Simcha Even-ChenConnie NormanBlaine Avery

Gwen F. Chanzit Katie Caron and Martha RussoLinda Sormin

Ian Shelly

Wim Borst

Ian F. Thomas

Fujita ToshiakiKawabata KentaroJorie JohnsonTanoue Shinya

Murata YoshihikoNiisato AkioHayashi Shigeki

Mark Goudy

Shamai GibshMargrieta Jeltema

Merete RasmussenMaciej Kasperski

John ShirleyJim Kraft

Takeuchi KouzoTakeda AsayoMariko Husain

Clare TwomeyDel HarrowJohn Roloff

Paul SacaridizMia MulveyBenjamin DeMott

Arthur GonzalezRoxanne Jackson

Cynthia LahtiLiza RiddleShane Porter

Claire MuckianCarol GouthroCarole Epp

Antonella Cimatti

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FEATURED

OVERTHROWN

JAPANESE ARTISTS

INSTALLATION

NEW ARTISTS

TECHNIQUES

PROFILES

Patrick Colhoun Chang Hyun Bang

Arthur Gonzalez’s work is on the cover of the Ceramics Now Magazine Winter 2011-2012 issue, introducing an amazing interview about his work. The issue also features Roxanne Jackson’s work, as well as two partnerships with the Denver Art Museum (Overthrown: Clay Without Limits) and Keiko Gallery (Japanese artists).

Issue nr. 1 also presents interviews and articles with new and world-renowned ceramic artists: Claire Muckian, Carol Gouthro, Ian F. Thomas, Cynthia Lahti, Carole Epp, Simcha Even-Chen, Liza Riddle, Patrick Colhoun, Mark Goudy, Chang Hyun Bang, Ian Shelly, Shamai Gibsh, Margrieta Jeltema, John Shirley, Jim Kraft, Connie Norman, Blaine Avery, Antonella Cimatti, Maciej Kasperski, Wim Borst, Merete Rasmussen.

On the front-cover of the Printed Issue nr. 1: Arthur Gonzalez’s Hobbled, Media: Ceramic, horsehair, natural sponge, glass, iron rod, rubber hose, candles, fire. Dimensions: 50 x 38 x 19 inches. Collection of Bruna Lamy-Shidler, San Francisco, California.

On the front-cover of the Digital Issue nr. 1: Roxanne Jackson’s KISS Totem, Media: Wood, ceramic, glaze, synthetic and real fur, gold-leaf brick, fox coat and tail, chicken wire. Dimensions: 84 x 30 x 14 inches.

2 | Ceramics Now

EDITOR Vasi Hîrdo

CONTRIBUTORS Miruna Pria, Iunia Raţiu, Vasile Coroian, Andra Baban, Alexandra Mureşan, Cora Pojaru, Adrian Pop, Gavril Zmicală

DESIGNAndrei Sîncrăian, Radu Arieşan

MARKETING Cristian Szemeredi

PHOTOGRAPHY Alex Bogdan Pop

MANY THANKS TO Daria Dumitrescu, Radu Comşa, Stefano Calligaro, Ashley Pritchard, Rose Beteem, Keiko Fukai, Irina Putineanu, Cristian Lupşa, Vlad Rus, Flavia Lugigan, Tudor Oltean, Claudiu Pop, Roxana Ciobanu, Eugenia Ciocoiu, Cristina Cîrligeanu, Anastasia Pop, Vasi’s family and friends

PRINTED ATDelroti Print

FRIENDSCurtis Benzle, SABOT Gallery, Leivos.com

MAILING ADDRESSGheorghe Dima nr. 35, ap. 1400342, Cluj-Napoca, ClujRomania

SUBSCRIPTIONSoffice@ceramicsnow.org

ISSN 2248 - 115X

It was a cold December night in 2010 when the idea of developing an online ceramics website came to my mind. I was then in the 11th grade, and I didn’t know much about contemporary ceramics. At that moment, I haven’t thought about the difficulties that would come along, at the so many sleepless nights and hard work. But time has proved me I might be wrong in thinking that this job wasn’t meant for me.

I managed to get things work, to make the project evolve by itself. And I couldn’t have been able to do this without the help and support of my friends, and without the kindness of all our collaborators and artists. I have no idea how, but I was given to meet only good, inteligent and kind artists. I guess that artists are by definition all of these above. With their help, we are celebrating Ceramics Now’s first birthday with a fantastic printed issue.

In these pages, you will see that our magazine is like no other (sounds clichée, but you’ll see for yourself). We are functioning as a sustainable and creative platform that questions the traditional ways of doing a magazine. We are leting the artists express their feelings through uninterrupted phrases and ideas. They have a more direct approach and they invite you to learn from their real life experiences.

Expect to discover an experimental magazine that introduces you to the words of many interesting and young artists from all over the world. And if you’re wondering why we made it this way, it’s because this is how we wanted a contemporary ceramics magazine to be.- Vasi Hîrdo

EDITORIAL

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Ceramics Now | 3

Text and pattern is seen everywhere on your works; they make a fantastic rhythm and enhance the forms. When did you start to use text on your works?

My current style using text started years ago, I was making mixed media sculptures that were mostly clay integrating text. I gave myself the challenge to make something esthetically pleasing. What I wanted to do was -to be able to tell a story with pots. I suddenly had the revelation of incorporating the text onto my pots. But it is very ironic that I use words on my work, because I have always struggled with writing. And I still do! When I was working in sculpture I only used single words, and now I have expanded to phrases.

You recently came home from Ethiopia. What did you experience there? Tell us your impressions.

My journey to Ethiopia started approximately four years ago, when my husband and I started the adoption process for our son Vander. In 2009 our permanent relationship with the country of Ethiopia started, we traveled to Addis Ababa, to pick up our son. As the days, months and years went by; I realized I wanted to give back to the country that gave us our son. I started looking for a way to go back to Ethiopia and volunteer. I went to Ethiopia this past July for three weeks. I worked with three organizations, One Child Campaign, Vision on Africa and Mission Ethiopia.

I worked with women to help restore their dignity who are HIV positive and who have leprosy, and women who are destitute. Through the language of clay we were able to communicate, laugh and be with each other without a common language.The women of Mission Ethiopia are HIV positive and suffer from leprosy; these women are considered outcasts and unemployable. Women like these and their children, spend their days searching the garbage dumps for food. Now, these women make pit fired beads, which are fired on the ground in an open fire.Currently they are able to feed their children and themselves.

I sat with the women much like an old fashioned quilting circle, they showed me how to roll the beads in my palm and decorate each bead. While we were making beads their children ran in, out and played outside with meager toys like old tires, but were always smiling.

Vision of Africa is an organization that is helping destitute women in many diverse ways, they provide medical care for mothers and children are educated on contraceptives, sponsorship programs of orphans, and of course they train women to be potters. Ceramics in Ethiopia is a very hands’ on process I was asked to help the women with their production process, but I felt like I learned more from them, than they learned from me. Tigist, the master potter gently guides the women from mixing the clay they collect from other regions of Ethiopia, to hand building bowls, vases, spice cellars, and coffee pots, and much more. While I was there, Tigist did a pit fire

with me. I was amazed at her skill; she laid the green pots near the fire and slowly moved them into the fire ring. Then just like in American raku, she threw the pots in some dried leaves for a post reduction process.

