This show, “Cheers! Drink Up! Celebrating the Clay Drinking Vessel” took the efforts of several people to come together. Deborah Hager and Nicole Copel, to of our potters, pitched the concept for this show last year when we were scheduling this year’s gallery events. They brought in Vicky Hansen, ceramics professor at CSU Pueblo, to round out the planning group. Then, working in conjunction with ICAN (International Ceramic Artists Network https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/subscription-offers/ican/) we launched the call for entries on CaFÉ (www.callforentry.org) and waited. . . Postcards were handed out at the NCECA conference in Pittsburgh, PA, personal contacts in the clay community were badgered, and we finally got enough entries to mount the show. As is often the case most of the artists waited until the last few days to submit their entries. Denver, CO potter Peter Karner (peterkarnerpottery.net) was enlisted to jury the pieces for the show. Here are some statements and artwork from some of the artists whose work was juried into “Cheers! Drink Up!” Amber Aguirre Kailua-Kona, HI Tell us about yourself. I am first generation Hungarian/American, child of an Auschwitz survivor. Growing up with all the baggage of having a mother with PTSD gave me a unique perspective on the "human condition". From a young age I was drawn to ceramics and I use my talent to express and resolve issues in my life. How did you get interested in pottery? I had the luck of experiencing hand building with clay in kindergarten. The entire class was given clay to make an "ashtray", so necessary for all parents at the time (early 1960's). Since those were the "old days" when kids went to summer school for "fun and enrichment" (as opposed to because they flunked a class), I took ceramics every summer. In high school I was introduced to the wheel and I fell in love. I produced and sold pottery and also enjoyed sculpture for many years, and received my BFA from U.S.C. under Susan Peterson, and then my California high school teaching credential. As a single mom I needed a more lucrative income than art fairs, so I taught public high school ceramics. Many years later, after my daughter went to college, I retired from teaching and we moved to Hawaii where I pursued my dream of being a gallery represented studio artist. For the last 18 years I have been successfully pursuing that goal with both pottery and sculpture. Tell us about your process. My preferred clay is porcelain. I love the Helios from N.C., but it is problematic getting it shipped to Hawaii, so I tend to use a more available clay such as Coleman's. Throwing porcelain is like cream cheese (BTW, if you haven't tried that yet, it is almost the same and you can eat your pot. It also makes a great thrown fruit platter, just make sure the bat is clean first😉). What is your favorite piece accepted for this event? Why? My piece is called "Flesh Mug". I have been sculpting the figure and wanted to develop a technique that looks like skin. I was playing with the human body and decided to modify a mug to look like parts of the human body. What has inspired you to apply for this show? It seemed like a fun kind of show... Where can we find your work: website, social media, local galleries. My sculptures are online at my website: www.amberaguirre.com, as well as in many galleries on the mainland (see website). My pottery can be found in many local galleries across the big island of Hawaii and also Cedar Street Gallery on Oahu. (though at the moment Volcano Art Center is closed due to LAVA🌋...it's been wild over here)! My work has also been collected and can be seen at the Honolulu Museum of Art as well as the Hawaii State Foundation of the Arts. You can also find me on Facebook Ron Dehn Pueblo West, CO In a short paragraph, tell us about yourself. I am retired from CSU-Pueblo where I spent a combined total of 42 years as a full time IT Professional and part time recruiter. My college degree (1970) is in mathematics with an emphasis in computer programming and a minor in the sciences. My wife Chris and I have 4 children and 9 grandchildren between us. How did you get interested in pottery? I always admired pottery and many years ago, I found out that Pueblo Parks and Recreation was offering a community class in pottery. I took that class and the instructor encouraged me to sign up for a course at Sangre de Cristo Arts Center. After several years there, I signed up for a course at USC (now CSU-Pueblo) and continue to study under Professor Vicky Hansen. In addition to Vicky, I’ve had several amazing teachers and colleagues who continue to inspire and encourage me. I’ve been making pots for over 35 years. With your pottery, tell us about your process. The last several years I’ve been using Laguna clay, both