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Way Outback: Teaching in the Great Red Center

May 9, 2013, 6:46 am
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Turkey Bore near Ernabella
Date farm area
Mt. Connor in the distance
Flying into Yulara you can see Uluru (aka Ayer's Rock) on the left below the horizon.



I've been down in Australia for the last month working in Ernabella, Pukatja community. I've intentionally held off from blogging to let my mind settle. This trip has been about reflecting on the bigger picture whereas my first trip was all about absorbing the details. Last year I found myself swept up in the newness of the environment. Every sunrise, inma song and sgraffito pattern led me back to the question "Where am I?" Coming back to friends and an area that I now see as familiar has shifted this question to "Why am I here?"

There is the obvious answer. I'm here working on a community service grant from the state of South Australia to encourage Anangu men to work with ceramics as a vocation. This is much needed with extremely high unemployment and no industry to speak of in the middle of the central desert. There is also a more nuanced answer. I am here to help a struggling community with a strong cultural identity express that identity through objects that also function commodities. The positive thing about this arrangement is that there is a strong market for paintings and ceramics that express Anangu identity. The not so positive part of the situation is that Anangu don't seem to think about time or financial need. Selling is not the main motivation for them to make art. This is generally a good perspective but selling can be a positive motivation to get a piece finished within a time frame that fits the ceramic process. Without an attachment to the final product one day projects turn into three day projects that don't get finished. 

Much like last year I came down with grand visions about what could be achieved in the community. It is good to think big when you are in the planning stages of a project but its been a big reality check to see the lack of interest on the community's part. Its not that there aren't people in the studio working its just that they are the same men that I became friends with last year. I hoped we would expand our circle to include men that are my age or younger. I thought men would be jumping at the chance to increase their financial stability and therefore their status in the community. The reality is that most Anangu men want to hunt Kangaroo. Making ceramics is a hobby. 

I'm not sitting in judgement writing this post as a complaint. I'm sitting here as a teacher trying to figure out how to motivate students who don't think learning what I am teaching is as important as I do. Isn't this the great dilemma of teaching? I don't have any immediate solutions but after a month I feel like I have my head screwed on straight about what my challenges are. I'm in the middle of readjusting my expectations to meet the student's needs as opposed to what I want them to need. I have one month left so I'll keep you posted on how this goes. For the time being I'm focusing all my attention onto the guys that are already in the studio. I'm hoping word will spread and other guys will migrate into the studio. 

I'm also enjoying the hell out of the world class mountain biking that we have discovered in the area. Its been a huge thrill to ride thousands of feet of unexplored rock. You can see from the color of the earth in these pictures why they call this the Great Red Center. 

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Julia Galloway on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast

May 16, 2013, 4:30 am
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This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with ceramic artist Julia Galloway. Her functional porcelain pottery spans a wide range of subject matter and decorative motifs from architecture to cloud forms. She says of her work "A need for beautiful domestic objects and an instinctual drive to create things are tremendous dance partners for idea and desire." In the interview we talk about the role ceramic history plays in her life as an educator, her work ethic, and the way her visual language changed after moving to Montana. She currently serves as a professor and director of the School of Art at the University of Montana. For more information on her work please visit www.juliagalloway.com.




Galloway often presents her functional work within an installation context challenging the viewer to make connections between singular objects and larger ideas. Her 2009 exhibition Quiescent featured hundreds of cups decorated with drawings inspired by John James Audubon's "Birds of North America". She says of Audubon, "Late in his life, (he) realized that he was not going to live long enough to paint all of the birds of North America, so he began to draw with both hands. I relate to his passion for making and am touched by the detailed simplicity of his work." The exhibition featured a unique form of visual and auditory display. As people picked up the cups an audio recording of the bird on their cup would play creating a symphony of natural sound in the gallery. Her attention to detail within the individual pieces and the overall display of the work set a high standard for exhibiting functional pottery.





To subscribe to the Red Clay Rambler podcast on iTunes please click here. You can also stream the latest episode on the podcast tab for the site. Click here to listen.
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Highlights from Plates and Platters at the Clay Studio

May 20, 2013, 5:16 am
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Kevin Snipes

Courtney Murphy

Eric Pardue

Kari Smith

Kathy King

Kurt Anderson

Meredith Host

Sue Tirrell

The Clay Studio in Philadelphia is hosting Plates and Platters from May 3 through June 2, 2013 in their Reed Smith Gallery. They do a fantastic job of photographing the work and presenting it online. It makes it easy to admire the work from afar. I have posted a few of my favorites above but please see the whole show by visiting www.theclaystudio.org.