I also worked with One Child Campaign, Caleb David runs orphan awareness trips to Ethiopia, and the trip immerses you into the life of the orphan and street children. I was on a team of 11 people we volunteered at several orphanages; we helped build an orphanage, put in flooring, painted, but most importantly we installed a water purification system. My wonderful Ethiopian friends taught me that it doesn’t matter what our circumstances are, what our clothes look like, how full our bellies are, that we are all in this together, we all have the same emotions, loneliness, fear, joy and love.

Do you remember your first works? When did you realize that this career was ment for you?

It was my last 9 weeks of my senior year of high school, and I asked the ceramics teacher if I could start coming into her class during my off hour. I started going in and just fell in love with clay, soon I was coming in early in the morning, during lunch and after school. At this point my parents had told me that, “I wouldn’t be one of those students who changed my major every semester.” So I announced that I was going to be an art major with a concentration in ceramics. And 30 years later I’m still working in clay!

working with Tigist, the master potter of Vision on Africa.

CONNIE NORMAN

GREEN LADY, 2011, CERAMIC, 15" X 7" X 8"

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And Yes, I do remember my first piece; my Mother still displays it in her house. It is a large coil built vessel stoneware vessel, with a mishima design. I wish my Mom would hide it, but every time I see I am reminded where I started. And that I am thankful for my parents forcing me to focus on my life time goals that really have stuck.

From clear and objective, to soulful and funny, your messages vary a lot. How do you choose them?

The text for my pieces comes from everywhere. They are a path to look inward to decipher a glimpse into my private thoughts. They also can be snippets of conversation, mantras I repeat to myself, and partial stories of my life.

The vessel I made called This is How Much I Remember. This is How Much I Forgot, is about my Father’s early struggles with Alzheimer’s. As I watched the disease get worse, and his memory fade. On the other hand, Gibberish is My New Language, is about being a new Mom and watching my son learn how to speak and communicate.

You held workshops and lectures as a visiting artist year after year. What did you learn from these experiences?

I very much enjoy sharing my process to artists who are interested. Each workshop is always a different experience for me. I feel that I learn so much from teaching workshops, it is such a sharing atmosphere, and I love it.

Tell us about the process of constructing your pieces; what materials and techniques do you use?

I am a hand builder! I work almost solely in slab construction and glaze to cone 04 - 06. When I first set up my studio, I was really surprised how much I was spending on raw materials. I was really disappointed how few glazes I could make with the glaze chemicals I bought. Instead of going into debt, I decided to see what my glazes would look like on terra cotta, using both clay bodies gives me two different looks with the same glaze.All my forms are made with glazing in the forefront of my mind. Although every step of my process is extremely time consuming, the glazing takes the longest. When making my bowl forms I use coil built bisque molds for my slabs to set up on. I will usually make 5 or 6 at a time, so I’m not waiting for things to set up. When building all my pieces I like adding the text while the clay is fairly leather hard. But the pieces usually get leather hard, at the same time, and then I’m working fast and furious to keep up the drying process.

I always get asked how I get my glaze into the letters. It’s a very simple process, but I’m glad it looks difficult. I bisque my pieces, then I brush the glaze into the text and wipe it off with a sponge. Next, I let my pieces dry over night, and the taping process begins. I use masking tape and office supplies for all my glazing procedure. I tape off the text, and draw designs on to smooth bisque areas, and tape over it and cut out my designs with a Xacto knife. This process is laid out in detail in the September – October 2011 Issue of Pottery Making Illustrated. Also, I have the article on my website and blog.

What motivates you as an artist? Where do you find the strength?

I am a Mother of a very active four year, I have a full time job, and I am trying to pursue a career in ceramics in my free time. I do have down time from my studio, where I catch up on my sleep, and just hang out with my family. I long for the day when working in my studio is my 9 – 5 job. One way I make sure that I get back into my studio, is I apply for lots of shows to make sure I have deadlines. Deadlines are a fantastic motivator for

me. Tim Rollins has a great quote, “It’s not passion, its panic.” With that said, I work in intense bursts. I am currently an art teacher at a junior high school

the students range from 12 to 15 years old. I feel my students transformed my life of mediocrity, to a life full of intensity and zeal.

My goal early in life was to become a rich and famous artist. This didn’t happen; I floundered through my youthful years right after graduating from college. I didn’t produce a piece of art. After ten years, of my feeble life as a cook, I stumbled into teaching; I started teaching adults two nights a week who wanted to learn pottery. I felt like a fraud. It had been years since I had even touched clay. The first few months I struggled making my hands remember what they had been so good at years before. One day, one of my students touched me in a way that changed my life forever. She stopped me at craft fair and critiqued the pottery. I realized I had taught her something. This tiny moment has shaped and formed my life; from this experience I discovered I loved teaching.

Now twelve years later, my junior high students affect me in this way every day. My role as an educator is to be an art cheerleader, I cheer to my students, adults, and colleagues alike. I teach as if this will be my student’s lastand only year of art. I have to cover it all in such a short time. In this year, they will make art, write art, talk art; dream

art and most of all appreciate art. Of course, I want my students to grow up and become rich

and famous artists, but if they survive my “art boot camp” I know they will be lovers and appreciators of the arts. I believe

my students have given me the most beautiful gift; they have awakened the power of creativity in me. With so much artistic

potential in my classes my students give me the energy to create, and to be a working, professional artist.

Where can we find you and your works? My work is represented by Plinth Gallery in Denver, Colorado, Crimson Laurel Gallery, Bakersville, North Carolina, and District Gallery, Park City, Utah.

You are always welcome to drop by my website and blog at www.connienorman.com

Ceramics Now | 7 SPOTLIGHT

What is your present project, what's its history and how do you make the pieces?

I am working on several ideas right now: people wearing disguises, busts of elegant women, and male/ female couples. These are all subjects that have always interested me but that I have never fully explored.

I am also continuing to use some of the broken piece from my discarded sculptures that I have saved. This idea started in 2010 with the creation of the Vault Alarm sculpture that was composed of broken sculptures. In my current exploration of this idea: I am experimenting with combining the broken pieces together to form a new figure. This idea came from realizing that when I'm destroying unsuccessful sculptures, body pieces that remained were often extremely interesting to me and I could not discard them. I am finally inspired to see how they look combined together and I have been very excited by the results.

In what technique do you usually work and what materials do you use?

I am focusing on hand-built ceramic sculptures of human and animal figure(s). I

like to use a wide variety of clay bodies, my favorite being porcelain. I have used all types of firing techniques to achieve the final surface treatment on the pieces. I am very excited by the results I have been getting from cone 10 soda and salt firings and low fire raku.

What is the starting point in your investigation of figures?

