potter's shed section-2008-09 fall-winter-art-to-art palette journal

7/28/2019 Potter's Shed Section-2008-09 Fall-Winter-Art-to-Art Palette Journal

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2008-09 Fall/Winter Edition -

Portrait Cup with YellowLines Ceramic ( 7.5" x 8" x 7")Part of a series that was originallyinspired by the ritual stirrup vesselsof the Moche culture (1st - 9thcentury AD) from Peru, OvidioGiberga says, The stirrup spout in mywork serves as a compelling design

feature but more importantly referencesthe "figure as vessel" metaphor, invitingthe viewer to think abstractly as to theircontent and purpose. His titlessuggest anthropological artifacts,

specific to his place and time.


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62 - The Art-to-Art Palette - Potters Shed Section - 2008-09 Fall/Winter Edition

Glen Dale, West Virginia is situated in thevery top tail of the state, along the Ohio Riverwith Ohio and Pennsylvania bordering eachside. Gods Country as many has madereference to and for good reason. Here,nature is respected and treated as a gift andin return, a type of bond seems to formbetween the residents and the land. Betsy Coxhad very little choice but to become an artist.

Cox: Mud was great!

with much vocal expression.Another fond memory that Betsy

clings to today is that of theirchickens. Sunday dinner would findfried chicken on the dining roomtable, taken right out of the barnyardearlier that morning, freshly dressed

and cooked. Betsys Mom opened arestaurant called The Red Rooster anbegan a collection of chickenmemorabilia. When her Motherpassed away in 1994, Betsysmemories began to seep into hermind and she longed to be closer tothose happy moments.

While watercolors were a mainmedia and Betsy did well with this arform, she longed for the hands-onfeel from her childhood days when

she would play in the mud and watcthe barnyard chickens march about.She remembered the scent, the feel,and the ability to mold the dirt likeclay. 1994 was the year when Betsyrealized that she needed to find herown style in her own way. In 2000,Betsys husband built her a studio anshe is now happy with her dailyroutine of sculpting, hand building,

Being exposed tocreativity wascommonplace inher householdwhile growing up.Her father wasskilled at trades inmosaic; paintingand woodcarving,and her Mothercame from a lineof Austrian artists.Betsys parentsencouraged her topaint and werethrilled to see aninterest taken inseveral differentmedias. Playingand makingsculptures in themud was one ofBetsys favoritepast times. Mudwas great!Approachable,moldable, cooland fun! thisclay artist said

theyareamazedthatanysanepersonwoulddothat.


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The Art-to-Art Palette - Potters Shed Section - 2008-09 Fall/Winter Edition

molding or creating forms on awheel. Today, Betsy finds inspirationin watching her neighbors chickensas they strut around their yard. Manyof her clay forms seem to portraydifferent varieties of her favoritebird in different forms and shapes,all visually exciting.

Cox has won awards for her

abstract, modern interpretations ofdesigns from clay and differentchicken presentations. Displays ofBetsy Coxs work can be viewed atthe Artworks Around Town galleryin Wheeling and the WheelingArtisan Center. Recent recipientof Best in Clay award from theWad Clay Institute, her piece wasthat of a chicken and has beenplaced in the Institutes permanentcollection in Pittsburgh. Her work

will also be featured in the latestof a series of books from SterlingPublishing on ceramics from artists allover the world. 500 Tiles features ahandmade collection of ceramics andBetsy created a type of abstract hand-slabbed tile, about 12 inches square,a type of free form design, with a free-floating ball in the middle on a wire.

Most artists work has a distinct,

Echo Valley Pottery, Betsys homestudio, is quickly gaining nationaland international attention for herclay and ceramic pieces as shecontinues to prepare for variousjuried competitions. A whirlwind of

ideas, designs, colors and a flair forcoordination will find Betsy Cox risinfast in the art media world.

Betsys Terra SigillataThe recipe she uses on her vessels,

requiring a sigged surface are Horse HaPit, Naked Raku, Saggar and some highfired stoneware. My Terra Sig is developa gallon at a time so I can control thethickness.

1 gallon water

5 pounds of dry XXX Saggar Clay1/2 Tablespoon of Sodium Silica1/2 Tablespoon of Soda AshMix together and let settle for 24

hours, siphon off the clear water at toThe middle layer is the one she uses.Siphon it off till you start to see thesludge at bottom. Thats it!

Betsy sometimes uses the sludge athick slip. She applies three coats ofTerra Sig to bone dry greenware, byspraying with a HVLP sprayer. Thismix is so fine that all that is needed t

burnish is a soft cloth.The pots arebisque fired in an electric kiln to cone08.

When people see Betsys Horsehaired pots they always ask - How dyou get those squiggly lines on there,Paint?After Betsy explains the procesof pulling hot pots from a kiln andapplying the hairs one at a time in a

See West Virginia next page

recognizable signature that sets themapart from others. Coxs unusualpieces throw all of this logic right outof the window by varying toextremes. Of the horsehair vessels,

saggar pots, smoke ware,paintings, tiles and jewelrycreated by Cox, it is sometimesimpossible to find similarities

of distinction of this artistbecause the creativity justseems to keep changing andgrowing, giving the impressionthat a group of artists havebeen at work.

Her methods of firinginclude electric, gas, raku, pitfiring, saggar firing and awood-fired kiln. Because ofthe different ways in whicheach method leaves a marking

on the clay and because Coxuses a variety of methods for uniqueeffects, one of a kind pieces arecreated as only Cox can achieve.One fellow artist compares Betsy Coxto a Renaissance woman with herdrawing, painting, ceramics,sculptures and mixed media work;everything she touches justautomatically turns to art.


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West VirginiaContinued from previous page

window of about 30 to 45 seconds, they are amazed that any sane personwould do that.Saggar firing is when vessels are fired in a container that holds

combustibles and

chemicals in close quartersto a pot. This allows theelements to fume to thesurface of the pot.

Saggars are madefrom clay, metal, bricks,kiln shelves, paper clay ortin foil. They all need tohave lids that seal andholes for air. I throw a lotof my saggars to fit thepots.Things used tocreate the fumes are:

Salt, copper wireCopper CarbonateSteel WoolStraw, dried manure,horse hair

Pine needles, ironfilings

The saggar is filledwith organic materials, such as, straw or grasses and the chemicals. I makesure the saggars are full, but not touching the pot. They are then sealed andfired in agas rakukiln to a

middlerange of1400 and1700degrees. I leave thesaggars inthe kilnuntilcooled.Then arewiped offand

waxed.Trewax isthe bestwax I havefound touse.

People

are always wondering how she gets all those colors and patterns. A littlehelp from my Kiln Gods and lots of Luck.


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rtist turns familychaos into artAnyone who's been around children for morethan a few minutes at a time, knows that theircute little faces, conceal a whirlwind of chaoticenergy. Janis MarsWunderlich is mother tofive children, andamazingly she manages not only tokeep up with the demanding work aswell as a busy household, but also shetranslates these experiences into art. Asshe puts it, "The wonderful craziness of

my family life is my inspiration." Herintricate, exquisitely detailed ceramicsculptures illustrate the messy, busy, and ultimately rewardingexperience of motherhood in all of its glory.


clusters of smaller, child-likefigures that seem to have alife of their own as they climbon, dance across, or even justcling to the body of the maincharacter. The sculptureshave a level of detail that is

often surreal andoccasionally unnerving. Janisloves working with clay in part becauseit such a hands-on process. "I enjoy the

poking, scraping, cracking. Working with myhands, pushing and pulling. Then firing,

layering colors, firing again. It is along process that takes great

patience, but it is so therapeutic! Ilove any material that you canreally dig your hands into!"

Her main inspiration is herchildren, whom she calls "thebest artists, the most creative

thinkers. They constantly give meideas. Janis also names FridaKahlo as an early inspiration,

saying "as a student, I fell in love with FridaKahlo's work. Her willingness to put it allout there" - both the sweet and the ugly... itchanged me!" Finally, behind every greatartist is a great art teacher, and accordingto Janis, "My teacher at BYU, Von Allen,was also a huge inspiration. She pushed clayto miraculous lengths, and had an extremework ethic, and I watched and learned!"

Janis' creativity was apparent at anearly age, she says. My parents fosteredan individual spirit in all of their 10 children(of which I am #2). They encouraged us to becreative and supplied us with materials. Ican't remember a time when I thought IWASN'T an artist." Over the years, she

has continued to grow as an artist,gaining skill, and equally important:confidence over time. I have always loved

process and detail, and my work is moredetailed than ever. My work is morehumorous now than when I was a student,expressed Janis. She furtheradded, I was struggling withbalancing family life/motherhood with art/gradschool and lacked confidence inmyself. I was always worried/

guilty that I wasn't being agood enough mother or

spending enough time in mystudio. However, she wenton to say, All these yearslater, I've gained more confidence in art andlife, or more likely gone completely over theedge, so that I laugh at everything and keepcalm in a "windstorm" - and I think my artreflects this change, this ability to embraceand celebrate the chaos."