the CA-2 409 and B-mix. Almost all my work is fired to cone 10 in a gas or wood kiln, but I occasionally enjoy raku. Most of my glazes are studio made, but I sometimes use commercial underglazes in decorating. What is your favorite piece accepted for this event? Why? The “Beer” Mug is my favorite piece in this show. I like the texture and the soft interaction of the three glazes on the piece. I also like how the glaze subtlety emphasizes the texture. In addition, the form of this piece is “stout”. (pun sort of intended) When you pick it up, it responds to you much like a firm handshake. What has inspired you to apply for this show? First, I applied because some of my favorite mentors are the primary organizers of the show. Secondly, I applied because I believe that mugs are easily the most important pots I make. They are the most personal and intimate of pots, second only to burial urns. I have given away literally hundreds of mugs. I give them as gifts for birthdays, weddings, and similar occasions as well as thank-you gifts to people like the mail man or the person who repaired our furnace. I consider the gift of a mug as an expression of gratitude. Where can we find your work: website, social media, local galleries. My work is rarely sold. I give nearly all of my pottery away as gifts or as donations to various fund raisers. Becca Dilldine Cookeville, TN In a short paragraph, tell us about yourself. I was born in Hinsdale, Illinois, a small suburb of Chicago. I spent most of my childhood moving from place to place due to my dad’s military position. Being an only child, I took comfort in my pets and exploring outdoors each time my family moved. While in high school, my art teacher took our classes on field trips to the Appalachian Center for Craft in Smithville, Tennessee, a satellite campus of Tennessee Technological University. It was then that I knew I wanted to become a part of the Craft Center and study ceramics. I graduated in December 2017 from Tennessee Technological University, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Ceramics concentration and a minor in Social and Behavioral Science. I am currently pursuing a Post-Bac in Ceramics at the Craft Center, while working as the gallery assistant at the Craft Center Gallery I live in Cookeville, Tennessee with my husband, Jonathon, our cats, Felix and Marvin, and our rabbit Padfoot How did you get interested in pottery? My high school art teacher is the one who inspired me to go to college for fine arts and who introduced me to the Craft Center’s ceramics program. After taking intro to clay with my ceramics professor, Vince Pitelka, I fell in love with clay and knew that I had found my medium. With your pottery, tell us about your process. First I mix my own terra cotta clay body. Each pot is thrown on the potter's wheel and then altered and pinched to document my own relationship to the vessel. Then I dip each piece in a white slip to provide a light background for my paintings. I use a combination of Amaco & Speedball underglazes to paint my imagery. Once dry, I carve out my drawings, which reveal the clay body underneath. My pots are all electric fired to cone 3 (2134 degrees). What is your favorite piece accepted for this event? Why? My favorite piece would be my “Floral Beer Stein.” When I think of beer steins, I typically think of darker colors, and strong, heavy forms. But I like this take on it, being more feminine and light. What has inspired you to apply for this show? I found out about this show while at NCECA this year in Pittsburgh, and I truly love making functional vessels for everyday use, so I felt this show was a great show to enter and I’m happy to be a part of it. Where can we find your work: website, social media, local galleries. You can find my work on my website www.beccadilldineceramics.com and on my Etsy page https://www.etsy.com/shop/BADCeramicsShop. My Instagram is @beccadilldine. I am also represented by the Appalachian Center for Craft Gallery in Smithville, TN. Caroline Elliott Burnt Thistle Ceramics Seattle, WA In a short paragraph, tell us about yourself. Magical, mystical & metaphysical. Handmade and hand-carved with intention, fraught with symbolism. Burnt Thistle Ceramics showcases the art of Caroline Elliott, who specializes in metaphysical motifs and ceramic carving. The designs woven throughout much of Caroline's art capture the intrigue of ancient carvings of Asia and South America, the Henna designs of India, and the Spiritual revival. How did you get interested in pottery? Ladue High School is where my life-long love of pottery began. I went from making cracked slab bowls to intricate teapots under the guidance of Guy Sachs and Victor Bassman. They were my greatest supporters and inspired me to aim high. Sachs helped me submit my