I start by finding images of figures that intrigue me in older books and magazines. Then I do drawings, and I create sculptures our of clay.My art is influenced by human artifacts from ancient times to the present, as well as by my personal experiences and emotions. Like the varied objects and images I draw on for inspiration - from 1940s knitting catalogues and outsider art, to Native American cedar carvings and Degas' sculptures of dancers - my artworks force an explanation of reality and compel viewers to connect to a larger human experience. There are so many figures out there in the world, wearing so many poses and costumes; I find those that resonate with me, and interpret them in clay. Each sculpture expresses an intense inner psychological state, its surface effecting a fluctuating quality, part beautiful, part grotesque.

CYNTHIA LAHTI

“Orange”, 2011, Soda firedceramic on painted wood base, 10” x 4” x 5”

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What is your present project and how do you make the pieces?

I am exploring soluble metal salts on low-fired porcelain clay, a project I began two years ago and am just now achieving the effects I desire. All of my work is hand coiled, then carefully burnished to a smooth finish. I bisque fire the clay at earthenware temperatures, paint them with water soluble metals – iron, nickel, cobalt and other salts, and fire again at low temperatures.

Do you find working with soluble salts to be hard?

I have been experimenting with soluble metal salts for the past two years, a collaboration with my husband, Mark Goudy, which draws on the inspirational work of the master of soluble metals, Arne Åse. Through trial and error, I have developed my own techniques for applying these almost transparent, highly sensitive “watercolors.” The chemicals are toxic and care must be taken while working with them, so my experiences working with photography chemicals and in a scientific laboratory have been extremely helpful. Although metal salts are challenging to work with, I love the sense of anticipation as I wait for a kiln load to finish firing, the joy of seeing their almost magical effects. Some results are disappointing, but I enjoy challenges. Because working with metal salts requires continual testing, inventing and learning, I am certain this project will keep me engaged for quite a long time.

Where do you get your inspiration for your pieces and what motivates you?

I seek to create work that evokes a sense of wonder and mystery, forms that beckon to be held and admired. I delight in closely observing and then interpreting natural objects and events – weathered boulders on a mountain slope, wind ripples on a gray blue sea, complex designs on a delicate bird egg – their rhythms, patterns and forces have greatly inspired my work. I am an avid traveler and hiker. During my adventures I have discovered the magnificent pottery of ancient cultures in the American Southwest, South America, and Asia, which speak to me in very profound ways.

Do you remember your early works?

I did my first work in clay during high school and was excited to experiment with raku firing, a technique that was just becoming popular at that time. I enrolled in college as an art major, but my passion for nature and wilderness soon led me in another direction – acquiring land to protect wild areas and create parks throughout California and the western United States.

My early passion for ceramics was rekindled five years ago when I participated in a raku firing, and I have been working in clay ever since. Because I am a haptic person who responds to the sensation of touching – it helps me explore and enjoy my work – I am drawn to processes that color and pattern the clay without applying

LIZA RIDDLE5

Two Closed Forms - 2010, 7” h x 6’w x 5.5”d & 9”w x 4”w x 3.5d. Coil built earthenware, hand

burnished, painted with soluble metal salts, with protective wax coating.

12 | Ceramics Now SPOTLIGHT

In what techniques do you usually work and what materials do you use?

Since I create more than one line of work, I’m afraid this will be a long answer! I have for a long time maintained both a sculptural and a functional line of ceramic objects.

My sculptural work incorporates hand built and slip cast components; found objects, and constructed objects of various materials (most often wood). Through hand building and slip-casting the clay form is developed. I then use underglazes, engobes and China Paints to decorate the work.

My functional line of objects varies in terms of techniques all the time. I will sometimes throw porcelain, or hand build dark mid temperature clays, or slipcast forms. This is a process for me in which I aim to simply have fun, explore technique, and ideally, constantly evolve. I love throwing with porcelain (Southern Ice in particular). My aesthetic leans towards more crisp bright white objects with a bit of color added through glaze or underglazes. Lately I’ve been developing a body of work that is inspired by my young son. I’ve been stamping and drawing (sgraffito) a lot of cute imagery on my work. Surprisingly this work has been incredibly rewarding in that it simply brings joy and smiles to me as I make it, and to those that use it.

Tell us about your ongoing project, and about it's history. How do you make the pieces?

My present project is a series of figurative sculptures that reference kitsch figurines, lowbrow art, DIY culture, and popular/western/consumer culture. Drawing from very personal narratives the work is an investigation into the human condition presenting figurative tableaus of death and love, hope and failure, family and social pressures. The aim of my work is always to stimulate conversation, thought and action in a pro-active method. I desire to address issues of political, social, humanitarian concern. Issues are taken from contemporary media, but addressed through my own personal voice.

I have been working on this type of work for over six years now. There is always new subject matter to develop, more dialogues to be presented and discussed, new imagery that floats into my mind. As life changes, this body of work changes for me.

For this work I use vintage molds, handmade molds formed from found or hand-built objects; and I also hand build a large amount of each piece. I work with a cone 6 white clay body (manufactured by Plainsman Clay) which I can purchase in both plastic and powder form. This way slip-cast

and hand-built components can be easily attached without much fear of difficulties with compatibility. Each piece goes through multiple firings the top temperature being cone six. Once bisque fired I cover each piece with a cobalt free black underglaze. I remove the bulk of this so that the black remains in the cracks and highlights the details of the work. I also like that this technique darkens the work. It removes the visual aesthetic from that of the kitsch object and changes the viewer’s expectations of the work. Sometimes I also use engobes (vitrified underglazes) to cover larger sections of color as a base coat. Pieces then go through a number of china paint firings. Each firing builds up layers of color. I enjoy working with the china paints, as it is a process that allows me to achieve strong and vibrant colors. There are always some finishing touches with these pieces, some gluing of components of a sculpture together or the addition of non-ceramic materials. The work is often displayed on wood bases and shelves or under glass domes for aesthetic and conceptual reasons.

What was the starting point in your investigation with contemporary ceramics?

I began this sculptural project years ago as a graduate student. I was interested in tackling more political/social/humanitarian subject matter in my work, but had a lot of fear as to how to present such dialogues without them being overtly confrontational to the viewer. I also wanted to have an ethical standpoint from which to speak about the issues I chose to address. I didn’t want to further victimize the individuals that were directly impacted by the events. So I chose to speak through the mouthpiece of a mass produced consumer object; one that specifically held kitsch associations that I wanted to subvert. My initial desire to work with the collectible reference was in part due to its representation of aspects of childhood and nostalgia, kitsch and stereotypes, and most importantly – consumption. To speak of the subject matter that I was inspired to work with - I chose to work from within my personal context as a consumer. This allowed for the presentation of the subject matter to include the impact that one has upon it through simple daily actions. Through bringing the overwhelming and devastating nature of war, terrorism, poverty, starvation, genetic technology, and environmental degradation back to a dialogue about the individual consumer, I felt that I could offer more positive outlooks for pro-active change in regards to the issues.

