jeden@PO-Box.McGill.CA on sat 16 mar 96
If anyone is going to NCECA from the Montreal area and has room in their vehicle
for one more person, I am in need of a ride. I would of course share expenses.
I am a non smoker, licenced driver and house trained. :-) Thanks, Cheers John
Eden.
John Eden, E-mail> jeden@PO-Box.McGill.CA < or > john.eden@johnabbott.qc.ca
Home phone # 514-458-7097
Vince Pitelka on tue 19 mar 96
I returned from a week out West to find my email account completely
constipated, refusing to do anything. Finally got it cleared up, but time for
only this quick message before departing for NCECA. Anyone else out there
who's going to NCECA and hasn't left yet, please be sure to stop by my table in
the Exhibition Hall and say hello. Also looking forward to seeing some of you
at the Clayart breakfast. Drive carefully. Looks like the snowstorm will stay
west of us until after we arrive in Rochester. We're driving all the way from
central Tennessee tomorrow. Books-on-tape will see us through.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - wkp0067@tntech.edu
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Mary & Joseph Carafiol on sun 24 mar 96
We are all anxious to hear reports from NCECA. Please tell us all the
highlights,and all the inbetweens..thank you much.
Lgeese@aol.com on tue 2 apr 96
This is just a quick note to say that this year was another great conference.
I found many of the lectures and panel discussions to be motivating and
inspiring in that they sparked some new ideas in regard to my own work.
The Randall Session was incredible. And the throwing demos were just what I
needed at this point in time. I'm REALLY sorry I missed the trip to Alfred!!
Poor planning on my part. By the time I saw how my Saturday was going to
fall into place -- too late. It sounds like it was a wonderful outing!
And for anyone who may be considering going next year for the first time --
stay on site. Last year, I stayed with friends in the Minneapolis area,
while this year I stayed at the (infamous) Holiday Inn. (Hey, at least we
got through the week without the ceiling in our room caving in!) Anyway,
staying on-site allows you to mingle and socialize so much more with your
fellow artists and you have ample opportunity for challenging discussions
regarding clay. And, yes, the not-so-academic discussions at 1:30 a.m.
around your 12th bowl of popcorn and ??th bottle of Genessee
whatever-it-was...
Anyway, it was a great time. I made a couple of connections that I hope will
be fruitful ones here in Des Moines as well. It was great to put faces with
names, to meet many new folks, and to get reacquianted with a few I met last
year.
I'm sure sorry I missed the breakfast! I didn't make a reservation ( I
know). And then when I came up to just sit in... I couldn't get in. But you
guys sounded like you were having a great time and I'll definetly be there
next year...unless I'm winning big at the blackjack table...just kidding...
Has anyone besides me noticed how many people are mentioning meeting/hanging
out with/laughing with Karla and Russell? Okay, it's not just me. Those two
are a hoot...and apparently...really got around! It was great meeting you
guys! And Karla, don't forget those discs you were going to mail me. :)
Russell - glad to see you've returned safely to Belgium with credit intact!
I enjoyed reading your NCECA essay yesterday! Ha - just kidding!
Well, back to work! Take care everyone!
Lisa in Des Moines - where it is actually supposed to hit 70 today! YAY!
Karl David Knudson on wed 3 apr 96
On Tue, 2 Apr 1996 Lgeese@aol.com wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> This is just a quick note to say that this year was another great conference.
> I found many of the lectures and panel discussions to be motivating and
> inspiring in that they sparked some new ideas in regard to my own work.
Ditto to that.
> The Randall Session was incredible. And the throwing demos were just what I
> needed at this point in time. I'm REALLY sorry I missed the trip to Alfred!!
> Poor planning on my part. By the time I saw how my Saturday was going to
> fall into place -- too late. It sounds like it was a wonderful outing!
Alfred was a great trip. If anyone was lucky enough to tour the
techonlogy exhibit with John Gill (he was almost as excited about his
show as Jim Robinson was about clay, wonderful to see people so in love
with what they do.) handling the exhibits was quite the experience.
> Has anyone besides me noticed how many people are mentioning meeting/hanging
> out with/laughing with Karla and Russell? Okay, it's not just me. Those two
> are a hoot...and apparently...really got around!
They really did. Seemed that everywhere I went I ran into Russel. Heck
by the end of the conference he had almost convinced me to take up firing
to dull red heat!...almost.
Clayart t-shirts next year.
Karl
Eugene, OR
Wendy Hampton on mon 16 sep 96
hi,
Does anyone know the dates of NCECA in Vegas next year?
Thanks,
Wendy from Bainbridge Island, WA
Jim Connell or set clayart mail on tue 17 sep 96
WINTHROP UNIVERSITY Electronic Mail Message
Date: 17-Sep-1996 08:12am EDT
From: James Connell
CONNELLJ
Dept: Art and Design
Tel No: 323-2126
TO: SMTP%"CLAYART@lsv.uky.edu" ( _SMTP%"CLAYART@lsv.uky.edu" )
Subject: Re: NCECA
NCECA starts Wed. April 2 through Sat. the 5th.
K. Lorensen on thu 19 sep 96
Hi Wendy,
I just received something in the mail yesterday that said
the NCECA Clay National runs Feb 21 - April 11. Exhibit
in conjunction with NCECA conference is 4/2 - 4/5. I'm
new at this, but hope to attend also.
Carie Lorensen
West Seattle
Barb & Ray Sapergia on fri 20 sep 96
After 'speaking' to some other clayfolk on IRC, my husband and I have
decided that we'd like to attend NCECA in Vegas in April...but we aren't
members. Does anybody out there know anything about it - when, where, do
you have to be a member, how do you get info - all that good stuff. We
are looking forward to meeting other Clayarters there, and thanks in
advance for the info.
Barb, in Beautiful BC where the sun still shines despite what the weather
bureau predicted.
hjbrager@owt.com on sat 21 sep 96
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>After 'speaking' to some other clayfolk on IRC, my husband and I have
>decided that we'd like to attend NCECA in Vegas in April...but we aren't
>members.
The contact for NCECA is Regina Brown `-800-999-NCECA or
http://calypso.nerdc.ufl.edu/~nceca/
Hope to see you all there (can hardly wait).
Judy (hjbrager@juno.com)
Joyce Lee..........Jim Lee on sat 5 oct 96
I very much want to attend the Vegas convention but can only stay about
three days. Do any of you convention-experienced people have suggestions
as to which three days might be best? As always, I appreciate your help
in the past and any time you may take to respond now.
Thank you,
Joyce
Mojave is gorgeous again. Can throw with doors open once more and watch
flickers, rabbits and ravens.
Karen Greene on thu 26 dec 96
Who has been to NCECA confernces before. What kind of opportunities are
there to network with other ppl. Is there anything like affinity groups.
I hope to go for the first time this year and i am scared. not an unusual
reaction on my part, being so easily frightened as it is. Are there ppl to
share rooms with? (to help cut the costs). Help. I know its early, but
planning is everything, yes? the frightened karen
kgreene@olywa.net
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
"Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark
side, and it holds the universe together...."
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
http://www.halcyon.com/cjlew/kgreene/kg.html
Marcia Selsor & Matt Benacquista on fri 27 dec 96
Dear Karen,
NCECA is the same kind of folks as on Clayart except they're in the
flesh. I will be bringing a van of students with me from Montana.
If you want, keep in touch and maybe you can share a room with them.
Don't be scared. And sign up for the clayart breakfast to meet some of
the familiar names on CLAYART.
There will be technical information panels, great exhibits, emerging
artists demonstrating. The exhibition hall has suppliers displaying
tools, equipment, books, posters, info from places like Anderson Ranch,
the Appalachian Center for Crafts, etc. For "affinity", there are the
breakout sessions and topical discussion groups. And there is the Friday
night dance. Go, have fun, and meet lots of mud slingers.
