clay festival programme
DESCRIPTION
Ceramics Southern Africa Gauteng RegionTRANSCRIPT
Programme & Booking Information
7th & 8th March 2015
Berario Recreation Centre
Cnr Dolores Ave & King Str, Berario, Jhb
P O Box 2900 North Riding 2162, Tel: 074 703 4399, Fax: 086 664 0958, e-mail: [email protected]
Clay Festival 2015 Ceramics Southern Africa Gauteng Region
www.ceramicssa.org
PROGRAMME & BOOKING INFORMATION
To book for any of the workshops or talks please do payment by EFT and send your proof of payment to
[email protected] using your name and the numbers of the workshops you wish to attend as your
reference.
Please study the workshops carefully and avoid overlapping when making your choices.
Clay Festival 2015 will be booked per workshop and runs over a week end only.
All workshops cost R350.00 for members and R400.00 for non-members
Member’s Special: book for 4 workshops for R1200.00
Lunchtime Talks open to members only, R50.00 each
Workshops on offer will be Demonstrating, Participating (in some instances PowerPoint presentation/
demonstrating/participating) and an illustrated talk. There is an interesting line up of presenters, 3 of whom are from
the Cape and the rest from Gauteng.
A firing service (without liability) will be available to those artists who would like
work made in participating workshops fired. Rose Hobson can be contacted on
084 436 4312.
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Get to know your workshop presenters on the CSA website, Facebook and blog sites, as well as
their personal web sites
http://www.ceramicssa.org/
http://ceramicssouthernafrica.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ceramics-Southern-Africa/344223788683
Demonstrations in the Trade Hall will be organised by Gauteng Teaching Studios and there is no charge for watching
these amazing artists at work. An excellent line up of artists will be doing demonstrations of decorating and forming
techniques in the trade hall throughout the week end. In addition, artists will be demonstrating wheelwork and an
ongoing sculpture building exercise over the 2 day period to further complement the line-up. Many of the artists
will have examples of their work on sale.
Flavours
Deli & Bistro
Will be offering a delicious array of homemade goodies, salads, and refreshments.
Their superb bottled products will also be on sale.
A lovely café area in the trade hall near the demonstrations will be available where you can watch, eat and relax.
Summary of Workshops
Saturday Morning 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
1 The Poem, The Person and the Pot Think Creatively, Laterally and not Literally
Ralph Johnson (Western Cape) Assisted by Ros Jaff
2 Decorative Carving A Practical Workshop
Madoda Fani
3 Beyond Your Comfort Zone A Ceramic Sculpture Workshop
Carol Cauldwell Hamman
4 Raku with a twist Alternative firing
Evette Kruger
Saturday Lunchtime Talk 12:30 - 1:30 pm
5 Studio Pottery Culture of New England Internship at the Studio Potter Journal
Ronnie Watt
Saturday Afternoon 2:00 – 5:00 pm
6 The Poem, The Person and the Pot Think Creatively, Laterally and not Literally
Ralph Johnson (Western Cape) Assisted by Ros Jaff
7 Decorating the Fired Surface A Variety of treatments on the glazed surface
John Shirley
8 Beyond Your Comfort Zone A Ceramic Sculpture Workshop
Carol Cauldwell Hamman
9 Raku with a twist Alternative firing
Evette Kruger
Sunday Morning 9:00am – 12:00 pm
10 Traditional Coiling Techniques An introduction to Zulu & Venda methods
Michelle Legg and Nic Sithole
11 The Secret Lives of Others Sculpting the human figure
Lydia Holmes (Eastern Cape)
12 The Self Sufficient Potter Making your own…..
Chris Patton
13 Raku with a twist Alternative firing
Evette Kruger
Sunday Lunchtime Talk 12:30 - 1:30 pm
14 The 2014 Taiwan Ceramic Biennale An overview
Eugene Hön
Sunday Afternoon 2:00 – 5:00 pm
15 Traditional Coiling Techniques An introduction to Zulu & Venda methods
Michelle Legg and Nic Sithole
16 Decorating with Slip Exploring a number of techniques
Sandra Goercke
17 Creative Skills Development Masterclass For advanced and aspiring ceramists
Eugene Hön
18 Raku with a twist Alternative firing
Evette Kruger
All workshops are hands-on participation workshops except for the Lunchtime Talks and
the Creative Skills Masterclass. Please refer to the individual information sheets for each
workshop to see what you are required to bring to the workshops you are attending.