work for the NCECA K-12 award where I won my pottery wheel, which I still have today. That little bit of validation went a long way to propel me towards my current pottery business, Burnt Thistle Ceramics. With your pottery, tell us about your process. Each item is handcrafted in my studio in Magnolia, Seattle. I use a carving technique called sgrafitto, which is an intricate and detail-oriented process. Each of my designs is completely unique, resulting in one-of-a-kind pieces of art made with intention and fraught with symbolism. Frequent symbolism and motifs found in my work: spirit animals, element signs, zodiac signs, palmistry, crystal balls, moon phases. I use a mid-range white clay body and commercial glazes. Lots and lots of black underglaze and clear glaze! What is your favorite piece accepted for this event? The Queens of Tarot jug has a special meaning for me. The Queens Tarot suite is the powerful representation of the divine feminine; of strength, courage and intellect. Each of the Queens on this vessel represent different things: Queen of Wands: A courageous leader, the Queen of Wands uses her strength and independence to guide her. Queen of Swords: Not easily fooled, the Queen of Swords uses her intellect and composure to make critical decisions. Queen of Pentacles: Ruling with warmth and compassion, the Queen of Pentacles is lovable and approachable. Queen of Cups: Secure in her intuition and inner voice, the Queen of Cups trusts her own eyes and mind as she senses the world around her. Along with symbols of the elements, zodiac and more, if you look close you will see crowns and “Q”s in each of the representations of the Queens as well as gems. What’s a Queen without some diamonds and bling! What has inspired you to apply for this show? As a big supporter of functional art, I loved the concept of this show. I also happen to be a big craft beer drinker, so the title piqued my interest! Where can we find your work: website, social media, local galleries. You can find my work through my website: burntthistleceramics.com and recent updates on Instagram @burntthistleceramics I also have my work in select retail stores that support small makers and women entrepreneurs: Liten in Seattle and Modern Mystic Shop in Atlanta. Wendy Iaconis Colorado Springs, CO In a short paragraph, tell us about yourself. My husband and I both grew up in Colorado Springs and are raising our teenage boys here as well. I have focused my passion on artistic and functional wheel-thrown pottery for over 20 years, finding joy and inspiration turning a ball of clay into an artistic vessel that someone will use and enjoy. I received my formal training in the arts, focusing on photography and ceramics, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Denver. I continually refine my pottery skills at workshops and conferences around the country. How did you get interested in pottery? Art has always been my passion. In college my focus was photography, and my senior year at DU I took a ceramics class. I had an amazing instructor, John Balistreri, and have been throwing ever since. With your pottery, tell us about your process. I work primarily in mid-range stoneware (Laguna B-Mix), firing to cones 6 and 7. I have an electric kiln in which I currently fire my functional ware and horse hair pieces. My color palette consists of commercial glazes that I combine for my desired affect. What is your favorite piece accepted for this event? Why? I would have to say my brownish/pinkish tea steeper is my favorite. It just turned out great. I love the shape, color and feel. The spiral is an important component in all of my work. It represents new beginnings and peace. On this tea steeper it’s very prominent (on the inside and out), which lends to the overall warmth and makes my soul happy. What has inspired you to apply for this show? Drinking vessels are fun and sometimes challenging to make depending on the piece. I have also found that they are very personal. Achieving the perfect piece that someone connects with and uses in everyday life is an honor and something that should be celebrated. With that said, “Cheers! Drink up!” is a celebration of the drinking vessel and the chance of participating, with the hope of allowing my pieces to find their perfect place in the world, was my inspiration. Where can we find your work: website, social media, local galleries. www.wlrpottery.com Instagram: @springspottery Facebook: @springspottery Gallery 113, 125 1/2 N Tejon St, Colo Springs, CO 80907 Elizabeth James Duluth, MN Elizabeth James, assistant professor and ceramic studio area head brings a westerner's perspective to Minnesota. She received her BFA from Boise State University and MFA from Kansas State University studying under the direction of Yoshiro Ikeda. She concluded