In the past I have tackled all sorts of politically charged subject matter, however recently I have had more of a personal focus to my work in that I have been working to present dialogues regarding my concerns for my own child in our world. Becoming a parent brought all of these devastating events in the world into a new focus. The challenges of being a steward of

Carole Epp

They said he had his head in the clouds, but likely it was just pollution, 2009, Mid-fire clay, engobes,

underglaze, china paints, glass dome, wooden base.

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FEATURED

ethical and moral behavior through personal action and the teaching of another generation has brought lots of new and exciting, albeit challenging subject matter into the work. It is my hope that through presenting very personal narratives and perspectives I might present a more inclusive and universal narrative of the human condition.

What form of exhibiting suits you the best? Tell us about your past exhibitions or residencies.

I like to challenge myself by looking for different forms of exhibitions; be it groups or alternative spaces. I’m interested in how space impacts the presentation/reading of the work; and also how exhibiting with other artists can add different levels of meaning to your work through the various threads of context that run from one artist’s work to the others.

In past exhibitions I have tried to show the work in different types of galleries, commercial, artist-run, craft based, etc. I think each space attracts different audiences with different perspectives and since so much of my passion is about communication with an audience, I’m always eager to find and build new audiences for my work. I also really enjoy working online and sharing the work in that form. Although sculpture isn’t adequately presented in a two-dimensional image, showing work online exposes the work in ways that would otherwise be impossible. I also try to share the work in progress online, to give an audience further insight into the work; it’s process and techniques as well as my thoughts and ideas that go into each piece.

A specific past residency that was very important to the development of my work was a residency in 2010 at the Medalta International Artist Residency in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. It was there that I had the opportunity to work with a variety of vintage molds at one of the old factories near the residency site. I started to think a lot more about the use of these molds in my practice and have since been engaging with more dialogues regarding high and low art and contemporary perspectives on craft practice. It had always been an underlying theme to my work, but it is now one that I’m researching and developing to be more in the forefront of my subject matter.

What did you learn from working with different materials?

What I have learned is that I’m not the best spokesperson for a purist approach to ceramics. Having the subject matter of my work trump the technical process (not that the technical process is irrelevant) means that I will do anything necessary in order to present the themes of my work adequately. I love clay, it’s process, and how it reads and feeds into my work. But at the end of the day if I have to paint something, glue something, or even build something out of a different material so that the subject matter of the piece comes across, I will do that. I respect ceramic artists who are so compelled by the material that they won’t alter their processes for purity’s sake. Like the woodfirer who studies their kiln, their flame path, their reduction atmosphere so that they can know and understand it like the back of their hand. Purity of material and process is an aspect of ceramics that makes

it unlike any other material in my mind. It is part of why I work in clay. But more important for me is the reference of material to the incredible history of clay production and consumption globally.

Where can we find you and your works in the next future?

As for functional work, the best place to find it is either at one of the galleries that sells it - Mysteria Gallery and the Stall Gallery - or better yet find me and my work in person at some upcoming fine craft sales – all the details of when and where will be updated on my website - www.caroleepp.com

Her worries were sprouting up like weeds, 2011, Mid-fire clay, engobes,

underglaze, china paints.

You say that drawing is very important for you and informs your work throughout all stages. How many sketches do you make before constructing a new piece?

It very much depends on the work. I will always do quick initial drawings in various scales for note taking and problem solving purposes. Depending on the piece, I will draw during the making stage. For example, if I am making an amalgamated piece such as 'Travelling Through', I may revisit drawing during it’s making to inform scale and form. If I feel a form is particularly strong, I will do more involved drawings, usually with pencil and watercolour, as work in their own right and give them as much attention and prominence as the sculptures.

What form of exhibiting suits you the best? Tell us about your past exhibitions or residencies.

I have exhibited in institutions such as University galleries and at the Craft and Design Collective’s exhibition space, which have been fantastic experiences, but I would like the challenge of responding to a particular space to make and exhibit site-specific work. Also, it may be interesting to create a space for my work in an unexpected location. I think that finding the right space is key to amplify the meaning of the work. In terms of exhibiting experience, I have participated in group and two-person shows, so I am ready for the challenge of a solo show and I hope that will happen soon.

Exhibitions I respond to are quiet but powerful assemblages of related materials that make different connections, so I hope to develop exhibitions in this way. For me, work doesn’t necessarily need to be plinth-based and I like a mix of two and three-dimensional work.

I interned as an assistant at the International Ceramic Research Centre, Guldagergaard, Denmark in 2010 where I treated the experience as an artist’s residency making work in my spare time. I loved the variety of people and influences I encountered there, along with the luxurious escape from routine.

Where do you get your inspiration from and what motivates you?

In terms of influences I am especially drawn to pure form, objects such as menhirs or standing stones that are rooted to their immediate space, but also draw attention to the space beyond. I like ancient tools and find this language of ancient craftspeople still relevant. I like to make work that is multi-referencing and that alludes to the past and present. I draw inspiration also from lattice and accreted structures, referencing forms such as industrial turbines, architecture, geological and ice formations or sea-creatures.

Double-Walled Lattice I

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What do you want to discover through your works?

We started off with the idea of a chaotic tangle, which led us to look at all kinds of forms, both from biology and industry. My personal interest was in power lines. For years, I have looked upward at utility poles, and found their functional aesthetic inspiring. After undergoing major spinal surgery in 2009, and looking at x-rays of all the hardware in my back, I began to draw connections between the aesthetics of my hardware and the power lines. Both aesthetics were determined by utility and appeared parasitic to their host forms.

While creating the work, I discovered I was pregnant. I believe this change in my biology positively affected the work to create an illusion that the work was alive, and powered by an external energy force. Creating cell-like forms with illuminated interiors became my focus for the work.

Where can we find you and your works in the next future?

We are currently looking for another site for the work on both east and west coasts. I have two solo shows in 2012 in Denver, at Ice Cube Gallery and Hinterland Gallery, where I look to explore the progression of these ideas and materials further. You can find my work online at www.icecubegallery.com, and www.katiecaron.com

Please give an advice to young ceramic artists.

My advice to young ceramic artist is two fold: First, make, make, make! Ceramics is such a challenging material, so practice exploring all the ways to manipulate the clay is very important. Don’t be afraid to fail or let the work lead you. Too often ceramic artists try to control the clay, rather then using it as a guide. Second, explore other materials as well! Do not limit yourself to just clay, but build confidence with other materials, processes and concepts. The more interdisciplinary your work becomes the more questions it can raise.

Apoptosis is a floating swirl of motivated chaos that inhabits the museum’s

architecture. The cascading mass of morphing cell-like forms evokes growth and development, lightness and weight, and connects biological membranes with intertwining industrial lines. With a cacophony of sculptural forms, colors, textures, cables, utility poles, and lights it conjures up a tangle of beauty, grotesquerie, buoyancy, and energy. Our goal is to create a state of suspended wonder.

“

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PAUL SACARIDIZPaul Sacaridiz, born in 1970, Brooklyn, NY, lives and works

in Madison, WI. He received an MFA (1998) from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a BFA from Alfred University (1993).

