the clay bucket

Shawn Skabelund Artist Lecture

2012-01-14T10:42:00.000-08:00

It was really great to see everyone come out for the Shawn Skabelund artist lecture the other day! If you missed it or just want to relive the memories, here's the video of it. If you want to watch the full screen version, just click on the little icon with four arrows just to the left of the vimeo logo while the video is playing. Enjoy!

More information about Shawn's work can be found on his website at www.shawnskabelund.com

Hope you enjoyed the event!

See you in the studio,

Brian

Go To NCECA

2012-01-14T06:54:00.000-08:00

Now that the first week of the semester is over, I know what you're thinking. "That first week was amazing and ceramics is blowing my mind, but how do I take this to the NEXT level?" The answer: Go to NCECA in Seattle this March. On March 28th - 31st, Seattle will be inundated with artists from all over the world and like coffee shops, it will seem like there's an exhibition on every corner. If you're going to go (you should), you need to register SOON! The "early bird" registration ends on Wednesday, 1/18 so don't spend any more money than you have to make sure and get your cheaper student registration when you have the chance.

Click on the image above to go to the NCECA website and learn more about the upcoming good times in Seattle. If you want to review the preliminary program for events, check out this link: http://www.nceca.net/static/conference_program.php

If you have any questions, just me know.

See you in Seattle!

Brian

Shawn Skabelund - Visiting Artist Lecture

2012-01-05T08:41:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone -

I just wanted to welcome everyone to a lecture that Shawn Skabelund will be giving in the ceramics studio on Thursday, January 12th at 3pm. Shawn is an artist who “explores what Wendell Berry calls the “unsettling of America,” namely, the effects, the marks, and the changes that humans make on the land and cultures of a given area.” Through drawing, sculpture, and installation, he strives to “give viewers time and space to think about the local communities, economies, and ecosystems they inhabit.”

More can be found on his website at: www.shawnskabelund.com. In addition to the “installations” page, be sure to check out the “drawings” page, too — there’s some amazing work in there.

Shawn is here because he and Tiffany are installing a two person collaborative exhibition at Hanover College. That show opens on Friday, January 13th. I hope to send out more information about that soon.

Anyway, all are welcome to the lecture (and the show).

And spread the word!!

Brian H.

Dylan Beck Artist Lecture!

2012-01-02T06:01:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone -

Here's the Dylan Beck Artist Lecture from a little while back. I had some trouble rendering it, then just got completely swamped with school stuff and never finished uploading it and posting it here. Better late than never though! It was great having him here in our studio and its a wonderful lecture, so sit back and enjoy!

To keep up with his work, check out his website at http://www.dylanjbeck.com/

See you in the studio.

Prof. Brian

Looking for Residencies?

2012-01-01T07:15:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone -

Hope everyone had a great New Year's Eve! Now that you're thinking of the new year (and the future), you may be thinking about applying for an artist residency after you leaving IU Southeast. I came across this site the other day that has a large collection of residency information, so if you're even remotely interested, check this out: http://www.residencyunlimited.org/

screen capture of Residency Unlimited's website

Here's to another year of awesomeness!
Prof. brian

Natalie Tornatore and Ben Stout artist lectures!

2011-09-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

I've rendered and uploaded the video of Natalie Tornatore and Ben Stout's artist lectures from the other day. A huge thanks to Natalie and Ben for sharing their work with us. I know you feel the same way, but I enjoyed hearing more about their ideas. It was really interesting to learn more about how the two of them work in a similar way, but yet come to much different visual conclusions in their work.

In order to make the videos smaller, I've rendered the two videos separately. Anyway, here is Ben Stout's artist lecture:

And here is Natalie Tornatore's artist lecture:

These lectures were in conjunction with their two person exhibition currently up in the Barr Gallery, The Air & The Ground. The exhibition is up until October 14th, so check it out before it comes down!

Again, a HUGE thank you to Natalie and Ben. We all had a great time learning more about your work!

See you in the studio,
Brian

Turbulent Continuity = Awesomeness

2011-04-16T08:19:00.000-07:00

Wow, that was awesome wasn't it? Of course, I'm talking about the great SpaceLab show on Thursday night called "Turbulent Continuity" by Ian F. Thomas and Brian McConnell. They kicked off the event by giving this great artist lecture ...

Then we all had a great time checking out their work in the SpaceLab:

Big huge thanks to Ian F. Thomas and Brian McConnell for coming all the way here to IU Southeast to share their awesomeness with us!

Fired up?!

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

"Turbulent Continuity" by Ian F. Thomas and Brian McConnell

2011-04-11T06:37:00.000-07:00

Ian F. Thomas and Brian McConnell will be visiting the IUS campus from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania to show a collaborative exhibition of artwork they have created specifically for the SpaceLab Gallery. Their exhibition is titled “Turbulent Continuity” and will take place in the SpaceLab, which is currently located in the Ceramics area of Knobview Hall (Rm. KV 042). They will be lecturing on their artwork on Thursday, April 14th at 6pm in KV 035 and an Opening Reception will take place immediately following the artist lecture at approximately 7:15pm in KV 042. This is a one night only event and is free and open to the public. This event is sponsored by the IUS Ceramics Area, the Ground Floor Lecture Series, and the Dirt Bags Art Club. If you have any questions, please contact Brian Harper, Assistant Professor of Fine Art, harperba@ius.edu

See you there!

Prof. Brian

Erika Christian - Three Part Mold Demo

2011-04-11T04:57:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone, here's the video from class the other day when Erika Christian gave her three part mold demo ...

see you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Kristy Leverock's demonstration on Terra Sigillata

2011-04-05T05:01:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone, here is Kristy Leverock's demonstration on Terra Sigillata that she gave in class yesterday ..

enjoy!

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Ashley Bell's Mold Making Demonstration

2011-03-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

Here is Ashley's mold making demonstration from yesterday's class ...

Hope to see some awesomeness in the studio when I get back from NCECA!

see you then.
Prof. Brian

Shellac Resist and Etching Demonstration by Sue Bartle

2011-03-17T11:58:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone, here's the video from Sue Bartle's demonstration in class yesterday ..

enjoy!

Prof. Brian

Throwing and Trimming a Plate

2011-03-10T10:56:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone -

Here are the videos from my demo yesterday on throwing and trimming plates.

Throwing a plate:

Trimming a plate:

enjoy.
See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian Harper

Chris Little - 3D imagery demonstration

2011-03-09T19:39:00.000-08:00

Here's the demonstration that Chris Little (richardprincess.blogspot.com) gave today in class on 3D images ..

Enjoy!

Prof. Brian

Jay Whitman Throwing Demonstration

2011-03-08T09:10:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone -

This is the first of 7 or 8 videos I will be posting over the next few weeks of all of the advanced students giving demonstrations on techniques they utilize in their work. In this video, Jay Whitman (jaywhitman.wordpress.com) demonstrates his thrown tumblers ...

Enjoy and stay tuned!

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Daniel Bare and Valerie Zimany Lecture

2011-03-01T13:39:00.000-08:00

If you missed the lecture by Daniel Bare and Valerie Zimany (or if you would like to re-live the memories), here it is! ...

enjoy!

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Lidded Vessels

2011-02-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

Working on your lidded vessels? Need a refresher? Check out the lidded vessel demo from Tuesday ...

enjoy!

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

NCECA -- coming up!

2011-02-22T04:39:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, NCECA is right around the corner. If you're not going, you should think about it. If you are going, check out this information: http://www.nceca.net/static/student_opp.php This is information from NCECA about things at the conference that are specific to students (Student Critique Room, Student Perspectives, etc)

Of course there is much, much more on the NCECA website about the conference, including a list of exhibitors and vendors here and the exhibition shuttle information here and definitely, don't forget to check out the list of exhibitions here .. keeping in mind that these exhibitions are only the "official" exhibitions (they'll be many more that will pop up around town during the conference).

The conference itself is always interesting, but for me, the exhibitions are always the highlight. Get ready to see some major awesomeness!

see you in the studio.
prof. brian

Rob Woolley demonstration at IU Southeast

2011-02-16T13:27:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone -

Rob Woolley came into town yesterday to do some demonstrations and talk about his new work in the IUS Printmaking studio. He graduated from IUS in the Spring of 2010 and is now a graduate student at the Heron School of Art and Design at IUPUI in Indianapolis.

enjoy! ...

See you in the studio.
Prof. brian

Throwing and Trimming Demo

2011-02-14T13:27:00.000-08:00

Hi all.

Here's the video from that demo I gave on throwing and trimming bowls the other day ..

enjoy!

