Takeshi Yasuda on Episode 10 of the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Japanese ceramic artist Takeshi Yasuda. Over his fifty year ceramic career he has received world wide recognition for his functional pottery. His latest body of work features celedon glazed forms thrown in porcelain. He often accentuates his forms with loose gestural lines created by the slow turn of the potters wheel. 

Takeshi moved to the U.K. in 1973 and has maintained a studio there ever since. He has taught at various educational institutions including the University of Ulster, where he was a professor of applied arts. From 2005 to 2010 he served as the director of the Pottery Workshop in Jingdezhen, China.

In part one of the interview we discuss establishing his first studio in Mashiko, Japan. In part two of the interview we discuss the development of his ceramic voice, and his experience living in the U.K. If you would like to see more of Takeshi's work you can visit his website by clicking here. 

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Takeshi's previous bodies of work include a three color series influenced by the Tang Dynasty and a cream ware series of porcelain ceramics. While his touch with clay has remained the same his surfaces and forms have varied greatly through out his career. I admire his ability to evolve and change styles.

Shanghai University International Artist Residency

These images where taken during a week long workshop/symposium at Shanghai University. Nine artists from China, Japan and the U.S. got together to work in the studio and eat alot of good Chinese food. The participating artists are Chen Guanghui, Wu Hao, Yu Ping, Wan Li Ya, Yu Hongbin, Takeshi Yasuda, Shawn O'connor, Dryden Wells and myself. A huge thank you to Stephanie Chung for providing these images and to Chen Guanghui for organizing the workshop.

One of my favorite aspects of the workshop was working beside Takeshi Yasuda. I soaked in as much of his demonstrations as I could. I found myself continually stopped on my wheel watching what he was doing. I was also fortunate to sit down with Takeshi for an interview that covers his fifty year career in clay. He will be on the next episode of the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast which I hope to post some time this week.




Shawn O'Connor



Wan Li Ya



Wu Hao



Yu Hong Bin's sculptures



Dryden Wells



Chen GuangHui




For my five days in the studio I focused on designing a new British style teaset complete with teapot, cups/saucers and a sugar/creamer set. This was a test run for the forms I hope to perfect during my Denmark residency at Guldagergaard starting next week. I'm looking forward to digging deeper with this set.



I also worked with the flower brick form that I have been developing recently. I decided to super size it. Great fun to work at the 18 inch scale.

This workshop will be capped with an exhibition in early December at the Shanghai University Gallery. I'll post more images of the exhibition when it is installed.

New work fresh from Photoshop

I keep promising myself I'll blog about my recent travels but those posts are getting pushed farther down the to-do list. This week has been dedicated to glazing, packing and photographing. I shipped out 7 boxes today and hopefully I'll get the last few out tomorrow. The business side of this clay business always takes more time than I think it should. 

Here are a few shots that I enjoyed from recent shoots. I especially dig the last one of the smallest teapot I have made to date. It is tiny but it packs a punch! The others you might notice from previous In the Studio posts. Seeing the work glazed always gets me pumped to make some more. The finished product is the visual reward that follows the rewards of making.

Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast: Ep. 9 Ceramic artist and educator Shoji Satake

This week on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with ceramic artist and educator Shoji Satake. His mixed media sculpture combines cast ceramic forms with found objects that are reminiscent of flowers growing from a rocky landscape. Now the head of the ceramics department at West Virginia University Satake directs their Morgantown campus as well as their long standing study abroad program in Jingdezhen, China.

In the interview we discuss his early work in politics, the evolution of WVU's ceramic program, and the social media projects that spring from his often humorous and subversive brand of social commentary. For more information on Satake's work please visit http://shojisatake.com. If you would like to find out more about the WVU study abroad program please visit their website by clicking here.