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by claygirl | May 30, 2019 | 0 comments

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If my Dad's student, Asante, was like my brother,

If my Dad's student, Asante, was like my brother, then Dong Hee Suh was like a special Aunt. Dong Hee had been accepted into the University of Kansas MFA program from slides that she sent to my dad's predecessor, Sheldon Carey. Of course my dad had also reviewed the slides so that he could guide her studies appropriately, and when she arrived, he was ready with her first assignment. I don't remember the details, of course, but Dong Hee was very concerned. She had never actually worked with clay. She was the designer of the work that had been submitted. Her village's potter had made the actual work. Dad realized he needed to do a little modification to his plans and needed to start with teaching her about the properties of clay. So he did a few demos for her and then assigned her the task of creating 200 pots/ceramic pieces over the weekend. My mom recalls her calling on Sunday night in tears because she had only 10 pieces ready for critique. Dad drove up to the studio to help her and he showed her that she didn't HAVE to use the wheel. the wheel was just a tool . she could make the clay be an expression of her beliefs, her feelings, her impressions. He took a block of clay and a cutting wire and he made slices halfway down the block and let those slices bend and fold and lean on one another. It became a pivotal moment in Dong Hee's life. Her exploration in this technique with clay continued and evolved in her time at KU. She still uses this foundation to create works that share her values. Most of her works contain biblical references, such as the first image shown here, Wings of Dawn (Psalm 139), or the final image included, "Like a Dove, the Holy Spirit Descending (Mark 1). Dong Hee has had numerous awards bestowed on her, including Artist of the Year Award from the Korea Designer’s Council in Seoul in 1994, and a Lifteime Achiever distinction from Marquis Who's Who in 2017. She has also recevied grants such as a Fulbright International Scholar award in 1997 and Awards of Academic Research from Konkuk University Seoul. She has also been active in the NCECA organization as well as many organizations in her home of Seoul, South Korea.

Circa 1977. Dad taught kiln building using extrud

Circa 1977. Dad taught kiln building using extruded bricks and scale models. Miniature kilns (for miniature pots?).

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to send y

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to send you into your weekend with the work of Chukes in here in your Instagram feed. In previous research for this series of artists, I stumbled upon the work of this incredible artist, drawn in initially by the work seen here in this first image. I think i googled "chukes art" and found that image on someone's pinterest board (link in bio), I could never find a title for that work or a larger image of it, but that link led me to more work and eventually to Chukes' website. What i found there - the words behind the works, which were as touching and powerful as the images i had already fallen in love with. I don't have enough characters to quote the whole writing from Chukes' homepage, so I CHALLENGE you to take the time to click the link in our bio and then click through to the artist's website and read the short few paragraphs about the inspiration in his life and artwork. (Then be sure to explore the sculptures shown there as well). I also read on his website about a show at Hearne Fine Art, a gallery in Little Rock, Arkansas. In case you don't know about this little gem, founded in 1988, Hearne Fine Art "has grown and evolved into a dynamic conduit for the preservation and promotion of African-American fine art." (link in bio). But back to the show he referenced, "UBUNTU: I am because WE are" was on display last fall for 5 weeks, and featured mixed media work from Chukes as well as other artist featured in their gallery. Now i will quote: "The concept of Ubuntu purports that we are all intrinsically connected and within the scope of humanity, it is impossible to prosper in any manner while operating as an island unto oneself. This exhibition will put this philosophy in practice with a showcase of mid-career artist who have made a mark in their communities and regions. While the exhibit will debut at HFA, the goal is to travel the show to each artist’s respective region." I suspect that the pandemic may have halted traveling plans for this show, however i do hope that when we finally are able to truly emerge from our solitude that we can REALLY celebrate UBUNTU. @chukesart @hearnefineart

So excited to arrive at work this morning and find

So excited to arrive at work this morning and find a box on my desk containing these two beautiful soap dishes made by @t.bisquet with samples of two of our new clays! Top plate & second image are our Kansas Wheat (now available). Bottom & third image is the “Red Rover” test. Red rover is also now available, and we made some minor tweaks following the initial testing to make it a bit more red and a bit more plastic! Thanks so much Terri, for these beautiful examples!!!

Born in the Bahamas, Anina Major’s work clearly

Born in the Bahamas, Anina Major’s work clearly reflects her origins and “home”. Her work is made up of objects and images that have been pulled from island life and the sea. Spiked orbs in undulating colors that look like huge sea urchins. Vessels that look like broken and decaying woven grass baskets. These illustrate one of the reasons Anina has chosen clay as her current medium of choice. Ceramics has a permanence that carries history and cultures through time and preserves them.
Anina is acutely aware of, and intensely interested in, the way people can perceive and react to a shared experience in such varying ways. She tries to make her work as accessible as possible so the audience has the chance to get in close and experience the work as fully as possible. Using real sand, and suspending work from the ceiling with macramé nets at differing heights so as to be viewable from all directions, she strives to create entire environments that will immerse and transport the viewer to the places Anina loves most and has drawn such inspiration.
Anina recently took a position at RISD (where she earned her MFA in ceramics) as an Assistant Professor of Ceramics. When asked in a recent interview if she had any words for those in a similar academic situation or who might be trying to decide the future of their ceramic careers she said, “Your existence has impact on others. Being aware of that can inform your purpose behind the decisions that you make.” I found that statement to be incredibly wise and poignant in todays world.
Posted by Jeanette, see our bio for links & more information on
@aninamajor