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THE POEM, THE PERSON AND THE POT
Ralph Johnson Assisted by Ros Jaff Ralph was born in Johannesburg and matriculated from Athlone Boys High School in 1961. He obtained his B.D.S.: University of the Witwatersrand in 1967. In 1984 he received an honours degree in ceramics from the University of Natal (Pietermaritzburg) cum laude. In 1992 he attained his Master’s degree in Ceramic Design from the Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, England. The concept of the workshop is to encourage the participants to think creatively, laterally and not literally. They will each be given a poem and will see the obvious, then develop a sense of the spirit of the poem in terms of emotion, colour and music. They will then have to extract elements from the poem which can be used to create a “Memory Tile / Block or Pot” There are hidden forms, textures, rhythms, images beyond the obvious which they will be encouraged to visualise and use in their memory object using extruders (hand held and sprigs which they will make in the workshop using small blocks of plaster of Paris and slip trailers.
For this workshop you will need to bring slip trailers, wooden tools, metal tools to carve into the plaster and a bat on which to make your tile.
DECORATIVE CARVING
Madoda Fani
Madoda was born in Cape Town and grew up in Gugulethu. The name means ‘our pride’ in Xhosa and Madoda is a living embodiment of that sentiment. Madoda counts himself lucky to have been exposed to art from a very young age. After 10 years working at The Potters Workshop, Madoda found his own, very different, visual style. It started by reconnecting with nature, especially the insect world. The intricate patterning revealed by close up photography further intrigued him and he started paying closer attention to the beautiful creatures all around him.
Madoda will demonstrate his carving techniques that have made his work so unique.
Participants should bring sharp carving tools, a wooden bat for working on and box/plastic for
transporting finished work home.
BEYOND YOUR COMFORT ZONE
In this workshop, I am hoping to stretch you beyond your comfort zone and hopefully help you to become a little more creative by digging deep into your own imagination and spontaneity. Please come to the lecture with a sculpture in mind that you would like to do. It would be highly advisable to spend some time either sketching what you have in mind, making a little Marquette or having some printed reference off the internet.
Carol Hamman
Carol acquired a diploma in ceramics from Wits Technikon where she excelled in Sculpture. Upon completing her diploma, she began a Pottery Studio in Magaliesburg and due to its growing success, this soon became a thriving factory in Modderfontien supplying local chainstores, which was eventually hand painting up to 4000 units per day. As part of a journey of self-discovery and healing, Carol turned to Iconography and painted numerous icons and two Orthodox Churches fully clad with stylized patterns and iconography. Throughout this time she yearned to do 3D work. For her 40th birthday she attended a Wood Turning course and enjoyed turning a few pieces, but found wood very static and sterile, hankering for the fluidity of clay. 2011 finally brought the fulfilment of a lifelong dream as she started sculpting in wax and bronze casting. Carol has found enormous joy in this creative process.
RAKU WITH A TWIST
Evette Kruger
Evette Kruger is a ceramic artist and teacher. She studied in Pretoria to obtain a National diploma in ceramic design which she completed in 1990. She has exhibited on both regional and national level with CSA. Evette has two teaching studios, one in Pretoria and one in Johannesburg offering Evette teaches wheelwork, hand building and sculpture in different mediums, and drawing and painting in different mediums. ‘I aim to instil a love and appreciation for all things clay in my students, helping them find their own direction and style.’ At the Clay Festival, Evette will present 2 ‘Raku with a Twist’ workshops Raku is one of Evette’s specialties and the workshop is a must for anyone interested in alternate firing techniques
The workshop will allow the participants to explore different methods of glaze application, (pouring, dipping, dabbing), with a choice of 4 different glazes and a variety of bright colours. They will also have an opportunity to try different resist techniques and oxide decoration. The workshop will end with a beer firing with a twist!
