Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast: Ep. 6 Caroline Cheng and the Pottery Workshop

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with ceramic artist Caroline Cheng. Her "Prosperity" series combines miniature hand made porcelain butterflies and historical Chinese fashion styles to create contemporary sculpture. Along with the "Prosperity" series she also specializes in functional wood and soda fired tea ware. As the director of the Pottery Workshop she has created a multifaceted ceramic organization that encourages the exchange of technology and aesthetics between east and west. The organization has four locations in China that feature multiple education centers, galleries and an international artist residency.

In the interview we discuss the history of the Pottery Workshop, balancing two separate bodies of work, and her recent experience working as a designer for the jewelry brand Van Cleef and Arpels. For more information on her work you can visit the Pottery Workshop website by clicking here. To listen to this episode you can visit the podcast tab on the blog (by clicking here) or subscribe in iTunes (by clicking here).

Click here to see a video about Caroline's window design for Van Cleef and Arpels.

Check out Chris Pickett's new website

Chris Pickett slab builder extraordinare has just launched his new website. Check it out at www.chrispickettceramics.com. Chris's work is great and his writing on the desire for comfort is right on the money. I like this section of his artist statement. 

"The human desire for comfort is universal. Simultaneously all consuming and fleeting, the ephemeral sensation of comfort insulates us from anxiety and unease. The catalysts for these moments are often related to our emotional experience of nostalgia and our predisposed perception of the world. My functional ceramic vessels cater to this human desire for physical and emotional comfort and gratification. In my work I utilize form, color and design to evoke a sense of ease that can be experienced both aesthetically and through use. The formal language of my work is suggestive of the comforting nature of physical intimacy, casual interactions within a community, childhood experiences and personal domestic spaces."

You might recognize his work on this blog from a previous post about his show Cush. Click here for a virtual tour of Cush.

Clay: The Good Obsession

Going back through my inbox I ran across an article I saved a few months ago. At the time I was writing a blog series about learning and the brain and this was one of the research gems that I stashed away for a rainy day. The article is an interview about brainstorming and other forms of idea creation. Vern Burkhardt and Eric Maisel approach the topic from many angles but the one that stuck with me is the concept of a productive obsession. Here is what they had to say.

VB: How does a 'productive obsession' lead us to have a brainstorm?
Eric Maisel: It's probably valuable to circle back to some basics. The word 'obsession' got defined in clinical practice a century ago as an unwanted intrusive thought, and so in the clinical world there's been no way to talk about productive or positive obsessions because all obsessions have been defined as a negative thing. This way of looking at an obsession has bled into the general culture. As a result we have lots of talk about obsessive-compulsive disorder and what have you. There's a general feeling that obsessions are negative things.

However, artists, scientists, innovators, and smart thinkers have known for thousands of years that there are productive obsessions. There are ways of biting into things that are wonderful. Unproductive obsessions, the kinds of obsessions that clinicians talk about, are rooted in anxiety whereas productive obsessions are rooted in our meaning-making needs, in our desire to have a meaningful life.

Having that as backdrop, a productive obsession is our attempt to make meaning. It isn't our only attempt. We also like to make meaning in lots of other ways, whether it's through relationships, activism, service, or what have you.

We have lots of different meaning-making containers in life, and thinking hard about something is one meaning-making container. Because our whole being resonates with the idea of making meaning, and because we take pride in the idea of making meaning, once we understand the concept of meaning we take pride in doing it. A productive obsession leads to a brainstorm because our whole being is turning ourselves over to this meaning-making activity.

In a way, to use a certain kind of metaphor, we've decided to be the hero of our own story and make a certain choices in a certain direction. And when we do that our brain is activated, is happy to have been given these marching orders, and it wants to march in that direction.