Since 1997 he has been active in solo exhibitions, collaborative projects and group shows at a diverse number of venues including: The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, the Icheon World Ceramic Center, Icheon, Korea, The Dubuque Museum of Art (IA), The Alfedena Gallery, Chicago, The Northern Illinois University Art Museum and the Ceramic Research Center at Arizona State University. His work has been the subject of reviews and articles in Ceramics: Art and Perception, The New Art Examiner and Art Papers among others. Sacaridiz has been the recipient of residencies at the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, The Ragdale Foundation, The Vermont Studio Center and the Art/Industry Program at Kohler Company.

He is currently an Associate Professor in the Art Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

46 | Ceramics Now OVERTHROWN

Tell us about your work exhibited at the Overthrown: Clay Without Limits exhibition.

An incomplete articulation is a new work designed for the Denver Art Museum. The piece utilizes the conceptual framework of a schematic diagram to point towards differing ways of articulating form. Sagging mounds of ceramic extrusions are situated alongside precise mathematical models and awkward structural forms. Individual components are physically and conceptually networked together, creating an elaborate three-dimensional system of mapping that becomes suggestive of propositional models and utopian systems. The work is comprised of objects that are intentionally fabricated in a variety of ways, ranging from digitally rendered and prototyped to more direct, analog processes.

Does your work, An Incomplete Articulation, trying to reach an agreement between simple/ decorative and geometric/architectural forms?

For a number of years, my work has looked at the visual correlation between domestic objects, such as decorative food molds, and the actual structures of built architecture. In many of these works, the approach to abstraction has relied upon decoration and pattern becoming something structural, rather than simply applied to a surface. An incomplete articulation follows this approach, but is less metaphorical than past projects. Ultimately, the piece is a response to considering systems of abstraction and the seemingly impossible task of understanding something in its entirety.

You have an amazing ability of transforming everyday forms and simple objects into a complex statement. Isn't it hard? From our experience, keeping it simple is sometimes the hardest thing.

There is a tipping point in every piece, that place where what you have done is simply too much. One of the greatest challenges that I set for myself is figuring out what can be removed before the overall work starts to break down. This results in a very slow pace of observing and responding to a piece of sculpture. As time has passed, I am most interested in exploring a sculptural logic that is both pragmatic and highly allusive at the same time. This relies on a specific balance, which has to be reevaluated with each project.

What advice can you give to those who look at your works? Should they be aware of something in particular?

Looking at sculpture should be experiential; the scale of the work and its materiality are as critical to the overall reading as conceptual concerns. Viewing work should never be a passive activity and one needs to be engaged in deciphering images and objects at a multitude of levels. If I have done my job correctly there will be multiple entry points in any given piece. There are many tropes that allow this to happen, and they should be taken as such. If an object appears to be beautiful or illogical, it has the capacity to operate on an emotive or philosophical level. Both are equally valuable, and afford a jumping off point from which one can look at something from a position of curiosity, questioning and wonder.

Where can we find you and your works in the near future? I am on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and will be teaching a workshop next summer at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, in Deer Isle, Maine. Over the next year I will be working on a project that seeks to explore the limitations of three-dimensional scanning and the possibility of translating that information into tangible objects. Scanning is generally successful with objects that are solid volumes and therefore “readable” as a continuous surface. My primary interest is in scanning things that are not single surfaces, but rather conglomerations of multiple layers. Such information may prove challenging, if not impossible to fully record, resulting in a surface that is technically a failure in terms of the computers ability to read and render it in a complete mathematical state. I see this research as being as much a question of physical possibilities and limitations (of machinery, technology, etc...) as a philosophical investigation into abstraction and the limitations of understanding something that is perhaps impossible to fully grasp.

Ceramics Now | 47 OVERTHROWN

TANOUE SHINYA CERAMICS

What was the starting point in your investigation with ceramics? Do you remember your early works?

When I was a Theology student at the Doshisha University, I was also a member of the ceramic club. I was just absorbed to make something with clay in the club's room. I worked for a textile company for two years after graduation, and later entered Kyoto Saga Art College because I wanted to learn more throwing techniques. I remember very well the pieces I made in the college. The ones created in my freshman year are at the origin of my current series.

The details, lines and curves of your works are very sinuous. Tell us about how you construct your pieces.

After creating the vessel or sculpture’s shape with coil techniques, the slip is applied on the surface. Then I groove the surface with needles, one by one, and at the end, I rub iron into those grooves.

The important theme of my pieces is the shell - egg shells, shells of fruits or seashells, because they are deeply related to the natural life circles. The cobalt blue on the pieces represent the ocean, which is the origin of life on Earth.

The wombs are considered to be the shell of human beings, so if I could express in my pieces the memory of us leaving the wombs (leaving behind and for all the feelings of protection and comfort), it would be wonderful.

You worked as an Associate Professor at Kyoto Saga University of Arts. How do you relate to teaching?

From 2006 to September 2011, I had been working as a lecturer at Kyoto Saga Art College, but I am no longer a teacher there. I am now working as a full-time ceramic artist.

I feel that being a teacher and being an artist are two different things. I learned that it is easy to teach techniques, but it's very

58 | Ceramics Now JAPANESE ARTISTS

difficult to teach how to express emotions through your pieces. I always advised my students that the valuable ideas might be in your pockets all the time.

How would you characterize the contemporary ceramic art scene in Japan?

I don’t like to draw a borderline between traditional and contemporary ceramics, because it is almost impossible to bundle the different perspectives over the definition of contemporary ceramics. Some artists believe that the contemporary should be the end of the extended track of tradition and others are thinking that developing traditional skills is the most important thing. The last ones should always keep an eye on the stream of contemporary crafts and arts in the world. In other words, it looks like two famous sports in Japan - Sumo and Judo. I always wanted to be on the Judo side, but honestly speaking, I also emphasize with Sumo.

You have been a very active ceramic artist in the last years, with a lot of exhibitions going on. What are your future plans?

I am planning several solo exhibitions in the near future and I have to create many pieces for a new resort hotel which will be opened in Japan in 2013. I also work on a project in Singapore. I would like people around the world to see my pieces, as I imagine that through my pieces I am observing them back.

KARA-10: FU-A, 2010, GLAZED CLAY, 7” X 26” X 4 1/2” (H)

SHELL 11: 10-9, 2010, GLAZED CLAY, 12 1/2” X 13” X 12” (H)

Ceramics Now | 59 JAPANESE ARTISTS

MURATA YOSHIHIKO LACQUER ART

You are a very young and talented artist. What was your first experience with art and with lacquer?

I wasn’t exposed to the artistic environment that much and Japanese lacquer works were not very familiar to me until I entered the art collage. I was interested in design and woodwork demains and wanted to elaborate the furniture for our daily life when I was a teenager. When I was a sophomore student, I chose the Urushi department for my major, but it was something uncomfortable for me. At first, I made many chaotic pieces, however those pieces are supposed to be an origin of my work today.

Your works have an extraordinary sense of space and light, their shadows contrasting with the colors and the surroundings. How do you make these fantastic lines of dark? It has to do with the slim silhouettes of your works.