Marcia in Montana
Karen Greene wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Who has been to NCECA confernces before. What kind of opportunities are
> there to network with other ppl. Is there anything like affinity groups.
> I hope to go for the first time this year and i am scared. not an unusual
> reaction on my part, being so easily frightened as it is. Are there ppl to
> share rooms with? (to help cut the costs). Help. I know its early, but
> planning is everything, yes? the frightened karen
> kgreene@olywa.net
>
> ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
> "Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark
> side, and it holds the universe together...."
> ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
> http://www.halcyon.com/cjlew/kgreene/kg.html
--
Marci Selsor
Matt Benacquista
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/
mjbmls@imt.net
Joyce Lee, Jim Lee on sat 28 dec 96
Does anybody know when we should hear about joining NCECA and receiving
registration materials? I thought it was Dec., but as I've said ad
nauseum, my hard drive crashed and I lost my bookmarks so do not know
whom to call. We have hotel reservations and are getting antsy even
though I'm aware nothing happens until March. Thank you for your many
detailed and kind suggestions that I back up my files. Could have,
should have, but did not. Appropriately chastized and ashamed. WILL NOW.
Humor me this time and I will forevermore BACK UP, bow to the east,
whatever, and be a lot more appreciative than I read. I just have a
feisty keyboard.
Joyce
Cloudy Mojave. Gorgeous Sierras. A good season for high desert
denizens.
PJLewing@aol.com on sun 29 dec 96
Karen,
Don't be scared of NCECA. It's the least intimidating group of people you'll
ever meet. I have heard hotel and restaurant workers at previous conferences
remark many times about how NCECA is the friendliest bunch of conventioneers
they've ever seen. As far as opportunities to network with other potters
with whom you share an affinity, that's about all NCECA is, for 4 days. If
you come back next year, you'll think you've known those people all your
life.
You might try asking the hotel to find you an NCECA roommate, or post a
request here on Clayart as it gets closer to the time. It's not too early to
book a room now. It may be more expensive, but I always find it much more
convenient to stay at the conference hotel. I think the best way to enjoy
NCECA is to stay very loose. People are always inviting you to tag along
with them to dinner or an opening, or something.
Be sure to get a Clayart button, and it will be even easier. If you really
know no one else, look for me. I'm hard to miss, being 6' 3" with a beard
that used to be red.
See you there.
Paul Lewing, Seattle
Barbrox@aol.com on sun 29 dec 96
Dear Karen
I went to NCECA for the first time last year and also suffer from major
shyness . I found it to be such a positive experience to be surrounded by so
many great clay focused people. There is so much going on all the time that
the time simply flies by.Just like Clayart folks are so very supportive and
willing to share,I found nceca participants to be very friendly and open.I
only wish that I could be there again this year. Go and enjoy! Barbara in
Lyme,Ct.
SLPBM@cc.usu.edu on mon 30 dec 96
Alright- looks like it is getting to be time to start looking for
roommates for the NCECA thing. How about those who need roommates post in
and see if anyone has reserved a room yet etc. I for one, would love to
share a room, but cant afford it solo. Would love to be close to the
action... as opposed to Rochester NCECA where I was on the other end
of town.
Thanks,
Alex Solla
slpbm@cc.usu.edu
Judy A Brager on mon 30 dec 96
I just received the information and sign-up form for the convention. Can
hardly wait until March. Is there going to be a breakfast? I was
thinking of making a button or necklace with my name and e-mail address
to wear at the convention. Do other Clayarters make these?
Looking forward to seeing you all in Vegas
Judy (hjbrager@juno.com)
Barb & Ray Sapergia on mon 30 dec 96
> Be sure to get a Clayart button, and it will be even easier.
Ok...where do you get Clayart buttons - what a good idea! We are
planning to be there, and are looking forward to meeting all you other
Clayarters out there.
Barb in snowy Vancouver Island, where it NEVER snows!
Roger Bourland on thu 2 jan 97
You don't want to hear this.
I made my hotel reservations yesterday. Friday Bally's is full! The
Flamingo Hilton, nearby has openings in the $175 range.
Ideas, anyone?
Roger Bourland
Robert Kittel on fri 3 jan 97
At 04:13 PM 1/2/97 +0000, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>You don't want to hear this.
>
> I made my hotel reservations yesterday. Friday Bally's is full! The
>Flamingo Hilton, nearby has openings in the $175 range.
>
>Ideas, anyone?
>
>Roger Bourland
Yes i do,,get a room downtown in one of the older casinos, probably less
than 50 a night. Use your savings for cab fare or if alot of us are camped
downtown then Cab-pool.
Louis Katz on fri 3 jan 97
A page I got from someone in the NCECA superstructure gives the following
hotel options, from cheapest to most expensive. I am staying at the DAYS
INN it is supposedly around the corner from Balleys.
Super Eight 800 800 8000
Days Inn 800 634 6541 Rates 45$ April 1-3 $65 April 4-5
Maxim 800 634 6987
Imperial 800 634 6441
HOJO 800 654 2000
Louis
***************************************************
*Louis Katz lkatz@falcon.tamucc.edu *
*Texas A&M University Corpus Christi *
*6300 Ocean Drive, Art Department *
*Corpus Christi, Tx 78412 *
*Phone (512) 994-5987 *
**************************************************
MR MICHAEL S FLOOD on fri 3 jan 97
My friend and I ran into the same problem. We made reservations at
the Alladin. It's right down the street. Cost varies per night.
First one or two nights the room charge is $45. Increases
significantly the last two nights (higher weekend rate).
Bridget McDermott Flood
Fireworks Studio
St. Louis, MO
Curt Heuer on fri 3 jan 97
I agree with Bob Kittle, try the downtown hotels. If you want to be closer
to the conference center try The Barbary Coast; it looks like it's right
across the street from Bally's. Wed. and Thurs. $75 for a double, Fri
$125. That averages out to close to the conference rates at Bally's. Or
check the Las Vegas Hotels listing at * http://www.pcap.com/hotel.htm *.
It lists addresses, 800 phone #s, and price ranges.
See you in Vegas.
Curt Heuer
UW-Green Bay
Vince Pitelka on sat 4 jan 97
>Days Inn 800 634 6541 Rates 45$ April 1-3 $65 April 4-5
>Louis
Warm thanks to Louis Katz. Days Inn Las Vegas is located directly behind
Bally's and still has rooms available for NCECA for the above prices. I got
mine. Get yours quick. Actually, if you are still without a room there is
extensive information about Las Vegas hotels and motels available on the
net. Just search.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@Dekalb.Net
Phone - home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801
Appalachian Center for Crafts, Smithville TN 37166
Tony Hansen on sat 4 jan 97
Don't forget one thing: "Across the Street" might seem like a 1 minute
walk, but it is alot farther in Vegas than anywhere else. These places
are really huge and they are set back from the strip a long way.
--
=================================================================
Tony Hansen, IMC - Publishers of INSIGHT/FORESIGHT/Magic of Fire
Get INSIGHT 5 beta at http://digitalfire.com/insight5.htm
Susan Goldstein on sun 12 jan 97
I have a room reservation at the conference sight and will probably be
cancelling this as it gets closer to the date. If anyone strongly desires a
room in this location I would be glad to see if the reservation can be
transfered to another name.
Dinah Collopy on wed 19 mar 97
I'm cancelling a reservation at Bally for the Tues, Wed &Thurs nights of
NCECA. I'll wait until Thurs Mar 20 to call the hotel to give anyone who
might want to pick it up time to contact them before they give the room to
someone nonconference.
Dinah
Tony Hansen on tue 1 apr 97
Heading for NCECA tommorrow.
Anyone who wants a 'knock-your-socks-off' clay name tag see me
at Axner's. I should be there by Thursday morning.
