by Carole Epp | Dec 21, 2009 | Uncategorized
I always like reading in bios how an artist found clay and turned a complete 180 from what they were previously doing, in William’s case a BA in International Political Economy. That magical draw of the clay is just so powerful! Well I’m sure I speak for more that myself when I say that William made the right choice as he is an incredible potter and I’m sure that this spectacular functional work is as enjoyable to use as it is to look at.
Artist Statement
As a ceramic artist I explore the potter’s wheel and the use of atmospheric firing methods as my primary tools. The dynamic interaction between the malleable, versatile clay and the steady motion of the wheel first enthralled me, and continues to challenge and humble me everyday. It is this interaction that inspires the forms I create, and which influences the movements of my hands as they meet the clay. Each piece is a record of the union of these forces.
My current work reflects my continuing attempt to find a balance between the requirements of function, and the subtle details which give a form the strength to stand alone and yet still remain receptive to the marks of the fire. I choose to create mostly functional work because I enjoy the intimacy with which these pieces can be experienced. For me, knowing that a piece of my pottery will be filled with nourishment and held closely on a daily basis only adds to the beauty of that piece and to the attention to detail it deserves. As each piece takes form between my hands one thousand thoughts fill my head; of strong form, proper function, and firing surface. I am creating not just a bowl or cup or jar, but a pot with all the possible expressions of the human personality. I form the structure, the bones, of the pot thinking ahead towards the firing chamber. Building on this structure I refine the surface until the taut skin reveals the intentional elements of the seemingly simple form. And then I send the pot into the fire, standing naked and unadorned, with only its strength to protect it and its softness to accept the flames which wrap around it.
All work is wheel thrown, altered, wood and soda fired to cone 10.
William Baker Bio
1999-2000 Finished undergraduate studies with a BA in International Political Economy
Discovered wheel-throwing and the existence of potters, began trying to make up
for “lost” time.
2002—2004 Resident Artist at the Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts, Asheville, North Carolina Discovered salt and soda firing
2005-Present Studio potter working in the mountains of Western North Carolina
2005-2006 worked with a cross draft gas/soda kiln
2007 built my wood burning cross draft soda kiln, which has allowed me to produce my mostly functional pottery and focus on the wood/soda firing process
Website:
www.williambakerpottery.com
also:
www.williambakerpottery.com/blog
www.williambaker.etsy.com
by Carole Epp | Dec 20, 2009 | Uncategorized
The Workhouse Arts Center Ceramics Residency Program offers the emerging, pre-professional or professional ceramic artists the individual space and time needed for personal artistic growth in a dynamically cooperative educational environment. The Ceramics Residency Program provides the serious ceramics artist an opportunity and ability to function independently and to refine and exhibit their work, expand on their educational experiences, and contribute to the growth and promotion of the cultural arts in our Community, our Artists, Students, Ceramics program and the Lorton Arts Foundation. The new state of the art facility comprising 8,000 sq. ft. with 5- 220sq. ft. individual resident artist studio spaces, a dedicated retail gallery space for resident artists, classroom space, two indoor kiln rooms(8 kilns), outdoor gas kiln space, raku kiln, raw materials lab, slab roller, extruder, clay mixing room and spray booth allows the artist to expand their use of a variety of tools and processes available for the ceramic artist.
Requirements
The Workhouse Arts Center Ceramics Program is a dynamically creative and educationally cooperative environment. Facilities and equipment resources are offered at a reasonably low rate. * Minimum 25 hours of weekly presence in studio (working) and gallery watch in our dedicated Ceramics Gallery. * Active contribution and participation towards growth and daily operational activities of Ceramics program by instructing(paid), assisting, mentoring, supervising or maintaining various areas of program. * Follow all guidelines, procedures and policies as set forth in contract and residency program guidelines.
Eligibility
Ceramic Artists with a substantial background/working knowledge of ceramic techniques and processes including hand-building and/or wheel-throwing, firing and glaze making skills. All accepted applicants will go through a short orientation and training on studio procedures and guidelines with the Ceramics Director and must follow all safe handling practices with materials and equipment.
