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Lydia Thompson: Promises September 15, 2009
A field of blooming cotton under a blue sky can be dazzling, even disorienting as its snowy appearance conjures associations radically at odds with the dry heat of a summer day. This curious confounding of the senses is perhaps only fitting, since cotton is enveloped by other, more troubling, contradictions as well. Fleecy white cotton bolls are visually and tactically among the most appealing of all natural forms, and there is little wonder that an artist should find them formally inspiring. To the eye, what could better exemplify purity?
Daniel Johnston Dreams Big September 15, 2009
Daniel Johnston does not blush about his humble beginnings, nor will he turn his back on the historical influences that shaped who he is today. In fact, by way of introduction, he insists on announcing his genealogy in clay. "I have been trained in the Leach, Cardew and Hewitt school of making pots," his artist statement and our interview begin. Bernard Leach is widely recognized as the grandfather of studio pottery in the United States and Michael Cardew was Leach's student. From 1997 to 2001, Johnston apprenticed with Mark Hewitt, a student of Cardew's. As Johnston began to navigate from these influences toward a voice of his own, an additional triumvirate of geographical influences came together: England, Thailand, and North ...
Wood Kiln Firing Techniques and Tips: Inspiration and Information for Making a Wood-Fired Kiln and Firing with Wood Available for Download! September 14, 2009
Today's post is an excerpt from our new free download, Wood Kiln Firing Techniques and Tips, in which Nesrin During shows us how to combine wood firing and raku firing. As you'll see, wood firing isn't just about high firing. You can build a simple raku kiln and fire your work with wood to get stunning results.
Handle Pulling Video: Tony Clennell Demonstrates How to Pull Great Looking Handles for Pottery September 11, 2009
In an excerpt from his DVD Get a Handle on It, potter Tony Clennell shares his expert advice on handle pulling. Tony shows us that, with a little practice and patience, great-looking pulled handles are within any potter's grasp. Watch the video!
The Twenty-Year Teapot: A Potter Discusses the Lengthy Process of Developing His Voice in Pottery, and Shares His Teapot Making Technique Too! September 9, 2009
Master potter and impeccable craftsman Jeffrey Nichols talks about finding one's voice by developing your techniques and your ideas over a period of time. He also demonstrates his accumulated skills by sharing his technique for making a faceted teapot and using his unique decorating technique of layered underglazes.
Squish, Chop, Assemble, Repeat: A Potter Demonstrates the Fun That Can be Had With an Extruder and a Ram Press September 4, 2009
In today's pottery video, potter Ric Pierce demonstrates how to make one of his signature forms, the pelican jug, using an extruder and a ram press. Watch the video!
Glazing Wheel: A Resourceful Potter Makes the Ideal Tool for Glazing Large Pots September 2, 2009
Preferring the look of poured or dipped ceramic glazes to brushed or sprayed, potter Daniel Johnston had to come up with a system of pouring his glazes that minimized waste and gave him the look he wanted. So he came up with the perfect tool - a glazing wheel. Today, Daniel shares how he made his glazing wheel and discusses his glazing technique. Plus, he tells us a little about the large-jar construction techniques he learned in Thailand.
Lisa Hammond: Intuited Grace September 1, 2009
It is not surprising that Lisa Hammond has been described as the best woman potter working in Britain at the moment. I would go further. I would say that she is a prominent member of a very elite group of perhaps ten potters who, irrespective of style, gender or genre, are at the very top of a very competitive ladder. Hammond’s recent work exudes the strength, style and finesse of a potter at the very peak of her form. Classic yet somehow contemporary, crisply defined yet with a softness of form and surface, Hammond’s pots carry with them a complete “rightness” of orchestration that is the result of a thirty-year career as a professional maker of pots for a domestic setting.
Getting the Most out of Ceramic Glazes and Underglazes Available for Download August 31, 2009
Today we have another great download available for Ceramic Arts Daily Subscribers (insert drumroll): Getting the Most out of Ceramic Glazes and Underglazes: Using Commercial Ceramic Glazes and Underglazes to Achieve Color, Depth, and Complexity. And Im going to give you a sneak peek right here with an excerpt.
