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originally published 2/14/2017 Taken from  Utilitarian III at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts: Celebrate the Object. Two Native American Quotes "God gave to all people a cup of clay and from that cup they drank their life" "Clay remembers the hands that formed it." "Throughout history, pottery has been a signature of man.  It is an interpretation of material, form, and process.  It is a lens that provides an aperture into the soul of the man and the times in which he lives.  Each vessel shares a moment in the life of an artist and reflects the magical act of...

 originally published 3/29/2011 Something I think potters can share is the pleasure received from seeing a shelf of finished pots waiting to be fired, or a kiln opening brimming with pots still warm from that fire.   I work for weeks, and can hold the tangible product of my labor in my hand. There’s no ambiguity,  the process of my work is visible as objects in space. My table full of pots drying is an exhilarating sight for me. At this stage of the process, I usually don’t want to stop the making- it’s a time when I have more ideas for the forms...

originally published 4/13/2015 I couldn't attend NCECA in Rhodes Island this year, so I was delighted to discover a lot of information and videos of the conference.  The speech by emerging artist, Roberto Lugo was so inspiring.  Doesn't it make you feel that ceramics is alive moving into the future.This machine kills hate

originally published 1-6-10`5 “Caring too much for objects can destroy you. Only—if you care for a thing enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn’t it? And isn’t the whole point of things—beautiful things—that they connect you to some larger beauty?”- a quote from the Donna Tartt novel, Goldfinch. So, though handmade pots aren't magnificent paintings, the simple mug, that for some reason gives you a short shot of pleasure, maybe helps you to pay attention to that morning coffee, or the morning light coming through the translucent porcelain cup. The rice bowl, the rim, that swirls around...

originally published 7/29/2013 Someone recently asked me how I got a particular smokey effect on a shino plate.  Did you use the glaze "Malcolm Shino to get that effect?"  I didn't know how to respond because there are so many variables in firing shinos.  How do you explain the experimentation that goes with finding the key to consistency with Elusive Shinos. I've been experimenting with shinos for a while, and the results coming out of the kiln are always a surprise.  A passion for shino  began when I made a dinnerware set that was supposed to be a creamy white,...