The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.
Ceramics Monthly: Do you maintain a sketchbook for idea generation or as a supplement to your work with clay? If so, describe its use. If not, describe how you gather thoughts and ideas.
Sam McCall: While I don’t follow a traditional sketchbook practice, I use a few notebooks for various purposes, such as jotting down ideas, collecting recipes, and occasionally sketching. These notebooks serve as a space for thoughts
that I can revisit later. However, most of my idea generation happens through a hands-on, three-dimensional approach, sketching directly with clay. Working with clay gives me a more intuitive sense of how a form will occupy space and respond to external
forces like gravity and touch, allowing me to refine ideas as I go.
Despite all that, I have recently started practicing quick, gestural sketches using a brush and iron oxide. For me, it’s been a new way of thinking in marks and lines, where I can capture the feel of an idea rather than the literal representation.
1 Sam McCall's Bottle Reliquary, 18 in. (45.7 cm) in length, handbuilt and wheel-thrown iron-rich stoneware, fired to cone 9, reduction cooled, 2024.
CM: What is the most valuable advice you’ve received as an artist?
SM: One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received as an artist was to build my studio practice around processes that excite me. Though it may seem obvious, this advice has hugely impacted how I approach my work. When making becomes
difficult, focusing on the parts I enjoy keeps me coming back to the studio.
My most fulfilling moments in ceramics come from the tactile connection with the clay. I love how it responds to touch and takes on different information through the use of different processes. That’s why I focus on methods that allow me to interact
with the material in a way that feels personal and hands on, such as pinching, throwing, using slabs, or press molds. Visual information left from these processes tell a story through the indentations, scrapes, or cracks, formed during making
and firing; growing and decaying.
2 Sam McCall's Bottle Reliquary, 8 in. (20.3 cm) in height, handbuilt and wheel-thrown iron-rich stoneware, fired to cone 9, reduction cooled, 2024.3 Sam McCall's Bottle Reliquary (alternate view).
CM: How do you develop the forms and surfaces that are prevalent in your work?
SM: I draw inspiration from various landscapes and how they evolve over time. When developing forms, I focus on volume and breath to convey growth, resulting in forms that appear to bloom from the table. Using an adaptable slow-building
approach, also helps to mimic varied natural patterns.
Surface development is heavily influenced by the kiln firing process, which I see as a tool for compressing time and exploring weathering and decay. Firing and cooling in a reduced atmosphere causes iron to migrate to the surface, creating a varied color
palette that interacts with different forms and textures. I also experiment with masking and layering slips for added contrast and depth.
Ultimately, I aim to create works that convey the entangled nature between time and place through the use of form and surface.
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The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.
Ceramics Monthly: Do you maintain a sketchbook for idea generation or as a supplement to your work with clay? If so, describe its use. If not, describe how you gather thoughts and ideas.
Sam McCall: While I don’t follow a traditional sketchbook practice, I use a few notebooks for various purposes, such as jotting down ideas, collecting recipes, and occasionally sketching. These notebooks serve as a space for thoughts that I can revisit later. However, most of my idea generation happens through a hands-on, three-dimensional approach, sketching directly with clay. Working with clay gives me a more intuitive sense of how a form will occupy space and respond to external forces like gravity and touch, allowing me to refine ideas as I go.
Despite all that, I have recently started practicing quick, gestural sketches using a brush and iron oxide. For me, it’s been a new way of thinking in marks and lines, where I can capture the feel of an idea rather than the literal representation.
CM: What is the most valuable advice you’ve received as an artist?
SM: One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received as an artist was to build my studio practice around processes that excite me. Though it may seem obvious, this advice has hugely impacted how I approach my work. When making becomes difficult, focusing on the parts I enjoy keeps me coming back to the studio.
My most fulfilling moments in ceramics come from the tactile connection with the clay. I love how it responds to touch and takes on different information through the use of different processes. That’s why I focus on methods that allow me to interact with the material in a way that feels personal and hands on, such as pinching, throwing, using slabs, or press molds. Visual information left from these processes tell a story through the indentations, scrapes, or cracks, formed during making and firing; growing and decaying.
CM: How do you develop the forms and surfaces that are prevalent in your work?
SM: I draw inspiration from various landscapes and how they evolve over time. When developing forms, I focus on volume and breath to convey growth, resulting in forms that appear to bloom from the table. Using an adaptable slow-building approach, also helps to mimic varied natural patterns.
Surface development is heavily influenced by the kiln firing process, which I see as a tool for compressing time and exploring weathering and decay. Firing and cooling in a reduced atmosphere causes iron to migrate to the surface, creating a varied color palette that interacts with different forms and textures. I also experiment with masking and layering slips for added contrast and depth.
Ultimately, I aim to create works that convey the entangled nature between time and place through the use of form and surface.
Learn more on Instagram @samxmccall.
Unfamiliar with any terms in this article? Browse our glossary of pottery terms!
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