call for entry: PLAYING WITH FIRE: Altered Atmospheres

by | Nov 18, 2020 | call for entry

A national juried exhibition of functional & Decorative works
by clay artists who play with fire

juried by Mark Shapiro

March 13 – April 24, 2021
Deadline for Entry: December 4, 2020

CALL FOR ENTRY
Saratoga Clay Arts Center seeks submissions of functional and decorative works by clay artists who play with fire. These works are plucked from altered atmospheres – those changed by wood, smoke, salt or the like. Juror and Massachusetts potter Mark Shapiro writes, “The extent to which firing demands and engages the potter varies broadly, depending on type of kiln, its design, how it is loaded, fired, and even cooled. The continuum from computer-programmed electric top-loaders to gas kilns (in their heating and cooling and reduction cycles), and the many configurations of wood kilns from small “fast-fire” to subway-car length anagamas that fire for a week or more, demand increasing preparation and commitment. Before pots even go into the kiln, there is wood to split, stack, and season, as well as teams of stokers to recruit and organize.

“In physically building the fire and manipulating it as it unfolds—adjusting burners and dampers, varying stoking rhythms and wood types, and playing with the atmosphere—we come closer to the impossible: we stand at the mouth of the forbidden chamber of the glowing kiln and actively alter the surface of our hardening wares. Physically engaging the firing at its source (the burner and stoke ports that make the heat), at the primary and secondary air vents that mix the combustion, and at its exit (manipulating passive and active dampers that control the flow), not to mention introducing sodium or building charcoal, we become palpably connected to the un-survivable interior of the kiln. Our fiddling, stoking, adjusting, and throwing stuff into the fire touches something transgressive, elemental, and essential. These firings perhaps enact the universal myth—Promethean and global—of stealing fire from the gods. We potters are really trying to get away with something.”

Those of you are trying to get away with something, playing with fire, or embracing the unknown gifts of the kiln gods, this exhibition is for you.

FULL DETAILS HERE

worth a read: An Evolving Market

by | Nov 4, 2020 | Uncategorized

“The symbiotic relationship between galleries and artists has been, and will likely remain, an ever-evolving landscape. Throw into the mix the current social and health climate, and things get only more complicated. Artists, galleries, and art centers alike are trying to redefine their marketplaces, reach their audiences, and achieve new levels of equity in their practices. “

Read the full article by Jill Foote-Hutton here: studiopotter.org/navigating-evolving-market-part-i

call for entry: Women of Woodfire

by | Nov 4, 2020 | call for entry

Eutectic Gallery seeks applicants for Women of Woodfire, a juried and invitational exhibition of artists identifying as women who have devoted their careers to incorporating wood firing into their ceramic practice.

Taking place at Eutectic Gallery from June 4 – 26, 2021, and in collaboration with co-organizers Lindsay Oesterritter and Careen Stoll, Women of Woodfire is the second iteration of an ongoing visual conversation between established and rising voices in the field, showcasing innovative techniques and diverse perspectives. This exhibition coincides with the Northwest Woodfire Conference taking place in Newberg, Oregon June 3 – 5, 2021, and will be juried by Eutectic’s Director and co-owner, Brett Binford.

Entry deadline is 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST), December 31, 2020.
Full prospectus at https://eutecticgallery.com/call-for-entries

Contact: Sarah Chenoweth Davis [email protected]