Fun in the Hat

Besides creating and firing we had a lot of fun.  Here's Les Manning directing the event.  Jo sure could go.  She even toured the studio on her John Deere.  And Les Manning and Robin DuPont heading their own ways.

Claude Morin on the pitchers' gravel.  Beehive kilns and spectators.

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Luann, our wonderful games coordinator.  I hadn't laughed so much in a long time.  She introduced us the the world famous toilet paper games.

Installation art. Assignment, cover two people in your group.

Pre last task...fill the garbage bags.

More on Medalta

"At one time I would have considered this* a failure but now I see the beauty in it". 
*kiln blob on the left..  This is Sujin's piece and her words.

Soda fired Smudge pot for the beautiful Grandmother sage in Medicine Hat.  

Some pots of mine soda fired in Robin DuPont's kiln.  Reduction with slow cool...notice the carbon trap along the edge and yummy soda on the left.  

Potters' Paradise

In June I had the good fortune to be an artist in residence at http://www.medalta.org/miair/index.html 

It was one of the best experiences of my life.  These are images of the soda kiln I fired (my new addiction) and some drums I made.

Here's an article I wrote for Sediments, Sask Terra 's newsletter.

Fourteen ceramic artists from across North America took part in the Medalta International Artists in Residence program (MIAIR) at the Shaw Centre in the Historic Clay District in Medicine Hat during June 2010. http://www.medalta.org/miair/index.html.

The calendar was full of events.  Presentations by residents, staff, and local artists and discussions and sharing of information were an important part of the residency.  We were treated to true western hospitality which included a trip to Red Rock Coulee, a unique geological formation. Tours of the Medalta Museum, Hycroft, and the IXL brick making plant.  Six ceramics exhibitions, including Clay Diversions, a show of residents’ previous work, took place in Medicine Hat during the month.  A gallery walk introduced us to the local art scene.  An open house was held the last evening.  Displays of work were well received by numerous visitors.

Each person worked on their own projects.  For example, onjji, traditional Korean storage vessels, were made on a kick-wheel, using coil and paddling technique by Sukjin Choi, an assistant art professor living in Virginia.  Gillian McMillian focused on salt firing functional vessels that celebrates her fondness for birds http://www.gillianmcmillan.com/blog/ while Leigh Merritt from New Brunswick focused on cone six crystalline glazes.  Robin DuPont, the invited artist in residence, slow cooled porcelain wares in soda firings.  The results are spectacular: carbon trapping, crystal growth, dripping glass-like soda deposits and “frosty” glazes.  These are only of few examples of the rich stimulating environment and bodies of work produced.

Sculptural pieces were explored in various ways. One person created a number of fun but with a shadow side birds.  Another resident sculpted tall forms influenced by the landscape and the resident bull snake.  Historic saggars were used as slump molds by Luann Johnson, an ACAD student,  She also employed found objects on site as inspiration to inform her exuberant work.   

The facility is well equipped with electronic kilns, a gas car kiln, soda and salt kilns, as well as a bourrey box wood fired kiln. There is a well equipped glaze room with a state-of-the-art spray booth and ventilation system.  Sand blaster, slab rollers, and extruder were also available for use.  Aaron Nelson's (Artistic Director) vision and organizational capabilities, ensured a positive experience for all.  (http://www.medalta.org/miair/a_nelson.html)  Studio manager, Jenn Demke-Lange, patiently and pleasantly accommodated our requests.  

A record number of firings took place over the month.  Heavy, light and residual salt firings yielded spectacular results.  The soda kiln was also fired successfully to cones 6 and 10, residually, as well as with a mixture of soda ash, whiting and baking soda and cooled in a variety of ways.  

Two Sask Terra members participated in this opportunity.  Claude Morin made playful sculpture creatures as well as functional wares, much of which was fired in the salt kiln.  His enthusiasm and positive outlook were appreciated, as was the large thermos of coffee he brought every morning.  Drums and rattles were wheel-thrown byTeresa Gagne.  Her passion for vapour firings continued as she tested surfaces in soda, salt and wood kilns.  

It was rare for someone not to be at the studio at any hour of the day.  Weekend parties, games, laughter and barbecues provided balance and fuel for creative juices.  This rich learning experience and creative hiatus from everyday life has been a highlight of the participants’ art practice.  

Financial Independence and Irregular Incomes

Good advice from Rick DiBiasio. It's always eye-opening to keep track of all expenses (business and personal). Click here to read the article, Financial Independence and Irregular Incomes. 

Setting aside 10% of your income, or tithing yourself, is a good discipline, and no doubt will come in handy

Wood Fired Pots in Wildwood

Christian Barr and Enzien Kufeld are woodfirers living near Wildwood, Alberta. I first met them at Fred Olsen's kiln building workshop in 1998. Since then, they have lived their passion, building kilns and firing often. They have travelled and worked with some of the best, including Jack Troy.

They are having a sale Sept. 26 - Oct. 4th at their beautiful place located approximately 115 km west of Edmonton on hwy 16 (9 km west of Wildwood), turn south on RR102, 250 metres. GST will be covered by them.



I love their work and a road trip at this lovely time of year seems in order. I just broke a mug yesterday...time to get another. Winter is coming and these would be great vessels to sit, drink something warm and contemplate with.

And for scotch drinkers...


I have a feeling one of these offering bowls will find its way home with me.


All this and much more at Urban Forest Design/Wildwood Pottery.

Moose Jaw, In the Vault

Earlier this month Sask Terra www.saskterra.sk.ca held a social in Moose Jaw which included a trip to the vault of the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery
http://www.mjmag.ca/artgalleryexhibits.htm

Recently there had been large donations from Richard Stafford's collection as well and David Thauberger and his wife (sorry, I forget her first name). David mentioned that their recent acquisition was a Hansen Ross pot they bought at a garage sale the day of the opening of A Way with Clay: Folmer Hansen and David Ross.

Above is an image of Cara Gay Driscoll with two of her pots that were recently donated to the permanent collection. Cara is well know for her coiled pots; she took a workshop from Richard Zane Smith http://www.wyandot.org/rzsmith.html years ago and has been coiling away since.

Here's a pic of Heather Smith, curator of the art gallery with a Jack Sures' pot from the permanent collection.

Goblets

The first time I made goblets they turned out rather poorly -- and the glaze even crawled. Thought I'd give up until I adopted a fun approach goblet making. Pictured above are two "rattle goblets". Small balls of clay rolled in cornstarch are inserted into the stems before joining the bowl; a bit of cornstarch is funneled into the stem to prevent them from sticking together. Now hundreds of goblets later (and a few blown up in the bisque) I'm refining the design, using different glazes and enjoying myself. Cheers!