The "chaos" of motherhood isillustrated in Janis' sculptures, as themain figure in each piece interacts with

As a well-known artist who now liveand works in Columbus, Ohio, she hasbeen the recipient of numerous awardsand fellowships. Also her art is inpermanent collections in the US and asfar away as Taiwan. In addition, Janishas appeared in a documentary filmabout women artists called Who DoesShe Think She Is?

Whatever the future holds forJanisMars Wunderlich, the excitement andchaos of being a mother has inspired an

amazing body of work. Her plans for thfuture? "Well, at some point I can only hopthat my kids will grow up and become a littlmore independent. Then I have all sorts of

plans for my work... Scale variations, worldtravels, installations. I also hope to do more

printmaking, drawing and painting alongwith my ceramics."

To keep updated on Janis new workand artistic activities, visit her web site:www.janismarswunderlich.com

By Alison Kroul


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On their way to the Forbidden City, their first stop was TiananmenSquare, The greatest public square on earth,according to Ralph. A gateon one side of Tiananmen Square beckons tourists to enter a city that wasclosed to the public for centuries. The Forbidden City was home to over 34emperors lasting over 500 centuries as well as 20,000 plus servants. The

distinctive buildings created by over one hundred thousand artisansdemonstrate the artistic prowess of the Chinese over the generations.

Architecture was not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional. Theangular shaped walls, with bricks of white lime and glutinous rice andcement made of glutinous rice and egg whites created extraordinarilystrong walls that would frustrate attempts of climbing. Yellow, color ofChinese Imperial Families, dominates the landscape in glazed tiles, brickson the ground and decorations that adorn the palace. One exception,Wenyuange, the royal library, contains a black roof that represents waterand extinguisher of fire.

Far East travels gives couple a lasting gratitude of ancient historyFrom the modern and attractive Shanghai, to the gorgeous mountains between the Yangtze, the smallancient towns meld into current metropolitan cities in the land of the middle kingdom,Ralph and Janie Stuckman of Celina, Ohio, traveled to China and brought back tales of beauty,

wonder and even a little excitement in their three-week summer adventure.Upon stepping off the plane, they were greeted by modern and attractive architecture.

The hotel spoke of elegance and spaciousness never before seen in any of their previous travels.Visits to a pearl shop, the Temple of Heaven shrine, and traveling via rickshaw through back alleys knownas hutongs amazed the Stuckmans even further on how traditions of the past and modernizationsof the present meshed together in one simple city. Tall skyscrapers and apartments

with modern cars parked on the street whizzed by them as they weretransported in a method that began in 1200 B.C.

No one traveling to China can

ever surpass visiting one of theseven ancient wonders of theworld, and Ralph and Janie did justthat. We climbed, walked, andlooked over the expansive 6,700-kilometer wall that not only keptthe enemies from invading, but alsounified a people for the first time intheir history.However, bothagreed that the discovery made bya farmer in 1974 was the highlightof their adventure.

The discovery of the Terra CottaWarriors near Xian, boggled mymind.Ralph describes hugenumbers of soldiers, officer, horses,chariots, and weapons buried inmemory of an emperor, to protecthim in the afterlife standing readyfor action. Each of the militaryfigures made of clay came withdifferent facial expressions andnoticeable personalities that took

the breath away. More amazingwas the knowledge that over750,000 people prepared this fortheir emperor.

The man-made monuments werenot the only splendid aspects of theMiddle Kingdom. The naturalsplendor that encompasses Chinawould leave anyone in awe overthe beauty of this nation. Travelingdown the Li River saw fairy tale

hills and towns that existed as theyoriginally were built. Reed Caveilluminates light in color on the sideof a mountain with magnificentrock formations and perpendicularmountains framed the YangtzeRiver as Gorges within gave detailto further cave dwellings andhouses that sat along the beautifulriver. Ralph and Janie were treatedeven further to the power of this

land, as they were involved in anearthquake that occurred duringtheir trip.

They finished off their trip witha visit to the Childrens Palace and

a night of entertainment withChinese Acrobats. In leaving, bothcommented that they took withthem an appreciation for theancient history behind the livingaccomplishments of the Chinese. Acombination of the past and

present in a kaleidoscope thatchanges shape with every differentview.

See photo collage next page


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Trish Jeffers-Zeh has been offering Workshops and Retreats forExpandingCreative Energy in Fellowship for over 20 years. With a degree in Mental Health, abackground in ceramics, sculpture, glass, lapidary, metal and jewelry making,Trish is also drawn to teaching creativity where she shares her knowledge and

ideas of how to create "Accessories forGrace" that can be used for adornment,beautification and inspiration.

For Trish, creating artwork is aboutmovement, growth, mentally, spiritually, andpersonally. Her love is the process or muchbetter the experimentation where her

creations become an embodiment of organicform and inspiration from nature. Blendingmystical, function, design and organic fluidity,Trish is attracted to a multi-cultural andspiritual marriage of symbolism, a creativeprocess that invokes imagery of inspirationand hope. She discovered that Metal claycombines exceptionally with other mediums,especially ceramics that produces works ofelegant artistry.

Beyond the creation of her self-works,which have won numerous awards and have been exhibited internationally, withher certification in Precious Metal Clay, Trish divides her time in many other ways.

She serves as the president of the Columbus PMC chapter and Ohio Metal Clay and Artisans Guild, which Trish founded. Inaddition, she is a Senior Instructor for Art Clay, teaches nationally as well as at art centers in the Dayton/Cincinnati, Ohioarea, and conducts workshops and retreats in her studios.

Zeffers Farm Studios Studio: 513-897-2406 Trish direct: 937-626-4333 E-mail: [email protected]

www.geocities.com/zeffersfarm http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OhioMetalClayArtisansGuild

Medallion Bracelet

IntheWavesIamViolet

DichroicGlassMedallion

Zeffers Moon

MidSummersNightDream

Fish Eggs Ring


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People, Places, Events2008-09 Fall/Winter Edition - 6

Bound Together

Aporcelain

{18

x8}

clay

work

portrait

by

Mo

Cahill

of

Chicago,

Illinois.

She

says

her

works

areConstructedofthe

castoffsofmoderndailylife.Afavoriteoldshirt,flannelsheetwornthin,lastyearscollectablecard,paycheckstubs,

flowers,weeds,twigs,anythingthatwillburnormelt.butalwaysobjectswithemotionalcontent.theobjectsare

dippedincastingslip,assembledintotheformthattheobjectsdictate,andlefttothefire.Whatsticks,sticks.Whatf

off,fallsoff.Whatflakesoflater,flakesofflater.Whensomethingbreaksaway,somethingelseisrevealed.Fragment

containabitofthewhole.Theseworksstartedwithaserendipitousapproachtoform,but,asafigurativepainter,the

issueofthehumanbodycouldnotremaininthebackgroundforlong.Withadeepbreath,Ihangontotheserendipit

offormandfire,andacceptbrokenfigures.Aswealldoeverytime,wedecidetoliveandloveanotherday.


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She wears twohats on an Ohio'art highway'Diana Brower is an

accomplished potter whohas come to wear two maihats: one creating ceramicfountains and serving asthe Executive Director ofthe Troy Arts Alliance.

Throwing pots is a formof meditation for me. The feel

and scent of the clay is verysoothing. Before I begin, I givthe clay Reiki. This energyconnects me to the clay andopens up my creativity, sayDiana. She now specializein one-of-a-kind table topceramic fountains. "No twoare alike and each fountainhas a spirit all its own."

After a bowl is created,Dianacarves

her rimandleavesthisbowlto drywhichcouldtakeup tothreeweeks. She beginscontemplating how thefountain head might look

after the piece has beenbisque fired. This imageallows her to combine artand functionality. "The joyreceive is to get the best soun

possible without the splash. tweak ideas with furtherexperimentation and a themeis completed before the

fountain to become finalized.www.dancingdolphinpottery.com

He 'juggles'earth, water, fireThe earth and water are used

to form, shape and then CharlieCox adds color to his creations,and then comes the fire toremove the water and set thecolor and earth."The art of

jugglingtheseelementsindifferent

proportions and temperatures is like solving apuzzle for me, says this Palmyra, Illinoispotter. "Even when the form takes shape, the

glaze is tested and applied, and the kiln isfired according to many previous firingnotes," he adds. However, Cox knows ithe must contend with the humidity in the

air and the wind.For some, his process might be

challenging, however for Charlie heexpresses the satisfaction as a "the

feeling I get when I have the clay in myhands; one of a child." Additionally, firinghis kiln is a two-fold enjoyment: "watchingthe flames

and trying to control the process, andopening the door when its done."