Costs
The Workhouse Arts Center Ceramics Residency Program is a component of the Workhouse Arts Center Ceramics Program. Cost is $3,960.00 per year or 330.00/month. Yearly membership with Workhouse Arts Center, Electric and Gas Firing fees (bisque or glaze), clay and use of raw materials are an additional fee. Credits which can be applied toward firing and raw material costs are given for contributory hours in Ceramics Program. Newly Accepted residents may begin at any time during the calendar year and with approval of Ceramics Director. The Workhouse Arts Center Ceramics Residency Program is limited to 5 Ceramic Artists.
How to Apply
Review of applications for residency program is ongoing. Please complete the attached application form, and submit along with a letter of intent, resume, artist statement, a CD or slides of 10 images (current within last 3 years) with image info sheet, 2 reference contacts and submit to The Lorton Arts Foundation-Workhouse Arts Center Ceramics Program c/o Dale Marhanka- Ceramics Director, 9504 Workhouse Way-Bldg. 8, Lorton Virginia 22079 or call 703-584-2982.
website
by Carole Epp | Dec 20, 2009 | Uncategorized
From their Website:
There is dynamic development of contemporary art in South-east Asia countries for the past decade, and it opens artistic spectrum widely for medium exploration. The boundaries of fine art categorizations are no longer distinct, thus, it gives place to the forms of fine art outside paintings and sculpting, and even blurring the lines between art and craft in the context of Western fine art. The form of art with ceramic as the medium is the one that appeals to art society with the emerging contemporary artists bringing their works and their concepts. Their works could not even be distinguished in the arena of contemporary art in the present. Jakarta Contemporary Ceramic Biennale #1 held in North Art Space (NAS), Pasar Seni Ancol, is an attempt to map the practice of contemporary art, not only in Indonesia but also in South-east Asia countries and worldwide. In its first event—the initiation—there are prominent figures in art world, teaming up as a curator team that would do the selection namely Asmujo J. Irianto and Rifky Effendy. They both sort out the talented ceramic artists. From Indonesia, the artists who participate in the event are F. Widayanto, Nurdian Ichsan, Nia Gautama, Lie Fhung, Albert Yonathan, and many more; Mirjam Veldhuis from the Netherlands and Jason Lim from Singapore; also the ones from Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines. The artworks are showing various techniques and artistic values, based on pottery, sculpture, and concepts, including artists with the background of sculpting such as Wiyoga Muhardanto and Handiwirman Saputra. Adding public appreciation towards the art of ceramic, there will be sessions of lecture about the development of art and the practice of ceramic and workshop of Japanese Raku technique; also the one open for public is shaping ceramic on potter’s wheel. It is a high hope that this contemporary ceramic biennale, organized by NAS, bring the development of both national’ and international’s ceramic practice.
Contact:
Mrs. Farida Kusuma / Mr. Anom
North Art Space
Pasar Seni Ancol.
Jl. Lodan Timur No: 7
Jakarta 14430
Indonesia
Ph: +62 21 64710319 Jakarta Contemporary Ceramic Biennale 2009 Initiated by Rifky Effendy and Asmujo J. Irianto Organised and supported by Jaya Ancol – Jakarta
www.ancol.com
Check out their website for all the details, lists of participating artists, etc.
by Carole Epp | Dec 20, 2009 | Uncategorized
I have to tell you guys, it’s been a hard month here at musing…I really don’t want to winge, but I have really been struggling…struggling with not going to each and every online shop for each artist of the day and buying up a ton of pieces!!! It’s maybe a good thing that it’s December and holiday budgets are at the forefront of my mind, because otherwise I’d likely be broke – yet with a much larger ceramics collection…today’s artist again I’m sitting on my hands trying not to go and buy a piece…
Here’s the bio from Arthur:
“I was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised in nearby Braintree. I first discovered my love for clay while enrolled in my AP Portfolio class during senior year of high school. I received my BFA from Maine College of Art in Portland, Maine, where I started out with taking hand building freshman year and went on to throwing sophomore year. I am currently making work at Mudflat Studios in Somerville, Massachusetts. I use bisque molds with an emphasis on European Ceramics as my primary means of making.”
