Tales of a Red Clay Rambler: A pottery and ceramic art podcast

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with curator and scholar Paul Greenhalgh. His recently published book Ceramic Art and Civilisation establishes a historical through line linking four transformative eras into a larger history that explains how ceramics helped civilizations flourish. In our interview we talk about the great aesthetic transformers (Mediterranean classical era, the Middle East, China, and the modern era), how museums structure the public's understanding of history, and why skill remains an important aspect of art history. Paul is currently Executive Director at the Sainsbury Centre, UK, a gallery and think-tank that is part of the University of East Anglia, where he is also Professor of Art History and Museum Strategy. . For more information visit www.paulgreenhalgh.net.

I want to give a shout out to KC Clay Guild for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. KC Clay Guild has been supporting ceramic artists and providing a space to explore clay in Kansas City, Missouri since 1988. The guild is accepting applications for their Artist-in-Residence Program until April 15th. This program is open to anyone who is looking to jump start their ceramics career. The guild has been upgrading their already well-equipped studio and will be adding a new Blaauw Gas kiln in 2021. Benefits include a private studio space, free firing, opportunities to teach, and an annual stipend. Check out www.kcclayguild.org/AIR to learn more.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Juan Barroso. His ceramic forms are decorated with finely painted pointillist images of family members and objects that link to childhood memories and immigrant narratives. In our interview we talk about taking the "handyman" approach to art making, how pointillism stands as a metaphor for labor, and how art is a conduit for expressing emotion. To see examples of Juan's work visit www.juanbarrosoart.com.

I want to send a special than you to ClayShare for sponsoring the podcast. Through their online ceramic education platform, they offer hundreds of full-length classes, as well as thousands of instructional videos that can be streamed straight to your smart TV or compatible device. They offer a wide range of topics that are perfect for the beginner to the experienced potter. With your membership you will receive weekly live tutorial broadcasts, access to virtual workshops with well-known artists, and special discounts on ceramic supplies. If you sign up today use the offer code Rambler25 to receive a 25% discount on your first three months. To sign up today visit clayshare.com.

The long rise of anti-Asian violence in the U.S. is a stark example of xenophobia and white supremacist violence. I hope you will join me in committing to stand against this violence by learning tips for Bystander Intervention. The organization Hollaback! has partnered with Asian Americans Advancing Justice to provide free bystander intervention training, as well as de-escalation training to help the public learn how to safely step in when you see violence online or in person. To sign up for a free training visit www.ihollaback.org/bystanderintervention

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with curator and scholar Wendy Gers. She has curated numerous international exhibitions including the First Central China International Ceramics Biennale in 2016 and the Taiwan Ceramics Biennale in 2014. In our interview we talk about the dynamics of curating, the award-winning exhibition Post Colonialism?, and how ceramic studios might join the Green movement by applying best practices for environmental management. To see examples of her curation visit www.wendygers.org.

On today's Amaco Community Corkboard we have Savannah Clay Community's SIP cup show. Artists are invited to submit up to three drinking vessels to be juried by Renee Lopresti for their annual cup show. This year's exhibition is taking place all-online and the deadline for submissions is midnight EST on March 31st, 2021. For more information visit www.savannahclaycommunity.com.

I want to give a shout out to KC Clay Guild for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. KC Clay Guild has been supporting ceramic artists and providing a space to explore clay in Kansas City, Missouri since 1988. The guild is accepting applications for their Artist-in-Residence Program until April 15th. This program is open to anyone who is looking to jump start their ceramics career. The guild has been upgrading their already well-equipped studio and will be adding a new Blaauw Gas kiln in 2021. Benefits include a private studio space, free firing, opportunities to teach, and an annual stipend. Check out www.kcclayguild.org/AIR to learn more.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Mark Shapiro. He is a noted potter and author of ceramic history based in western Massachusetts. In this interview we focus on his research into Thomas Commeraw, one of the most important potters working in New York City in the early 1800's. We discuss the iconic Oyster jars that are attributed to his studio, his political and religious life within the African American community, and his participation in a tumultuous colonial project in Sierra Leonne. For more information visit www.stonepoolpottery.com. To read an example of Mark's previous research check out his book on Karen Karnes, A Chosen Path, which was published by the University of North Carolina Press in 2010.

On today's Amaco Community Corkboard we have Savannah Clay Community's SIP cup show. Artists are invited to submit up to three drinking vessels to be juried by Renee Lopresti for their annual cup show. This year's exhibition is taking place all-online and the deadline for submissions is midnight EST on March 31st, 2021. For more information visit www.savannahclaycommunity.com.

I want to send a special than you to ClayShare for sponsoring the podcast. Through their online ceramic education platform, they offer hundreds of full-length classes, as well as thousands of instructional videos that can be streamed straight to your smart TV or compatible device. They offer a wide range of topics that are perfect for the beginner to the experienced potter. With your membership you will receive weekly live tutorial broadcasts, access to virtual workshops with well-known artists, and special discounts on ceramic supplies. If you sign up today use the offer code Rambler25 to receive a 25% discount on your first three months. To sign up today visit clayshare.com.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Natalia Arbelaez. Her terracotta sculptures often involve figures interacting with one another or conveying emotion with their facial expressions. She draws from her Colombian family's immigration story to tell a larger cultural history of hybridization that is a result of migration. In our interview we talk about activating ceramic objects through performance, and the research and art making she has been doing around artists of color in museum collections. To see examples of her work visit www.nataliaarbelaez.com. She is also one of the co-organizers of the Color Network, an organization founded to aid in the advancement of people of color in the ceramic arts. For more information visit www.thecolornetwork.org.

