Castles of the New World by Jenna Turner
Byrdie’s Gallery, 2422 St. Claude Avenue, New Orleans, LA (http://byrdiesgallery.com/)
Open now until March 6th, 2015
Whether it is an old wooden grain elevator standing guard over the prairies or a towering gold mining dredge nestled in a northern creek bed, these 20th century structures maintain a certain power and grace despite their abandonment and dilapidation. Focusing primarily on form and material, Castles of the New World explores the architecture of these stacked and precarious buildings, while recognizing the high level of craftsmanship and artistry that continues to survive.
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| Installation view from front of gallery. Front right: Dredge #10 (Expanse), 2015, Ceramics, steel, wood. |
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| Prairie Giant, 2015, Ceramics, steel, wood. |
To view more images please visit www.jennaturner.net
kickstarter: JUMPING CREEK POTTERY STUDIO EXPANSION
Find out more and support if you can here.
Visit Kaitlin Murphy’s website: www.jumpingcreekpottery.com
movie day: Ceramic Displacement
A potter, Thom Chambers, throws pots in a Volkswagen van while driving
around Laguna Beach, donating the wet clay pots to the environment.
Shot with super 8 film by Fred Stodder in 1979. Music by The Mike Mays
Quartet. Fred Stodder’s ceramic art can be viewed at
www.fredstodder.com
You can blame Brendan Tang for finding this one : )
technical tuesday: carved drawings
More and more frequently lately i’ve been getting emails and instagram messages asking about how I achieve the thin drawing lines on my functional dishes. Hopefully without risking any and all future workshop invites I’m going to share the secret today. I draw the images in pencil on bone dry clay, cover that in wax and then use cheap dollar store sewing needles to carve the drawing through the wax in into the clay surface. I then use a black underglaze to fill in the lines.
When I posted this on instagram the lovely Grace DePledge mentioned she used sewing needles as well (albeit the other end) and suggested finding a mechanical pencil that would hold the needles to save my fingers. Brilliant! Thanks Grace!
Women, Art & Social Change: The Newcomb Pottery Enterprise @ the Gardiner
inspirational story of a group of women in the Deep South who achieved
economic independence through making and selling pottery, and by
establishing Newcomb Pottery, one of the most iconic arts and crafts
brands of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
social change and women’s rights, the Smithsonian exhibition features
the largest, most comprehensive collection of Newcomb Pottery to tour
North America in three decades, with more than 125 objects of the iconic
pottery on display, along with lesser known textiles, metalwork,
jewellery, bookbinding and historical artifiacts.
“The finest examples of the pottery art form will be displayed
alongside pieces that will come as a revelation to many – not only a
rich variety of crafts but also photos and artifacts that breathe life
into the Newcomb legacy.”
“Not only is this a show of beautiful objects, but it has an
extraordinary behind-the-scenes story with an added layer about women’s
rights and social change in post-Civil War New Orleans. These themes and
Southern backdrop make these women’s stories more powerful – they were
arts and crafts pioneers who paved the way for entrepreneurial women of
today.”
established in 1895 as an educational experiment of H. Sophie Newcomb
Memorial College, Tulane University’s former women’s college. The
quasi-commercial venture offered an opportunity for Southern women to
support themselves financially during and after their training as
artists. Inspired by the flora and fauna of the Gulf South, the pieces
offer insight into the extraordinary women who made a lasting impression
on American art and industry.

















