Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Sam Chung. In his recent porcelain vessels, Chung references Korean folk-art motifs in both form and surface. In our interview we talk about the transitions in technique and content he has made in his career, his methods for altering ceramic forms, and the impact that loss has on personal identity.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Sophie Aguilera Lester. Her ceramic sculpture is autobiographical in nature with a strong reference to historical Spanish painting. In our interview we talk about being a set designer for theater, her interest in the still life, and the art scene in Barcelona, where she has lived for most of her adult life. To start the episode, I talk with Lindsay Oesterritter about her new book Mastering Kilns and Firing, which is available now where fine books are sold.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Naomi Clement. In her current body of work, she decorates functional pots with layers of abstracted cursive text and loosely painted underglazes. The richness of her surfaces encourages the viewer to decipher the text and search for a larger narrative. In our interview we talk about the role pottery plays in daily rituals of observation and how finding her grandparents love letters spurred her interest in cursive text.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have a special mailbag episode consisting of questions sent in from listeners. My wife Melissa comes on to cohost the show and we discuss topics including historical influences, bloopers from past seasons, and a few thoughts about how the #MeToo movement might affect ceramic history. On this milestone I want to send a special thank you to my listeners who have supported the show along the way. I couldn’t have done this without you.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Matt Ziemke. He abstracts the physical landscape to create planar structures that are covered with pattern and glaze. In our interview we talk about the effect technology has on the brain, working with the language of cartography, and building engaging surfaces through multiple firings.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Mary Cale Wilson. Through her multifaceted art practice, which includes sculpture, vessel making, and painting, Wilson explores ideas of womanhood and labor. In our interview we talk about using art to reconcile personal privilege, developing a personal iconography, and the ideas behind her installation Betrayal at Ebenezer

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Brooks Oliver. His refined ceramic vessels draw from the sleek aesthetics of design while maintaining the scale and proportions of handmade studio ceramics. In our interview we talk about using the 3d printer as a prototyping tool, developing a personal sense of color, and the growth of the Dallas Pottery Invitational.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Ann Shaner. Along with her husband David Shaner, she was instrumental in the success of the Archie Bray Foundation during the late 1960’s. In our interview we talk about 35 years teaching in the public schools, her time at the Archie Bray Foundation, and moving to Big Fork, MT, where she and David raised their four kids.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Shalene Valenzuela. Her slip cast sculptures feature underglaze paintings of women in domestic situations. In our interview we talk about the influence of mid-century advertising and film, using visual narratives to question women’s perception of themselves in our society, and balancing her studio life with her role as an arts administrator. Shalene is based in Missoula, MT, where she has an active studio practice and is the director of the Clay Studio of Missoula.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Audry Deal-McEver and Jenn Cole. Both are studio potters making heavily patterned work in the greater Nashville, TN area. In the interview we talk about the fine line between appropriation and inspiration when referencing the patterns of other cultures, working in galleries, and developing confidence in the value of your own work. Both are members of Influx, a ceramic group that hosts exhibitions and events that educate the public on the value of handmade.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Danielle McDaniel. In 1982 she started teaching in the public schools of middle Tennessee focusing on short ceramic workshops that encourage creativity and confidence in children. As demand for her workshops grew, she developed “The Clay Lady Way,” an education program for teachers that includes videos, books, and ceramic curriculum. In our interview we talk about how secondary education changed during her career and expanding her business to include a physical location in Nashville, which hosts a school with 275 weekly students, an artist co-op with 65 artists, and the clay distributor Mid-South Ceramics.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Josh Deweese. His undulating functional forms are embellished with curvilineal handles and decorated with fluid high-fire glazes. In our interview we talk about the influence of his artistic family, developing a leadership style as an administrator and teacher, and using local materials to enhance his glazes. Josh was the Resident Director of the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts from 1992-2006 and is now an Associate Professor of Art at Montana State University.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Mallory Wetherell. Her ceramic vessels are decorated with crisp drawings of symbolic elements, such as hair, internal organs, and clothing, which create a biographical sketch of her daily life. In our interview we talk about teaching in a rural environment, how an early interest in prosthetic design and medical drawing shapes her aesthetic, and how politics and parenting have changed her studio practice.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Chris Staley and Kyle Johns. Both were artists-in-residence for the month of May at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, MT. During the month Staley was making a new body of sculptural vessels and Johns continued his exploration of keyless mold systems for slip cast vessels. In our interview we talk about suspending judgement when making, how boredom can create space for new ideas, and learning to use social media in a healthy and sustainable way.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Joanna Powell. Her work spans many genres including ceramic sculpture, painting, and photography. In our interview we talk about her visual editing process, women’s beautification rituals, and the themes within her recent exhibition, “Lay me in a hot bed and try not to drown.” The show is up at Greenwich House Pottery’s Jane Hartsook Gallery until June 14th.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Nick Danielson. After an early interest in conceptual sculpture, Nick has been solely focused on making functional pottery for the last eight years. His work is an aesthetic blend of Korean Buncheong ware, color from contemporary graphic design, and the angular nature of computer aided drafting (CAD), which he uses to design the work. In our interview we talk about studying in Korea, balancing historical and contemporary influences, and using the CAD to get creative with his forms and surfaces.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Chip Clawson. In recent years he has been focused on making sculptural forms that are cast from concrete and adorned with ceramic embellishments. His piece, “Ode to Edward James,” features multiple twenty-foot columns that are bisected by horizontal cloud-like forms. In our interview we talk about planning large-scale sculptural works, the influence of Edward James’ “Las Pozas,” and Clawson’s time creating public art with inmates in Montana state prisons.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Diane Charnov, this year’s Jentel Critic at the Archie Bray Foundation. After an early career as a political speech writer Diane has been focused for the last decade on art criticism and journalism. In our interview we talk about shifting between persuasive writing and journalism, funny moments from speeches gone awry, and how artists and institutions can better advocate for themselves.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an audio tour of the Archie Bray Foundation with Chip Clawson. Chip worked for the organization for over 35 years and has compiled much of its history from its inception as the Western Clay Manufacturing Company in the 1880’s to the ceramic arts foundation that exists today. On our tour we visit the former brick and tile factories, as well as the beehive kilns that fired the wares.

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Perry Haas. He builds softly undulating vessels that are designed to pick up the light fly ash of the wood kilns he fires. His recent work is made with a speckled clay body that obscures the silhouette of the forms, blending the exterior and interior spaces into the same visual plane. In our interview we talk about being patient with yourself when starting a new body of work, the Montana residency circuit and finding work life balance.