Today’s interview is with Jeff Campana who lives in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a lecturer at the University of Louisville; Jeff Campana exhibits his unique style of functional ceramics locally, regionally and nationally. Jeff’s work is definitely complicated; he dissects his pots completely then puts them back together, the results are absolutely amazing.

Jeff’s blog/website: http://jeffcampana.com/     

Jeff’s shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CampanaCeramics

Tell us a little about yourself!

I grew up outside Madison Wisconsin.  Right now I’m teaching ceramics at the University of Louisville and Indiana University Southeast.  I spend my days making work, applying to jobs and shows, teaching, and little else.  I’m hoping to get into a residency next year so I can have more time to relax, and more time to make work. 

How did you become an artist?

In first grade when I was first learning to write, I wrote “when I grow up I want to be a sculptor.”  I’ve always known that I was meant to be an artist.  I made the real actual decision to become one when I went off to college as an art major.  I chose the school (University of Wisconsin Whitewater)  for the ceramics program.  My entry to the art world was through pottery.  My high school had an incredible ceramics program, which gave me a nice head start.  I would never have learned anything about art if not for my interest in making informed pots.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?

I think of my style as bright, simple, refined, materialistic, stylized natural forms with puzzlesque decoration.  I am still working on making my work more my own.   I think of each piece I make as an attempt at redefining what my aesthetic is.  It is now and hopefully always will be a work in progress.  I had a major breakthrough during my final year of graduate school (Indiana University Bloomington, 2007) when I realized that I was drawn primarily to the seams of the thrown and altered pots I was making.  I stopped altering the shape and began  making seams purely as linear elements of my design.  It had the perfect balance of simplicity and complexity.  I knew I was onto something and just rolled with it. I have been tweaking it ever since.  I think that this process of cutting apart and reassembling my pots is the strongest and most recognizable of my visual signatures to others, but it is certainly just one of many from my viewpoint.  

What is your inspiration for your pieces?

I am inspired by the natural world, the various roles and traditions of functional and decorative pottery, and by the endless possibilities and problems to solve with my material.  I see a strong connection between my work and works of the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 1800s and the Art Deco/Art Nouveau movements of the early 1900s.  We share basic principles, such as truth to material and honesty in process, exposed construction, simplicity in form, and the utmost importance of skill.  That being said, I am careful not to let things like that influence my aesthetic.  I try to keep my work pure, which to me means it is a reaction that I alone have to the material I am using and the processes I have chosen to incorporate.  It’s pretty much just me talking to myself through the act of making pots.

What keeps you motivated?

I always have some dream I’m trying to achieve.  Once I achieve it, I come up with some new and better dream about what I want in the future.  I repeat that as needed.  When I experience success, it only makes me hungry for more.  During times of low morale, I remind myself how lucky I am to be able to do what I love for a living.  That always gets me back on track. 

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through your creative process when dreaming up new pieces?

Yes, I am.  Most of my new creations come from a cycle of finishing work, then thinking about what I would change if I had it to do over again.  I then go ahead and do it over again changing it to be better.  Every once in a while, I will try some new form, some new function, or some new process, just to shake things up a bit.  Right now I am experimenting with slab built and slip-cast forms to then cut and reassemble.  They are nowhere near ready for the public eye, but I’m learning a lot from them at least. 

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?

It’s just always been part of me.  Creating is simply what I do.  I am also an inventor, an amateur woodworker, and a very good cook.  I’m constantly making something or other.

What or who inspires you?

My students inspire me a great deal – to be a better leader, a better artist, a better member of the community. 

How do you maintain a healthy work and life balance?

Oh, I don’t.  I work waaayyy too hard.  There’s no balance there at all – and it’s not even remotely healthy.  This is because (I think) I’m in a phase of life where I feel that I need to prove myself.  The competition for academic positions is crazy right now and I just need to work as hard as possible until I get one, as that is the ultimate goal for me.  Hopefully someday I’ll figure out how to relax a bit. 

You, like most people enjoy the process of making and crafting and didn’t get into it for the sake of “business”. But eventually you found yourself having to make the transition from crafter to a businessperson. What have you learned so far and what advice can you give others in the same situation?