I simulate the three dimensional shapes in my mind... For example, how lines will be flowing or how they are placed on the pedestals or attached on the walls. I believe that only the lines which look beautiful from any angles can make the lithe and sharp silhouette.

Talking about Silhouettes, what can you tell us about this series "whose lines twist and turn, swell and fade, like the sounds of a musical instrument"?

I use maple wood for my work, especially because it is flexible and doesn’t snap easily, although hard and difficult to carve.I got a lot of inspiration from nature’s creatures. I currently live in Toyama prefecture in Japan and it is filled with the beauty of nature and many birds and animals play around my house. You can encounter snakes, wild cats, weasels or frogs every day. Since I was raised in a farmer's family, the surroundings were not very different, but after seven years of college life in the city, the nature in Toyama was just perfect for me. I think verybody carries memories or episodes with animals of the bottom of their heart, but we usually don’t focus on those reminiscences that frequently. I am

very happy if the audience evoke those memories while looking at my pieces.

Living in Kanazawa, a famous entertainment district, exposed

you to images of courtesans whose extravagant attire and richly

ornamented hairstyles had captured a little bit of your imagination. Where

else do you get your inspiration from?

I have lived in Kanazawa for seven years, but haven’t seen the real Geisha. However when I was looking at a book for woodcuts in the college library, I found the images of a Geisha decorated with some gorgeous hair ornaments. Those images grabbed my heart and I immediately decided to make the Urushi hair ornaments. (Although, if I think better, I made them four years later.)

What can you tell us about the status of a young lacquer artist in Japan? Are you a full-time artist?

It is hard to live as a full-time lacquer artist. I am working as a part-time teacher in a middle school and as a conservator for the cultural heritage in my prefecture as well. I have been working as a lacquer artist for about ten years, and really appreciated the support of many people. My artist friends invited me to join group exhibitions offered me the possibility to introduce myself to galleries, so I truly can’t thank enough to those friends. I also feel that I could help young artists who are struggling.

Where can we find you and your works in the next future?

I will have a solo exhibition at KEIKO Gallery in April 2012.

SILHOUETTE 05, 2010, MAPLE WOOD, LACQUER, 7 1/4” X 2

SILHOUETTE 08, 2010, MAPLE WOOD, LACQUER, 16” X 3 1/4” X 5 1/4”

ORNAMENTAL CREATURE 07, 2008, MAPLE WOOD, LACQUER, 4” X 4” X 3/4” EACH

60 | Ceramics Now JAPANESE ARTISTS

NIISATO AKIO CERAMICS

BLACK TEA BOWL, 2008, GLAZED PORCELAIN, 5” X 4 3/4”

You are about to start working as an artist in residence at the Harvard Ceramic Studio. What do you hope you'll learn from this experience?

I am very interested in the different perspectives on craft art, especially ceramics between US and Japan. I feel that the vessels are more appreciated in Japan rather than US, as well as the ceramic art itself. I would like to acknowledge the reasons and I plan to operate research on these issues during my stay at the Harvard Ceramic Studio. I am looking forward to meeting new people who will inspire me.

The lightness and pureness of your works makes them unique. Tell us more about the uniqueness of your creations.

White is a simple color, but it can express the subtle nuance between sensibility - pureness, and light - shadow.After I throw the pieces, they are razed as thin as possible, and then I drill the holes with an electric drill, one by one. After the firing, I sand the surfaces and I manually apply the glaze into the holes. Another glaze is applied all over the surface with a compressor and then the pieces go into the kiln at 2246(F). It is not so easy to make the smooth surface with a single firing, because the holes absorb the glaze quite easily, so they need to be fired two or three times in order to get a good result.

62 | Ceramics Now JAPANESE ARTISTS

In 1975, the year before I was born, my grandfather, an industrial arts instructor, willed me a collection of unrelated curiosities. Among these seemingly unrelated objects were tools, measuring devices, and jars full of oddities.

Ian Thomas

INSTALLATION

As a child, through play, I would create/construct identities and stories for these bizarre unrelated objects. The older I got, play shifted to questioning, and I searched these groupings for meanings, while trying to understand the disconnected relevance to myself (or, even, my life, or, who I am).

This innocent comparative analysis of visual objects to create a dialogue has been a model for my creative research. A non-linear exploration conflates past and present, while objects of commonplace import are imbued with simultaneity, coupling personal narratives and sociological observations with a symbolic mythos developed through years of refinement. Metaphoric and anthropocentric, the work sorts my declarations, my attempts at personal and social understanding, and my opinions of the self.

70 | Ceramics Now INSTALLATION

I a n S h e l l y1. You are a very prolific artist, with lots of exhibitions, lectures and workshops being held in the last years. How do you find the time for all of this? Do you also teach?

Thank you for the considering me prolific, that is an adjective that has been used before to describe not only the breadth and quantity of what I do and what I call “My” art but a diagnosis that I find most properly describes my unyielding need to make. I don’t know how to make art any other way... never have. I think that the only way to find the time to work “prolifically” is by making the best out of all the other tasks that you do. Be it exhibiting, lecturing, and teaching workshops. All of these moments and all of the moments not making provide us with a unique opportunity to think, plan and daydream. I need my time spent talking about other artists to think of how I am different. I also need my time as a Sunday-afternoon mechanic fixing things around the house to remind my brain that my hands like moving this way or that. All of this activity then tells my wallet what kind of clay and glaze I need to use to keep my brain and hands satisfied. My brain still cannot keep up with my hands.The teaching that I also do is like a buffet. In some ways it provides me with necessary exercises that a growing artist needs to flourish. It also provides me with a multitude of materials and technologies to further understand the science and dexterity needed for ceramics. I find one of the most helpful aspects of teaching to be the communication development. When I started in education, I couldn’t walk a person through making a paper airplane, and now, through all of the practice I can teach all kinds of different styles of airplanes. Most importantly, I, myself, make a better airplane. This has been very helpful. Inevitably though, if you do too much, like any buffet, it isn’t healthy.

SUPPLY

74 | Ceramics Now INSTALLATION

In what techniques do you usually work and what materials do you use?

I am self taught and started throwing on the wheel in the very early days and quickly progressed to handbuilding, to experiment with form and shape. Sometimes I combine the two and start from a thrown vessel and handbuild onto it. I work mostly in black clay. I like the way I can handbuild with it and the darkness of the body suits the finished work in terms of texture and the overall mood of the piece I am trying to convey.

The subject of my work can be quite dark and masculine and so this process suits what I am trying to achieve. My palette of glazes is very restricted. I rarely use bright colour, mostly dark and metallic finishes.

What is your present project and what’s its history?

My current work is centered around the development of a series of partial heads, which are usually looking downwards in

a brooding, contemplative way. I have introduced various piercings to the heads. Because people do not expect to see these, they add an element of shock and intrigue to the piece. These pieces are in some ways a series of self portraits both in physical terms but also in terms of the mood they convey, I started making these after the death of a close family member and it meant the making of these pieces became a very therapeutic process. The pieces are handbuilt by coiling and are refined as they dry.