Vern Burkhardt IdeaConnection Interview with Eric Maisel, Co-author of Brainstorm, and Creative Recovery, and Author of Coaching the Artist Within, Fearless Creating, The Van Gogh Blues, and Thirty-One Other Books 

December 5, 2010

Being an obsessive person I have to agree that a tendency to over think is not a bad thing. After all the brain functions much like a muscle in that the more it is used for a specific purpose the better it becomes in achieving that purpose. Put in the wrong direction obsession can be dangerous, but focused on something productive like pottery, obsession can be an endless fuel for creativity.

One example of positive obsession is my work ethic. It originates from the ability and desire to be absorbed at the task at hand. This absorption is a physical manifestation of mental obsession. If I go too long without the feeling of being absorbed in work I start to feel unfulfilled and restless. Being fully engaged in process has become a vitamin that I must take to keep my creative self healthy.

If I reach the point of being fully engaged a switch turns on in my brain and I access a hidden store of new ideas. The more I work the more ideas I have. I have never been a sketch book artist that sits down to draw out the next body of work. I am much more likely to start with one form and through engaging the work process develop four more.

Another example of positive obsessive is the link between repetitious thinking and the "more is more" aesthetic. My decorations are built on multiple overlapping elements that criss cross into a visual mass of petals and leaves. They represent the surge of thoughts that can happen during any given day. Open decorative space on the other hand represents the times in my life when the thoughts in my head are muted by a large in-breath of stillness. Both on the surface of my pots and in my mind I am working to balance activity and rest.

After years of swinging between dense decoration and unmarked forms I realize I can't be satisfied with one without the other. Embracing them both is the only way for me to feel my pieces are finished. The surface of my pots are a great metaphor for my life. By accepting both the potential for chaos and stillness in my thinking I have come to a place of acceptance with my brain. No matter what direction my head chooses to go I can always be grounded in the positive obsession of pottery.

My next post will be about Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi 's theory of flow, or a pleasurable feeling based on sustained activity.

Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast: Ep. 5 Nicole Teng and Brut Cake

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with multimedia artist Nicole Teng. Working under the name Brut Cake, Nicole designs ceramics, lighting, furniture and clothing. She is largely a self taught artist that transitioned into studio life after many years of marketing and gallery work. Her aesthetic has been influenced by a wide range of sources, including Art Brut and the Art Deco furniture of Shanghai's 19th century economic boom.

In the interview we discuss upcycling old materials into new forms, the balance between outsourcing and hand craft, and creating a clear marketing message. For more information on Brut Cake please visit their website by clicking here. You can also keep up with Brut Cake by "liking" their Facebook page.

In the Studio: Yunomi with tiled dogwood pattern

I'm testing a new style within my familiar Dogwood pattern. I have been working through methods for "tiling" the patterns on these Yunomi. The idea came from looking at the way tiles line up in Syrian mosques.

"Tiling" an image has three steps. First find a three dimensional form and choose one angle to focus on. From that angle visually flatten the object into a geometric shape. For me I'm looking head on at a dogwood blossom at the fullest point of its blooming. Then take the geometric shape and arrange it so their is strong symmetrical repetition. On these yunomi I have arranged the petals so they tuck into the negative spaces of the adjacent blooms.

Second, individually alter each motif to create variety. This makes the negative space between blooms highly active. Here I made the outline of each bloom unique by changing the angle that they come into the middle of the bloom. 

The last step is to add smaller scale pattern in the distant background. This gives you something to look at when you hold the yunomi up to your face for closer inspection. On these I am using an asymmetric pattern made from the same dogwood motif. At first glance you see a cup that relies on symmetry but the closer you get the pattern reveals asymmetric balance. I'm always working to create tension between asymmetry and symmetry so tiling is a good method for achieving this. 

The goal with these steps is to draw you into the pattern for a longer period of time. I want a pattern that attracts your attention and holds it.

My other focus has been exploring carving as a way to frame decorative space. I'm looking to diversify my textures beyond slip trailing. Most times I have to go back and clean up the slip trailed lines which takes too long. This extra cleaning step can turn smaller objects, like cups, into an hour long effort. From a practical labor standpoint I don't want to spend an hour on a $42 cup. I'm looking for a quicker way to set up the deco structure while still engaging your sense of touch. I haven't come up with any solid solutions yet but I'm enjoying testing the new carvings.

