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

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a rebroadcast of a 2015 interview with an icon of the American studio pottery movement, Warren Mackenzie. After an early apprenticeship at the Leach Pottery in St. Ives, Cornwall (1949-1952), Mackenzie became a ceramic professor at the University of Minnesota (1953-1990). During his nearly four-decade tenure at the school, he influenced generations of students including Michael Simon, Randy Johnston, Sandy Simon, Mark Pharis and many more. In the interview we talk about his time at the Leach Pottery, pricing for domestic wares, and his thoughts on what makes a good pot. Warren passed peacefully in his Stillwater, MN home on December 31st, 2018.

I want to send a special thank you to the Studio Potter Journal for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. Since 1972, the Studio Potter non-profit organization has promoted the discussion of technology, criticism, aesthetics, and history within the ceramic's community, through their semi-annual print and online journal. Many guests of this podcast have written for the journal and you can find those articles along with more information and more information about how to subscribe at www.studiopotter.org.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Liz Zlot Summerfield. Her hand-built pottery is created in small groups, or collections, using color and pattern to create visual interplay between the forms. She says of the idea, "Within a collection, everyday objects have the ability to gain importance as members of a whole. They start to become more than the sum of their parts, subtle nuances are noticed, and there is the potential to give value to valueless objects." In our interview we talk about the psychological impact of color, building a bisque library of forms, and establishing work-life balance. To see examples of her work visit www.lzspottery.com. This episode was taped as part of the Red Handed Symposium at the Clay Lady Campus in Nashville, TN.

I want to send a special thank you to Ceramic Materials Workshop for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. Ceramicists at all levels can now learn how clay and glazes function in convenient online courses taught by Matt Katz. Ceramic Materials ​Workshop will help you explore why clay and glazes work empowering you to troubleshoot problems and generate creative solutions in your own studio. Visit www.ceramicmaterialsworkshop.com to register for the next session, which starts January 2nd.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Marty Fielding. His ceramic vessels live at the scale of domestic pottery, but often feel monumental with their architectural volumes and angles. In our interview we talk about his love of Frank Gehry's architecture, building up layers of underglaze to create abstract fields of color, and how music has shaped his creative practice. For more information on Marty visit www.martyfielding.com. This episode was taped as part of the Red Handed Symposium at the Clay Lady Campus in Nashville, TN.

I want to send a special thank you to Ceramic Materials Workshop for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. Ceramicists at all levels can now learn how clay and glazes function in convenient online courses taught by Matt Katz. Ceramic Materials ​Workshop will help you explore why clay and glazes work empowering you to troubleshoot problems and generate creative solutions in your own studio. Visit www.ceramicmaterialsworkshop.com to register for the next session, which starts January 2nd.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Amy Sanders. Her hand-built pottery is decorated with stamped patterns and layers of terra sigillata that refer to her love of vintage clothing and fabric. In our interview we talk about developing low fire surfaces, using the 80% rule in the studio and the value of an artist's group. Amy is a member of Thrown Together, a group of four artists who exhibit their work together and provide feedback on each other's work. For more information on Amy's work visit www.amysanderspottery.com. For more information on Thrown Together visit www.throwntogetherpotters.com. This episode was taped as part of the Red Handed Symposium at the Clay Lady Campus in Nashville, TN.

I want to send a special thank you to Joel Cherrico Pottery for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. Every month, Joel films a great series of instructional videos that show how he operates his studio giving insights into making a living as a potter. To see those, search Cherrico Pottery on Facebook and after you do sign up to support the video channel at www.patreon.com/cherricopottery.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Ronan Peterson. The surface of his pottery is decorated with colorful terra sigillatas and bright glazes that reference the cycle of growth and decay in the natural world. In our interview we talk about the influence of comic books on his aesthetic, learning to critique his pottery, and pushing a body of work until it lives in its own reality. For more information on Ronan visit www.ninetoespottery.com.

Hey Red Clay Rambler fans, thanks for listening to this episode and for supporting the show with your donations and iTunes comments. About a year ago I started using Patreon to create a sustaining membership campaign. It has been a great tool to raise funds, but I continue to need your help to meet my operating budget. If you can spare a few dollars a month I ask that you sign up at www.patreon.com/redclayrambler or give a one-time donation through the Pay Pal portal at www.talesofaredclayrambler.com. Every dollar helps, and no donation is too small. Thanks for helping to keep this show on the air!

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a live episode featuring Liz Zlot Summerfield, Ronan Peterson, Amy Sanders and Marty Fielding. Our wide-ranging conversation includes advocating for handmade through arts education, creating engaging low fire surfaces and why potters seem to dress like their pots. This episode was taped in front of a live audience as part of the Red Handed Symposium at the Clay Lady Campus in Nashville, TN.