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Callie Curry aka Swoon

2011-02-09T04:56:00.000-08:00

" .. if you kind of break a rule over there, break a boundary over there, and have a moment of creative play, and create something of beauty, that through all of those actions and combined with a lot of dedication, you can create little cracks in the facade of impossibility and inevitability that overlays a lot of our lives .. and through those cracks, little possibilities come up ... "

just watch it ..

see you in the studio.
prof. brian

Handle and Mug Demo

2011-01-24T19:25:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone -

Here's the handle and mug demo I gave today ...

See you in the studio!
Prof. Brian

Pete Pinnell talking about cups and mugs

2011-01-24T16:05:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, here's that Pete Pinnell video we watched today in class if you would like to go back and watch it again. I know I pick up a few more tidbits of information each time I've seen it ..

enjoy!

See you in the studio.

Prof. brian

Strange Attractors exhibition install

2011-01-16T05:50:00.000-08:00

hey everyone, things are moving along well with the Strange Attractors: Exchanges between Reason and Potential exhibition ...

Dan Bare and Valerie Zimany

Gibbs Rounsavall

the mini-gallery within a gallery!

The opening is this Thursday (the 20th) at 5pm - 7pm. Keep spreading the word peeps!
See you there.
Prof. Brian

Whoa, the first day of the semester!!!

2011-01-09T19:30:00.000-08:00

Morning everyone.

I see that you, too, are as excited for the semester to start as I am. I am looking forward to a great semester, filled with lots (and lots) of art. Feel free to peruse through the links and images on this blog. During the semester, its a great place to stay current on whats happening in the IUS ceramics world, so bookmark it and check back often!

Otherwise, we have a lot of work to do, so let's get moving.

Control your destiny.

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Strange Attractors: Exchanges between Reason and Potential

2011-01-09T07:46:00.001-08:00

Artists included: Daniel Bare & Valerie Zimany, Brian Boldon, Russel Hulsey & Thomas deLisle, Kris Grey, Gibbs Rounsavall, Travis Shaffer, Dmitry “Dima” Strakovsky, and Jordan Tate

In the exhibition titled Strange Attractors: Exchanges between Reason and Potential, Brian Harper, Assistant Professor of Fine Art at IU Southeast, has curated a collection of artwork that aims to extrapolate from what chaos theory has shown about the ‘Butterfly Effect’ and examine how our perceptions of the world may be altered by seemingly small events in our experiences of being alive. The theory of the ‘Butterfly Effect’ shows that even small variations in the initial condition of a dynamic system can have large consequences as that system evolves. Therefore, a flap of a butterfly’s wings in Chile could initiate a chain of events that causes a tornado in Texas. Much like the flap of a butterfly’s wings, a change in one person’s experience of being alive can therefore cause dramatic changes in the belief system of many. This exhibition aims to bring together artists who not only help to enable these changes in our individual perception of what it means to be human, but also those who create artwork that responds to and derives meaning from the changes happening in our contemporary world. In so doing, these artists help to extract personal meaning from our collective discovery.

For more information about this exhibition, contact Brian Harper at harperba@ius.edu. The exhibition will be hosted by the Ronald L. Barr Gallery on the IU Southeast campus in New Albany, Indiana from January 20^th – February 16^th, 2011. The opening reception will be on January 20^th from 5pm – 7pm. Gallery hours: Mon-Thurs 9am – 9pm, Friday 9am – 5pm

Videos from the Kris Grey Lecture

2010-11-26T08:30:00.000-08:00

Morning everyone.

I know that all have been pondering your existence (and purpose in life) after the amazing lecture that Kris Grey gave at IUS the other day - and I'm sure that many of you have realized that the only way to complete yourself is to see it again. Well, fear not!! I have finished rendering and uploading the videos so now you can sit back, relax and relive the memories. The videos are split into two different videos. The lecture itself is the first one below and the question and answer session is the video just below that.

Don't have the password? Just e-mail me at harperba@ius.edu and I'll pass it along.

Enjoy!

(my apologies for the crazy camcorder focusing in the first 5 seconds of this video .. damn auto focus!)

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Kris Grey Artist Lecture!! Mon, Nov. 15th 1:30pm in the ceramics area

2010-11-10T05:23:00.000-08:00

"Queering the Body / Performing the Subject"

An artist talk exploring the body as site for, and subject of, gendered performance. Kris Grey, will provide a historic and social context for several contemporary performance artists. The lecture will explore the question of where to seat artists who make work on the edge of aestheticism and activism. The relevance of iteration and re-performance will be investigated with challenging and diverse examples. There will be a strong emphasis on gender constructions, women, and queer artists.

Kris Grey received a BFA in Ceramics with a minor in Language and Literature form the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2003 and is currently pursuing an MFA at Ohio University. Kris’ alter-ego, Justin Credible, has been active in the performing arts and drag scenes in the Baltimore, DC Metro area and was an organizing member of the Charm City Kitty Club from 2005-2009

All are welcome! Spread the word! There will be a reception to follow the lecture.

See you in the studio,
Brian H.

Ai WeiWei's sunflower seeds

2010-10-25T05:50:00.000-07:00

Ai WeiWei's incredible installation of millions of ceramic sunflower seeds is up right now at the Tate Modern in London. In Adrian Searle's review for the Guardian, he says, "It is a work of great simplicity and complexity. Sunflower Seeds refers to everyday life, to hunger (the seeds were a reliable staple during the Cultural Revolution), to collective work, and to an enduring Chinese industry."

"The meanings are as multiple and singular as its form. Ai Weiwei has taken the lesson of Duchamp's readymade and Warhol's multiples and turned them into a lesson in Chinese history and western modernisation, and the price individuals in China pay for that. Every unique seed is homogenised into a sifting mass. Most contemporary Chinese art is a product made for western consumption, just as willow-pattern plates or porcelain vases were shipped out in huge quantities for the western market." - Adrian Searle

And this video is a MUST SEE video about this work ...

Field trip to the Tate Modern anyone?

See you in the studio.

Prof. brian

Get the week started off right!!

2010-10-11T06:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a cool video guaranteed to jump start your week. In this video, Ayumi Horie shows her skills at dry throwing a bowl. Check out more of her work at www.ayumihorie.com

Now, let's get to the studio and make some art!

Prof. Brian

Artist Presentations

2010-09-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

You will create a Powerpoint presentation and prepare a short artist talk about an artist of your choosing. You can pick from any of the artists on artaxis.org (that's over 175 artists!) Pick an artist who is exciting to you – this is soooo much more fun if you are personally invested in the work.

Requirements for the Artist Presentation:
- you must use Powerpoint
- you should discuss the artist for approximately 10 minutes, but not longer than 15 minutes
- use as many images as you feel is necessary to carry your talk through 10 minutes
- you must provide a copy of the powerpoint presentation you created. The file name must include your name and the name of the artist the presentation is on.

Some general tips on preparing your presentation:
- Powerpoint presentations that contain a large number of images generally look best with a black or dark background.
- PRACTICE! Practice the presentation first to make sure it fits easily within the allotted time
- Show up early on the day you present so you can put your powerpoint on the computer. Have a backup!
- RESEARCH! Read the artist statements, research what others have written about the artist, e-mail the artist and ask questions, look at their influences, etc.
- you might want to have some notes for the details and main points of your talk

This is fun (trust me on this), so have fun with it. Choose your artist carefully as you will be spending considerable time investigating their work!

See you in the Studio.
Prof. Brian

Martina Lantin

Things are rolling now!

2010-09-12T15:02:00.000-07:00

Morning Everyone.

Well, things are really rolling now. So far, sooooo good. The 260 people are already heading into their second project and the advanced students should be hitting their full stride in preparation for their upcoming crits. If anyone would like to see what the advanced students are up to, you might take a minute and check out their blog posts .. they've all been active bloggers so far this year (its almost like they are required to do so!)

In other news, I have been in negotiations with none other than Kris Grey (of kristingrey.com) about coming into town for a one day mold making workshop with an artist lecture at night. The plans are solidifying for Oct. 4 so, make sure and mark it on your calendars!!!

Here's a picture of her gasket work..

She has also been known to cruise into town on this ride ...

So, keep your eyes peeled for a kick ass artist riding around town on this bike - and be alert, she sometimes goes by her alias - Justin Credible ...

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Opening This Thursday!

2010-09-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone -

Don't forget about Tiffany Carbonneau's opening in the Barr Gallery this Thursday, 9/2 from 5-7. Tiffany will be speaking about her work at 6pm.

