Tales of a Red Clay Rambler: A pottery and ceramic art podcast

Didem Mert combines collage and illustration to build dense layers of printed images, patterns, and color. In our interview we talk about the importance of spontaneous play in the studio, diversifying income streams, and using selfcare to find emotional balance. To see examples of her work visit www.didemmert.com .   Today's episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: The Rosenfield Colle...

Today on the show I have a double episode. We start by talking to podcast host Rebecca Ickes Carra about joining the Brickyard Podcast Network. Her podcast The Makers Playbook focuses on the business of art and "what it's  really like to make a living from the things we make." Season five of the podcast launches next week with an interview with Archie Bray Foundation director Rebecca Harvey. Subsc...

Today on the show I talk with Kyungmin Park. In our interview we talk about how an early interest in animation led her to figure sculpture, how she approaches identity through the work, and settling down in Massachusetts after moving fifteen times in the eighteen years she has lived in the United States. Park is an Associate Professor at Endicott College in Beverly, MA. To see examples of her work...

Today on the show I talk with Brad Schwieger. He has recently retired from Ohio University, where he helped guide the ceramic program for over thirty years. In our interview we talk about creating a rigorous learning environment, using subtractive methods to find form, and transitioning to full time studio work in retirement. In the interview we also talk about the design of his studio, which you...

Today on the show I talk with Matt Katz, who along with his wife Rose, is one of the co-founders of Ceramics Materials Workshop. They offer online classes in ceramics chemistry, which are utilized by artists and students around the world. In our interview we talk about his path from maker to researcher, how to make chemistry exciting for students, and the podcast For Flux Sake, which Matt is cohos...

Today on the show I talk with sculptor Kim Dickey. She uses the structures and flora of the garden as a springboard to create large-scale sculpture and installation. In our interview we talk about her use of brocage, the feminist claiming of space through ornamentation, and her recent solo show Auguries at the Robischon Gallery in Denver, CO. To see examples of her work visit  www.kimdickeystudio....

Today on the show I welcome back Doug Peltzman. A few years ago he made a major shift in his studio practice, essentializing his approach to surface design to create a new aesthetic. In our interview we talk about following the kernel of an idea, and re-engaging his customers after a major change in the studio. To see examples of his work visit www.dougpeltzman.com .   Hey Red Clay Rambler Fans, f...

Today on the show I welcome back Naomi Dalglish and Michael Hunt. In our interview we talk about the themes in their exhibition Endless Ground now on display at the Penland Gallery. The exhibition features figure sculpture, a large-scale slip painting, and collections of vessels that are decorated with slips and wax resist decoration. To see the exhibition visit www.penland.org/gallery .   Hey Red...

Today on the show I talk with Trevor Daugherty and Justin Rothshank, cofounders of the Northern Indiana Clay Alliance. The group has over sixty members and organizes a variety of ceramics programing in the region, including the Michiana Pottery Tour. In our interview we talk about the process of founding a nonprofit, ceramics in the Michiana region, and fundraising for new organizations. For more...

Today on the show I talk with Dirk Staschke. His recent work draws from Dutch Vanitas paintings, often incorporating ceramic frames that are portals into the inner world of the sculpture. In our interview we talk about exploring dark humor and beauty simultaneously, and having the patience for new ideas to solidify over time. To see examples of his work visit www.artdirk.com .   Today's episode is...

Today on the show I talk with Jonathan Christensen Caballero. He pays homage to local Latino histories through his mixed media sculptures. In our interview we talk about his interest in local history, the practical aspects of showing large scale sculptures, and his blend of fibers and ceramics. For more information visit www.jcc-sculpture.com .   Today's episode is brought to you by the following...

Today on the show I talk with Haakon Lenzi. A life-long New Yorker, Haakon makes slipware pots from his studio in East Harlem. In our interview we talk about marbleizing slip on the surface of a pot, sustaining a career in the city, and the value of community building through sales and tours. Haakon has participated in the Hudson Valley Pottery tour since its beginning. You can find him this weeke...

