Margaret Seidenberg-Ellis
MSE Ceramics
Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Website
www.msepots.com
Email
msepots@gmail.com
Artist Statement
I am interested in how things relate to each other in the natural world, both in a practical sense and in a visual sense. I try to capture some of the contrasts and the variety that I find in nature in my work.
Studio Description
I have a basement studio with some nice windows and a deck outside that I can work on in nice weather.
What type of clay do you use?
437 porcelain, Penland Clay, Zakin Cone 6 clay body, and some others for the wood fire.
What temperature do you fire to?
Cone 9/10 wood, or gas reduction, and Cone 6 oxidation.
What is your primary forming method?
Slab building
What is your favorite surface treatment?
Slip decoration
Do you make any of your own tools?
I make a lot of texture stamps and flat texture templates to use with my slabs. I have also made a number of brushes with some interesting finds.
What is your favorite thing about your studio?
I don't have to put things away.
What is the one thing in your studio you can’t live without?
Good lighting
What’s on your current reading list?
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
How do you save money on materials and supplies?
Recycle clay, use a rubber spatula to get every last bit of glaze from containers.
How do you recharge creatively?
Exercise - nordic walking, bike riding, walking the dog, reading, going to shows, looking at other people's work.
Who is your ceramic art mentor and why?
Stanley Rosen, my professor at Bennington College. He got me to move outside of my comfort zone.
If you could change one property of clay, what would it be?
Having it not crack