It is a good exercise to pick favorites from a set and then find the common thread that unifies them. Over the years my enjoyment of new work has not changed but the aesthetics of the pieces I enjoy has changed drastically. In the last five years I have been engrossed in pattern and color whereas I previously liked simpler pieces with all-over surface treatments. Does my love of work that is visually more busy reflect my increasingly more saturated mind... or maybe I'm just drawn to what I am think I am not as strong at in my own studio practice (i.e suface over form.)

There is a definite correlation between the evolution of my own studio work and what I am actively looking at. About a year after I start enjoying a certain style of work I find I start drifting in that direction. I'm not sure why a year is the magic duration but this seems to be the nature cycle of me assimilating an influence before I can actively use it in studio. Based on that equation the work I will be making a year from now should be brightly colored graphic work with geometric organization. Lets see how it turns out.

I'm happy to have work in this show. I sent this large platter which features a mix of finger swipes through slip and underglaze sgraffito drawings.

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Way Outback: Bush Tucker

May 25, 2013, 2:49 am
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Last month I had the great pleasure of spending a day driving out in the bush with a few of my Anangu friends. We drove an hour north of Ernabella to the border of the Northern Territories where we detoured onto one of many dirt roads that hug the fence lines of massive cattle farms. This remote part of the central desert has been used for cattle grazing since the introduction of a hearty Buffle grass in the late 1800's. Lucky for us this region is also a prime location for digging honey ants.

Tjala, or honey ants, are one of Australia's tastiest forms of Bush Tucker (bush food). The ants live underneath Mulga trees where they harvest pollen to create a delicious nectar similar to honey. Within their elaborate underground colonies select ants are over fed by the colonies' worker ants. This gorging helps stimulate the production of honey which is stored in a large bulbous growth on their back. The honey ants in turn regurgitate the honey as a source of nourishment for the colony. This process is a great example of a species evolving an ingenious way of creating food from the landscape in which they live.

Honey Ant digging is a long slow process involving the careful probing of successive layers of dirt. The digger starts by loosening the surrounding soil with a long metal pole. Shovels are then used to remove the dirt. The ants are fragile so the digger has to be careful not to squish the ants as they dig. Over the course of a few hours the digger literally sinks into the ground. I helped a few times with the shovel but honey ant digging is largely considered a female task. Men hunt, women dig honey ants. Division of labor based on gender is very common in Anangu culture.

You can see from the pictures below that we collected dozens of ants. It was hard not to eat them all as they emerged bright and glistening from the brick red soil. By the end of the day we had eaten our fill and still had many handfulls left to share with family members back in Ernabella.

Click here to watch a clip showing Warlpiri women digging ants and talking about the possibility of the central desert being used for radio active waste disposal. 







Like many outback trips ours turned into a hunting trip as soon as someone spotted a Kangaroo on the horizon. After many failed attempts with our old 22 rifle, including a near miss with an emu, we had a fresh lunch. From the fatal shot to the first bite less than three hours passed. Most of this time was spent field dressing the animal and cooking it under coals in the traditional way. It is both remarkable and impressive to see how efficient the cooking process is. I asked my friend how he knew how long to cook the Kangaroo. He smiled and said "We cook it until its ready." This open pit style of cooking is one of many traditions that are passed down from generation to generation in Anangu culture.

For the sake of sensitive readers I'm not going to include pictures from the hunt but I can say that the hunting experiences I have had with Anangu have left me wondering why hunting is seen in an agressive light in many developed countries. The process of tracking, killing, and cooking an animal that is more than abundant in the surrounding landscape is both natural and respectful. In contrast the American factory farm system seems unnaturally cruel in respect to the treatment of the animals during their short lives. I don't mean to underplay death. Death is equally harsh in all instances. I do however think that an animal's quality of life is a good reflection on how much the animal is valued by the humans that consume it for food. Anangu have been hunting Kangaroo for thousands of years, over which time they have developed a symbiotic relationship with both the animal and the land around them. There are many dream time stories that speak to the importance of the animal for physical and spiritual nourishment.

Our day ended with a sunset drive back to Ernabella. We stopped along the way to take pictures of the full moon that was creeping above the horizon. I am deeply grateful to my friends for taking me out with them. Any time spent with Anangu in the bush is a gift.