LUNCHTIME TALKS
Eugene Hӧn Is a ceramic artist with a passion for drawing. His ceramic statements are a creative response to the evocative quality of literary sources he engages with. He has work in all major art galleries in South Africa, including numerous corporate and private collections. He completed a master in Fine Art at the University of Cape Town specialising in Ceramic sculpture - graduating in 1986. He is presently employed as an academic lecturer and director of the FADA gallery at the University of Johannesburg, Gauteng.
His presentation will showcase the 2014 Taiwan Ceramic Biennale, from the perspective of a participating artist aimed at developing and aspiring ceramic artists. http://eugenehon.blogspot.com/
Ronnie Watt Is a journalist and television programme producer with extensive experience at the level of news editor and creative director. He is also a published author of non-fiction works and academic essays, as well as a studio pottery and ceramics researcher-writer. His ceramic interests include being a specialist collector of studio pottery with attention to the South African studio potters working in the tradition of the Anglo-Oriental/Modernist school. He is known for his research and writing about South African studio pottery and ceramics for the Art At Work Today on-line project: www.artatworktoday.com International press representative and conference speaker at the 2014 Taiwan Ceramics Biennale, presented by the New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum. Ronnie’s presentation The studio Pottery culture of New England will focus on his recent internship at The Studio Potter Journal (USA) in 2014.
DECORATING THE FIRED SURFACE
John Shirley
I have been working with ceramics for forty five years, both in the areas of making and teaching. I was programme coordinator in Ceramic Design at the University of Johannesburg until 2010. I am still very involved with the teaching of ceramics, both in the formal and informal sector. I run a number of one off workshops on a number of ceramic techniques and processes on a regular basis. My own work has recently been with bone china and porcelain with a number of surface treatments specializing in soluble salts which create a water colour effect on the translucent body. I am a Fellow of Ceramics Southern Africa and a member of the International Academy of Ceramics.
My workshop will consist of a number of methods of decorating the fired ceramic surface, including on-glaze, in-glaze, decals and lustre. Application methods and firing schedules will be covered as well as ways of building up layers of colour for added intensity.
Participants should bring a selection of brushes, a sharp pointed metal tool a small sponge and a soft rubber kidney
TRADITIONAL COILING TECHNIQUES
The workshop will include an introduction to Zulu and Venda traditional coiling methods. Participants will
practice these techniques with the assistance of Michelle and Nic. Burnishing and terra sigillata application
will be demonstrated on pre made pots. The 2 workshops are stand-alone but should enthusiastic coilers
wish, they may sign up for both and continue on pots started during the first session.
Participants should bring a wooden bat, basic tool kit, apron and plastic to cover work for transporting
home.
Michelle Legg Strong forms and good proportion have always been the most important element of my work. Whether I am hand building, casting or throwing I am always looking for symmetry and clean profile lines. Constantly searching for balance but trying to push the boundaries. I received the Glazecor Premier Award on the 2011 Ceramics Southern Africa Regional Exhibition
Nic Sithole With almost 30 years of experience, a significant turning point came about after Nic attended a workshop by Michelle Legg on ‘Traditional African Pots'. For the first time Nic started making work that he felt was a natural expression of who he was and what he believed in. He had found a voice to express his creativity. Nic has work in the Corobrick Collection in Pretoria and the Nelson Mandela Art Gallery in Port Elizabeth.
THE SECRET LIVES OF OTHERS
Lydia Holmes My recent work has focused on hidden
societies – places where no outsider is allowed
in. What materializes behind these closed
doors? Who are the people who populate
these places? Who are the characters who
dwell here? What are their sexual
preferences? What do they do for fun? Do
they have ambitions, dreams or desires? No
one is allowed behind the gates of the Abbey,
the Papal Palace, or the Priory. What do the
men do for fun? How do they socialize?