--
Tony Hansen, IMC thansen@mlc.awinc.com
INSIGHT5/Magic of Fire II demos at www.ceramicsoftware.com
Margaret Arial on wed 2 apr 97
I have had difficulty reaching Rebecca Houston to inform her I cannot make
the conference dispite repeated emails.Would anyone going or who know her
please give her my regrets and tell her that the desk for the conference and
the message board would be likely sources for an additional roomie.I have
tried since 3-24 to reach her she will be at Ballys.
Margaret (home still under construction inspection due this week and
partially moved)
Vince Pitelka on wed 9 apr 97
Just wanted to let you all know my impressions of NCECA.
Las Vegas was much more than I expected. It was much more chaotic, much
more tacky, much more absurd, much more low-class. What an extraordinarily
blatant expression of extremely bad taste on an astromical scale.
Supposedly the light on top on top of the Luxor, pointing straight up in
space, is the most powerful light on earth. Hopefully aliens will be
offended by it and will come down and destroy the place, along with
everything within a ten-mile radius.
Good riddance.
The conference had its ups and downs. I was delighted to have so many
people visit my table and pick up information about the Craft Center. That
part of it was great, and that's where I spent most of my time. In general
I heard lukewarm reports about most of the organized events. What a shame.
It was as if everyone expected to come to Las Vegas and spend all their time
partying, and therefore did not expend their normal effort on planning and
presenting events. There were certainly some very good events, and I am sure
others will post about them. But it was a big mistake to have the
conference in such a giant hotel, with the various events so widely
separated. In the past, the commercial exhibitors and non-profit exhibitors
have been in close proximity, to their mutual benefit. The non-profit
exhibitors need and deserve the additional traffic gained by being near the
commercial exhibitors. That was not the case this year. And the space
allocated for non-profit exhibitors was completely inadequate, and many
groups that wanted to be there were not accommodated at all. That is really
a sad situation. Finally, the demonstrations were held in some meeting
rooms way up on the 23rd floor of one of the towers, which really left
things feeling scattered. In previous conferences it has usually been
possible to move back and forth between various events, which is a great
advantage (especially for those of us trying to man a table or booth). That
was not the case this year. Finally, with the Sony Conference at Bally's
and the National Association of Broadcasters Conference (150,000 attendees)
in town, both taking place concurrently with NCECA, there was not nearly the
"ceramic presence" that one usually feels within the conference hotel at
most NCECA conferences, even with the over 3000 attendees this year.
One very positive thing was the quality and quantity of exhibitions. I did
not see them all, but I did see the ones at UNLV, and they were excellent.
The regional student exhibition, which included lots of entries from
universities in Arizona and Utah, was quite extraordinary. The NCECA
national was markedly superior to either of the last two, at Minneapolis and
Rochester.
I did have a wonderful time this past week. It was great to meet and talk
to so many people at my table in the non-profit exhibitors area, and I know
that all the contacts will help insure the future of our facility. The
Clayart Breakfast was marvelous, although I wish we had all had a little
time for socializing after the formalities. I stayed in Las Vegas through
the weekend, and was able to cleanse my system of all the visual/aesthetic
toxins of LV by spending Saturday in Death Valley and Sunday at Zion
National Park. Zion may be the most amazing place I have ever been. It is
a disturbing but very fortunate reality that such a large segment of the
American population would rather go to Las Vegas than to Zion Canyon.
I hope I am not whining too much. I will be interested in hearing other
opinions on the above.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Phone - home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801
Appalachian Center for Crafts
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Craig Fent on thu 10 apr 97
Vince, I don't know what to say. For myself and everyone I went with and
pretty much everyone I talk to at the conference really enjoyed having it in
Las Vegas. Sure, it's a little overdone and glitzy, but that is why people
go there. It's supposed to be a deversion from normal life.
I had some complaints about the way registeration was handled, I never liked
waiting in lines. I think pre-registered persons should have their name tags
sent to them with the other information that is sent anyway and then the rest
of the information could be picked up in a room that only persons with name
tags had access. What is the real advantage to pre-registering anyway. Just
a suggestion.
I don't think it is up to the conference planners to make sure everyone is
herded by the non-profit exhibits, if people want to see them, they will find
them. BTW I made several passes through there myself and I am the treasurer
of a non-profit.
I too thought the exhibits were great, only regret I couldn't get to all of
them.
I, personally, was a little disappointed in the demonstrations, but I am a
potter, and a would rather that all of the demos been throwing demos. But,
that is just me and I know that there were lots of people interested in all
of the other demos presented. I still gathered a lot of information from the
demos.
Didn't have the time or money to take any side trips to Death Valley or Zion
National Park, but I would have liked to, maybe next time.
All in all I had a great time in Las Vegas, won a little money, saw some
great entertainment and enjoyed the conference too. And yes Vince, your
whinning too much.
Craig Fent
Jack Troy on thu 10 apr 97
I agree with Vince's curmudgeonly remarks about the setting for NCECA.
A friend told me he'd ridden to Bally's in an airport limo and a passenger asked
him which casino he'd come to gamble in. "I'm here for the NCECA conference at
Bally's. It's for people interested in ceramics."
"You mean like pottery?"
"Yes. Like pottery."
"What's to say about pottery?"
While it's true that such a conversation might have occurred anywhere, it
seemed especially appropriate to Vegas, the pretention-capital of the planet.
(In fairness, though, it's nice that people who like that sort of thing have a
zone of their own).
Like Vince, I was concerned about glitz-innoculation, and originally intended to
go backpacking with Joe Bennion, but we couldn't work out the logistics, so I
accompanied David Furman's group to Mexico City. It was my first trip to that
country, and proved to be just right. For years I've wanted to visit the
splendid museum of anthropology and archeology, and found that two days was
barely enough to take in the magnificent collection of pre-Columbian pots,
artifacts, sculptures, and other various exhibitions honoring Mexico's past, not
to mention the building itself, and its setting, which are magnificent.
In a peciliar cosmic conjunction, I found myself sitting on top of the Pyramid
of the Moon at Teotihucan watching two butterflies precisely when my mother's
household effects were being auctioned off in Reading, PA. What a world!
David has run this trip many times, and claims to have one more in him for next
year. I strongly suggest going along. David is an ideal non-guide - a
helpfully informative enthusiast with not an authoritarian bone in his body. He
has lived in Mexico City and encouraged us to explore its very accessible points
of interest. (He was discreet about his passion for smoking tobacco in the shape
of big suppositories, so we didn't soak up 2nd hand smoke in our clothes as we
did at Bally's. [What _is_ it about the relationship between gambling, blank
looks on the face, and chain-smoking?]).
Like Vince, I found the juried exhibitions at the university to be especially
worthwhile. AND the super-democratic NCECA Fellowship Cup Sale has become a
feature well worth taking in. "I never knew a cup could be so many things!" one
of my students told me. There's something inspirational about getting in the
long line snaking its way past the tables of cups...cups from all over... cups
forming against all the odds one huge litter up for adoption... cups some of you
might be drinking from now...cups that say in our own way, "This is the heart of
the conference - what we make and donate for the greater good; for the
Fellowship of it." A little like what Robert Frost called, "A momentary stay
against confusion."
That'd be a good line to pass on to the guy in the limo.
Jack Troy
Mari Soto on thu 10 apr 97
>Hopefully aliens will be
>offended by it and will come down and destroy the place, along with
>everything within a ten-mile radius.
>Good riddance.
===========================================================
Be kind, Vince.
Look at it this way: A world where the right to live or die depended on one's
good taste would not be one you'd like to live in. ;-)
BTW, I like Las Vegas -- I look at it in a totally different way from you.