I recently had an interesting conversation with my brother, who does not eat meat, about hunting for food. After we discussed the many angles of the issue he surprised me by saying, "I think I would eat meat if I could fish or hunt it for myself." This seems like a very sensible middle ground for an often hot button topic. The stark reality of life in the desert dictates that people eat the food that nature provides them. I imagine a discussion of the morality of eating meat is not common within Anangu culture. Meat is food. Vegetables are food. Everyone is happy when there is food around. Hunger blurs these sort of distinctions for people in need.

After living overseas in countries that struggle with hunger and food distribution I have come to understand that the ability to make a "moral" choice to abstain from a food source only comes when there is an overwhelming abundance of food in that society. Hungry people don't have the luxury of abstaining from a food source that might make up more than 50% of their natural diet. I am not knocking vegetarians but I am saying that deeply held beliefs are often dictated more by our physical and cultural landscapes then the intrinsic morality of the issue.

Check out earlier posts in the series about Ernabella.
2012
Way Outback: The Road to Ernabella
Way Outback: Night Writing
Way Outback: Chasing the Light
Way Outback: A Story for the Eyes
Way Outback: Animal Kingdom
Way Outback: Paint, Money, and Land
Way Outback: The Red Walls of Uluru

2013
Way Outback: Teaching in the Great Red Center

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David Hiltner on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast

May 27, 2013, 4:07 pm
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This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with ceramic artist David Hiltner. His functional pottery and sculpture references the farming landscapes of the midwestern United States. He says of his work "I am interested in rural landscapes, silos, rolling hills, and furrowed fields. The patterns, textures, and colors translated into the vessel are memories, moments, and thoughts frozen by fire. These vessels are created to celebrate the land that inspires and sustains me."



In the interview we talk about his recent exploration of corn as a symbol for commodization, his love of the great outdoors, and his experience founding the Red Lodge Clay Center. In 2005 he left his position as an Associate Professor at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas to create a full service clay center in Red Lodge Montana. The clay center has grown to include an artist-in-residence program, gallery, and community clay classes. For more information please visit www.redlodgeclaycenter.com

To subscribe to the Red Clay Rambler podcast on iTunes please click here. To add the podcast to your Stitcher Radio on Demand Playlist click here. You can also stream the latest episode on the podcast tab for this site. 




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Guest Blogger Carter Gillies on Food and Morality

May 31, 2013, 6:16 am
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This guest post by ceramic artist and blogger Carter Gillies is in response to my recent post Way Outback: Bush Tucker. To read more of Carter's thoughtful writings follow his blog at http://cartergilliespottery.wordpress.com

Yeah, the subject of food and morality is not always straight forward. I think a lot of what you say has merit. This passage touched on several important points:

"After living overseas in countries that struggle with hunger and food distribution I have come to understand that the ability to make a "moral" choice to abstain from a food source only comes when there is an overwhelming abundance of food in that society. Hungry people don't have the luxury of abstaining from a food source that might make up more than 50% of their natural diet. I am not knocking vegetarians but I am saying that deeply held beliefs are often dictated more by our physical and cultural landscapes then the intrinsic morality of the issue."

Morality and what counts as food are always culturally dictated. Many themes overlap across cultures. Food sources, food preparation, food distribution, food practices are all part of a system, and growing up within that system the choices make sense. The same with traditional morality, for the most part.

So its possible that circumstance has a great influence on these things, and even though we can talk of 'food' in general, and 'morality' in general, they are not really general things. They are embodied realities. Sounds like I'm a relativist here. But sometimes the world throws up unfamiliar and uncertain circumstances, and the old trusted ways no longer apply. What do we do then, when the rules are broken?

You say that "hungry people don't have the luxury of abstaining from a food source" and that moral choice seems to come "when there is an overwhelming abundance of food in that society". Survivors of a plane crash end up eating the passengers who died, poor people here in the US forage in dumpsters and take whatever hand outs they can get. Privation does seem to shrug off the normal sensibilities.....

But as a vegetarian myself, I'd like to flip the focus of the scenario you have laid out and suggest that Morality and food ARE intimately linked, and that in a culture of abundance (as in the US) there is a real moral issue that some folks are going hungry at all. Poverty is a stain on our society, and we are not living up to our moral responsibilities by sweeping the issue under the carpet. Also, the food industry itself is engaged in practices that have moral components. The idea of sustainability is entirely moral. I'd also suggest that where there is such abundance of nutritional options, exploiting industries based on taking lives needs to be examined. Its no longer necessary to kill for our supper, and yet we only get meat on the table when something has died. The death was not necessary in the same way it might have been 100 or even 50 years ago. Is it a moral question that lives are taken when they could have been spared? Do we even need to ask this question when human lives are at stake? If our culture fails to extend basic morality to its animals is that not an indictment of our own morality? Cultures that NEED to hunt for food almost always have the respect for its food source that links into a system of morality. Are the traditions of meat eating in our first world culture vestiges of a hunting society that had no other choice? Are we simply ignoring the moral questions that were embedded in the small scale society practices now that we've turned food gathering into a large scale commercial venture? Do we accept death as the price of appeasing our taste buds?