Liz Zlot Summerfield is a ceramic artist based in Bakersville, NC. For more information visit www.lzspottery.com. Ronan Peterson is a ceramic artist based in Chapel Hill, NC. For more information visit www.ninetoespottery.com. Amy Sanders is a ceramic artist based in Charlotte, NC. For more information visit www.amysanderspottery.com. Marty Fielding is a ceramic artist based in Tallahassee, FL. For more information visit www.martyfielding.com.

Hey Red Clay Rambler fans, thanks for listening to this episode and for supporting the show with your iTunes comments. About a year ago I started using Patreon to create a sustaining membership campaign. It has been a great tool to raise funds, but I continue to need your help to meet my operating budget. If you can spare a few dollars a month I ask that you sign up at www.patreon.com/redclayrambler or give a one-time donation through the Pay Pal portal at www.talesofaredclayrambler.com. Every dollar helps, and no donation is too small. Thanks for helping to keep this show on the air!

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a lecture by noted potter and educator Linda Arbuckle on the merits of low fire terracotta. She delivered this talk as the keynote speech at the Red Handed Symposium, held in May of 2018 in Nashville, TN. In her lecture Linda talks about her introduction to terracotta at the Cleveland Art Institute, historic traditions who worked with low fire materials, and how to make a functionally sound low fire glaze. For more information on Linda visit www.lindaarbuckle.com.

I want to send a special thank you to the Studio Potter Journal for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. Since 1972, the Studio Potter non-profit organization has promoted the discussion of technology, criticism, aesthetics, and history within the ceramic's community, through their semi-annual print and online journal. Many guests of this podcast have written for the journal and you can find those articles along with more information and more information about how to subscribe at www.studiopotter.org.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Richard Stratton. He uses late 19th century industrial ceramic techniques to make sculptural vessels that are steeped in the aesthetics of modernist architecture. In our interview we talk about how mud larking on the banks of the Thames reignited his interest in English industrial ceramics, the importance of research on aesthetic development, and selling ceramics in the NZ fine art market. For more information on Richard visit www.richard-stratton-ceramics.nz. This interview is part of a New Zealand series taped in April and May of 2018. I want to send a special thank you to the Ceramics Association of New Zealand for their support in making the series. To join the association, or to subscribe to their journal Ceramics New Zealand, visit www.ceramicsnz.org.

Hey Red Clay Rambler fans, I need your help to keep this show on the air. We need 5 new patrons to reach our monthly fundraising goal. Visit www.patreon.com/redclayrambler to pledge your support and become a sustaining member. We have a batch of rewards to offer including the new Vintage Radio shirt, handmade pots, posters and much more. Visit www.patreon.com/redclayrambler to sign up today.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Nicole Kolig. Nicole's studio and farm are nestled into the side of an extinct cinder cone volcano that rises above the surrounding Otago Peninsula outside of Dunedin, NZ. In our interview we talk about harvesting local ceramic materials for sculpture, the history of the Ceramic Association of New Zealand, and her time working with indigenous artists in the Kimberly region of Australia in the early 1970's. This interview is part of a New Zealand series taped in April and May of 2018. I want to send a special thank you to the Ceramics Association of New Zealand for their support in making the series. To join the association, or to subscribe to their journal Ceramics New Zealand, visit www.ceramicsnz.org.

Hey Red Clay Rambler fans, I need your help to keep this show on the air. We need 5 new patrons to reach our monthly fundraising goal. Visit www.patreon.com/redclayrambler to pledge your support and become a sustaining member. We have a batch of rewards to offer including the new Vintage Radio shirt, handmade pots, posters and much more. Visit www.patreon.com/redclayrambler to sign up today.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Cheryl Lucas. Throughout her ceramic career she has worked in many formats including functional pottery, sculptural installation and architectural work. In 2011 multiple earthquakes hit her home area of Christchurch, devastating the city and creating a turning point in Cheryl's work. She has reacted to the destruction and subsequent rebuilding of the city with multiple bodies of work that deal with the events. In our interview we talk about making art as a way to make sense of tragedy, transitioning between technical and conceptual bodies of work, and helping to rebuild the city by making large scale chimney pots used on historic buildings. For more information on Cheryl's work please visit her profile on the International Academy of Ceramics www.aic-iac.org/en/member/lilian-cheryl-lucas/.

This interview is part of a New Zealand series taped in April and May of 2018. I want to send a special thank you to the Ceramics Association of New Zealand for their support in making the series. To join the association, or to subscribe to their journal Ceramics New Zealand, visit www.ceramicsnz.org.

Hey Red Clay Rambler fans, I need your help to keep this show on the air. We need 5 new patrons to reach our monthly fundraising goal. Visit www.patreon.com/redclayrambler to pledge your support and become a sustaining member. We have a batch of rewards to offer including the new Vintage Radio shirt, handmade pots, posters and much more. Visit www.patreon.com/redclayrambler to sign up today.