My characters are based on religious figures
mostly painted by Peter Paul Rubens, Diego
Velazquez, Pompeo Batoni, Pietro Facchetti and
others. The outward calm and pretentious
dignity of these figures must surely hide some
inner mischief or after hour delinquencies?
Considering that these closed societies are so
hidden from our world, I have created an
imaginary world of characters and events for
the residents of these closed communities.
Where might they go on holiday? Which small
vices do they indulge in? Even though they live
in isolation in a state of restraint, devotion and
celibacy, are they so different from those who
live outside of these closed communities?
My present series – Dressing for the Bishop’s
Ball, depict ecclesiastical figures, out of their
comfort zones, dressed up in their version of
“the little black dress”. They are rather staid
men, robbed of their dignity, ceremonial dress
and clerical status, having to “go with the flow”
in dress up for the Bishop’s Ball.
The workshop will consist of a slide presentation of Lydia’s work. A talk about the figure, proportions, measurements, etc. and a demonstration of Lydia’s way of working Participants will do some work of their own with time for a crit at the end of the session.
THE SELF SUFFICIENT POTTER
In this workshop Chris will show methods he uses to make his own stuff for the studio. Looking fleetingly at Kilns,
wheels, workshop furniture and basic workshop gear, and in more depth creating your own hand tools, throwing tools,
turning tools. Creating stamps and brushes from nothing making your workshop personal at little cost and considerable
satisfaction.
Chris Patton
Chris graduated from the Belfast College
of art and the Ulster college of Art and
design before potting and teaching in
Ireland England France and Norway.
Opened his first pottery in1967 in the
National Trust property of Castleward in
Ireland. Five years he moved his studio to
Hillsborough in co. Down where he made
all types of stoneware, building ceramic
murals and teaching. Relocated to South
Africa in 1982 and established his studio
on a smallholding in Muldersdrift where
he works to this day.
‘I work in stoneware mostly, some terra-
cotta and in other temperatures when
needed. Working mostly to order
producing decorative and functional ware
of all types. There is always a stock of
work at the studio. I will consider any
ceramic project from teapots to murals.
In recent times decorated wash basins
have taken a lot of my production. My
style tends to be in the Anglo- Japanese
tradition using free brushwork and
feldspathic glazes.’
DECORATING TECHNIQUES WITH SLIP
The workshop will cover slip inlay, mocha technique (which gives a fern or tree like pattern), feathering, dot patterning
and combing –
For this workshop you will need a craft knife or any incising tool, paint brush, metal kidney or blades and a slip trailer
Sandra Goercke
Trained as a commercial artist at
Johannesburg Art School, I started
potting in 1974 realizing that this is
my passion. For many years I went
to Digby Hoets where I acquired a
good grounding. I work from my
studio in Benoni running pottery
classes several times a week. I
gravitate towards hand work which
gives me greater freedom of
expression. In later years, I’ve been
inspired by the colours and texture
of India. I have won many awards.
One of my pieces was acquired for
the Corobrik collection.
CREATIVE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT MASTER CLASS
Eugene Hӧn Are you realizing your ideas and
concepts in terms of contemporary
ceramic trends, techniques and
processes?
This Ceramics Master Class is aimed
at ceramic designers, craftspeople and
artists with the need/desire to take
their work to the next level – or to
explore new territories and or creative
options available to them. They will be
required, on registration for the
workshop, to submit images of their
latest work and a short
explication/statement defining their
creative intent (plus minus a 200
words). The facilitator/s will act as
mentors in a seminar environment to
unleash the creative individual
potential of participants; addressing
ideas and concepts in terms of various
ceramic techniques and methods.
Innovative and creative ceramic
options will tabled and discussed with
input from all participants (collective
intelligence)
http://eugenehon.blogspot.com/