Books:
Monographs:
Maija Grotell: Works Which Grow From Belief
by Jeff Schlanger and Toshiko Takaezu
"Most great pottery has grown out of accumulations of technical and
aesthetic refinements by generations of workers within a traditional
style. Maija Grotell worked independently, in the middle of America,
during a time when each element of her art had to be perfected
from within her own experimental ingenuity and powerful spirit....
She was one of a few modern artists... who lived a life in such a
dedicated way as to be able to create a culture of Belief."
This book is an intimate and personal chronicle of the life and works
of Maija Grotell, a pioneer of American studio pottery. The heart of this
book is a 1968 conversation between the authors and Grotell in which she
talks about her training in Finland, her immigration to the U.S. in 1927,
and her early years in
America. Includes a biographical introduction and nearly
fifty outstanding full-page photos of Grotell and her work, many in full
color. A high-quality, visually exciting book.
Copyright 1996; 8" by 10"; softcover; 96 pages
Excerpt: Introduction
Review
Apprenticeship in Craft
edited by Gerry Williams
Apprenticeship in Craft goes to the heart of a modern
dilemma. Crafts are changing because of a wide crisis in energy,
politics, and technology. There is great concern about the quality
of professional craftsmen of the new generation. This book focuses on
the ancient institution of apprenticeship - an institution in which
crafts are rooted - and it examines apprenticeship in the light of
modern day needs. Forty-five prominent American craftsmen, educators,
and administrators write about their experience with and philosophy
of apprenticeship. Detailed information is given on search, contracts,
payment, work arrangements, enrichment, evaluation, termination, and
the many other facets of apprenticeship. Includes bibliography and
index.
This book is essential reading for potential apprentices and masters,
as well as for secondary and higher-level art educators. It is also
a good source of inspiration for anyone interested in their own
development as an artist or craftsperson.
Copyright 1981; 5" by 8"; softcover; 216 pages; Price: $9.50.
Excerpt: Toward Humanism in Apprenticeships
by John Glick.
Reflections on Hamada
by Susan Peterson
"Fifty feet away, on the compost pile, stood a Being smiling strangely. It had three
eyes. The right eye was a sun, the middle eye was a diamond, and the left was a human
eye but huge...
In my dream I found myself asking the Being a question... 'When will I... when will
my time... what is my destiny?'"
In this conversation, M.C. Richards talks about her life, writings, and claywork.
Includes photos.
Copyright 1985; 8" by 10"; softcover; 20 pages; Price: $3.00.
Reprinted from Studio Potter, Volume 14 Number 1.
The Case for Clay in Art Education
In January, 1988, the Studio Potter Foundation and New York University
jointly conducted a symposium called "The Case for Clay in Secondary
Art Education." The goals of the symposium were "to
assess the current status of art education in three-dimensional
media; to emphasize the importance of three-dimensional education
in the arts for the development of the individual; to survey current
research; to provide models for success; and to develop an advocacy
role for future action." This booklet contains 24 papers presented at
the symposium, covering topics from educational philosophy to working
programs. Essential reading for primary and secondary school educators
who use or are considering the use of clay in their art curriculum.
Copyright 1988; 8" by 10"; softcover; 72 pages; Price: $3.00.
Reprinted from Studio Potter, Volume 16 Number 2.
Peter Voulkos
by Jim Leedy
"He is the sum result of everything in his life and the world around him -
at one moment he flashes forward to break new ground, at another he
moves backward to reach for past experiences and drag them into the future.
Yet he still has the sincerity and directness of a child while searching for
cosmic answers."
Jim Leedy gives an honest but personal account of the life of
Peter Voulkos, based on a relationship and friendship spanning nearly
half a century. Includes an interview and many photographs.
Copyright 1993; 8" by 10"; softcover; 56 pages; Price: $3.00.
Originally included as a supplement to Studio Potter, Volume 21 Number 2.
Frans Wildenhain
by Michael Boylen
Frans Wildenhain was born in Leipzig, Germany in 1905, and died in
Rochester, New York in 1980. Potter, sculptor, and muralist, he was a
strong presence in American ceramics during the post-World War II period
of the 1950s and 1960s. Upon his death, his widow Lili Wildenhain donated
his personal papers, sketchbooks, and photographs to the Archives of
American Art, who made these papers available to Studio Potter.
We invited Michael Boylen, a former student of Frans Wildenhain, to write
this article. Includes many photos and excerpts from Wildenhain's papers,
journals, and sketchbooks.
Copyright 1989; 8" by 10"; softcover; 16 pages; Price: $3.00.
Reprinted from Studio Potter, Volume 19 Number 2.
Shaner's Red
by David Shaner
(interviewed by Gerry Williams)
A red mailbox with "Shaner" on its side stands beside Highway 35, pointing
up a dirt road to our destination. We have come to Montana to visit David
and Ann Shaner in their home and see their work. We flew in to Missoula, then
traveled up a broad valley with mountains on all sides, past Flathead Lake
on the east, and not quite to Glacier National Park thirty-five miles to
the north, to arrive at Bigfork. It is August 1999, the waning days of the
century and a good time to speak of past seasons of rejoicing and perhaps
future fates to be borne....
Copyright 1999; 8" by 10"; softcover; 40 pages; Price: $10.00.
Reprinted from Studio Potter, Volume 28 Number 1.
Also available: David Shaner poster.
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