Tales of a Red Clay Rambler: A pottery and ceramic art podcast

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Michael O’Donnell. A longtime resident of the Coromandel region, Michael uses ceramic sculpture to tell the story of the local ecology. His role as artist, story teller and spiritual seeker has been spurred on in defiance of multinational mining corporations that are working in the region. In our interview we talk about the influence of Barry Brickell, creativity as an antidote to depression, and Maori spiritual beliefs about water.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Duncan Shearer. His interest in atmospheric firing has led him to build kilns from nontraditional materials, such as wood blocks, telephone directories and ice. These performance firings captivate audiences and have informed the kilns he built at his studio in Paeroa, NZ. In our interview we talk about experimental firing, the geologic diversity of the Coromandel Range and his interest in the Albarello form used in medieval Europe.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Greg Barron. In the 1970’s he started building his own ceramic equipment to make plastic clays for use in his studio. He applied this same ingenuity to build an energy efficient home studio in Whangarei, NZ, that is made from compressed adobe. In our interview we talk about the effect deregulating imports had on NZ studio potters, how his priorities have shifted over time, and his do-it-yourself philosophy for running a business.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Jack Troy, Carolanne Currier and Amy Burk. We came together at the home of Jack and Carolanne to talk about their careers in ceramics. We had a wide-ranging discussion on kiln design, Jack’s passion for writing and the ceramic history of the region. We end our conversation talking about the Strictly Functional Pottery National, which Amy is a co-organizer, and Jack has been the juror three times.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Cynthia Bringle. Since moving to Penland, NC in 1970 she has become a pillar of the art community, influencing many generations of artists and helping the Penland School of Craft to become a mecca for ceramics. In our interview we talk about educating your audience on the value of handmade, the evolution of studio pottery since the 1960’s and the growth of the Penland School.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with King Houndekpinkou. King is a Franco-Beninese artist who makes sculptures that are covered with rich surfaces of layered slips and glazes. In 2016 he started the Terra Jumelles project matching pottery centers in Se, Benin with partners in Bizen, Japan. The project aims to create cultural exchange between the two regions. In our interview we talk about the influence of video games, animism and rituals, and Japanese ceramics.

Today on the Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Keith Brymer Jones. He started his career with an apprenticeship at Harefield Pottery in London, where he learned high production methods of producing hand made pottery. The Keith Brymer Jones brand has now expanded to supply worldwide markets with commercial ceramics. In addition to his studio work Keith is an expert judge on the BBC’s Great Pottery Throw Down. www.talesofaredclayrambler.com

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Kelly Austin and Joey Burns. In our interview we talk about their educational paths, working in indigenous communities and developing multiple bodies of work. Austin is based in Hobart, Tasmania, where she teaches at TasTAFE and maintains an active studio practice. Burns splits time as the studio technician for the Ernabella Arts Center in Ernabella, South Australia and a studio artist in Gundaroo, New South Wales.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Owen Rye. An elder statesman of the Australian ceramic community, Owen has made significant contributions through his research into wood firing and his time teaching at Monash University. In the interview we talk about his time in Pakistan, the need for ceramic history in today’s universities and the development of the wood fire community in Australia.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Glenn Barkley. He served as head curator of the MCA Australia from 2008–14 and is know for questioning art world hierarchies by showing artists outside the mainstream. For the last four years Glenn has focused on his own ceramic practice making brightly colored vessels that are covered with sprigs and obsessive mark-making. In the interview we talk about the role of ceramics in Australian collections and his current body of work.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Daniel Johnston. Based in Seagrove, NC, Daniel is a mix between a traditionally trained potter and a contemporary artist who uses ceramic vessels for their conceptual potential. His recent installations feature numerous large scale jars that are arranged within gallery spaces to modify the viewers perception of light and scale. In the interview we talk about studying in Thailand and his One Hundred Pot project.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with figure sculptor Tip Toland. We talk about her 2014 Portland Art Museum exhibition, which featured Tanzanian children that are both revered and persecuted because they have Albinism. For the exhibition Toland created twelve larger than life size busts that show the complex emotional landscape of persecuted peoples.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have the second of two interviews with John Gill. We continue our conversation about the lineage of teachers at Alfred and discuss how John’s dyslexia has influenced his creative problem solving. John is one of the truly unique thinkers and educators in American ceramics. Gill started teaching at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred in the mid 1980’s and has helped shape a generation of ceramic artists pushing the boundaries of the field.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have the first of two interviews with John Gill. John is one of the truly unique thinkers and educators in American ceramics. Gill started teaching at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred in the mid 1980’s and has helped shape a generation of ceramic artists pushing the boundaries of the field. In our interview we talk about his teaching philosophy, developing a personal sense of touch and becoming a “visual journalist”.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a panel discussion with Tucker Claxton, Bridget Fairbank, Emmett Freeman, Amanda Bury, and Colby Charpenteir. The group are current resident artists at the Morean Center for Clay in St. Petersburg, FL. Our discussion covers a wide range of topics including their research interests and making it work in St. Petersburg.