Hey there, folks! We're thrilled to bring you Season 2 of the Colour and Ceramics Podcast @colourandceramics! Get ready for a heartwarming chat between our host, Bob Acton @bobacton, and the charismatic Anastassia Zamaraeva @a_zama_ceramics.

Anastassia, an incredible potter and art therapist hailing from London, shares her captivating journey in the realm of clay. We delve into how she cleverly intertwines clay into her art therapy while exploring the spellbinding world of colour and surface in ceramics.

So turn up the volume and join us for an unforgettable episode. Hope it brings as much joy to your day as we had recording it.

You can catch more of Anastassia on her website: https://www.azamaceramics.co.uk/ and her Instagram page: httpS://instagram.com/a_zama_ceramics. Happy listening!

And, of course, you can find us at https://colourandceramics.com or wherever you find your podcasts.

Bob Acton shares his conversation with the Canadian ceramic artist Janet Macpherson. She began studying ceramics at Sheridan College, in Toronto, ON Canada and for six years operated a studio practice making functional ceramics, participating in exhibitions, and selling her work at various Toronto galleries. In 2008 she began her MFA in ceramics at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio where she explored a more figurative approach to ceramics. Janet held an artist-in-residence/faculty position at Sheridan College in the 2012 Fall Semester, and was an artist in residence at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto from 2011 - 2014. In 2013 she was the recipient of the Winifred Shantz Award for Ceramics, given by Clay and Glass Gallery in Waterloo, Ontario, and in 2014 she was artist in residence at the Zentrum Fur Keramik in Berlin, Germany.

Jennifer's work explores the complicated relationship humans have with their physical bodies. My work explores this idea, specifically the denial of this physicality that was prevalent in my Catholic upbringing, while simultaneously asserting the body’s messy and powerful presence. This work is influenced by the history of Christianity, martyrdom, and the monstrous. Like the fragmentation of the martyred body, the monstrous body exhibits dissolution of parts, and shows in its disquieting form, hybridization, lack and excess.

You can find Jennifer at her website here: https://www.janetmacpherson.com/ and on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/janetmacpherson/

Bob Acton shares his conversation with the Canadian ceramic artist Janet Macpherson. She began studying ceramics at Sheridan College, in Toronto, ON Canada and for six years operated a studio practice making functional ceramics, participating in exhibitions, and selling her work at various Toronto galleries. In 2008 she began her MFA in ceramics at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio where she explored a more figurative approach to ceramics. Janet held an artist-in-residence/faculty position at Sheridan College in the 2012 Fall Semester, and was an artist in residence at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto from 2011 - 2014. In 2013 she was the recipient of the Winifred Shantz Award for Ceramics, given by Clay and Glass Gallery in Waterloo, Ontario, and in 2014 she was artist in residence at the Zentrum Fur Keramik in Berlin, Germany.

Jennifer's work explores the complicated relationship humans have with their physical bodies. My work explores this idea, specifically the denial of this physicality that was prevalent in my Catholic upbringing, while simultaneously asserting the body’s messy and powerful presence. This work is influenced by the history of Christianity, martyrdom, and the monstrous. Like the fragmentation of the martyred body, the monstrous body exhibits dissolution of parts, and shows in its disquieting form, hybridization, lack and excess.

You can find Jennifer at her website here: https://www.janetmacpherson.com/ and on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/janetmacpherson/

Welcome to this episode with Russell Kingston from Devonshire in England. His roots are in North Devon where everyday medieval pots from that region drew him to this work. His pots are wheel thrown and slab built. Pots are to be used, so forms are simple and robust. Rims are rolled for strength and to mirror the chunky ring at the bottom; which is used for slipping and glazing. Handles are pulled from the pot as if they have grown there. Slip is dipped, poured, brushed, trailed and splashed with animated movements. Colour is achieved using oxides in slips. Pots are then fired in a large homemade gas kiln in oxidation to 1100c or so.

