In his ceramics teaching lesson titled, “20 Questions” well-known potter Jack Troy asks, “What is the difference in encountering a pot that you like and being inspired by a pot?” Over the years I have collected, made, written about, published, and admired many functional ceramic objects. Pausing to consider Troy’s query, I found it curious that I never paid attention to the distinction, for me at least, between liking a pot and being inspired by a pot.
Cups are a great example: I have an assortment of go-to cups I use every morning for coffee and another lot stored in the basement waiting their turn to enter the rotation. Each brings a sense of beauty to a simple morning ritual.
Right now, I have two cups on my desk, mainly because I like them. One is a small espresso cup from East Fork Pottery and the other is a yunomi I purchased in the Tamba region of Japan. The yunomi has a rough-cut foot and flowing glazes culminating in jewel-like drips. The espresso cup is very minimal with a mid-century modern design. It is perfectly round with a smooth band of glaze running around the main body. Although these two pieces are from different geographical regions, they share a kinship that intrigues me. Both embrace a form-meets-function design, meant for everyday use. When I look at them, I think about how their shared history and their maker’s intent link them together, even if their surfaces are so disparate.
In my studio is a larger mug by ceramic artist Kate Marotz. It is more unique than any other cup I own. Rather than surface decoration creating a distinction, it is built of undulating curves, resembling an accordion. This cup inspires me to rethink how surface relief can be more than just ornamentation, it can be used as a building method. It challenges me to create differently and motivates me to keep looking at pots. After all these years in ceramics, that is a piece to celebrate.
In this issue, we focus on handbuilding techniques. Kate Marotz teaches us how to pinch those concave curves (1). Dee Barnes shows us how to coil tall candelabras. Mike Cerv demos cut-patterned templates to impart surface design on citrus reamers (2). And Sugar Jaws Pottery shares their collaborative techniques for constructing and drawing on salt-and-pepper shakers (3). We also feature Alexandra Nikolakopoulou’s printed trays, Avesha DeWolfe’s jingle-jar lids, and Sumi von Dassow’s process for adding cane handles to teapots.
After reading this issue, look at the pots you collect and at the ones you make, then ask yourself, which ones inspire you and which ones you hope inspire others.
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In his ceramics teaching lesson titled, “20 Questions” well-known potter Jack Troy asks, “What is the difference in encountering a pot that you like and being inspired by a pot?” Over the years I have collected, made, written about, published, and admired many functional ceramic objects. Pausing to consider Troy’s query, I found it curious that I never paid attention to the distinction, for me at least, between liking a pot and being inspired by a pot.
Cups are a great example: I have an assortment of go-to cups I use every morning for coffee and another lot stored in the basement waiting their turn to enter the rotation. Each brings a sense of beauty to a simple morning ritual.
Right now, I have two cups on my desk, mainly because I like them. One is a small espresso cup from East Fork Pottery and the other is a yunomi I purchased in the Tamba region of Japan. The yunomi has a rough-cut foot and flowing glazes culminating in jewel-like drips. The espresso cup is very minimal with a mid-century modern design. It is perfectly round with a smooth band of glaze running around the main body. Although these two pieces are from different geographical regions, they share a kinship that intrigues me. Both embrace a form-meets-function design, meant for everyday use. When I look at them, I think about how their shared history and their maker’s intent link them together, even if their surfaces are so disparate.
In my studio is a larger mug by ceramic artist Kate Marotz. It is more unique than any other cup I own. Rather than surface decoration creating a distinction, it is built of undulating curves, resembling an accordion. This cup inspires me to rethink how surface relief can be more than just ornamentation, it can be used as a building method. It challenges me to create differently and motivates me to keep looking at pots. After all these years in ceramics, that is a piece to celebrate.
In this issue, we focus on handbuilding techniques. Kate Marotz teaches us how to pinch those concave curves (1). Dee Barnes shows us how to coil tall candelabras. Mike Cerv demos cut-patterned templates to impart surface design on citrus reamers (2). And Sugar Jaws Pottery shares their collaborative techniques for constructing and drawing on salt-and-pepper shakers (3). We also feature Alexandra Nikolakopoulou’s printed trays, Avesha DeWolfe’s jingle-jar lids, and Sumi von Dassow’s process for adding cane handles to teapots.
After reading this issue, look at the pots you collect and at the ones you make, then ask yourself, which ones inspire you and which ones you hope inspire others.
Unfamiliar with any terms in this article? Browse our glossary of pottery terms!
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