(Mud)Bucket

A Closer Look with Brett Freund

2013-01-08T06:47:00.000-08:00

Brett Freund is an artist living and working in Maryland. He recently was awarded the Lormina Salter Fellowship at Balitmore Clayworks and last year he was featured as one of Ceramic Monthly's Emerging Artists for 2012. While Brett was bunkered-in awaiting the arrival of superstorm Sandy, we met up at the intergalactic cafe known as 'online chat' to discuss his work a bit more in depth. His use of traditional technique, non-traditional material, and contemporary imagery have created an exciting body of work that grows in many directions, quite like the crystals he references. I look forward to seeing where his work takes him in the future.

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Jesse Lu: I did tons of 'thorough' research into you and your artwork, however, it seems there is very little written out there on the basics of your life story. Care to share a bit of your beginnings with us?

Brett Freund: Sure, I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA during a time when a lot of the old steel factories were being torn down and the city was reinventing itself. Pittsburgh is big enough to be exposed to big city ideas but small enough that as a child I could spend time running around in the streets with friends.

My parents grew up in homes where the men worked in the factories and the women stayed at home. There was a strong element of working class ethics in the city as well as a strong emphasis on education due to the large number of universities in the city.

JL: Blue collar has a loose connection to lowbrow as well. What's the connection in your own work? I've read that you are thinking about commodity, value, low-brow versus high...

BF: Yeah I think there is a strong connection that happens mentally while I work and one that affects how I look at objects. I think about hierarchies between low and highbrow art a lot. For example who buys what and what context certain objects are created for. I make work based of formal qualities that I consider highbrow but I always want my work to look loose and chaotic. It's funny how so many aesthetics that came from low-brow culture become fashionable for being outsider.

I want things to look a little out of place but at the same time I want there to be a sense that I know what's going on either around me or historically.

JL: I noticed that about your vessels. It seems like you begin with this traditional 'pot' concept but then these crystals form around them along with the imagery, growing out from the epicenter. It kind of mimics how trends spread and adapt, no?

BF: I think that's an interesting way to see it but it's something that I haven't thought of. After undergrad I moved to Florida for a residency at St. Petersburg Clay Company. The first seven or eight months I was there I worked for a company applying rhinestones to dresses for Dancing With the Stars, all the while making folk-inspired, atmospheric pottery at the clay company. I began to see a difference between the environment that I was living in and the pottery that I was making. Living in Western Pennsylvania it made sense to work in that style, but after I lived in Florida things never felt the same. I think some of the best pots made reflect the environment that they are created in but also that sometimes trends in society can conflict with one's own taste. My work is currently reflective of a world that emphasizes precious objects, or any object that people use for identity purposes.

These are the just the things I think about but when I work there is generally a lighter mood in the atmosphere.

JL: I think folks who don't make art think of artists as dancing with this divine inspiration while they make their work. But that isn't really the case, is it? It's more like walking the dog and thinking about stuff, and then making a note to pursue one of those ideas, but then just making the work because it's fun to make things.

So... let's talk about the crystal. It's kind of a big deal in your work. Where'd it come from?

BF: I began using diamond forms in graduate school by gluing Swarovski crystals onto ceramics objects, the same rhinestones we used in the dressmaking sweatshop. I found that I didn't like the connection that the real rhinestones made so I began to use gem forms with slip cast parts. This concept evolved into the crystals because I liked that the work looked precious without being too refined.

JL: Hmm... again, a kind of dichotomy of value. 'Rhinestones' in and of themselves represent this intermediary position between the classy and the trashy, hi versus low. Let's talk about this in a different way...

You were one of Ceramic Monthly's 2012 Emerging Artists. (Congrats, by the way!) In your nomination introduction you said this:

"It's hard to ignore that I've felt hierarchies btw functional and sculptural objects from external sources."

Do you ever find it challenging to be a sculptor who uses ceramics and a contemporary potter at the same time?

BF: First off, thanks. The Emerging Artist was award I felt really honored to have, especially after so much hard work. I don't think you should ever have to define yourself, because if you do I think the end is near. I don't ever want to pinpoint exactly who I am because then it makes it harder to change. I feel as though working as a sculptor and a contemporary potter are the same thing. What I do find challenging is the kind of scale that you associate with sculpture and the resources and energy that it takes, not to say that smaller things have less importance. I have often worked in places that had limited space, for instance, all of the work that I made for the Ceramics Monthly Emerging Artist award was made in my kitchen.

A few times people have commented, after seeing my work in person, that they always imagined it bigger. Most people see my work through images.

You mentioned a kind of dichotomy before and I do think that's what can be tricky when talking about what I do. So many parts can be understood in different ways and in the end I don't really have any answers to the questions that I have with high-brow and low-brow issues but I find them really interesting to look for.

What I like about vessels, rather, that always keeps me coming back to them is the initial connection a pot has with a viewer. That basic form is easily understood and from there you can begin to expand on meaning. Some of my art friends complain about archetypes but I find them to be useful and unavoidable. I also like doing both types of work because anytime I explore my sculpture further my vessel work gets stronger, too.

JL: Working in different media or in different concepts is kind of a catch-22. I think the contemporary art scene kind of frowns upon it to an extent, as if focusing on ONE thing legitimizes your artwork in some way. And while focus can lead to mastering a skill or concept, I think it's important to remember that The Greats rarely stuck to one thing. It's that cross-pollination that leads to actual artistic authority. In my humble opinion, that is.

And I agree... there's a reason certain concepts, objects, or styles have become archetypes.

So, I'm going to be cheeky in regards to functional versus sculptural. Which came first in your work, the chicken or the egg?