Today on the show I talk with Catherine White. Her wood fired vessels incorporate firing patterns from her anagama kiln and text from poetry that she monoprints with ash onto the pot's surfaces. In our interview we talk about her triumvirate of painting, pottery, and movement, as well as, learning the geography of a wood kiln. To see examples of her work visit www.catherinewhite.com .   This episo...

Today on the show I talk with Bryan Hopkins. You probably know him from his exquisite porcelain vessels, but you might not have guessed some of those forms are made from low-fire porcelain. In our interview we talk about formulating low-fire translucent porcelains and how he uses a neodymium grate magnet to create speck free clay bodies. To see examples of his work visit www.hopkinspottery.com .  ...

Today on the show I talk with Alex Thullen. In his role as ceramic materials engineer at Pewabic Pottery he maintains their line of glazes, including iridescent lusters. In our interview we talk about the mechanics of luster, how the timing of reduction effects glazes, and how his work continues research that dates back to the early 1900's when Mary Chase Perry Stratton started the pottery in Detr...

Today on the show I talk with Renata Cassiano. Her ceramic sculptures are non-objective accumulations often dealing with ideas of connection and translation. In our interview we talk about reusing older work to create new forms, using a concrete saw to shape fired ceramics, and the influence of literature on her understanding of self and art. Cassiano is currently the Visiting Assistant Professor...

Today on the show I talk with Paul Andrew Wandless. His multidisciplinary career includes sculpture, print making, leather work, and ceramics. In our interview we talk about labor as subject matter, establishing a style across multiple mediums, and the influence of his mentors Victor Spinski and James Tanner. Wandless has authored multiple books including Image Transfer on Clay, and is the coautho...

Today on the show I talk with Amy Sanders and Gleidymar Rivera . They were chosen for the AVPT Early Career Fellowship for BIPOC Ceramic Artists, a program started this year to provide financial support and mentorship. In our interview we talk about their style of making, balancing labor-intensive practices with the need to make a living, and how they prepared for their first major sale at the Asp...

Today on the show I talk with Lucy Fagella. She makes a variety of functional pots from her Western Massachusetts studio, including pots for the kitchen and a line of memorial urns. In our interview we talk about the cycles of the studio, glaze development, and her path to making memorial objects. You can find more about Lucy at www.lucyfagella.com . We also discuss the history of the Asparagus Va...

Today on the show I talk with Glenn Barkley about his new book Ceramics: An Atlas of Forms . He chooses 113 objects in the collections of major Australian and New Zealand museums to establish a broad survey of ceramic history. In our interview we talk about his research process and the unique stories these objects hold. To find out more about Glenn's career as a maker and curator listen back to ep...

Today on the show we have a special episode to celebrate the 2 nd anniversary of the Brickyard Network. To raise money for the network, sixteen artists have donated work for an auction and fundraiser. Two of those kind folks, Michael Kline and Adrienne Eliades, join the show today to help us celebrate. We talk about favorite historical works, breakthrough moments in the studio, and their favorite...

Today on the  Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast  I have an interview with artist, curator, and podcaster Adam Chau. We talk about using artificial intelligence to generate faux historical images, and how this work might reshape the way we think about queer history. We also discuss season two of his podcast Trade Secret and the work he does as director of exhibitions for NCECA. To see images of h...

Today on the  Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast  I have an interview with Frank James Fisher. His work in advertising as a graphic designer has influenced his use of text and printing in his ceramics work. In our interview we talk about using UV plates for printing on ceramics, developing press molds for ultra-thin slab work, and the value of labor in pricing. To find out more about Frank visit...

Today on the  Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast  I have an interview with Seattle artist Anika Major. Her pottery features paintings of female figures created with subtle layers of watered-down underglazes. She says of the work, "Each character is a heroine within the space of the pot and allows me to explore my own perspectives of domestic comforts and eroticism." In the interview we talk about...

Today on the show we have part two of an interview with renowned ceramic artist and educator Linda Sikora. We talk about the philosophy of education at Alfred University, helping students progress through their own expectations, and being in a family of creatives. The view her recent exhibition Darkening Ground at Ferrin Contemporary visit www.ferrincontemporary.com . To find out more visit www.li...