When potter Cox is behind his wheel,he has a basic idea of what he wants,such as, a pitcher, a bowl or maybe a

vase. He throws the basic shape of acylinder and from here he lets theclay influence the final shape. Theend result produces total originality;no two pieces the same. He alsoinputs marks on his work as it spins,by just touching the work with tapsfrom a tool. And by connecting thetaps, he forms images, but also insome of his work, Charlie uses aglaze to create add a visual design.

www.coxpottery.com

70 - The Art-to-Art Palette - Potters Shed Section/People, Places Events department - 2008-09 Fall/Winter Edition

Programmerbecomes a trueartist entrepreneur"I love the deep rich color

of the red earthenware claywhich I use to create shinysurface vessels and not show

any aging effecton my work."An electric kilnis Denise Wilz

preferred firingmethod andshe uses foodsafe glazes. "I

create individual pieces and Irealize some will never be perfect,just like life."

Denise went to MoravianCollege in Bethlehem,Pennsylvania and finished herdegree work. "I majored inStudio Art and then for about 20years worked as a computerprogrammer." While fullyemployed, Denise took anadult evening class in clay andbecame pleased with thismedium. "I began collectingPennsylvania German folk artbooks for ideas to decorate a doorin my kitchen." These earlydesign inspirations are nowpart of the Wilz Pottery shefounded.

Today with her husbandand sons and various pets,they reside in the woods in

Eastern Pennsylvania.www.wilzpottery.com

A little historyPeople, Places, EventsWho did it? When it happened? What they did?

Where it all began? and Why it was?


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The Art-to-Art Palette - Potters Shed Section/People, Places, Events department - 2008-09 Fall/Winter Edition

Art energizes me; I don't energize it. When I'min my studio, it is as if I've stepped into anotherworld. I love creating. To take something that isnothing and make something out of it is whatmotivates me. It has become my passion.

Mud works set the coursefor Colorado clay artistAs a child, Leisha Hiester and all her friends playedBarbie. Her Barbie was always muddy because sheenjoyed creating "mud" works. At the age of 10, Leishasold her first sculpture and "I have been playing in mudever since."Of course, her child experience with Mother Earth didn't really take hold until she took hfirst high school pottery class, but then "I became hooked." More ceramic opportunities camher way with not only a college art scholarship, but alsorecognition for her clay works.

Gift giving plays a main inspiration for Leisha to createfunctional pottery. "It brings me pleasure to think that someoneis using a vessel." When she is making a decorative piece,Leisha is further inspired by two things: nature or spirit. She

is forever intrigued by nature because of its design, color,and texture. By spirit, it has to do with "my faith or anexperience whether dark or light."

Wheel thrown pots by Leisha shows a brightness withmuch color, line, and detail. Furthermore, creative efforts have been added by mixing ofraw materials to form glazes. www.LeishasArt.com

e went where there was no path and left a trailGene Reck has had influences upon his path to becoming a potter. His

doctoral studies pertained to chemistry which has given him an exceptionalunderstanding of the glazing process. However, mixing and applying glazes forhis wife became his first love as a beginning potter.

Eventually, he developed glazes that gave surface treatment to vessels withthe appearance of age. He began to roll slabs for construction purposes. Theseslabs are now often embossed with commonly found objects around the homeand Northern Michigan buildings. Fascination really comes to Gene since mostclay formations deal with geometric shapes, patterns, angles, and intersections.

There are common compositions throughout his pottery creations. Fishplatters are developed in several sizes and are food safe. Inspirations come

easily with view of Lake Michigan.The gardens are important components

around his Three Pines Studio and Galleryarea. He creates pieces which fit into its

peaceful setting. www.threepinesstudio.com.


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A trip in her youth made the differenceWhen Bridget Chrie Harper was a teen, she and her artist mother traveled to Arizona to help with aninstallation. While there, she was fascinated by the desert flora which was a great contrast to the green landscapeof her Tennessee home, however the trip was a strong influence in her decision to attendArizona State University.

In college, she entered as a business major, but later in her studies, "I took a ceramics class as an elective andbecame obsessed by the art form." Eventually, she changed her major and "I spentmost of my time in the studio."

Ceramics professor Kurt Weiser showed an interest in her work and she

quickly responded to his talent and knowledge. "He created many opportunitiesfor me, including an internship in a Thai village where ceramics are produced."

After exploring more dependable careers, Bridget began working for a localdesign firm as a detail artist creating sculpture for Princess Cruises. "I traveledto Italy, where my embryonic interest in classical sculpture matured." Theseexperiences, along with a consultancy on a public art memorial dedicated toFrank Lloyd Wright and A.J. Chandler, introduced her to figurative sculpture.

Embarking in a new direction, "I began coiling large organic forms, oftenchanging their size and refining their shape, until one day a small figure was in front

of me." Drawing on her appreciation forclassical sculpture, especially the ancient,broken figures, Bridget removed thehead and liked what she saw.While researching different approaches

to surface design, "I recalled years before,while shopping at an antique mall, I purchased for 50 cents a basket filled with vials of china paints." Shebegan experimenting with the paints, and a National Geographic photo of a puffer fish inspiredher to paint an abstract version of it. She was pleased with the results but more so with thepossibilities: "The porcelain figure became a canvas and the surface a visual diary." Bridgetssurrealistic paintings on classical forms are a by-product of her life. They come from dreams,relationships and everyday encounters.For several years, artist Harper has been refining her technique and resolving technical issues.Now that many of the challenges have been overcome, "I have established two series and developing

a third." Her primary focus has been female torsos, but she also works with figurative teapots and is expanding her vocabulary withfigures of conjoined twins, working in conjunction with Arizona State University/Partnership in Research for Spatial Modelingdepartment. In addition to the physical human form, "I am also much interested in behavior and psychology." In her paintings, "I createdetailed, painstakingly rendered images that have broader meanings. I want the viewers to notice the elegance of the sculptural form as well as thecomplex relationship between the form and the painting."www.Bridgetcherie.com.

Experimentation leads to crystal growthWilliam Schran has been a productive researcher in glaze chemistry. His focus has

been on crystalline glaze formulas. A situation existed where his school kilns could notfire quickly enough to cone 10 temperatures. Heexperimented with existing cone 10 recipes by addingincrements of low temperature fluxes. The processproduced a few newly formulated glazes with consistentresults to grow crystals.

He has continued research on glaze formulas using a

variety of commercial frits as the primary flux. Williamrealizes that such helpful research will provide studioceramicists and schools with limited firing capabilities anopportunity to explore crystalline glazes.

Schran has a variety of academic responsibilities inhigher education. He has been with Northern VirginiaCommunity College full time since 1977, and at theAlexandria Campus since 1983, serving as the AssistantDean in Fine Arts Division of Visual and Performing Artsand Public Service. Also, he is the Director and AssistantProfessor of Art and Ceramics at the Tyler TeachingGallery. www.nvcc.edu/home/wschran

72 - The Art-to-Art Palette - Potters Shed Section/People, Places, Events department - 2008-09 Fall/Winter Edition


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Tile maker credits father, teacherand employer for career path

"My experience with ceramic tile began at an early age when I starteto help my father set tile. I was impressed that such a simple process couyield such elegant and permanent results," says Emily Ulm of Kent,

Ohio. A career in tile began to attract her atthe University of Akron when Ulm had theopportunity study with tile maker Donna

Webb. "Donna showed me that the word"tile" means more than the mass producedsquares found at building supply stores."

From there, Emilyrealized that thepossibilities forbeautiful andfunctional tile are endless.

After graduating with a BFA insculpture, Emily was hired to assistCleveland artist Angelica Pozo. Emily le

a group of high school students in creatia giant tile mural, as part of the city of

Akron's "Lock 3 Summer Art Experience." Working alongside PozUlm gained confidence to design and produce her own line of arttile.

Each tile is designed and sculpted and casted in plaster. Ulmpresses clay into a one of a kind plastermold and "inks" it with her "Emu Tile"logo. "Once it is out of the mold, I trim the tileand let it dry. Depending on the size of the tileand the drying conditions, it may take days orweeks." Once dry, the tiles are fired, first to1940F, then glazed with non-toxic glazeand high-fired to 2200F (cone 6), making

them durable enough to be part of apermanent installation on any vertical surface, or as individual

works of art which is wall-mounted wa single nail.

In this modern world, we spend muchour lives indoors. I believe that incorporatirepresentations of the natural world into oliving areas enhances our quality of life.

Made of earth and depicting familiar plantand animals, my tiles are an enduring wabring the outdoors into our indoor lives,Ulm said. www.emutile.com

His goal is to 'produce beauty'For visual artist Kevin Coffee, the clay arts has been his

focus for nearly 9 years; a mediumfor his personal expression. "This isa long time for me because I have neverstayed with any one art medium." Hispast ceramic works dealt with awide range of firing techniques,starting with primitive cow dung.

"Saw dust pit firings fascinated me,but I gravitated first to the metallicsurfaces of raku, then the ultra-modernkosai vapor glazing process. Thesepottery vessels suited Kevin because they provided a visceral,tactile, and non-verbal experience for his audience.

Kevin says, Having sold him my tired old kiln, I have not hadclay as an outlet for the past couple of years. He realized thatcollections, whether ceramic or otherwise, were his real artistic

interest. It is thegrouping and

juxtapositioningthat excite him. "I

feel overwhelmed

sometimes by thedetails of life, theminutae of life, so Icollect it, group it,organize it, and I

frame it in a box." Inso doing, artistCoffee is nowfulfilling his goalto produce beauty,to reflect back tolife that he feelslife to be. I amlearning to see

beauty in that whichis often consideredugly.

