I'm at the Women Working With Clay Symposium at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, June 12-15, 2017. Been here about 5 times now and I've never been less than buzzing with everything going by the end (heck, by the middle) of each day. I don't think it's possible to be underwhelmed. The presenters are powerhouses. There is so. much. to. absorb. Techniques. Ideas. Conversations. Discussions.
Ayumi Horie:
(First time I've seen her "dry throwing" technique and I'm so intrigued.)
Patti Warishina (It's Patti OMG Warishina, people. I first "met" her work in my Ceramics I (1985) class textbook, Hands in Clay by Charlotte Speight. Surprised by her work then and still amazed by it.):
(That's going to be one mother of a cat.)
Julia Galloway:
(Many parts will be assembled into about 8 pieces.)
Gerit Grimm:
(Yup. That's a leg or arm she's throwing for a sculpture.)
I almost can't take it, it's intense.
So many potters to talk to- but with about 70 of us, it's not overwhelming like the experience of NCECA can be for a friendly introvert (can that be a thing?) like me.
Those 4 potters who are the focus of this shebang this year- are accessible the whole time. Demo time. Meals. There's always chat going on. (They're going to be so tired when they leave.) Potters in general tend to be open to conversation- nobody's stuck up, and all of us (especially the solo potters) happy to be out of the studio engaging with fellow clayophiles. This is the center of it- we have access to these great demos and talks and breakout discussion with these seriously driven artists. And sheesh. They're so intense and funny, too. Too much to think about at one go, so...
More to come!