My advice is to keep your integrity and have confidence when dealing with customers. I used to take commissions and custom orders because I thought I needed the money from them.  I found that I was making 5 pieces just to get one to survive, which wasted a lot of my time.  I got such a waiting list built up that I was not able to choose what I wanted to make in the studio, but instead just went down the list of things I needed to make for people.  That pretty much sucked all the joy out of it.  It felt like a job all of a sudden.  I found that when I stopped taking custom orders, my work became more valuable, more special to the owners, and I now have customers who compete with their friends, “who has found the best Jeff-pot?” If they could just order whatever they want, there would be nothing to compete over.  Similarly, try not to make things just because you know they will sell.  When you do that, you are putting the customers in charge of what you make, and then it’s not really your art anymore.  For the same reason, I don’t do wholesale.  I have the attitude that I will make whatever I feel like making when I’m in the studio, and then I’ll figure out how to sell it later.

The number one thing is that you really MUST have an online store.  They are so easy to make and once you do it, there’s a way for people to buy your work whenever they want. Here’s an example: If Julia Galloway, one of my favorite potters, had an online store, I would have a cupboard full of her work.  I have none, though, because it is so rare to find an opportunity to buy it.  There are people out there that feel that way about your work, too.  Give them the opportunity to buy it. 

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

My former teacher Tim Mather used to say “the best way to ensure that you never find your style is to go looking for it.” My advice is to try to follow your own aesthetic compass.  Stop looking at other artists, stop looking at source material, stop looking at what’s going on in the art world.  Just look really hard at your own work, and pay attention to what you, not anyone else, think about it.  Be Specific.  I don’t have a single image in my studio, and don’t ever look at pots with the intention of getting ideas from them.  When you take the other people out of it, then it starts to become your own. 

Become a fan: http://www.facebook.com/JeffCampanaCeramics?ref=ts

Follow Jeff: http://twitter.com/jeffcampana

Thanks Jeff!!!

The DIA bowls finally completed!  It feels great to be done.  Here are 16 of the 25 that I made for DIA.  They are on their way to Japan, the DIA folks are going to give them officials in Japan, during the negotiations for a Japan – Denver nonstop flight.

 Happy Birthday Ron!!!!

Ron’s website: http://ronphilbeckpottery.com/

Ron’s Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ronphilbeckpottery

Today’s interview is with Ron Philbeck living in Shelby, North Carolina. After studying mathematics and horticulture at North Carolina State University, he returned to his hometown in 1992 to begin work on becoming a full-time potter. He focuses on utilitarian pots that he hopes will be used in the daily rituals of eating, drinking, and food preparation.  Ron is so generous he cheerfully shares so much information; he has answered many questions that I have asked him and if you read his blog he is always showing us something new. His blog is a great blog to follow.

Tell us a little about yourself!

I’ll be turning 40 this month! I have been making pots since I was 22. I made salt glazed stoneware for 14 years before switching to earthenware. I live out in the county with my wife, Sarah. I really need a hobby! I have a pretty goofy sense of humor and not very good fashion sense. I enjoy napping, drinking tea, cooking and drawing when I’m not making pots.

How did you become an artist?

My mom drew with me as a child and my father was always building things. I was a creative child, making up drawings and stories and playing on the farm where we lived. I had the desire to go to college to study art but I was not encouraged by anyone to do that. So I studied mathematics and horticulture for 4 years at NC State University. I painted some during that time but it wasn’t until I left college and moved back home that I encountered clay. I took a pottery class with a friend at a local community college. I thought I’d like to be a sculptor. Later, while in Florida taking a workshop, I read an article about Warren Mackenzie and also Susan Peterson’s book on Hamada. I knew then that I wanted to become a potter making functional pots. Here was the chance to make something that was beautiful and useful.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?

I throw with soft clay on a Leach style treadle wheel. I think these two things give me pots that have some gesture and aren’t overworked.

I feel like I’m still searching for my voice in some ways. It was almost 8 years before I made a good cup. A few years later I realized that I favored a certain kind of pot. I could force myself to make certain shapes but the ones that I could make comfortably and naturally I saw as my own. I’d say it was at least 12 years before I even began to see myself in my pots.