BF: I'm not sure if the chicken is functional ceramics and if sculptural ceramics is the egg, but I do think sculptural ceramics historically happened first. For me, though, it may have been functional work that came first. The first piece I ever made was a pinch pot in high school and I specifically remember having salsa bowl in mind while I was making it. The next project, on the other hand, was a ceramic pumpkin assignment that had no function besides being festive. I had no idea what ceramics really was when I started but it quickly became my favorite class. I tried throwing towards my senior year and couldn't manage it for the life of me. When I started art school I thought I could never make it as a potter, and never considering ceramics as a serious sculptural medium, I got heavy into steel and concrete. That is, until I took an introductory ceramics course. It was at that time I learned to throw and became serious about clay. So I suppose I didn't really start out throwing but didn't become a ceramist until I did.

JL: I guess that I meant to ask if you started putting crystals onto your pots before you started making crystal sculptures. Maybe you did it at the same time?

BF: The nugget aspect of my work started even before I began applying the slip cast crystal parts onto vessels. I have only realized my current work within the last year and mostly by taking all the aspects of my graduate work that I liked and mixing them together.

JL: So what is it exactly that's crystallizing on the sculptural work?

BF: I've been over saturating borax in boiling water and then soaking my ceramic pieces in them overnight. It's fun to find what has occurred in the morning and makes waking up more enjoyable. What l like about it, besides giving the porcelain pieces a faux natural appearance, is that it creates a moment in the work where I don't have very much control. I know generally what the outcome will be, but not how the particular crystalline structure will grow.

JL: We don't really have as much control as we ever like to think... over anything really- our life, our art, our process, sometimes that ends up being for the better. If you could choose, though, one direction you would really like to take your work in the future, where would that be?

BF: My favorite aspect with making work is connecting with people and I'm constantly impressed with how certain artists have that ability with their work. Ron Nagle is somebody who comes to mind when I think about work that is small and intimate yet engaging. Another example is Brendon Tang and the way his work makes tradition feel so contemporary. I can see my work becoming more sculptural but maintaining its intimate qualities. I like watching trends and I can see myself mimicking some modernist aesthetics in the future.

JL: I love Ron Nagle's work and Brendan Tang is also pursuing some ideas that I find really interesting. And I can really see intimate work as a seed that's germinating in the contemporary scene. Especially as accessibility to original art becomes more and more important to everyday people, not just big time collectors.

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A huge thank you to Brett for bearing with me as publishing this interview hit a couples bumps in the road. If you're reading and you happen to be in the Baltimore area between January 18 and February 17, Brett is showing some of his work in a group show, "Multiplicity: More than the sum of the parts," at Julio Fine Arts Gallery.

A Closer Look with Jenny Gawronski

2012-07-31T13:11:00.000-07:00

Jenny Gawronski is a ceramic artist living and working in southern Colorado. Her work straddles the delicate space between functional pottery and sculptural installation, and it has long captured my imagination. Recently, she began teaching courses at Adams State University and through speaking with her it became apparent that teaching ceramics figures strongly into the vitality of her own artwork. It was just as much a pleasure to speak with her as it is to look at her work.

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Jesse Lu: Tell me again about your personal history with clay and how you realized ceramic art was the career you were going to pursue.

Jenny Gawronski: I took my first ceramics class in high school at South High in Minneapolis. I had an incredible teacher named John Kantar, who was very inspiring to all of his students. He studied with Warren McKenzie when he was in college, so we were all introduced to the Japanese Mingei pottery style at a young age. I distinctly remember when I realized that I wanted to work with clay for the rest of my life. I was a junior in high school and I could not get enough time in the studio at school. In my pursuit of learning, I took classes at the Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis and night college classes at the University of Minnesota while I was still in high school. I was just so excited about all of the incredible work that artists were making and became obsessed with learning everything I could about the medium.

JL: I wish my ceramic experience in high school had been like that. Unfortunately, I had a bad teacher who put me off of clay for years. I'm grateful to my mom for encouraging me to give it another go in community college. Have your folks been encouraging of your work?

JG: I am so sorry to hear that! I also teach the art education courses at my university, so the state of art education is very important to me. Good thing for your mom. I am very lucky to have parents that have been very supportive of my pursuit of a life as an artist and educator. My parents have a huge collection of the horrible work that I made in high school and college up in their house in Minneapolis. I wish they would just hide it away in boxes in the basement!

JL: I know what you mean. My mom could have a retrospective of my work from age four on a moment's notice. I'm not so sure how I feel about that.

JG: It is a nice way to see how far our work has developed!

JL: That's a very glass-half-full way to look at it. {laughs}

So... I am going to give you three words to describe your work, they are...

JG: I wish the work would be seen as elegant, ritualistic, and engaging.

JL: I like those choices... And I think they fit well, especially considering the influences I see in your work. If I had to pick two that I see most directly, they would be the geometry of Islamic decoration the gracefulness of Eva Zeisel. How far off am I?

JG: That sounds perfect. One of my favorite books is one that Eva Zeisel wrote called "The Magic Language of Things." Such a great title! Eva Zeisel has had a large influence on my understanding of the importance of craftsmanship in my work. I am always striving for a higher level of craftsmanship as I try to be more confident with the forms of my pieces. I see Eva's work as a great example of those ideas.

With Islamic art, I am inspired by the incredible line quality of the work. I am obsessed with the beautiful shapes that are used in repetition that can be seen in Islamic tile and architecture. I am interested in the over lap of lines to create depth and interest in the work too.

JL: So if you draw aesthetically from those two models of design, can you speak a bit to your conceptual influences?

JG: Conceptually, I am interested in the role of ritualistic objects in our lives. I think a lot about my family’s history in the Jewish faith and the objects that have been used in the past to celebrate yearly rituals. I am interested in the ideas that specific objects can have the power to mark time, and how we can revisit those objects once a year, once a month, or once a week in the use of a specific ritual. I am interested in the possibilities of creating new rituals through the design and placement of objects. This translates into my work creating distinctive sets of ceramic pieces that encourage ceremonial experiences with food for my audience.

JL: I love how your tableaus speak to dining rituals and they make me think about how different meal-culture is from place to place. For instance how traditional Indian cuisine is meant for group eating, with various stews, sauces, and breads served family style with the intention of being shared by hand. What do you think our own dining rituals in this country say about the rest of our culture?

