Spring 2012 Anagama Firing

Soy bottle and tray; wood fired by Bryan McGrath

We are planning the spring wood firing for the week of April 16th. We will prep and load the 17th - 19th and begin the firing sometime on the 19th. We are looking for a good 48 hour firing (+ or -) to be fired off on the evening of the 21st. It will be a combination of sophomore work (sculpture/design class) and continuing education student work.

Our anagama is one of only four operating wood burning kilns in central New York State. There may be a total of 12 in the entire state, so we are in exclusive company. Our design is unique for its hidden chamber between the main chamber and the stack. We are planning to experiment with a mid temperature clay in that chamber with the possible addition of some salt.

No, this image isn't from this winter!

If you are in the area the best day to stop by is the evening of April 21st as we fire the kiln off.  Quite a site!

Fall 2011

For those new to this post and especially those just starting to throw (my sophomores and Cont. Ed. students, I would suggest you go to the earlier posts on centering, and throwing a cylinder. I will be posting some videos this semester as we get them produced. Looking forward to the year.

You might want to visit the Everson Museum in Syracuse very soon to see the David MacDonald exhibition. It comes down mid September. Seeing his pottery is worth the trip! While you are there go downstairs to view the permanent ceramic collection.

The once preeminent museum for American ceramics, I hope the recent clay exhibits (Ah Leon's "School Room" last spring and now David's) portend a return to the Everson's focus and support of the ceramic arts.

Rethinking the future

We will be looking at our offerings and possible workshop topics for the new year.  Stay tuned...

Turn, Turn, Turn

Most of us have a keen sense of the "present" and it's surroundings. We are programmed or taught to respond to the needs of the moment. In the present, we make adjustments in order to reach some predetermined goal or recall some unpleasant experience to avoid impending disaster.

We (anointed "leaders" excluded herein- their blinders a spoil of rank, so it seems) are also innately geared to grow stuff, the default setting for survival. The present in its full context (modern physics aside here, please) is a bridge from the past to the future. Without this sufficient (but not always necessary) structure for reasoning we are on a treadmill, not a path, with history too often repeated, progress stifled, and a pace toward entropy ramped.

the circle

We also have the mental tools to soften the rough edges of history, to help maintain our heading toward the future and progress. We acknowledge that growth and decline is the essence of life. It also gives it value and meaning.

Every season, every idea, every mark is infused with and defined by ineluctable movement. In some cases that movement, if drawn as a line, may well follow a "straight" course, a beginning to an end. Or it may return to meet itself in the gentlest way realizing the archetypical circle, the best of possibilities. Unfortunately, in the long run, the latter is hostage to the former.

The notion of a team- a complimentary, non-hierarchical concept is the most efficient, healthy path to growth. A team, however, is the most difficult model to "manage" as each member must choose a time to lead, a time to follow, a time to teach, a time to learn. It requires that the whole be greater than the parts, with each part remaining essential to the whole. It has many leaders, not one.

In our given time, we can at best hope to describe and move in a line that returns to itself, creating a shape that is a whole; a space that has a center. And though the edges of that shape may not always be fair, the space within is forever defined.

anagama update

9:47 pm- things are going smoothly.  Nearing 1500˚ F in the back. Pizza and wings just arrived.  Very hungry after the long day and a trip to the gym.  We have split most of the "new" wood to smaller sticks.  The midnight shift will have some markers to make; it is a good crew, so I am not worried...

Follow up:

We finished the firing around 6:00 pm the following evening.  Actually, we fired it off twice.  We reached ∆ 9 in the back of the chamber around 1:00 pm Saturday.  Since the school was having a reception for new students, we kept a light stoking pattern to "show off" the firing, but lost considerable heat in the process.  At 3:00 pm we decided to go for it again.  With steady work and damper adjustments, we were able to regain the lost heat to bring the firing to an end.  We completed the evening by firing off the salt kiln.

Then to the beer, chips and laughs "around the camp fire." A great week and a great finish to a harried, sometimes very frustrating semester, and a physically and mentally exhausting year.

It has been a great run...

Firing the Anagama

After a long winter's wait, we have finally loaded the wood kiln. We started the firing this am at 6:00 am.  Vincent was the man. The word is that he couldn't find matches so he carried a flaming piece of wood through the studio that he ignited from one of the burners on the car kiln.  We decided this Olympic style run to ignition was something only Vincent could pull off.  Wish we had video.

It is 1:30 pm and we are at about 950˚ F in the rear of the chamber.  Will keep posting and set up some images.

End of Semester

Grades are in.  This has been a very busy semester in so many ways. Though I risk with this post sounding like one of those xeroxed Christmas card/letters we all love (so much) to get, there are a few things we want to convey to all who follow us.

We officially opened and dedicated the Vincent R. Clemente Ceramic Resource Room in October. It is a significant addition to the department. We are grateful and indebted to Vincent and Mary for their generosity to the ceramics department here at MWP. The packed house event was a highlight of the semester. Special thanks to all who helped pull the very comfortable and information packed room together.

One important person, however, was not with us. We lost Mary this year after a stoic yet considerable effort to regain her health. Her outlook and a never ending positive attitude taught us something about facing the inevitable in life with dignity and courage, not to mention a sense of humor to the very end.  She is missed. Vincent continues to be an important part of our department giving demonstrations and helping with salt and wood firings (not to mention the jibes and funny stories).

The recruiting trail was especially satisfying and pleasantly tiring. Trips to the Cape, Poughkeepsie, and Toronto were on the docket. I enjoyed meeting all who were interested in attending PrattMWP. Some excellent work and, as always, very interesting students prove to me that the arts will continue to thrive. We hope you begin your training here!

William Daley

Each host city for the reviews was memorable for the local art scene. The Cape Cod Museum in Dennis is gem. Can't wait to go back. The Mill Street Loft in Poughkeepsie provides an incredible art experience for local high school students with an obviously dedicated (and in my case, caring- thanks again, Gabrielle) staff. I am a new fan. Finally, Toronto is an experience like no other. The AGO, ROM, and the Gardiner make this world class city a must visit on a regular basis. We missed the Terra Cotta Warriors at the ROM but hope to make a trip to Montreal in February for the exhibition.

Janelle was honored with a teaching award from a local civic group for her work with the visually impaired. She also put in a strenuous but very successful semester mounting three alumni shows in the school of art gallery.

The continuing education students are making outstanding work. In response, we are planning an exciting addition to the ceramics department this spring- the "Hallway Gallery" will open in February. Upstairs in the ceramics building, next to the Clemente Resource Room, the gallery will provide much needed local exhibition space for ceramic works by the students of MWPAI and PrattMWP. We plan to have 4 or 5 group shows a year with the remainder of the time exhibiting the permanent collection of work from the sophomore classes. We will keep you posted on openings and events.

Throwing Day for Empty Bowls is in February with the event planned for early April. This year we will be staging the event on campus. We will also be reaching out to a larger number of organizations who provide help to those in need. We are very excited about the changes.

Porcelain, Philadelphia NCECA

The fall anagama firing was postponed (too busy to fire the wood kiln- what is that???) and will be fired this spring. The wood is in and the weather will determine the dates. The continuing education students have loaded a salt and will be firing this Monday. The semester never ends!!!

Taylor Edwards, Sophomore, Ceramic Sculpture Class, 2010

It has been a kick of a semester- good creac, as they say in Ireland. Lots of laughs, some difficult times for some in the "family" but lots of good pots being made. Let's do it again. Form is king and power to the people!