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Daniel Johnston | Episode 197
Daniel Johnston digs most of the materials he use to make and glaze his pots. Daniel’s pots are fired in a large 850 cubic ft wood kiln. Daniel enjoys the hard work and it leaves no part of the process separated from him. He does not try to control his materials, rather Daniel tries to understand them. From digging the clay to firing the kiln, Daniel puts all his efforts into creating pots that have a powerful presence. It is important to Daniel to create pots that are timeless, but reflect the culture and times in which he lives.
Kate Johnston opened her pottery studio in Seagrove, North Carolina in 2010. Kate’s pots are made with local materials, boldly carved with organic patterns inspired by Art Deco design, and fired in a large wood-burning kiln. Kate shows her pots throughout North Carolina and has lectured and taught in North Carolina, Tennessee, and New Jersey.
Robin Hopper is an internationally known potter, teacher, author, garden designer and arts activist. He has taught throughout Canada, and in England, U.S.A., Australia, New Zealand, China, Korea, Japan and Israel. His ceramic work is in public, corporate and private collections throughout the world.
Originally from Illinois, Debra Oliva earned a BFA from Northern Illinois University. After a decade working in the printing industry Debra began exploring ceramics. She has worked as a full time artist for 24 years. She creates utilitarian ware and vessel forms from unglazed colored clays, celebrating form and surface through the use of color, texture and pattern.
Paul Schneider lives in Dallas, Texas and is 31 years old. First exposed to ceramics in high school (St. Mark’s), attended Rhodes College – played baseball, majored in International Studies. No ceramics program at Rhodes, tried unsuccessfully to start one. One semester I got access to nearby Memphis College of Art to continue throwing. Spent a semester in Madrid – took a ceramics class there – that would be considered my only ‘formal’ education in ceramics. I’ve been working full-time on ceramics (my business) for the past six years. It’s been a roller coaster. Went to a trade show in NYC -March 2014 – Architectural Digest Home Design Show – got a lot of great press there – AD wrote a profile piece on my work. Currently focus is on table lamps.
Based out of his studio in northwest Montana, Tim Carlburg specializes in making Handmade Growlers for Handmade Beer! Tim also works with multiple distilleries to create simple, meticulously hand-made functional ceramics for the discriminating microbrew and distillery aficionados. Tim is also the inventor of the SwitchLift. SwitchLift is a revolutionary way of using the potters wheel by making the wheel’s height adjustable. The SwitchLift is helping to bring relief to the problem of back pain that is so common in potters.
Melina LaVecchia Daniels specializes in creating tableware that is not only functional but relates to food and the user in an aesthetically-minded way. Each piece is made to inspire you to linger around the table just a little bit longer and to enjoy the luxury of gathering around food together.
Jeremy Ayers’ recent pottery is about elemental relationships between form and surface. Jeremy has simplified his color scheme and is rejecting a colorful glaze palate. This allows textural and visual contrasts between the glaze, raw clay and form to be highlighted. Contrasts between sharp lines of glaze and the repetitive forms puts a sharp focus on both elements. The exposed clay is presented on equal footing with the glazed surface. The white glaze flashes the exposed clay body, warming the raw clay surface. Jeremy’s focus with this recent work is to make pottery that is about pottery. He loves the raw clay of an atmospheric firing, but his work is fired in oxidation.
Eric Knoche touched clay for the first time 15 years ago and has had dirty hands ever since. Eric lives and works in Western North Carolina where he is currently building a new wood kiln and studio. Besides clay, Eric’s other great passion in life is dancing the Argentine Tango.