A GROUP “GLOG” FROM SOME POTTERS OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
“Kiln gods” are a fairly common sight around the pottery shop kiln room. We can all use a little extra divine help in our quest for the firing that will put us on the cover of Time Magazine (or at least Ceramics Monthly). Of course, we more often employ them to help ward off disaster. But perhaps there is a limit to this pagan idiolatry…
Steve Earp
Kiln Gods
The website <vasefinder.com> is filled with pictures of pots. Recent pots and historical pots. Click on “Nationals”. It also has links to other ceramic sites and to potters. One has to sign up ($20.-) to get into the depths of the site. Very interesting.
Michael Cohen
The last AVPG Meeting (January 10 at Jamie’s house) was a very nice round robin showcase of everybody’s work. A great way to spend an evening, looking at pots and talking about them. There seemed to be a theme floating through most of the presentations, ie; doing work that is very difficult and labor intensive. At the time we sort of laughed at this mutual predilection for complicating our lives. But now I see another aspect of it. This is a group of people who are not afraid, and quite able, to go the extra mile. Where others might let up, we continually push ourselves. I think that says a lot about the members of the Guild.
Francine, Evie and Angela viewing the MacKenzie exhibition
About 30 of us Asparagus Valley Potters rented a bus last week to visit the Fuller Museum in Brockton, MA for the Warren MacKenzie traveling exhibition.
Frank & Francine Ozereko also had a huge installation up at the museum that we were proud to see.
On the Line: Frank and Francine Ozereko (detail)
Even with the evil henchman of a museum docent – we all had a wonderful time and tried to touch the pieces while he wasn’t looking. Pottery belongs in our cupboards – not stuck to a pedestal with museum wax. I’m sure Warren would agree.
-posted by Tiffany Hilton
Here is a list of all the Pottery Open Studios coming up in the next month for the AVPG members! See members page for their links.
Begining this weekend, November 21, MARY BARRINGER, DONNA MCGEE
On Going until December 23rd PAM ADORNO
November 27th MOLLY CANTOR (during Shelburne Falls Moonlight Magic) Nov. 28, STEVE EARP. Nov. 29th, ERICA WURTZ, MEGAN HART (during Conway Art’s Walk)
December 4,5,6, LUCY FAGELLA, Dec. 5th FRANCINE ORZERKO, TIFFANY HILTON
December 12th, ANGELA FINA Dec. 12, 13 ROBBIE HEIDINGER
December 18th – 24 NANCY MAGNUSSON
Ever wanted to see a clean pottery studio, and eat some nice food too? Come to my Open Studio and Seconds Sale and find out what all the buzz is about!
Directions:
From north and south
I 91 to exit 26, Greenfield
Take Route 2 West/Mohawk Trail, go 8.5 miles
Turn left onto Route 2A/Shelburne Falls (at the Sweetheart Restaurant)
Take the first left onto Bridge Street
Take the first left onto Masonic Avenue
Stephen Earp Redware is at the end, behind the big red house
Please park on the street
Last night we had a great AVPG meeting held at my house and studio… good talk, great food… too much food, (is that possible?) Why are potter’s such good cooks?
We welcomed new member, Lucien Koonce to our Guild tonight, and hoped to welcome Molly Hatch to her first meeting, but she and baby Camilla were home sick.
Here are some pics. We are missing a few from the group tonight, it’s quite impossible to get us all in a room together, unless we are having a group show. We especially miss Angela Fina our faithful leader as she is recuperating.
We all have our holiday sales coming up… more on next post.
posted by Lucy Fagella
Front to back. Pam Adorno, Rick Epstein, Mary Barringer, Lucy Fagella, Mara Superior, Evelyn Snyder, Valerie Brunnell, Lucien Koonce, Molly Cantor, Donna McGee, Michael Cohen, Nancy Magnusson, Meghan Hart, Tiffany Hilton, Robbie Heidinger, Jamie Guggina, Andrew Quient, Steve Earp.
I also went to the Touch Fire exhibit at Smith College. It was great to see contemporary Japanese women’s ceramics. Like Mike said it’s a don’t miss. There was some really funky stuff. The woven (paper clay?) wall hangings were gorgeous. My main problem with the whole show was that there was only one tea bowl. It was definitely exclusive of functional, contemporary ceramics… a bit of an injustice to the rich history in functional ceramics of Japan.
Lucy Fagella
Right now there is a great exhibition at the Smith College Art Museum.
Japanese Women Artists. 90% clay plus some woven screens that are beautiful. The work is technically astounding. The most intricate, time consuming, ways of working clay that you can imagine.
All of the work is fantastically detailed and carefully executed. My problem is that artistically, it falls short. Some of the pieces are almost silly. That is not to say that all the work is weird. There are many gorgeous pots and pieces of sculpture. There is also a five minute film loop of one of the women working. Don’t miss it.
The display is beautiful except that you have to squat to read the labels. Some works, one can walk up to and others are in cases. I found myself walking up to a case and muttering “WOW!”
I think that this show is a must see for anyone working in clay.
Michael Cohen
My bi-monthly blog, titled “This Day in Pottery History,” is taking off! In it I post various stories from my research on early pottery. It’s getting over 60 hits a day. Huh? Blog Catalog, a clearinghouse site for blogs on the Internet, has given “This Day…” their top rating of five stars. It is also listed on Clayzilla’s “20 Coolest Ceramic Blogs.” Thanks to Lucy for helping us all get going with this stuff!