Hailing from Arvada, Colorado, John R Hamilton III

Hailing from Arvada, Colorado, John R Hamilton III makes work that inspires adventure. The first piece of his that I ever saw was a red rocket that looked like it came straight out of a 1930s Flash Gordon movie. As a long-time lover of science fiction, I knew I had to see more. Hamilton attended Fort Hays State University in Kansas where he received both a BFA in Ceramics, and a BA in Art Education. Since his graduation in 2012, he has been an instructor at the Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities and has shown work throughout Colorado and Kansas. The retrofuturistic style of Hamilton’s work captures the sense of excitement found in children’s toys. Inspired by Star Trek to constantly explore, he creates sculpture that holds secrets for those who are willing to look closer. That rocket is a function vessel, and its nose cone comes off to become a cup. One of my favorites is a dinnerware set that assembles into a flying saucer that is hilariously beaming up a cow. HIs pieces are the kind that you really want to pick up and explore to discover what little adventures are captured in the clay. I can truly imagine 6-year-old me running with a big red rocket in my hands, off on another fantastic voyage to save the universe in my backyard. Hamilton’s sense of humor and wonder-of-it-all shines through his work, and really sparks that sense of joy and play. It reminds us, to continue to discover and imagine; to let ourselves be surprised, excited, and inspired by the unknown. Ultimately Hamilton’s work reminds me of the words of Gene Roddenberry: “the human adventure is just beginning.”

Britney Smith was born and raised in Pittsburgh, P

Britney Smith was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has been making pottery for about a decade. She mostly makes functional pottery (like plates, cups, etc) and she said that she does so because “knowing that when a piece goes home with someone it will be incorporated into their daily rituals. Drinking coffee, eating dinner, or sharing a drink with a loved one are all small movements performed each day that can be made special by a handmade vessel.” She uses lots of clean lines, geometric shapes, and minimalistic forms in her pieces, as well as experimenting with glazing and firing techniques. Britney got her Master of Arts in Ceramics at Carlow University, and is now contemplating the next steps for her career. She said she chose to do ceramics because she loves that clay “has the potential to be anything. It can be shaped and molded into forms functional and sculptural.” Britney is also a member of the founding group of ORIGINS, which is “a PG&H sister program and platform that celebrates and supports African American makers in Pittsburgh.”
(Posted by Daphne)

You may remember back for Anne & Bill's Anniver

You may remember back for Anne & Bill's Anniversary on June 6th, we announced a contest....
***flashback visual here*** "Recently, we went through all of our moist clay and culled out the blocks that had sat around too long, aged and hardened. Rather than throw them in the trash, we are challenging YOU to turn them into treasure. We will GIVE you a 25# block of clay. Carve it like a piece of marble, or slake it down and sculpt it from scratch, the choice is yours, just use it to create something interesting, unique and worthy of display. Everyone who enters a “treasure” into our contest will receive a $50 gift certificate to Brackers...." We are thrilled to share the winning entry that came to us from @co_potter . She wrote "This bowl was made from an unlabeled bag of Brackers test clay. I sprinkled chips of colored porcelain onto the clay prior to rolling it out. After forming the bowl on a hump mold, I sprig-molded and attached small pieces of B Mix, then added stamped texture and a thrown foot. Some of the stamped areas will be filled in with white engobe and scraped off (mishima). After the bowl is bisqued, I'll give it an iron oxide wash and a spritz of gerstley borate on the outside and apply a liner glaze on the inside. Additionally, what we have been calling "clay bacon" was created from a variety of old clays: This has given me the idea of how to go about accomplishing several iterations of a "geologic" project that I've wanted to try for a long time. The heavily textured slab will be made into bowls. It has a subtle stratigraphic look, but it's hard to see. The two more colorful striped "strata" slabs will become small cups. I'll probably add more sprigged fossils to all the cups and bowls. Although I wanted to submit these pieces for the contest, they won't be done by the deadline, so they are just to inform you of what I'm doing with the old clays. The "strata" slabs were sliced from a master block containing the following clays: - Brackers test clay #3C, 7 & 7B
- Laguna Speckled Buff
- Brackers Red Rover
- Flint Hills Black
- Brackers Kansas Wheat
- Aardvark Basaltic (Cassius)
- Laguna Calico

