by Carole Epp | Dec 13, 2009 | Uncategorized
Well I didn’t get any text with Jim’s submission, but that’s likely because he writes one of the best (and often quite humorous) clay blogs out there and truly you should be reading about him and his work over at Sofia’s Dad’s Pots. I would not be able to do it justice over here. It’s normally my morning read over tea. He shares a beautifully evolving portrait of his life as an artist and father, weaving a narrative around the incredibly detailed and process-oriented pots he creates. I’m sure you’ll be enamored by both his technique and his inspirational daughter.
You can also purchase his work through good old ETSY here.
UPDATE: Here’s some written info Jim just forwarded me to include. Enjoy!
Statement – I am very interested in the complete cycle of creating clay objects. Functional demands inform aesthetics and vice versa creating an evolution that hopefully moves forward to better work. I like the imperfections that occur while aspiring to perfection and am learning to let them be. I do not set out with strict limitations and always allow some wiggle room to let something become something else. Consequently, each object’s creation is different for me and the immense frontier of possibilities keeps me exhilarated and wondering about the unknown results of the coming years of trial and error that all potters eventually get under their belts. For many years I’ve been drawn to certain drawing, painting and calligraphic styles and usually cite artists like Cy Twombly and Mark Tobey as influences along with my perception of Jung’s automatic writing but after many years of not really caring about the origins of influence, I’ve come to believe that I’ve always just been in love with what happens when a brush, pen or pencil makes contact with another surface and using shellac as a resist on dried, unfired clay allows the surface to be etched without losing the immediacy and spontaneity of such brushwork.
Bio – I was born in central NY state and moved south to Kentucky for college. This is when I was introduced to clay. I earned a BFA in ceramics and drawing and went west to Missoula, MT for graduate school. Things didn’t work out financially so after a year I switched universities and majors and spent the next 3 years getting my MFA in sculpture. After that, I moved to Louisville and started two businesses with my very best friend. Although both of the jobs initially allowed me to have a creative outlet, after the companies evolved a little I ended up doing less and less until I was mostly a manager. All this time, the clay was calling and when I found out 5+ years ago that I would be a dad soon, I figured if I didn’t jump in then that it probably wouldn’t happen. In retrospect this was the best decision I have ever made. Aside from doing what I’ve always wanted to for a job, being a potter has allowed me to work from home and be there 24/7 for my daughter and I feel we have all thrived because of this.
[email protected]
http://jimgottuso.wordpress.com
by Carole Epp | Dec 13, 2009 | call for entry, emerging artist, job posting, monday morning eye candy, movie day, residency opportunity, show us your influences, technical tuesday
100 outstanding ceramics artists will be selected by the organizing committee.
High caliber of artists and high quality of art work are selected and screened on the basis of leading fashions and superb quality of creation in market trend. To ensure the uniqueness, the exhibition will adopt the system of initial evaluations and invitation that after the works selection, only the artists with invitations can participate in the Biennial and it aims to ensure both the artistry and originality.
During the Biennial, organizing committee will organize artists can talk about arts and creativity, exchange skills and ideas, which add beauty to the Shanghai 2010 Expo.
I Participation Requirements and Methods
1. The Biennial this year will invite the ceramists from all around the world.
2. The exhibits will be regarded as individual works (Please specify if team works.). It is allowed that every artist/team can have five sets or pieces of art work, two of which will be selected and paid the collection payment after review and appraisal. Please email us the artist’s photo, the pot’s pictures (The photo size is not less than 1024KB, suitable for printing.), personal resume, creativity introduction (for book publication). (The total number of words account of the materials is limited to 300 words.) After the exhibits selection by the organizing committee, the artists who are intended to donate 2 art works and participate the opening cocktail party (with please the attendance number specified and confirmed by individuals or team organization), please fill out the Sign Up Form and Confirmation Feedback with Signature (in scanning) as soon as possible, so that the organizing committee can make the arrangement of unified scheduling for opening ceremony, 4 days and 3 nights of shanghai stay. (Please refer to the following attachments for further details.)During the exhibition all the works will published into a book volume, and to be distributed to the every artists. The exhibits should be the new pieces of work that have not been released or published or exhibited before (it is not limited by form, material or crafts).
3. 2010 2nd biennial is different with previous 2008 1st biennial. For the artist who participated previously in 2008 1st biennial, if you would like to donate one teapot artwork, you will be warmly invited and is entitled to enjoy our 4 days and 3 nights in Shanghai including the opening ceremony, pressing release, one-day tour and so on, free of charge. Like last time, your artwork and your bibliography will be published in our collection book.
4. Referring to the previous amount for teapot collection payment, this 2010 2nd biennial will still follow the high selection with teapot collection payment practice, a specific payment range will be paid to the artist who never been in our 1st biennial, which is determined by top standard with artistic quality of artworks.
5. No matter the artist participated our 1st biennial or not, as long as the teapot is really fantastic and outstanding artwork that reaches the requirement of organizing committee, no doubts that we really would like to pay the collection payment appraised on the committee, which is determined by top standard with artistic quality of artworks. If the artist would not able to join our biennial in Shanghai in person, he could deliver his teapots to Shanghai by postal service. ( post fee thus caused will be taken care of by artist own). If the artwork had been selected and accepted, the collection payment is sure to be deposited and wire-transferred to the artist’s personal bank account; the same goes to the collection book and any certificates by postal service. Please leave your detailed address and bank account in your application form.