What is your inspiration for your pieces?

I’m very interested in English slipware and Medieval Italian majolica right now. Living a slow life out here in North Carolina is wonderful. I am surrounded by farmland, rolling hills, lots of small animals and birds and livestock. This certainly feeds my soul and my work.

What keeps you motivated?

This is the only thing I’ve found that I love to do over and over again; it’s my job and my passion. I think the desire to be the best I can motivates me. I see my work as a journey, as my life, I want it to grow and I want to keep trying to ‘get it right’ and to have fun.

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through your creative process when dreaming up new pieces?

I am a full time potter. I work within the limitations of functional pots. That’s very broad but I do find that I need boundaries to keep me from going all over the place. My forms are fairly set at this point, but I do pay attention as I’m making to see if something new emerges.

I’ve only been seriously decorating my pots for 2 years. I draw in my journal everyday. I pay attention to the things around me; I look at historical pots and other forms of art that move me.

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?

I have always had the desire to make things. I’ve drawn and built things since I was young. I had a brief period in my late teens and early twenties when I wanted to be a painter. I couldn’t seem to find what I wanted to say on the canvas. It wasn’t until I was introduced to clay that I felt I had found the right medium.

What or who inspires you?

There are many amazing pots in the world that inspire me. We have a great collection of pots in our home that we use all the time too. It’s wonderful to be surrounded by beautiful things that are useful. My wife Sarah is a huge inspiration. She keeps me grounded and sane.

How do you maintain a healthy work and life balance?

I try to have set hours in the studio and maintain a routine. Of course being a potter often means working 7 days a week. I try and stop working everyday around 6pm to come in and get ready to cook supper. I don’t work at night much any more. I spend evenings with Sarah. I’d like to be doing yoga or exercising more, but I’m not so motivated.

You, like most people enjoy the process of making and crafting and didn’t get into it for the sake of “business”. But eventually you found yourself having to make the transition from crafter to a businessperson. What have you learned so far and what advice can you give others in the same situation?

My mailing list is the most valuable piece of information I have. Early on I collected names and addresses of people who bought my work or who were seriously interested in it. I use direct mail to let folks know when I am having one of my 4 annual studio sales. Now I also use email, my website/blog, and social network sites to keep people up to date.

I have tried to view marketing in as much of a creative way as I do my work. There’s no need for it to be boring or conventional. If I can make it fun and an extension of myself and my work then I think I am more likely to do it and I think it’s more effective.

I try to keep good books, but I do admit that in the past I have always filed my taxes at the last moment. This year I am using an accountant, it’s worth it for me to pay someone to do the job I dislike and get it done on time.

Pricing pots has always been a challenge for me. I have never over priced, if anything I have under priced my pots. This is mainly due to my belief that hand made pots should be accessible to all people. I’ve had to loosen my grip on this system as my work has become more time consuming to make. I feel now I am pricing to the current market price (still a little below probably), for the kind of work I make. I like to get paid for my hard work. There’s no need for me to pretend I want to be a starving artist. I still want my customers to use my pots, and I’d like a student to be able to buy my cups and bowls and such. It’s a balancing act and I have never taken pricing lightly.

I’ve learned to pick which shows work best for me and to drop those that aren’t profitable. I’ve also learned to say ‘no’ when asked for certain commissions if I feel that I am going to hate doing it or have a hard time completing it. No need torturing myself when I can be making the work I enjoy.

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

Make as much work as you can. It’s in the doing that I have found what works for me and what doesn’t. For me, there’s no use in trying to figure it all our in drawings or in writing although those are helpful places to start. It’s in the making that I learned how I handle the material in my own way.

Pay attention and be kind to yourself.

Become a fan of Ron’s on Facebook.  (I am!)

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Shelby-NC/Ron-Philbeck-Pottery/94387339054?ref=ts

Thanks Ron.

Lauren Kearn is now based out of Ventura, California, she just recently moved from Carbondale, Colorado.  Lauren and I met while I was teaching summer workshops at the Carbondale Clay Center.  While living in Colorado she made these beautiful pots about the sea.  Now that she lives closer to the ocean, I wonder if she will make art about the mountains. 