JG: This is a great question. I am very worried about the 'state of the meal' in our country and the larger conversation about obesity. I hope that my work can convey the ideas of eating and drinking as important acts that deserve time and thoughtfulness.

JL: Perhaps also community. I see our eating habits as reflective of the individualism that reigns supreme here in the United States. T.V. dinners, anyone?

JG: Yes, I completely agree with you. I will say that I also struggle with these issues in my own life, too.

JL: It's an inescapable product of our time and place.

So, shifting gears a bit... you've recently begun teaching at Adams State University in Colorado, I assume ceramics. Do you keep a personal studio space there?

JG: Yes, I teach all of the ceramics courses and I have a studio space at school for my glazing and storage and a small space in my house where I create my pieces.

JL: So, greenware happens at home and bisquing onward happens at the university? That sounds dangerous. Especially considering how delicate your forms are.

JG: You are correct, I throw the work at home and wrap it in towels and drive it to school. It is quite a process, but I really love working at home. Because I throw so many different parts and connect them together, I need to get the timing just right. Working at home gives me that opportunity. I also love seeing our 8 chickens running around our backyard from my studio window. They always keep me smiling!

JL: I grew up with chickens. I can't wait for the day I have a space to have them as well. They are such grounding creatures. It must help being able to step back into your little domestic world everyday. "All the ceramic courses" sounds like you're quite busy at the University, and I'm guessing teaching has put a bit of a restraint on how much time you spend working on your art. How does it affect your personal work?

JG: I absolutely love teaching. I get so much energy from the students and it really helps push the work that I am making in my studio. I work in my studio at night and on the weekends, sometimes when I have less available time to work I can stay focused on what I am working on more easily. For example, this summer I have been a little distracted by our mini farm with our chickens, dogs, and cat.

JL: What fantastic distractions, though. What else do you enjoy doing when you aren't teaching or making art?

JG: When I am not in the studio, well even when I am in the studio I spend a fare amount of time eating chocolate and writing letters to friends. I also love running and playing rugby. I have started to sew a little more, which is very exciting!

JL: Rugby? Really?! That's awesome.

JG: Oh, thanks! There is a women's team where you live...

JL: I've been invited to play rugby before. I'm just not very team oriented... {laughs}

I love that you are so into teaching. I just took my first step towards it myself, though I see myself working with really young kids. What is your goal in teaching young ceramists? What do you hope they leave with after being under your tutelage?

JG: I am very interested in what makes an effective teacher. In my ceramics courses I stress the importance of critical thinking and individuality. For all of the assignments that the students have they are asked a series of questions, shown incredible artists, and then they are required to create their own pieces in response to the assignment. We talk a lot about how they each handle the material differently and how that is important for them to pay attention to as they go through life. I also try to stress the importance of taking risks with their ideas and their pieces. I try to help all of the students reach their full potential as artists and critical thinkers.

JL: So... on a final note... What's the best advice you've received from another artist? Or advice that you like to pass on?

JG: I would love to pass on the incredible experiences that I have had with all of my art professors at Penn State, CU-Boulder, and LSU, but there is just too much to share. Instead, I will highlight two very influential LSU professors: Andy Shaw and Tim Berg. Their advice was embodied in demonstrating a strong work ethic and dedication to their studio practice. These artists were extremely generous with sharing their time and knowledge, both while I was enrolled in school and after I graduated. One particular lesson that I have carried with me is their advice to look beyond the typical ceramic influences to find inspiration from authors and other outside sources.

JL: I am definitely a believer in utilizing all the influences around you, especially those furthest from your own medium. It's the most surefire way to reach an original conceptual and aesthetic identity as an artist.

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I want to say a HUGE thank you to Jenny for sharing her time with (Mud)Bucket. Interviewing her was an absolute blast and I'm so happy to share our conversation on this blog. Please feel free to share any thoughts or questions in the comments section. Jenny and I would love to hear the reader response.

Also... for future interviews or studio visits... let me know who you would like to hear from. I'd be happy to see if I can make it happen. :)

Video: Grayson Perry

2012-07-23T14:10:00.001-07:00

Love this fantastic visit with Grayson Perry... One of my all time favorite artists and people.

All you have to do is put in the hours...

In the Workspace with Linda Fahey

2012-06-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Linda Fahey is a ceramic artist living and working just minutes south of San Francisco, California. She's been a regular on the ceramic blog scene, with the popular We Swim with the Fishes. Recently, she has begun working full-time on her pottery. Watching her work blossom so quickly and brilliantly has been an absolute joy, both as a friend and as a fellow ceramist. Several days ago Linda and I spent some time writing each other about her studio space, the challenges of making a living as an artist, and her recent entry in a grant contest, Mission: Small Business.

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Jesse Lu: Your studio space is a bit of a patchwork situation, which I find interesting and lovely. Could you describe it to us a little? How long have you been making work here?

Linda Fahey: Interesting is a nice way of putting it. It’s taken over my house, so it's definitely a live/work set up. I live by myself, so I can spread out. I'm up on a hill and have a very nice ocean view. It could be more organized, but overall it works well. I do wet work in the actual ‘studio outpost’ which is in my back yard. The studio is a simple modern frame shed, pitch roof. Seven feet high ceilings at the lowest with a pitch to eleven feet at the front, with old french doors from a San Francisco victorian for windows, floor to ceiling. It has great light during the day. The outpost is 10' X 14', not huge, but cozy. I have a large table, a bench for drying work and storing materials along the wall, as well as a couch and surround sound. I like my music and books on tape. I also work at my dinning room table (see photo) where I do a lot of the carving and slip decoration. My kiln and glaze area are in the garage providing easier clean up.

JL: When I was in school I had a class my final semester where we talked about all the ins and outs of the working life of an artist, and there was a good deal of conversation about choosing the right studio space. And it seems from books I've read and artists I've spoken to that there is kind of a split preference between having your studio in your home space and having it away from home. I know you've worked both at and away from your home. Can you tell us a little about those experiences, the differences, and which you prefer?