His new artisticdirection is the

mixed mongo which he used to create a cow skull with trash,cast-offs, and street gleanings from New York City. "The skullwas taken from a dumpster in Stillwater, Oklahoma."www.coffeepotter.com


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Chosen country lends his artistry to flourishAfter early art training in Britain, Brian Gartside went to live in New Zealand in 1961. He spent years using a

variety of art materials, but it wasnt until the 70s when he started to specialize in clay: combining surface desigwith functional pots and decorative ceramics. Much of this imagery alludes to the New Zeeland geographicalphenomena.

Abstract symbols are present in Brians works refer to land, sky, rain, wind, rocks, and erosion and the volcanic presence in the

geology of New Zealand. "In my art work, I enjoy the feeling of being unrestricted by traditional concepts.My forms are kept simple and basic so that major emphasis is placed on surface treatments." Also, Brianenjoys drawing and painting with ceramic materials in which he sets aside glazing rules so that imagery is allowed to flourish.

Using modern technical methods with assistance from commercially prepared clays, minerals, and special colored pigments, the potteworks with a series of themes that change and evolve from month tomonth, so that no two objects are the same. His final firings of hightemperatures ensures very strong and durable pieces.

Established in the New Zealand art scene, he first served as a lecturerfor 14 years as a Teachers College Lecturer in Art and Ceramics. Today,

he is now indemand as aworkshopleader. Also, helives on smalltwo acre hill inrural Pukekohe,where hecontinues to

work as a fulltime craftsmanproducing acolorful range ofdomestic anddecorative pottery.

For the past 20 years, he has published several magazine articles and madesignificant contributions to many international conferences. In addition, he hastaught workshops in ceramics on a regular basis in Canada, USA, Britain, andAustralia, as well as serving as a guest artist in Hungary, Finland, USA, andCanada. www.gartside.info.

"In my art work, I enjoy the feeling of beingunrestricted by traditional concepts . . ."


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Raku firing is magicalfor Pennsylvanian artistFor over three decades, clay artist Deb Slahta of Bethlehem,

Pennsylvania has acquired a treasure chest of potteryexperiences. One of them is Rakufiring which is a much satisfyingprocess for her. I enjoy harnessingthe magic of smoke and fire, and I justlove the drama of pulling the pots fromthe red hot kiln, says Deb. Inaddition, when straw burst into

flames, that moment becomes a flash-frozen in time for me.

Dedicated to finely crafted ware,she specializes in geometric shapesthat show the carefully planneddivisions of space, as they areintroduced, to the uncertainties ofthe Raku firing process. Her vesselsare simple forms that explode withcolor or the stark contrast of black

and white, however the designs arestrongly influenced her highereducation degree in mathematicsthat she received from MoravianCollege.

Beyond her own artistic world, Deb teaches clay classes foradults, after-school programs and summer camps for kids. Shehas exhibited in galleries and juried shows throughoutPennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, and Kentucky.http://mysite.verizon.net/vzesvmi4/

His happy guys smiles with creativitySeattle, Washingtons Hilary Chan is a person with a broad

range of interests. He worked as a computer programmer, madand showed sculptures, and studied languages and cultures ofthe peoples of Inner Eurasia, including Russian, Uzbek, and

Finnish, at the University of

Washington. In addition, he hascontributed to the clay arts arena withhis pottery.

In Chan's web site, he gives a tour ohis now studio where he does hissculpture and hand building of comicafigurines which stand 2 to 4 inches tallmade by a pinching method. Somewere saggar fired while others were lefas just plain bisque ware. "There isanother section dealing with my proudhappy guys driving their hard earned

Mercedes automobile. These pieces werereduction fired to cone 6 in a gas kiln."

Also in his web home, Hilary has a video clip throwing sodainto a soda kiln firing with wide open flames shooting towardshim. Also, you willdiscover that some ofhis drinking vesselsare plain, howeverothers have faces withdistinct personalities."I created designs withdelicate lines showing awide range ofrecognizable andabstract approaches."

With Hilary's widevariety of interestsand pottery creations,you will be impressedwith his journal andother entries dealingwith the earth, fire,and smoke features.He documents ingreat details hisexperiments with pit firing/fuming techniques.www.claymonk.com.


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Teacher provides the clay of inspiration for Ohio potterA career in clay for Bob Yost of Akron, Ohio was inspired by his high school art teacher, Peggy Forman, who shared her passion for

the clay medium. She introduced him to a Japanese Raku firing technique; a firing process that yields metallic and crackled glaze resultsAfter high school, Bob experienced varied activities in art. He earned his BFA degree from the University of Akron School of Art, spent abrief time in the art world in New York, but he returned home to be the resident potter at Hale Farm Village, where 19th century salt-glazed ware were reproduced. Later, he instructed classes at his alma mater. This experience gave him more incentive to build on hiscareer. In 1995 Bob established the Yost TileCompany, a hand-made, custom ceramic tile

production facility. Also, he started the MiddleburyPottery and School and the Ohio Canal Clay Guild.On occasion, Bob fires some work at a double

chamber wood kiln in Holmes County, Ohio. The kilnis wood-fired for approximately thirty hours. Whenthe second chamber reaches 2400, salt is introducedinto the fire box. The salt vaporizes in the extremeheat and the flow of the fire carries the salt into thechamber with the pottery. The salt settles on the pots

and the sodium fuseswith the silica in theclay body, and createssodium silicate whichis glass. The unglazed

pots are now salt-glazed pots.

Today, Yost doeshis own kind of Rakucreations. Pottery ispulled from the kilnwhen the glaze hasmatured to atemperature ofaround 1900 degrees

F. The vessels are then placed into a container ofcombustibles, like leaves, pine needles or saw dust. The combustible ignites and a lid is placed on the container. The flame needs oxygento burn, so it goes to the pottery for oxygen and starves the glaze of oxygen which changes a copper green glaze to a copper red.

Another of Bobs goals are found in his useful clay works. He brings a surface richness of textures and imagery, such as, in his relieftiles for kitchens, bathrooms and fireplace facades. These tiles are high-fired with a nature-inspired glaze pallet. Well-known for hisoriginal designs of hand-carved clay tiles, from which a plaster mold is made, soft clay is pressed back into the mold to create the tiles.

Potter Yost has created custom designs for private homes and public locations, including the Akron Children's Hospital, AkronMunicipal Building, Old Trail School, and several other schools, such as, the Akron Public Schools new elementary and junior highschools. Bob was commissioned to design a tile mural, with the help of all of the children at each school, making and glazing the tiles. Ihelps the kids to take ownership in their new school through this collaborative effort, says Bob. www.yostpottery.com
http://www.yostpottery.com/http://www.yostpottery.com/


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Shape it, glaze it, raku it:pottery is funPossibly the most popular handcraft in the nation, pottery has made amazing strides on bothprofessional and hobby levels since the end of WWII. There are a lot of reasons for thisgrowth, but the foremost reason may be that the process of making pottery is exciting.

Clay itself is essentially granite-type rockwhich has, over millions of years,decomposed into tiny particles. There aremany kinds of clay, but some of the morecommonly used ones are stoneware,earthenware and porcelain.Stoneware is usually made from severalnatural clays plus alumina andsilica. When fired, it becomeshard and almost glasslike, able tohold water without being glazed.It generally turns out light gray butmay also be tan or evensomewhat reddish.Earthenware is usually madefrom a natural clay and is lowfired, as compared to the highfiring temperature required forstoneware. Earthenware must beglazed before it can hold liquid.After firing, the color is usuallybuff or read. Earthenware ismostly used for industrial tiles, butcan also be made into decorativeand functional pieces.Porcelain is made from kaolin,ball clay, feldspar and flint. It iswhite and translucent and requiresthe highest firing of all potterywares. It is not very plastic andrequires some skill to work, so it isnot recommended for beginners.

Essentially, the process ofmaking pottery revolves aroundthe firing process. After you havefinished making your pot orfigurine, it must be allowed to drycompletely so that all moisture is gone fromthe clay. It is then put into a kiln which isheated to temperatures ranging from 1200to 2300 degrees F, depending on the typeof clay you used. This is called firing, andthe goal is to heat the elements in the clay

to the point where they fuse. The color ofthe clay changes during this process. Whatwas once dull gray becomes an appealingbuff, tan, dark red or pure white. This firstfiring is called the bisque firing. Fired clayhas a matte (non-shiny) surface. The glossysurface you see on pottery Is called glaze.

Glaze puts a layer of glass crystals onthe surface of the clay. It is both decorativeand useful, since it waterproofs the vessel.Generally, glaze is applied to the fired potas a liquid. When the pot is fired again,the glaze melts, forming a thin layer of

glass. There are innumerable kinds ofglazes which produce endlessly interestingresults.Raku is a method of making potterydeveloped by the Japanese. The wordRaku means enjoyment, pleasure,contentment and ease; however, making

Raku work is dramatic andexciting, and also has thehighest risk of breakage as thepots may explode during thefiring process.

