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Gallery Blog
Posted March 2, 2012Karen McPherson, Gallery Manager
Munemitsu Taguchi is featured as one of our March Artists of the Month. For this show, on view March 1 - April 1, Taguchi sent in all new work and asked that we send his old work back. I spoke with him about his new line of work.
NCC: What do you think are the biggest markers of this transition--new forms, new glazes, new markets?
MT: All of the above. I am making all new forms focusing on expanding volumes, with three colors instead of one and looking for new markets and venues to get the work out, but the biggest of these would be the forms.
NCC: What do you mean by expanding volume?
MT: The old body of work dealt with the formal principle of compressed volume, external forces compressing the form. The new body of work was a natural response, allowing the volumes to expand, to breath. I am trying to reduce the formal elements of the object to curve and line.
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Taguchi's previous body of work showing "external forces compressing the form." |
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Taguchi's new body of work, which explores the idea of expanding volume. |
NCC: What were you looking to evolve, and what where you looking to leave behind?
MT: I still love the pots I was making before, but I feel it’s important to move on. 10,000 hours to master anything right? Well, I’d been making that work for five years and it had stopped progressing. For me, it was easier to make a big change rather than an incremental one.
NCC: The forms may be a big change, but those celadons are pretty incremental! Did you try more color and then come back to "barely there"?
The glaze palette is purposefully muted, partially to not conflict with the food or flowers, but also because I like these colors. They all use the same base glaze, in the same [cone 10 reduction] atmosphere, so as to keep the same color family. They all use small percentages of oxides for colorant but it’s true, the degrees of separation are incremental. The biggest change in my surface is the use of three colors.
NCC: Do you think it is possible to reduce the lines and curves of the pots so much that they are too clean? Is it possible to reduce pots so much they lack voice or authorship?
MT: I have always been attracted to minimal form. I think that it is possible to oversimplify, but I try to keep the lines and curves so precise that they read as clean, not oversimplified. When the form is reduced, it ups the stakes because there is nowhere to hide, so it has to be right, every time.
NCC: What did you try out in this process that didn't work?
MT: I made a lot of bad pots in this trial period. I played with form and proportion, different types of objects, went through a lot of trial and error.
NCC: What has been your process for developing, testing, and revealing this new line?
MT: The roll out of this work has been methodical and pre-planned. I was testing glazes and new forms while fulfilling my obligations with my old work for most of last year. In June, I released the work to one venue to test the market and get some feedback, which was overwhelmingly good. I unveiled it in mass this fall at a big craft show and am now switching out all of the work at my galleries.
NCC: What about that business research and development do you think is important for other artists to pay close attention to?
MT: I would recommend other artists not be afraid of change. I knew in the fall of 2010 that I wanted to start a new line of work. I took my time and finally, 18 months later, have made a full switch. I needed to have this transition happening in my studio to keep me engaged.
NCC: How do you think your current audience will receive the new work? Who do you imagine might be a new audience for this work?
MT: I think that this work will appeal to a broader audience than my last line. I love food; I love to eat my wife's food and one of my goals in making dinnerware is to make pots that don’t get in the way. Simple palette, with simple yet considered forms, so the food doesn’t have to compete with the pot.
NCC: What kind of food does your wife make? MT: We are pretty into the farm-to-table thing; we have a share in a local CSA and do what we can to accentuate the produce. We usually make Asian and contemporary American food.
NCC: How do you make sure the pots don't “get in the way" of the food or presentation of food?
MT: The idea of not getting in the way is both physical and visual. By dealing with line and curve, the pot can be described fully without getting in the way visually. Physically, polished bottoms keep tables from being scratched. Aside from the aesthetic reasons, vitreous porcelain is wonderful for utilitarian reasons, microwave and dishwasher safe, not impeding utility.
NCC: How do you reach your audiences?
MT: By sending my work to NCC!
Posted October 10, 2011
Karen McPherson, Gallery Manager
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I am on a treasure hunt for keepsakes, covered jars, and small treasure boxes. I am inspired by my toddler, fortunate enough to work in a place surrounded by amazing objects, and thrilled to share some of my favorite pieces.
I have a little girl at home and am suddenly needing to organize and find a place for all her personal "stuff"—hair ties, mini toys, and the like. I have started to buy her lidded jars in an effort to compartmentalize. They are all ceramic, breakable, sometimes delicate or valuable, and totally illogical for a small child. Right now, though, I don’t really care. I am thrilled by the idea of my growing collection of jars as a mother-daughter heirloom, which I am cultivating on her behalf. I am inspired by her precious little trinkets needing special little places. I also see this as a teaching collection, so to speak, a stylistic ceramic guide for her to follow (should she choose to, of course!) and add to someday herself. It feels a little bit self-indulgent and a little bit "very important to do as a parent."