The difficulty is that in the modern world there are consequences to our actions that are far reaching and hugely impactful. Tradition and morality sometimes need a wake up call to get on the same page as society is traveling. The pace of cultural change far outstrips what we are able to make sense of as a society. Our morality often lags behind and has to play catch up. We don't have the luxury these days of the slow accretion and evolution of traditional responses. Atom bombs, pollution, and other modern manifestations have made things more urgent.
So I'm not appealing to 'inherent' morality. I'm not appealing to traditional morality. I'm just suggesting that the game has changed so much that we need to think differently. We need to start thinking more in moral terms how our actions square with the world today, and what that will get us for the future. A diet of meat was a luxury throughout most of human evolution. Putting meat on a family's table didn't always impact those outside the home itself. In a global world the resources spent raising a pound of beef are so hugely disproportionate to the amount of vegetable protein that could have been grown, not to mention the ills of the meat industry itself, how is meat eating not a profligate waste of resources? With so much hunger throughout the world?

Morality always explains the difference between 'is' and 'ought'. Simply because the way we do things currently includes meat eating doesn't mean it reflects what ought to be the case. The status quo can be used to rationalize every evil society has invented (slavery, segregation, gender inequity.....) The reasons that once justified aiming our resources at putting meat on the table are long gone in the US (for the most part). We have to think differently now. We have to think of scarcity and responsibility. We have to think of long term consequences.

Morality may not matter if we don't have a choice. If we DO have a choice, then it is often a moral one which direction we take. I might be a cannibal up on that Andes mountaintop, but in downtown Athens Ga that won't cut it. Maybe we will end up in some future world where we eat 'Soilent Green'..... If we blow it now, we may not have a choice. Our children's children's children may be forced to subsist on processed human body parts...... Can we say that looking ahead and with the possibility of side stepping that future that its NOT a moral issue facing us here and now?


Carter is having a sale in the Athens, GA area this weekend. If you are in the area stop by and support him. 

572 Nantahala ave, Athens Ga
Saturday and Sunday, June 1st and 2nd, 10am – 4pm


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Jill Foote-Hutton on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast

June 17, 2013, 7:21 am
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This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with ceramic artist and curator Jill Foote-Hutton. Her totemic sculptures reference gods, monsters, and heros. She is interested in the psychological role these archetypes play in our society. She says of her work "There is an interminable distance between one human and another. In attempts to bridge the distance we climb through hierarchies and assumptions to find there are no monsters and there are no gods. Simultaneously we realize there are only monsters and there are only gods."

In the interview we discuss how art can be a catalyst for social engagement, the role collaboration plays in her art, and her curatorial practice. For more information about Jill's work please visit www.whistlepigstudio.com. When not in the studio Jill is the gallery coordinator for Red Lodge Clay Center. To find our more about Red Lodge Clay Center please visit www.redlodgeclaycenter.com.

To subscribe to the Red Clay Rambler podcast on iTunes please click here. To add the podcast to your Stitcher Radio on Demand Playlist click here. You can also stream the latest episode on the podcast tab for this site.



A large part of Jill's recent work has focused on facilitating collaborative projects with public audiences.  In the interview we talk about her project "Communal Narratives" project in Fargo, ND. She says of the project, 

"Together we engaged over 50,000 visitors at the mall this weekend with the Monster Chalk Boards and Story Writing Stations. Forty participants joined us to build their own monsters, infusing their creatures with history and purpose. We asked the community two questions: 1. What is a hero? 2. What is a monster? The answers fell, for the most part, where you think they might. But we found when someone had a personal experience, the kind that creates an epiphany, the standard definitions of hero and monster take on new depth."

For more information on Jill's collaborative projects please visit her website.
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Vipoo Srivilasa on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast

June 25, 2013, 9:09 am
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This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with sculptor Vipoo Srivilasa. After immigrating from Thailand to Australia Vipoo has used ceramic sculpture to explore the similarities between his native and adoptive cultures. Over the past 16 years Vipoo has developed a body of porcelain figurines that mixes the blue and white traditions of East Asia with contemporary symbols of Australian identity. His work has been described as "a playful blend of historical Figurative and Decorative art practices with a health dose of Contemporary Culture."

