Has anyone ever said to you, “I’m not artistic; I can’t even draw a straight line,” and you look at them a bit sideways because first of all that’s what rulers are for and second, being artistic is like everything else: effort, sweat, and practice are what produce good results, not talent. —Sherman Hall, Editor
Read the full Letter From the Editor.


cover: Drop rim platter, 18 in. (46 cm) in diameter, stoneware with shino glazes and wood ash, fired to cone 10 in reduction, by Matthew Hyleck, Baltimore, Maryland.

Techno File: Feldspar
by Dave Finkelnburg

We’re diving head first into the changing world of feldspar and finding out why this abundant material, once understood, can be the perfect natural frit.

 

 

  

Tips and Tools: Glaze Drip Pan
by Jim Wylder


Need an extra hand in the studio? Of course you do. Try fashioning a few car fix-it parts to your wheel head for a little help while spraying or pouring glaze.

 

 

 

  

Exposure: Images from Current and Upcoming Exhibitions

 

 

Clay Culture: Dig It
by Erin Pfeifer

Many well-known centers of ceramic production are located where they are because of one simple thing: that’s where the clay was.

 

 

  

Clay Culture:Beer and Clay
by Sherman Hall

We’ve been conducting intensive research on this one. This is a not-so-scientific look at how clay and beer are tied together historically, and how they do, and do not, play together today.

 

 

  

Clay Culture:Animal Magnetism
by Jessica Knapp

Why do so many of us gravitate toward work that depicts animals? The answer goes deeper than simple aesthetic preference.

 

 

  

Studio Visit:Ben Carter
Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

When Ben Carter moved to Shanghai to manage a community studio, there were several things he needed to adjust to—not the least of which were a smaller, tighter space, and brand new materials.

To purchase this back issue, call 1-800-342-3594.
Get great content like this every month: Subscribe today!

Functional Intent
by Matthew Hyleck

Making work for the table has kept a potter mindful of place and environment.

recipes Shino glazes for use with resist and dry ash decoration

 

 

  

The Poetics of Utility
by Sean O’Connell

Being aware of the things that influence your work can help you reach beyond them.

monthly methods Resisting Temptation

 

 

  

Dressing in Layers
by Megan Mitchell

Inlaid slips and decals create a lot of depth in ceramic surfaces.

 

 

  

Inside These Walls: Domestic Intent
by Chris Pickett

Double-wall construction using simple mold forms can result in pots with volume and a sense of comfort and accessibility.

monthly methods Puffy Pots

 

 

  

Purposeful Design
by Clay Leonard

If you revisit a form often enough, eventually you will refine it and make it your own.

monthly methods Gestural Complexity

 

 

  

A Pitcher with No Handle
by Bill Griffith

Arriving at a new approach to a form can result from simply asking the right questions.

 

 

  

The Pots Behind the Mask
by David Bolton

A mashup of upholstery, geometry, and wood firing brings seemingly opposing forces together to highlight both surface and form.

monthly methods Vinyl Masking

 

 

  

Thinking Inside the Box
by Noah Riedel

Restricting the parameters of a project can be more than just a good exercise, it can make you discover new forms and new ways of working.

monthly methods Bot Box

To purchase this back issue, call 1-800-342-3594.
Get great content like this every month: Subscribe today!
 

MFA Factor: University of Wisconsin, Madison

Paul Sacaridiz leads a graduate program with a notable history and a critical approach to studio practice within contemporary ceramics.

 

 

  

Reviews: Ancient Persian Ceramics
Reviewed by Diana Lyn Roberts

 

A small yet intriguing exhibition of zoomorphic vessels at the Smithsonian Institute’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in Washington, D.C.

 

 

  

Spotlight: Growth Habit

Dutch artist Dirk Romijn has spent years studying the growth habits of tulips, and has designed specialized pots to highlight this bloom’s particular tendencies.