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Feel free to email me and let me know what you think, or drop me a note with a recommendation of your own.
Thanks!
Karen
Posted August 2, 2010
Karen McPherson, Gallery Manager
Earlier this summer, Northern Clay Center completed its biannual jury for new gallery artists. Four artists were invited to join the NCC gallery: Nicholas Bivins (MT), Lisa Buck (MN), Mike Helke (WI), and Kyla Toomey (OH). These new gallery artists will be previewed in the gallery immediately following the American Pottery Festival. Each artist will show 10-15 pieces in the Artists of the Month area from September 15 - October 9. On behalf of the rest of the gallery staff, other gallery artists, and the NCC community, I would like to extend a warm welcome to these new artists!
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Nicholas Bivins |
Lisa Buck |
Mike Helke |
Kyla Toomey |
Posted May 5, 2011
Karen McPherson, Gallery Manager
Northern Clay Center gallery artist Matt Kelleher used to soda fire stoneware to cone 10, but recently sent in a shipment of cone 3 soda-fired earthenware. I spoke to him about this technical change and the challenges and benefits it has presented so far.
NCC: What was the impetus for you to go from cone 10 stoneware to cone 3 earthenware?
MK: I wanted to change the background of the pots. I started layering high-iron slip on stoneware before my flashing slip and it dawned on me, I could use a higher-fire earthenware body instead.
NCC: How did you know which cone to go to?
MK: Good Question. I know back in the 50’s and 60’s cone 3 was considered “mid range” and people were getting bright colors, but they were also mostly using lead glazes. High-iron clay at stoneware temperatures, especially when it is reduced, can cause a lot of problems. At cone 04 the clay is still so porous, so I thought, how far can I stretch an earthenware body?
If I had to move to cone 1 or cone 4, I would be fine with that, but cone 3 is where I started. It has been about 5 months since I started this quest, and I am not entirely happy. I struggle finding slips that work. Most glazes cloud or bubble. The majority of my testing has been in an electric kiln and then when you put them in the soda firing, they tend to freak out and wrinkle or bubble.
NCC: Do you still reduce at cone 3?
MK: Yes, by reducing I am able to create more flash, but have to balance that with a higher tendency to bloat. The reduction will cause the iron in the clay to flux and this melt ultimately makes it weaker. So I am going for a mild reduction to try to reduce the surface flashing slips.
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Matt Kelleher Soda Fired Cone 10 Stoneware Pitcher (L), and detail (R). |
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Matt Kelleher Soda Fired Cone 3 Earthenware Cup (L), and detail (R). |
NCC: Have you used a specific book or reference person to help you through this process?
MK: No, I took a lot of clay and glaze chemistry classes in school, so I am trying to work through this with triaxial blends and get to know the materials again myself. I started with materials I know work at cone 10, hoping that I could still use them at cone 3. But, feldspars have not worked—I have had to use frits, which are weird to me.
NCC: Have you had any aha moments or big disappointments?
MK: My biggest disappointment has been that Gillespie Borate hates reduction and soda—it wants to bubble. Also, Kaolins (Tile 6, Grolleg, EPK) except for Helmer Kaolin, all tend to go grey. Goldart has worked great. I have needed to use a much “dirtier” material to get flashing whereas at cone 10, I almost exclusively used Tile 6. So, I wonder what is happening in that 200 degrees that flashes Tile 6?
NCC: Are you using your same kiln?MK: I actually built a kiln out of gathered materials. I wanted to use soft brick; hard brick is where so much of the gas expense comes from. The kiln I have now is about half soft brick, half hard brick. I did put a commercially made high refractory coating from Larkin on the soft brick and--I have only done about 10 firings--but it is holding up fine. I thought I would cut my gas cost in half by using soft brick and it has been more like a cut by 60%. However, gas prices are going up so much, I am not seeing as much savings. And they will only get higher.
NCC: Any other thoughts you would like to share about this transition?MK: Nothing I am doing now is set in stone—this is a curiosity I am exploring. By doing this, I’ve heard of others working at cone 3. I know Alfred is teaching a variety of mid range possibilities, which is exciting. It comes down to formulating the materials at the temperature you want in order to get the results you seek. I am encouraged by the conversations I have had with others exploring different mid range temperatures. People seem to be getting in better touch with materials.
This interview was inspired by the fact that Northern Clay Center just worked with Donovan Palmquist to re-build its 12 year-old soda kiln. While he was here building the new kiln, we talked about mid range soda firing, and Donovan recommended a 1982 Ceramics Monthly article on Neil Tetkowski. It is written by Janet Kopolos and shows some of his gorgeous salt fired earthenware work.