In Raku, vessels made ofhigh fire clay are first bisquefired. They are then glazed wilow-temperature glazes having special composition. The pot isallowed to dry thoroughly. Akiln is heated to somewherebetween 1500 and 2000degrees F, and the potter useslong-handled tongs to put the pinto the red-hot kiln and leaves inside until the glaze melts. Thiis usually between a few minuteand an hour, depending on thekiln temperature and the kind ofglaze used. Progress is checkethrough a hole in the kiln.When the pot looks shiny andwet all over, it is removed fromthe kiln with tongs.

The Raku object is then eitheplaced directly in cold water tocool it instantly, or it can beplunged into a large containerfull of combustible material such

as leaves, newspaper, wood chips, hay osawdust, and then placed in water to coolThe latter method results in markings andsmoking on the piece which gives raku itsdistinctive look.

By Kay Sluterbeck

The Reason for Pots

The reason thata pot exists?To entertain

the heart,of course.To delight

the eye and mind.To carry and store.To protect and share.

To hold the water and thewine, the grain, the flowers,

sugar, keys, bills and dreams,and, sometimes, just the air.Whatever you can think of.

To beautify a shelf,a room, a life.To please the

potters'soul.

Reason enough,Wouldn't you agree?By C.S. Niblick


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H awakens clayFong Choo was born in Singapore City, Singapore and isinspired by his Chinese heritage. About the size of aclenched fist, miniature teapots have been his signaturepieces for over a decade. His works follow the long stand-

ing tradition in the great Yixing style of pottery where much emphasis is in the color,design, and form.

Since 1985, artist Fong has many ties to his home in Louisville, Kentucky. His pot-

tery studio is there, and he earned a Master of the Art in Ceramics fromthe University of Louisville. In addition, he became an Adjunct Profes-sor and resident artist at Bellarmine University. In many ways, myattitude towards clay is that Ineed to awaken it. I love to poke,

push, prod, explore, and searchthe limits and boundaries of myceramic creations," he said.

In his use of glazes, hell use alow fire commercial glazes and

then fire it to cone 5/6 for a very jewel tone ef-fect, in spite of the fact, these glazes run. To com-pensate for the over melting, he makes moats onhis work to fit the form.

Numerous and high level awards have beenearned by Choo. In 207, he given a Distinction ofExcellence in Ceramics at the Smithsonian CraftShow in Washington, D.C., and in 2006, he tookthe Best of Show at the American Craft Exposi-tion in Evanston, Illinois. [email protected] .

Jewelry works preferred by Michigan clay artistAlice Hunt always liked creating seasonal works. One fall, she took an ornament making class at the

Kalamazoo Institute of Art. Flat Christmas ornaments were made from slab rolled clay,and molds were used to pour three dimensional ornaments. The latter introduction ledher to making pins and earrings, and from there jewelry became the focal point in herclay works.

"The Harbingers of Spring series were fun to create," said Alice. Her "Bunnies withRobin" is a sculptural piece, a pin 3" wide by 2" deep in the series, and one of the artist'sfavorite. "It was fun to create the grass background and foreground and place the bunnies androbin in this little picture of spring." Also,Alice has made spring bunny pinswhere she adds flowers in the design.

The Maple Leaf pin is one of dozensin a series. "I experimented with under

glazes by using them directly on this piece. It was a joy to finallyget the depth of color I wanted with the other chosen glazes." An

electric kiln was used for thiscone 6 glazed firing, and thegold highlights were fusedinto the glaze at a final firing ata lower temperature.

Also this Delton, Michiganclay artist creates pendantsand sculptural elements fornecklaces. "I often combine them

with beads of natural stone, glass or my own handmadeporcelain accent beads." www.AliceHuntStudio.sitesofourown.com


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reated in 1971, The Midwest Clay Guild isone of the oldest cooperatives in the UnitedStates. Sculptors, potters, painters andinstallation artists frequent the facilities tohelp expand their local, national andinternational shows. A well-organized

studio within the organization contains a gas kiln, three

electric kilns, slab roller, spray booth, glazing/chemicalroom and separate studio spaces.

Guild President, Mo Cahill,studied at WaubonseeCommunity College in SugarGrove, Illinois, majoring inScience and Liberal Arts. TheArt Institute of Chicago furtherclenched her passion inceramics and drawing.

Responsibilities andchallenges were nothing newto Mo who learned long agohow to balance many aspectsof life while raising a largefamily. You might say that theGuild replaced her now grownchildren with a brand newhungry family searching fornurturing and leadership.

The artist side of Cahillfinds her busy creating peaceand political buttons inmemory of 9/11. View this one-of-a-kind artistic

remembrance atpinkobuttons.com .Another project that

Mo has beenexperimenting with aretiles that use wood andsalt firings with theinitial use of variedceladon glazes. Thiswill be a project towatch as it changes andgrows. For more on MoCahill visitocahill.womanmade.net.

Different artists finda home at the Guild andform friendships,sharing opinions andideas with one another.Dana Shearin, youthfuland vibrant, successfullycompleted a BFA fromNew Yorks College ofCeramics at AlfredUniversity, taught inthree university settings

and has been successful inteaching and displaying atseveral clay shows.

My present challenge isbuilding a series of clay furniturewhich deals with plenty oftechnical problems thus far. TheGuild facility provides me withaffordable studio space with all thenecessary equipment needed for

my creative purposes. Danawill have a large figuresculpture appearing in theFigure Evocative show at theThird Rail Studio gallery inOctober of 2008. Read more atformingground.com.

Being able to utilize space24/7 is one of the reasons thatVictor Boyerwas attracted tobecoming a member of theMidwest Clay Guild. Anotherreason was his renewedacquaintance with a formerstudent from the Art Institute

of Chicago, Mo Cahill.According to Victor,

We have shared events,an annual open house,and local festivalopportunities. We asmembers join in grouptravel plans to exhibitionsand trade shows.Currently working on

freelance model making, Victorfinds a nice balance ofcreativity at the Guild wherehe welcomes his working spaceand not having to interferewith family life at home.

Jeff Donelan, a chemist,received his BS in Chemistryfrom Illinois WesleyanUniversity and works as aresearcher for aerospace,defense and advancedtechnology applications.Concentrating on functionalpottery is his passion and

found the guidance of the maccomplished and formallytrained potters at the Guildvery helpful in turning hisamateur endeavors into aprofessional status. You cansee this Evanston, Illinoispotters work at many popuChicago land art galleries.

As you can tell, the artist-minded possess an array ofdifferent backgrounds andmany incorporate their skillsinto their love of clay.

Kimberly Jones, aphotography major and

printmaker from Evanstoloves to create one of-a-kind pieces, lovely to useand also silky and alive tthe touch. A love fordance, Kimberly hasincorporated this skill inher work, featuring flowlines into her clay work fa dramatic effect.

A tribute to the 36-yeaold facility and loyal sinc

its inception, LindaKramer, an original andfounding member of theMidwest Clay guild, is vpassionate about mostaspects of art. Born in NYork City and raised inCalifornia, she has studieart most of her life.

Continued next pageFRONT{lr}:LindaKramerandMarySeyfarth.CENTER:DanaShearin,Kimberly

Jones,MoCahillandVictorBoyer.TOPLEFT:JeffDonelan.


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Midwest Clay Guild Continued from previous page

Her father, Monty Lewis,founded the Coronado Schoolof Fine Arts where Mother,Mary Ellis, taught many of theart classes. A resume filledwith countless achievements inteaching, founding galleries,help in receiving grants andsharing art collections, Lindasvast knowledge is irreplaceableto the Guild.

SculptressJill Oberman,creates architectural ideas ofstructure, reinforcement,support and points of access inher exploration of personalissues. Currently working onelusive space of the horizonwhere land and sea meet sky,she conveys the expectation,destiny and vision of theirconvergence. A past Programsand Administration Director ofthe Archie Bray Foundation

and the studio manager of theceramics program at theAnderson Ranch in Montana,

Jill finds the surroundings ofthe Guild to be a perfectcompromise to create herstructures.

Chairperson of the CeramicsDepartment at ColumbiaCollege and twenty-five yearveteran of teaching, MarySeyfarth has traveled to manyinternational locations,excavating and collectingfindings to process in herpresent day Byzantine Wall.Presented for exhibit in LincolnPark, Chicago, Illinois,Seyfarths work includes thesgraffito technique where shecut through colorful slips intodamp clay with a stylus,causing the glaze to flow andrun over sharp lines forcolorful results. A member ofthe Guild for the past twenty-five years, she is proud of thecooperative studio and also theEvanston Art Center, which isclosely linked and a direct

outgrowth from.Ceramics, graphic designand art history were major

WorkbyJillOberman

WorkbyJeffDonelan

WorkbyVictorBoye

Workby KimberlyJones

WorkbyMoCahill

WorkbyLindaKrame

studies of Anne Wirtz, ofChicago, who spends manyevenings and weekends at theGuild compiling sculpturesand pottery, representative offorms of nature. Herexpressive style leans toward

abstracted with emphasis onpronounced textures andrepetitions of forms andpatterns.