her graduate degree with a teaching residency at Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Scotland. Liz’s interests include functional and non-functional ceramic forms that represent a confluence of observations of human behavior, life cycles, and forces of nature. Her work has been in galleries and exhibitions globally and is included in both public and private collections. Originally, I started college as a drawing/painting major and then took a ceramic class my sophomore year in college and have been passionately involved ever since! Most of my work is wheel-based porcelain that has been fired in a mid-range reduction kiln. My favorite piece that was accepted in the show would be the 4 pc. "spirit cup set" I had the wonderful opportunity of firing with my friend Nicole Copel last summer and this set was my favorite out of her soda kiln! My website is: lizjamesceramics.com and you can find my work in Colorado at the LaVeta Gallery on Main, LaVeta, CO. Tracy Hartman Jensen Avondale, CO I’m a native Coloradoan and live with my husband and menagerie of pets in our solar adobe home in eastern Colorado. Our home and studio sits on an ancient Indian site overlooking the Arkansas River. Much of my inspiration comes from living here. Observing the ebb and flow of the river and the wildlife that is dependent upon it, it is forever changing yet constant. It’s like working with clay. The material stays the same, but the forms are ever changing. I was first introduced to the ceramic process in the mid 70’s while attending the University of Southern Colorado, where I earned my art degree with an emphasis in ceramics. After my husband and I built our home, we built our first wood fired kiln. I have since been seduced by the wood firing process. The rich earthy colors of alchemy and ash that permeates the clay and enriches the senses, it truly is a labor of love. I currently wood fire with a small dedicated group of potters composed mostly of woman. I enjoy the camaraderie and physicality of it all. However, the older I get I’m not so sure about the physical part. My favorite piece that was accepted into this show is the: Wood /soda fired Tea bowl and tray I applied to this show because I liked the theme it sounded fun. Who doesn’t like to drink? Some of my work is currently on display at the: La Veta Gallery on Main In La Veta ,CO Etsy: Magpie Pottery Works Bernadette Larimer White Sands Missile Range, NM (Ed. Note: I wouldn’t usually include the first paragraph she sent, but I loved it so much that I felt you needed to see Bernadette’s comments in their entirety.) I am sorry I did not get this to you earlier. I am traveling in China following the porcelain trail and I lost my phone with all my electronic connections in a taxi cab in Jingdezhen, China. I am a BFA candidate at NMSU my emphasis is in ceramics. I love the stark beauty of southern New Mexico and I am inspired by the animals and nature that surrounds me. I also am deeply interested and inspired by the ancient goddess religion and mythical creatures. I enjoy creating my own mythical creatures and anthropomorphic beings (such as the Antelope goddess) love to hand build sculptures using coil technique on earthen ware and high fire stone ware. I enjoy throwing on the wheel and decorating my pieces with underglaze. I use commercial glazes and I make my own glazes. I love all the pieces accepted for this show and I am excited to be a part of it! Naomi Peterson Laramie, WY I spent the majority of my life growing up in Quincy, IL, and moved out to Laramie, Wyoming to pursue a bachelor's in art at the University of Wyoming. I started my college career with a focus in painting, but after taking a hand building class, I couldn't stay out of the ceramics studio. Because of my interest in painting and ceramics, I love to combine the two in the objects I create. I find my inspiration in art history and anthropology, bringing together ideas about craft, culture and history. In the fall, I will be continuing my focus in ceramics at the University of North Texas as a graduate student. I think of each piece as an individual canvas that usually starts out as a thrown vessel that I alter through color, imagery or form manipulation. I enjoy combining both thrown and hand built components using a variety of different clays, usually a porcelain/stoneware mix. I also prefer to reduction fire my work, although because I use primarily underglaze, I often fire in oxidation as well. All of the glazes I use are studio-made, and my favorite underglazes are made by Amaco. My favorite piece that was accepted in this show is "Cabbage Flower" partially because it’s funny that it looks like both a head of cabbage and a flower, but mostly because it was the first in a series that I made just for fun. One piece in