Art Axis : Ceramic Artists Online

Art Axis is a growing online portal to artists working in the ceramic field. Check it out, you can join at any time.

I just came across this wonderful video of Pete Pinnell talking about cups. It instantly made me think about my wonderful experience at Cub Creek. Being with a group of wonderful people enthusiastic about what you are passionate about is a lucky and priceless thing. The endless dialogue about art and craft, function and aesthetics, growth and process, where part of what made for a amazing year that and very grateful for.

Ceramic Exhibition by Tom Alward

Greetings and thanks for visiting!
I have been working on a show recently, that is up now for the month of June at the j fergeson gallery in Farmville, VA. "Beneath the Surface," is a series of my work that deals with native Virginia clays and the elemental contrasts of the medium. The presence of natural force, a sense of place, and a reassuring perspective of landscapes are also factors that have influenced me for this show, and my future works in clay. The opening reception will be Saturday, June 13th from 5-8 pm. For more info and photos, please visit the links below.
www.jfergesongallery.com
www.tomalward.com

Check out the Creek on this great google map of wood kilns around the world that Simon Levin has been putting together.

http://www.woodfire.com/worldmap

Wood Firing : 4.20.09

Wood Firing Begins : 04.17.09

NCECA 2009

The annual clay conference was held in Phoenix, Arizona this past week. I made the trek out west to attend the plethora of events that were held April 8-11, including a pre-conference in Flagstaff from April 6-7. A smaller and more intimate environment at Northern Arizona University allowed 6 visiting artists to demonstrate and lecture about their work with interaction from the audience. These artists included Christa Assad, Eva Kwong, Don Reitz, Brad Schweiger, Karren Massaro and Russel Wrankle, who all had great and varied voices in their work. The slide lectures givin by the artists toward the end of the event were also a great insight to their experiences with clay.

In Phoenix, there were numerous exhibitions that were in conjunction with NCECA and hosted great ceramic works. I get the most out of seeing these shows, while the lectures and panel discussions in the convention center were nice to drop in on from time to time. Perhaps the best part of my trip out here however, was the opportunity to catch up with friends, teachers, and other artists with such a saturation of ceramics. It was great to re-establish connections and meet new people, while also getting wired to get back in the studio and get my hands dirty.
Until next year, cheers!