NCC offers a Soda Firing class twice a year; between students, studio artists, and staff, the soda kiln usually gets fired two to three times a month. There are quite a few people in the Northern Clay Center Gallery who soda fire: Matt Kelleher, Leila Denecke, Bill Gossman, Lee Love, Josh DeWeese (a combination of wood, soda, and salt), and Jeff Oestreich (salt/soda fired in oxidation).
Please feel free to email me with any comments or questions about this interview. Thanks for your interest! - Karen
Karen McPherson, Gallery Manager
On April 14th, Northern Clay Center hosted an ART@HAND and AoM Open House. We were pleased to have the Minnesota Ichibana Society here to demonstrate flower arranging.
In light of this event, I looked around the gallery at all our assorted flower vases and flower bricks. I thought to myself, what is the history behind a flower brick? How is it different from a vase? Below is an interview with two NCC gallery artists who make flower bricks, Margaret Bohls (MB) Kristen Kieffer (KK), to address these questions.
NCC: What does a traditional flower brick look like? Is it defined by a certain shape or amount of openings?
MB: They are the size and shape of a large brick; no feet or handles, with a varying number of holes cut in the top.
KK: The antique ones I've seen are indeed shaped like a brick and about that size (sitting horizontally on the skinny side), having about six or many more dime-sized holes (though sometimes both holes and an opening).
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| English Delftware flower brick, 1740 – 1760, Liverpool, Chinoiserie floral spray tin-glazed earthenware |
English Delftware flower brick, approx. 1760, Liverpool, Tin-glazed earthenware | Credit Information Un-available |
NCC: What is the history of flower bricks-- are they specific to a certain region or culture?
MB: My understanding is that the flower brick form emerged in the 18th century, around the same time as the Dutch “Tulipiere” form. Its history is connected to the import of both Chinese porcelain and tulip bulbs from the Middle East via the silk road. Both were extraordinarily valuable, and generally available only to the very, very wealthy.
To satisfy the desire of the less wealthy to own porcelain, Dutch potters began making direct imitations of Chinese porcelain using earthenware coated in a lead glaze, opacified with tin. This ware became known as “Delft” after the town in which it was made.
This ware was exported to other European countries, especially Britain, which did not at that time have a very developed ceramic industry. Most wares made in Britain were fairly rustic. Inspired by the “Delft” imports, British potters also began making tin glazed earthenware pottery, which is also, confusingly, called “Delft”. In general English Delft remained less refined and more “folky” than its Dutch inspiration.
I believe that the flower brick form is of English and not Dutch origin. However, there are certainly Dutch examples of the form, which were likely made for export to Britain. The form is probably a more “plebian” version of its high-class cousin, the Tulipiere, but designed for more common flowers and used by the lower and middle classes who could not afford tulip bulbs.
NCC: Do most people who make flower bricks abide by the "tradition" of making them -- a surface, clay body, shape, etc-- or is flower brick a loose term?
MB: Definitely a loose term. Almost all of the historical flower bricks I have seen are similar in shape and size. They are usually decorated with floral motifs inspired either by Chinese blue and white, Ming era decoration, or by what is called Deutche Blumen, or German flower style. However, contemporary artists’ flower bricks vary widely and rarely, if ever, resemble the originals.
KK: I think of a contemporary flower brick as being distinguished by small holes for flowers vs. a larger, single opening, but could be any shape or size.
NCC: What sort of technical advice would you offer other artists interested in making flower bricks?
MB: Well, I have been told that they are vastly easier to clean if the top is removable, but mine aren’t.
NCC: Do you own any flower bricks by other artists?
KK: I own a Linda Christianson flower brick (see image at right - tulips from this last Thanksgiving, which are a little long, but look gorgeous in her piece). As well as a Kathryn Finnerty piece which I actually use for napkins. Both of these pieces are low, long and narrow, and despite my comment above, do not have holes, but a full opening.
NCC: Flower bricks seem to lay somewhere between functional pottery and functional sculpture. Does this seem limiting or limitless in terms of your creative energy?
MB: Vases in general are quite open to interpretation, and not at all limiting in terms of function. Broadly speaking, as long as it will hold water and not tip over when you put flowers in it, it can work as a vase. Of course, those whose avocation is flower arrangement might say different. The aesthetic challenge of any vase form is for the form to look good both with and without flowers. The brick form provides some guidance for the flower arranger, and allows for a nice arrangement with fewer flowers.
KK: Flower vessels in general are a fun form to play with as a maker because, as you suggest, they can lie on the sculptural side of function. Like the tulipiere, or even the teapot, flower bricks give the maker an interesting parameter with which to play, stretch and re-imagine.
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| Margaret Bohls, Flowerbrick with decals |
Kristen Kieffer, FlowerBrick |
Please feel free to email me with any comments or questions about this interview. Thanks for you interest! -Karen