I want to give a shout out to KC Clay Guild for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. KC Clay Guild has been supporting ceramic artists and providing a space to explore clay in Kansas City, Missouri since 1988. The guild is accepting applications for their Artist-in-Residence Program until April 15th. This program is open to anyone who is looking to jump start their ceramics career. The guild has been upgrading their already well-equipped studio and will be adding a new Blaauw Gas kiln in 2021. Benefits include a private studio space, free firing, opportunities to teach, and an annual stipend. Check out www.kcclayguild.org/AIR to learn more.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Brett Kern. His ceramic sculptures of dinosaurs and spacemen are tied to his love of collectable toys and pop culture nostalgia. In our interview we talk about making slip cast molds from the inflatables he creates, dealing with flippers who buy his work to resell on eBay, and his recent exhibition The Lost World. The yearlong exhibition at the Erie Art Museum featured sculptures of Rocky, E.T., and other 1980's icons rendered in a Hellenistic style. For more information visit www.brettkernart.com.

On today's Amaco Community Corkboard we have the Southern Crossings Pottery Festival. SXPF is a volunteer run non-profit with a focus on celebrating handmade pottery and the makers who nourish our lives and those around us. They have transitioned their festival to happen virtually this year March 5-7. In addition to this year's sale the festival is also hosting a benefit raffle for Blessings in a Backpack working to feed children in the greater Louisville area. To join in these virtual events, visit www.SXPF.org.

I want to send a special than you to ClayShare for sponsoring the podcast. Through their online ceramic education platform, they offer hundreds of full-length classes, as well as thousands of instructional videos that can be streamed straight to your smart TV or compatible device. They offer a wide range of topics that are perfect for the beginner to the experienced potter. With your membership you will receive weekly live tutorial broadcasts, access to virtual workshops with well-known artists, and special discounts on ceramic supplies. If you sign up today use the offer code Rambler25 to receive a 25% discount on your first three months. To sign up today visit clayshare.com.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Masa Sasaki. His functional pots are decorated with vibrant color schemes emphasizing motifs of deer, one-eyed aliens and punctuation marks, forming a cryptic biography for the viewer to decode. In the interview we talk about the meaning behind his symbols, how previous professions helped build skills for his ceramic career and developing a market for his work. To see examples of his pots, visit www.masasasakiceramics.com.

On today's Amaco Community Corkboard we have the Southern Crossings Pottery Festival. SXPF is a volunteer run non-profit with a focus on celebrating handmade pottery and the makers who nourish our lives and those around us. They have transitioned their festival to happen virtually this year March 5-7. This year's lineup includes a great group of artists from across the US, who you can talk to at Meet the Artist zoom events that are happening this week Feb 25, 26 & 27. The festival is also hosting a benefit raffle for Blessings in a Backpack working to feed children in the greater Louisville area. To join in these virtual events, visit www.SXPF.org.

I want to give a shout out to KC Clay Guild for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. KC Clay Guild has been supporting ceramic artists and providing a space to explore clay in Kansas City, Missouri since 1988. The guild is accepting applications for their Artist in Residence Program until April 15th. This program is open to anyone who is looking to jump start their ceramics career. The guild has been upgrading their already well-equipped studio and will be adding a new Blaauw Gas kiln in 2021. Benefits include a private studio space, free firing, opportunities to teach, and an annual stipend. Check out www.kcclayguild.org/AIR to learn more.

Noted Navajo sculptor and ceramic artist Christine McHorse died earlier this week. She was born in 1948 in Morenci, Arizona and started working full-time in the arts after attending the Institute of American Indian Arts in Sante Fe in the 1960's. At the school she met her husband Joel and learned to make ceramics in the Pueblo style from his family. After more than two decades selling at the Santa Fe Indian Market, she transitioned into a style of sculptural vessels that drew national and international acclaim. In our interview we talk about shifting her work into the fine art world and developing her forms in micaceous clay and bronze. This interview was originally recorded in 2016.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Jessica Putnam Phillips. Jessica creates objects that are decorated with depictions of women in combat situations juxtaposed against floral patterns from historical dinnerware. She uses the pairing to question and contrast the role women play in both domestic and public service. In our interview we talk about using art to personalize military experience, how creative work can help service members deal with stress-related disorders, and ClayShare, an online ceramic education platform that she founded in 2018. For more information visit www.jessicaputnamphillips.com or www.clayshare.com.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Mandy Kolahi. She co-founded POT, a community studio in Los Angeles, to create a safe space for artists of color and other marginalized groups to work in ceramics. In our interview we talk about how the founding principles of equality guided the growth of the studio, how they have pivoted their programming since the pandemic, and how studios like POT can break the opportunity cycle for the next generation of artists. For more information visit www.potstudiola.com. LA County has reduced business occupancy to twenty percent, putting a major squeeze on POT's business plan. They have launched a Go Fund Me campaign to help them keep their doors open for the next six months. For more information visit www.gofundme.com/f/help-pot.