In this two part interview we discuss the artist ego, the gallery system, and breaking into the international art market. For more information about Vipoo's work please visit www.vipoo.com. 

To subscribe to the Red Clay Rambler podcast on iTunes please click here. To add the podcast to your Stitcher Radio on Demand Playlist click here. You can also stream the latest episode on the podcast tab for this site.






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Way Outback: Evolving Traditions

June 30, 2013, 8:59 am
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I've been back in the U.S. for a few weeks and I'm settled into my summer studio in Montana. I find myself excitedly describing the time I spent in Ernabella to anyone who will stop long enough to listen. In the discussions I am frequently asked, "Do Anangu have a clay tradition?" The simple answer is no, but what Anangu lack in duration they make up for with originality. Their art evolves to reflect their cultural growth and in response to art market demand for aboriginal art.

Aboriginal life is steeped in a cultural history that stretches back for millennia. Objects of an artistic nature have long been produced but these objects don't always fit smoothly into western concepts of art. Tools, weapons and clothing were produced for daily use, or ritual function, but they were never meant to be consumed as art by non-aboriginal people. "Art for art's sake" and certainly art as a consumer product was not part of the equation. From the "art for art's sake" perspective the Ernabella tradition started in the late 1940's when the art center was founded. Since the art center's formation Ernabella artist's have produced everything from woven rugs, to paintings, to batik fabrics. Ernabella artists are able to adapt their style based on market demand while producing art that honors their greater cultural context.

When I returned to Ernabella I was amazed at how much the drawing style had evolved from last year. When I asked why people were not drawing realistic landscapes anymore I was told that the new pattern based style sells better. It looks more "authentic" because it fits the western stereotype of what indigenous art should look like. For example compare the two pots pictured below by Derrick Thompson, one of Ernabella's most promising ceramic artists. The first platter made in 2012 is a realistic depiction of Kangaroo in a bush scene. The second jar from 2013 has an overall pattern that features an image of the wanapi, or snake (spirit), a prominent figure in Anangu stories. This change from realism to stylized pattern represents a major shift in aesthetic but not a decrease in cultural relevance. While the wanapi image has amassed cultural power through its role in Anangu story telling the Kangaroo is more important as a food source. It would be hard to say which style is more "aboriginal".

The recent Anangu shift in aesthetic is not a case of a culture selling out to make money. When an individual, or group, "sells out" there is often a decrease in quality and reduction in content. In this case you could argue that the opposite is happening. Quality and content are increasing as a reaction to the demands of a competitive art market. These pieces by Derek are just one example of the flexibility that Anangu show in their approach to art making. After seeing the variety of styles that Ernabella artists work within I have the feeling they are just hitting the tip of a creative iceberg. The mixture of a relatively short art making tradition with a longstanding cultural tradition is the perfect fuel for pushing an art movement forward.

I hope to make it back to Ernabella next year to work for a longer period. I'm excited to be a small part of the growth that is possible when a group of artists learn a new form of self expression.




The images below show the newer style of Anangu pottery. The sgraffito drawing style is similar to other creative forms (painting, etc) but the combination of color, pattern and form is unique to this body of work.










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Merran Esson on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast

July 2, 2013, 8:34 am
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This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with ceramic artist and educator Merran Esson. Her recent body of work springs from a two week excursion she took to a remote part of western New South Wales, Australia. She says of the trip, "I have always had an affinity with the land, having spent my childhood on a farm in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains, however, the geology and vastness of this recent exploration has brought a more organic resolve to this work. My interest in the collision between man and nature continues." This collision manifests itself through her sculptural vessels, which are at once reminiscent of the earth's crust and man-made metal structures, such as machinery parts and corrugated water tanks. 

In the interview we talk about learning to trust one's inner voice, capturing the passage of time within an object, and her role as the head of ceramics at the National Art School in Sydney Australia. For more information on Merran's work please visit www.merranesson.com. You can also find her on Facebook.

To subscribe to the Red Clay Rambler podcast on iTunes please click here. To add the podcast to your Stitcher Radio on Demand Playlist click here. You can also stream the latest episode on the podcast tab for this site.




Merran has a wonderful collection of art that includes a figurative sculpture by Stephen Bird, a Takeshi Yasuda creamware jug, and a pair of Afghan war rugs. I enjoyed looking at the collection and making connections between art of different ages, aesthetics and nationalities.  





