by Carole Epp | Dec 15, 2009 | Uncategorized
Last month when I was posting about some great Etsy finds I posted some of the work of today’s artist, Laura B. Cooper. You can see that post here. I loved the subtlety of her work, how a minimalist approach to decoration really worked to highten the reading of her forms and textures. So it’s with pleasure that I post some new pieces of hers today. Enjoy!
In her words:
“My name is Laura B. Cooper and I am a ceramic artist based out of Athens, Georgia, where I live with my husband and daughter.
The work I am currently focusing on deals mainly with gestural interpretations of various types of vessels. I am interested in texture, repetition, subtleties, and cadence that can be found in forms. I also find that irregularities which may disrupt the form and throw the viewer off a bit to be very fascinating.”
Make sure to stop by her Etsy shop for more images and to purchase her work.
by Carole Epp | Dec 14, 2009 | Uncategorized
When you’re away from an academic environment, whether you were there as a student or faculty (i’ve been both and I miss both tremendously) studio practice seems to be so focused on productivity and we (I speak for myself here) rarely afford ourselves the time for creative research, ie: messing about in the mud and trying out fun things with the kilns. When your livelyhood depends on successful firings and pleasing your customers and gallery owners, sometimes we miss out. It’s hard to remind ourselves to play, even a bit each day, as a warm up even. Maybe something I should add to my new years resolution list…
Anyhow I got thinking about this after looking at the remarkable work of today’s artist: John Dorsey and reading his blog dedicated to an interesting collaboration and an even more interesting kiln design…it reminded me of the community spirit, collaboration and fun that I miss from an academic environment. Time for this tired brain to be re-invigorated with a residency I think.
Here’s a bit from the blog:
“Welcome to the Green Fire blog where we will be bringing you the on going story of the Nobles and Harvard kiln building collaboration. This summer ceramic artist Masakuza Kusakabe conducted a workshop where participants helped build his innovative smokeless wood kiln.”
The kiln is a small, woodfired kiln that is smokeless, designed by Masasaku Kusakabe. This project is a unique collaboration between Noble and Greenough School, where John teaches, and Harvard University Ceramics Program, under Nancy Selvage.
And here’s John’s stunning work:
More images of his work are available on his website:
http://johndorseyceramics.com/home.html
In his email John told me that, “This collaboration has really changed my approach to my work. The availability of wood fire is so exciting and the immersion into Japanese ceramics in recent months has significantly charged my batteries. We’ll see where it all ends up.”
Indeed I’ll be looking forward to hearing more from John about the kiln as well as the impact of the collaboration on his studio practice. Please keep us posted John!
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 12, 2009 | Uncategorized
…that Alfred University (actually more specifically through The Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art) has as an online resource the previous Dorothy Wilson Perkins Lectures? Yup, your free access to some incredible lectures given by some of the big names. Check it out:
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2008
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10th Annual Lecture:
“Making A Mess: Ceramic Sculpture Now” |
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2007
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9th Annual Lecture:
“Once a Potter, Always a Potter” |
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2005
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8th Annual Lecture:
“The Aesthetic of Process – and Beyond” |
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2004
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7th Annual Lecture:
“Marginal Powers: Ceramics and the Art World” |
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2003
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6h Annual Lecture:
“Crawling through Mud: Avant-garde Ceramics in Postwar Japan” |
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2002
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5th Annual Lecture:
“Marguerite Wildenhain: Inspirational and Passionate About Her Craft” |
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2001
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4th Annual Lecture:
“Social Complexity and the Historiography of Ceramic” |
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2000
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3rd Annual Lecture:
“Ceramic Paradigms and Paradigms for Ceramics” |
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1999
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2nd Annual Lecture:
“Faux and Real Folk Art: the Story of Mingei” |
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1998
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1st Annual Lecture:
“Between a Toilet and a Hard Place: Is the Ceramic Avant Guard a Contradiction in Terms”
Visit the website here to read all of the lectures. |
by Carole Epp | Dec 12, 2009 | Uncategorized
a good home must be made not bought
For some fantastic website design and gorgeous work check out ceramic artist Claire Loder.
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.”
In her words:
Make sure to stop by her Etsy shop for more images and to purchase her work.
