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 Liz Quackenbush. An artist since her teens, she spent decades refining the maijolica technique that allowed her to paint vivid imagery on her forms. Since then she has explored many methods for making functional pottery. She has also directed generations of students in her 20-year tenure as a professor of ceramics at Penn State University. In the interview we talk about maturing as an educator, searching for the original source for patterns, and keeping it fresh in the studio. For more information please visit www.lizquackenbush.com.

This episode of the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast is brought to you by Simon Levin’s Mill Creek Pottery. Simon is pleased to offer a self-driven workshop called the Intimate Anagama - May 16th - May 29th in Gresham, Wisconsin. Workshop attendees will get individual instruction on loading and firing techniques as they complete their own work in the 120 cubic foot anagama. Simon and his apprentices will be present throughout the two weeks, offering guidance and a helping hand.  Have you ever wanted alone time firing a giant kiln? With a focus on first-hand experience, this workshop will help you gain a sense of ownership and accomplishment. The workshop also features demonstrations, critiques, shared meals, and humor, lots and lots of humor.  You will return home tired, inspired, and empowered with a full car of your own finished work. To maintain a focus on quality, registration is limited to 7.  More information on this rare opportunity can be found at SimonLevin.com.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with four members of Objective Clay, a cooperative group that originated after its members where presenters at the Utilitarian Clay Symposium. I talk with Lindsay Oesterritter, Doug Peltzman, Jen Allen, and Deb Schwartzkopf about being creative within parameters, defining the objectives of a twelve-member group, and what it’s like to present at a symposium in front of your heroes. For more information on Objective Clay please visit www.objectiveclay.com.

Lindsay Oesterritter is based in Manassas, VA. www.loceramics.com. Doug Peltzman is based in Shokan, NY. www.dougpeltzman.com. Jen Allen is based in Morgantown, WV. www.Jenniferallenceramics.com. Deb Schwartzkopf is based in Seattle, WA. www.ratcitystudios.com.

This episode is the fifth and last installment of the Arrowmont-week series, recorded at Utilitarian Clay 7 held in Gatlinburg, TN in the fall of 2016. Part of the campus was recently destroyed by wildfires that burned large portions of Gatlinburg. To donate to the school’s rebuild fund please visit www.arrowmont.org/support. 

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Margaret Bohls. She lives in Lincoln, NE where she teaches at the University of Nebraska. She maintains a studio practice making functional pottery that references the history of Asian and European ceramics. In the interview we talk about helping students understand the meaning of objects and the value of bucking current trends to find an authentic aesthetic. For more information on her work please visit www.margaretbohls.com.

This episode is the fourth installment of the Arrowmont-week series, recorded at UC7 held in Gaitlinburg, TN in the fall of 2016. Part of the campus was recently destroyed by wildfires that burned large portions of Gatlinburg. To donate to the school’s rebuild fund please visit www.arrowmont.org/support. Every day this week I’ll release a new UC7 themed interview so check back tomorrow for a new episode.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Louise Rosenfield. After many years as a ceramics maker she turned to collecting functional pottery, and now has one of the premier collections in the United States. In the interview we talk about how to make a content-rich functional object, building a collection, and how we can encourage new buyers to collect ceramics. To see images of the Rosenfield Collection visit www.rosenfieldcollection.com.

This episode is the third installment of the Arrowmont-week series, recorded at UC7 held in Gaitlinburg, TN in the fall of 2016. Part of the campus was recently destroyed by wildfires that burned large portions of Gatlinburg. To donate to the school’s rebuild fund please visit www.arrowmont.org/support. Every day this week I’ll release a new UC7 themed interview so check back tomorrow for a new episode.

Today on Tales of a Red Clay Rambler I have an interview with Joy Tanner and Will Baker. Together they operate Wood Song Pottery in Bakersville, NC, making individual bodies of atmospheric-fired ceramics. In the interview we talk about being resident artists at the Odyssey Center, striking out to start their own studio, and leaning on the ceramic process for inspiration. For more information on Joy visit www.joytannerpottery.com. For more information on Will visit www.williambakerpottery.com.