Lauren’s website:  http://www.laurenkearnsporcelain.com/

Tell us a little about yourself!

I have been an artist all my life. I am also a teacher. Currently living in Ventura CA, having recently moved from Colorado, where I was the director of a clay center for the past 5 years. I have been working in clay for the past almost 40 years, as I did start in high school. I wanted to become a painter when I went to art school, but was very drawn to ceramics, so I concentrated my studies there, with Ken Ferguson and Victor Babu being my teachers. I loved to draw and have just taken my first printmaking course of monotypes and loved it. That is my next area of concentration.

How did you become an artist? 

I was born an artist. I announced it at age 4, much to my parents upset.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?

Well, Ferguson put it best, you have to make pots on the type of person you are. When one is young, you really are in formation and you are discovering who you are as a human being and artist. In school, I think everyone is highly influenced by all that is around them, and mainly other students and teachers. In my opinion, it is often when one is out of art school, on their own, that they are free to discover themselves as individuals. We are constantly evolving and changing, so work will be a reflection of this process.

It did take me a long time to discover and have confidence in my own artistic pursuit of my ‘voice’ /my style. I have gone through many phases of development and interests that influences my work. I have realized I walk a fine line between strictly functional and decorative. Both influence me and both have inspired me. Now I am more drawn to sculpture and surface, so we will see where I develop from this point.

What is your inspiration for your pieces?

My latest work was made while in Colorado. I started with the work and realized I was missing the ocean. I saw an article on fish, and how they see color and that was the beginning of the inspiration. Fish are so beautiful in their color and patterns. I do love to cook so many of the shapes I have created are designed for serving. The sculptures I have done are inspired by the life of the sea rocks.

What keeps you motivated?

I don’t really know. I simply have the desire to create and make art. It is a constant driving force.

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through your creative process when dreaming up new pieces?

I am not a full time working artist at this point. I discovered teaching about 13 years ago and feel very strongly that I have a strong talent for teaching…. So I have pursued that aspect. I was a full time studio artist for many years, and it has been important in my development as a person to do other pursuits, such as dancing and teaching art.

I have no idea where ‘it’ comes from. It just comes and I don’t question it. I go into my studio and just start working and let it happen. Sometimes I have drawings, first, sometimes I bring in pictures…. Sometimes I look at books. And then I start.

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?

I don’t remember. I just started at 4 and have not ever really stopped, except for certain periods of my life…. That took that creative drive/focus to use that energy in another direction.

What or who inspires you?

My teachers have inspired me. Periods in history have inspired me. Victor Babu, Kurt Weiser, Engish porcelains, the art of the Asmat, Indian weavings, Japanese lacquer ware etc.

How do you maintain a healthy work and life balance?

I try, that is all I can say – I try to have a balance in my life, while pursuing my passions. I am certain of one thing. That having a priority of creating helps in creating a center from which all other necessities and interest fall in line. I fell in love with training dogs, and wanted to become a horse trainer, but realized I would have to do that in another life. Same with dancing – I was too old by dance standards to become a dancer, plus I have no desire to be on stage or be a performer. But it is essential to know that all one does in life only adds to their artistic life.

You, like most people enjoy the process of making and crafting and didn’t get into it for the sake of “business”. But eventually you found yourself having to make the transition from crafter to a businessperson. What have you learned so far and what advice can you give others in the same situation?

Here is the advice I can offer now:

1. Have great pictures taken, invest in good photography 2. If you do wholesale craft shows: lighting is of utmost importance, and having good brochures for buyers to take with them is really important. 3. Visit the galleries that you think you would best promote your work. 4. Take advice from everyone and discard what is not useful to you.

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

Keep working. Go into the studio no matter what. One has to make bad art to make good art. Don’t be intimidated, as everyone is going through the same thing.

Yesterday was the premier of Art, Design and Dine, in Cheyenne.  My friend Architect Glen Garrett, (a huge art supporter), became a sponsor of the new event.   Glen has made his architect studio-office into a gallery for local artists.  But he didn’t realize Art, Design and Dine was a gallery walk until the two days before the event.  He emailed Wednesday me asking if I could bring 11 to 12 pieces to the gallery on Thursday, for the gallery walk on Friday.  I ran down dropped off a bunch of artwork.  Glen works really fast here called Sign Pro had them throw up vinyl lettering and set up the show.  I wondered how things were going to look because he didn’t have enough pedestals.  He made great hangers for the bowls hung them on the wall.  For such a quick show it really looked nice.  Here are some pictures.  Thanks Glen for all your hard work!! 