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Bray Days: The Beginning

July 8, 2013, 11:22 am
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I'm in the midst of a summer residency at the Archie Bray Foundation. The combination of ceramic talent, rolling hills, and long days make Helena, MT the perfect place to be in the summer. This is truly an amazing place to live and work.

Here is the pictorial story of my first three weeks. For daily photos follow me on Instagram @carterpottery.


My next door neighbor Adam Field working on an Onggi Jar.


Linda Lopez working on one of her intricate sculptures.





Mt. Ascension, Mallory Wetherell at Spring Meadow Lake, the Helena mountain bike shuttle, and the view during one of Tara Wilson and I's weekly mountain bike trips.


I came out here to make pots right? There are so many great outdoor distractions but I promise I am working hard in the studio. I've been working through new bowl ideas while I test a new clay at a new temperature. The yunomi at the top was one of the first successful pots I've made during my time here. Looking forward to a full glaze firing in the next week.


I've had the great fortune to interview my fellow residents for the podcast. Matt Kelleher and Shoko Teruyama were here for the month of June teaching a workshop and making pots. The interview I did with Matt will be uploaded tomorrow so make sure to check it out. Here is Matt in his studio with a wall full of vase sketches.


Adam Field and I just recorded an interview as well. He has had an interesting life with lots of international travel and good stories. His interview will go up next week.

More to come soon!
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Matt Kelleher on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast

July 9, 2013, 9:23 am
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This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with potter Matt Kelleher. He designs utilitarian ware with a keen eye for the architecture and edge quality of his hand built forms. He combines layers of slip with the soda firing process to create rich translucent surfaces that capture the mood and density of the Western NC landscape he now calls home.

In the interview we talk about cultivating curiosity, escaping the boundaries of the artist statement, and learning through new life experiences. For more information on Matt you can visit www.mattkelleher.com. You can also find him on Facebook.

To subscribe to the Red Clay Rambler podcast on iTunes please click here. To add the podcast to your Stitcher Radio on Demand Playlist click here. You can also stream the latest episode on the podcast tab for this site.



Matt and his wife, potter Shoko Teruyama, spent the month of June working and teaching at the Archie Bray. I loved the vase drawings Matt tacked up to his studio wall. He uses brown butcher paper to design and make cut outs for potential forms. The curilinear lines of the drawings gave the studio a beautiful energy. 



Matt and Shoko are past resident artists at the Penland School of Craft. Check out this 2007 video from the PBS Craft in America Series were they talk about their residency experience. 


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Final chance to help Odyssey ClayWorks on Indiegogo

July 16, 2013, 10:03 am
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Odyssey ClayWorks has been raising money to increase their programing. There are only two days left to donate so head over and check out their Indiegogo campaign www.indiegogo.com/projects/pots-for-life. They have a $25,000 goal and have great plans for the money raised.

We must raise a minimum of $25,000 in 2013 in order to continue our mission. The funds will allow us to host lectures and slide presentations (which are free and open to the public), continue after-school and summer kids programs, pay fair wages to instructors and provide studios for our resident artists. We are also instituting a new vocational program for autistic adults and a therapeutic program for veterans. Every little bit helps! 
Here's how we plan to use the funds:
$4778.....Two Brent Model 16 Adaptive/Wheelchair accesible potter's wheels
$4999.....Pug mill mixing machine for clay production
$500.......Material cost and labor to create two 100 sqaure foot studios for rental
$4000.....Scholarship fund for lower income students (This will afford 10 adults and 10 children the opportunity to participate in our programs this year)
$8000.....Specialist Instructor pay (8 hours per week for 50 weeks) at $25/hour (For new programming including a therapeutic program for veterans and a vocational program for autistic citizens) 
$3000......Resident artist project support grants (Will create six $500 mini grants to resident artists this year to complete a large scale project)



Pots for Life: Crafting a Sustainable Future for Odyssey ClayWorks from Link'd Video on Vimeo.
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Adam Field on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast

July 17, 2013, 8:30 am
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This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with potter Adam Field. Based in Durango, CO Adam produces a wide variety of functional ceramics ranging from intricately carved porcelain forms to massive Korean Onggi jars. He says of the work, "I am fascinated with antique artifacts, the way they can speak of mastery of lost peoples, places, and cultures. This inspires me to create works that both radiate history and capture my own place and time."