Looking forward to seeing everyone there!
Prof. Brian

CERAMICS!! (it's the next BIG thing)

2010-08-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

Good Morning everyone. And welcome to IUS Ceramics. I can assure you that this semester will be filled with some major awesomeness. Whether you've had some previous experience in clay or not, the next 17 weeks will be an adventure of epic proportions. During this time, there are going to be a few bumps in the road. Clay has a funny way of throwing a monkey wrench into our plans every once in awhile. The only thing I ask is that you work hard and keep your eyes on the prize and if you do that, I am sure you will be able to find IT in the clay. And if for whatever reason you don't find IT - and at the end the semester you can look me in the eye and say that ceramics was NOT the life changing experience you thought it was going to be ... I will give you a one dollar bill.

Kala Stein

I guess the only question now is, "What's your IT?"

See you in the studio,

Prof. Brian

Some Information on Blogs and Websites

2010-08-18T18:49:00.000-07:00

Those of you that need to do blog for class might want to get a head start on the semester by reading through this and taking the first step to register a blog or website.

Even if you decide to go for the free website/blog now, you should consider buying your domain name for a future website. Using just your name as a website URL address, you will be able to convert it to other media (if you change your focus). If you purchase something like joeceramics.com, you might regret it later if you become a photographer.

If you would like to purchase a domain name, go to a domain name registration company like networksolutions.com. There you will be able to search the available domains. If you are interested in building your own website or hosting a blog using a unique domain name address (URL), you should research hosting companies first. Many hosting companies (like Lunarpages.com) will offer to pay for your domain name registration if you host your website through their company. Again, research is key!

Some of the primary blogging programs are:

Blogger.com – This blog (claybucket.blogspot.com) is hosted on Blogger. Blogs hosted there are followed with the .blogspot.com address. Many consider this the easiest blog to learn how to use. Posting is as simple as writing an e-mail. The tradeoff for ease of use is appearance. The number of available templates is small and if you want to do a high level of customization, you need to know .css and .html. Blogger is also limited in that there is no capability for paged navigation.

Wordpress.com – This is blog service that the SpaceLab (spacelabproject.wordpress.com) blog is hosted on. Blogs on Wordpress are followed with the .wordpress.com address. Wordpress is more customizable than Blogger, but a tad bit harder to learn how to use. It’s actually fairly easy to use, but it does take a little time to get used to it. Wordpress has the largest number of free templates available and if you know any .css, .html, and .php - it’s highly customizable. One of the primary advantages of wordpress is the function of pages for navigation.

Movabletype.org – this is one of the most powerful blog services out there. It is highly customizable, but many consider it hard to learn how to use. This is blog service that you need to host on a server through a hosting company. While the moveabletype software is free, the hosting is not. Hosting can be anywhere from a few dollars a month to $30 for a small website.

Typepad.com – This is also considered a little more difficult than some of the other blog services out there, but many say that typepad has the most professional appearance. Prices start at 4.95 per month.

Free Website Options

There are also a huge number of free website services out there but unfortunately, many of them are riddled with ads, so do your research!! Look up third parties that compare and contrast the free services out there. Here are a few to get started with, but investigate them for yourself!

Free: Webs.com, Weebly.com, Wix.com, Sites.google.com

Small fee: SquareSpace.com

Hope this helps clear out at least a little of the confusion!

See you in the studio.

Prof. Brian

SpaceLab - now booking shows for the Fall!

2010-08-17T17:37:00.000-07:00

Attention all IUS artists!! I am now booking times for the SpaceLab .. a few of the spots are filled, but don't delay! Just IMAGINE the possibilities ...

So, e-mail me with the week you want and I'll check the schedule and get back to you. Last semester in the SpaceLab was kick ass, so let's keep going from where we left off and see where this thing will take us.

Pics from most of the shows are up on the SpaceLab site - click here to check it out

Remember to take it to the next level.

See you in the studio.

Prof. Brian

IUS Ceramics Twitter account

2010-08-17T09:43:00.000-07:00

and don't forget our very own Twitter account ... follow @IUSceramics ... Go here to check it out

See you in the studio..

Prof. Brian

New IUS Ceramics Facebook Page

2010-08-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone -

Check out our new IUS Ceramics Facebook page!

With the start of school JUST around the corner, you're going to need a place to always stay up to speed with the events and happenings of the IUS Ceramics Studio. Sooooo, check it out, click on the little "Like" button and never worry that you are missing anything!

Click here to see the new page in action

Stay tuned ..

Prof. Brian

Andrea Keys Lecture

2010-03-11T05:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came by the studio to see the Andrea Keys workshop. And thanks especially to Andrea Keys! The turnout over the two days was great and I hope that everyone learned something from interacting with her and her work. As you noticed, I did quite a bit of video taping of the workshop. I haven't had the chance to get to the bulk of it, but I did get the lecture uploaded ....

If you don't remember the password, shot me an email and I'll get it to you. If you weren't at the lecture to enjoy it in person, I hope you enjoy the video of it!

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Andrea Keys Workshop next week!

2010-03-01T19:28:00.000-08:00

The time is here everyone. Time for the Andrea Keys workshop ....

She'll be here for 2 days (Mon 3/8 and Tues 3/9) making art, talking art, and sharing her unique background and work. So, please take moment and review her website here to learn more about her work before she gets here - that way your experience with her will be informed and you'll get that much more out of it.

Also it is really important that we spread the word about this and try and get a bunch of people to take part, so spread the word and bring a friend!

Are you READY!?!

See you there.
Prof. Brian

Teri Frame Lectures

2010-02-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

Here are the videos of the two lectures Teri Frame gave during her workshop last week. The first one is her artist lecture and the second one is her lecture on the historical uses of raw clay on the human body. Both are a great watch, so enjoy.

If these videos don't play right away, just give it a minute to start streaming. Again, if you forgot the password, just shoot me an e-mail!

Here's the other video. I apologize about the quality of this one, I will be uploading a version that has a little higher resolution as soon as my download limit on my Vimeo account refreshes.

enjoy!

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

the Teri Frame workshop was, well ... AWESOME.

2010-02-01T18:16:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's true. The Teri Frame workshop was definitely awesome. I would like to thank all of you who helped to get things ready, clean the studio, rearrange stuff, bring food for the lecture and most of all for attending the workshop. I hope you all learned something about a new approach to using clay for artmaking and maybe a few new ideas for your own work as well. I will be posting videos of all of the parts of the workshop, here is the performance of her work that she gave on Jan. 27th. If you weren't at the event, please take a moment and watch this through. I know you'll find it fascinating. If you don't remember the password, not to worry - just e-mail me and I'll pass it along.

enjoy!

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Teri Frame Workshop at IUS

2010-01-23T07:30:00.000-08:00

Please join us at Indiana University Southeast on Wednesday and Thursday (the 27th and 28th) to welcome our visiting artist, Teri Frame. She will be doing a performance of her work on Wednesday at 6:00pm in the ceramics studio. On Thursday in the ceramics studio, she will give a lecture on Clay and the Human Body since Pre-History at 9:30am as well as her Artist Lecture at 6:00pm. More information about Teri's work can be found on her website www.teriframe.com

The event is free and all are welcome! Spread the word!

This event is proudly sponsored by the IUS Ceramics Department, The Dirt Bags Art Club, and the Ground Floor Lecture Series. If you have any questions, please contact Brian Harper, Assistant Professor of Fine Art, Indiana University Southeast -- harperba@ius.edu

Update on Dirt Bags Meeting

2010-01-17T09:32:00.000-08:00

I normally don't update the Dirt Bags meeting happenings on this blog (that would normally happen on the Dirt Bags blog), but I thought it would be necessary as there were some important developments.

One of the things we talked about is how we are going to try a different method of governance this semester - we are going to try to have a governing Council instead of President, Vice President, etc. The Council will be elected and will run the meetings, consult the rest of the group about decisions, and act as a committee to run the operation of the Dirt Bags. The Council will be comprised of current Fine Art students and be elected by current Fine Art students. People who are not students may attend meetings, but Council members and all elections will always be decided on by current students.

IMPORTANT! - if you are interested in running for Dirt Bags Council - send me an e-mail ASAP. I will be sending out an e-mail ballot tomorrow for the election.

We also talked about the upcoming SpaceLab Grand Opening (www.spacelabproject.wordpress.com) which will take place this Wednesday at 7pm (of course in and around the SpaceLab) To get things ready, we will be having a work party in the clay room (where the SpaceLab is currently located). Please try and make it over!! The work party will happen at 4pm on Monday!! Be there.

We talked about the upcoming Teri Frame workshop as well - January 27th and 28th. More info about that later.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Spread the word ....