LF: Ooh, loaded question. I’ve done both, and until recently, simultaneously. Probably common for many potters. Each has pluses and minuses. The community space is fertile ground, isn’t it? The energy of being part of a strong artist community and sharing space means you have immediate access to many styles of process - everyone benefits from that type of environment. Working closely with your mates builds community and camaraderie. That's hugely important to artists- who, like little gangs of birds, can gather together to weather the storms. I miss it sometimes because, until very recently, I went to Skyline College (Tiffany Schmierer is the teacher) two nights a week to focus on on sculpture work. I’d been there for over five years, and also Ruby’s Clay Studio for a couple years before that. Now I’m exclusively working at home, sometimes long hours, and it can be a lonely business. You don’t get the benefit of just hangin’ out with fellow artists and working out an issue or ideas, getting feedback and support, or just taking a break to eat or have a beer with your studio mates. My constant studio mates are my two dogs, Dante and the tiny Pig. They are great to have around, unless they don’t get their walk.

JL: So your studio space at home sounds pretty awesome. You are perched up the hill in a little coastal forest of sorts, looking out into the Pacific, with a beautiful garden and your lovely pups to keep you company when you're not in the water. Can you talk a little about how the space that surrounds you inspires you and influences your work? What is your favorite part about your working environment?

LF: If by environment you mean where I live? Pacifica is a beach town along the Pacific not far from San Francisco. Living in a small coastal town would always be my choice. I get fidgety if I'm away from the ocean for too long. The ocean is unbounded, vast, constantly changing, along with the weather. I’ve blogged about it a lot. One day it’s a perfect sunny day, the next with fog down to the ground, and then it's sunny again. I love it. The ocean is a constant inspiration, a million shades of blue, green, gray and white. I hear the waves at night. We have tons of sea life, dolphins and whales - it’s beautiful. I've been in and out of the water most of my life. I’m doing much less surfing these days, but I have started paddleboarding which I’m excited about. Being in the water looking back on land, it’s a big experience, the ocean teaches you a lot. I don’t get that experience anywhere else nor a greater connection to the land, a greater respect for nature and it’s power. Seriously, it's that sublime effect that only nature creates. You know, the double rainbow effect... we laugh, and it is funny, but it’s also something that is so much bigger than us.

JL: So being such a water baby... that must find it's way into your work or into the way you work. Beyond the obvious ocean icons we see in your art, I mean.

LF: My house is stuffed to the gills with books. I’ve been reading every book I can find on maritime history and the age of discovery over the last few years. It's fascinating stuff. So, it’s not connecting to the ocean via the natural world, but the man’s ferocious appetite for mastering his domain. It’s incredible what they did. Setting off towards the horizon not knowing where it would take them or what was waiting for them. Sometimes they would be out at sea for years. We have no equivalent for that today. And it changed the whole world forever. For my own work I can't always get my arms around how I want to convey the relationship between man and the sea. How do we feel about the ocean? I’m often asked about the whales; it’s not just as simple as I read Moby Dick and well, there you go. Put a whale on it. The whale is the greatest metaphor we have for the sea. It’s about the elements, the environment, and the feel of the sea. The line work, water, moving and turning, churning, wind blowing, the feeling that the ocean is bigger than we know.

I once swam with a pod of dolphins in Hawaii; it changed my life. But by contrast, we are poor stewards of the oceans. Why are we still whaling? How can we need anything from a whale in this day and age? We are the arbiters of plastic and so incredibly irresponsible. There's an endless stream of container ships that march across the horizon line (two a week on average go to the bottom) and then we're considering more oil rigs after the BP fiasco? How are we not doing better, being more sophisticated on how we utilize our resources? We can’t stop, but we can be way more intelligent about it, instead of greedy. Everything eventually ends up in the sea. So, yes, there's a lot more I can do with the subject matter. There are many stories I haven't yet told. One thing I’d like to do is partner in art with some ocean non-profits to donate sales/help bring greater awareness to how we can use less plastic for starters.

And then... there’s the flower thing in my work. It’s as simple as I love flowers and pattern. simplicity and innocence, old and new.

JL: Recently you posted an article from Etsy on your Facebook that highlighted the misconception about artists and their time. So much more than molding clay or layering paint goes into being an artist. Can you break down what a real 'artist's schedule' is like for you? And on the other hand, if you didn't have to think about making money, what would a fantasy workday look like for you?

LF: I did my corporate time, some 20 years in heavily structured environments. Now that I have the whole day to structure in anyway I like, it’s been challenging. What's weird is that I'm generally good at time management. Or I was. Now I'm in a world without inherent structure, where I am in charge of developing, implementing, and adjusting the work schedule day to day - even throughout the day. I've gotten much better at it, but find that I still waste a lot of time. I just went out and bought a huge calendar for the rest of the year to plot a plan and create a project timeline. A corporate world of one. I have a lot going on at the moment, more than I have ever had, so it's critical to my success and growth to get a handle on it. I make myself work a minimum of six hours a day on clay and two hours on administrative stuff. The toughest thing is when I'm ramping up for an event. All hell breaks loose and the schedule gets tossed and I end up working 16/17 hrs a day.

My fantasy workday... nice question! So, fantasy day in my fantasy studio/gallery, right? Up around 6, little workout, make coffee or tea, beach walk with the dogs, then get on my bike and ride to work at the studio/retail/gallery space around ten-thirty. I'd open at eleven. Come home, wine, eat, rest, read, have fun. Sleep and repeat. Shop hours: Tuesday through Friday eleven - seven, Saturday and Sundays eleven - five. Mondays we'd be closed. I don't know. Sounds pretty good to me. Actually, my day is already like that except for the bike part. And, well, the awesome studio/gallery part.

JL: You've got it all worked out!

