GOT DAMN, WE BOUGHT A BUILDING YA’LL!!

On behalf of the Board of Directors at The Potters’ Studio and Executive Director Bobbi Fabian, I’m delighted to announce that TPS now has a permanent studio home! Our journey to this exciting position began in earnest early last year, when our current landlord said he would not be renewing our lease in 2024. At first, we didn’t know where to begin. While we’ve enjoyed much success on Eighth Street, we have also clearly grown out of the space. With a growing number of enthusiastic students and members — and a long membership waiting list — the studio has become crowded. We’ve been bulging at the seams, and sometimes we all struggle to find enough space to create. We have known for some time that we need more space to accommodate our growing community!

MEET THE POTTERS’ STUDIO’S NEW DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION - TALI REICHER

Tali Reicher, our inaugural Director of Finance & Administration, brings a rich background in education, finance, and operations to The Potters’ Studio. Tali began her career as a classroom teacher and later became a teacher educator with the Department of Education at Mills College in Oakland. She eventually leveraged her economics degree from UC Berkeley to help businesses run more effectively and efficiently. At Envelope Architecture + Design, she was instrumental during the pandemic in guiding the firm through a transformative period that aimed to eliminate barriers to housing access. She demonstrated leadership in conceptualizing strategies to increase suburban housing density and provide well-designed emergency housing, exemplifying her adaptability, innovation, and purpose-driven leadership.

ZEN AND THE ART OF CERAMIC REPAIR, OR WABI-SABI KINTSUGI

Recently at the studio, Ryley Gaulocher of Stone Gold Crafts taught two classes about wabi-sabi kintsugi, a beautiful way to repair broken ceramics. During each three-hour workshop Ryley discussed the Zen philosophy of wabi-sabi and the history behind the art of kintsugi as he guided participants through a contemporary version of this centuries-old practice.

Approaching the art of kintsugi requires an understanding of the philosophy of wabi-sabi, which allows us to become more closely connected to our true, inner self. Wabi-sabi encourages us to accept that perfection is impossible and to instead search for beauty in imperfection and surrender to the natural cycle of life.

NOTES FROM THE SUGGESTION BOX

The “Notes from the Suggestion Box” series focuses on a few questions left in the Studio’s Suggestion Box. This way the Studio community will know what types of issues are of interest to the Members and how those issues are addressed by Staff or Executive Director. Here are a number of recent items selected from the Suggestion Box and the corresponding response. Please remember that we appreciate signed suggestions as they are easier to address.

SILICA DUST - HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Silica dust is an unavoidable hazard in every ceramics studio, posing significant risks to the health and well-being of members and students. Silica, a naturally occurring mineral found in clay, sand, and other materials used in ceramics, becomes airborne during various studio activities such as mixing clay, shaping pottery, sanding dry clay, glazing, and firing kilns. Inhaling silica dust can lead to severe health complications, including respiratory diseases such as silicosis, lung cancer, and other respiratory ailments. This essay will explore the dangers of silica dust exposure in ceramic studios, its health effects, preventive measures, and the importance of creating safe working environments for artists.

CERAMICS AS A PATH TO PERSONAL DISCOVERY

This fall, Ahn Lee’s “Home Sweet Home Hand-Building Inspired By the Seemingly Mundane” ceramics class not only involved eight weeks of learning how to construct large clay pieces, but also was the impetus many students needed to explore some very personal emotions from delightful childhood memories to the challenges of becoming empty nesters to discovery how the mundane in our lives have intense deeper meaning. Ahn guided us all on our individual journey of personal discovery; whether it was learning how to sculpt, build bigger, or simply convey an emotion.

THE POTTERS’ STUDIO’S NEWEST STAFF MEMBER: ELANI GITTERMAN

Please join us in welcoming the Studio's newest staff member, Elani Gitterman, our new Studio Technician. Elani grew up in the Bay Area and has been an artist her whole life. She primarily works with paint and ink, but is enamored with the process of learning new media and is currently exploring printmaking, jewelry and digital art. A few years ago, Elani fell in love with ceramics and started out by taking classes at the Potter's Studio.

NOTES FROM THE SUGGESTION BOX

The “Notes from the Suggestion Box” series focuses on a few questions left in the Studio’s Suggestion Box. This way the Studio community will know what types of issues are of interest to the Members and how those issues are addressed by Staff or Executive Director. Here are a number of recent items selected from the Suggestion Box and the corresponding response. Please remember that we appreciate signed suggestions as they are easier to address.

FIRING SLIPS FAQs

Based on our recent change to requiring firing slips for every piece that Members wish to fire, we discovered there is some misinformation about firing and why we have implemented this new system. We have therefore gathered these frequently asked questions and provide them here with the answers so that everyone has a better understanding.