“The desire for creating my work comes from an inherent need to combine images of wall paper motifs with images of birds. I am drawn to that which is ornate, collectible and highly decorated in life. I love extravagance and things that are over the top bordering on almost too much. I see these as a modern day’s coming-out party where joyful expressions of ones self can be found.”
Check out more of Arthur’s gorgeous work (feel free to pick me up a piece while you’re there):
www.arthurhalvorsen.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/arthurhalvorsen
by Carole Epp | Dec 19, 2009 | Uncategorized
Maybe i’m just getting into a holiday mood lately and that’s impacting my perspective but today’s post just has a bit of a holiday feel to it. Angels and wishes and charming little birds…i don’t know…maybe it’s the spiked eggnog talking, but some of these lovely pieces would look great around the house this week.
Here’s Teri’s bio:
I’m a clay artist living on the foothills of a small southern Oregon town . I affectionately tag my art as Rustic and sometimes a touch of pure whimsy. Never striving for perfectly smooth walls, symmetrical design or lightness of my pieces. Instead I throw all caution to the wind and put full emotion and present energy into my hand building. Some days I just look at the ball of clay and begin…
Here a mix of past and present pieces-
Check out more of her work in her etsy shop here:
http://terraworks.etsy.com
by Carole Epp | Dec 18, 2009 | Uncategorized
7th Conference of the International Committee
for Design History and Design Studies
ICDHS 2010 20-22 September 2010
Brussels, Belgium
Deadline abstracts – 31 December 2009
The conferences of the International Committee of Design History and Design Studies (ICDHS) aim to assess the current state of affairs of design history and design studies. The seventh ICDHS conference, “Design and Craft: A History of Convergences and Divergences”, will bring the relation between design and craft to the fore. This theme offers an excellent opportunity to gather new design historical and theoretical research from over the world in a focused discussion on regional specificities as well as the impact of global processes of industrialisation. If, until now, design history has been largely dominated by the Western narratives of industrialization, then moving the focus towards non- industrial design practice might bring non-Western scholars to the forefront. Moreover, previously marginalized design histories in industrialized countries can finally get a voice. The Brussels’ ICDHS conference will contain strands where the emphasis is laid on the presentations (of about 20 minutes each) and workshops with an emphasis on debate and discussion. ABSTRACTS AND PAPERS
Papers are expected to make an original contribution to the field of design history and design studies. People who are interested in presenting a paper should send an abstract for refereeing. Paper proposals will be selected by the ICDHS members and the scientific committee to cover different areas, methods, approaches and positions.
Abstracts should be maximum 300 words.
Each entry should incorporate the following information: Author’s(s’) full name(s), (+gender (M/F), in brackets), Title – Position – Institution – Address for correspondence – Telephone – Fax – E-mail – Theme of the paper (see conference strands and workshops), indicating a first and second choice – Title of the paper – Abstract of the paper. Abstract and later paper submissions should be sent by e- mail as a Microsoft Word or RTF document, double-spaced on A4. Preferred typeface is 12pt Times new Roman. The official language of the conference is English. Please send abstract and paper submissions to the following address: [email protected]
STRANDS 1. The Impact of International Organisations
2. Craft and Tourism
3. Towards an Aesthetic of Objects
4. The Design Critic, a Lost Profession?
5. Revival of Traditional Techniques
6. Craft, Design and Postmodernity
7. Fashion and Craft
8. Ruptures and Continuities: The Historiographic Understanding of Craft and Design
9. Craft and Technological Innovation
WORKSHOPS 1. “Design Centres” and Design Exhibitions
2. Craft and Gender
For further details on the themes go here.
All work is wheel thrown, altered, wood and soda fired to cone 10.