See you on Monday!
Prof. Brian

It is here.

2010-01-10T18:05:00.000-08:00

Well, it is certainly here. A new semester. Another opportunity for awesomeness.

If you've never been to this blog before, Welcome. Take some time to look around, enjoy yourself. If you've had taken one of my classes before, welcome back. I'm really looking forward to this semester ... I know I've said that before, but before I was kidding. I am REALLY looking forward to this one.

We have tons of things going on. The Teri Frame (www.teriframe.com) workshop is January 27th and 28th and the Andrea Keys (www.andreakeys.com) workshop is March 8th and 9th, so that's pretty awesome. We will be having the grand opening of the SpaceLab (www.spacelabproject.wordpress.com), NCECA is in March, so much to do, so little time. Anyway, I am officially promising that it will be a great semester. If its not, let me know and I will give you a little piece of clay - to keep for the memories.

So go ahead and bookmark this site (if you haven't done it already) so you can check back often and see whats happening.

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Senior Seminar Exhibition!!!!

2009-11-30T19:50:00.000-08:00

Don't forget about the awesomeness that will happen this Wednesday (the IUS Senior Seminar Exhibition). ONE NIGHT ONLY!!

UNRELATED AND UNRESTRICTED: Six Diverse Responses to the Theme, Identity is an art exhibition of Indiana University Southeast senior art students. Participating Artists: Kimmy Fruits, Michael Sturgeon, Sara Jones, Jessica Amburgey, Nathan Newby, and Rob Woolley. This diverse group of emerging artists will exhibit works based in installation, sculpture, photography, digital projection, ceramics, fabric, performance, and print media.

One Night Only!!! -- Wednesday, December 2nd, 7-10pm. All are welcome!

Curated by Brian Harper, Assistant Professor of Fine Art, Indiana University Southeast, please feel free to contact for further details - harperba@ius.edu

It's really easy to find - just off the 9th street Downtown exit in Louisville.

View Larger Map

AND ... we have a Facebook event page for it. Check it out here

See you there!!

Prof. Brian

Save the date!

2009-11-01T18:45:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to save the date (December 2nd, 7-10pm) for the Senior Seminar exhibition. It's titled UNRELATED AND UNRESTRICTED: Six Diverse Responses to the Theme, Identity and it is sure to be an awesome show. Also take a moment and visit the Facebook event page for more details, directions, and to see the rest of the awesome flyers and postcards that were designed for it. Click here for the Facebook event page

And take ANOTHER moment and invite your friends, co-workers, and colleagues - the more the merrier!

See you there.
Prof. Brian

get (and stay) in the groove ...

2009-10-27T12:39:00.000-07:00

Whew, sorry for my lack of posts lately! Seems that the semester has been busy for all of us - me included.

Anyway, as I mentioned in class the other day, the dreaded WET WARE CUTOFF is just around the corner. I know, I know (it's okay to shed a tear now). This is of course the very last day to do anything in wet clay! ANYTHING!!! So, make sure and count back from November 16th and adjust your schedule accordingly. If you need or want to re-make any of your projects, you must be completed with that by the 16th as well.

Also, don't forget about the upcoming Annual Dirt Bags Fundraising Sale (November 17th) and keep your eyes and ears open for updates on that - there will be instructions and sign up sheets on the board in the upcoming weeks.

And of course the Senior Seminar exhibition ---- UNRELATED and UNRESTRICTED: Six Diverse Responses to the Theme Identity. One night only!! (December 2nd - Riverbend Winery) stay tuned for more details.

I know there are a ton of things coming up in the next month or so. Just stay focused on making tons of great art. Channel all things good. Think FAR. Sometimes I think of David Dunlap. Here's his suit:

and his hat:

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Adam Welch keynote lecture

2009-10-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone. Here's the keynote lecture given by noted artist and critic Adam Welch at the Figuration to Fragmentation symposium that took place at UK on Thursday and Friday last week. Make sure and set aside some time to be able to watch the whole thing. I promise, it will be worth it. The acoustics in the room were strange and the video camera had a tough time with it, but stick with it and hear what Adam had to say about the way we utilize the figure in contemporary ceramics.

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Artist Presentations ....

2009-09-30T13:37:00.001-07:00

Wonderful! It's time to start preparing your artist presentations. This is going to be really cool!

So, here's a reminder and some helpful hints:

You will create a Powerpoint presentation and prepare a short artist talk about an artist of your choosing. You can pick from any of the artists on artaxis.org or on the critique paper handout. (that's over 200 artists!) Pick an artist who is exciting to you – this is soooo much more fun if you are personally invested in the work.

Requirements for the Artist Presentation for S260 (Ceramics ONE)
- you must use Powerpoint
- should be approximately 7-10 minutes, but not longer than 15 minutes
- use as many images as you feel is necessary to carry your talk through 7-10 minutes
- you must provide a copy of the powerpoint presentation you created

Requirements for the Artist Presentation for S361 and S461
- you must use Powerpoint
- should be approximately 15 minutes
- use as many images as you feel is necessary to carry your talk through 15 minutes
- you must provide a copy of the powerpoint presentation you created

Some general tips on preparing your presentation:
- Powerpoint presentations that contain a large number of images generally look best with a black or dark background.
- PRACTICE! Practice the presentation first to make sure it fits easily within the allotted time
- Show up early on the day you present so you can put your powerpoint on the computer. Have a backup!
- RESEARCH! Read the artist statements, research what others have written about the artist, e-mail the artist and ask questions, look at their influences, etc.
- you might want to have some notes for the details and main points of your talk

Antony Gormley (great artist)

And remember ... ALWAYS take it to the next level!

See you in the studio,
Prof. Brian

great lecture by Anne Drew Potter!

2009-09-29T14:38:00.001-07:00

Wow, that was really cool.

The Anne Drew Potter lecture was awesome!

Thanks to everyone who helped to make it possible ... and special thanks to her for sharing her work with us. I hope everyone learned a great deal - I know I did. Anyway, the video is posted below if you want to watch it again and relive all the great memories. Let me know if you can't remember the password. It's a big file, so it might take a minute to begin streaming ...

And remember that there are all kinds of events going on in Lexington this Thursday and Friday as part of the Figuration and Fragmentation symposium there. Adam Welch's keynote lecture is 7pm and a reception in the gallery will be right after it at 8pm. It's sure to be a great time and who knows ... we may learn some more stuff!

See you there.
Prof. Brian

2009-09-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

here's the flyer for the upcoming Anne Drew Potter lecture ....

Special thanks to Michael Sturgeon for designing this sweeeeet flyer!

See you there.
Prof. Brian

Anne Drew Potter lecture!!

2009-09-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

Morning. Glad to see everyone has been working in the studio making lots of art. Good to see. It makes me happy to see artwork all over the place.

Things are moving at a fast pace already and we are almost to the day when Anne Drew Potter is coming in for her IUS lecture!! I know you are as pumped as I am, so we need to really spread the word about her arrival and fill the ceramics studio. Her lecture will take place in the ceramics studio at 6pm on Monday, September 28th. All are welcome.

About her work she says, "I manipulate anatomical signifiers of gender, race, age, and other identity characteristics to encourage viewers to confront their feelings about normalcy, difference, and what defines human."

Go ahead and learn more about her before she gets here by checking out her website - http://www.annedrewpotter.com

Also, make sure and RSVP for the Facebook event I created for this - click here to be directed to the Facebook event page

Spread the word ...

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

The end of the second week ...

2009-09-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

Geez, the second week of the semester is almost over ... and look how far we've come already. Just imagine what the next 15 weeks will bring!

We have learned that the studios will be closed this Sunday and Monday for the holiday weekend, so plan accordingly. I don't know about you, but I always get a good amount of quality work done in the studio when I can focus on what I'm doing .... (like when you work outside of class.) Anyway, things are moving full steam ahead on the semester, so make sure you don't fall off the boat!

Stay with us. Stay with us....

Also, here's that knitted tank we talked about in the critique yesterday. It was created by Marianne Jørgensen with the help of over 1000 volunteers (knitters) from all over the world.

yes!

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Summer Do-Over? ... Impossible.

2009-08-20T17:11:00.000-07:00

Geez, summer is over ... BUT that means we all get to see each other again, make art, engage in meaningful dialogue, and of course - learn stuff. YES!!! And we are going to make a humongous amount of great art this semester.

Are you ready? Are you pumped? (I am)

So let's start out by pondering the mule ....