In the interview we talk about developing a market for your work, using social media to build community, and the year he spent apprenticing in a traditional Korea pottery. In addition to his clay work Adam is an accomplished videographer and photographer. You can find his images and videos on Youtube, Instagram and Facebook. For more information on Adam please visit www.adamfieldpottery.com.

To subscribe to the Red Clay Rambler podcast on iTunes please click here. To add the podcast to your Stitcher Radio on Demand Playlist click here. You can also stream the latest episode on the podcast tab for this site.



It has been a pleasure to watch Adam make Onggi jars this summer. He uses a coil and paddle technique to shape the jars on a Korean style kick wheel. I am amazed at the fluidity he has in making such a large form. Click here to watch a time lapse video of Adam making a jar at the Ohbuja Onggi studio in Korea.




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In the Studio: Plates and Platters

July 22, 2013, 9:02 am
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I am finishing a round of plates and platters this week. I've enjoyed working on four at a time and stretching the pattern across the forms. It is a great exercise to work on balancing density and negative space within the overall design. For my upcoming show at Red Star I will hang these together as a set but this is also a good way to come up with asymmetrical balance on individual platters.



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George McCauley on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast

July 24, 2013, 7:35 am
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This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with artist and Renaissance man George McCauley. Over his 45 year career he has made pottery, mixed media sculpture, and metal work, as well as being a cowboy, carpenter and movie producer. His self described "casual" approach to art making highlights the emotive quality of gestural mark making and loose brushwork. In the interview we talk about developing a unique artistic voice, the evolving nature of student/teacher relationships, and the film that he recently made about his mentor Ron Meyers.
 


Click here to view the trailer for the film Ron Meyers and the Usual Suspects. To learn more about the film please follow the Ron Meyers Film Project on Facebook. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the film you can contact George through his website www.georgemccauley.com.



George has traveled extensively but maintains a studio in Helena, MT. His studio is another testament to his unique sense of style. If you are ever in the Helena area it is well worth the visit.  






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The Archie Bray Brickyard Bash 2013

July 29, 2013, 10:11 am
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Giselle Hicks

Jeremy Bridell

Adam Field

Jon Zimmerman

Jeff Campana

Jonathan Read

My set up for the show. The images above are a few highlights from the resident exhibition which was on display in the Warehouse gallery during the Bash. 


The live auction in full swing.

The Archie Bray Foundation hosted their annual Brickyard Bash this past weekend. Hundreds of artists, collectors, and supporters came out for the Hawaiian themed party and live auction. This was my first time attending a live auction for ceramics. It was fascinating to see people covet ceramic art. I was amazed at the passion and determination the bidders had to secure the pieces they wanted. 

I'm not sure what the final numbers were but the event was a success. Click here to see the final bids for the auction. Great to see people come out to support a wonderful art center.

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Sean O'Connell on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast

July 31, 2013, 8:18 am
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This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with potter Sean O'Connell. I met Sean in 2010 while he was making five hundred plates for the Salad Days Residency at Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts. He focused on a lobed plate form as a canvas and set out to experiment with hundreds of solutions for surface decoration. I admired his methodical approach to such a monumental assignment. I continue to see the same dedication to visual inquiry in his current body of work. He says of the work, "My curiosity is satisfied through the idiosyncrasies of each individual arrangement of form, the visual splendor of color and pattern, and the spontaneity of brushwork."

In the interview we talk about developing self critique, assessing the value of a new opportunity, and the ongoing cycle of disappointment and reward associated with making art. You can find his work on Facebook and Etsy. For more information on Sean please visit www.seanoconnellpottery.com.

To subscribe to the Red Clay Rambler podcast on iTunes please click here. To add the podcast to your Stitcher Radio on Demand Playlist click here. You can also stream the latest episode on the podcast tab for this site.





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Apply now for the Sixth Annual Gulf Coast State College Cup Show: Form and Function

August 3, 2013, 9:14 am
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Former participant Blair Clemo

Former participant Shawn O'Connor

Former participant Greg Lawarre

I have the great pleasure of jurying the sixth installment of Gulf Coast State College's annual cup show. If you are a cup maker, sculptor or a conceptual artist using clay I encourage you to enter this exhibition. I have copied a few of the application details below. You can click here to download the full prospectus. I am already looking forward to seeing all the great cup forms that artists will submit to the show. The deadline for applications is September 20th but don't wait, you can apply today by clicking here.



