To point out a few new developments in past few months: take note of the blunt nose spout on the Pitcher, the hollow lids on the Oil Bottles, and the return of the Stoveside Coffee Pot – this time they’re square.

I’m excited to go back with some recently evolved pieces. The photos shown here are a pitcher in progress. I’ve been having fun with this variation of the spout, wide and snub-nosed and spanning one side of the squared body of the pitcher. Other new forms in the works include the coffee pot promised in a previous post, and serving dishes built in slump molds made from foam insulation board.

Coffee has often been an impetus for my work, not only a stimulant. In addition to mugs, I am currently working on the next generation of the Stoveside Coffee Pot that I’ve made in the past. The next version will be a stack of cubes to brew coffee through and into. Look for photos in the coming weeks. Enjoy a browse of Cups and Coffee. By the way, the announcement above was made by The Clay Studio, it appears that they made a personalized invitation for each artist in the show. Pretty classy. Be sure to enlarge the announcement to read the description of the show.

Salud!

I’d like to thank my good friends Niel Hora for his honest and very helpful proofreading skills and Fred Lower for photographing the process.

Juxtapositions: Earthenware Form and Surface
July 25 – 29
9am – 1pm

5 Sessions
$380

Register

This workshop will focus on throwing and altering with excursions into hand building. Using contrast as an overarching design principle, we will aim for making strong utilitarian forms and embellishing their surfaces to woo the user. Techniques involved include making and using bisque molds, and forming lids, handles, spouts, and feet. Specifically, daily demonstrations will cover cups, serving dishes constructed on slump and hump molds, boxes, and pouring vessels. The application of texture, inlay, terra sigillata, slip, resists, and glazes will be used to explore unconventional approaches to the earthenware surface. Topics of discussion will be origination of ideas, supportive critiques, and sustainability in ceramics. Participants will experience numerous techniques to use as points of departure in their own work upon their return home.

This postcard image just showed up in my inbox from Santa Fe Clay. Below are the 3 faces of the vase that I sent for this show.

This year’s National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts is just about a week away. Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida will be overrun with clay artists, teachers, and enthusiasts. I am lucky to have work in several shows and locations in the area, though I won’t be there myself. One of them is The Art of Function at the Craftsman House Gallery.

Above is a poster for 2 shows hosted by Craftsman House in St. Pete, The Art of Function and Contemporary Traditions in Art Pottery. These posters, rolled in a mailing tube, made their way around the country from potter to potter. Each person represented on the poster has autographed each poster, re-rolled the stack and sent it to the next person on the list. If you’re in town for the conference, stop by to see the show and pick up a poster that traveled many miles in a circuitous route to make it back to Craftsman House.

Handmade for Japan is an online auction of unique, handmade art donated by concerned, invited artists. One hundred percent of all net proceeds collected via the auction will be donated to the relief efforts in Japan.

Click on the image above to link to the ebay auction. Bidding will take place between 8PM Thursday March 24th – Sunday, March 27th. Click here for more information and to see the items for auction on Facebook.

If you are a pottery enthusiast, now is the time to buy from a distinguished group of potters…And bid HIGH.

This is a view of the exhibition, For the Table: Dinnerware, at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia. It opened March 4 and runs through April 10. It is a show of place settings by potters from around the country. There are some fantastic plates, bowls, mugs, tumblers, cups and saucers that can all be viewed and purchased online by clicking here.

The participating artists in the show are: Albion Stafford, Andrew Gilliatt, Brenda Quinn, Daniel Ricardo Teran, David Eichelberger, Frank Martin, Gail Kendall, Gwendolynn Yoppolo, Hiroe Hanazono, Jana Evans, Jennifer Martin, Joseph Pintz, Kristine Morich, Kyla Toomey, Martha Grover, Marty Fielding, Matt Hyleck, Meredith Host, Paul Donnelly, Ursula Hargens, Victoria Christen, Ingrid Bathe, Bryan Hopkins, Alec Karros, and Brenda Quinn.