This episode is the second installment of the Arrowmont-week series, recorded at UC7 held in Gatlinburg, TN in the fall of 2016. Part of the campus was recently destroyed by wildfires that burned large portions of Gatlinburg. To donate to the school’s rebuild fund please visit www.arrowmont.org/support. Every day this week I’ll release a new UC7 themed interview so check back tomorrow for a new episode.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler I have an interview with Bill Griffith and Peter Beasecker. Together they coordinate the Utilitarian Clay Symposium, held every four years to celebrate utilitarian clay objects. In our interview we talk about the first UC held in 1992, the value of handmade in our time, and memorable presenter stories from past symposiums. For more information on Utilitarian Clay visit www.arrowmont.org. For more information on Bill please visit www.billgriffithclay.com. For more info on Peter please visit www.peterbeasecker.com.

This episode is the first of a series recorded at UC7 held in Gaitlinburg, TN in the fall of 2016. To start the series we have a special guest appearance by Bill May, the director of Arrowmont. We discuss the recent wildfires that destroyed sections of Gatlinburg and the Arrowmont campus. To donate to the school’s rebuild fund please visit www.arrowmont.org/support. Every day this week I’ll release a new UC7 themed interview so check back tomorrow for a new episode.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler I have a live taping of the podcast featuring Matt Metz, Bob Briscoe, Dan Finnegan and Richard Aerni. Our wide-ranging discussion focuses on the invitational show/tour model for which multiple artists come together to attract a larger buying audience. Shows of this nature originated with The Old Church Pottery Invitational in 1975 and have grown to include more than a dozen events spread across the country. This discussion was taped in front of a live audience at the Genessee Center for the Arts in Rochester, NY.

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by THINK BIG, a six-week e-course that covers practical skills for growing your small business. Molly Hatch and I had such a positive response from our last class that we are now offering Think BIG and Think BIG 2 at the same time! If you missed out on the opportunity to take one of these in the past you can now sign up for either session, or take both simultaneously. The next session starts January 5th so sign up today. To find more information please visit www.carterpottery.com/thinkbig.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler I talk with Patti Warashina. Her illustrious career in clay spans over five decades and includes more than three decades teaching at the University of Washington in Seattle. Her large-scale sculptures often show the human figure moving through imagined landscapes. In our interview we talk about her 1986 tour de force “A Procession” which depicts 76 figures representing Seattle’s burgeoning arts scene traveling over a bridge. We also discuss the benefits of aging as an artist, teaching at the University of Washington, and her subversive attitude towards gender roles. For more information on her work please visit www.talesofaredclayrambler.com/episodeguide.

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by THINK BIG, a six-week e-course that covers practical skills for growing your small business. Molly Hatch and I had such a positive response from our last class that we are now offering Think BIG and Think BIG 2 at the same time! If you missed out on the opportunity to take one of these in the past you can now sign up for either session, or take both simultaneously. The next session starts January 5th so sign up today. To find more information please visit www.carterpottery.com/thinkbig.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler I talk with Carol Gouthro. Having worked in clay for almost forty years, Gouthro makes ceramic art that is inspired by the lush environment of the American Northwest. Seeds, blooms and other biomorphic elements create the feeling that her pieces might come alive and scurry across the table. In our interview we talk about falling in love with color, being fascinated with the microscopic world, and incorporating the influence of art history in her current body of sculpture. For more information please visit www.carolgouthro.com.

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by THINK BIG, a six-week e-course that covers practical skills for growing your small business. Molly Hatch and I had such a positive response from our last class that we are now offering Think BIG and Think BIG 2 at the same time! If you missed out on the opportunity to take one of these in the past you can now sign up for either session, or take both simultaneously. The next session starts January 5th so sign up today. To find more information please visit THINK BIG at www.carterpottery.com.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler I talk with Deb Schwartzkopf. For more than a decade she lived from coast to coast, studying ceramics and taking part in artist-in-residence programs. Deb’s circuitous path to setting up her studio represents a trend many itinerant potters of her generation experience. Upon returning home to Seattle, WA she bought a home and built Rat City Studios, named after the neighborhood in which she lives. In our interview we talk about utilizing criticism from a teacher to improve your work, returning to a challenging form for aesthetic resolution, and cultivating a garden and other hobbies that feed one’s studio practice. To find out more about her work please visit www.ratcitystudios.com.