That Etsy article also cited an article on Salon about the plight of the creative class and the relatively obscured economic hardship it's currently facing. Incidentally, in the last year or so you also came across some economic obstacles of your own, the end of your twenty-year career in the corporate world and a leap into the 'creative for pay' wilderness. You mentioned that figuring out how to schedule your self hasn't been as easy as you would have guessed. What other challenges has that leap into self-employment as an artist presented for you in the studio? How has it affected your craft methods??

LF: There have been numerous challenges with the transition. I think it's important to evaluate your weak points and areas where you are uneven, don't be afraid to get feedback, not just on your artwork, but on your business approach as well. I know- easier said than done, but there is enormous value there. Setting realistic goals and attaining them is key. Again, I draw from my corporate experience a great deal. I have a hard time with the idea of obscured economic hardship. I want to be respectful to those, including myself at this point, who cannot make a sustainable living without supplemental income. Self-employment in any field is a gamble, and it takes a lot of courage to believe in what you are doing and to continue to do that in the face of economic realities. Where you live, the demographic, the work, luck, grit- everyone has to decide what their bottom line is. For me, I try to look at my situation as a consultant might, if I could afford to hire one. How can I be more efficient? How can I save money? I want to be smart and make thoughtful decisions. How can I market myself effectively? What are my goals for the next three months, or six months, or the next year? How can I round out some of the areas that are not my natural strengths? I think these are reasonable questions.

JL: So it seems like this leap has forced you into being more creative in other aspects or your work, not just the 'making' part. I think when it comes down to it though, that type of full throttle, creative thinking is essential to success as an artist and as an entrepreneur. To that effect, your ambition and dedication to this new, 'creative for pay,' has begun to bear some exciting opportunities for you. You are making plans with two stores for future collaborations and you've been accepted into several local art fairs for the upcoming year. Furthermore you've just applied for a small business grant from the 'Mission: Small Business' project. Can you tell us about your project and what the grant would mean for you and your town?

LF: The grant would be a windfall. It came across my Facebook page quite accidentally; a "friend of a friend" had applied and I voted for her. Then the wheels started turning and I decided to go for it Chase Bank/Livesocial set aside some 3 million to give to small businesses that have been in business for at least two years and could use some capital, a financial boost for small business next level growth. I can only imagine the number of people who applied. And of course, I consider the unlikelihood of it, but then again... you never know, do you? As we discussed challenges artists face, I'm thinking financial creativity. I've been throwing around in my head the idea of a brick and mortar store for some time, combining a gallery space, retail space, and studio space- romanticizing, idealizing, and visualizing what that would be. A dream for many artists. The grant would obviously bring this idea to life quite quickly... at least much more quickly than I could do on my own.

Pacifica is a beautiful place, as I mentioned, a small beach community of 30,000 very near the ocean - a slightly odd little town suffering, it’s fair to say, from a bit of an identity crisis. We have an historic surf culture, which is enjoying a bit of a renaissance and growing by the minute. We also have a blue-collar flavor here, mixed in with a lot of new people moving in, building homes, wanting growth. There have been some positive changes, and Pacifica feels like it's on the verge of a new expansion. We have new business popping up here and there and we have a lively art community. I’d love to see a more vibrant shopping/restaurant trend happening here.

I believe the idea I have may add something to our community. I'd like a space to do my work with a gallery and retail store front. We'd host monthly openings and other events. I would like to focus on emerging artists and bring in work with moderate price points alongside more upscale pieces, well made textiles, paper goods, and clothing, furniture. I envision a well-curated, inviting, curious, and interesting environment. I also think of the space as a gathering place, a comfortable general mercantile. I want people to see Pacifica as a destination, and to get that art is approachable and affordable for everyone. I want to be more involved day to day with the people in my community and I hope to draw people here from all over. I am lucky that the Bay Area is saturated with enormous talent to draw from.

JL: You've always been very supportive of other artists and have built a community for yourself of like-minded creatives. This project seems like it would be an extension of that part of your life. I know working as an artist can present a social challenge at times as you spend many, many hours just with yourself. Some folks blossom in that kind of isolation, but I think you and I are not those folks. Do you have any tips or advice on creating a creative community for oneself, especially as someone working from home?

LF: Yes! We're Ambi-verts, right? Ambi-verts can more comfortably navigate the lines between introversion and extroversion. I have learned that some of my work requires concentration and focus and working alone is ideal. On the other hand, I like doing sculpture work in community studio spaces and I feel it needs that energy. My peers, the people I've spent years working with, we know each other's work, where we've come from, and we benefit one another with good insight and valuable critique. Building a solid community of people you sync up with is an important part of your artistic development. If you're not in a graduate program then going to workshops, reading and/or writing blogs, seeking out information and knowledge on your own is important. Finding a mentor or someone fitting to review and give feedback on your work is crucial. Get your work out there and participate in shows and sales. You have to work it, feed it energy. You will create a robust circle for yourself by being part of the greater creative community around you. I think it's vital.

JL: Lastly, I've been reading this zine lately, Good to Know, from Pikaland's Amy Ng. The latest issue is about rituals and how artists use them, or don't, to help their work. I'm fascinated by this concept as I feel rituals are really important to help us zone into creative space/time, especially when you work at home. Rituals are signals to your mind that it's time to work, like putting on your suit and tie or hopping on the train to Downtown. Do you have any rituals that you use to put you in studio mode? Do you think rituals are important?

LF: I find the number one important thing I do each day is my walk. I’ve got a routine in place and I plan my entire work day around it. That is the main ritual for me. Besides cleaning up my space before setting to work, I don’t have any elaborate rituals. I do tend to “circle” around my work sometimes for days before starting a new series. You remember the spirograph? Well, I’m the pen.

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We can help Linda Fahey with the Mission: Small Business grant by voting for her project here. Enter Linda Fahey from Pacifica, California to find her project. She needs at least 250 votes to be considered for an award, but the more the better. Please take a moment to help a fellow ceramist and blogger get through the first round of this amazing opportunity.

Shufflin'

2012-06-11T17:08:00.002-07:00

Hello everyone!

