This is the seventh chapter in a series of articles by Don Pilcher on some of the characters that have been inspiring him and helping him with creating his ceramic works. Please note: this article may be offensive to some readers.
Onggi are traditional Korean earthenware vessels, used for the storage of pickled vegetables, bean pastes and soy sauces. Professor Emeritus Ron du Bois, who spent 18 months in Korea on a Fulbright scholarship fills us in on their meaning and method of production.
Morgan Pitelka, author of Handmade Culture: Raku Potters, Patrons and Tea Practitioners in Japan and Japanese Tea Culture: Art, History, and Practice, fills us in on the intricacies of Japanese Ceramics Terminology.
Just a short drive north from the dazzling palaces and gardens of the Alhambra in southern Spain, there is a small town called Jun, which has a little palace of its own. Everyone knows About the Alhambra. Hardly anybody has heard of Jun, even in Granada.
Large crystals grown in a glaze may look like flowers, lichens or three-dimensional fans and feathers. Janet Hamer, co-author with Frank Hamer of The Potter’s Dictionary of Materials and Techniques, outlines the new glazes of Avril Farley and describes how these sculptural crystal shapes are formed.
Ever tried cat litter, antacid, Alka-Seltzer, Calgon or cement as a glaze colorant? No? US studio potter John Britt explains the use of alternative, non-traditional, locally available materials in his remarkable new experimental glazes. Recipes provided.
New York artist, poet, curator and art critic John Perreault discusses how Marek Cecula is taking the tradition of the industrial ceramic decal one step further. Cecula was born in Poland and lived in Israel and Brazil, before settling in New York. He has since established a strong reputation as a conceptual artist.
American studio potter Joan Lederman reports on her use of ocean sediments to create stunning effects with similarities to ash glazes. Her stoneware glazes are derived from core samples taken deep from the ocean floor.
A fascinating article by Liz Moloney on Michael Cardew and his time in Nigeria, West Africa. Cardew helped to establish stoneware production in the region and was instrumental in the development of modern West African studio pottery.
Studio potter and author of The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glazes John Britt investigates the appearance of mysterious crystals in his glaze slop, which eventually led to the development of a stunning range of flambé glazes.
Professor Emeritus Ron du Bois writes on his research in 1980 of the lost tradition of making massive terracotta horses - nine to fifteen feet or more in height - in southern India. His amazing article is complimented by a one minute video.
Janet Mansfield, editor of Ceramics Art & Perception and Ceramics Technical introduces us the the current work of Japanese master potter Ryoji Koie, who is well known for his figurative sculptures, museum installations and wheel-thrown pottery.
Robert Yellin writes on Shodai-yaki, a type of Japanese pottery made near Mt.Shodai (Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture) from a rich iron-bearing clay with contrasting ash glazes.
American studio potter and teacher Jim Danisch takes us on a journey to Thimi, Nepal, where he developed technology for glazed earthenware, trained Nepali potters and helped to establish about twenty-four independent workshops.
Studio potter, teacher and art historian Rick Berman traces the development of his hybrid raku-salt-glaze firing technique 'Salku', developed over many years and coming to fruition in the early 1990s.
This article by art historian Frederica Todd Harlow delves into the artistic and social background to famous French potter Théodore Deck's pioneer pottery in the 19th century.
If you thought oilspot effects were hard to achieve, read this article by North Carolina potter and oilspot expert John Britt, who shows us just how easy it is.
The Moroccan city of Fez is filled with glittering crystals of art and architecture. Among its brightest refractions are the geometric tile works known as zillij.
What does hand made functional ware bring into our lives that a cheap, useful, factory-made bowl from Wal-Mart doesn't? Shannon Garson writes on the merits of the hand made object.
Steve Brousseau fills us in on the history and processes of making porcelain in Jingdezhen, China - the porcelain capitol of the world.
Laura Andreson was a distinguished American studio potter and teacher. Her personal papers are reproduced by kind permission of the Smithsonian Archives of American Art.
Answers to some common and some not so common questions regarding raku by the author of Raku: A Practical Approach. Also available in French!
A review of some of the world's prominent ceramics residencies, from Kecskemét, Hungary, to Banff, Canada.
Dennis Krueger takes us on a linguistic exploration of some of the English pottery terms we take for granted.