Yoshi Fuji spends hours carving intricate patterns drawn from kimono and Japanese wrapping paper on each of his forms. In our interview we talk about his approach to pattern and his relationship with Baltimore Clayworks, where he has been a resident, instructor, and now Director of Exhibitions. Yoshi Fuji Ceramics Baltimore Clayworks   Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Cornell...

Rebecca and Scott Proctor formed Nom Ceramics in 2019 after years of working in the same studio. Their functional and sculptural collaborations are glazed with layers of patterns that melt together in their soda kiln firings. In our interview we talk about their path to collaboration, their method for building surfaces, and how they balance parenting with studio work. They have an exhibition of new work up now at Companion Gallery in Humbolt, TN. In addition to their studio work they also...

John Born is an artist working in sculpture and drawing based in New York City. In his recent show at Curatorial and Co. in Sydney he showed a series of his signature composite forms made from stacked ceramic shapes. In our interview we talk about his start in ceramics, the role improvisation plays in his sculpture, and the series of portals he made for his recent exhibition. www.humblematter.com   Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: The Rosenfield Collection of...

Ashlyn Pope is a ceramic and fiber artist of Gullah descent who describes her work as representing “restriction and limitation of the Black body throughout American history, and the hope and vision to realize a different future.” In our interview we talk about integrating woven elements into ceramic vessels, educating through art, and her recent fiber portraits of afrofuturist queens. Ashlyn is an Assistant Professor, and Associate Director of the Joyner Institute for Gullah and African...

Rhonda Willers uses functional pottery, sculptural vessels, and installation to focus on ideas of fragility and the passage of time. In our interview we talk about her 2019 installation Alone Together, her work in ceramics, and her book Terra Sigillata: Contemporary Techniques. We also discuss her philosophy of service work and her podcast The Artist in Me is Dead, which traces creativity through the lives of makers. www.rhondawillers.com.   Rhonda is one of many artists featured in my...

Nick Lenker draws from video games to make ceramic sculptures that seem to have jumped right out of a pixelated computer screen into real life. In our interview we talk about his process of building with slabs before applying custom decals, investigating memory through subject matter, and how Philadelphia has shaped his creative life. www.nicklenker.com   Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art...

Lisa Orr started working with low-fire ceramics decades ago, moving through majolica before developing a unique psychedelic color palette. In our interview we talk about matching thermal expansion of clay and glaze, side stacking glaze wares, and developing aventurine glazes. www.lisaorr.com   Lisa is one of many artists featured in my upcoming book The Complete Guide to Low-Fire Glazes for Potters and Sculptors. The book has its official release on September 10 and is now available for...

Kathleen Clark is an award-winning photographer, whose career includes numerous exhibitions and serving as Photo Director for Los Angeles magazine and LA Weekly. Her series The White House China, depicts historical events from each American president presented on their formal state dinnerware. In our interview we talk about her inclusion in The Girl Artists of Portland, a performance art group active in the 1980s, her work in photo journalism, and her practice of using ceramics as a staging...

Today on the show I’m joined by Brian Kakas and Lisa Giuliani for a discussion about the changing landscape of ceramic education. In the interview we talk about demographic shifts and closures in higher education, craft school education, and helping an arts community survive after a core institution downsizes its ceramics program. This episode was taped in front of a live audience at the NCECA conference in Richmond, VA. I’d like to thank Cole Collier for running sound for the event and NCECA...

Stephanie Seguin is a functional potter based in Helena, MT, where she makes table and service ware. She is also the education manager at the Archie Bray Foundation where she has helped shape the education program as the organization has emerged from the pandemic. In our interview we talk about tactile learning, developing parameters for creativity, and the Bray’s Artist Amplified, a series of demonstrations and lectures highlighting ceramic artists. You can see her work at...

Judi Tavill has had a broad career in the arts starting in fashion and now creating biomorphic ceramic sculpture. In our interview we talk about her career in fashion, blending drawing with sculpture, and preparing for her upcoming solo show at the Ivy Brown Gallery. Entanglements will open May 16th and run through June 26th. For more information visit www.juditavill.com.   Hey Red Clay Rambler fans, this month we are celebrating twelve years of the podcast! We just launched a fund drive...

