Medalta Day Three

The early morning quiet of the studio. The long day of productivity stretched before me, and what am I doing? Wasting my time online : ) Sigh, habits die hard. I think for someone who is used to working in a panic state, in small 20 minute bursts, the thought of hours, days, weeks to work is a bit overwhelming. But i’ll deal don’t you worry! It’s so exciting to be here (have I said that enough times yet?) Yesturday I dug my hands in and got muddy, nothing to write home about, just some pots to get me started. I’m eager to work with Robin Dupont while he’s here and suck some soda firing expertise out of him. So I figured making some work for the soda kiln was as good as any other way to start. 

As usual I think I’m spending too much time thinking about my pots. It’s a left over from grad school days when everything had to be justified theoretically and conceptually. It has left me with the inability to accept that sometimes a pot is just a pot, a vessel, a beautiful functional container. 
If you have any sense of my past work in functional ware (see some pics and an artist statement here) you’ll know of my interest in the relationship between industrially made ceramics and handmade ones and what are the signifiers/stereotypes of either. Medalta is a perfect place to be back thinking about these things being that the studio is just steps away from the old production factory/museum and a functioning production space. We had a quick but awesome tour yesturday and as Aaron mentioned we have to remember that even “industrially” made ceramics are made by hand, there are individual people in the process, it’s just a different process. So that lead me to wonder more about why/how we have this separation between small market mass production/mass industrial production/and small scale artist production. Maybe it really just boiled down to a question of aesthetics once all of the process/technology was removed. But why then have the two sides (artist vs industry) positioned themselves at such opposing sides of the spectrum. The industry side wants to generalize their audience, create the object that will have the largest commercial appeal where as the artist wants to have a singular voice, a unique vision – but wait – they want the largest commercial appeal too!
Hmmm. Commercial appeal. Unique vision. I want both, can I have both? Which has to be more compromised to realize the other? 
In terms of process right now I’m working with both thrown vessels and slab construction. The thrown pieces are attempting to be loose works, speaking to their process on the wheel. The slab built are constructed using store bought objects, cheap bowls and plates, mass produced and intended to have the largest market appeal. I’m trying to use those pieces as a base upon which to overlay a unique vision, find an individual voice and highlight handmade stereotypes of ceramic production.
At the same time i’m also using commercial stamps. This a hard one for me. I’m so compelled and put off by them at the same time for similar and different reasons. I think it’s a crossover from my sculptural work to combine a bit of kitschy contemporary visual language. It’s cutsy (yum and yuck). But how to subvert a mass produced commercial stamp to produce a unique personal vision? It’s the same dilemma as using the cheap bowls and plates. 
Who knows maybe it only makes mild sense in my mind. Maybe something will come out of it all, or maybe i’ll just have some nice dinnerware to take home and use. 
Well anyway, that’s enough for now. Maybe some pictures later. 
In the meantime if you want a different look into the residency I encourage you to check out Robin Lambert’s blog Tiny Revolutions. He’s promised to post everyday as well so we’ll see which one of us lives up to our promises! 

Medalta day two

Well from crickets in the bedroom to snakes at the studio, today was filled with new friends at Medalta, oh yeah and I met the rest of the staff and artists today too : )

I really can’t tell you how excited I am to be working alongside these other incredible artists. Intimidating, yes. Inspiring, definitely. Fun, yuppers. It’s going to be a great month for so many reasons. I’m hoping over the next few weeks to get these other artists to do a brief intro to their work here on the blog so that you guys get acquainted with them as well.
In the meantime here’s a sneak peek:

Paul Maseyk

Robin Lambert

Brendan Tang

Darlene Nairne

Jeremy Hatch

Robin Dupont

Job posting: Executive Director (Baltimore Clayworks)

Reply to: [email protected] [Errors when replying to ads?]

Baltimore Clayworks is seeking a visionary, entrepreneurial individual to serve as the next executive director for our lively, vital and respected ceramic art center. The right candidate will be knowledgeable about the field of ceramics both nationally and internationally, and will possess a genuine understanding of the technical and artistic concerns of studio practice in clay. He/ she will also enjoy being a part of a growing, dynamic and energetic cultural scene in the city of Baltimore.
Our executive director will have the demonstrated ability to lead, motivate and communicate as well as have excellent and persuasive writing ability. He/she will possess an eagerness to communicate the organization’s priorities with multiple communities and be passionate about Clayworks’ mission and about community-based education. The executive director has the mandate for managing the artistic, educational and operational functions of the entire organization, and reports to the Board of Trustees.
We are looking for someone with demonstrated management ability, administrative skills, and a positive, outgoing personality. He/she will be able to manage nine full-time and four part-time paid staff, resident and visiting artists, a contractual teaching pool and will work in partnership with the founding director in the areas of major gift fundraising and strategic planning..
Qualifications: Baltimore Clayworks requires an executive director with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree (master’s preferred) and substantial experience in ceramic arts program and non-profit leadership roles. Candidates should have a solid background in artistic issues, confident public speaking abilities, excellent writing skills, good computer skills and creative approaches to fundraising and programmatic strategies. He/she should understand the challenges and opportunities of an urban environment and its impact on individuals, families, and institutions.
Compensation: Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience, in the range of $50,000 – $75,000. Health care benefits and paid vacation are provided as is access to a ceramic studio environment with kilns, etc. Professional development, conferences, and other opportunities are possible.
Organization Background: Baltimore Clayworks was founded in 1980 by a collective of nine ceramic artists. Today Baltimore Clayworks is viewed as one of the nation’s premiere ceramic art centers with an outstanding national and an international reputation for its state of the art facilities and professional support for ceramic artists. It has been recognized by numerous sources for its leadership in community arts programming in the mid-Atlantic region. Its primary campus is in the Mt. Washington neighborhood of northwest Baltimore; its community programs take place primarily in its two west side satellite locations. Clayworks’ mission, to develop, promote and sustain an artist-centered community, which provides exceptional artistic, educational and collaborative programs in the ceramic arts, is realized through the four program areas: Artists’ residencies, classes, exhibitions and community arts. Clayworks’ main campus is comprised of 17,000 square feet in two renovated historic buildings. It has a projected $1.2M operating budget for 2010.
To apply, please email resume, cover letter, three references with contact information, and two writing samples to: [email protected]. Baltimore Clayworks is an equal opportunity employer. No phone calls please.