Karen Swyler’s interview marks the first of monthly interviews in conjunction with Plinth Gallery in Denver, Colorado. We will be highlighting interviews with the artists who are currently showing with Plinth. Karen’s show opens this Friday, March 5^th from 6-9pm.

Karen’s elegant porcelain is both understated and eloquent. While they may reference the vessel, their altering and pairing speak volumes about relationships.

Karen’s website: http://karenswyler.com/

Plinth Gallery: http://plinthgallery.com/

Tell us a little about yourself!

I grew up on the north shore of Long Island, close to the beach. As a child, I played with clay in my mom’s pottery studio and worked with my dad on school science fair projects. Their artistic and scientific influences had a strong impact on how I viewed the world from a young age. I currently teach full time at Green Mountain College (an environmental liberal arts college in Vermont) while maintaining an active studio practice. I’ve found that my teaching and studio work fuel each other and that I truly enjoy being part of a collaborative educational setting that supports my studio work.

How did you become an artist?

Although I had access to clay from a very young age I really didn’t get interested in it until high school. I took throwing classes and found I loved making pots. This was something that felt natural to me – probably due to the fact that I grew up in a home surrounded with my mom’s handmade pieces. From there, my education in the field was very linear. I was fortunate to attend institutions where I received a strong technical background as well as exposure to critical theory and dialogues about art. I think it’s impossible to define a specific point in time when I became an artist. Instead, I view the process of making art as an evolution. My work is always changing; sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. This is what keeps things interesting, so I hope I never arrive at anything that feels like a conclusion.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?

While my style is constantly evolving, I had a major breakthrough during my graduate studies that continues to inform the work I make today. My visual sensibilities lead me to make work that is organic in form and subtle in color and pattern. Through this approach I aim to create pieces that are elegant and beautiful. These decisions are intended to draw the viewer in and emphasize the conceptual intent of the work.

What is your inspiration for your pieces?

When I was 12 my parents gave me the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Since then I have been an avid bird watcher and outdoor enthusiast. The natural world is a strong influence in my work; I see beauty in organic forms such as the curve of a bird’s neck or the subtle pattern of a bird’s plumage and aim to capture this in my pieces. Conceptually, I am interested in ideas that investigate communication and relationships.

What keeps you motivated?

Looking at art, reading about art, and talking about art with colleagues and students keeps me motivated and constantly raises new questions for me to think about in my studio work and my teaching. I also keep a full schedule and usually have shows planned well into the future. Setting these specific goals gives me deadlines; I like this way of working. The ebb and flow of the academic year also creates a schedule that allows me to balance studio work and teaching.

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through your creative process when dreaming up new pieces?

I am a full time college professor and studio artist.

When developing ideas for new pieces I always look at my most recent work. Using this work as a reference point allows me to improve upon an idea or push an idea further by learning from successes and failures. To test new ideas I often sketch in clay, making pieces that will be sacrificed to experiment with a new form. I also make drawings, but have found there is little substitute for practicing with the actual material.

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?

It’s hard to say; I can’t think of a specific event that triggered it. I have always been shy. The idea of art making as an alternate form of communication was attractive to me. I like the notion that I can make something with my hands that can communicate in a much more nuanced, powerful and multifaceted way than either the spoken or written word. I think that’s why art and art making are so integral to human society.

What or who inspires you?

My sister and my mother. My sister is a writer and has recently completed her first novel. The amount of perseverance, dedication and time spent on this single, intensive project is awe inspiring.

How do you maintain a healthy work and life balance?

It is a constant challenge, but I try to take things day by day. My husband is very supportive of my art and teaching practices and also helps me maintain a balance; we enjoy outdoor activities together including cross country skiing, hiking and bird watching.