I feel sad when I see all those beautiful old public buildings in Chicago
because it reminds me of how much we have fallen. It would be unthinkable
today for local governments to construct buildings on such a magnificent
scale. The money simply isn't there. Therefore (in a leap of logic no doubt),
it comforts me to know that there are still places in America where they
don't think twice about reproducing statues from Roman times with marble from
the same quarry as used by the original artists, or erecting buildings that
denote a knowledge of Ancient Egypt unknown to most Americans today.
That it wasn't done to my taste, oh well...
As the closing line in "Some Like It Hot" says: Nobody's perfect.
mari
Lisa or Ginny on thu 10 apr 97
Vince Pitelka wrote:
> I hope I am not whining too much. I will be interested in hearing other opini
Vince, et al.
While I did not go to NCECA this year, I was seriously considering
attending next year. However, the reports that I'm hearing absolutely
turn me off. I am NOT interested in streakers, (male OR female), and am
disgusted that someone's work was stolen. What a way to show the world
the type of people potters are!
Please restore my faith and tell me the NCECA isn't always like this....
--
Lisa Skeen
Living Tree Pottery
Greensboro, NC
YesIAmRU?
Email: lpskeen@nr.infi.net
Brad S. Reitz on thu 10 apr 97
Vince,
As a 20 year resident of Las Vegas, I cannot let your "flames" about our town
go unchallenged. Tacky, blatant, offensive, absurd, and bad taste seem a bit
strong of a reaction from a couple day visit. Yet you speak so highly of the
quality of art exhibits around town and the surrounding mountains and desert.
Just as the artist tries to evoke a personal reaction from their medium, so
does Las Vegas. Maybe you should think about why it bothered you so much in
the first place, eh? And the comment about aliens blowing up everything in a
ten mile radius?? Excuuuse me!
You asked for our reactions!!
Dave and Pat Eitel on fri 11 apr 97
Does anyone know the dates and locations of nceca for the next couple of years?
Later...Dave
Dave Eitel
Cedar Creek Pottery
Cedarburg, WI
pots@cedarcreekpottery.com
http://www.cedarcreekpottery.com
Roeder on fri 11 apr 97
Hello all,
Well, I'm still recovering from my week in Las Vegas.
I arrived late Wednesday afternoon, so was unable to take the busses to the
various exhibits. I stayed through Tuesday, though, and went to the ones at
UNLV as well as Tom Coleman's studio on Monday. An interesting note....the
literature stated the exhibits would be open at the time I went to visit
them (checked and re-checked that) and some of the UNLV exhibits were locked
up. I did see the NCECA National, since the museum was open. Even
Coleman's studio was closed up. Someone took pity on me and opened it up,
and for this functional potter, it was a feast for the eyes and soul. Very
nice.
This was my first NCECA visit. It was bigger and more overwhelming than I
had imagined. So many things going on at the same time. Sometimes there
would be nothing to interest me, and other times everything in one time slot
would be of interest.
I liked the cone 6 discussion (I have two handout sheets...don't know if
there were more....somewhere still unpacked) and the discussion about the
internet (thanks Jack Troy). Interesting stuff.
I did not like standing in line for the last two nights. I also found
standing room only (or floor sitting) at some of the events. My back just
could not take that, so I had to leave on a couple occasions.
The Thursday night Olesko thing was a bit far gone for my tastes...ended up
going to my room that evening!
The clayart breakfast was great...I agree with Vince, not enough time to
visit after the introductions were finished. We need a clayart cocktail
hour....clayart sock-hop....
I finished the week with some hiking in the Valley of Fire State Park and
Red Rocks Canyon. Beautiful.
Las Vegas was big and glitzy...overdone and overbearing...ugly and
astounding....really tacky and just about everything I expected it to be.
Recovering in Michigan, where it refuses to be spring,
Candice Roeder
Vince Pitelka on fri 11 apr 97
>Vince, et al.
>While I did not go to NCECA this year, I was seriously considering
>attending next year. However, the reports that I'm hearing absolutely
>turn me off. I am NOT interested in streakers, (male OR female), and am
>disgusted that someone's work was stolen. What a way to show the world
>the type of people potters are!
>
>Please restore my faith and tell me the NCECA isn't always like this....
>--
>Lisa Skeen
>Living Tree Pottery
Lisa -
The next three NCECAs, in Fort Worth, Columbus, and Boulder (or is it
Denver?), will all be far superior to the Las Vegas one. At this conference
people came expecting to be distracted from "business as usual," and the
conference content suffered. My curmudgeonly remarks in my earlier post
were based on my great respect for NCECA, and my tremendous appreciation of
all the past conferences I have attended. They are a high point of my year.
You can never go wrong attending an NCECA conference. At this NCECA the
theft of artworks was a terrible thing, but as far as outrageous behavior
goes, I was baffled that there was so little of it. I thought that there
would be far more in this most outrageous of places. The conference
publicity certainly primed us for it.
I heard from someone that the average visitor to Las Vegas looses $500
during their trip, and that 30 million people per year visit Las Vegas.
While I would love to see all that money go to something more socially
responsible (now I'm REALLY being idealistic!!), I am certainly gratified
that those 30 million people would rather go to Las Vegas than to Death
Valley or Zion Canyon.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Phone - home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801
Appalachian Center for Crafts
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Michelle H. Lowe on sat 12 apr 97
> While I did not go to NCECA this year, I was seriously considering
> attending next year. However, the reports that I'm hearing absolutely
> turn me off. I am NOT interested in streakers, (male OR female), and am
> disgusted that someone's work was stolen. What a way to show the world
> the type of people potters are!
>
> Please restore my faith and tell me the NCECA isn't always like this....
I don't know what it is "always" like, this was my first year
attending the conference in full (I got to attend part time when it
was near home in Tempe in '91). This year, I looked forward for
months, to the experience of meeting potter friends I knew from
"online" and getting to talk to them in real life. The reality *far*
exceeded expectations, as I met online and other potter friends, I did
not want to sleep, with the pleasure of endless conversations
about many aspects of potting with people who care as much as I do
and who don't get tired of talking about it. And so MANY of those
people! Yes Las Vegas was overwhelming and yes, another place would
probably have been a better choice, but, except for the robbery, I like
NCECA the way it is (streakers and all). I think there is something
there for just about anyone with any interest in clay and any
approach to the world.
Don't be put off by the negative aspects of the reports, it's just
that there is SO MUCH THERE, that it's overwhelming in and of itself
and the addition of the Las Vegas atmosphere probably put some of us
potters over the edge!
I heard Cornelius put on a heck of a demo with paper thin slabs, I
missed that one, anybody want to report?
Mishy
Michelle Lowe, potter in the Phoenix desert \|/ |
mishlowe@indirect.com -O- | |
mishlowe@aztec.asu.edu /|\ | | |
|_|_|
http://www.amug.org/~mishlowe ____ |
-\ /-----|-----
( )
<__>
Timothy Dean Malm on sat 12 apr 97
The NCECA experience is always a varied one for me. The thing I missed at
NCECA this time was being unable (actually unwilling) to spend $70 for a
beautiful brush when one saleperson said it was $35 and upon offering
payment was told by another salesperson that it was $70. It was a
beautiful brush but ecomomics won over deep desire.
Tim Malm
Seattle
Mark Issenberg on sat 12 apr 97
Howdy all: Well, I started my NCECA trip a week earlier than the rest of
you. I went to the Tom Coleman workshop first. There was 30 of us and I
really enjoyed it. 3 of us stayed at a motel sorta close by. Then we
had to walk a couple miles every morning to go to the Coleman studio
which was ok for exercise. The workshop started around 9 AM until about
4:30 except for Sunday, when Tom stayed until 12:30 glazing. They fired
off the kiln Monday with lots of wind and the kiln is outside. I guess
Tom didn't think he would get reds but he sure did despite the wind. The
Geils kilns in fiber work great. I spray all my glazes and I use all ash
glazes and I've been using Paache sprayers (2 different types) but I've
been wanting to buy a hi-volume low pressure HVLP sprayer but I haven't
seen one in Miami. Tom told us about a place where they were on sale.
