509: Fund Drive: Brian Chen on the anatomy of his forms

Stephanie Seguin is a functional potter based in Helena, MT, where she makes table and service ware. She is also the education manager at the Archie Bray Foundation where she has helped shape the education program as the organization has emerged from the pandemic. In our interview we talk about tactile learning, developing parameters for creativity, and the Bray’s Artist Amplified, a series of demonstrations and lectures highlighting ceramic artists. You can see her work at www.stephanie-seguin-ceramics.com The next installment of Artist Amplified features Joanna Powell and is happening May 16th at 6:30 MT. You can find out more, including Zoom links, at www.archiebray.org.   Hey Red Clay Rambler fans, this month we are celebrating twelve years of the podcast! We just launched a fund drive and I need your help to support the upcoming season. Please take a minute to visit www.talesofaredclayrambler.com/donate to give through our PayPal portal, or become a sustaining member at patreon.com/redclayrambler. To thank our new Patreon supporters we have merch, including t-shirts, hoodies, posters, and more. Thanks for listening and being part of the Red Clay Rambler community.   Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Cornell Studio Supply www.cornellstudiosupply.com Bray Clay www.archiebrayclay.com  

Judi Tavill has had a broad career in the arts starting in fashion and now creating biomorphic ceramic sculpture. In our interview we talk about her career in fashion, blending drawing with sculpture, and preparing for her upcoming solo show at the Ivy Brown Gallery. Entanglements will open May 16th and run through June 26th. For more information visit www.juditavill.com.   Hey Red Clay Rambler fans, this month we are celebrating twelve years of the podcast! We just launched a fund drive and I need your help to support the upcoming season. Please take a minute to visit www.talesofaredclayrambler.com/donate to give through our PayPal portal, or become a sustaining member at patreon.com/redclayrambler. To thank our new Patreon supporters we have merch, including t-shirts, hoodies, posters, and more. Thanks for listening and being part of the Red Clay Rambler community.   Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Cornell Studio Supply www.cornellstudiosupply.com Bray Clay www.archiebrayclay.com  

Today on the show I talk with Brian Chen. He makes sculptural and functional forms that reference architecture and biomechanics. In our interview we talk about how a tennis injury led him to study anatomy, creating sculptures that nest within themselves, and refining a form through repetition. To see examples of his work visit www.brianchenpottery.com.   Hey Red Clay Rambler fans, this month we are celebrating twelve years of the podcast! We just launched a fund drive and I need your help to support the upcoming season. Please take a minute to visit www.talesofaredclayrambler.com/donate to give through our PayPal portal, or become a sustaining member at patreon.com/redclayrambler. To thank our new Patreon supporters we have merch, including t-shirts, hoodies, posters, and more. Thanks for listening and being part of the Red Clay Rambler community.   Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: Snow Farm: The New England Craft Program www.snowfarm.org The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Bray Clay www.archiebrayclay.com

Join guest host Malene Barnett as she talks with Lydia Thompson, Ashlyn Pope, and David Macdonald about the rich tapestry of ceramics across the Black Diaspora. From the ancestral lands of Africa, to the vibrant Caribbean and the diverse cultures of African Americans, join the panel as they explore the artistic expressions and design aesthetics that are rooted in clay. This conversation was recorded in front of a live studio audience at this year’s NCECA conference in Richmond, VA.   Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Bray Clay www.archiebrayclay.com

Today on the show I talk with Malene Barnett. Her multimedia career spans design, studio art, and activism focusing on the influence and aesthetics of the black diaspora. In our interview we talk about designing textiles, taking a sabbatical to dive deep into ceramics, and founding the Black Artists + Designers Guild, a collective aimed at building equitable and inclusive creative culture. For more visit www.malenebarnett.com. Next week on the show we will broadcast a panel discussion that Malene moderated at this year’s NCECA conference.   Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Bray Clay www.archiebrayclay.com

Today on the show I talk with Jane Bamford. She creates ceramic sculptures and environmental prosthesis that are placed in nature to help rebalance the Australian ecosystem. In our interview we talk about the pressure climate change is putting on the Tasmanian landscape, working with scientists to create environmental design, and how her motivation for art making has changed over time. To see examples of her work visit www.janebamford.com.   Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Bray Clay www.archiebrayclay.com

Today on the show I talk with sculptor Cammie Staros. From her studio in L.A. she blends Helenic aesthetics with modernism in her ceramic, neon, and stone work. Her series of black figure terracotta vessels move and bend like a wavy mirage from ancient Athens captured in the present moment. In our interview we talk about the influence of classical Greek ceramics, her love of precarity, and her series of submerged vessels. To see examples of her work visit www.cammiestaros.com. Thanks to everyone that came out to our NCECA live tapings. I had a great time meeting listeners and look forward to airing those episodes towards the end of April. Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Bray Clay www.archiebrayclay.com

Today on the show I talk with artist and Plinth gallery owner Jonathan Kaplan. Over more than fifty years in ceramics he has worked as a studio potter, manufacturer of commercial ceramics, and gallery owner. In our interview we talk about investing in yourself, knowing when change is needed to avoid burnout, and how Kaplan approaches geometric forms through mold making. His book The Mold-Making Manual weaves personal narrative into practical mold making skills and was just released by the American Ceramics Society in 2024. For more information visit www.plinthgallery.com.   I’m excited to have a live taping of the show at this year’s NCECA conference. Thursday March 21st at 2:30pm Lisa Giuliani and Brian Kakas will join me to talk about the Changing landscape of ceramic education. Directly following at 4:00pm guest Red Clay Rambler host Malene Barnett will record Clay Roots: Exploring Ceramics Across the Black Diaspora - From Africa to the Caribbean and the Americas.   Today’s episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Bray Clay www.archiebrayclay.com  

Today on the show I talk with artist and educator Lauren Sandler. In her current body of work she drapes stacked vessels with beads, beans, and other objects to tell broader economic and cultural narratives. In our interview we talk about her anthropological approach to materials, adornment through accumulation, and mentoring students at the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, PA, where she is an assistant professor. For more information visit www.laurensandlerstudio.com.   I’m excited to have a live taping of the show at this year’s NCECA conference. Thursday March 21st at 2:30pm Lisa Giuliani and Brian Kakas will join me to talk about the Changing landscape of ceramic education. Directly following at 4:00pm guest Red Clay Rambler host Malene Barnett will record Clay Roots: Exploring Ceramics Across the Black Diaspora - From Africa to the Caribbean and the Americas.   The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Bray Clay www.archiebrayclay.com  

Today on the show I talk with author, activist, and artist Yuliya Makliuk. She recently published Potters Save the World: Learn to make sustainable ceramics and help protect the Earth. Our interview focuses on understanding the carbon footprint of ceramic production and materials. In addition to sustainability, we also discuss Yuliya’s experience living through war in Ukraine. For more information follow @hereandnowpottery on Instagram.   I’m excited to have a live taping of the show at this year’s NCECA conference. Thursday March 21st at 2:30pm Lisa Giuliani and Brian Kakas will join me to talk about the Changing landscape of ceramic education.   The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Bray Clay www.archiebrayclay.com