THE RACK OF DOOM

There is a process at TPS to keep work moving through and out of the studio to make room for more work that is constantly being created each and every day. The process is called “Doom.” To some the word alone evokes a negative connotation and the fear that if they do not act with alacrity their hard work will be forever lost. If that is your understanding of Doom please keep reading because that is not the purpose of Doom nor how it is meant to be used. Even if you think you know how Doom works, please keep reading because there are many misconceptions and there is a different rule for each phase of your work depending on whether it is greenware, bisqueware or finished glazed pieces. This article will explain the process for each phase and what you need to do to keep your work from being doomed and if doomed how to rescue your work.

WELCOME NEW STAFF MEMBER: EVELYN EASTON KOEHLER

Please join us in welcoming The Studio's new staff member, Evelyn Easton Koehler. Evelyn recently moved to Berkeley from her hometown of Portland, Oregon. With a background in storytelling, communications, and grant writing, she has already hit the ground running in her new role as Studio Coordinator. Her skills and experiences will definitely be an asset to the studio.

NOTES FROM THE SUGGESTION BOX

The new “Notes from the Suggestion Box” series will focus on a few questions left in the Studio’s Suggestion Box. This way the Studio community will know what types of issues are of interest to the Members and how those issues are addressed by Staff or the Board. Below are the first items selected from the Suggestion Box questions and the corresponding response. Please remember that we appreciate signed suggestions as they are easier to address.

HAND BUILDING WITH SUNSHINE

For three days in early July, 16 of us basked in pure Sunshine. We were introduced to various hand-building techniques, tricks, and tools (the Sunshine Stick) that elevated our own hand-building skills to a new level. Sunshine Cobb generously shared her knowledge, humor and unbridled encouragement as she guided us through three days of template making, coil building, (heavy on the coil building) and slab building.

A SUSTAINABLE STUDIO

The occasional twinkling of the bell followed by that loud and annoying industrial sound occasionally heard in the studio alerts us that the clay recovery and water-saving process is about to begin.  While the booming machine sound may be disturbing and an unwelcome assault on our ears, it represents a very important process of creating a sustainable studio.  For more than two years, the studio has been on a journey to establish systems and processes to conserve water and recycle clay...

WE GOT BOOKS

Five years ago, the campaign began to find a permanent and more suitable home for the varied and diverse collection of books from around the studio. Last year Dina Gewing and Andrea Segall spent many hours sorting, cataloging, and arranging the Studio’s collection of books and ceramic magazines. Through this labor of love, we now have a well-organized library full of creative and inspirational resources to enhance our personal pottery journeys…

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF POTTING

Birth. In 1971, Federal Express started, Disney World opened in Orlando, Florida, the 26th Amendment was ratified lowering the voting age to 18, the average cost of a new home was $25,250 and the cost of a first class stamp was $.08. Carole King, John Lennon and Three Dog Night all had hit songs, the popular toys were Operation and Etch a Sketch, the New York Times began publishing the Pentagon Papers revealing the U.S. Government had been lying to the American people, abortion was illegal and Jules Seitz founded The Potters’ Studio (TPS) in Berkeley…

SALLY JO DINWOODIE

Hello there! I’m… Sally Jo Dinwoodie

What’s your everyday occupation? I own and run (with my oldest son) a landscape services company.

How did your everyday occupation and being a mom influence or inspire your ceramic work? The natural world inspires me — the forms, colors, combinations, how it evolves continuously. Perhaps the most important influence being a mother of three gave me in terms of my ceramic work is a strong measure of patience, the ability to allow "things" to grow and develop naturally and, with that, strength.

TAKA UNNO

Hello there! I’m... Taka Unno

My everyday occupation is ... an audio and hearing research engineer. I’ve worked on innovative hearing device projects at a few start-ups and a big tech. It’s fascinating and rewarding to improve our hearing experience.

How did your everyday occupation influence or inspire you in ceramic work ... I’m not sure about inspiration, but my “left-brain”-centric occupation makes me crave for using my “right-brain” in pottery.

SCOTT WEXELBERG

Hello there! I’m... Scott Wexelberg.

My everyday occupation is... I’m a DAD, a Husband, and an Artist. I was a Builder for 42 years.

How did your everyday occupation influence or inspire you in ceramic work... Most of my career, I was a hands-on craftsman (My motto was,“Head, Heart, Hands!“). Working as a manager for ten years, I discovered I was better at handling detail than most traditionally trained people, thanks to my art background. Consequently, I was able to appreciate and make important the smallest detail in my building work.

Today, I take my time in forming the feet of my large plates and bowls.

JENNIFER JOH

Hello there! I’m.. Jennifer or Junghye Joh

My everyday occupation is.. I’m an artist, a grandmother, a mother, and a wife.