  • Location: Baltimore Clayworks
  • Compensation: 50,000 – 70,000
  • This is at a non-profit organization.
  • Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact this job poster.
  • Please, no phone calls about this job!
  • Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

PostingID: 1815079518

I have arrived!


Medalta day one. What an incredible day for a drive. I’d almost forgotten how peaceful and gorgeous it can be to drive through the prairies in the summer. I guess traveling hasn’t been quite as peaceful lately with the two year old rocking out in the backseat : ) So today was a blessing. Couldn’t have been better timed either. I needed the quiet to start thinking about what I was going to do over the next month at Medalta. Yah I know I should have sorted that out before being on a highway a few hours away, but so be it. I’ve been busy lately. It was definitely pretty incredible to drive up to the Historic Medalta site. For a ceramist it was actually pretty awe inspiring and jaw dropping. Aaron Nelson, the AIR director greated me in the parking lot and was every bit the wonderful person as he had been described to me by so many. I got a quick breeze through the studios, meeting up with the oh so wonderful Brendan Tang (if you don’t know who he is yet, well do some googling yourself cuz he’s only one of the top young hipster/see him everywhere/amazing Canadian ceramic artists – and just a plain old down to earth awesome guy as well) and then settling into the house I’ll be calling home for the next month.


Already I’m feeling the call of college life upon me. Common studios, late night chats, art and creativity everywhere. Oh how I’ve been aching for this for too long. But now the stress and joy of sorting out what to do with my time. I came prepared to either make work like mad, obsessed with making to get ideas out and progress churning; or to breathe and think for a month, something one doesn’t get to do with young children and the everyday impinging upon creative thought and production time. If I go away empty handed but brain full I will be equally as pleased. But where to begin…do I follow familiar paths or do I find a fresh start. Comfort zone or risk it all. I might have to toss a coin…either way I’ll keep you posted.

Call for entry – International Rabbit Teapot Exhibition

Time of Exhibition: around February 24, 2011 Venues: Noble Seafood Restaurants 3883 North Hongmei Road, Shanghai, China 66 North Shanxi Road, Shanghai, China 1 North Chaoyangmen Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China Organizer: Noble Seafood Restaurant www.shnoble.com Title of Exhibition: Rabbit Teapot Conditions of Participation: 1. Each participant can exhibit 4 rabbit style teapots at most, regardless of whether they are functional, semi-functional, or non-functional. 2. Size of teapot should be no more than 40 cm. in height, width or depth. 3. Participants can sell their teapots as well. The commission is 50% of the retail prices. 4. We prefer different style teapot, not only a style with different colors. 5. The teapots must be ceramic. The use of lava, cement or any other material is not acceptable. 6. Collective teapots presented by two or more creators (ceramists or designers) are acceptable. 7. The organizer agrees to undertake the following: ‧ all expenses inherent to the exhibition and the promotion thereof ‧ insurance of the exhibited works for the duration of the exhibition ‧ Chinese customs’ formalities ‧ expenses incurred in returning works (not including transport insurance) ‧ printing of an illustrated invitation, catalogue, etc. 8. Invited artists must undertake: ‧ expenses related to shipping the works to Shanghai (address & addressee will be designated at a later date) ‧ insurance for the works during their transport to Shanghai ‧ all expenses due to customs in their country of origin ‧ allow photographs of his or her work may be reproduced, free of all rights, and used for the exhibition or for the promotion 9. The organizer/exhibition center can not be held responsible for any work that would be damaged or destroyed in transit. If a work arrives damaged, the organizer will have it restored as well as possible to allow for exhibition but will not be available for sale. Timetable: 1. Please email me the following materials by 30 September, 2010, if you want to participate in this exhibition. ‧ your resume ‧ 2 digital images of your personal photos/2 photos of you (1 MG JPG file at least, good quality for publication) ‧ personal brief introduction (200~300 words, please see the following format) * If you have given me the above materials before, and there have been no recent changes, you can just inform me and I will use your former materials. 2. Please email me 1 or 2 digital images (more are better) of your rabbit teapots by January 1, 2011 (1 MG JPG file at least, good quality for publication as well). 3. Shipping points will be provided at a later date. 4. E-mail address: [email protected] Contact: Hwang Jeng-daw

Take my Illustrative Pottery Workshop with the Ceramics School

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