So, 20 of us went there and bought them. They were listed for a 100 but
we got them for under $50. I haven't used it yet because I haven't been
making pots. I'm still preparing my house for sale and getting rid of a
lot of the plants on the acre. By the time I was ready for NCECA, I was
ready to go home. Las Vegas is Las Vegas. There is no other place like
it. BUT a few miles out of town and you're out in the most beautiful
desert. One afternoon I went to Red Rock Canyon and only saw a couple of
people. So, more or less that was my impression of NCECA. PS I"m still
selling an Alpine 24 and also a couple of palettes of bricks.
Mark in Miami
(305)232-0278
Craig Fent on sat 12 apr 97
Lisa:
NCECA, like so many other things in life, is what you make out of it. Just
because it is in Vegas doesn't mean you have to forget going to the exhibits,
lectures and demos so you can go gamble. Anywhere it's at you can allways
just go to the events you want to and forget about the place it is held at.
There is so much to gain from going, no matter where it is at. I would
recomend attending, period.
Now, for my part, I like attending events such as this where I can enjoy the
surroundings too. I really enjoy gambling, although I could have done
without the noise of the slots and the cigarette smoke (cigars too, I
understand there was a cigar conference in Vegas at the same time). Anyway I
had a great time visiting with old and new friends, learning new technics,
and ideas along with the entertainment Vegas had to offer. If it were held a
town where held in a city where everywhere you went they played rap music (I
hate rap), I would still go.
So, next year, don't worry about where it is if you really want to go. Just
go, and enjoy the conference, it's always been a pleasure for me, even if I
didn't like some of the things about it or where it was held.
Craig Fent
Mark Richard Leach on sat 12 apr 97
Clayarters...I too want to share my observations on NCECA! I should say
that I am a new advisory board member to NCECA and that, 24 years ago, I
called Las Vegas a temporary home while serving in the United States Air
Force. I am also a curator and now, as a representative of the Mint
Museum of Art, I am working with NCECA to establish the NCECA Ceramic
Collection at the Mint.
It is unfortunate that theft of such wonderful works of art took place at
this year's conference. Unless there is new news, I don't believe that
there has been a determination as to the guilty party. Any work of art
that is stolen or irreparably damaged is one too many as far as I'm
concerned! Nonetheless, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the
NCECA board and advisory board, Mark Burns (site coordinator), and UNLV,
among others, for the extraordinary efforts put forth to make this year's
event a tremendously rich and rewarding experience. Coordinating,
producing and programming an event this large is a herculean feat. Many
colleagues with whom I've communicated post-NCECA also expressed
enthusiasm and appreciation for the keynote address, Tony Hepburn's
post-conference address, the Randall Session, the Clay National, Judith
Schwartz's compelling analysis of socially-grounded ceramic art, and the
many other associated events. As with any event this large, scale
necessitates that we all make the best of the available resources. Thus,
every annual event has its unique character, challenges, delights and
frustrations. And this is just as it should be. For myself, I try not
to loose sight of but instead I endeavor to honor the event, the
wonderful, talented and intelligent professionals that I met, and the
boundless energy and commitment to the ceramic field that is NCECA.
What an outrageous and worthwhile organization NCECA is and will continue
to be!
I salute each and every one of you!!!
Mark Richard Leach
Curator of Twentieth Century Art
Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte
Vince Pitelka on sat 12 apr 97
At 11:34 AM 4/11/97 -0400, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Does anyone know the dates and locations of nceca for the next couple of years?
>
>Later...Dave
>
>Dave Eitel
>Cedar Creek Pottery
>Cedarburg, WI
Dave -
I do not know the dates, but 1998 is in Fort Worth, 1999 is in Columbus, and
2000 is in Denver or Boulder. I think 2001 is on Mars.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Phone - home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801
Appalachian Center for Crafts
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
"WNTHRP::MRGATE::\"A1::CONNELLJ\""@winthrop.edu on sun 13 apr 97
The dates for next years NCECA in Fort Worth (or is it Fort Worthless--ha, ha
just a dumb old joke) are: March 25-28 1998.
Jim
jetharrs@pacific.telebyte.net on sun 13 apr 97
This was my first NCECA conference. What an experience. I felt like I had
just walked into a smorgesboard and wanted to be everywhere at once.
(Too bad I couldn't have cloned myself just for the four days and gone
everywhere, returned to my digs at night to reunite and discuss with myself
everything I saw. )
Every panel and break-out I went to was interesting. I did enjoy the
intimacy of the break-out discussions the most because of the give and take
of the format. Some of the discriptions of the panels were confusing and
sometimes even off-putting leaving you scratching your head trying to
understand just what they meant.
And I agree that the exhibits were great, too far flung, and poorly mapped.
What I did see I truly enjoyed and learned from. Looking at all those
cups in the sale was also a highlight. The CLAYART breakfast was
terrific--Definately a repeatable event for next year plus maybe another
get-together.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of the conference was meeting and talking
to other potters. What a friendly bunch we are! Conversations got started
with neighbors in panel discussions, at resting places in the hallways, in
exhibitions, resturants, hotels and buses. I met people from all over the
place.
As for Las Vegas--Feh! Everytime I go there I fell like I've landed in OZ.
I was struck by the irony of the conference and the setting.
(It's my understanding that one--just one casino floor in Las Vegas rakes
in, on average, about 3 million dollars per day. Why anyone would want to
plug in their hard-earned cash into a machine and get lights and
doodle-doodle-doodle bells in return in utterly out of my kin. The only
luck involved these days is if you happen to be standing in front of the
machine when it's computer clicks over to payout.
Too bad NCECA couldn't have wheeled in a slot machine or two onto the
fringe of a casino floor in order to rake in a few funding bucks. ; ) )
Karl David Knudson on sun 13 apr 97
On Sat, 12 Apr 1997, Vince Pitelka wrote:
> I do not know the dates, but 1998 is in Fort Worth, 1999 is in Columbus, and
> 2000 is in Denver or Boulder. I think 2001 is on Mars.
I thought that 2001 was on the moon with buses for the exhibits on
Jupiter. I know that 2010 is on Europa (where there's lots of places to
swim I hear). No news on the 3001 conference yet...
Karl in Eugene.
Laurie Force on sun 13 apr 97
Hello Clayart friends,
I want to add my comments on NCECA. This was my first venture and
I will definitely go again. So many viewpoints to consider, so much
information to absorb, so much wonderful clay to appreciate. The
exhibitions were in fact my favorite and I wished I could have seen even
more of them. I wished fervently that the tour buses had been scheduled
all week, even if for a slight additional fee! It was very difficult to
get a place on the buses and they only ran for one day. I did discover
the city buses and took advantage of them to catch a couple more shows.
My favorite presentation was the one on salt-glazing. My
professor would really like a copy of the research done by Wil Shynkaruk
at Utah State University--does anybody know if it's been published yet?
Or Wil's e-mail address?
I agree that listening to people read papers instead of talking to us
was a real yawn.
I did not appreciate Vegas and did not have transportation to the
desert. NCECA was plenty stimulating...the Strip on top of NCECA was
enough to put me on overload most of the time. And the smoke was
appalling. I noticed that NCECA will be in Fort Worth and then Denver, I
believe...is it always in cities? How about a ranch/resort(just for a
change)? Are there any big enough?
Despite any drawbacks, I am so glad I went. It was great to get a
broader perspective than is available in my small town.
