100 Wood-Fired Cups have the Maker's Mark

March 19, 2012 - PRLog -- The most intimate of handmade ceramic objects, a cup is cradled and suckled with each sip.  This exhibit of cups fired in kilns that use wood as their fuel will share the depth and breadth of their makers’ personalities embodied in the small vessels subjected to a trial by fire.  Drawing from recent and ancient history, the wood-fire process demands individualized kiln design, specialized skills, and the attention of a team of hard workers.   As each potter forms the clay with their hands and thoughts, so too their flame leaves fingerprints of evidence that mark the object’s position in the kiln and in time.  Often formed with a particular beverage in mind, this exhibit throughout NCECA of cups fired exclusively in wood-firing kilns around the nation promises an intriguing opportunity to recognize the potter in each cup.  Created by a wide array of makers, from academics to studio potters, the cups in the exhibit also vary considerably in the presentation of their value.  Rare finds sit comfortably next to the affordable, each with a story to tell.

Tucked away in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood, the Pots Gallery will host this exhibit timed to coincide with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA).  With a focus on contemporary ceramics, the Pots Gallery has invited two renowned artists to curate the show.  Peter Olsen directs the Seward Park Clay Studio and directs the firing of his own wood kiln.  Chuck Hindes has had a formative influence on ceramics today through decades of graduate instruction in Iowa.  Hindes will be honored with a Lifetime Teacher award during the conference in recognition of his status in the community.  Both men draw from the deep well of history in their studio practice, as woodfiring has been the primary firing method until the industrial age.  From the expressive mark for the esoteric Japanese tea ceremony to a more recent resurgence promoted by the late Peter Voulkos, the labor and knowledge required to achieve the covetous marks creates a dramatic history reflected in this exhibit.

This show is in conjunction with the NCECA Conference and other shows by POTS Gallery and will be accessible by shuttle loop from the Convention Center.