Today on the show I talk with Brian Chen. He makes sculptural and functional forms that reference architecture and biomechanics. In our interview we talk about how a tennis injury led him to study anatomy, creating sculptures that nest within themselves, and refining a form through repetition. To see examples of his work visit www.brianchenpottery.com.   Hey Red Clay Rambler fans, this month we are celebrating twelve years of the podcast! We just launched a fund drive and I need your help...

Join guest host Malene Barnett as she talks with Lydia Thompson, Ashlyn Pope, and David Macdonald about the rich tapestry of ceramics across the Black Diaspora. From the ancestral lands of Africa, to the vibrant Caribbean and the diverse cultures of African Americans, join the panel as they explore the artistic expressions and design aesthetics that are rooted in clay. This conversation was recorded in front of a live studio audience at this year’s NCECA conference in Richmond, VA.   ...

Today on the show I talk with Malene Barnett. Her multimedia career spans design, studio art, and activism focusing on the influence and aesthetics of the black diaspora. In our interview we talk about designing textiles, taking a sabbatical to dive deep into ceramics, and founding the Black Artists + Designers Guild, a collective aimed at building equitable and inclusive creative culture. For more visit www.malenebarnett.com. Next week on the show we will broadcast a panel discussion that...

Today on the show I talk with Jane Bamford. She creates ceramic sculptures and environmental prosthesis that are placed in nature to help rebalance the Australian ecosystem. In our interview we talk about the pressure climate change is putting on the Tasmanian landscape, working with scientists to create environmental design, and how her motivation for art making has changed over time. To see examples of her work visit www.janebamford.com.   Today’s episode is brought to you by the...

Today on the show I talk with sculptor Cammie Staros. From her studio in L.A. she blends Helenic aesthetics with modernism in her ceramic, neon, and stone work. Her series of black figure terracotta vessels move and bend like a wavy mirage from ancient Athens captured in the present moment. In our interview we talk about the influence of classical Greek ceramics, her love of precarity, and her series of submerged vessels. To see examples of her work visit www.cammiestaros.com. Thanks to...

Today on the show I talk with artist and Plinth gallery owner Jonathan Kaplan. Over more than fifty years in ceramics he has worked as a studio potter, manufacturer of commercial ceramics, and gallery owner. In our interview we talk about investing in yourself, knowing when change is needed to avoid burnout, and how Kaplan approaches geometric forms through mold making. His book The Mold-Making Manual weaves personal narrative into practical mold making skills and was just released by the...

Today on the show I talk with artist and educator Lauren Sandler. In her current body of work she drapes stacked vessels with beads, beans, and other objects to tell broader economic and cultural narratives. In our interview we talk about her anthropological approach to materials, adornment through accumulation, and mentoring students at the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, PA, where she is an assistant professor. For more information visit www.laurensandlerstudio.com.   I’m excited to...

Today on the show I talk with author, activist, and artist Yuliya Makliuk. She recently published Potters Save the World: Learn to make sustainable ceramics and help protect the Earth. Our interview focuses on understanding the carbon footprint of ceramic production and materials. In addition to sustainability, we also discuss Yuliya’s experience living through war in Ukraine. For more information follow @hereandnowpottery on Instagram.   I’m excited to have a live taping of the show at...

Today on the show I talk with three members of Clay Matters, an Australian group that advocates sustainable environmental practices in ceramic studios. Jane Sawyer, Claire Ellis, and Amelia Black talk about reusing ceramic waste and building awareness of where ceramics materials are sourced. Clay Matters will have an exhibition at the Linden Projects Space, St. Kilda that opens on February 23rd. For more information visit claymatters.com.au.   Today’s episode is brought to you by the...

Today on the show my wife Melissa joins me for a listener mailbag. We give a few life updates before answering questions about how to price time consuming work, and ways we can create joy in difficult times. To help us celebrate our 500th episode donate $5 on Paypal, or become a patron on Patreon. Many thanks for listening along the way and for supporting the show.

Today on the show we have a live recording that happened at the 2023 New Clay Conference in Ottawa, ON. The show features presenters Martina Lantin, Zoe Pinnell, Marina Lespérance Lopez, as well as my cohosts Carole Epp and Marianne Chenard from The Kiln Sitters. We discuss the high-risk high-reward nature of ceramics, finding work/life balance as a parent, and the vibrant state of the Canadian ceramic community. A big thanks to Kaitlyn Brennan for organizing the conference and to the...

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 Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Bray Clay www.archiebrayclay.com

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. Subscribe to The Maker's Playbook now on your favorite podcast app. In the second part of our...