowa At the age of 14 she started to make ceramics in 2002 in her native town of Donieck in the Ukraine and has never stopped.

After finishing two Master Degree’s in Ceramics, one in the Ukraine at the Lviv National Academy of Art, and the second one in Poland at the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Art and Design. Then followed two years experience with a leading ceramic studio at Institute of Design Kielce in Poland. After that she returned for PhD studies at the Academy in Wroclaw and obtaining a doctorate. While taking classes for students she was able to find time to travel the world and continue making her work while learning about other cultures, and gaining new experiences. Since 2012 she has lived in Poland.

The ‘people’ she makes are similar to those figurines created by ancient communities and to ancient images and ideas about the world, mythological creatures, and also toys. There are influences from the PreColumbian Period and Mexican Folk Art. Most of the influences come from her childhood, while studying Dymkovo toys as well as Matryoshka dolls.

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Emerging Potters – Issue 21

Janina Myronowa 2020

She works with stoneware and porcelain. When working with stoneware, she usually keeps the facture which is left from the grog. The sculptures are slab built, as it helps to speed-up the work. Most importantly is the process of decoration. Usually it takes longer than actually building the sculptures. She uses engobes, underglazes, glazes, and it becomes a very playful moment. She loves to experiment by adding different materials to the ceramic pieces. While in Germany, she started to combine them with glass.

As travelling is an essential part of the influence on the work her studio travels with her also. There are favorite tools which she always brings along no matter which country she finds herself. It means that every studio she works from feels like her own. This year she received a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture in Poland to establish her own studio, which will have a kiln and I will an independent space.

During an Artist in Residency at the International Ceramic Research Center Guldagergaard in Denmark she started for the first time to work on the big scale sculpture for the Park. Looking at the future she has a plan to continue to work with Public Art. The interaction between the maker and the viewer will always be central to her work.

https://www.instagram.com/janinamyronova/ mailto:yanina.mironova@gmail.com

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Emerging Potters – Issue 21

Janina Myronowa 2020

WORK EXPIRIENCE

2019-2020 Assistant Professor at Academy of Art and Design in Wroclaw (Poland) 2014-2015 Head of Ceramics Studio at Institute of Design Kielce (Poland) RESIDENCIES

2021 2020 2020 2020 2018 2018

Shigaraki Ceramic Culture Park, Japan, (January-March) upcoming Künstlerhaus Stadttöpferei Neumünster, Germany, (4.11-28.11.2020) upcoming Lefebvre & Fils, France, (July-September) International Ceramic Research Center Guldagergaard, Denmark, (March-June) Clayarch Gimhae Museum, South Korea (September-December) New Taipei Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taiwan (January-March)

MEMBERSHIPS Since 2017 International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) Since 2017 Artaxis

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Emerging Potters – Issue 21

Post Lockdown 2020

Post Lockdown News Turning Earth

Last chance to see..

From September the studio resumed their classes in Hoxton at a new location, just a stone's throw away from the existing Whiston Road Studio.

PRISM

The recent social distancing measures meant that they were no longer able to safely stay and comfortably teach groups of students at the Hoxton Studio and this had a huge impact on Turning Earth.

'Prism' features eleven ceramic artists who together demonstrate a mastery of light and colour. Each of the brand new collections have been hand-selected for a bold use of or an absence of colour. You are encouraged to book viewings.

Their new teaching space will be designed with social distancing in mind and provide a safe and comfortable environment for our students and our team to work in.

Resuming their classes will help them to extend the opening hours of the studio again and steadily bring the team of staff and technicians back too.

The new courses will kick off on the 15th of September and you can see the whole list of what's available on our website. We have a wide range of courses, including regular, throwing courses and intermediate throwing courses, with availability in both the morning and evening. By popular demand, we have also scheduled some week-long courses, previously only available in our Leyton studio.

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Until 25th Oct

THROWN www.throwncontemporary.co.uk OPENING HOURS Wednesday - Saturday 11am - 6pm Sunday 12noon - 5pm Our mailing address is: Thrown, Highgate Contemporary Art (Ground Floor), 26 Highgate High Street, London, N6 5JG United Kingdom

Emerging Potters – Issue 21

Home Possessions 2020

Home Possessions Slee’s exhibition is part of a wider public programme, funded by Arts Council England, exploring the meaning behind people’s home possessions.

The Mantelpiece Project launches with the Richard Slee exhibition at Bolton Museum It is an Arts Council funded project exploring the meaning behind people’s home possessions.

The programme, is the result of an ongoing collaboration between Bolton Museum, the Mass Observation Archive, University of Sussex and the Museum of the Home, includes a second exhibition, Mantelpiece Stories , by photographer Madeleine Waller, as well as online events, film screenings, talks and workshops.

● The Project opens with Mantelpiece Observations, an exhibition of new work by the celebrated ceramic artist Richard Slee, which will be on display at Bolton Museum from 12th September. ● Also on display at Bolton Museum will be Mantelpiece Stories, a newly commissioned work by photographer Madeleine Waller. ● The Mantelpiece Project will link together three key partners: Bolton Museum, the Mass Observation Archive, University of Sussex and the Museum of the Home.

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Emerging Potters – Issue 21

Home Possessions 2020

Home Possessions

Slee’s new work has been inspired by an archive that was established more than 80 years ago by the pioneering social research organisation, Mass Observation (MO). Founded in 1937 with the declaration ‘We shall collaborate in building up museums of domestic objects’, MO recruited hundreds of volunteer observers who were asked to write about aspects of their daily lives.

One of the first tasks they were given was to write down ‘in order from left to right’ what was on their mantelpieces. The resulting reports are full of quirky details about the volunteers’ personal possessions and reveal much about the tastes, preferences and preoccupations of people living through a period of intense social and economic upheaval.

(below are images from the Madeleine Waller show)

The new pieces Slee has created for his solo show at Bolton Museum draw directly from the 158 mantelpiece reports in the Mass Observation Archive, turning words and phrases into ceramic sculptures.

Slee has long been interested in the unusual significance of certain domestic objects including everyday items that might be displayed on the typical mantelpiece, and is probably still best-known for his series of oversized Toby figures from the early 1990s. For this exhibition, Slee has returned to the form, making his first Toby figures in twenty-five years, inspired by a detailed description in one of the 1937 reports. New works include ‘Block Wooly Cat’, a ceramic and altered balaclava (prompted by a typing mistake in the archived report) and ‘Janus’, a two headed version of a Staffordshire dog figurine.

Emerging Potters is produced quarterly and can be found on the ISSUU platform or contact the editor e: paulbailey123@googlemail.com