6. Theoretically, we prefer one artist from one country with two artworks. Hope you could understand it seems a bit competitive but it’s fair because the collection payment for purchasing the artwork is dictate by the artistic and quality of artworks. As long the standard of artworks meets the requirement of organizing committee, the collection payment range could be seriously discussed. The organizing committee pays high attention to the high standard of artwork with artistic quality. All the artists participated in this exhibition will enjoy the Biennial for free. The selected exhibits will be collected by the committee of the China 2010 2nd Shanghai International Modern Pot Art Biennial Exhibition, and conferred and awarded the Acceptance Certificate and Collection Certificate. (If the artists do not intend to donate his or her ceramics, please make a statement in advance. Posting or mailing back the ceramic works is born on the artist’s own expenses or the can bring it back with artist himself.)
7. It is both applicable whether the selected works are to be posted or mailed to organizing committee by the end of February, 2010 (postal costs born on artists themselves); or they are to be brought by artists themselves. Please be sure to take delicate care on its packaging and not to be broken or spoiled it, otherwise it will influence the exhibition effect.
8. The copyright of all the exhibits belong to the committee of the China 2010 2nd Shanghai International Modern Pot Art Biennial Exhibition. The committee has the right of publicizing, dissemination, publication and exchange with international ceramic works.
Itinerary: 4days, 3 nights, food, logistic and accommodation, free of charge
April 27, flight receiving, – unchanged
April 28, exhibition, opening ceremony, press release, cocktail party, etc. – unchanged
April 29, one day tour in Shanghai,
April 30, seeing off.
II Other Matters
1. If the works is considered as a copy which results in the matters of piracy or plagiarism, all the responsibility is taken by the artist himself. The committee does not have to do with it.
2. All the collected pot art work will be exhibited in Shanghai Arts and Crafts Museum, and meanwhile the museum will make some dissemination, publicity and promotions.
3. A professional Press will publish the China 2010 2nd Shanghai International Modern Pot Art Biennial Exhibition for the works selected.
4．The committee of the 2010 Second Shanghai International Pot Art Biennial Exhibition holds the explanation right of exhibition participation rules.
III Sponsor:
Shanghai Arts and Crafts Association,
Shanghai Arts and Crafts Museum,
IIII Co-organizer:
Ceramic teapot of Yixing Sand Culture Research Institute affiliated to China ceramics Culture Research Center,
Shanghai Arts and Crafts Research Institute
Shanghai Arts and Crafts Society
Shanghai Industrial Design Association
Shanghai Arts and Crafts Vocational College
“Shanghai Arts and Crafts” Magazine
V Organizer:
Shanghai SUNTAO Co., Ltd.,
Shanghai Handicraft Zhujiajiao Exhibition Center,
Ge, Jvn website: www.gejun.com.cn
IV Supporting Institution:
Shanghai Fast Quality Translation Office，
，
IIV Duration of Exhibition:
From April 28th — May 28th
IIIV Venue of Exhibition:
Shanghai Arts and Crafts Museum,
IIIIV Date of Deadline Sign Up: By the End of Dec., 2009.
VV Contacts for Exhibition Works & Signing Up:
Institution: Ceramic Teapot of Yixing Sand Culture Research Institute affiliated to China Ceramics Culture Research Center
Contact Person：Anna Zhang, Carrie Chang
Email：[email protected] [email protected]
Msn: [email protected]
Skype：xiaoqian.sh
QQ: 1041412939
Tel: 86 21 6483 9312 / 86 136 0177 6548 / 86 139 1699 3839
www.gejun.com.cn
VVI Contacts for Exhibition Works Postal:
Address: Building No.317, Wuning Rd., (S.), Shanghai, 200042
Contact: Mr. Ge, Jvn
Email：[email protected]
TEL：+86 -21 -5256 2133
FAX：+86 -21 -5256 2511
by Carole Epp | Dec 12, 2009 | Uncategorized
tokkuri (sake bottle) , porcelain, fired for 9 days in our Little River Anagama, no applied glaze
Today’s artist, Yolande Clark, is actually an artist whose blog I’ve been following for a while now. So I was naturally thrilled to see the submission and to have the opportunity to share her work with you all. There are definitely times in which, although the internet is an indispensable tool for linking our vast and varied community – sometime when I read about the context in which each artist works, all I really want to do is hop in the car and stop by for a coffee and a chat around the kiln. Artist really do live some of the most interesting lives…and here’s Yolande’s story:
Amitabha Buddha–porcelain, fired for 3 days in our Bourrigama, all natural ash glaze
“My husband and I live in a tiny strawbale solar-powered cottage in the backwoods of rural New Brunswick, Canada. We fire a 27 foot long anagama and a bourrigama with a focus on natural ash glaze, and although we occasionally use shino, for the most part we don’t use any applied glaze. We fire intuitively, without the use of cones or pyrometers. My inspirations include the tradition of yakishime tea-ware, buddhism, and the rhythms of our daily life. The worlds and constellations of colour and texture that result from the woodfire process, and the magic of the ritual of firing itself, are our passions.
Cedar Wood Buddha–porcelain, fired for 3 days in our Bourrigama, all natural ash glaze
vase, porcelain, fired for 9 days in our Little River Anagama, no applied glaze
I apprenticed with my husband, Lee Horus Clark for 3 years, and now we work together. Two weeks ago we completed the construction of our new bourri-gama.
vase, porcelain, fired for 9 days in our Little River Anagama
All of the pieces attached here, are all natural ash glazed, with no applied glaze.”