Jim McDowell learned to make pots when the Army st

Jim McDowell learned to make pots when the Army stationed him at a craft shop in Germany during the Vietnam war. He discovered a pottery wheel that no one in the craft shop knew how to use but curious enough to take a short train ride to learn from Nuremberg potters. Back stateside, he enrolled in a workshop with David Robinson in Weare, NH that changed the whole path of his life as an artist. Around 35 years ago, he made his first face jug and his style evolved as he learned about the literate enslaved potter, Dave Drake (David Sturm wrote about him in a June 15th post). Jim began to inscribe his beliefs on the jugs to pay tribute to the way Dave Drake would write on his own work. Face jugs are often referred to as “ugly jugs” - and I can definitely see the ugliness of slavery reflected in Jim’s work. I learned that slaves weren’t permitted to smoke, which is why some jugs feature cigars in the mouths of some jugs. In Jim’s words, “When a white boy smoked he was considered a man. An enslaved man could be 90 and still called ‘boy.’ The cigar gives him a form of dignity, but also sticks it to the man.” I honestly would have never made the connection between smoking a cigar and dignity. Some of his jugs also feature wings to honor the lore that “Jesus gave them wings to fly away” when a slave went missing from the plantation (this folklore existed throughout South Carolina, Georgia and the American Gullah). Jim will be featured in a book to be released later this year or early 2021 with the working title, "Black Hands in Clay” so keep your eyes out for this book by Schiffer Publishing. My post today will end with Jim’s own words: “I’m not one to march in the streets with a placard. But my whole life is a resistance. When I carry on the traditions of my ancestors, that’s a resistance. When I make the food of my people—rice and beans, collards, fried okra—that’s resistance. When I sing the old gospel songs that originated from field songs, that’s resistance. When I create face jugs, that’s the ultimate resistance.” [by Anne]

Cones are on sale this month! For more informatio

Cones are on sale this month! For more information, check out our August Newsletter. Full of specials and news. Link in our bio, or visit our website brackers.com and click on "latest newsletter" to view all and subscribe

Historically, pottery has been a craft past down f

Historically, pottery has been a craft past down from generation to generation. As a second generation ceramic person myself (though on the business side, not the making side), this has always been interesting to me. I remember first learning about Rose Simpson during my early days on the NCECA board. As we planned out our 50th anniversary, early discussions included references to the tradition of passing the craft from parent to child (or mentor to mentee). Rose is the daughter of ceramic sculptor, Roxanne Swentzell, and the two once collaborated for an exhibition titled "Mothers and Daughters: Stories in Clay," which is now part of the permanent collection at the Heard Museum in Phoenix. Simpson's ceramic and mixed-media artwork reflects the influences of her Native American roots in her home state: “My connection to New Mexico is bigger than a choice,” said Simpson. “It’s the center of my world, the center of the earth and where I find my inspiration.” Her work often includes elements of performance, and i included some images i found on her website (photo credits Kate Russell) of a piece titled 'Maria". It features a chevy El Camino detailed to mimic a Maria Martinez vessel. There are also still shots featuring performers dressed in what i would describe as traditional native american style inspired post-apocalptic warrior wear. The images alone are highly provocative, and i tingle at the thought of witnessing the entire 4-D experience. You can learn/read more about this on her website, (link in our bio), you can also learn more about her and her other works. I remember back to those early days when i first heard about her in my NCECA service, and i wanted to meet her and talk about that shared experience of being second generation clay daughters. now that I have really delved into her work and learned about her, I feel like i have so much more i want to talk to her about. From her website bio: "She lives and works from her home at Santa Clara Pueblo, and hopes to teach her young daughter how to creatively engage the world." I guess our "third generations" might want to chat too someday.
@rosebsimpson

Antonio Martinez was born and raised in Hutchinson

Antonio Martinez was born and raised in Hutchinson Kansas. There he worked with his father and brother in their family business, an ornamental iron shop, doing whatever his dad needed help with. The problem however is that he wasn't very good at welding and his dad and brother would often say his welds “looked like birch on a picket fence. Though this welding experience was used as inspiration later in life through his ceramics. He began ceramics in highschool as a “fun credit” but little did he know he would grow to love it and do it professionally. After highschool he went to wichita university and continued taking ceramics “just for fun” and later he joined the program without even thinking about it. Though to “officially” join the program he had to attend a ceramics conference and be accepted as an artist. He went to one of these conferences in Seattle and there, he said, “his view of the ceramics and pottery world completely changed. When Martinez graduated in 2013 he took a year to teach adult art classes. Later he realized he didn't want to do that anymore and went back to school at KU. There he was encouraged to do more than just “functional ceramics” like cups and plates, but to make more abstract sculptures. He now “hopes to bring his fascination with pottery and clay to others,” as he was scheduled to be a graduate assistant.
—— Added note from Cindy - Once again, Daphne (15) has selected a favorite artist of mine to write about. I wanted to take a few words to add that Antonio also spent last summer mixing clay for us and we got to know him a little better during that time. He’s quick to smile, not afraid of hard work and always eager to learn new things. We were fortunate to host him for one of our Second Saturday events some time ago and more fortunate to be able to continue to watch his growth in ceramics while he stayed in Lawrence after earning his MFA to teach at Haskell Indian Nations University. We are excited for what awaits him in his next adventure - Assistant Professor of Art at Middle Georgia State University. @amceramics

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