Pottery Northwest Workshops 2008

Rock Paper Scissors

The rock of course is the clay.The workshop presenters this year all share an affinity for paper whether it is a template, pattern, or the paper cut out and used as a stencil and the paper itself in Allan Winkler’s case. The scissors part, well aside from the obvious let’s imagine the scissors as “cutting to it”.

Beauty. It is enticing, elusive, an object of desire in all cultures. To dance with the process of beauty is not ownership, but only to enjoy its presence and play, always new in endless variations. That dance is the play between artists and the unseen and unknown. Receiving it, noticing it, and following where it leads is the “creative” process, if receiving a gift could ever be called that. It is simply grace in which artists are created by beauty being drawn through them into the world. -- Andrew Martin

Allan Winkler

Slide Talk

August 1 at 7 p.m.

free admission
open to the public

Workshop

August 2 & 3
10 am - 4 pm

Fee $200

Allan Winkler is a product of the Kansas City Art Institute dynasty where he was a protege of Kurt Weiser, Akio Takamori, Chris Gustin and many other well known figures in American ceramics. His own work has included film making, paper stencil cut outs, and recently applying the cut away technique to other materials and objects.

The figure and in particular the head will be the focus of this workshop. Time spent will include slide talks, discussion, demonstrations and certainly an opportunity to build your own. Also along the way we will take time to investigate paper stencil cutting and ways in which one might integrate the stencil into clay work.

For more information about Allan Winkler and his multimedia artwork, check out http://www.myspace.com/winklerart

Mark Pharis           Handbuilt Pots: Form Function & Context

Slide Talk

September 12 at 7 p.m.

free admission
open to the public

Workshop

September 11 - 14
10 am - 4 pm

Fee $400

Mark Pharis is a foundation stone in the incredibly strong Midwestern clay scene. He is on the faculty at the University of Minnesota, an influential teacher and gifted potter. His approach to the vessel from the making of the pattern to the striking use of color put his work on the forefront of pots for the 21st Century.

The workshop will focus on handbuilding functional pots. Students will be asked to consider ideas surrounding function and process from the perspective of both throwing and hand building. We will consider pragmatics of use function and conceptual perspectives associated with pots – idea, symbol, metaphor, and the meaning of process. Our time together will include handbuilding demonstrations, pattern making and paper patterns, brief lecture discussions, slide presentations, and critique sessions.

Please bring samples of current work, either pieces or slides. Upon registration you will receive a list of additional items to bring.

Andrew Martin

Slidetalk

September 26 at 7 p.m.

free admission
open to the public

Workshop

September 22-26
10 am - 4 pm

Fee $425

Andrew Martin’s sublime presentation at NCECA along with the re-publication of his book The Essential Guide to Mold Making and Slip Castiing have shined a light on his beautiful pots. Andrew is a leader in the group of clay artists taking mold produced work to a fresh resolution.

During this five day workshop, Andrew will demonstrate an intuitive yet practical exploration of how to work with molds beyond the repetition of forms. The investigation will be open-ended, emphasizing altering castings, sprigging, marbling, collaging molds for casting, and one-off versions of base forms, all within an intimate scale. He will show his method of designing forms using paper cut outs and templates, how to mix plaster correctly, various ways to approach decorating forms, and give a slide lecture that includes source material, inspirations for his work, and a pictorial sequence of his design process.