(build a kit)

see you in the studio ...
Prof. Brian

Ceramics Symposium at UK - Lexington

2009-08-10T10:26:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone. Here's the info for the ceramics symposium at the University of Kentucky in Lexington:

here's the link to it

Figuration to Fragmentation

Information and Schedule of all Exhibits, Lectures & Conference

Figuration to Fragmentation is a national figurative ceramic exhibit, held jointly between Morlan Gallery at Transylvania University, and Tuska Center for Contemporary Art at the University of Kentucky, in the Fall of 2009. Works will focus on the use of the body in contemporary ceramics, examining structures of identity, the effect of human psychological degradation on the body, and bodily fragmentation. An online catalog will be produced (available for download or purchase), featuring an essay by noted ceramic critic, Adam Welch, on the use of the figure in contemporary ceramics. In addition to the exhibit, there will be a lecture series, held at both UK & Transylvania, on consecutive Thursday nights, and a mini-conference at UK on October 1 & 2, examining the use of the figure in contemporary art.

Dates and Participating Artists:

Tuska Center for Contemporary Art Morlan Gallery

University of Kentucky Transylvania University

Dates: Sept 8 – Oct 16, 2009 Sept 11 – Oct 15, 2009

Opening Receptions: Fri, Sept 18, 5-8pm Fri, Sept 18, 5-8pm (Lexington’s Gallery Hop)

Participating Artists: Tanya Batura Tom Bartel

Anne Drew Potter Kira Campbell

Keith Smith Judy Fox

Liz Zacher Hunter Stamps

Schedule of Exhibits & Events:

Tues, Sept 8 TCCA exhibit opens / UK

Fri, Sept 11 Morlan Gallery exhibit opens, Artist Talk: Judy Fox, 7 pm / TU

Thurs, Sept 17 Art Historian Lecture, Morlan Gallery, 7 pm / TU (unconfirmed)

Fri, Sept 18 Lexington Gallery Hop: Morlan and TCCA opening receptions, 5-8 pm

Thurs, Sept 24 Artist Workshop: Anne Drew Potter, 9am-11:30, 1-4:00

Artist Talk: Anne Drew Potter, Niles Gallery, 7 pm / UK

Fri, Sept 25 Anne Drew Potter, Arts Professions Class, 12 pm / UK

Thurs, Oct 1 Mini Conference / UK

9-11:30 am Keith Smith Workshop

11:30 am-1 pm lunch break (lunch not provided)

1-3:30 pm Keith Smith Workshop

4-7 pm Morlan Gallery open for viewing, dinner break

7-8 pm Adam Welch, keynote lecture

8-9 pm TCCA reception

Fri, Oct 2 Mini Conference / UK

9-11:30 am Keith Smith Workshop

12-1 pm Adam Welch Arts Professions Class

1-2:30 pm lunch break (lunch not provided)

2:30-3:30 Artist Talk: Keith Smith

3:30-4:30 Closing discussion, lead by Zoe Strecker

Thurs, Oct 8 Artist Talk / TU (unconfirmed)

Thurs, Oct 15 Morlan Gallery exhibit closes

Fri, Oct 16 TCCA exhibit closes

For more information on events held at the University of Kentucky, please contact:

Kate Sprengnether Director, Tuska Center for Contemporary Art k.sprengnether@uky.edu

Hunter Stamps Assistant Professor of Ceramics h.stamps@uky.edu

For more information on events held at Transylvania University, please contact:

Andrea Fisher Director, Morlan Gallery afisher@transy.edu

Dirt Bags = Awesomeness

2009-04-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone.

I just want to let you know that I’m really proud of all the work you guys did for the Dirt Bags Open House. The awesomeness of the event was because of all your hard work and energy. It was so cool to see everyone come together and accomplish a great thing. In one of the e-mails leading up to Friday, I said something about making sure we set the bar for awesomeness ... And we certainly did that. You guys stepped up to the plate in a big way. So, congratulations and I can’t wait for next year.

BOOM. Outta here.

Go Dirt Bags.

See you in the studio.
Prof Brian

Yes. Do.

2009-04-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

Awesome. Much was done today. More will be done tomorrow. We will start in the morning on Friday. If you come early, there just might be some pizza left over from the night before.

Also, just a reminder to wear your Dirt Bags t-shirts tomorrow for the open house. If you don't have one .... maybe someone has one you can borrow. If you have an extra one, let it be known. We are all on this big crazy ship together (motoring toward the OPEN WATER) so make it happen.

"Well done is better than well said."

Let's set THE example for awesomeness.

Yes.

Prof. Brian

another article ....

2009-04-22T19:35:00.000-07:00

Incredible. The Courier Journal article on the Fine Arts Open House is out and pinned up in the ceramics studio. Here's a link to it

It's much better to see it in person. stop by and check it out!

go Dirt Bags!

2009-04-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

"Dirt Bags Host Fine Arts Open House" - yes, that's the headline for the article that came out today in the Horizon. Click here to see it.

awesome. go Dirt Bags.

Open House!!!

2009-04-20T06:39:00.000-07:00

Holy Moly. It is here. This is it.

Dirt Bags IGNITE!!!!

Or unite. Either way or both.

So, much is going to happen this week, but it’s up to us to make that happen. We MUST control our own destiny. I am working on printing more flyers, so they should be ready soon. Also, did you notice that we are on the marquee out by the road? I noticed. We are still meeting at 4-6 today (Monday) to print some more t-shirts, so bring a blank t-shirt so everyone will know that you are a dirt bag. And make sure and spread the word about people getting their work to the ceramics studio on Thursday. That way we can work on installing and getting ready on Thursday night as well as all day on Friday. Cleaning and preparing the installation will happen primarily on Thursday, although I would like to get started with some of the work during the week. So, let’s all meet during the 1-4pm class on Thursday to start getting ready.

As always ... Make art, not bombs.

unless of course your art is a fake bomb ....

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Beth Cavener Stichter Workshop!

2009-03-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. Here's the info the Beth Cavener Stichter workshop at U of L this Friday and Saturday. See you all there! - Prof. Brian

The following URL will provide images of her work. http://www.followtheblackrabbit.com/Downloads.htm

Free and open to the public

Friday, March 27th
Artist Demonstration From 10am-4pm

Friday, March 27th
Artist Lecture at 21C Museum 6:00pm
Reception following the lecture

Saturday, March 28th
Artist Demonstration From 10am-5pm

Lecture Location
21C Museum
700 West Main Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Contact: William Morrow 502-217-6300

Workshop Location
HPES/Studio Arts Bldg.
2314 S. Floyd Street
Louisville, KY 40292
Contact: Todd Burns 502-852-6796

Parking passes will be available for Friday the 27th in room 106 of the HPES/Studio Arts Bldg. Please pick up a pass and park in the Papa John's Cardinal Stadium lot on South Floyd St. and take the shuttle back to the HPES/Studio Arts Bldg. Parking is also available in the parking garage at 2126 S. floyd Street. Parking for Saturday will be behind the HPES/Studio Arts Bldg and no pass will be required.

And a couple of images .....

The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch

2009-03-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned this talk by Randy Pausch before and said that everyone needs to set aside some time to watch it, so here it is. I can tell you first that it's a very moving talk that will teach you a lot of lessons in life, art, family, etc. So, please watch it at a time that you can sit down and devote a little chunk of your life to paying attention to the messages .... I can assure you that you will be grateful for the opportunity to be involved in the extensions of his ideas.

What are your dreams?

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

I'm back!

2009-03-15T18:23:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone.

I had an awesome time at my workshop at Edinboro University. The people were so great there, the students were working hard making great work, and hopefully everyone else had as much fun as I did. I made a medium size piece the first day for most of the day while talking with different groups of students and alumni. My artist lecture was after dinner and some drinks that first night. The second day started with some graduate critiques, then I gave two lectures (Bendel's Walking Mural and the Gulf Coast Kiln Walk Anagama), then lunch, and some more critiques. At the conclusion of the workshop, I "unveiled" my piece (took the wooden form off) and was happy it didn't fall over. Discussion with the students continued into the night and I was sad to see it come to an end.

Anway, I can't wait to see all the progress on your work since I've been gone ....

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

my workshop at Edinboro U.

2009-03-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone.

This week you will have so much more time to work on your projects because you won't have to listen to me go on and on about art and art making. That's right, I will be absent from class this Wednesday and Thursday because I will be doing a two day workshop at Edinboro University. So, that means we won't have perfect attendance on those days because your fearless leader will be taking his show on the road. The good news is that I'm coming back! And I will be really anxious to see the progress on your work when I get back.

Here's a picture I stole from the Edinboro U. website. Looks like a cool place!

