While transforming clay into pots requires only clay and heat, as we gain skill and passion for ceramics, we tend to amass more materials, tools, and equipment, in increasingly curated workspaces. Our creative spaces, to be a bit dramatic, are our sanctuaries. Our studios protect us physically while supporting us mentally and emotionally.
As I write this, Hurricane Helene has just ravaged the southeast US, an area heavily populated with potters and ceramic enthusiasts. Ceramic studios and businesses have literally been erased from the map as raging waters moved through the area following unprecedented rainfall. We are seeing unfathomable videos of buildings standing one minute and gone the next, of artists walking through mud-filled studios with missing roofs and walls. The toll is catastrophic. Dreams are shattered.
It is at times like these that we can do two important things: first, reach out to our community of fellow makers, lend a hand, and share a dollar; second, take action on studio insurance and emergency planning. Not something you have the time or funds for? That crosses all our minds at some point, but when you add up all the clay, glazes, tools, materials, wareboards, bats, wheels, kilns, furniture, fired pots, cleaning supplies, lights, plumbing, walls, floors, roofs, not to mention the deep emotional connection we develop for the space, you realize that if a catastrophic event took it all away in an instant, what you have lost is so much more than just clay and heat. For some, pottery is a hobby, maybe a second income; for others, it is their whole livelihood, but either way, the practice of ceramics is expensive, and the investment is worth protecting.
One great resource to our community is the non-profit organization, Craft Emergency Relief Fund or CERF+ (cerfplus.org). Their mission is to provide craft artists with support and resources for disaster and emergency relief, education programs, and readiness grants. Their Studio Protector guide, available to everyone for free on their website, is an informative resource to help you navigate everything from handling hazardous materials to taking a thorough studio inventory for insurance, from properly protecting your business records to setting up a social network in case of emergency. The Studio Protector helps you do all the things you didn’t even know you needed to do.
Once you’ve taken a moment to support your community and secure your studio, I invite you to delve into this issue, which spotlights functional objects—items in your home that you can use or admire, but not necessarily eat or drink from. Brenton Duhan shares his process of handbuilding and wiring table lamps, Emily Reinhardt experiments with glaze on simple yet striking wall hangings, Elizabeth Paley guides us through the delicate formation of ocarinas, Alana Cuellar demonstrates her carving skills on candlesticks and soap dishes, and Sandra Elder showcases her double-walled lantern. Enjoy the read and stay safe out there.
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While transforming clay into pots requires only clay and heat, as we gain skill and passion for ceramics, we tend to amass more materials, tools, and equipment, in increasingly curated workspaces. Our creative spaces, to be a bit dramatic, are our sanctuaries. Our studios protect us physically while supporting us mentally and emotionally.
As I write this, Hurricane Helene has just ravaged the southeast US, an area heavily populated with potters and ceramic enthusiasts. Ceramic studios and businesses have literally been erased from the map as raging waters moved through the area following unprecedented rainfall. We are seeing unfathomable videos of buildings standing one minute and gone the next, of artists walking through mud-filled studios with missing roofs and walls. The toll is catastrophic. Dreams are shattered.
It is at times like these that we can do two important things: first, reach out to our community of fellow makers, lend a hand, and share a dollar; second, take action on studio insurance and emergency planning. Not something you have the time or funds for? That crosses all our minds at some point, but when you add up all the clay, glazes, tools, materials, wareboards, bats, wheels, kilns, furniture, fired pots, cleaning supplies, lights, plumbing, walls, floors, roofs, not to mention the deep emotional connection we develop for the space, you realize that if a catastrophic event took it all away in an instant, what you have lost is so much more than just clay and heat. For some, pottery is a hobby, maybe a second income; for others, it is their whole livelihood, but either way, the practice of ceramics is expensive, and the investment is worth protecting.
One great resource to our community is the non-profit organization, Craft Emergency Relief Fund or CERF+ (cerfplus.org). Their mission is to provide craft artists with support and resources for disaster and emergency relief, education programs, and readiness grants. Their Studio Protector guide, available to everyone for free on their website, is an informative resource to help you navigate everything from handling hazardous materials to taking a thorough studio inventory for insurance, from properly protecting your business records to setting up a social network in case of emergency. The Studio Protector helps you do all the things you didn’t even know you needed to do.
Once you’ve taken a moment to support your community and secure your studio, I invite you to delve into this issue, which spotlights functional objects—items in your home that you can use or admire, but not necessarily eat or drink from. Brenton Duhan shares his process of handbuilding and wiring table lamps, Emily Reinhardt experiments with glaze on simple yet striking wall hangings, Elizabeth Paley guides us through the delicate formation of ocarinas, Alana Cuellar demonstrates her carving skills on candlesticks and soap dishes, and Sandra Elder showcases her double-walled lantern. Enjoy the read and stay safe out there.
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