PODCAST ROOM 155 E–F; Thursday, March 27, 2025 9:30am-10:30am

Celebrating 30 Years of the Train Kiln

I will be moderating a discussion about the train kiln and how it has impacted wood firing and the larger ceramics community over the last 30 years. Panelists John Neely, Matt Kelleher, and Amy Song will share their experience and perspective. Along with Q & A from the audience.

Southern Crossings Pottery Festival is an annual ceramics event with a mission of showcasing the rich heritage and history of local pottery and helping to feed the hungry children in our community. This festival offers a profound encounter with the many ways a bowl can nourish the individual and the entire community, while also introducing exciting changes in the world of contemporary ceramics. I am honored and excited to be organizing and participating in this event.

I will be showing work at my good friend, Doug Peltzman’s stop. Jen Allen and Haakon Lenzi will also be showcasing their wares at this stop. It is a great pottery tour overall, look forward to seeing you there.

This class will focus on firing the wood kilns with a reduction cooling and considerations that go into making for wood firing. Students will bring bisque ware, and we will have some class time to make as well. We will combine the wheel and hand building techniques and explore ideas around the unglazed surface. Demonstrations will include making on the wheel, incorporating hand-built elements, and design details and considerations of the pot. While we prepare our work for the wood kilns, we will also cover wadding, loading, firing, reduction cooling, unloading and cleaning our wares. At the end of the class you should expect to be taking home your newest favorite pots, but more importantly, new ideas for your studio practice. We will be working with high-fire stoneware, iron-rich stoneware, and other high-fire clay bodies.

As a class we will be firing and reduction cooling their train kiln! During the kiln cooling we will have time in the studio for demos and discussion.

Link to register

Solo Exhibition

In this four day firing workshop we will fire and reduction cool the train kiln. It will be in an intimate group of participants allowing for a lot of hands-on experience throughout the process. We will discuss kiln mechanics, loading and firing, unloading, and cleaning the wares. Great class for all skill levels. 

Each participant is allotted 2 cubic feet or 15-20 6x6x6 inches of bisque fired cone 10 work. We also encourage students to bring a few extra “stuffer” pieces that are approximately 3x2x2. These are not priority pieces, but are easy to use to fill gaps in the kiln, and can be added if there is extra space. After registration participants will receive an email with a list of cone 10 clays and any extra information on the workshop.

Link to register

I will be teaching a 2-day hands on workshop that focuses on making functional ceramics for the wood kiln. Along with discussing and demonstrating about wheel and handbuilding techniques, I will also be giving a presentation about reduction cooling.

Innovation: One Pot at a Time

This workshop will focus on the investigations and explorations that go into creating and refining functional pottery forms. Mostly using stoneware, we’ll work on the wheel and use handbuilding techniques including slab, carving, and coil. We’ll also cover bisque molds, spouts and handles, mark making, and incorporating inspirations. Although we’ll focus on exploration, students can expect to take home a few completed new forms and many more investigations and ideas. The workshop will include daily discussions, demonstrations, and experiment-oriented exercises. Bisque fire only. 

All levels welcome. 

This year I had the pleasure to curate this event . I am excited about the line-up of talented makers that will be joining me this year!

Along with the exhibition and sale of ceramic wares, there are programs that include opportunities to see the Center’s ceramics studio, and watching various demonstrations.

Cup in the image is made by Kyle Scott Lee, one of this years participating artists.

As a class we will fire and reduction cool Cynthia Morelli’s catenary arch wood fired kiln. Come to class with bisque ware. Bisque ware can include porcelain, porcelaneous, stoneware, and most other high fire clays. We will be glazing and slipping the first day of class, but if you have a high fire glaze you want to test, I am a big fan of experimenting. 

Most of the class will be focused on everything that goes into preparing, loading, firing, and unloading the kiln. However on the days in between firing and unloading, as a class we will go on a field trip to a few local inspirations and I will be demonstrating and discussing in detail how I design and make a few of my signature forms. Open to all levels and please reach out if you have any questions.

Which came first, the Pot or the Idea?

As a maker, a question I often get—Where did that idea come from? Everywhere! This class will focus on the investigations and explorations that go into creating and refining functional pottery. We will have daily discussions, demonstrations, and experimentation-oriented exercises. Primarily using a stoneware clay, we will work on the wheel and with hand building techniques including slab, carving, and other simple alterations. Investigations include, making bisque molds, spouts and handles, what ‘feels’ right, and mark making. We will be bisque firing. All levels welcome ages 14+

Show up to the workshop with bisqueware. Among other things we will have hands on learning and discussions about loading, slips and glazes, firing, reduction cooling, and cleaning the successful pots after the unload.

Honored to be invited to this stellar pottery event. Look forward to seeing you there.

Arrive with bisqueware. On the first day we will prep the work and load the kiln! Next we will fire and reduction cool. Reduction cool works well on many high fire clay bodies including iron bearing stonewares and porcelain clays, please experiment with clays you are already using in your studio. We will be firing with minimal glazes and a few slips, so the clay will really stand out. This is a wonderful intro to the whys and hows of reduction cooling.

While the kiln cools we'll spend the day in the studio with Lindsay.
I will share her techniques for making the strong functional forms using both wheel and hand building techniques.

I will be at NCECA this year showcasing my wares and BOOK with Objective Clay in the Gallery Expo area. As part of celebrating the book I will be signing books during NCECA Richmond. Visit Objective Clay’s booth for exact times and dates. Hope to see you there!

This hands on workshop will be focusing on the design details that go into making our daily use pots-- cups, mugs, bowls, and pouring pots. We will be working with stoneware and while a large portion of work will be on the wheel, we will be incorporating handbuilding too. Among other things, we will be covering throwing, trimming, rim alterations, spouts, handles, and how process marks can be design elements themselves. Open to all skill levels. 

This is the 45th annual pottery showcase and I am already looking forward to being back amongst so many other talented makers!

This annual holiday sale is hosted on Objective Clay’s website with new invited artists every year.

This year exhibiting artists include: Jen Allen, Rickie Barnett, Julie Crosby, Hiro Hanazono, Zak Helenske, Lynne Hobaica, Bryan Hopkins, Leanne McClurg Cambric, Yuki Nyhan, Lindsay Oesterritter, Doug Peltzman, Lauren Sandler, Deb Schwartzkopf, Hee Soo Lee, Shawn Spangler, Emily Schroeder Willis, and gwendolyn yoppolo

As one of the organizers of Clay Week, I have been working on the content of this years celebration for months. This year our theme is RESOURCES.

MONDAY- K-12 Organizations and Outreach

TUESDAY- Grants, Scholarships, Fellowships, and Awards

WEDNESDAY- Residencies, Craft Schools, Business

THURSDAY- Colleges, Internship, Assistantship, Apprenticeships

FRIDAY-SUNDAY- Open Studios, Gallery & Museum Events, Community Activities

Gladly participating in the long standing and always anticipated Charlie Cummings Gallery Intimate Object exhibition.

Excited to be getting back to Bowling Green Kentucky to be part of this two person exhibition. My work will be showcased with the talented Laurin Notheisen. Reception is Oct 18th if you are in the area.

I am the featured member for the month of June. Will have a small selection of pots for sale through Objective Clay’s site June 15-27th.

I am one of the 120 artists to be juried into this years craft show. Honored to be included and look forward to walking around myself.

As part of Objective Clay I will be selling my wares at the convention center at this years NCECA conference. Hope to catch up with you there!!

Two day workshop including demonstrating both hand building and wheel throwing techniques along with an artist presentation.