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

Gaining a strong technical background and exposure to contemporary and historical artists can give you a good foundation, however I think the best thing to do is look to your own passions, even if they have nothing to do with art. This will help you make the most honest, personal work.

Thanks, Karen!

Sequoia’s website: http://www.sequoiamillerpottery.com/

Sequoia’s Blog: http://sequoiamiller.wordpress.com/

Today’s interview is with Sequoia Miller he is functional potter who works in Olympia, Washington.  Sequoia’s work is beautiful and timeless.  When I look at his work I see so much history in the making of him pots.  His work has been included as part of the recent PBS Craft in America project and has been featured in Ceramics Monthly and Clay Times.  Before becoming a a full time studio potter Sequoia received a degree in Russian.  If you would like to learn how to make these amazing pots, you’re in luck he is teaching a workshop next month at Oregon College of Art & Craft.  Check his blog for details.

Tell us a little about yourself!

I started making pottery when I was a kid, but only realized it was intensely complex and engaging after I had finished college and started working. For me making pots is, at it’s core, a meditative process exploring basic aspects of being alive – sustaining our bodies, how things look, what it feels like to move and hold things. I simply enjoy the process of working with clay and try to keep all the other stuff at bay.

How did you become an artist?

The center of this question is the notion of becoming. When I was 20 someone told me I was a ‘wonderful person becoming’. It took me years to understand this: that we are not one thing, or even a series of things, rather we are always becoming, as a verb.
I think people, myself included, who identify as artists (or potters, or craftspeople) have either a greater sense of urgency around making, or the circumstances in our lives have led us to believe that it is possible to devote ourselves to it. Again, when I was in my early 20s I decided I did not want to work for 25 years and then retire to make pots. So I set about structuring my life so I could spend my time making things. The identity of artist is incidental.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?

For me style is an outgrowth of self-reflection, rather than something you decide upon. I wanted for a time to make rustic crusty pots but that is simply not how I see the world.
I feel it’s important to notice, in a deep way, what you are attracted to- objects, colors, shapes, sounds, experiences – and then to honor that sensibility. This is sometimes very hard, a lifetime’s work. I was attracted early on to mingei, or Japanese folkcraft, and the attendant philosophies of direct, handmade, rustic work. Over the years I’ve noticed my pots have become sharper, more poised and urbane. This is fine, it is an expression of me, I do not need to make ‘orthodox’ Leach-inspired pots. I think of my work as Mingeisha – mingei with a queer twist.

What is your inspiration for your pieces?

Anything, really. Lately it’s buildings, and the light in the forest. Or maybe I am the inspiration for my pieces: myself as the thing that distills sensory experience into pottery.

What keeps you motivated?

Well, I really like just making things, so that’s a huge motivation in itself. I am a bit of a worrier, but I do not seem to have anxieties about what to make or motivation. That’s one example of craft being an excellent carrier for one’s creativity: it offers parameters without dictating rules.

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through your creative process when dreaming up new pieces?

I am a full-time studio potter. Everything I make starts on the wheel, then many pieces get altered, or taken off-round. The dreaming up, or design process, is integrated with the making – this is another asset of working in a craft medium. I do not have to design a mug, then make one thousand of them. Rather, I make six mugs, look at them, notice what I like or do not like, then make another six, either right then or maybe months later.
I do use a sketchbook to help facilitate this, either to remember where I left off with a given form or to work through some of my questions on paper without investing the time to make lots of objects.
My pots almost always come out of the previous pots I’ve made. That is, the handle of a pitcher will give me an idea for a knob on a jar, which will become the foot of a bottle. In each iteration the knob/handle/foot changes the way I see the body of the pot and in turn opens up new possibilities.

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?

I’ve always liked making things, but if anything triggered it, it would be a summer I spent as an assistant in a ceramic studio right after graduating college. It was at Snow Farm in western Massachusetts where they have an art camp of sorts for high school students. I was just really fun to be in a studio all the time and I liked the collegiality of craftspeople. When I went to work at an office after that, it felt like a really poor fit, and I sought out another clay studio.

What or who inspires you?

Hmm…Kasimir Malevich, my partner, the woods in the Northwest, other pots (mostly older), stories by Jhumpa Lahiri, modern dance, drag culture, solitude…

How do you manage being a Father and artist?

