192: Brian Harper on building sculpture and community. Special guest Carole Epp on The Crafted Dish.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a double interview featuring Brian Harper and Carole Epp. In the first segment, I talk with Carole about her work on the book The Crafted Dish. The cook book combines photographs of pottery in use with recipes of the featured artists’ favorite foods to celebrate using handmade in daily life. Sixty-Four Canadian artists are included in the publication, whose release on October 9th coincides with the second annual National Clay Week. To find out more visit www.thecrafteddish.com or www.nationalclayweek.org.

In the second segment, I talk with sculptor Brian Harper. He creates complex architectural forms by joining thousands of premade modular ceramic units. The scaffold-like forms are built around commercial ceramic objects that represent the uniform predictability of high-volume, low-cost manufacturing. In the interview, we talk about the concept behind his sculptures, the easing of his political anxieties though creativity, and the mission of Art Axis, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that Brian founded to promote the professional pursuits of artists in the field of ceramics. Brian is an Associate Professor of Fine Art and the head of the Ceramics Program at Indiana University Southeast, and is the Executive Director of Artaxis.org. To find out more about his work visit www.brianharperstudio.com.

This episode of the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler is sponsored by National Clay Week Open Studios, a nationwide event that celebrates clay, community and creativity. October 13-15 artists across the U.S. are invited to open their doors to the public for demonstrations, lectures, and exhibitions. Join us for a celebration of the ceramic arts! For more information on how you can join the event visit www.nationalclayweek.org/openstudio.