The Midwest Clay Guild ismore than just a haven forartists looking for a place to setup a studio. Throughout theyears, members have grownboth artistically and socially,preparing to emerge with asense of confidence in theircreativity. Past membersincludeJim Connell,

successful potter and lecturerin South Carolina; XiaoshengBi, now residing in theChesapeake Bay area andnoted as a published ceramicartist; BonnieKatz, a Fine ArtsCoordinator for youth at theEvanston Art Center; LesOrenstein, now teacher at theLill Street Art Center and theEvanston Art Center andStephanieOShaughnessy,active member of the 20 DirtyHands group of potters inGalena, Illinois.

Atmosphere, comrades,and tranquility are but a few ofthe favorable aspects indeciding to join the Guild ifyou are serious about a careerin ceramics. Visit their websiteat midwestclayguild.orgformore information and how toobtain rates on space that maycome available in the future.

WorkbyAnneWirtzWorkbyDanaShearin


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Left: Copper Reds.Right: Stoneware withoxide washes.

A t and Science in potter's worksDaniel Semler says, "I am a half-time potterwho creates various functional and decorative piecesin stoneware and porcelain. Coffee mugs, cups,bowls, plates, and decorative vases with a variety ofglazes have become his focal points in his potteryworks."

His interests include classic form, simple butsubtle forms which require time to design. "Tiles have provided

me with some good experiments. I am tryingmore glaze combinations with oxide washes onstoneware and glazes with accents on

porcelain."Daniel creates works with artistic

content and individuality. "I don't producein large numbers." However, he will dosmall sets using the same developmentalapproach with sushi dishes or an odd setof mugs.

As a Computer Engineer, he includesmany scientific and technical aspects in

his pottery works. Ceramic research has taken a definite partof his life which he shares with others.

www.clayosmos.com for much more technical information for potters.

Clay pushed to limit by hands of timeClay has become a way of life for Ronald Knight, a potter from North

Carolina. "I became entranced by the fluidity and feel of clay since the age of13," When Ronald first entered the art world, he worked with various media,but "I always returned to clay."

Knight has lived as a country potter, homesteader, and carpenter all ohis adult life. In addition, he has worked with many clay artists whohelped shape and influence his interests, such as, building and firingkilns, combining Eastern and Western influences inhis work, and creating both functional and sculpturalpieces. He is constantly searching for native sub-stances to incorporate into hiswork, and "I have come to dis-cover that many of the best mate-rials are often right at my feet."

He enjoys working withclay as an ongoing extensionof the creation process.

"Shaping and embellishing the pieces, then stacking them and moving them through the fire. I want tomake this entire process separate, so that each piece tells the story of its making."

In recent years, Knight's work has become more sculptural and less vessel-oriented. "Thehuman figure and shapes from

the natural world haveemerged as two of my primarythemes." His hand-builtsculptural forms tend to-ward soft, often bulbousshapes, such as, seed pods."I often feel that clay is at itsmost beautiful when he has pushed against its surface and found its expressivlimits." As an artist, part of potter Knight's philosophy is to emphasizesimplicity: "Basic tools, simple clays, maybe two or three glazes, and alwaysthe use of local materials."www.knightclayworks.com


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Father's skill in artist's worksWorks by ceramic sculptor Lisa Merida-Paytes of Cincinnati, Ohio are the unseen core of the various animals that mayinclude mixed media. Powerful images of animal carcasses, in her fathers taxidermistbusiness, have been the underlying influence in these ceramic creations.Lisa has created an unusual sculpture of a fish with acupuncture needles relating to

three distinct influences. First, this work stems from her father who did approximately a thousandpreserved fish mounts. Secondly, she was further influenced to buy a beautiful, stuffed blow fish

while on a family vacation in Florida. This purchase inspired her because it embodies so manycharacteristics in combination of method and form in her own art. Specifically, the blowfish containsa beauty of inherent texture and color that is secondary to form. The third influence was hertreatment from the accident that included acupuncture.

Currently, Lisa is using stoneware, raku clay which is heavily gorged and contains kainite to givespecial strength to her pieces. The temper of this clay body becomes quite suitable as she carvesdeeply into a sculpture, such as, a fish with many thick and thin areas. This clay body has saferpassages through raku firings with its thermal shocks due to extreme temperature changes.

The artist's future plans is to keep experimenting with her sculptures to get more weatheredeffects upon them. www.lisameridapaytes.com.

HANGING DEADRaku with AMACO glazes/Old World Crackle series; Fog Gray, Satin, White, Amber - 28 x 8 x 1

detail

Spirit MarkersRaku with AMACO glazes/Old WorldCrackle series; Fog Gray, Satin White,

Amber18 x 6 x 12

detail

Fish Stringer on Wire Raku with copper matt and AMACO glazes/Old World Crackleseries; Fog Gray, Satin, White, Amber34 x 40 x 37


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Art became 'physical ed'"Art has always been a part my life. My mother was a graduate of the Julliard

School studying piano, bassoon, and spent some time drawing," said StevenBranfman of Newton, Massachusetts . His great grandfather, a Russianimmigrant who lived with them, was a tailor of fine clothing. A greatuncle from Russia "who I was very close, painted landscapes while he made his

living as a house painter." Steven had another uncle

who was a talented painter and musician. Inaddition, "my parents saw the value in art and tookme and my siblings to museums, concerts, andBroadway plays." On the other hand, Branfmanwas more interested in athletics than the arts andwent to college to become a physical educationteacher, but that career path didnt last very long.

"There was never a conscious decision by me to doart or to become an artist. It was more like somethingthat needed to be done. My movement towards art wasnatural and he knew it was right." In 1971, clayentered his life as a random encounter. Histeacher,John Jessiman was a wonderful potter. "He mesmerized me with his fluidity and ease with clay. After seeinghim throw, I decided I wanted to be a potter." At Rhode Island School of Design, "Norm Schulman was unforgiving,

rigid, and set in his ways. However, I learned a lot from Norm and it was the most influential experience in mydecision to work with clay.

Since 1975, Steven has been making pots, teaching, writing, and operating his own studio. From hisearliest introduction to clay, he has always been fascinated and excited about the wheel. It is not one,but all of the components of that tool that holds and keeps my interest; the speed, fluidity, and in particular, thesense of growth I observe and control during the process." His aim and ambition is to make good pots. "Mywork is about vessels and the characteristics that make the vessel come alive: volume, texture, color, and scale."One of his objectives is through his vessels is to preserve the connection between contemporaryceramic expression and potterys origins as functional containers. "I do not want to transform andabandon it. Though my forms are not functional as in domestic ware, they do suggest function and are certainlycontainers.

For over 30 years, Raku technique and process has held Stevens attention. He has remained true tothese never ending variations of applied technique and the spontaneity of the actual firing process."The always present degree of surprise and serendipity in the results continue to fascinate me." He works

simultaneously in the traditional method which was started in the1600s in Japan and his own contemporary technique where rules areconstantly in question."Raku firing is fast by its design and spontaneousby my nature. When the piece is ready to be taken from the kiln there is a lotof chaotic appearing activity for a very short time." Though there isalways a degree of surprise, the success of the work depends on potter Branfmans ability to commandand predict the variables of material and fire. "It is like a dance that when choreographed well that flows intoa statement of beauty. It feels good when done right."

Steven uses a variety of glazes including so called raku glazes stoneware glazes, commercial lowfire glazes. slips, enrobes, stains, under glazes and over glazes. Glazes are applied by brushing, pouringand spraying often with multiple thinlayers of as many as 15 glazes. "I fire themwithout the use of cones or pyrometer whileobserving the glazes as they melt and removing

the pots when the surfaces have melted andflowed to my satisfaction." However, postfiring becomes a process all its own. "Itrequires the precise combination of forcedcooling and smoking. Smoking is finally carriedout in metal cans using coarse sawdust, wood

shavings, and pine needles."This potter is also a noted writer, workshop presenter, and a pottery

teacher at the Thayer Academy in Braintree. Besides his work appears inprivate, corporate, and museum collections throughout the United Statesand the world. www.americanpotters.com/gallery.tpl?ID=3099287941119


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She mates wood and clayfor one masterful work

While seeking a way to add color to her furniture, JamieYocono began to inlay ceramic tiles. As her work progressed,she was pleased with the concept of combining clay and wood.In doing this, she elevated her woodworking to a finer work of

art.To make tiles, Jamie merged a self-taught learning process

with on site classes, seminars and conferences to perfect her tilework. She now creates tiles to enhance her unique custom

furniture. Tiles are created with notonly interesting details, but also addfocal points to her furniture. Coolercolors, like blues and greens accent woodquite well, said the artist.

