I recently acquired this book, Finding One’s Way With Clay by Paulus Berensohn – thanks Desiree Kenafake!
It’s a lovely read and makes one think about the power of working with clay.
His video is also excellent!
Enjoy!
Marian
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Wow! What a great exhibit and artist! While in Santa Fe, New Mexico, we went to the Museum of Contemporary Native Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico and luckily got to see this exhibit. Thought you’d like to see it too.
Christine Nofchissey McHorse’s work gives one a feeling of nature with a subtle erotic undertone.
Here is a clip of the video that runs at the exhibit of Christine talking about her work and her influences:
When I signed up for the Figurative Sculpture Workshop in San Miguel de Allende, I really didn’t know what I was getting into! See previous blog post here.
As I write this, I’m still a little shell-shocked – can’t believe I got to go;
I can’t believe the town of San Miguel de Allende and the Easter celebration; Two words: SIMPLY AMAZING! This is a video of the Easter Sunday Morning Celebration – blowing up Judas and various other nefarious creations.
I can’t believe I was in the company of such great artists, people, friends, mentors;
.
Annie
I can’t believe how much I’ve learned, felt, experienced.
It was all a bit heady – surreal – and being back in Australia makes me a bit homesick for all that culture, colour, food, laid back feel and the feeling of possibilities.
Here are a few pics to give you a taste of the town, the food, the people and the workshop:
I really don’t know what I expected this workshop to be, but it was not a step-by-step class on how to sculpt the figure! Most of the participants had sculpted before and knew the basics. I did not…
It was more like performance art with three artists working simultaneously and individually.
The very first day about 1 hour into the workshop, we had a LIVE model arrive in a robe and a g-string! I wasn’t’ expecting that!
We had to sculpt a maquette of our model. I started on the back side of him, so the buttocks were in the right place….until I got back around (we moved in a circular fashion and sculpted what we saw from that vantage point) to his back side, it was totally in the wrong place! I thought it was hilarious, but I’m not sure anyone else did! I was in the midst of serious sculptors.
But, man o man! Can these ladies sculpt, teach, entertain, mentor and enthuse!
Lisa Clague, Cristina Cordova-Soto and Kelly Garrett Rathbone are each superstars in their own right in the world of Figurative Sculpture! They weaved their information and magic in a two and fro fashion for the group of 20 students, all the while entrancing us with their vast knowledge, talent, humor and fabulous personas!
Throughout the workshop they were being assisted by Adria, Alberto and Shae to keep the show rolling.
One couldn’t ask for a more challenging, yet inspiring, atmosphere.
I’m back home, recuperating from a surgery, and dying to try my hand at sculptures! My head is so full of images and ideas.
So another area of ceramics that I love and want to learn more about! Focus, Marian, Focus!!!
Love to all,
Marian
I had never heard of Gustavo Perez. But after seeing his work at Mayer Shacter’s Galeria Atotonilco, I decided I needed to know about this incredible ceramic artist. His work is quite unique, subtle, but sophisticated.
Here is a video showing Gustavo Perez at work: Enjoy!
Such a great artist!
Peace out,
Marian
Beatice Woods is such an iconic figure amongst potters. I LOVE her!!! This video really made me love her more! What a character – wish she were still alive – I’d love to meet her and have a chat. I think we could be best friends!
Wicked Wednesday’s WOW!!! Mayer Shacter’s Galeria Atotonilco
Wow! We were so lucky to get to see this amazing gallery and home!
One of the most amazing side trips on the San Miguel Workshop Adventure, was an visit to Mayer Shacter’s Galeria Atotonilco. It’s his amazing home, but also his art collection and he offers it for tours and organized visits. I cannot even tell you how overwhelming this place was!
Mayer Shacter was a amazing potter in his own right. Here he is with some of his own work.
However, he is now a collector and purveyor of fine art, especially Mexican Folk Art, Exceptional Mexican Country Antiques, Vintage Textiles, and historic photographs. Not one inch of his property is left unembellished and adorned with fabulous art! It’s absolutely everywhere you look.