You can find Russell on his website here: https://www.russellkingstonceramics.co.uk/ and on his Instagram page here https://www.instagram.com/russellkingstonceramics/

This is a brief interview of Rick Rubin, author of The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Jay Shetty. Rick's written a fantastic book on creativity and his thoughts in this clip can be of value to all creative. I hope you enjoy it.

You can find Rick in every streaming service such as YouTube and you can find his book here https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/717356/the-creative-act-by-rick-rubin/9780593652886

You can find Jay Shetty here: https://www.jayshetty.me/

Dive into the captivating world of ceramics with UK's Georgie Gardiner!

Sip your favourite brew while listening to a delightful dialogue between host Bob Acton @bobacton and our dazzling guest, Georgie @georgieceramics. Get an insider's look at her artistic process as she crafts her eye-catching surface designs that keep inspiring us all.

Don't miss the chance to see creativity in action! Join us today on the show.

Georgie also has a video on YouTube presented by Ceramic Review Masterclass @ceramicreview. Check it out here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAoajCl8PVI&t=71s

Immerse yourself in our universe of ceramics!

You can find Georgie on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/georgieceramics/ or on her website here: https://www.georgiegardiner.co.uk/

Come and join us today for a a great conversation with the wonderful Morel Doucet. Morel, currently residing in Florida, and originally from Haiti, is now a full time artist and educator.

Bob Acton and Morel https://www.moreldoucet.com/ had a wonderful conversation about his work, his purpose in producing they type of work he does, and, of course, colour and surface design.

From his artist statement:

My work explores the cultural disparity of self- realization, assimilation, and transnational identity as a Haitian immigrant. Using direct or implied human figures, I explore narratives of vulnerability, isolation, and alienation within various cultures across the globe. Within the vocabulary of indigenous art and my dreams, I create whimsical forms resulting in a diary of self-mythology.

These exchanges allude to a larger conversation about sea-level rise, environmental pollution, and the displacement between descendants of the African diaspora, and their physical environments. Through intensive detailed labor, my work mimics the current state of Black fragility. I employ ceramics, illustrations, and prints to examine the realities of climate- gentrification, migration, and displacement within the Black diaspora communities. In addressing these issues, I merge my Afro-Caribbean culture with flora and fauna and draw from the concerns of the collective consciousness of my community.

In my quest to illustrate the impact of climate-gentrification, I present work with visual impact and sensitivity —and draw inspiration from the indigenous cultures of the Amazon, Aboriginal people of Australia, and the Yoruba tribe of West Africa.

Welcome to this episode with Michelle Gregor. She is a leading sculptor and painter in California, USA . We discussed her approach to ceramic sculpture and her style in using colour in surface design.

Her sculptures have remarkably nuanced surfaces that are the end product of a great deal of improvisation and hard work. We talked about her work, each of which often goes through as many as seven or eight firings at a high temperature (low stoneware) setting that gives them their characteristic hard surfaces. Using water as a medium, Gregor applies color in pools, patches and slashes, letting gravity have its way with the wet pigments. “I like working with water as a medium for color both in fired clay work and on canvas and paper,” Gregor explains. “It pools, drips, follows contour, dries slowly and has a beautiful life of its own.”

See Michelle's work on her website here: https://www.michellegregor.com/ and her Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/michellegregor/

Bob Acton had a delightful conversation on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast with Margaret Keelan, a Canadian sculptor now living in California. Bob and Margaret spoke about her journey in clay, her approach to colour and surface design, and she shared some helpful ideas for clay artists.

You can connect with Margaret on her Instagram page here. https://www.instagram.com/margaretkeelan and her website https://margaretkeelan.com/

We hope you enjoy the show.

You can check out all the episodes on our website at https://colourandceramics.com/

In this episode, Bob talks with Chris Riccardo who works out of Montana, USA. Chris is known for his figurative sculptures both human form and animals. Bob and Chris talked about his journey in clay, how he approaches his work, and Chris talks about his current studio Omerta Arts in Helena, Montana.

You can reach Chris at his website https://chrisriccardo.com/ or his Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/chris_riccardo.