It's been a hot second since I last posted. (Right?) And I wanted to share with you what's going on with (Mud)Bucket. As you may well have noticed, I am finding little excess time here and there to post on this little blog. I am not, however, ready to put this (Mud)Bucket to rest. But I have reached yet another fork in the proverbial road.

If you need a regular fix of visual, ceramic stimulation á la (Mud)Bucket, you can follow my pinnings on the Mud Bucket Ceramics board on Pinterest. I can also recommend following Mike McDowell Contemporary Ceramics board and Linda Fahey's Ceramics board.

As for this blog... I'm going to start focusing on original content of higher quality, such as artist interviews and studio tours. I can't say posts will be very often, but they'll be worth reading more than once.

I hope that you all stay tuned and enjoy the show.

- Jesse Lu -

Martina Lantin

2012-05-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Martina Lantin describes working with an earthenware clay body as using chocolate porcelain. And it's no wonder, these pieces look like petit four confections you could just pop into your mouth.

(images via artist's website and Red Lodge Clay Center with artist's permission)

Fly Kelly Daniels to Penland

2012-02-03T08:35:00.000-08:00

My personal success on Kickstarter did so much more than grant me the funds I needed to continue a series of textile works. My success showed me there were people who believed in me, it proved to me I can do whatever I set my mind to if I just set it, and it sparked this idea that anyone can experience the same success if I just pay it forward a little bit at a time.

That being said, I want to put it out there again that if you start a project on Kickstarter I want to know, so I can help.

(Mud)Bucket reader and web-pal Kelly Daniels sent me an email yesterday about the Kickstarter project she launched just launched, "Fly Me to Penland". Kelly is trying to make it to Penland to study with Kathy King in March and we can help her tremendously by supporting her project on Kickstarter. Kelly has several awesome ceramic rewards for helping her out so this is a great way to add to your mug collection or grab a new little nightstand treasure (a ring dish is the first ceramic reward).

Watch the video above and then click on over to Kickstarter to pitch in and select you reward. Kelly is truly talented. I can't wait to see what she learns at Penland. :)

Kathryn Finnerty

2012-01-29T11:31:00.000-08:00

What I love most about Finnerty's work is the way she plays with positive and negative space. The shapes within these pots, created by the fine lattice-work, the curling handles, and the jutting spouts, are enough to examine for hours before you even begin to discover the texture, color, and imagery. Finnerty's work makes you consider how much room for design, style, and creativity there is in just one pot.

(images via accessCeramics with artist's permission)

James Tisdale

2011-12-21T10:47:00.000-08:00

Let's get a little figurative, shall we? Aren't these sculptures by Austin-based ceramist, James Tisdale incredible? I love all the detail in each piece, from the colors to the gestures, it really allows a story to develop within the sculpture. I feel like a lot of sculpture lacks that quality- narrative, which is a shame because narrative is one of the aspects of sculpture that keeps it from being static and boring. Wouldn't you agree?

(images via artist's website with permission)

Tess Stilwell

2011-12-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to post some of Tess Stilwell's work for over a year, so that the original images I chose to share were exchanged for the shots of these adorable cups from the artist's thesis series. I really love how the patterning and characters have evolved in this work. The quality of line, the placement, the subject matter, and the amount of imagery have reached a very balanced aesthetic. Don't you think?

P.S. So sorry for my absence. I have been busy with so much lately. Including my Kickstarter project. Woot Woot. Thank you to all my (Mud)Bucket friends and readers who supported me and helped make it such a success. :)

(images via artist's website with permission)

Peggy Loudon

2011-10-31T11:48:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling girly today. Maybe it's the Mazzy Star playing in the background, who knows.

I love Loudon's graceful pots and I think what dazzles me the most is that even though all the scrapping and stitching on these posts should feel rough, it doesn't. These pots feel delicate and wistful, perhaps due to the gentle colors, the simple shapes, and the thin walls.

They are so lovely.

(images via artist's website with permission)

Thank you, thank you!

2011-10-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

Hi ya'll!

I just wanted to say thank you and tell you to give a look over there to the right. My Kickstarter Project has reached over 90% of it's goal in less than half the duration of the fundraiser. I am so grateful to everyone who has pledged and the buckets and buckets of support I've received for this series. I am so incredibly excited to get started on this work, but I have to wait until December. In the mean time I'm preparing everything I can... Making shopping lists for different stores, painting mixed media works to exercise my color thumb, and of course getting started on the rewards.

The best thing about this whole Kickstarter business is that it has actually inspired me beyond my initial ideas. I'm thinking about textiles, painting, clay, all in a new exuberant light thanks to the success of this project and the generosity of my backers.

There are still 35 days before the fundraiser ends and only $120 before I reach my pledge goal. I know I'm going to reach my pledge goal before the half way mark, I can just feel it, but that means there will be a whole month of fundraising time without any goal to meet.

Sooo... I'm putting it out there. Any extra contributions, beyond the $1500 goal, will go to fund a following series in clay. You all know I'm stocked with supplies for ceramics, so any extra money would fund membership dues at a local ceramic studio. Not Made in China is an awesome little studio here in Albuquerque, NM and they offer monthly memberships for $107 that includes clay, firings, and equipment usage. Any donations beyond the Kickstarter goal will be used to help offset this cost.

So here's your chance (Mud)Bucket readers, to support a textile art turned ceramic art project. What is the ceramic series going to be you ask? Well, it's still developing but the essence of the work will be "service," or at least that's what my sketches tell me. (And keep your eyes peeled, once I reach my goal, a new reward will be revealed.)

Thank you again, everyone, for you help. And your unending support here on (Mud)Bucket... you all are the best readers a clay-obsessed blogger could wish for.

Myungjin Kim

2011-10-24T18:16:00.000-07:00

I have been an admirer of Myungjin Kim's work for a very long time. I'm sure you can see why. These works of art are whimsical, ethereal, charming, and reflective. Not to mention skillful. Insanely skillful.

