Ceramics Monthly Articles (Simple)

By combining stains and layered glazes, Abby Reczek accentuates and adds layers to her carved and incised surface designs.

This brief foundational guide to electric kilns includes information on what to look for and consider when buying.

Loss on ignition (LOI) gives valuable, but often underused information about ceramic raw materials. Discover why LOI matters and how ceramic artists can use it to their advantage.

Stephanie Osser describes the history of lithophanes as well as an introductory project for those interested in the process.

Known for his architectural ceramics and focus on sustainability in the field, Robert Harrison’s new work repurposes found, altered, and manufactured ceramics to create large-scale assemblage sculptures.

Influenced by a decades-long career in fashion, Barbara Gittings creates patterned vessels using oxide-stained clay and nerikomi techniques.

Alien imagery, symbols, and numbers adorn the surfaces of potter Masa Sasaki’s distinct vessels. Layered with influence pulled from music, personal experience as an immigrant, and philosophies on happiness, his ceramic pots embody curiosity.

Jeff Shapiro’s new sculptural work builds on his long-held interest in finding beauty in nature (including its imperfections), observing his surroundings to make new discoveries, and researching and understanding the essence of objects.

George Metropoulos builds characters and bodies of work in a uniquely immersive fashion. Loosely constructed and often decorated with Redneck Majolica, his vessels and sculptures are eccentric, inventive, and earnest.

Analysis of residues sampled from ancient vessels can reveal information on the proteins, and therefore the diets, diseases, and species contemporary to their users.

Potter Abby Reczek moved to Floyd, Virginia, for an apprenticeship, and decided to stay. When the opportunity arose to co-own a gallery business in town, she worked hard to make it happen.

Swallows have special meaning in Portuguese culture, and ceramic silhouettes of these distinctive birds can be found on the walls of many homes and businesses.

The pandemic gave the owners of Queen City Clay a chance to reassess their current and future facility needs. They share the process of re-imagining and then reconstructing their business in a new, expansive space.

Images from Current and Upcoming Exhibitions

During the COVID-19 lockdown, I decided to learn how to make pottery and, as a newbie, came across a problem when I threw a little vase on my wheel that had a smaller rim than its base.

What is your vision of a career in clay? In this issue, we bring together several articles focused on artists who have taken interesting approaches to building a creative life.

The cone-10 glazes below are staples in the Queen City Clay studio in Cincinnati, Ohio. They create rich surfaces when used both on their own and layered in specific combinations.

Carisa Miller’s career switch to pottery happened in quick order, and one result is her backyard studio. The space was designed methodically so that every tool and piece of equipment has its place.

Detail and a chance for reflection draw potter Samantha Hostert into a pot, and also inspire the layers of surface and content designed into her soda-fired forms.

Deadlines for exhibitions, fairs, and festivals.