Laurie in Grand Junction, CO
Suzanne Wolfe on sun 13 apr 97
I have just reread Vince's assessment of this year's NCECA conference, and
would like to respond to it. For the past number of years, I have been
very disappointed in the conference programs. NCECA represents a very
diverse group of individuals, and that being the case, the conferences
need to present a great variety of activities that will appeal to all
these audiences. Again, there were far too few panels. If our discipline
can be divided into theoritical, historical, and technical, shouldn't
there be at least one panel during each time slot that addressed each of
these areas? Shouldn't they be panels that challenged our ideas and
presumptions about our craft/art rather than fed us the pablum that we are
so used to consuming? How many glaze recipes do we need? Will they
really make our work better? Isn't there something deeper than that glaze
surface that we need to confront in our work? That the conference broke
attendance records has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the
presentations.
For me, one of the highlights of the conference is seeing the exhibitions,
and the Wednesday bus schedules were close to ridiculous. There were five
routes, and it was only possible to do two of them in the time alotted.
Not only that, there were not enough buses for each route to begin with.
The latter has been a consistent problem at NCECA for the past several
years, and definitely needs a solution -- be it more buses, more time
slots, paying extra for buses, whatever. But this conference took the
cake for great promises and poor delivery. In regards to the
exhibitions, I am a bit curious about the student show at UNLV, and the
two works that were housed in an upper section of the gallery. They were
not at all identified by artist, and seemed like am after thought. They
also dealt with sexually explicit subject matter. I do not understand
why they were up in that space, and why they were not even titled. Does
anyone have a clue about those pieces?
So many ceramics people complain about our craft not being taken
seriously, yet we persist in wanting to know how to hammer the nail, or
how to even choose the proper material for the nail (should it be
stainless or brass?), instead of asking what on earth we are making and
why? Where does what we make fit into our culture and our value system -
or how are we challenging those systems. My concern about NCECA has to do
with this reluctance to foster dialogue about who we are and what we think
we are doing. This is evident to me from the conference programs from the
last several years. We need more panels, more controvery, more dialogue,
less self-congratulation, and a lot more critical thinking.
As an aside, it would sure be nice to have a conference booklet where you
could see the day's activities at a glance. There is something to be said
for the format of the TV guide.
Suzanne Wolfe
Patrick & Lynn Hilferty on mon 14 apr 97
At 8:28 AM -0700 4/13/97, Suzanne Wolfe wrote, among other things:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>So many ceramics people complain about our craft not being taken
>seriously, yet we persist in wanting to know how to hammer the nail, or
>how to even choose the proper material for the nail (should it be
>stainless or brass?), instead of asking what on earth we are making and
>why? Where does what we make fit into our culture and our value system -
>or how are we challenging those systems. My concern about NCECA has to do
>with this reluctance to foster dialogue about who we are and what we think
>we are doing. This is evident to me from the conference programs from the
>last several years. We need more panels, more controvery, more dialogue,
>less self-congratulation, and a lot more critical thinking.
But, this would mean that "art" would have to be talked about (gasp!), and
that people involved in areas of ceramics would have to do the talking!
Patrick
**************************************************
Patrick Hilferty
Belmont, CA 94002
E-Mail: philferty@earthlink.net
Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~philferty/
**************************************************
PJLewing@aol.com on mon 14 apr 97
Well, I just had to get my 2 cents in on NCECA.
I was certainly glad to get away from the bad air-conditioning, the smoke,
the noise and the bad buffet food. But there were some real highlights.
Like virtually everyone else, I was only able to take in one bus trip, the
one to UNLV. When are they going to learn how to do those bus trips? Why
didn't a volunteer drive the route ahead of time, and ride the first bus of
the day? Why are the first 4 or 5 drivers trying to figure out where to
park? And why did they bring out the COLD RAIN? I was hoping to get away
from that! (oops, sorry, not their fault) Oh, well, it could have been
worse. Remember San Diego, where hundreds of people were stranded miles from
the hotel?
But the shows I did see were great. For me the highlights were the
salt-and-pepper shaker shows (one contemporary and the other a kitsch
collection), the platter show (one of the most impressive clay shows I've
seen in a long time), and a few pieces in the NCECA National, including
Eleanora Eden's delightful casserole, which was even nicer in person than it
was in CM. And Ron Roy's temmoku plate. It's rare to see a funcional pot in
that show, and this was a dandy. The glaze was (as we would expect) to die
for; it was simple and elegant, and I wanted to take it home and lick it.
Another highlight for me was meeting so many of my glaze heroes- Ron, Tony
Hansen, Richard Burkett, Rick Malmgren, and Pete Pinell. I almost (but not
quite) got enough glaze chemistry to last me a while. Thank God there are
others as obsessed as I.
The ^6 glaze panel was great. Pete Pinell in about 10 minutes gave a view of
that temperature that really put a lot of things in perspectives.
I haven't heard anyone else comment on the kitsch S&P shaker slide show.
Those people were having such fun! And the shakers were truly amazing.
Every year I hear criticisms of NCECA that, I think, come from a
misunderstanding of NCECA and how it operates. Often there isn't much there
for the studio potter who's making a living in clay. That's not what NCECA
is about. It's the National Council on Education in the Ceramic Arts. It's
for teachers. I thought last year's conference, which was all about
technology and artists working with industry was incredibly exciting, but a
lot of teachers complained there was nothing there of interest. That's why
there are always so many panels on Dialectical Alternatives to
Deconstructivist Aesthetics in a Multi-Cultural Curriculum Synopsis, or some
such.
And, remember, the main thing that determines where it's held is that there
is a teacher at some school that's willing to do it. It was not in Las Vegas
because that's the ideal place for a clay conference. It was there because
Mark Burns was willing to host it at UNLV.
The same applies to the facilities. It was, I heard, hard to find a hotel in
LV that would take a conference as SMALL as NCECA. You may say there should
have been more panels, but when all the rooms big enough for panels are
full......? It was inconvenient that the demos were up on the 26th floor,
but where else could they have been?
And, of course NCECA is always in a city. There just aren't too many
affordable rural resorts with rooms for 2000-3000 people, conference rooms,
restaurants, airport, show venues, etc.
Each conference is different, but one thing never changes. This is the best
bunch of people I've ever met. Here's an example. At the San Diego
conference, where there was almost no restaurant space, a friend and I stood
in line and were finally seated, 2 people at a 4-person table. We told the
waitress she could seat the next 2 NCECA people at our table. We didn't care
if we knew them or not. As we left, she said NCECA people had been doing
that all morning, and they had never seen that before with any other group.
The car dealers, or the computer people, or whatever, would sit there with 2
empty seats and look at a line of people waiting to sit down! That kind of
courtesy and friendliness comes so naturally to potters that we forget how
rare it is.
So I'll see y'all in Ft. Worth, where this old cowboy will fit in a lot
better than in Las Vegas.
Paul Lewing, Seattle
Michelle H. Lowe on tue 15 apr 97
> In regards to the
> exhibitions, I am a bit curious about the student show at UNLV, and the
> two works that were housed in an upper section of the gallery. They were
> not at all identified by artist, and seemed like am after thought. They
> also dealt with sexually explicit subject matter. I do not understand
> why they were up in that space, and why they were not even titled. Does
> anyone have a clue about those pieces?
When we went through that exhibit, there were post-it notes on the
wall near each piece, identifying the name of the piece the artist and
both said Archie Bray Foundation.
We got a good laugh out of that one and wondered if they were the
"black sheep" of the exhibitions...
Michelle Lowe, potter in the Phoenix desert \|/ |
mishlowe@indirect.com -O- | |
mishlowe@aztec.asu.edu /|\ | | |
|_|_|
http://www.amug.org/~mishlowe ____ |
-\ /-----|-----
( )
<__>
ret on tue 15 apr 97
I've been reading the excellent NCECA reports with great interest, not
only because I could not be there, but also from the point of view of
somebody who is a
bit involved in setting up our own International Ceramics Symposium,
Fireworks, for May 1998.