(images via accessCeramics with artist's permission)

Video: Ceramics- A Fragile History

2011-10-23T07:27:00.000-07:00

BBC presents a three part trilogy about the history of British ceramics. How awesome is this!?!
Part one is above, part two below.... Part Three airs tomorrow and should be available on YouTube shortly thereafter.
So awesome.

Video: Agnes Martin

2011-10-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

Agnes Martin Interview (20:00 version, 1997) from Chuck Smith on Vimeo.

Agnes Martin is one incredible lady and a brilliant artist. I first saw her work last winter at the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe. I would have never expected to fall so hard for what really is just lines, lines, and more lines, but I did. What is it about the grid?

It makes sense, though, when I consider other artists I love who exploit the ever-evolving line- potters like Nicholas Bivins and Emily Schroeder and Rob Sutherland.

Anyway... enjoy the video, hopefully you'll learn a thing or two.

Scott Bennett

2011-10-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

I love the shape of these bottles and the textures and colors of the glazes. It can be difficult at times to find a real balance between surface and form and to build a mutually supportive relationship between glaze and vessel. I find these pots to be simple yet very successful examples of such a relationship.

(images via Red Dot Gallery used with permission from the artist)

Open 4 Discussion: A Disclaimer

2011-10-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone.

A recent experience with Blogger has let me know that I need to make something about this blog clear.

I began this blog initially as a way to educate myself about contemporary ceramics. I decided to share my experience widely with readers because I thought there might be other ceramic artists and ceramic art students with the same thirst for knowledge as my own. You see, from my experience, students who wish to study ceramics usually have very little, if any, access to information about or exposure to the contemporary ceramic art scene. I've actually been quite shocked by how little we know about each other at times, and I see this blog as a small piece of the solution to that sort of isolation. I think we can become better ceramic artists by knowing more about our fellow potters and sculptors. And we can become stronger artists in general by having a stronger understanding of our place within the larger art scene.

But recently this blog was reported to Google for infringement of an artist's copyright. Now, I greatly respect every artist's work as their own, but I suppose I find myself in the school of thought that if you make art that you want the public to view and ultimately purchase, well then, images of your work that are within the public realm are then for public viewing, most especially within an educational context. Now, I know that my school of thought is not shared by everyone, and probably not even the majority, but I'd like to think that all of you readers appreciate the exposure to other artists that has been facilitated here on (Mud)Bucket. This is why I have had a disclaimer posted on this site to let folks know that if they wish their work not to be shared on this platform, that I would be glad to remove it.

With that said, an artist recently chose to report me instead of emailing me directly. I'm not sure why I wasn't contacted first, especially with the disclaimer considered, and truth be told, my ego was a little bruised at first. I have no ill-feelings towards the artist who reported me, they were acting to protect their work and I understand that, though from what I'm unsure. If you have ideas on that, please speak up in the comments section.

When I began this blog I was sharing artists at such a rate that I didn't feel I had time to contact each artist before sharing their work. The blog has slowed since then but my life outside the blogosphere has intensified greatly and I still feel that my time for this blog is rather limited. I have always, however, had a desire to go back through the archives to try and contact all the artists whose work I've shared on this blog, as I do feel it is important for them to know and have a choice of where their work is viewed. I thought the disclaimer would be enough until I was able to begin that task. I see now that it was not.

Since receiving the notice from Google, I have edited and moved the disclaimer to the top of the page to make sure it is seen by everyone who visits (Mud)Bucket. And I have decided to begin the task of contacting the artists (or their estates) shared here within this blog. Now, this could mean that some content will be permanently removed from the site, but I have faith that most artists won't be so inclined. This task will be lengthy as there are over 300 individual artists that need to be contacted. If you are interested in helping, the biggest thing you can do is let me know if there are images of yours on this blog and whether or not you would like me to remove them (use the search bar if you aren't sure). If you have time, or perhaps students with time, and would like to help me with this process, send me an email. I would greatly appreciate the help.

In the mean time, things should continue as normal here on the blog, by which I mean slowly but steadily. Please chime in with any ideas or opinions that you have on the issues of copyright and education and on exposure to contemporary artists. This is an open forum.

Thanks for your understanding.

Nicholas Bivins

2011-10-04T17:47:00.000-07:00

Wow, I just found this post way back in the unpublished archives. I can't believe I never shared Nicholas Bivins' work on this blog. He is one of the most talented new potters on the scene. I love how modern his shapes are and I'm really impressed with how he has redefined the idea of a service, or set of dishes. The bonus, his glazing and surface design are killer.

(images via artist's website)

I'm Launching on Kickstarter!

2011-10-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

So... I know it's been quiet around here. I've been trying really hard to maintain a creative practice at home and too much blogging (reading and writing) takes away from that. My creative energy is a-bloomin', though. I've been craving clay more lately than I have in a very long time. Hiatuses are good sometimes I guess. But this isn't exactly a hiatus anymore.

There's big news.

I'm launching a Kickstarter Campaign, today, and I need your help, (Mud)Bucket Readers.

For those who aren't familiar with it, Kickstarter is a web-based, grassroots fundraising tool for creative projects aplenty. Individuals propose and then list projects on the Kickstarter website where friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances, and strangers alike can pledge different contributions to the project in exchange for a series of rewards. The pledges are collected in an 'all or nothing' fashion, so each project is accompanied by a monetary goal which must be reached before the project creator can reap the benefits of the fundraiser. This protects both the project creator and its supporters, and ensures that no projects end up half-assed. I like that.

I've been working on this Kickstarter Campaign called 'Ladies Work' for the last couple weeks and I'm finally ready to launch. It is a textile arts project that I am very excited for. How does a textile arts project relate to a ceramic arts blog, you say? Well, to put it plainly, I hope, through the production of this textile series, to develop a stronger point of view as an artist which I will then feel more confident translating into the different mediums I love to use- including clay. (In fact, this whole series was originally inspired by the workshop I took with Diana Fayt earlier this year, fancy that.)