said series is the "Floral Mug" that I included in the show, but that I didn't submit to the juried portion of the show. Because I am in a transition period between undergraduate and graduate student, I am using this time to make work for fun and to push myself outside my comfort zone by trying new processes and techniques. I use shows and exhibitions such as this one to challenge myself to work within the project parameters and deadlines. You can find me on the interwebs at: https://www.instagram.com/n.ceramic/ www.naomipeterson.com Current and upcoming group shows: June 22-August 5 "Amuse Yeux" Juried by Eriq Hochuli with the FAC Board of Directors, Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO June 1-July 21 "Flora and Fauna" Juried by Shoko Teruyama, The Clay Center of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA September 7-29 "Vitreous" The Clay Center of New Orleans, LA Lora Rust Atlanta, GA In a short paragraph, tell us about yourself. Since 2008 I have been a studio potter and pottery instructor in Atlanta, GA, selling my work at my studio, local and regional art sales, exhibits and galleries. Sharing my love of working in clay, I teach beginning and intermediate pottery classes at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta with concentration in the soda firing process and workshops nationwide demonstrating my unique texturing process of pushing the clay. How did you get interested in pottery? My mother was a collector of pottery. We had loads of pottery all over our house and used it daily. When I had to take an art class in high school, I chose pottery. With your pottery, tell us about your process. I use porcelain, a cone 6 porcelain by Laguna clay. I throw, alter and texture my pieces. My stylized technique of creating my designs and texture is a unique process of striking and moving clay with personally designed tools. Porcelain allows me to sponge the marks after I make them at soft leather hard, giving the designs a lush and flowing feel. I fire my work to cone 6-7 in my soda kiln in Blue Ridge, GA. Sodium vapors glaze the exterior of each vessel, interacting and uniquely highlighting the form and surface. I make my own glazes. This allows me to get the exact effect that I want for my pieces in the soda firing environment. What is your favorite piece accepted for this event? Why? The Swam Mug. This is one of my newest patterns. I find that one pattern starts to inform another, and the designs evolve. I have enjoyed solving how to put a new pattern on different forms. With this particular mug there is an undulation to the rim. The bare clay and swan feathers react nicely with the soda spray and interior copper glaze. What has inspired you to apply for this show? I liked the collaboration with ICAN and a strong local co-op. Where can we find your work: website, social media, local galleries. My newly re-designed website LoraRust.com has expanded background and biographical information as well as an online shop. I also have a presence on Facebook - Lora Rust Ceramics and Instagram @lorarust. I am represented by Charlie Cummings Gallery, Gainesville, FL; Ember Gallery, Chattanooga, TN; The Bascom Gallery, Highlands, NC; Macon Gallery, Macon, GA. Shana Salaff Fort Collins, CO I live in Fort Collins and have been a studio potter since 1998. I am an educator as well as a regular contributor to both Pottery Making Illustrated and Ceramics Monthly magazines. I make useful ceramic vessels that are designed for aesthetic pleasure as well as utility. I am attempting, via my work, to enter into the very personal space of the viewer/user’s home, thus participating in the intimate (and very necessary) rituals of another’s daily life. From the consumption of food to the decoration of the home, function and aesthetics can co-exist in all aspects of life. My work runs the gamut between traditional or historically significant forms and inspirations and a more postmodern pastiche of style, colors, and decorative patterns. I see the items that I make as being useful “jewels” - shiny, small in stature, and made with as much care as possible. I love beauty and elegance as much as quirkiness and playfulness, and my vessels seek to allow the user to share my passions. Decoration versus content, beauty versus pragmatism; these are the dialectics that inform my work. My favorite piece in this show is my mug with orange leaves in the decoration. I like the playfulness of the color orange on an elegant form. My website is www.shanasalaff.com Instagram @shana_salaff [email protected] C.A. Traen Memphis, TN In a short paragraph, tell us about yourself. C.A. “Cat” Traen is an American sculptor and illustrator born in September 1980 near Fargo, North Dakota. Traen earned her BA and MEd from University of Nevada, Las Vegas and