Throughout Jamies progressionwith this mixed media approach, shebecame fascinated with ceramicmedallions. She creates medallionsusing geometric patterns or

symmetrical shapes. Imagery is keptto a minimum allowing the tiles tosimply accent the piece in which it isinlaid instead of competing with it.

The medallions are installedusing a router and compass setup, called: Router Buddysystem. Two specific medallion types include larger flat circleswith crystalline glazes or smaller tiles with center impressions.The small impression is designed to hold something preciouslike jewelry, mementos, good luck charms, and keys.www.wooditis.com


New challenges now artist's lifeBorn in Damascus, Syria, in a family of creative minds,

Mayssan Shora Farra now resides in Charleston, West Virginia

"I was blessed with exposure to many different ideas andartisticendeavors,"she said. Withthis to heradvantage,Mayssan wentto college tostudy bothEnglishliterature andArchitecture,and graduatedfrom the Schoolof Fine Arts atDamascusUniversity.

Mayssancame to theUnited States

with herhusband for hisspecializedstudies, andremainedbecause ofcareer andfreedom opportunities. "After two children, the empty nestsyndrome prompted me to begin studies in pottery."

Water flow captured herarchitectural tendencies, so she startedmaking fountains and enjoyed thechallenges they presented. Mayssanalso started making gestures of

figurines that she calls "clay beings"because they took on a life of theirown.

Today, she does not know what isnext, but everyday is a new challengeand every work an opening intoanother. www.clayvillepottery.com.


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Destiny sets couple on artistic life pathsMelissa and Jim Hogensons story should remind you of one of those good old family movies aboutpeople who were chosen to become life partners.

Melissa was reared near New Cambria, Missouri and Jim moved tothe area at age 13. While in high school, Melissa was a cheerleader and

Jim played basketball. After graduation, Melissa became a high school artteacher and Jim entered the field of carpentry,however as time went on and their associationgrew deeper, the sounds of wedding bells setthem on their today paths, mainly unitingtheir individual creative genes. They makeclay dragons.

Of course, it wasn't an overnight road, butafter five years of teaching, Melissa decided topursue her two passions: making pottery andraising a family. Gradually, Jim began taking

on more and more tasks around the potteryshop and it now became his full-time career."We both throw on the potters wheel in the

development of our dragons," said Mrs. Hogenson. Also both will do someclay alterations while Melissa does the final sculptures. Although eachcreature is a fine sculpture, each of the dragon works have other

functions, such as, oil lamps, incense burners, anddrinking vessels.

"I am responsible for glazing and loading the kiln.The final firing reaches 2300 F in a reductionatmosphere," says Jim. Also, he unloads the piecesfrom the downdraft gas kiln and does most of thetraveling connected to this studio operation.

"I like my dragons to have unique personalities with

names attached to them," said Melissa. Many of thecharacters resemble experiences that people facein everyday lives. Patch is trying to quit smoking soa nicotine patch is placed on his arm. Anotherwhimsical feature is that Wixen has a candle wickon the tongue.

A long time collector in Kansas has over ahundred dragons created by Melissa. Thedestined creative life partners are thrilled withtheir career changes and "we now look for more

people interested in their wonderful dragons."www.clayimages.com .


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Western Ohio potterinspired by surroundingsLocation, location, location! Her studio and store is located where Greenville Creek gently flows

through thirty-five acres of wetland, sowing generations of history along its path. The untouchedstream offers generous fresh water, minerals and pristine air to itsbanks and islands, attracting substantial, active wildlife.

Built in 1849 and in the middle of this natural retreat, stands BearsMill, a four story building, sided with original American BlackWalnut, held solidly in place with twelve-inch by sixteen inch, fifty-foot long beams, unspliced and spectacular. Still in operation today

and the National Register of Historic Places, this is where Julie Clark,a professional clay artist gains her endless inspiration, surroundedinside with the unchanged, with the outside modernized world not far away.

Clay offers endless possibilities. My main interest is in the aesthetics of form. It is mydesire to continue to learn, grow and change in pursuit of these aesthetics," said Clark Inaddition, her fascination with wood firing offers a natural finish that enhances herworks. "There is an element of chance with wood firing that can be very exciting. My

oxidation glazes are natural and uncomplicated as well, she added.With clay so soft, pliable and spontaneous, pieces are created that show that message in their finished state. www.bearsmill.com.

Guild has beenpotter's doorwayof clay educationAngelia Hayes never

understood theimportance of a guilduntil she joined theTriangle Potters Guild inRaleigh, NorthCarolina. Once joined,"I quickly becameapparent that I was surrounded by people who are just as excited abouthe clay medium as I was." Even more surprising to Hayes, wasthe fact many had been doing clay for a lifetime and were still aexcited as the beginner standing before them. "There are so manyquestions, so many answers all in the same room. It just doesn't getmuch better. I have gained much knowledge and made countless

friendships as a member."Hayess experience has been that genuinely

great potters have a passion for sharing theirknowledge, with no fear of someone becomingbetter than themselves. I have been blessed by sucha group of potters and have grown at an extremely fas

pace due to their generosity of knowledge. InNovember of 2004 when Angelia stepped into th

Dan Finch Studio in Bailey, North Carolina, her life foreverchanged. I became a part of a family of potters who have encouragedand mentored me over the last 3 1/2 years.

When Angelia purchased a used Olympic DD12 natural gaskiln, she had no idea what to do with it, however "the members the guild took the time to show me how to fire it. Edge Barnes,Maryann Purser and Nicola Godfrey were the first to assist.Many others as well as myself were scared to even light it, so it satidle for a year before asking for help. " Fortunately, XavierGonzalez of California, a guild guest speaker, "talked me througthe way the kiln was to be fired." With Xavier only a phone callaway, with the kiln outside and different weather conditions,Angelia's general firing and cooling questions mixed withwhere to drill a hole in the kiln for an oxyprobe, never wentunanswered. www.hayespottery.com.

No sleep for first-time papa

produces educational windfallsLike many first time parents, potter Alex Solla curtailed

making pots when his daughter was born, and also at the time,while in graduate school at Utah State, his new responsibilitiesbrought on sleep deprivation. However at the height of 'nosleep' period, "I began to draw deep rich color patterns, in hopes thatsomeday of using them on my pots," he said. As a result, hecreated "Glaze Tectonics" as a new body of work. Thecompletion of this research culminated in his MFA thesisexhibition at the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum in Logan, Utah.

While early in his graduate schooling, he was fortunate toparticipate in a workshop by NewZealand potter, Brian Gartside.Gumboot Glazing allowed him to

experiment by trying a pinch ofone raw material with anotherpinch of a different material. "Thecombinations were very exciting andbecame quite a fascinating venture. Icame to realize that a flat platter witha thick rim would be the best vehicle

for his newly found glazes." Varyingthe depth of the glazes, he wasable to keep the glazes fromrunning together in puddles.

After many trials and errors,Alex developed a clay body that could withstand the rigors of"my forming methods and at the temperature that my glazes

demanded." In his experiments, he exploited many of the glazeflaws most potters try to avoid. "I wanted bubbles, crazing, andcrawling in finished works."

A happy over firing accident (ending above cone 10 instead ofcone 5) resulted in longer-than-usual cooling period, yielded awonderful crystals. At these points, his glazes stopped beingcombination of materials and became earth forms, land masses,fluid rivers, oceans, and lakes.

These platters have taught me more about glaze, patience andserendipity than anything else I've done in the studio. More thananything else, I feel they have set me free.www.coldspringsstudio.com/glazetech/index.htm.


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Reality

is artist's forteJeffrey Baxter has

developed a realistic styleof capturing fish with thepermanent medium offired clay. Inspired by thevibrant colors and forms ofcoral reef, he captures thesedynamic elements in hissculptures. His works

involve life size to largescale outdoor art.He studied, maintained

and bred 27 differentspecies of African Chic lids.Also has published 5national articles on the care

and maintenance of thesebeautiful tropical fish.Currently, he is captivepropagating, growing andraising corals in fourmarine reef tanks.

His art has been

featured at juried showsUSA wide and to date hasreceived 8 national and 4international awards. Inaddition, Jeffrey is a chartermember of the PottersCouncil of the AmericanCeramic Society inColumbus, Ohio and is anative or Rockford, Illinois.www.yessy.com/JeffreyBaxter

Potter Mom has angelson shoulders to helpBeginning as a very young child and

then in elementary and high school, "Ihave been a potter all my life," said CindyClarke of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada,who is now a professional doing all type

of wheel thrown and hand built potteryitems. In addition, she has web sites forthe beginning and advanced potters: TheHow to Make Pottery and The Out of theFire Studio which also provides abroader picture of the work Cindy hasproduced as a potter.

"I share studioresponsibilities withmy husband Jimwho has assisted mewith developingmany of the glazesand firing schedules,

and my twochildren, Kaileighand John."Basically, thefamily helpsCindy in a varietyof ways. Kaileigh

is a graduate from Victoria School ofVisual and Performing Arts and is workingon improving the web site designs. Johnhas completed grade eleven andspecializes in music and video arts and uses his camera and editing skills to add to the videoinformation available.