I'll fill you in on all the details when I get back ....

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Whew! .... schedules getting full!

2009-03-04T05:55:00.000-08:00

Morning everyone. Well, our schedules are getting fuller and fuller this time of year. I thought I'd take a moment to list some of the major events coming up:

March 5th - Dirt Bags Clay Club Activity Get Together - make art for the wood fire, spend quality time together, etc.

March 11th - 14th - Your fearless leader will be doing a workshop at Edinboro University in PA. think of all the time you'll have in the studio now because you won't have to listen to me babble on and on!

March 13th - wood splitting and wood kiln prep party!

March 18th - if you are doing the 200 Level Review - your work is due today

March 20th - loading the wood kiln at Rand's

March 21st - 22nd - firing the wood kiln at Rand's

March 23rd - ** First draft of your blog or website is due today!!!!

March 27th - 28th - Beth Cavener Stichter workshop at U of L. All day Friday and Saturday. We are carpooling with the IUS Art Car to the Lecture at 21C Museum on Friday at 4:30pm. Lecture starts at 6pm.

April 2nd - BFA opening tonight! We will all support our people.

April 6th - Second draft of blog or website project due!!

April 8th - April 11th - NCECA conference!! See you in Phoenix.

April 11th - Wet Ware Cutoff (last day to make anything in wet clay)

April 16th - Final Draft of blog or website project due today. This is it. This is your time to shine.

April 17th - 18th - BFA Orals. Be there. Be READY.

April 24th - *** Dirt Bags Clay Club First Annual Open House **** We will be cleaning and preparing the studio all day. The open house starts at 5pm.

April 29th - May 5th - Finals week

......

Geez, that's alot of stuff. It's good to be busy, though. Imagine if there was nothing going?

I once got a fortune cookie that read "Rest is nice, but boredom is his brother." I wish I still had it. I got so busy, I lost it.

See you in the studio.
Brian

... and if it's absolutely necessary that you procrastinate your ceramic work, then at least look at this website while you're procrastinating ....

Cai Guo Qiang

Videos from the Israel Davis Workshop!

2009-02-21T06:19:00.000-08:00

Okay, I managed to edit the video I shot of the Israel Davis workshop last week and get them all up on You Tube. I had to cut them into smaller videos to upload them, so that's why there are so many ...

The first video is of Israel explaining the process of scoop coating screens with emulsion. We set this up in the glaze room and borrowed a bug light from Rob so as not to expose the emulsion during application.

This next video is part one of him printing and talking about his printing on clay slips. This is just a snippet of the whole workshop, but hopefully you can use this a "refresher" course in the process.

here's the second part of that video:

Here he is assisting Kristy Leverock with her print. She scanned a drawing from her sketchbook and exposed a screen with the image. In this video, she is making a print on clay with multiple colors:

Here's Israel working on a cup from a slab he printed the day before:

In this video, Israel explains the process of removing the emulsion from a screen after you are done printing with it. We did this on the back dock of ceramics:

That's it for now. Hope everyone learned a bunch at the workshop. I am in the process of buying the equipment for printing on clay. With a little help (hint, hint) we should be up and running by the end of this upcoming week. So, start gathering up those images and get ready for printing on clay!

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Video from last week ....

2009-02-18T16:27:00.000-08:00

hello all. I'm learning how to edit videos and upload them to this blog ... so be patient with me... Anyway, this first one is of a short demonstration that Jason Burnett did on Friday morning. He came from Western Kentucky University to help Israel with the workshop and in this video he is showing a printing on clay technique where he transfers an image that was screen printed on newsprint. Then using slip, he transfers the image that was printed on the newsprint to the surface of the vessel. I will be uploading longer videos of Israel working later, but for now I'll figure this out with this one first ....

Here's Nate, Ashley, and Rob ... learning too much ....

More later.
Prof. Brian

What a great workshop!

2009-02-15T20:14:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm sorry if you didn't make it to to the studio on Thursday and Friday because you missed an awesome workshop by Israel Davis. He started from scratch and by the end of the day on Friday, we were all screen printing on clay like it was going out of style! It was really great to have such an expert in printing on clay right here in the IUS studio. It was fun picking his brain about his technique, his work, and his approach as an artist.

Kristy Leverock scanned an image from her sketchbook and printed a multi color print on clay. Here she is adding some more color for the details in her SWEET print ....

Ashley Bell made a cup with a screen printed skeleton hand wrapping around it. Very cool indeed .....

The workshop was mostly a hands on experience, but here is Israel making some objects from the slabs he printed on the day before .....

I'd like to thank everyone that came to the workshop. I was great to see so many of you taking part in the experience and I know that for those of you that were there, it was memorable, informative, and a lot of fun. I hope everyone learned a bunch ... and don't worry ... we're going to build everything we need to screen print on clay here at IUS!

I had a great time and I hope you did as well.
See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Israel Davis workshop this week!!

2009-02-08T11:11:00.001-08:00

Sweet. The Israel Davis workshop is finally here! Well, almost here. He will be starting at noon this Thursday and working until 5pm, then he'll give his slide lecture at 6pm (which you will NOT want to miss). And the workshop will continue all day Friday (9am - 5pm).

Everyone is welcome! Even if you can't be at the studio for the whole time, just stop by for awhile and check it out. So, let's all rally together and learn Israel's moves and have a great time!

Special thanks to Michael Sturgeon for designing the poster for the workshop.

See you there.
Prof. Brian

NCECA - get ready!!

2009-01-27T17:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, NCECA (the National Council on the Education of Ceramic Art) conference in Phoenix, Arizona is right around the corner. It's the annual conference for the ceramic arts - attending by over 6,000 ceramic people, in a different city every year, and it's a sure bet to be a lot of fun (and of course mind boggingly educational)

The conference registration is now happening online and early registration ends on Feb. 13th. So, if you are going to attend, you should go online and register early and save yourself some cash. Here's the NCECA website. It's a little tricky because the conference registration is now divided into the "member fee" ($25 for students) and the conference fee ($125 for students) .... If you have questions, just come and see me as there are some other options for day passes, etc.

One of the things I get most excited about are the dozens of exhibitions that happen every year at NCECA, so its a great way to see a ton of cool ceramic work all in one place. Who knows, you may see some cool work like this ....

(Michelle Tobia)

or you may see a large clay animal in a gallery .....

(Shay Church)

Who knows, but I'll see you in the studio in the meantime ...
Prof. Brian

a BIG thing happened the other day .....

2009-01-21T20:06:00.000-08:00

As you know, I'm not one to push a political direction on you, but I always want you to be an active participant in your surroundings, and one of the ways you can do that is to be informed and educated about what is happening in the world around us. On Tuesday, an important thing happened in the world ... if you didn't see the moment at the time it happened, I urge you to watch Obama's inauguration speech.

"it's a new era of responsibility ...."

.
.

Dirt Bag Meeting this Wednesday!

2009-01-20T18:04:00.000-08:00

Gather 'round everyone ... we have a Dirt Bags meeting this wednesday ... spread the word. noon in the main studio. be there. bring food. discuss.

(yes we can)

Prof. Brian

Opening Tonight!!

2009-01-15T06:30:00.000-08:00

The first week is almost in the books, but before it's over it's time for my opening tonight! I hope everyone will brave the cold and head over the Barr Gallery today (Thursday) from 5pm to 7pm - and I'll be giving a gallery talk at 6pm.

See you there!
Prof. Brian

Welcome to Ceramics!!

2009-01-10T06:44:00.000-08:00

Morning everyone.

If you are new to ceramics - Welcome. If you are returning because of the all encompassing joy and satisfaction you received from ceramics last semester - Congratulations - you are taking the leap.

I'm really excited for this semester. It's going to be filled with great art, unbelievable ideas, and a fantastic atmosphere of progression and art making. And it's going to be a busy first week for all of us, including me as my solo exhibition opens in the Barr Gallery on Thursday night (can't wait to see you ALL there!) Anyway, I'm glad you're in ceramics ... Here's a couple of works to get excited about.

Antony Gormley (www.antonygormley.com)

Shawn Skabelund (www.shawnskabelund.com)

The schedule for your ceramics class is posted below as well.

Welcome. See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Israel Davis Workshop next semester

2008-11-16T07:02:00.000-08:00

Morning everyone. Now that wet-ware-cut-off is over, we can set our sights on the future. The immediate future consists of transitioning into the finishing stage of your work. This includes (among other things) glazing, grinding, painting, gluing, sandblasting, etc. Keep in mind the turn around time of your objects if you are doing multiple firings (underglaze, clear glaze, etc). It's always better to be on the early side of that equation!!