What I seem to gather from all comments is that Bigger is not necesssarily
Better. We, up here, have been trying to get more potters to attend. Maybe
we should keep what we have as long as it is financially self-supporting.
We have world-class demonstrators and lecturers (Rudy Autio, Don Reitz,
Steve Heineman, Les Manning, Nina Hole, Ron Roy, etc to name just a few,
and for
next year have lined up Jun Kuneko and Warren Mackenzie-about as
extreme as one can go and be working in clay. (I believe that is
finalized) We also have relatively "not-yet-quite-emerged" artists.
In the past, this has been a very intimate series of workshops with the
opportunity to talk privately with the lecturers or hand-on presenters.
One felt privileged to have that chance.
We have about 120-140 registrations, barely enough to make a go of it. Do
you NCECA attendees think this kind of symposium would tempt you to
attend? We have panel discussions, lots of demonstrations, very few
lectures. Last year, a very interesting lecture on ceramic toxicology was
far too short. We ran out of time at the question period.
It may repeated/continued next year because of all the interest it
generated.
We are arranging billeting for anybody who needs it,to cut
down on the expense.
I believe there is a web page in the making (missed a few committee
meetings) and I will keep you posted if nobody else does.
ELKE BLODGETT email: eiblodge@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
12 Grantham Place
St. Albert, AB T8N 0W8
403 (458-3445); 403 (727-2395)
Cheryl L Litman on tue 15 apr 97
Since NCECA is about education I'd like to see all the pieces on exhibit
in every gallery have more than just the name of the artist, the title of
the piece and the word clay (duh!!!). How about a short statement about
the piece, the artist and the technique. Educate us!
I've only been to the last four conferences and this one lacked the
balance between functional/sculptural and wheel/handbuilding. There were
fewer activities altogether. The descriptions in the booklet many times
don't adequately reflect the content. I really loved all the previous
NCECA's except this one.
Linda McNary on tue 15 apr 97
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Well, I just had to get my 2 cents in on NCECA... from Paul Lewing, Seattle
Thank you Paul! I've been reading with great interest all the reactions to
NCECA and so far I appreciate your perspective most by a landslide. I'm
from Minneapolis and two years ago was my first NCECA. Because of job
commitments I could afford very little time to attend the actual conference
but I do know what a tremendous output in energy and time went into the
planning and execution of that event! And nothing ever goes as everyone
would like. But I, for one, had the time of my life in Las Vegas, playing
with and learning from great people and experiencing great events! My only
frustration was that it happened that all of my top choice events fell at
the same time, but that's life, I still had a great time! And hats off to
everyone-Minerva, Regina, Mark Burns, etc etc etc- who worked so hard to
give us a really great conference!!
Lisa or Ginny on tue 15 apr 97
Craig Fent wrote:
> So, next year, don't worry about where it is if you really want to go.
Craig: It wasn't the location that bothered me, it was the reports of the
outlandish behaviour, which I now understand to be "traditional" at
NCECA.
I imagine that it will cost a good bit to go to an NCECA, and I don't
want that money wasted. I'm not a stick-in-the-mud by any means; if I
had been at Vegas, I'd have spent some time at the Blackjack and Roulette
tables, but only after the conference was finished for the day, or during
sessions I wasn't interested in.
I am looking forward to meeting Clayart people, so I WILL eventually get
to NCECA!
--
Lisa Skeen
Living Tree Pottery
Greensboro, NC
YesIAmRU?
Email: lpskeen@nr.infi.net
Lisa or Ginny on tue 15 apr 97
Mark Richard Leach wrote:I am also a curator and now, as a representative
of the Mint Museum of Art, I am working with NCECA to establish the NCECA
Ceramic Collection at the Mint.
> Mark Richard Leach
> Curator of Twentieth Century Art
> Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte
So, Mark,
When will NCECA be coming to Charlotte?????
--
Lisa Skeen
Living Tree Pottery
Greensboro, NC
YesIAmRU?
Email: lpskeen@nr.infi.net
Paul and C2 on tue 15 apr 97
About the buses for the NCECA exhibitions, why can't we have shows that are
closer to the conference hotel? Like within walking distance or within the
conference hotel???
Caroline Cheng in Hong Kong, where everything is within walking distance....
Carol Durnford on thu 17 apr 97
I enjoyed myself during the one day that I attended which was
Thursday. I chose to go for one day only because it was cheaper than buying
tickets for $270 for me and my wife. She is not a ceramicist but an
assistant director of financial aid at this university and is not rabid
about ceramics other than she has good taste and enjoys the shows. She
found it disapponting that would have had to buy a full ticket because when
I go her conferences, I do most anything for a nominal extra charge which
includes meals and sometimes they have special things planned for spouses.
Yes, gang, her conferences are cheaper than ours and include meals. In
fact, they encourage people to bring their entire families.
Since it was our first vacation in five years, we drove around the
city and went to the Liberace Museum. What a kick.... Also found a place
to buy orchids. I brought home five despite that fact that it was freezing
COLD. We stayed at the Sahara for $45.00 a night and enjoyed walking to
almost every casino, and hotel, watched the outdoor shows of the Mirage and
Treasure Island and the overhead show on Fremont Street.
We enjoyed touring the free shows on Wednesday and enjoyed the Latin
American paintings of the Virgin de Guadeloupe which I just studied in Latin
American Art History. Since I am particularly interested in different
primitive approaches to art the other displays about the local native
americans were great. My only regret was that I couldn't visit Tom
Coleman's studio as I've admired his work for a long time.
On Thursday, we both circulated through the commercial, and
non-commercial exhibits. Was happy to see Yoshi Ikeda a former instructor
from Kansas State, and had a great group session with Steve Branfman about
his group studio experiences. I gleaned a few things from the ^6 glaze
talks - but mainly wanted to see if there was anything new with Lana
Wilson's glazes as I've been experimenting with them for sculptural work as
well as using glaze underglaze combinations in once fired techniques. I
also them in combinations with the Funky glazes Ralph posted on here a year
ago. I've had great results and will e-mail him personally.
No matter what people say about Las Vegas, I found it fascinating,
though I think it could be a little distracting for bitten by the gambling
virus. It is an American phenomenon and frankly part of the reason I went
is because in all of my travels I hadn't been there yet and I gleaned a lot
of interesting visual messages.
Dave Durnford
Box 2145
Missoula, MT 59806
durnford@selway.umt.edu
millie carpenter on thu 17 apr 97
To the clayart people who were able to go to NCECA from one who wasn't.
I have been eagerly awaiting the postings from you with the wonderful
insights that you gained, the discriptions of the demonstration of new
tecniques learned at the workshops, the new products, pearls of wisdom
gleaned in the lobby or at lunch durring casual conversation, the
discription of the one piece of work that set your soul singing....
by and large all I have heard is that LV is plastic and glitzy,
everything was spread out and there weren't enough buses, the desert is
beautiful, and theft is omni-present and devestating. (streaking is
optional)
Now that you have had time to catch up on your sleep, get over jet lag,
and skim the weeks' worth of mail, please describe the neat things you
saw (even in artspeak/psycho-babble) and learned.
Millie in Maryland where I am still as green with envy as the new spring
grass.
mcarpent@mail.bcpl.lib.md.us
Marget and Peter Lippincott on fri 18 apr 97
Folks:
Next year in Fort Worth Paul Soldner has promised me that he will turn
over a new leaf and debut his newfound interest in songwriting instead
of . . . He will be exposing his new ditty in public, but perhaps not
for the first time.
Peter Lippincott
The Mudpuppy in Arkansas
Eleanora Eden on sat 19 apr 97
Hi All,
I agree 100% with Vince's impressions of Las Vegas and of the
scatteredness and wierdness of the conference setting. While I don7t wish
aliens would destroy the place I did flee into the desert for afew days
camping at the end to cleanse myself.