P a t r i c k C o l h o u n

80 | Ceramics Now NEW ARTISTS

////////////////////////////////////SHAMAI GIBSHWhat was the starting point in your investigation with saggar firing and terra sigillata painting?

Terra sigillata painting intrigued my imagination when I was a teenager. At first, I saw Venetian vases decorated with black and white figures and later with color painting, as part of the history and heritage of the eastern Mediterranean board. Years later, when I was already a ceramic artists, I researched terra sigillata and the rediscovery of it in the 20th century, and started to apply it to my work. I tend not to use glazes in my work, except for exterior mural work. Thus, the use of terra sigillata over the last 15 years enabled me to reach a non shiny and a very appealing color palate, and when fired within saggar vessels in the presence of organic materials or smoked firing, appears to have exiting results. I fire within a saggar, which is an enclosed clay vessel that holds the specific organic material, to get the desired results. Over the years I have used many forms of organic materials like saw dust, salt Marché, pine needles, various seeds and fruits. These days, I mainly use pine needles collected from two forests; one in the Carmel mountains and the other one close to my studio.

Tell us more about the process of constructing your works. Do you make many preparations?

The manual part of my work: wheel throwing, hand building murals and sculpting occupy a large part of my time. However, these come after an idea has been formed following considerable thoughts, planning and designing. Naturally, I am influenced by my roots, the immediate cultural and social environment and by the

exposure to anything that touches us as human beings. Therefore, yes, it is a lengthy process.

My preference of the use of sagaar firing also contributes to the prolonged preparatory phase in my work. Bone-dried vessels, made out of white stoneware clay, are covered with three layers of terra sigillata, occasionally decorated with copper cuttings and bisque fired to cone 06. Metal soluble are also used for decoration, and the objects are inserted into clay vessels (saggars) which are just a bit larger than the fired object, and filled up with organic materials, mostly pine needles, pretreated with different oxides. I fire in reduction to around 1000C.

Preparation of murals varies. At times terra sigilata is applied in different layers on a plaster board in a reverse pattern, followed by a thin layer of liquid clay. When in a leather-hard state, the board is lifted and cut into tiles, bisque fired and only then saggar fired. In other instances, tiles are painted with terra sigiillata, applied with layers of various copper cutting and even painted with oxides and metal solubles, bisque fired and saggar fired.

In my sculptural work I use high grog stoneware and treat similarly to my other work with terra sigillata and saggar firing.

You tried many techniques and materials - like saggar fired clay, copper and soluble salts, organic materials. What did you learn from working with them?

Though in the beginning of my work with clay I started using terra sigillata in oxidation, over

the years I have tried various glazing techniques but always returned to work with terra sigillata and saggar firing. I love the end results and feel connected to its texture and surprising colorfulness. Some of my worked was Raku fired and others in various primitive firing techniques. In addition, about 11 years ago I have started to fire my work in a soda kiln, during the summers when I work at the Harvard University Ceramic program. The results of these soda firings give yet another dimension of depth and texture to my work. Overall, I feel that one has to experiment with different techniques as well as different firing methods. At a certain point, most of us find their preferred method and start to perfect it and adapt it to their own needs. In a way, although much patience is required, we contribute to the evolution of older, sometimes ancient, techniques and apply them in our modern world.

You get your inspiration from the environment and the nature. Tell us more about Jaffa, the city you live in.

My studio is located in Jaffa, which is a city along the eastern Mediterranean shore. It is a very old city with a known history of over 10,000 years. Jaffa’s port is still and has been a functioning port for the last 4000 years. It used to be the main port for pilgrimage to the Holly Land for centuries, an important trade cross road and even an important site in old world legends as well as in the Jewish and Christian religions. It is a multicultural city where Christians, Muslims and Jews live together, and the shrines, temples and prayer places for all three religions are side by side. The landscape, the culture and the colors have an immense influence on my work,

“STELAE 2011” INSTALLATION, 235X213X55 CM. STONEWARE, TERRA SIGILLATA, SAGGAR FIRING

CERAMIC TECHNIQUES

86 | Ceramics Now CERAMIC TECHNIQUES

which can be detected in my murals, sculptural work as well as in other ceramic work. I often walk through the city, through its amazing flee markets, the sea shore and streets that display layers upon layers of architecture from Greco-Roman, Byzantine, Arabic, Crusader, Turkish, early 20th century and modern styles.

You've worked every summer in the last decade at the Harvard Ceramic Studio. Do you remember the first years? Make a comparison and tell us how did you evolve there year by year.

My first summer at the Harvard Ceramic program in Boston was 11 years ago when Ms Nancy Salvage managed the studio. Nancy was an excellent inspiration for me; she was always full of suggestions concerning what I should do, as well as what I shouldn’t; which master classes I should attend and in general was very much attentive to the newbie I was. Meeting and observing many known ceramic artists in residence and visiting artists, enabled me to widen my horizons at an amazing pace. During the years there were various symposia including the Islamic symposium. This is where I met Alan Caiger Smith, who thought me his luster technique. In 2008 I was invited by the studio as a visiting artists and gave a lecture about my large mural commission by the city of Tel-Aviv, “Voyage through Jaffa”.

Nancy’s retirement, two years ago, passed the management of the studio to Ms Shawn Penepinto. Last year, I was invited by Shawn to talk about my “China experience” after being

invited to participate in the “Tea Pot Biennale“ in Shanghai. Last August I was invited again to give a talk about my two trips to Korea: the Celadon Festival” in Gangjin and the Tea Bowl festival in Muengjeong, South Korea.

The Harvard ceramic studio is my second home. I am very fortunate to be able to investigate, learn, progress and experiment new ideas and venues. Over the years, I have met some wonderful and accomplished artists, like Michelle McClure and Wayne Furst, who became colleagues and “fellow fanatics” sharing interest in soda firing.

How would you characterize the contemporary ceramic art scene in Israel?

The ceramic scene in Israel is very active. Although this region had a magnificent and long tradition of pottery and ceramics, there hasn’t been continuity between past and modern ceramics as in other places in the world. Israel is a relatively young and small country with an impressive number of ceramic artists. The Israeli ceramic association is very active, ans has around 500 members. We have annual meeting, exhibitions, biennales, workshop meetings and invited master class artists. We also have one dedicated museum for ceramic art.

Lately, we were fortunate to have a new ceramic center, “The Binyamini ceramic Center” recently opened in Tel-Aviv. The venue is dedicated to promote ceramic teaching, and hopefully will become a tool for the advancement and development of young artists in Israel.

Where can we find you and your works in the near future?

I hope to continue to evolve and participate in international exhibitions like I have done in the last few years. I tremendously enjoy meeting ceramic artists from other countries and exchange ideas and knowledge. I feel very fortunate and proud that my work is being shown in our cooperative “Altogether 8” in Jerusalem

as well as in museums in Israel, China and South Korea, and being sold in The Israel Museums in Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv, and galleries in London and the US. Recently, I am drawn to sculptural work, which was greatly influenced by my trips to the Far East. It is my conviction that we should all teach others our techniques and knowledge, and therefore, I give workshops a few times a year and hope to be able to continue to do so in the future.