Looking at the slightly more distant future, I have been talking to Israel Davis about coming to IUS to show us his moves with printing and clay. He's the head of the ceramics department at the Urban Institute of Contemporary Art in Grand Rapids, Michigan and he primarily screenprints on clay. I've been talking to him about coming in to show us his work, teach us how he does it, talk to you about your work, etc. around the first week of Feb.

Here's some of his work. These pieces have imagery that have been screenprinted onto the clay before the firing. Check out more of his work at his website here: www.israeldavis.com

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Control your own destiny.

Prof. Brian

"This is our moment"

2008-11-06T03:39:00.000-08:00

As many of you have heard or noticed, something special has happened in America. This is something that will prove to be a huge turning point for us not only as Americans, but as citizens of the world. Regardless of who you voted for, when you consider our collective history in this country over the last 200 years, you simply can't deny the enormity of what happened on Nov. 4th. Please just reserve 15 minutes of your life and watch Obama's speech from election night, I promise you it will be worth it.

Watch the video here

Many feel that it was his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention that propelled him to where he and we are now. Once again, take an additional 15 minutes out of your day and watch it here - if for no other reason than to become more familiar with a decisive moment in our history.

As you know, I don't care who you vote for - I just care that you vote - and I am happy that so many of you did. Go ahead and watch these videos and if you can truly look me in the eye and tell me that your time was wasted and you gained absolutely nothing from this, then come and talk to me and if it's true that you learned nothing at all - I will give you one american dollar.

"This is our moment."

Prof. Brian

Juried Student Show!!!!

2008-10-29T19:41:00.000-07:00

HEY!!! There's a juried student show right here at IUS! Just the process of entering is good experience, so let's all enter (well ... I can't enter .... but YOU can!) and have a good showing from ceramics. There are about 100 signs posted all over the art department, but if you haven't seen any of those, here's the info:

Drop off work at the Barr Gallery on November 13th and 14th 9am to 9pm. The work must be ready to display and have the entry form taped to the back or bottom of the work. Taping anything to the bottom of ceramic objects is tough, so just come see me, I have a few tricks up my sleeve.

This piece was in a juried student show ...

and so was this one ....

and dont' forget to step up to plate ... remember?

... and the pitch ..... BOOM!!! Outta here!!

Prof. Brian

new clay club!!

2008-10-13T05:51:00.000-07:00

As you may of heard, something really exciting happened at the end of last week. From the seedy underbelly of the ceramics studio, a new group was formed . . . The Dirt Bags . . . .

http://www.thedirtbags.wordpress.com

This is an IUS clay club of epic proportions. At the meeting, we looked into the future of The Dirt Bags and saw t-shirts, fundraising sales, potlucks, bar-be-ques, and so many other things that are simply too numerous to list here. Hey, Hey, HEY!!, don't worry - don't be sad, it's not too late join ---- and membership is open to everyone. You do not need to be a ceramics major to be a spoke in the Dirt Bag wheel.

The next meeting is at 5pm on the 21st of October, 2008.

Think of all you can do with a bag of dirt ..........................................

yeah, I know. It's Incredible!
Prof. Brian

Ceramics @$@!@%

2008-10-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Mud Slingers -

Our first meeting as a group will take place this Thursday at 6pm in the ceramics ANNEX (otherwise known as the loading dock) Additionally, it is the first of many potlucks this semester. So, bring some food. Ben Hammond will bring chili. I will bring something. What will you bring?

At this meeting, we will decide on a name for this elusive group . . . Some possible names are: Clay Killers, Clay Hounds, Dirt Bags, Mud Bugs, Mud Slingers, Clay Bodies . . . . Along with your food, bring some ideas. We will also decide on a name for the ceramics studio . . . Like Mud Lounge, etc.

This group is open to anyone interested in clay. We do not discriminate against ANYONE – even people that aren’t ceramics majors!!! So, spread the word and bring a friend.

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Mud Slingers.

new developments

2008-10-02T03:34:00.000-07:00

Morning Everyone.

Some people, Joe Biden and Sarah Palin in particular are preparing for the Vice Presidential debate (tonight at 9pm - watch it live on CNN.com or listen to it live on NPR - 89.3 FM) . . .

We however are busy preparing for the FUTURE of the IUS Ceramics Program. On the growing list of "things to do" is thinking of a name for the group, gathering, or club (if you will) that is organized around the central theme of clay - its incredible tactile sensation and how the plasticity of clay is not merely a curiosity but may indeed be a metaphor for our very own human condition. In any event, some of the ideas for names are being written on the chalkboard in the main studio. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate in the formation of this gathering. Think of it as a new paradigm - the past plus the FUTURE.

On a related note, here's a picture of some workers building the Large Hadron Collider, the largest particle accelerator in the world . . . it's finished now and particle physicists from all over the world are now using it to study the tiniest objects of nature. Early evidence is already suggesting that within the absolute smallest particles, there may be undiscovered new dynamics and dimensions to our world ---

They can only do this by steping up to the plate. So, let's step up with them and take ceramics to the next level.

--- first New Albany, then the World.

BOOM - outta here.
Prof. Brian

check it.

2008-09-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

Afternoon everyone. I can't wait to talk with you guys about the fascinating presidential debate because I KNOW that you all watched or listened to it. Until that time comes, you can pass the time by pondering the HUGENESS of Jun Kaneko's ceramic art. After watching it, I think you'll all agree that Jun Kaneko is THE official Bad Ass . . . if you are not convinced, you must check out his website here.

What are your thoughts? Go ahead and post a comment . . . . go for it!

hmmmmm.....

Good Morning.

2008-09-22T17:34:00.000-07:00

Good. Now that everyone is registered to vote, we can get back to the business of making great ceramic art. To get back into the groove, I'd like you all to watch this short video about ceramics removing the shackles of time . . . .

I look forward to hearing your comments on this. What do YOU think?

See you in the ceramics studio.
Prof. Brian

VOTE!!!!! (or else . . . . . . . )

2008-09-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

Are you ready?!?!

Okay, we all know there's an election comin' up, so it's a good idea to make sure you are registered NOW! The deadline for registering to vote is October 6th, 2008.

If you live in Indiana:

you will need to fill out this voter registration form:

http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/pdfs/VRG7_080108_revision.pdf

and if you live in Floyd County you need to either take it to this office or mail it to:

Floyd Co. Circuit Court Clerk
311 W. 1st St. Rm. 235
P.O. Box 1056
New Albany, IN 47150

If you live in Indiana, but not in Floyd County, you will find all of the Indiana County Voter Registration Offices on the second page of the voter registration form listed above.

After you drop this form off, they will send you your voter registration card and you will then be officially registered to vote. You can check your voter registration and polling location at anytime at www.indianavoters.com or by calling 1-866-IN-1-VOTE. If you live in Floyd County, you can also call the Floyd County Circuit Court Clerk office at (812) 948-5419. More info on voting in Indiana can be found at: http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/vote_reg.html

If you live in Kentucky:

you will need to fill out this voter registration form:

http://www.jeffersoncountyclerk.org/voter-info/registrationcard.pdf

If you live in Jefferson County, then take it to or mail it to the Jefferson Election Center:

Jefferson Election Center
810 Barret Avenue Ste 103
Louisville, KY 40204-1782
Phone: (502) 574-6100
FAX: (502) 574-5044
Email: elections@louisvilleky.gov

If you live in Kentucky, but not in Jefferson County, here's a list of the county clerk offices in Kentucky: http://www.elect.ky.gov/countyclerks.htm
More info on registering in Kentucky can be found at: http://elect.ky.gov/register.htm

If you live somewhere else:

go to:
Rock the Vote

I know that you will all feel like I do when I vote - an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction and contribution . . . .

See you in the ceramics studio.
Prof. Brian

2 down - 13 to go . . .

2008-09-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's true. We've already finished two weeks of ceramics. Eventually it will all be over, so we better make the most of it while we can!

So I don't know about you, but I frequent the Ferrin Gallery's website to check out new and interesting things happening in ceramic art. I recently came across a new show of Sergei Isupov there. I've always been a big fan of the work, and this new work is no exception.

go ahead . . . check it out for yourself . . . . do it . . . do it . . . click here . . . do it

enjoy.

See you in the ceramics studio.
Prof. Brian

Whew . . .

2008-08-30T13:19:00.001-07:00

Whew . . . the first week is already over so we better get to work - only 14 weeks left to make incredible objects out of clay!! And by the way, did you ever think it was strange that the Ceramics season and Football season kick off at around the same time? I think this video is proof that it's no coincidence . . .

