The Kiln Sitters

We are back and happy to bring you a live recording that happened at the 2023 NCECA conference in Richmond, VA. Today’s episode features a conversation with Carole Epp, Naomi Clement, Diana Adams, and Sarah Pike about their approach to making a living as a potter in the digital age. Each of these four trailblazing artists has figured out how to make a living as a full-time potter on their own terms. From sold-out online shop updates to setting up a virtual school and membership platform and working on major brand collaborations, they discuss the process of running a creative business. Special thanks to NCECA for co-producing this episode and supporting podcasting in the ceramic community.

Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:

Bray Clay www.archiebrayclay.com

We are back from our hiatus to bring you a live recording that happened at the 2023 New Clay Conference in Ottawa, ON. Carole and Marianne talk with presenters Martina Lantin, Zoe Pinnell, Marina Lespérance Lopez, and our co-host Ben Carter (Tales of a Red Clay Rambler). We discuss the high-risk high-reward nature of ceramics, finding work/life balance as a parent, and the vibrant state of the Canadian ceramic community. A big thanks to Kaitlyn Brennan for organizing the conference and to the Richcraft Theatre tech crew for recording this evening.

Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:

Bray Clay www.archiebrayclay.com

To wrap up season 2, Brendan Tang talks with Toronto based artist Natalie Waddell. They make functional work and describe themselves as a maker of things. In the interview they talk about working across mediums and developing their signature darted and folded forms. Today’s Kaolin Crushes are Elissa Barber, Goyer Bonneau, and Natania Nurenburg.

Today’s episode is brought to you by:

For the past 100 years, AMACO Brent has been creating ceramic supplies for our community ranging from underglazes to Electric kilns, ...and they have no plans of slowing down. www.amaco.com

The Bray is actively committed to promoting, celebrating, and sustaining the ceramic arts through its residency program, education center, and gallery. www.archiebray.org

This week on the Kiln Sitters Marianne sits down with Cilia Sawadogo, a renowned animation and film artist who is taking on the medium of ceramics. Cilia shares her path to learning the complexity of clay through her collaborations with several ceramic artists and residencies. She also discusses her participation in the local ceramic community, as well as the influence of popular culture in her art making. Cilia is an Associate Professor in Film Animation at Concordia University. Today’s Kaolin Crushes are Rice Evans, Pansy Ass Ceramics, and Hannah Johnson.

Today’s episode is brought to you by:

For the past 100 years, AMACO Brent has been creating ceramic supplies for our community ranging from underglazes to Electric kilns, ...and they have no plans of slowing down. www.amaco.com

The Bray is actively committed to promoting, celebrating, and sustaining the ceramic arts through its residency program, education center, and gallery. www.archiebray.org

Our host Carole Epp didn’t travel far for today’s episode where she sits down with Chad Berg of Saskatoon Clayworks. The two chat about the health of the local ceramic community, its steady growth even during Covid, and the space that Chad has provided for makers to hone their craft. Saskatchewan has a long vibrant history of ceramics deserving of international recognition; from historical influence of the California Funk movement brought here by David Gilhooly, to modern makers such as Jeannie Mah, Sandra Ledingham, Anita Rocamora, Janet Ng, Martin Tagseth, and Clint Neufeld. In this episode we learn how Clayworks has expanded and grown to accommodate a growing community of new makers and ceramic enthusiasts in the province. Today’s kaolin crushes are Joelle Déry, Paula Cooley, and Vera Vicente.

Today’s episode is brought to you by:

For the past 100 years, AMACO Brent has been creating ceramic supplies for our community ranging from underglazes to Electric kilns, ...and they have no plans of slowing down. www.amaco.com

The Bray is actively committed to promoting, celebrating, and sustaining the ceramic arts through its residency program, education center, and gallery. www.archiebray.org

Today we open up The Kiln Sitters mail bag for a special episode on education. The gang talk about being an international student, studio options after leaving school, and strategies for paying for your education. A big thank you to the listeners who submitted their questions. If you have questions or comments shoot us an email us at [email protected].

Today’s episode is brought to you by:

For the past 100 years, AMACO Brent has been creating ceramic supplies for our community ranging from underglazes to Electric kilns, ...and they have no plans of slowing down. www.amaco.com

The Bray is actively committed to promoting, celebrating, and sustaining the ceramic arts through its residency program, education center, and gallery. www.archiebray.org

On this episode Brendan sits down with Heidi McKenzie, a Toronto-based mixed media artist. In their conversation they talk about Mckenzie’s ceramic practice, the inclusion of photography, augmented reality, and Modernism. They also talked about Mckenzie’s scholarly and EDI work in the ceramic community. McKenzie has an active exhibition schedule, including RECLAIMED: Indo-Caribbean HerStories now on display until August 27th, 2023 at the Gardiner Museum. Before this chat the group sits down and talks about how their own practices might have been influenced by school… for better or for worse…

Today’s Kaolin Crushes are: Shary Boyle, Marie Serreau, and Jeannie Mah.

Today’s episode is brought to you by:

For the past 100 years, AMACO Brent has been creating ceramic supplies for our community ranging from underglazes to Electric kilns, ...and they have no plans of slowing down. www.amaco.com

The Bray is actively committed to promoting, celebrating, and sustaining the ceramic arts through its residency program, education center, and gallery. www.archiebray.org

On today’s episode Marianne talks with Wai-Yant Li, a professional ceramist living in Montreal QC, about many aspects of being a full-time ceramic artist, including the realities of participating in large craft sales and how to sustain a potter business over time. Wai-Yant shares their path to being a potter, their investment in their community, and ways in which they create inclusive spaces within their practice and studio. Join us for this amiable interview. Today’s Kaolin Crushes are: Richard Mund, Louise Bousquet, and Juliet Promnitz.

Today’s episode is brought to you by:

For the past 100 years, AMACO Brent has been creating ceramic supplies for our community ranging from underglazes to Electric kilns, ...and they have no plans of slowing down. www.amaco.com

The Bray is actively committed to promoting, celebrating, and sustaining the ceramic arts through its residency program, education center, and gallery. www.archiebray.org

On this week’s episode Brendan sits down with Toni Losey, a ceramic artist based on the east coast of Canada. They chat about the not so straight forward path to being an artist, as well as creating space for one’s practice. Before the interview, the Kiln Sitters themselves talk about their own “sliding door” moments in their lives. Today’s Kaolin Crushes are: Maria Moldovan, Mel Arsenault, Michael Flaherty

Today’s episode is brought to you by:

For the past 100 years, AMACO Brent has been creating ceramic supplies for our community ranging from underglazes to Electric kilns, ...and they have no plans of slowing down. www.amaco.com

The Bray is actively committed to promoting, celebrating, and sustaining the ceramic arts through its residency program, education center, and gallery. www.archiebray.org

This week on the Kiln Sitters, Carole sits down with Julie Mackinnon to discuss the incredible work she does as a master maker for over 20 years, and also how she has transformed the lives of so many in her community through the Hey Julie School of Clay. From humble beginnings bringing clay to the locals on Salt Spring Island, to fundraising and building the school/studio of her dreams, we find out more about the endless energy of this passionate and inspirational Canadian ceramic artist. 

Today’s Kaolin Crushes are: Eiko Maeda, Stéphanie Goyer , and Dawn Candy.

Today’s episode is brought to you by:

For the past 100 years, AMACO Brent has been creating ceramic supplies for our community ranging from underglazes to Electric kilns, ...and they have no plans of slowing down. www.amaco.com

The Bray is actively committed to promoting, celebrating, and sustaining the ceramic arts through its residency program, education center, and gallery. www.archiebray.org