We all enjoyed relaxing and looking around!
Here are a few pics to give you an idea of what we saw:
Here is a video about the gallery:
He has a huge collection of the work of Gustavo Perez. See next blog post!
You must go if you get a chance!
Love to all! Now go make something!
Marian
The Pottery Studio To Die For – Barro.Co Clay Studio in San Miguel de Allende
One of the highlights of the Figurative Sculpture Workshop that I attended in San Miguel de Allende was that it was held at Barro.Co Clay Studio in San Miguel de Allende.
We arrived in San Miguel de Allende a day early so dropped by the studio to have a look. And Wow! What a look!
Adria and Alberto have this place fitted out so beautifully!
Here are some pics of the studio!
‘I am really so fortunate to have a massive pottery studio- see previous blog post. One might think that MORE space is a good thing … and it is to a point. But in a way it’s like cooking in a massive kitchen – things aren’t as convenient, you don’t know where you put things, and you are running from place to place just to cook a meal. That’s sort of the way it felt working out in the barn all the time.
As a result, my husband and I “discovered” two old storage rooms that we have recently made into an enclosed, cleaner, quieter, more wind-proof and more efficient work area!
Although there were lots of windows, the rooms seemed really dark. So Ronnie and Morgan moved windows, took out walls and added bifold doors!
Cleaning out the rooms, changing the lighting and painting transformed this place!
Morgan Lloyd and Ronnie worked so hard on all this! Took out walls, moved windows and added windows and doors.
New windows- used to be a wall!
Here’s Morgan leveling up the new hole in the wall which will be a glass partition to the hallway.
Sam is my ever present studio buddy – always in the way!
My work area is adjacent to my display/gallery area (next project!).
New/found work table with a fabulous view!
An added window to the hallway, my slab roller and a lovely old mirror make this place feel like home!
My wheel area – lots of light!
I’m not giving up any of my space in the big part of the barn though!
The new space will lend itself to more private creativity with a great view and a bit more creature comforts – it will he easier to heat, cool and keep clean.
Come see me!
Love to all and Happy Potting!
Marian
What is it about clay? It can create the most amazing symbiotic relationships amongst humans. I suppose that is true about anything that creates passion, involves learning, and promotes creativity.
But I find that with clay, you find the most wonderful people. And I love their stories…as they each have one. How they found their way to, with or through clay. For some, it is therapy. For others, a livelihood. Or others, simply a passion to create. Whatever the reason, all these crazy, lovely people share a common thread through clay…and it can be a powerful bond!
I loved the tattoo that Kim Louise Glidden had done on her arm:
It says it all! We all get through it all by following the clay.
Peace out, fellow clay addicts!
Marian
While watching The Antiques Road Show, a vase by William Howson Taylor from Ruskin Pottery was valued. The vase had a “soufflé” glaze on it- which I’d never heard of! But it looks a bit like a “floating blue” glaze that I use.
Here is some info on that glaze:
“The pottery produced was notable for the innovative glazes used on a range of brightly coloured pots, vases, buttons, bowls, tea services and jewellery. The glazes devised by William Howson Taylor included misty soufflé glazes, ice crystal effect glazes – ‘crystalline’, lustre glazes resembling metallic finishes, and the most highly regarded of all, “sang de boeuf” and Flambe glazes which produced a blood red effect. The ‘sang de boeuf’ glazes were created using reduction of copper and iron oxides at high temperature. This was a difficult technique, first developed in China in the 13th century and reinvented by several art potters in Europe in the late 19th century. William Howson Taylor was one of the principal exponents of ‘high fired’ techniques, producing a range of colours and unique ‘fissured’ glaze effects.” Source
It’s so sad, and interesting, that these glazes were destroyed and not passed down!! So we are still struggling to make these beautiful glazes!
“When the studio closed in 1935 the formulae for the glazes and all the pottery documentation were deliberately destroyed, so that the unique Ruskin products could never be replicated.” Source
Keep the faith!
Marian