CERAMIC TECHNIQUES

BOTTLES, DIAMETER - 8 TO 14 CM. HEIGHT 12-20 CM. STONEWARE, GLAZE, SODA FIRING.

Ceramics Now | 87 CERAMIC TECHNIQUES

MERETE RASMUSSEN_PROFILEI work with abstract sculptural form. I am interested in the idea of one continuous

surface, with one connected edge or line running through the whole form. Clear, clean shapes; soft smooth curves in contrast to sharp edges; concave and convex surfaces; the discovery and strength of an inner/negative space - these are all form expressions that appeal to me and results in my continuous exploration and expression in many different variations.

My sculptures are either asymmetrical or with a repetition of form:- Asymmetrical where I mainly work with the idea of continuous surface. The form has only one side and one edge connected throughout the shape.- Repetition of form with three symmetrical parts that are connected; three being both a strong number and a balanced repetition of form. The negative space - the shape of the space in between, is equally important.

My work is hand built in coiling technique. Stoneware is my chosen material for its qualities - I like to challenge the material and my own skills by building complicated shapes; fragile in the building, drying and firing process which upon firing attain the strength to be handled and positioned without support.

I often get an idea for a new form while working on another. I also find my inspiration in form I see in nature as well as architecture and design; clean curves, sparse decoration, simplicity. To emphasize the form I use a matt surface and monochrome colours.

I was born in Denmark but grew up in Sweden. I returned to Denmark to study at Design School Kolding in 2000, and moved to London in 2005 after graduating. I have since then predominately worked with sculptural forms.

94 | Ceramics Now PROFILES

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102 | Ceramics Now EXTRA!

Well, I know that the field of ceramics comes with lots of rules and traditions. I think it is exciting to see what happens when rules are broken and traditions, challenged.

Roxanne Jackson

My advice to young artists is to find a way to keep making the work. Just make the work any way you can, and try to show it as much as possible. Get it out there. Keep growing as an aritst by contiuing to work, learn, explore and find ways to nurture and sustain your

source of inspiration whatever that may be.Carol Gouthro

Never let go of your dreams. For years I dreamed of devoting my time to art, but spent most of my career in other professions – I was a park ranger, a director for a conservation organization, a lab technician. I explored photography as my artistic expression, I traveled

around the world. Now that I have returned to ceramics, I find my past experiences influence my artistic sense, my way of seeing, and I now draw on a unique set of skills that have proven invaluable to my current work as a ceramic artist.

Liza Riddle

Follow your bliss! as Joseph Campbell said. It’s quite likely to lead you through a satisfying life.But also, balance this out by acquiring a few additional money-making skills! From what I can tell, those who make a decent living as a

full-time ceramic artist are few and far between.Mark Goudy

Create your own visual language!Do a lot of research, concentrate, and focus on what you are doing. Avoid editing away ideas too early.

Simcha Even-Chen

Knowing yourself first will lead to your goal.Chang Hyun Bang

Establish an internet presence. This could be from creating your own website (or ask nicely to someone who knows how!) creating a blog or something else which spreads your name and work around. Marketing your work in a professional manner is paramount.

It can be very difficult to make your complete living from being an artist. Be realistic and be prepared to work full-time/part-time somewhere in order to make some money. You can still make your work and spread your name around on a part time basis until you

are fortunate enough to earn your full salary from your work. Shane Porter

Let the work come from your gut, not so much from your head. I feel art is another language, not one of words and ideas, but a visual language that speaks to your senses. Also, make what you want to make, not what you think you should make.

Jim Kraft

International Cup 20123 February – 24 February, 2012Missoula, Montana, USAEntry Deadline: 18 November 2011 www.theclaystudioofmissoula.org

Ceramic Art London 2012 The Leading Fair for Contemporary Ceramics24 February - 26 February, 2012London, UKwww.ceramics.org.uk

Emerging Artists 201211 April – 5 May, 2012Hudson, New York, USAEntry Deadline: 30 November 2011www.slowart.com/prospectus/ea2012.htm

SOFA Expo, New York 201220 – 23 April, 2012 New York, USAwww.sofaexpo.com

Feats of Clay XXVLincoln Arts & Culture Foundation28 April – 27 May, 2012California, Lincoln, USAEntry Deadline: February 3, 2012www.lincolnarts.org

IV International Ceramics Biennale of Marratxi 201212 - 20 May, 2012Marratxi, SPAINEntry Deadline: 2 December 2011 www.bicma.es

2nd International Ceramic Triennial UNICUM 2012 15 May - 30 September, 2012Maribor, SLOVENIAwww.unicum.si

4th Contemporary Clay Biennial 201218 May – 23 June, 2012Western Colorado, USAEntry deadline: January 18 2012www.gjartcenter.org/call_for_entries.html

Ceramics Biennial of Andenne 201227 May – 3 June, 2012Andenne, BELGIUMwww.biennaledelaceramique.be/en

The Contemporary Craft Fair15 – 17 June, 2012Bovey Tracey, Devon, UKwww.craftsatboveytracey.co.uk 2012 Taiwan Ceramics Biennale30 June – 4 November, 2012Yingge, TAIWANhttp://competition.ceramics.tpc.gov.tw

III Moscow International Biennale for Young Art “Qui Vive?”July – August, 2012Moscow, RUSSIAEntry Deadline: 15 December 2011www.youngart.ru

XXII International Biennial of Artistic Ceramics Contemporary Creation and CeramicJuly – November, 2012Vallauris, FRANCEEntry Deadline: 30 December 2011 www.vallauris-golfe-juan.fr

Art in Clay Festival6 - 8 July, 2012Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UKwww.hatfield.artinclay.co.uk

Arts in Action19 – 22 July, 2012Oxfordshire, UKwww.artinaction.org.uk

30th International Ceramics Fair Oldenburg4 – 5 August 2012Oldenburg, GERMANYEntry Deadline: 14 January 2012www.werkschule.de

IV International Festival of Postmodern Ceramics25 August – 31 October, 2012Varazdin, CROATIAEntry Deadline: 31 March 2012www.kerameikon.com

Paperclay - Firing Fibres II - International Ceramic Symposium6 September – 27 September, 2012Kecskemét, HUNGARYwww.icshu.org/ics.html

2012 Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Award20 September - 18 November ,2012Shepparton, AUSTRALIAEntry Deadline: 1 February 2012www.sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/exhibitionprogram/smfacaa/

100% Design20 - 23 September, 2012Earls Court, London, UKwww.100percentdesign.co.uk

2012 Australian Ceramics Triennale – Subversive Clay28 September - 1 October, 2012Adelaide, AUSTRALIAwww.australianceramicstriennale.com

calendar 2 0 1 2CERAMIC ART COMPETITIONS, AWARDS AND FAIRS IN 2012

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cn

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104 | Ceramics Now