I’ve been doing pottery since.. At the University in Seoul, Korea (where I received a BA in fine arts) was my first experience working in clay- However, I was not exclusively a ceramic artist; it was among many traditional fine art techniques taught as part of the curriculum back in 70’s. I actually started focusing on ceramic work after I came to live in America…

LYRA DELA ROSA DIETRICH

Hello there! I’m.. Lyra Dela Rosa Dietrich

My everyday occupation is.. I run a small beverage catering company. We provide bar service for all types of events across the Bay Area. Corporate happy hours, weddings or festivals. I have been in food and bev my whole life and am very proud of my small but mighty work family. 

I’ve been doing pottery since.. 2017. I took my first class at Laney Community College in Oakland. I learned to throw pots on a kick wheel and took advantage of as much studio time as possible. Anna Vaughan & Leah Pollock were my first teachers & both encouraged me to get on the TPS waitlist. It was long back then – I think I waited a little over a year…

RABI CHANDRA PRAJAPATI

Hello there! I’m.. Rabi Chandra Prajapati.

My everyday occupation is.. A pugmill operator at The Potters’ Studio, and also part-time staff at the local favorite Monterey Produce Market.

I’ve been doing pottery since.. I was able to play with clay as a little child. I was born into a potters community in Bhaktapur, Nepal (Pottery square)- whose main occupation is producing pottery. In our Nepalese culture and Hindu mythology, birds and animals are especially associated with different gods and goddesses, and this heavily influenced me while I was growing up working with clay. This is the reason you often see the variety of animal sculptures in my ceramic work…

BOB JOHNSON

Bob Johnson is a living national treasure and if you don’t know him or have not taken a class from him, treat yourself and learn as much as you can from this master potter.  I had the privilege to chat with Bob one beautiful June afternoon.  Bob was not only generous with his time, but he graciously shared his clay journey with me and his history with TPS… 

DINA GEWING

This issue of What the Flux! is a tribute to long-time Potters’ Studio Teaching Artist and glaze maven Dina Gewing, who retired earlier this year.  

You’ve probably been wondering lately why you haven’t heard the familiar and distinctive laugh permeating the studio that let you know Dina was on-site. For years now she’s been as much a fixture in the studio as the kilns themselves and as integral to the flow of creativity on the studio floor.

Dina brought her joyful energy to every aspect of her time in the Studio, whether she was preparing for or teaching one of her classes, or running one of the numerous lively and informative Clay Clubs she developed for Members and Students. Perhaps you were lucky enough to take one of her hand building classes, where she explored an incredible variety of construction and surface decoration techniques, from making decorative cake plates and butter dishes to creating underglaze transfers. Maybe you also followed her down the rabbit hole of glazing and witnessed the magic of the studio glazes coming to life as she guided students in making hundreds of test tiles. 

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE IS NO MORE GERSTLEY BORATE?

In this issue of What the Flux, we discuss Gerstley Borate which is one of the main ingredients in many of The Potters’ Studio’s glazes. The ceramics community is currently facing a dwindling supply of Gertsley Borate and we discuss how The Potters’ Studio is working to develop new recipes to achieve the right balance and crystallization to match the existing recipes. We have made more than 400 test tiles to recreate the recipes for these studio glazes.

LAYERING GLAZES

In this segment of What the Flux, we discuss layering glazes and the studio's new Layering Guide. Dina Gewing’s “Using the Potters’ Studio Glazes” class recently took on the challenge of creating test tiles of all 20 TPS glazes layered over each other.  The students in the Session 3 class, with the assistance of staff members Liza Allen and Bill Kaplan, created 400 test tiles and a Layering Guide that provides instructions on how to obtain the results represented by 400 test tiles.

EXPECTATIONS

In this segment of What the Flux, Bill, The Glaze Guy discusses “expectations.”  It was high time we talked about the elephant in the room, and that is how we all have such great expectations for the final product when it arrives on the glaze shelves, yet frequently fail to put in the work on the front end to ensure our expectations are realized each and every time.  Let’s be honest, many of us hope that minor construction defects will be obscured by the glaze and we “expect” the glaze will also highlight not only our construction expertise but also our design ingenuity.  Yes, we put a lot of pressure on glazes and the Kiln Gods and Goddesses to turn our craft into masterpieces; but how many of us really consistently and accurately do what is necessary to achieve our desired goals and objectives?

ALL ABOUT THE BLUES

This issue of What the Flux is All About the Blues. In October, The Potters’ Studio added many new glazes to the collection and two of those glazes were Sapphire Blue and Rusty Blue – two very different blues that interact beautifully with the range of clay bodies available at the Studio. If you have not yet tried them out please indulge in the blue journey and develop some interesting combinations for yourself. These two blues are different from combinations created by clear and teal or however, you were previously able to develop a blue from our old glazes. Combined with other glazes are all on their own these two blue glazes look lovely on dark and light clay bodies...