This is a really hard one, and it’s different for every person. I had found something of a balance, then becoming a father a year and a half ago has completely changed that. I am still trying to figure out how to make things work, so i feel like I don’t have a lot to offer in the way of advice! It seems organization is key, as well as just letting things happen that are out of your control, being flexible.

You, like most people enjoy the process of making and crafting and didn’t get into it for the sake of “business”. But eventually you found yourself having to make the transition from crafter to a businessperson. What have you learned so far and what advice can you give others in the same situation?

I’d say do not shift you anxieties about your work to the people buying it, either your own customers or galleries. You can only do the best you can, and you’re not in it to make other people happy, so while remaining completely respectful and courteous, hold your ground: make what you want how and when you want. If that doesn’t work for you economically, then make compromises to achieve specific goals.
Do not carry expectations about how other people will behave without communicating.
Always be on the look out for new ways to get your work into the world, and don’t take it personally if something doesn’t work out (i.e. rejection).
One does have to be organized and consistent on the business side, and it takes a bit of effort to design your own system so that you don’t miss deadlines, etc., but it’s do-able.

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

Keep working, don’t look around at other people and compare yourself, and try to train your ear to what really moves you as an individual.

Thanks Sequoia, for taking the time to answer a few questions!!!

The reason I’m posting this, is my dear friends Kristy and Justin’s little girl Nora has Rett Syndrome. They are trying to raise money for a cure.  Please donate to http://www.firstgiving.com/du2cteamnora, so one day Nora and all the other little girls can lead a normal life.  

“There are just a handful of disorders that only affect females. Breast cancer is the most prevalent. Rett Syndrome is just as devastating, and affects a potential one in 5,000 girls. Condemned to an entire lifetime of struggles, these girls have been robbed of their ability to speak, walk, crawl, use their hands. They depend on others for every part of their day. Complications include seizures, sudden death in their sleep and scoliosis. Today, there is no cure. But Rett Syndrome is CURABLE! Amidst the mass confusion going on within their central nervous systems, they are smart, strong, and waiting patiently for us to unlock the door to their recovery.” (I copied this from the Dress 2 cure website.)

Rett Syndrome has never allowed Nora to talk or walk, and has taken a lot of purposeful hand use away from her, but she fights it every day.  And she’s still a sweet, little girl even through the struggles she faces each day.

http://www.firstgiving.com/du2cteamnora

Thank You in advance for helping!!!

Yesterday I received an email from a potter Emily who lives in Japan and teaches on an Air Force Base, asking for some advice.  She is a “student turned teacher” and wanted some

Colleen and I getting ready for Tea Ceremony

resources to learn more about ceramics.  As I was thinking where I could direct her for information, I started remembering when I went to Japan to study ceramics.  It was 1987, and I was accepted to the International Workshop of Ceramic Art in Tokoname (IWCAT). 

I googled IWCAT to see what came up.  What a blast from the past, they have pictures posted from 1987, and I suddenly saw my young, naive face with a bad haircut staring back at me!!!  What a shock, I wasn’t expecting that at all.  I keep thinking about my time studying ceramics in Japan.  If anyone reading this has ever had the dream of going to Japan to study cramics IWCAT is the program for you.  It is one of the finest memories I have, I loved Tokoname, the people I met, the potters, and

Yep, this is me: Raku Japanese style

best of all learning about Japan and its culture.  I run down stairs and start looking for pictures.  I can’t find many pictures; I start to panic, what happened to all those rolls of film, I’m frantically looking through old pictures.  Then it dawns on me, how much technology has changed, and the way we take and show pictures, back in the day, the way to share pictures with friends was with slides.  Most of the pictures I have from Japan are slides.  I don’t have a way to transfer my slides to digital images, but I found a few pics to scan. 

My time in Tokoname was so action packed,  we did raku, fired a nobrigama, anagama, participated in a traditional tea ceremony, visited archeologist excavating an ancient kiln, had Japanese children teach us calligraphy, we did so much, it was such an amazing time.  I could go on and on.  Emily, thank you so much for your question, it sent me down memory lane. 

The National Treasure

The National Treasure's hand.

In his studio.