News from Earth and Fire -- August 25, 2005

Form vs. Function
 
I think I am a functional clay person because I am a kinesthetic person -- I really enjoy experiencing the "touch" of things. That's what drew me to clay in the first place. If you have a high-speed connection, you might enjoy listening to a radio interview on WAMU radio, Washington, DC that I did last March, during the annual NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts) convention, which was held in Baltimore this year. (A link to the audio interview appears about 2/3 of the way down the page, under the heading of Ceramics Fest.)
 
As I said in the interview, I can look at a painting or a sculptural piece and enjoy it visually, but for me it is just so much more delightful to touch and feel something of beauty, in addition to just looking at it. Add to that the experience of using the piece as part of your daily life, and goodness, could life get any better?
 
Most functional potters will tell you that they really enjoy the fact that people use the pots they make. Some of them are quite adamant that the pot is to be used and that a large part of the "art" of functional pottery is the fact that the pot is ultimately used.
 
Several years ago, I attended a workshop with Phil Rogers and someone put the question to him, "Does it bother you when a pot that you have made is placed somewhere and only looked at -- never used?"
 
I thought his response to that question was brilliant. He said, "Not really. Sometimes a pot's best function is adding beauty to the world."
 
Indeed.
 
New arrivals this week:
 
Wine glasses from Wauhatchie Glassworks:

 

 
Approx. 7" tall X 3 1/2" in diameter
Available in cobalt blue, rose, ruby red, purple, amethyst, alpine green, teal, gold and soft blue
$50/each

 

 

 
Sadie totes from Bulabags:
 

 
Bag is 16" wide X 15" tall X 5" deep.
Each bag is unique
$95/each

 
And new from Bulabags, the Mini-Pearl,
a smaller version of the popular Sadie tote:

 

 
Bag is 14" wide X 11" tall X 4" deep.
Each bag is unique
$79/each

 
Artist pages updated this week:
 
Bill van Gilder
 
Karl Yost
 
Anne Elliott
 
Barb Campbell
 
Peter Karner
 
Lisa Buck
 
Chris Baskin
 
Terry Gess
 
Blue Moon Clay Studios
 

 
Have a good week.
 

 

 
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