Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Ryan Greenheck. His functional ceramics are influenced by European slipware and Chinese porcelain traditions. He maintains a studio in Philadelphia, PA and has been instrumental in starting invitational sales of functional ceramics in urban environments in the North East of the United States. In our interview we talk about evolving in the studio with the help of your peers, curating a sale to meet the needs of a community, and taking short term risks for long term financial gains.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Stephanie Kantor. In her most recent body of work Stephanie explores myths surrounding water through multiple series of ceramic sculpture and painting. In our interview we talk about the relative values of art-making materials, how experiencing a Turkish hammam sparked her interest in bathing culture, and her time as a Zeldin fellow at the Clay Studio in Philadelphia.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I speak with Aysha Peltz, Bruce Dehnert, and Lisa Vettoso, the organizers of the 45th annual Old Church Pottery Show. The event started in 1975 as a fundraiser for the Art School at Old Church in Demarest, NJ and quickly grew into one of the premier yearly sales of studio ceramics in the United States. In the interview we talk about the legacy of sale founders Karen Karnes and Mikhail Zakin, the curating process for choosing artists, and the genres within studio ceramics today.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Michael Connelly. In his Phoenixville, PA studio he makes functional pottery balancing highly engineered forms and expressive line work. In our interview we talk about creating the bones of a strong ceramic form, converting former industrial spaces into creative space in the Brewerytown neighborhood of Philadelphia, and finding work/life balance.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with ceramic artist James Whiting. After living in Japan for many years he developed a love for ceramics that guided him into his own studio practice. James makes hand built vessels that are finished with nerikomi, embossing, and other compelling surface techniques. He is also the director of the Berkeley Potter’s Studio, which has grown from 25 to 425 members during his tenure. In the interview we talk about best practices for safety, staffing and member growth in a community studio.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with potter and gallery owner Sandy Simon. She was a student of Warren MacKenzie’s at the University of Minnesota in the late 1960’s where she developed a studio practice of making utilitarian pots that continues to this day. In 1994 Sandy opened Trax Gallery in Berkeley, CA and has used the space to champion functional potters from around the U.S. In our interview we talk about how she balances form and decoration to create a unified pot, best practices for submitting work for gallery representation, and how the internet has changed the way pots are sold.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Wayne Higby. He came to Alfred University as an assistant professor of ceramics in 1973. He continues to teach there to this day, along with maintaining an active studio practice and a recent appointment as the director of the Alfred Ceramic Art Museum. In our interview we talk about the importance of what Higby calls “witnessing” in his teaching, the five lenses of critique, and the founding of the Alfred Ceramic Art Museum.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Sam Chung. In his recent porcelain vessels, Chung references Korean folk-art motifs in both form and surface. In our interview we talk about the transitions in technique and content he has made in his career, his methods for altering ceramic forms, and the impact that loss has on personal identity.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Sophie Aguilera Lester. Her ceramic sculpture is autobiographical in nature with a strong reference to historical Spanish painting. In our interview we talk about being a set designer for theater, her interest in the still life, and the art scene in Barcelona, where she has lived for most of her adult life. To start the episode, I talk with Lindsay Oesterritter about her new book Mastering Kilns and Firing, which is available now where fine books are sold.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Naomi Clement. In her current body of work, she decorates functional pots with layers of abstracted cursive text and loosely painted underglazes. The richness of her surfaces encourages the viewer to decipher the text and search for a larger narrative. In our interview we talk about the role pottery plays in daily rituals of observation and how finding her grandparents love letters spurred her interest in cursive text.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a special mailbag episode consisting of questions sent in from listeners. My wife Melissa comes on to cohost the show and we discuss topics including historical influences, bloopers from past seasons, and a few thoughts about how the #MeToo movement might affect ceramic history. On this milestone I want to send a special thank you to my listeners who have supported the show along the way. I couldn’t have done this without you.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Matt Ziemke. He abstracts the physical landscape to create planar structures that are covered with pattern and glaze. In our interview we talk about the effect technology has on the brain, working with the language of cartography, and building engaging surfaces through multiple firings.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Mary Cale Wilson. Through her multifaceted art practice, which includes sculpture, vessel making, and painting, Wilson explores ideas of womanhood and labor. In our interview we talk about using art to reconcile personal privilege, developing a personal iconography, and the ideas behind her installation Betrayal at Ebenezer

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Brooks Oliver. His refined ceramic vessels draw from the sleek aesthetics of design while maintaining the scale and proportions of handmade studio ceramics. In our interview we talk about using the 3d printer as a prototyping tool, developing a personal sense of color, and the growth of the Dallas Pottery Invitational.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Ann Shaner. Along with her husband David Shaner, she was instrumental in the success of the Archie Bray Foundation during the late 1960’s. In our interview we talk about 35 years teaching in the public schools, her time at the Archie Bray Foundation, and moving to Big Fork, MT, where she and David raised their four kids.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Shalene Valenzuela. Her slip cast sculptures feature underglaze paintings of women in domestic situations. In our interview we talk about the influence of mid-century advertising and film, using visual narratives to question women’s perception of themselves in our society, and balancing her studio life with her role as an arts administrator. Shalene is based in Missoula, MT, where she has an active studio practice and is the director of the Clay Studio of Missoula.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Audry Deal-McEver and Jenn Cole. Both are studio potters making heavily patterned work in the greater Nashville, TN area. In the interview we talk about the fine line between appropriation and inspiration when referencing the patterns of other cultures, working in galleries, and developing confidence in the value of your own work. Both are members of Influx, a ceramic group that hosts exhibitions and events that educate the public on the value of handmade.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Danielle McDaniel. In 1982 she started teaching in the public schools of middle Tennessee focusing on short ceramic workshops that encourage creativity and confidence in children. As demand for her workshops grew, she developed “The Clay Lady Way,” an education program for teachers that includes videos, books, and ceramic curriculum. In our interview we talk about how secondary education changed during her career and expanding her business to include a physical location in Nashville, which hosts a school with 275 weekly students, an artist co-op with 65 artists, and the clay distributor Mid-South Ceramics.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Josh Deweese. His undulating functional forms are embellished with curvilineal handles and decorated with fluid high-fire glazes. In our interview we talk about the influence of his artistic family, developing a leadership style as an administrator and teacher, and using local materials to enhance his glazes. Josh was the Resident Director of the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts from 1992-2006 and is now an Associate Professor of Art at Montana State University.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Mallory Wetherell. Her ceramic vessels are decorated with crisp drawings of symbolic elements, such as hair, internal organs, and clothing, which create a biographical sketch of her daily life. In our interview we talk about teaching in a rural environment, how an early interest in prosthetic design and medical drawing shapes her aesthetic, and how politics and parenting have changed her studio practice.