for over a decade she instructed a public educational ceramics program for secondary students at the Rancho Ceramics Studio in Las Vegas, NV. Recently Traen relocated to Memphis, TN to build a studio gallery with a community outreach program. Traen has taught workshops, exhibited, and is collected in the US, Europe, and Asia. How did you get interested in pottery? My initial contact with ceramic clay began at summer camp and continued into casual usage in high school art class, but it was when I studied ceramics as a required course in university, I fell in love with the responsive malleable nature of the material and saw sculpting as an opportunity to draw in three dimensions and I was hooked. With your pottery, tell us about your process. I work in a broad variety of ceramic processes, but for pottery making my preference is hand building due to the ability to manipulate form and apply layers of texture. Specifically, I prefer soft slab construction where the flat clay is impressed with various textures and found objects to develop a narrative, then assembled into a three-dimensional form and manipulated to further emphasize volume and rhythm. I am fond of B-Mix clays for their versatility as well as certain mid-range porcelains for my typical studio practices, but when travelling I look forward to using regional clays and favorites of my friends. I appreciate the individual qualities of varied approaches to firings and kilns. Every opportunity to fire with new people, places, kilns, and techniques are amply welcomed and I tailor my work to each firing situation when possible. In my typical studio practices, I love a variety of commercial glazes, but just like firings I appreciate the opportunity to explore studio-made glazes formulated by friends and colleagues. What is your favorite piece accepted for this event? Why? I sent a pair of mugs from a series titled “Mediterranean Memoir”. These works are special to me for the objects pressed into the soft clay were found or given to me on my first European workshop tour with my fiancé, ceramic artist Robert LaWarre III. It was a tremendously romantic and powerful time for me and my development as an artist and a person.
Additionally, I have only shown 4 pieces from this series as I created them with the intention of only gifting them to dear friends and family exclusively as a sort of “souvenir” of my experience abroad. So, exhibiting this design is rare and even more special to me due to the nature and intention of their creation. What has inspired you to apply for this show? As a member of ICAN, it is my pleasure to be considered for any of their juried opportunities as well, establishing connection and presence with new galleries and locales helps gain exposure for my work and possibilities for my career. Where can we find your work: website, social media, local galleries. I am currently active on Facebook as C.A. Traen and IG @catraen. My website is frequently updated with new events and features, the newest to be an online store for my product line. You can find my work at Mojo Coffee Gallery in Minneapolis, MN and a broad selection of museums and galleries in Europe and Asia. Zane Tillinghast Rochester, NH Hello! My name is Zane Tillinghast and I am a potter out of southern New Hampshire. I got my BFA in ceramics from the Maine College of Art in 2016. Outside the studio I spend a lot of time on the water, in the woods, or working in the garden. I originally got interested in pottery when I was sixteen years old. I took a couple of clay classes in high school and really enjoyed it. It wasn’t till I was a senior in high school that I began a semester long independent study with the potter’s wheel. It is one of the most difficult tools to master but I think that is sort of where my passion for clay began. I like a challenge, from then I was hooked! I create functional work with red earthenware clay. I fire all my pots in a 1976 Skutt electric kiln. I do an oxidation firing and the mature glaze temp is around 1987 degrees Fahrenheit or cone 03. The charm found in irregularity inspires the forms. Slip, red clay, and the interaction between glazes is key to the decorative aspects of each pot. I make my own slip and many of my own glazes. I use some commercial underglaze and glaze. My favorite piece accepted into this event is this uniquely shaped mug. I love the funky little handle and the way that the surface came out. I was thinking about an abstracted landscape while decorating this mug and I am happy with the result. I applied to this show because of the focus put on clay drinking vessels. I love how intimate drinking vessels are, to make and to use. My work can be found on Instagram @zanetceramics or on my website: zanetillinghast.com
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