How Art History Majors Power the U.S. Economy: Virginia Postrel

Some of you may have heard Obama's recent swipe at art history majors. There's been a bit of a backlash, as you would imagine, that has been playing out in popular media in the days since. In the wake of that conversation, this is the most thoughtful piece of writing that I came across (it was written long before Obama's comments). Even if you have no stake in the controversy, if you're interested in the humanities, it is well worth your time to read.

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Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-06/p...
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AuthorMathew McConnell
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"Born of Fire" - Ceramic Exhibition at Crystal Bridges

The oldest man-made artifact always tells a good story.  If you would like a ceramics history lesson in the visual sense, be sure to check out this exhibition at Crystal Bridges.  

Born of Fire is a year-long exhibition that explores some of the many incarnations of ceramic fabrication: from traditional Native American vessels to highly decorated 17th-century Japanese porcelain meant for European trade, to delicate, stylized contemporary works that explore the limits of the medium.

Open Feb. 1st, 2014 - March 2nd, 2015

http://crystalbridges.org/exhibitions-events/born-of-fire/



Source: http://www.pasthorizons.com/wp-content/upl...
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AuthorMathew McConnell
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Lynda Benglis @ Cheim & Read

Via Glenn Adamson: To quote my colleague Lowery Sims, "most artists using clay end up with what looks like botched summer school projects, but not Benglis."

http://www.cheimread.com/exhibitions/2014-01-16_lynda-benglis/

http://www.cheimread.com/exhibitions/2014-01-16_lynda-benglis/

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Claytime! Ceramics Finds Its Place in the Art-World Mainstream | ARTnews

It's not news to us that clay has caught on in the art world—It's been fantastic the past few years to see witness of the resurgent interest in clay. In this article from ArtNews, Lilly Wei provides a survey of some of the big names, and gets their take on the trend. Wei quotes Nichole Cherubini as saying, “As far as clay being a craft material...it blows me away that it is even part of the conversation anymore.”

I couldn't agree more.

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Source: http://www.artnews.com/2014/01/15/ceramics...
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AuthorMathew McConnell
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Victoria Christen at College of the Ozarks

The esteemed Victoria Christen will be giving a demonstration of her working methods this coming Thursday, January 23rd, at College of The Ozarks. Victoria has been a staple of the functional ceramics scene for quite a while. I'm certain she'll have an abundance of useful advice. This would be a great demo for any of you wheel throwing newbies!

The demo will last from 9-4, and there will be a lecture about her work at 7PM. I hope to see you there.

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Source: http://victoriachristen.com/
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AuthorMathew McConnell
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Arlene Shechet: Meissen Recast – RISD MUSEUM

I'm wishing we were just a touch closer to Providence! This show should also be of interest to our current Slipcasting class.

The press release says of the show, "In the first U.S. exhibition of her one-of-a-kind Meissen sculptures, Arlene Shechet (RISD MFA, Ceramics) exhibits works she produced during her recent artist residency at the world-renowned German porcelain manufacturer. In Meissen Recast, Shechet presents her own Meissen works in two galleries, alongside a number of pieces from the Museum’s collection of Meissen figurines and tableware that date back to the 18th century—connecting the past and present, fine arts and decorative arts."

Garth Clark has also taken a look at the work, and writes, "She has achieved the rare feat of creating Meissen that transcends tchotchke and gone beyond the one-dimensional critique that is inherent in simple appropriation. The work is pure Shechet—funky and weird—at the same time it celebrates and subverts the language and craftsmanship of one of the world’s oldest and most famous luxury brands."

Sounds great. Wish I could see it in person.

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Source: http://risdmuseum.org/notes/arlene_shechet...
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AuthorMathew McConnell
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Arrowmont Artists-in-Residence

February 1st Deadline. 

If you've recently graduated and are looking for a great place to work for a while, Arrowmont might be the place for you. Linda and I were there last week and were very impressed with the accommodations granted to the residents. It's an 11 month residency that includes living accommodations and a small monthly stipend. Currently there are two residents working in clay: HP Bloomer and Rachel Garceau. 

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Source: http://www.arrowmont.org/artists-in-reside...
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Linda and Mathew at Arrowmont

Linda and I will be making work in Gatlinburg this week—as members of the Ceramic Surface Forum. We're happy to be paired with great artists from all over the country, and really blown away with the hospitality of everyone at Arrowmont. It's cold and snowy outside… perfect weather for makin' work! Artists attending the forum this year are: Dylan Beck, Donna Flannery, Eric Knoche, Jill Foote-Hutton, Lindsay Oesterritter, Josh Copus, Luba Sharapan, Forrest Gard, Erik Haagensen, Brooks Oliver, Lindsay Rogers, Stephen Creech, Kyungmin Park, Jocelyn Howard, Andrew Avakian, Daniel Lee, HP Bloomer, and Rachel Garceau. An especially big thanks goes to Jason Bige Burnett, who put us all together!

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Austin TX Ceramics Studio Tour | Art of the Pot

Mark this one on your calendars. We'll be heading there for this semester's ceramics studio field trip! May 11th and 12th

"Art of the Pot celebrates 10 years of opening studio doors to the public for the 2013 AotP Studio Tour.  Hosted by Austin-based artists Chris Campbell, Keith Kreeger, Ryan McKerley, Lisa Orr & Claudia Reese the tour will have 10 guest artists from across the country for the prestigious event.

2013 Guest Artists: Dan Anderson, Cynthia Bringle, Joan Bruneau, Kyle Carpenter ,Bryan Hopkins, Forrest Lesch-Middleton, Courtney Murphy, Jim Smith, Daniel Ricardo Teran plus the return of The Artstream Nomadic Trailer!"

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Source: http://artofthepot.com/
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AuthorMathew McConnell
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Wood-Fired Ceramics: 100 Contemporary Artists

Featuring our very own 1st-year grad, Chris Drobnock! I'm excited to get my hands on one of these. From the publisher:

"With over 500 brilliant color photographs, this book highlights the work of 100 innovative ceramic artists who still use the labor intensive, and sometimes unpredictable, process of wood-firing. Throughout the book, artists share several examples of their work, ranging from small pots to monumental installations, as well as their stories about their inspiration, influences, and techniques. The artists also relate how they have adapted various methods of wood-firing to their own needs and environments, using fast-fire, Noborigama, Anagama, and other kilns. Kiln drawings, information about firing logs, clay, glaze and slip formulas, and wood firing resources are also included.The artwork is representative of the diversity of styles, from glazing techniques to the often unique creations based on placement within the various kilns. This book is an essential for all who appreciate or practice ceramic art today."

Source: http://www.schifferbooks.com/wood-fired-ce...
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AuthorMathew McConnell
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End of Semester Exhibition - Fall 2013

A big thank you is in order to all of the ceramics students who worked hard to put together another successful end-of-semester exhibition! It's always a pleasure to see the work installed, and there's something very rewarding about wrapping up the semester by inviting the public in to see the fruits of our labor. Here is a sample of the work.

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AuthorMathew McConnell
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