Ceramic Sculpture Video: An Introduction to Figure Sculpting in Clay August 28, 2009
In today's video, ceramic sculptor Philippe Faraut draws on his many years of sculpting experience and his vast knowledge of human anatomy to show us how to sculpt an anatomically correct skull in clay. Watch the video!
The Month in Clay: September 2009 August 26, 2009
There are a lot of great ceramics-related events - workshops, exhibitions, even some ceramic diplomacy - this September. Have a look at those highlighted here and if you don’t find anything happening in your area, click over to the Ceramics Monthly Calendar for more listings of clay-related events.
Designing With Texture: Using Textured Plaster Slabs to Incorporate Surface Detail into Pottery in the Design Stage August 24, 2009
Today potter Dan Gegen explains how he begins working with texture before the construction process even begins, and therefore makes it integral to the design of the pot. He also shares the glaze recipe for the lovely celadon-esque glaze featured on the pot to the left.
Wheel Throwing Video: A Simple Pottery Making Technique Turned Upside Down August 21, 2009
Brace yourselves, Ceramic Arts Daily readers. Today's video is going to turn your world upside down! Potter Mark Peters takes a simple pottery wheel throwing technique and turns it on its head. Watch the Video!
Color Splash: How to Make Vibrant Bursts of Color on Pottery Using Ceramic Colorants and Slip August 19, 2009
Annie Chrietzberg explains Lana Wilson's process for decorating pottery with colored slips and shares the clear cone 6 glaze recipe she uses to finish these pieces.
Finding Your Voice August 18, 2009
Finding Your VoiceJeffrey NicholsMaster craftsman Jeffrey Nichols talks about Finding Your Voice by developing your techniques and your ideas. over a period of time. He demonstrates his accumulated skills by sharing his technique for making a faceted teapot and using his unique decorating technique of layered underglazes. To view his teapot spout technique, check out the video.
Electric Kiln Firing Techniques and Tips: Inspiration, Instruction and Glaze Recipes for Electric Ceramic Kilns Available for Download! August 17, 2009
In today's post, I am presenting an excerpt from our newest free download, Electric Kiln Firing Techniques and Tips: Inspiration, Instruction and Glaze Recipes for Electric Ceramic Kilns, which explains how Satori Yamaoka combines both oxidation and slight reduction to create amazing oil-spot surfaces in his innovative electric and propane kiln.
Pottery Decorating Video: Using Fiber, Slip and Soft Clay to Make Beautiful Marks on Pottery and Ceramic Sculpture August 14, 2009
In this clip, Robin goes over a couple of surface decoration techniques; one involving clay slip and fiber, and the other involving soft clay. As usual, Robin provides an excellent, clear explanation of these nifty little techniques and should inspire you to go directly to your studio at the first opportunity!
Tyler School of Art, Temple University: From Ceramics Monthly’s “MFA Factor” series August 13, 2009
Tyler's philosophy emphasizes the investigation and articulation of concepts leading to a high level of personal inquiry, resulting in work that challenges and extends the traditional boundaries of the media and their accepted definitions. Students have access to state of the art facilities and tools while enjoying an interdisciplinary education. The program provides weekly contact with major faculty, ongoing informal critiques with faculty, formal critiques and evaluations twice a semester, and an interdisciplinary graduate thesis committee. There are also significant teaching opportunities and study abroad programs available in Rome, Japan, India, and Scotland, among others. The visiting artists seminar enhances the curriculum by bringing nationally renowned artists and critics working in a variety ...
Angee Verzani-Dorcey, University of South Dakota: CM 2009 Undergraduate Showcase August 12, 2009
3-Tier Cake, 15 in. (38 cm) in height, stoneware with slips and glaze, fired to cone 10, 2009. Bread tray, 18 in. (46 cm) in length, stoneware with slips and glaze, fired to cone 10, 2009. Conceptually, it is my intention to physically preserve a celebration, capture a moment, and honor the functional form. The works I create are artifacts that intuitively evoke cherished memories, rituals, and special occasions that we experience throughout life. I desire the journey of clay and possess a passion for functional ware and ...
Tool Talk: Robin Hopper’s Advice on the Best Tools for Carving, Cutting, Scratching, and Slashing Clay August 12, 2009
Today, Robin Hopper draws from his many years of experience to give advice on the best carving and trimming tools for pottery and ceramic art.