NEW STUDIO GLAZE WALL

In this issue of What the Flux we are pleased to highlight the knowledge of Bill Kaplan who joined The Potters’ Studio in the Spring as our new Glaze Tech and he hit the ground running. He has reformulated some glazes, yes that is why the Red is not as runny and he and the other staff members have been diligently analyzing the results of the Glaze Survey to develop a new approach to the Glaze Wall. The current 16 glazes have been TPS mainstays for the past eight to ten years with very little change and are often described as traditional glazes. During the summer, TPS sent members a Glaze Survey asking a variety of questions to assist TPS with the new direction for the Glaze Wall...

MAIJA WILLIAMS SCHOLARSHIP ANNUAL UPDATE

In 2023, The Potters’ Studio awarded 33 class scholarships and 4 two-month membership scholarships to 18 different recipients by way of the Maija Williams Scholarship Fund. Currently, six recipients are enrolled in classes and one recipient is finishing their second two-month membership award! Recipients have been dipping their toes in the variety of classes that The Potters’ Studio offers.

EXPLORING DEI: STAFF & BOARD WORKSHOP

In August 2022, the staff of the Potter’s Studio and members of the Board of Directors met for an all-day Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awareness Training facilitated by Peer Advocates Training and Consulting.  Our trainers for the day, Carlo Gomez Arteaga and Hilary Roberts carefully and firmly guided us on an exploration of implicit and unconscious biases, stereotyping, micro-aggressions and privilege to help us all identify the barriers to diversity, equity and inclusion.  Hilary and Carlo also facilitated discussions about how these concepts affect our work at the studio and the ways we can work towards eliminating bias and stereotyping in our daily lives and especially in our interactions with others at the Studio...

MAIJA WILLIAMS SCHOLARSHIP

The Maija Williams Scholarship was created in the name of TPS's former long-term manager, Maija Williams, and is intended to support the goals and objectives she cared about.  Specifically, to increase diversity and support BIPOC and LGBTQA+ young people interested in exploring ceramics and provide opportunities for diverse populations to explore all aspects of ceramics.  We encourage BIPOC and LGBTQA+ people who are 16-21 years old to apply. This scholarship funds a class, tools, or a two-month membership.  If you are interested in making a donation to support the Scholarship please go to the scholarship page and make a tax-deductible donation. Maija’s legacy is important to us. 

If you are interested in applying for this Scholarship please visit the scholarhsip page for more information and fill out an application. Scholarships will be offered on a rolling basis. Please apply or share this information with young BIPOC and LGBTQA+ people you know who have an interest in clay but perhaps are not in the position to afford a class or membership fees.  We look forward to increasing the number of Maija Scholars in 2023!

REQUESTING PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING FOR THE APPI COMMUNITY

The Board of Directors and Staff of The Potters' Studio extend our condolences to everyone affected by the horrific shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay.  We recognize that these senseless acts of violence repeatedly undermine our feelings of safety and are especially disturbing when they target specific communities.  The Lunar New Year should be a time of celebration for many Asian families, and these acts of violence brought grief and despair during a time of celebration and hope…

THE NEW BOARD

At the recent Annual Board Meeting, The Potters’ Studio Board elected two new Board members, DeAnna Dalton and Suhail Chander. Suhail and DeAnna have committed to assisting the existing Board in further establishing the Studio as a respected arts environment and have already identified strong ideas for the organization to consider in the coming years. We are very excited that they have agreed to join the Board and support the Studio’s objectives. Please welcome them when you see them in the studio and let them know you appreciate their dedication and commitment.

WOOD FIRING IN SETO, JAPAN

On October 10, 2023 nine TPS Members began a two-and-a-half week experience in Seto, Japan organized by TPS Member Tomoko Jarrell. Also joining the group as translator and knowledgeable ceramicist was TPS Member Sachiko Campe. The two-plus week intensive pottery workshop was hosted by former TPS Instructor Hiroshige Kato. Seto has been one of the most pivotal places in the Japanese ceramics industry for more than 1000 years and many ceramic festivals are held there throughout the year. In fact, a generic word for ceramics in Japanese is known as “setomono” which means products of Seto. TPS Board Vice President, Zoe Thorsland was one of the lucky 9 gakusei (students) to participate in this amazing workshop and she has shared her insights and beautiful photos from that trip.

CAMBODIA

Member, and new Board President, Cheryl Stevens shares her impressions of her recent trip to the Khmer Ceramics Studio in Cambodia.

Located close to the historic temples of Angkor – the cultural, spiritual, and artistic heart of Cambodia – Khmer Ceramics blends a passion for ceramics and Khmer history with a desire to create opportunities for the local community of Siem Reap.