Clay Art
Although many of the pieces on display this year were typically utilitarian, like all true art, fired clay can abjure usefulness and exist entirely for its own sake. Likewise, it needs no explanation or clever caption to help people 'get it.' A finished piece is a tangible articulation of the artist's inner vision, and explanations only diminish its potential or dilute its potency, and constrain it. For me, a good piece is one that can stimulate and accommodate diverse interpretations, and the best pieces are those that are seen and experienced differently every time, depending on the frame of reference and mood of the viewer.As for preferences, I like useful smallish items that are visually and tactilely appealing, but my favorites are those that have no purpose except to be decoration. I especially like an item that can distract me from what I am doing or saying whenever a casual glance traps and leads my mind into tangents of thought--things that are not so much conversation pieces as conversation interrupters.
At this year's Clay Fest, I saw many useful and decorative items. Some of the pieces I liked most are shown below. Click on an image to see a larger version, or click on an Artist's name to visit his or her website.
Alejandra Almuelle
Alejandra Almuelle
Carl Block Pottery
Carl Block
Chris Campbell Pottery
Chris Campbell
Eye Of The Dog Art Center
Ty Johnson
Kersey Ceramics
Diana Kersey
Linda Gossett Pottery
Linda Gossett
Lotus
Lotus Bermudez
Luling Icehouse Pottery
Charley Pritchard
Milagro Del Rio
Hank Drennon
Shikha Pottery
Shikha
Sleeping Dog Studio
Billy Ray Mangham
Starkeeper Pottery
Roger Allen
TerWare
Mike & Teri Hubbeling
Notes:
- Most photographs on this page were taken with the permission of the artists whose names are listed herein. Some of the photos are from previous years' Clay Fests, and were included because I could not get decent photos this year. All of the photos are copyrighted and all rights are reserved by me, but the artwork copyright belongs to the artist whose name is listed above each set of images. Contact info for each artist is given below.
- Alejandra Almuelle
www.texasclayfestival.com/Almuelle.html
www.statesman.com/life/content/life/stories/style/02/9makinit.html
alejandra_a@hotmail.com
- Carl Block
www.texasclayfestival.com/Block.html
baithousestompersmusic@yahoo.com
- Chris Campbell
www.chriscampbellpotter.com
www.texasclayfestival.com/Campbell,C.html
- Diana Kersey
(210) 573-7418
www.kerseyceramics.com
www.texasclayfestival.com/Kersey.html
diana@kerseyceramics.com
- Eye Of The Dog Art Center—Ty Johnson
www.eyeofthedogartcenter.com
www.texasclayfestival.com/Johnson,T.html
- Linda Gossett
2505 Martin Luther King, #11C
San Angelo, TX 76903
(214) 240-7229
www.texasclayfestival.com/Gossett.html
lggossett@gmail.com
- Lotus—Lotus Bermudez
School of Fine Arts/Ceramics Studio
University of Houston
4800 Calhoun Road
Houston, TX 77004
www.claymatter.com
www.texasclayfestival.com/Lotus.html
claygirl_bermudez@yahoo.com
- Luling Icehouse Pottery—Charley Pritchard
1115 East Davis St
Luling, TX
(830) 875-6282
www.texasstarstoneware.com/studio.html
www.texasclayfestival.com/Pritchard.html
- Milagro Del Rio—Hank Drennon
253 El Monte
San Antonio, TX
(210) 930-4832
www.texasclayfestival.com/Drennon.html
- Shikha
8022 Whitworth Ln
Round Rock, TX 78681
(512) 828-0129
www.potterybyshikha.com
www.texasclayfestival.com/Gupta.html
potterybyshikha@aol.com
- Sleeping Dog Studio—Billy Ray Mangham
405 Valley View West Rd
San Marcos, TX 78666
(512) 754-8171
www.zzzdog.com/billyray.htm
http://www.texasclayfestival.com/Mangham.html
billyray@zzzdog.com
- Starkeeper Pottery—Roger Allen
2505 Martin Luther King
San Angelo, TX 76903
(915) 653-4936
www.chickenfarmartcenter.com/Roger_Allen.html
www.texasclayfestival.com/Allen.html
allenclay@netzero.net
- TerWare—Mike & Teri Hubbeling
1331-1/2 Bonham Terrace
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 447-8852
www.texasclayfestival.com/Hubbeling.html
terware@sbcglobal.net
Minor changes were made to this essay on 22 Jun 10; Randy Brodnax's entry was removed on 24 Oct 10.