The obstacle that I've come to in my ceramic work is that I feel I don't have a solid path to follow. My work has been very weak on many levels and for the longest time I couldn't figure out what was going on. I thought maybe I really didn't love clay as much as I thought. WRONG. I thought maybe I just wasn't any good with clay. Again, WRONG. And then I thought, well maybe I just don't have anything unique to offer the world as a ceramic artist. WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG. I have since realized, through the pursuit of my textile work, that I do want to work in clay and that I do have something unique to offer the kiln gods. If it is through the consistent exploration of multiple mediums that I remember these facts, then so be it. Isn't it funny how that works?

So... I am asking you, readers, to help me with this project. We have until December 1st to reach the pledge goal of $1500. If you can pledge, thank you from the bottom of my little potter's heart. If you can share this Kickstarter Campaign with your friends, family, studio mates, and blog readers, again thank you from the bottom of my little potter's heart. If you can do both, I will explode with gratitude like a pot full of plaster in the kiln.

Thank you so much for reading this. For more information please visit my Kickstarter page, where you can pledge if you decide you'd like to contribute and where you can find the video above to share with your friends and readers.

I hope this project inspires some of you to try your hand at a Kickstarter project as well. If it does, please let me know. I'd love to support you, too.

Pledge to "Ladies Work"

P.S. If you'd like to see some of what this project will fund, check out my board on Pinterest.

Ian Meares

2011-09-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

The abstract expressionists and the minimalists had it right when they concluded that sometimes the relationships between color, texture, shape, and luminosity were content enough. These pots by Florida artist Ian Meares are evidence to that conclusion. Also, I am really feeling the swatches of color thing right now. It's just making me go ga-ga.

(images via Red Lodge Clay Center)

Nicole Kowalski Aquillano

2011-09-25T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have not felt so excited by fresh ceramic work since I found Michelle Summers' work. I am totally in awe of these pieces by Nicole Kowalski Aquillano. She is currently a masters candidate at RISD and her work embodies so many of the things that I love about clay- freedom of shape, texture, pattern, and color. I'm so excited to start following her work!

I have to admit... Lately I am really having a hard time not having an outlet for my ceramic work. I am dying to break out some of the bisque I brought with me on the move and just start painting it with my underglaze collection. Only trouble is, is that I have no idea when I will be able to glaze fire it. We'll see what happens.

It's just that I am so focused on my textile work right now... in fact I have a Kickstarter project in the works that I can't wait to share with you guys... I just don't have the time to drag out all my ceramic supplies. Eeeek! Maybe I can figure some clay time in somewhere. Maybe.

(images via artist's website)

Jérôme Galvin

2011-09-19T08:12:00.000-07:00

Now, I think you might have guessed I'm a sucker for anything art brut. These pots by French artist Jérôme Galvin totally hit the spot. I love the reference to blue and white wares from Renaissance Europe, illuminated manuscripts, and oribe pottery from Japan. I love the fact that he effortlessly combines an attention to detail with a crudeness of hand and application. Yum.

(images via artist's website)

Open 4 Discussion: Clay Comfort

2011-08-06T09:19:00.000-07:00

You know... I had a quirky realization this morning as I poured my coffee into my Kristin Pavelka mug. While overall, my sentiments about the southwest and this strange new city are very, very good, I do have my moments where I realize my life has changed drastically in the last month. My friends are all hundreds of miles away... All of them. I have no studio to run off to for a creative kick in the butt. And the art culture in this city is so different from back home and, truth be told, a little more hidden then I'm used to.

Yesterday all these thoughts backed-up a bit and the result was a case of homesickness. It wasn't too bad, but the thought of living away from my city by the bay for so long unsettled me for a while.

Yet this morning, when I opened my cupboard and looked up at my collection of charming handcrafted mugs, the strangest thing happened. I felt right back at home. As I lifted the curvy green mug with the orange-centered flowers from the back of the shelf, I immediately felt the comfort of my little hobbit hole back in San Francisco. And it's not just the way the mugs look, but the feel of each one in my hand that I have become so familiar with over the last year and a half. And the shape of the lip as a warm drink passes over mine. And the way the grounds from the crumby french-press look when they get trapped at the bottom of each different mug.

I think this is one of the reasons I am so in love with ceramics, and pottery in particular. When objects are hand-crafted, like the ones in my cupboard, they're imbued with a type of character that makes them more of a friend then just a mug. It may sound silly, but I guarantee I am not the only one who feels this way.

I like when artists really embrace this quality of their creations. Have a read at Michelle Summer's blog, where she talked about this recently. Then tell me what you think. Do you have relationships with some of your pots, or other handmade objects in your home?

Sidetracked for the time being...

2011-07-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

Hello my dear readers...

I need to confess something to you. I am a bit burnt out. I love writing this blog and it has been such an amazing experience thus far, but I think I may need some time away. There have been many big changes for me in the last year or so... I've moved to a new state, I've finished college (FINALLY!), and my creative practice has shifted focus a bit.

You see, I think I need some time away from clay. We aren't getting divorced, don't worry. I just think we need some time apart so I can really figure out what I want from our relationship. While I wait for another ceramic studio opportunity here in Albuquerque, I will be busy making many other things...

I hope to spend the next couple months sewing, beading, quilting, building/restoring furniture, printmaking, embroidering, painting, weaving, drawing, training my new pup, finding a good job, exploring the Duke City, making new friends, and cooking up a storm. And I will be sharing all these fun things on a new blog, Folk-Art-Life... Think of it as The Mud Bucket's spunky kid sister.

I want you all to know, I am not abandoning this blog. I couldn't after all I've experienced with it. But it will be far and few between as far as posting goes for the next couple months. I hope you can understand and I hope you'll come stop by at Folk-Art-Life in the mean time.

Thanks, friends!

-Jesse Lu

Moving On...

2011-07-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

Big changes.

We made it to New Mexico.

It is beautiful.

It is strange.

It is new.

Stay tuned.

(beautiful image by Wylie Maercklein via Flickr)