Let's "Break some news about clay" and have a really productive semester.
See you in the ceramics studio!
Prof. Brian

so, here's a question for ya'

2008-08-26T15:38:00.000-07:00

Are you excited about ceramics yet? (or still). Here's the first big question of the semester. What do you think this is?

hmmmmmm . . . . (activity into object)See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

HOLY MOLY!!! Ceramics is the next big thing!

2008-08-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

Good morning everyone.

I'm glad you've decided to dive into ceramics head first and spend some time checking out our SWEET blog. I'm like you (really excited to be in ceramics) and am looking forward to a great semester. This blog is here to help keep links, handouts, class readings, etc. all together in one spot. Throughout the semester I will add new posts about current happenings and interesting things that pop up . . . (see post below with image of squirrels) . . . it is no way a substitute for the real life experience of coming to class, so don't spend all your time on this blog - you will still need to come to class. And besides, class is where all the action is . . . action you don't want to miss!

So, let's be really productive and make some great art this semseter . . .

this of course means we need to think big . . . and far (really far).

See you in the ceramics studio!
Prof. Brian

good work.

2008-08-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

you MUST check out Edward Burtynsky's photographic work . . .

He says, "Nature transformed through industry is a predominant theme in my work. I set course to intersect with a contemporary view of the great ages of man; from stone, to minerals, oil, transportation, silicon, and so on." and goes on to say, "These images are meant as metaphors to the dilemma of our modern existence; they search for a dialogue between attraction and repulsion, seduction and fear. We are drawn by desire - a chance at good living, yet we are consciously or unconsciously aware that the world is suffering for our success."

click here for his website

what do you think?

whoa!, check this out . . .

2008-08-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

New Art in Austin 2008

2008-08-20T05:54:00.001-07:00

Here's a great show I saw in Austin, Texas last year. It's called "New Art in Austin 2008". It's at the Austin Museum of Art. If you can't make it to Austin to check it out, you can do the next best thing and check out the website . . . so check it out here

Here's a work from one of the artists in the show, Meggie Chou. Although this exact piece is not in the show, there is a similar one there. Check out Meggie's website is here

Of course, make sure and spend some time reviewing the work on the show's website.

ah - one more thing - make sure you watch the short videos of each artist talking about their work. some notable ones are Jill Pangalo, Sarah Sudhoff, Buster Greybill, and Alyson Fox - but go ahead, watch all of them.

enjoy and keeping digging . . . dig, dig, dig!!!

See you in the studio.
Prof. Brian

Horsley's Satin Matte White

2008-02-28T08:27:00.000-08:00

Horsley's Satin Matte White

Cone: 9 - 10
Color: white - warm tone
Surface: satin matte
Firing: reduction

Recipe: (Percent)

Whiting................... 25.95
Custer Feldspar ...... 49.19
EPK......................... 3.24
OM-4 Ball Clay ........ 21.62
Totals: 100 %

Also add:
Titanium Dioxide ........ 4.86
Zinc Oxide ................ 4.86
Zircopax/Ultrox ........ 12.97

Estimated Thermal Expansion = 8.69x10-6 /deg. C

Unity Formula for Horsley's Satin Matte White:
0.160 K2O 0.440 Al2O3 2.288 SiO2
0.071 Na2O 0.006 Fe2O3 0.010 TiO2
0.762 CaO 0.000 P2O5 5.2:1 Si:Al Ratio
0.007 MgO

Percentage Analysis for Horsley's Satin Matte White: (by weight)

55.74 % SiO2
18.20 % Al2O3
6.11 % K2O
1.79 % Na2O
17.33 % CaO
0.11 % MgO
0.39 % Fe2O3
0.32 % TiO2

the (In)Security Camera

2008-02-24T17:57:00.000-08:00

I visited the University of Kentucky earlier this year and while I was there, I met Dima Strakovsky and was inspired by his work, so be inspired like I was and don't miss seeing his collaborative work with benjamin chang and silvia ruzan called (In) Security Camera -

"The (In)Security Camera is a robotic surveillance camera with advanced computer-vision software that can track, zoom, and follow subjects walking through its field of view. Deploying sophisticated artificial intelligence algorithms in use today by the U.S. military and Homeland Security forces, it can assess threat levels in real time and respond accordingly."

"However, the camera is, in fact, a little insecure. Easily startled by sudden movements, it is shy around strangers and tends to avoid direct eye contact. This reversal of the relationship between the surveillance system and its subjects gives the machine an element of human personality and fallibility that is by turns endearing, tragic, and slightly disturbing."

see the (In)Security Camera here

more of Dima Strakovsky's work can be found here

think beyond material.
Prof. Brian

The Mattress Factory = Cool

2008-02-10T07:33:00.000-08:00

Greetings Students of Ceramics:

Check out this great place called the Mattress Factory. click here to the see it.

The Mattress Factory is a museum of contemporary art that exhibits room-sized works called installations. Created on site by artists from across the country and around the world, our unique exhibitions feature a variety of media that engage all of the senses.The Museum's unusual galleries are located in two creatively reused buildings on Pittsburgh’s historic North Side. Both buildings house a growing-and distinctive- permanent collection, featuring artists James Turrell, Yayoi Kusama, Winifred Lutz and Rolf Julius, as well as innovative exhibitions that change throughout the year.

Since 1977, the Mattress Factory has supported over 300 artists through our world-renowned residency program. Each year artists come to Pittsburgh, live at the museum, and create new work. During their time here, the museum supports them completely while they experiment, take risks, and explore the creative process.

Each exhibition is paired with a variety of engaging and inventive educational programs including hands-on art projects, workshops, lectures, and tours. The Mattress Factory encourages all viewers, regardless of their background, to discover connections between art, creativity and their everyday lives.

be sure and check out all the exhibitions (current, permanent, and past). there's a huge amount of great work.

what do you think?

think big.
Prof. Brian

Chinese Porcelain

2008-02-03T06:07:00.000-08:00

Good Morning Everyone,

Here's a cool work by Lei Xue from Qingdao, China . . .

new take on Chinese porcelain?

what do YOU want to say with the clay?

Prof. Brian

p.s. - don't forget about the Patrick Veerkamp workshop tomorrow! (see post below)

Textbook and other readings not enough!?!

2008-01-27T07:38:00.000-08:00

Hello Future Masters of Contemporary Ceramic Work,

Have you come to the realization that the textbook and other readings I have handed out are simply not cutting it? Are you left wanting more? Don't worry, here are a couple of other places where you can read about ceramics . . .

Interpreting Ceramics, an online journal http://www.uwic.ac.uk/ICRC/contents_current.htm

Think Tank, not all ceramics, but let's think about the BIG picture http://www.thinktank04.eu/home.php

Ceramics Monthly, not all articles are online, but we also have this in the studio and in the library. here are some archived articles, the magazine website is here: http://www.ceramicsmonthly.org/

Ceramics Art and Perception, more online articles here: http://www.ceramicart.com.au/home/CAParticles.htm

there are many more to come later. hopefully this will keep you busy during those long, painful hours that the studio is closed!!

see you in the studio.

Prof. Brian

Red Lodge Clay Center

2008-01-23T08:18:00.000-08:00

Here's a new clay center in Montana called Red Lodge Clay Center. Check out the Gallery part of the website - specifically the link to "represented artists".

http://www.redlodgeclaycenter.com

see you in the studio . . .

Prof. Brian

yeah . . . this is really embarassing for us (humans)

2008-01-19T08:11:00.000-08:00

wow - everyone needs to see this work, it's really incredible . . . and sobering.

Plastic Bottles, 2007

60x120"
Depicts two million plastic beverage bottles, the number used in the US every five minutes.

Plastic Bags, 2007
60x72"
Depicts 60,000 plastic bags, the number used in the US every five seconds.

This is the work of Chris Jordan. Check out more of his stuff here:
http://www.chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php?id=7

and you must look at the rest of his website here: http://www.chrisjordan.com

think far . . .

Prof. Brian

wow, look at this site . . .

2007-08-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

hey everyone, you will definitely need to check out this site. it's called artaxis.org click here to see it.

it's chock full of great and truly astounding ceramic artwork. like this piece . . .

and this one . . .

don't miss out.

OSU Ceramics Blog Site

2007-06-21T06:46:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, here's a link to the Ohio State Ceramics Dept. Blog site
-- it's really cool, lot's of cool links, pics, etc. here it is

there are lots of pics of great ceramic art . . .

and also great pics of other notable things . . . link squirrels fighting with light sabers . . .

Enjoy!!!