Happy 4th of July Video: Using color to alter pattern and form

Happy 4th of July to all my American friends! I had a great day celebrating with the help of our fun loving staff. Gao and Dryden's expert underglaze table painting skills helped us celebrate America's independence. For the occasion I'm posting a video clip from my Canberra workshop. A short talk about the affect of color on pattern and form. Click here to see the video Using color to alter pattern and form.






Hope you all have a safe and fun holiday. Happy Fourth of July!

Workshop at the Canberra Potter's Society

The final stop on my Australia tour was Canberra where I taught a two day workshop at the Canberra Potter's Society. Their organization is top notch from beginning to end. The combination of facilities, programing and community where really impressive. They offer classes, a ceramic gallery, and an artist-in-residence program. If you are looking for an international travel experience they have an excellent three month residency that comes with funding, an on-site apartment and fully equipped studio.

I had the pleasure of exploring Canberra with ceramic artist and CPS workshop chairperson Maryke Henderson. As she drove I enjoyed watching the changing fall leaves spread across the hilly landscape. We had perfect weather with warm days, crisp nights, and plenty of blue sky.



Being the capital of Australia, Canberra is filled with government buildings and a surprising amount of urban green space. It is the most nature oriented city I have ever visited. One afternoon we walked up to the edge of Lake Burley Griffin, named after the architect that designed Canberra's urban space. Afterwards we drove up to the Australian parliament. The hill top building is crested with a massive triangular pinnacle and Australian flag that can be seen from miles around. The easy access to the building highlights the contrast between American and Australian government. Even the Australia's elite political establishment seems to have the same casual feeling that I have come to love in the country's citizens.





In the workshop I talked a lot about my approach to color and how that influences pattern and form. This teapot was one of the few pots that I had time to finish. During workshops I never know how many pieces I should finish. Time spent talking vs. number of finished pots is a balance that changes every workshop. The main focus of the workshop is the lectures/demonstrations but I like to leave both decorated and undecorated examples that can be handled by future students. Handling finished pots drives home much of the design decisions I make on each pot.



I feel like I have tea on the brain because tea ware designs have been my main interest lately. You can see the scale of the teapot is diminutive by western standards. This Chinese style teapot (for green tea) is roughly the same size as an English style teacup with saucer (for black tea). You can see images of the other pots I made on my Facebook page. Click her to visit the Carter Pottery Facebook Page.

Demonstration at Sydney's National Art School

The end of my Australia trip was spent traveling through larger cities lecturing and demonstrating at universities. In Sydney I did a demo at the National Art School. This beautiful and unusual campus occupies the former Darlinghurst prison. The sandstone buildings are tightly grouped and surrounded by a high gated wall. The formality of the former prison grounds sat in stark contrast to the students lounging on the lawn during lunch.

As it turns out prisons are perfect for art studios. The already subdivided spaces easily convert into studios. The picture above shows the senior BFA studios in the loft above the throwing lab.




This small building near the exterior wall of the campus used to be the mortuary. The hour glass, scull/cross bones, and extinguished torch are all symbols explaining the building's original purpose. Their serious tone cracked me up. They remind the students to "make smart art or else...."




The head of workshop at NAS is Merran Esson. She graciously invited me to her downtown home where I got to see her studio and collection. She was working towards an exhibition and had many example of work in process. Her heavily textured forms are covered with a green matt glaze that accentuates the rock-like surfaces. She had recently spent time in the Outback so we had a nice discussion about the influence the trip had on her work.



In the evening we drove down to the Sydney Harbor. I was excited to see the Sydney Opera House, one of Australia's most famous buildings. The Jorn Utzon design is breathtaking. The rounded triangular structure reminds me of Deborah Schwartzkoph's angular forms.