I can barely wait till fall to get my hands on a copy of Utopic Impulses: Contemporary Ceramics Practice . It’s a collection of texts edited by Edited by Ruth Chambers, Amy Gogarty & Mireille Perron. And of all things, little ole me will have an image and a small blurb about my work in it. Mind you it’s of a piece that I made, oh let’s see, maybe in 2001! That was back when I made more installation based ceramic work. It’s been interesting to be involved and get a slight sense of exactly how long it takes for things to happen in the publishing world. One of my good old aussie/canadian girls Lia Tajcnar is also in it. I must definitely do a post about her soon as her work is spectacular (to the full extent of the word!) It’s looking to be a great read, and if the wealth of knowledge of the editors is any indication, it will be filled to the brim with amazing-thought-provoking ceramics.

Check out the publishers website here for more information and other great titles.

Here is the blurb from the website about the book:
Utopic Impulses: Contemporary Ceramics Practice brings together ten essays and twenty artist projects to explore ceramics as a socially responsible practice. By framing particular ceramics practices as “utopic impulses,” this anthology envisions new and stimulating conceptions of how studio ceramics contribute to the social and political fabric of their time. The ten essays by artists and theorists well-known in the field, including Paul Mathieu (2007 Saidye Bronfman Award winner) and Leopold Foulem, “make a case” for the importance and value of studio ceramics in the public sphere. The artist projects in Utopic Impulses reflect influences and contexts arising from both local and global concerns. Drawing from a full spectrum of examples, the projects include functional wares, design for industry, conceptual, community-based projects and large-scale installations by artists such as Greg Payce, Jeannie Mah, Sin-Ying Ho, Thérèse Chabot, Jamelie Hassan, Anne Ramsden, Diane Sullivan and Les Manning. Each artist project consists of generous visual documentation supported by an artist statement. While the majority of contributors are Canadian, several are from Australia, Ireland and the UK. Bringing together innovative and forward-thinking examples of theory, history and studio practice, this volume will appeal to students, practitioners and educators in the fields of contemporary visual arts, ceramics and craft culture in general.