Author Archive: Paul Blais

The Cup Show | NCECA 2024 | Episode 1029

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NCECA is always a blast and has so much to see and do that it is completely impossible to show up and do it all. With that in mind, I tended to miss the annual NCECA Cup Show just because I was so busy doing other things. This was to be different… Not only did I add a cup to the show, I also attended and interviewed a number of people. Below are some pictures from day. Sorry, a couple are little blurry, but it gives you sense of the event. Included is a picture of the cup I added.

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A Talk In The Lobby | Jody Lewis | Episode 1028

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Jody Lewis | Episode 1028

Born and raised in Alabama and Tennessee, Jody Lewis is a transplant to Canada. Having earned a bachelors in biology and  a master’s in public health, Jody assumed that he didn’t have a single creative bone in his body. But things started to change for Jody when a friend showed him all the work she had in a pottery class and he knew he had to give it a shot. After talking a 10 week course, Jody was obsessed! Jody has since turned this new passion into a small business venture that is thriving.

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A Journey Of Growing | Yael Braha | Episode 1026

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Yael Braha | Episode 1026

Yael Braha is a ceramic artist of North African descent who applies her formal studies in Graphic Design (BA) and Cinema (MFA) to ceramics. In 2021 Yael received the Multicultural Fellowship Award from the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). Yael’s work has been exhibited in Museums and Art Galleries in the Usa and Japan, and is part of permanent collections in the Usa. Yael has been a Ceramic Artist in Residence in the United States (Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Starworks Ceramics) and in Japan.

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The Marko Story | Marko Biddle | Episode 1025

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Marko Biddle | Episode 1025

Marko Biddle, an artist/educator from Pittsburgh, PA, discovered his passion for ceramic arts at 15 through classes at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild. With over 20 years of art education experience, Marko now resides in Louisville, KY, teaching clay to students in grades 5-12.

 

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Clay Doctors NCECA 2024 | Louise Deroualle, Jessica Gardner, Bobby Scroggins, and Rebecca Hutchinson | Episode 1024

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Louise Deroualle, Jessica Gardner, Bobby Scroggins, and Rebecca Hutchinson | Episode 1024

Louise Deroualle, Jessica Gardner, Paul Blais, Bobby Scroggins, and Rebecca Hutchinson

This is a recording from NCECA 2024 of a panel called Clay Doctors. It was recorded by Clay Collier, organized by Ben Carter, and co-produced by NCECA. The session was led by the audience who asked questions directed to a panel of experts: Louise Deroualle, Jessica Gardner, Bobby Scroggins, and Rebecca Hutchinson.

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Starbucks Gave Her A Pat On The Back | Sarah Kaye | Episode 1023

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Sarah Kaye | Episode 1023

Sarah Kaye has always been drawn to the tactile world of 3D creation. Fond memories of her mum’s homemade play-dough and her insistence on clay projects in art class foreshadowed her future path. Sarah studied Product Design at Parsons School of Design and dug deeply into her minor in Ceramic for Industrial Production under the guidance of  Marek Cecula. However, recognizing the practicalities of life after graduation, Sarah ventured into advertising as a Strategic Planner, where she discovered unexpected parallels of the design process and understanding consumer behavior – thinking about product use and the consumer’s experince of them. In Seattle, Sarah was accepted to the two year Pottery Northwest residency program, the last group of residents to be guided by the delight that is Wally Bivens. Starbucks recruited Sarah for a project while still in the program there, as did a local espresso machine manufacturer. Twelves years later, SKaye Ceramics is based in Seattle’s Georgetown and Sarah has close ties to the coffee community who have been the patron saints of her small business.

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The Vision | Heather Knight | Episode 1022

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Heather Knight | Episode 1022

Heather Knight opened Element Clay Studio in Asheville, NC in 2007, after running a retail studio in Asheville’s popular River Arts District, Heather moved her growing family to Savannah, Georgia.Though the business has grown greatly over the years, the backbone of the studio has remained the same. Heather is committed to remaining a craft based business, and all of the porcelain dishes, tiles, vases, and decorative objects are 100% handmade and don’t use any means of mass production. Adhering to these values allows Element Clay Studio to continue to produce only the finest, heirloom quality work. Heather’s work has been featured in many art & design publications, including Interior Design, Elle Decoration, Rue Magazine and American Craft. She works with designers across the globe to place custom art installations, and provides custom tableware for celebrity chefs like Eric Ripert, Jose Andres and Gordon Ramsey.

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A Woodfire Conference | Trevor Youngberg | Episode 1021

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Trevor Youngberg | Episode 1021

This is Trevor Youngberg’s second episode on The Potters Cast. Trevor is a high school ceramics teacher and practicing wood-fire potter. Guided by a mindset that is focused on growth, discovery and creativity; Trevor finds that practicing wood-firing enriches every facet of his life.

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Responding To The Audience | Rachel Vitko | Episode 1020

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Rachel Vitko | Episode 1020

Rachel Vitko discovered ceramics early on in Highschool where she was introduced to wheel throwing and surface decoration, combining her two loves of illustration and clay. For college Rachel went to MCAD (Minneapolis College of Art and Design) to further her illustration and explore graphic design. Rachel now pulls from those skills when creating her whimsical but functional pieces. Rachel currently resides in her home studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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