In searching

through Clarkesweb sites, peoplewill find aYouTube videoCentering ClayWhen WheelThrowing. It is alearningexperience just towatch Cindysgraceful handmovements in thiscentering activity.

She thoroughlyexplains themethods to thisimportant aspectof wheel throwingskills. Readers mayview all aspects ofmy potteryoperation from theinitial selection ofclay to my finished pieces. I consider it important to share these practical tips and steps with others as mycontribution to their own pottery insights and developments. ww.outofthefirestudio.com


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rtist's contemporary visionunited with ancient methodsWhen Kay Yourist of Ann Arbor,

Michigan rolls back her thoughts, shefinds herself with the realization, "Itwas at the ripe old age of eight, when I knewthrowing pots as well as the clay arts woulbe a life long passion." The feel of the

clay formed an excitement, opening her artistic channels with an

endless flow of creative ideas.Throughout Yourists career, ancient

Egyptian, pre-Columbian and NativeAmerican pottery has been a stronginfluence on her exploration of classicallyshaped pottery forms. "I begin my artistic

process by throwing the clay into classic vessels;those that are as recognizable today from athousand years ago," said potter Yourist. Bypushing, pulling and stretching the walls ofthe pot, she alters their form, and when theclay dries to a leather hard consistency, Kaycarves into the walls to give the piece surfacerelief detail and texture. Glazing with copper

and iron rich glazes, chosen to emphasize theorganic and timeless nature of clay, completes the process. "I combinthe ancient tradition of pottery making with a contemporary vision."

A special career highlight was when Kay received a CreativeArtist Grant from the Michigan Council for the Arts and CulturalAffairs. With this grant, "I created 21 final vessels, varying in size from asmall 3 that can be hand held to a20 that must be reached around."Each piece initially took shapeas a classic form: bowl, urn,vase, etc. These wheel thrownforms were then reinterpretedby stretching and pushing thedamp walls of the clay as muchas the piece could sustain whilestill remaining true to its classicinfluence. The works wereaccessible to the viewer throughsight and touch, facilitating amulti-sensory approach toexperiencing the work.www.youristpottery.com.



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'Happy accidents'proves his loveof clay is realCreativity is a passion with Kevin

Lehman. "I enjoy the spontaneous and

limitless approaches." His potteryworks vary with functional,architectural, and sculptural. "Myapproach starts with an idea that I workthrough in developing a variety of clay objects." Kevin's process is

open to "happy accidents" which lead to otherpossibilities. His results are products of selfideas, experiences, and the natural of thecreative process.

Kevin developed a love of clay in hishometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Itbegan in elementary school where he had hisfirst experience using a potters wheel. Thisexperience

drove him topursue ceramicsin his educationand life. Aftergraduation from

MillersvilleUniversity, "Iwas eager to apply

my skills. I started a pottery businessin a small backyard shed with myhome-built throwing wheel and asalvaged gas kiln."

Today, his business is now located in a 5000 square footwarehouse which allows him to have ample room for teaching

classes and engaging in clay projects, large and small. His focusis with large pottery colossal jars, tile fireplaces, grand walldcor, and large exterior sculptures. www.klpottery.com.

Artist is guided by human selfIn her works, paper clay artist Val Lyle was influenced Carl

Jung, Mary Frank and Stephen De Staebler for theirmythological and archetypal representations of thesubconscious mind.

While intellect plays a significant rolher art, Val relies more heavily uponintuitions, emotions and subconscious aguiding forces. She maintains a physicalrelationship with nature in her

immediate environment for artisticexpressions. This approach allows me tobring viewers to find the primitive andabstract representations in my completed

paper clay works.Paper clay has many advantages to clay artists. Its green

ware is stronger than the more fragile types of regular claybodies. Breakages are rather rare, but may be mended quiteeasily in all states from the raw state to bone dry. Also, paperclay may be used forrepair purposes ofregular vesselsmade from other

clays.I make my ownpaper clay by addingbathroom tissue whichis the cellulose to ahearty sculpture claybody. Her newclay will fire thesame and glaze thesame as a non paperclay piece. She thenvents the kiln moreduring thebeginning stages of

a bisque firing as thecellulose burns out.www.ValLyle.com.M ntana's 'Monet' artist besieged with nature aweSurrounded by towering mountains, flowing streams, fields of variety, rich vegetated forest, andwith a nearby wetland habitat, many wild animals travel through Porcelain potter Lisa Ernsts place on

Earth, a rural area where people can measure their own pace. "I am deeply inspired by these naturalsettings. My present goals are to create clay pieces with strong underlying vibrancy and to animate this tangibly."

Born in Japan in the early 50s, playing with clay at an early age has become a life long pursuit. While in college, "Iwas influenced by Ken Ferguson at the Kansas City Art Institute. He deeply cared about the Japanese Folk Craft tradition which

fostered an artistic bond with me." In the early 90s, Lisa began to use water birds and fish in her designs, however leavesand flowers are now more dominant in her porcelain forms.

Lisa has been fascinated with surface design and its relationship to form. "My interest is in how they offera transformable quality to everyday life. I thoroughly enjoy making functional objects thatevoke a certain pleasure when used at meal times." These functional items are meant toenhance daily life. Large platters satisfy her painterlyinstincts while teacups and saucers bring about my desirefor the intricate. "Drinking from one of Lisa's botanical cupsand saucers gives me the pleasure of holding a floating Monet inmy hands," said Jane Hayden, a Halter Museum volunteer.

www.lisaernstpottery.com.


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90- The Art-to-Art Palette - Potters Shed Section/People, Places, Events department - 2008-09 Fall/Winter Edition

Pottery designs by Tom Radca ofPort Washington, Ohio have beentreasured for their depth of colorand lustrous highlights. Expertly

handcrafted in his rural barn studio,Radcas large scale designs featurethe 36 diameter plates and vesselsmeasuring up to 60 in height; histrademark.

Beginning at the potters wheel,Tom often works with as much as50 pounds of clay. The warmth andsplendor of his pieces are attributedto his carefully developed firingprocess. Color and effects resultfrom controlling the firingtemperature and introducingcombustible materials in the kiln

near the end of the firing process.

"I call it Painting with Fire."After the pots are fired and

allowed to cool, "I apply muriaticacid that eats away at the carbonbuildup and exposes the color

underneath. It took

me years ofexploration toperfect thistechnique and myunique firing

process."Working as a

potter has taken Tom on a journey. "I am veryeager to start each day. I love my life and creativeworks, and I know that I am a very fortunate."www.tomradca.com.

Potter'paints with fire'


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Works project rich 'expressions of life'Melody Ellis is a ceramic artist residing in Edwardsville,

Illinois who creates figurative earthenware toys and tile mosaicswith richly colored and patterned surfaces. Posture, expressionand the potential for movement in her sculptures are used toconvey the humor and sadness of the human condition. "I have

adopted the movements and intricacies of theseobjects to show their innatesense of joy, mystery ormenace." Her pieces areinspired in part by 19thcentury dolls, automataand wheeled or balancingtoys.

Ellis' tile works reflect a study ofhistorical narrative art forms, such as,"Italian majolica and medieval stained glass. Ilike to lure the viewer into a curious world ofspectacle." She has an abiding interest inpuppet theater, sideshow, and moralitytales feeds this endeavor. "The unchangingstate of humanity through the ages, and ourcomplex relationship with the world around us,inspires me to create work in the primal and

tactile material of clay."Originally from Reading, Pennsylvania,Ellis initially studied ceramics at theGlasgow School of Art in Scotland beforeearning her BFA at Tyler School of Art inPhiladelphia. She continued her education throughapprenticeships atMoravian Pottery and Tile works and the FabricWorkshop and Museum. While living in Philadelphia, she alsoheld positions at the Clay Studio, an international ceramics artcenter, andMoore College of Art and Design. She now works as astudio artist, exhibiting nationwide. www.melodyellisceramics.com.

Ex prof in touchwith his right sideKurt Wild has enjoyed working with clay for one basic

reason: "It gives me great pleasure because I make pots primarily todecorate." His very vivid imagination and natural artistic talents are

easily seen in his works.A graduate of Cranbrook

Academy of Art in BloomfieldHills, Michigan,he majored inceramics andminored in

jewelry andmetalwork. Aftergraduation, he

joined the facultyat the University of Wisconsin in River Falls,where he assisted in the start-up of the newlyapproved art major. Also, he set up the first claystudio and held a variety of positions which ledto a full professorship.

Uponretirement,Kurt beganto focus onhis clayworks. Hehas donelow-firedpots, highlypolishedblack ware,

salt glazedstoneware,and finereduction-firedstoneware. His present challenge is the designing and executioof imagery on pots. www.kurtwildpottery.com.

Art-to-ArtMarketplace

Guide


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entuckian has many artistic outlets

Melvin Rowe is a full time potter living iLouisville, Kentucky. He has over 35 years the clay arts and spends afull week creating hisf

potter's shed section-2008-09 fall-winter-art-to-art palette journal

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