Gulf Coast State College Amelia Center Gallery is hosting a juried exhibition that explores the idea of the drinking vessel. The exhibition will focus on the function and concept of the drinking vessel; including its relation to history, politics, craft, technology, utility, and narrative. The goal is to offer a survey of the wide array of approaches to contemporary ceramics through the lens of the most intimate and accessible vessel, the cup.

Eligibility 

The exhibition is open to both functional and sculptural work that addresses the idea of “the cup”. Please submit only original work that has been completed in the last three (3) years. Amelia Center Gallery reserves the right to reject any work that is not suitably prepared for exhibition or that differs from the original submission.

Entries and Fees

Please submit your entries online at www.onlinejuriedshows.com. Each artist may submit up to three (3) entries. All images must be of high quality saved in the JPEG format, at 72dpi. Files must be 1920 pixels on the longest side, and file size must not exceed 4 MB. The files should be titled with the artist’s first and last name and entry number (example: Steve_Smith_1.jpg). File numbers must correspond to the entry numbers on your entry form. Please do not submit any other materials (CV, resume, statement, etc.). For tips on how to shoot, resize and submit images see the Help link online at www.onlinejuriedshows.com. Entry Fee. There is a non-refundable entry fee of $25. Fees must be paid through www.onlinejuriedshows.com. Payments may be made through PayPal or by any major credit card.

Calendar 

Application Due September 20, 2013 
Notification Begins September 26, 2013 
Accepted Work Due October 10, 2013
Opening Reception October 18, 2013 
Show Closes November 7, 2013 
Unsold Work Shipped November 14, 2013
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Talking about Artist-in-Residence programs with Julie Kesti

August 5, 2013, 8:19 am
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Archie Bray Brick Pile, Helena, MT


Landscape near Ernabella, Australia

Here are a few excerpts from a recent interview I did with blogger, artist, and body worker Julie Kesti. We talked about the many ways you can benefit from artist-in-residence programs. I have spent the last year residency hopping between China, Denmark, Australia, and the U.S. The experience has been invaluable and I enjoyed talking to Julie about what I gained from my travels. Click here to read the full interview.

Tell us a couple of your favorite residency moments:

During my residency at Anderson Ranch in the winter of 2007 I had the opportunity to work with an exceptional group of residents. I was discussing my work one night with a resident whose work I admired. After a pause in the conversation she told me very directly that the way I talked about my work didn’t match the aesthetic of the objects I was making. She said this with great politeness, without malice. It was shocking at first but after a few days I decided she was right.

This was a major turning point in my work. Her honest assessment of my work helped me change my aesthetic completely. I changed firing temperatures, materials and consequently left behind most of the artistic crutches that I had been leaning on for many years. The fact that she was my peer and not a formal teacher made me more open to her criticism.

This type of interaction is why I love residencies. You never know who you will meet and how they will affect your life. I have made life-long friendships during residencies.

Any fun or interesting mishaps in your residency application/travel/completion journeys?

This past fall I was a resident at ICRC Guldagergaard in Skaelskor, DE. Shortly after arriving I set out to go shopping at the local grocery store. As the shopkeeper rang up my groceries I pulled out my wallet. For some reason I could not figure out Danish money. I tried for at least three minutes before I sheepishly handed her all my money. She looked at me with a smile and handed back the change. Small embarrassments like this happen all the time so it is helpful to travel with a good sense of humor.

Do you have any final thoughts or words of advice to artists who might be thinking about a residency?

Don’t be afraid to think big. Commit to a residency that might be a little higher than you perceive your skills to be. Residencies are a great way to stretch the boundaries of what you think you can do. Plan a big project and then do everything in your power to complete it.




Julie and I met in Shanghai after a mutual friend put us into contact. Along with her husband Sean, she has been living in Shanghai practicing her art while studying Chinese Medicine. You can view her art work and read her blog at juliekesti.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @juliekesti, on Tumblr at http://juliekesti-art-by-mail.tumblr.com, or on Instagram @juliekesti.

A statement from Julie about her recent work.
Often my work is an exploration of the puzzles and challenges, textures and qualities of our physical and spiritual / psychological boundaries. My work in recent yeas includes body parts, shadow tracings, and abstract mixed-media drawings evoking ideas of safety, possession, permission/freedom, and impermanence. Or--sometimes--I just start layering colors, and layer and re-layer them and see where it takes me.

Since moving to Shanghai, I have been experimenting with zine formats, beginning to think about visual narratives in booklet or letter form. I’ve also been keeping a blog, which has been a productive place of exploration, experimentation, and focus. Part of this is an artist interview series, about their creative habits and process, conducted through the mail and made into both zines and a blog series.
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