Actually I only decided to attend because a great clay artist and Berkeley
comrade Maija Williams agreed to come meet me and take me camping in the
Mojave afterwards. Maija has been doing her one-of-a-kind coil-built
sculptures at the Potter's Studio in Berkeley for many years and now
manages the place. Her work is currently exhibited @ ACCI gallery in
Berkeley, both cone 10 sculpture and raku wall-pieces.
Maija has been travelling around southwest for many years and knows the
plants and rocks...we were parked where some dried mud had cracked and she
got a spoon and container and carefully took only top layer to try as a
glaze...I had hoped to see her do it...she would have these fascinating
glazes and I'd ask what it was and she'd say something like 'oh that's
route 58 east of Barstow'....pretty cool.
More later....
Eleanora
Eleanora Eden 802 869-2003
Paradise Hill
Bellows Falls, VT 05101 eden@maple.sover.net
[the address fga@world.std.com is temporary. My mailbox at
eden@maple.sover.net still works -- do not change address books]
Mark Issenberg on tue 27 jan 98
Well I finally met Mel aka Melvin. The one thing I can truly say about
Mel is that he really loves to teach.He threw gobs of pots,T pots
,covered jars and every type of lid you could think of and more. He
started Fri and I think he is still throwing. I left Sun afternoon and he
was cranking out pots. Mel also did a cratique (spelling) Sun morn and it
was enjoyed by all.
Any way Mel and I talked about the Clay Art room that Mel has set
up and we that it would be a great idea that if you cant come to Texas
send a picture and we ( I ) will put them up so every body will be there.
If any one was a better idea let me know. If you want to send a photo
tape on your
name, address, and E mail adress so it can be seen from the front.
My adress is Mark Issenberg
7780 S.W. 118 st.
Miami Fla 33156 USA
Mark in Miami
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Mark Issenberg on thu 12 feb 98
Howdy all , I am getting some photos of clayart members that cant be in
Texas. If you cant be there and would like be there in spirit send me a
photo with your E mail adress and any other info and it will be on
exhibit in Mel s Clay art room.
Mark Issenberg
7780 SW 118 St
Miami Fla 33156
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Barbara Lewis on sat 21 mar 98
Dear All: These messages about NCECA are killing me! For the first time in
five years I won't be able to go -- and to think if I had gone I would
finally know someone -- if only by electronic mail. Anyway, I've decided to
take a week-long mold-making workshop at the Torpedo Factory, Alexandria, Va
next week. I can't wait for everyone to get back and tell us all what a
good time they had. Next year for sure! Barbara
WellSpring ClayWorks
5412 Well Spring Road
La Plata, MD 20646
(301) 932-3915
Mel Jacobson on thu 2 apr 98
the very best part of the clayart room was the wonderful
gathering of real people.
in my view, the computer, email, and clayart is a vehicle
for learning about people and ideas, but the clayart room is
an opportunity to meet the real person.
i do know, without question, that i felt very good when
flight 408 of northwest airlines left dallas/fort worth, and that
i had done a tiny bit to bring this group of people together.
and the reality that no matter what city in the united states
i visit......i will have a friend there.
mel/mn
p.s. it takes me almost a third of a year to get through having coffee
each day from a different clayart mug.
now i have a john eden, ron roy, liz willoughby, a mishy, and on and on.
and don't let him fool you..tony bob is the second best potter
in the clennell household............................sheila bob sue is the
best.
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
Vince Pitelka on thu 2 apr 98
Many good reports on NCECA already. It was a wonderful conference, more so
because I didn't anticipate that it would be. Pre-conference publicity was
not all it could be. And many thought that after last years Las Vegas
blowout this would be a very sedate conference. All involved in NCECA do
such a heroic job putting on these conferences, and I am so grateful to
them. But I wish I had received more extensive prior information about all
the exhibitions, etc. Also, as someone else mentioned, all the problems
with P.A. systems, slide projectors, and other amenities were really
appalling. A few technical problems here and there are par for the course,
but this was ridiculous. This was of course the responsible of the company
contracted to provide such services.
Few complaints about the job the NCECA folks did, but I am baffled that the
opening awards and presentations included absolutely no mention of Beatrice
Wood's recent passing. Also, I was disturbed that the Potters for Peace
were excluded from the exhibition hall, apparently because they are selling
pottery (one of their major fundraisers). They were banished to the
neighboring outlet mall. Other non-profit exhibitors were selling
tee-shirts, books, and other things, and the commercial exhibitors were
selling everything imaginable, so I do not understand. Seems that there
were complaints last year about the extent of their display and their sales.
But I would think that there could have been a compromise, rather than
complete exclusion from the exhibit hall. This bothered me quite a bit.
I spent most of my time at the Craft Center table in the exhibition hall,
schmoozing with people, and I think you can all understand how great it was
for me to be able to finally relate some GOOD NEWS about prospects at the
Craft Center. I didn't see any of the sessions except for the lecture and
demonstration on "Bonfire Pottery in the Carribean", presented by my good
friend Tricia Fay. This was a fine presentation, and the two potters Tricia
brought up from Santa Lucia gave an amazing demonstration. They used the
native Santa Lucian clay, which is mostly montmorillonite and temper, and
doesn't follow the rules that clay normally has to follow. Tricia had to
get an act of congress to get this clay into the country. The Department of
Agriculture confiscated it, because "We already have clay in this country.
We don't need to import it." Finally the US Geologic Survey intervened in
the nick of time, bless their souls. The Santa Lucian potters handbuilt at
lightening speed with this clay - large charcoal stoves, planters, etc.,
with no waiting time for the wares to stiffen, no hair-dryer, no propane
torch. Wow.
The exhibitions were excellent. I saw less than half of them, but what I
saw was great. Among the best were "Ceramics USA" (thanks to Dannon Rhudy),
"Within The Borders", "Heroes and Icons", and all the shows at University of
Dallas, which included one on Juan Quezeda, one on Maria/Julian Martinez and
four generations of decendants, one on Harding Black, one on graduates of
the university, one on the finalists in the American Ceramic Society
competition, and a rather remarkable national K-12 show. The latter put
many MFA thesis shows to shame. University of Dallas is to be commended for
such an extensive effort.
The Clayart room was a delight. I did not spend nearly as much time there
as I would have liked, due to responsibilities elsewhere. We really owe Mel
a lot for organizing this. Next year in Columbus we must do the same, and
this time I hope Clayart attendees can all share the cost.
Went out for excellent Mexican food twice with Clayarters - unlimited
guacamole - ahhhh . . . . heaven. On Friday night went with a group of
Clayarters to Billy Bob's Texas, world's largest honky-tonk - acres and
acres under one roof. Group included Mel Jacobsen, Linda Blossom, Kevin
Caufield and his dear wife Amy, Mark Issenberg, David McBeth, Jan Walker. I
wish you all could have seen Mel dancing with Linda Blossom (and others),
doing his thing in the midst of legions of line-dancing Fort Worth rednecks.
We were all proud of him.
Had decent Texas dry-smoked pork-ribs at Billy Bob's. By some miracle,
every time I got up to use the boy's room or get more beer (maybe there's a
connection??), more ribs would appear on my plate. Offered a few to others,
but otherwise ate them all. Too good to pass up. Food was otherwise
nothing to celebrate, but the pork ribs were excellent. And they had
bull-riding. We're not talkin' mechanical bulls. They had REAL BULL
RIDING. Linda Blossom and Amy paid their two bucks to get into the arena
and watch young cowboys subjecting themselves to unimaginable trauma.
You can all look forward to a compromising photograph of Mel, Kevin
Caufield, Mark, David, and me at Billy Bob's. If Linda Blossom holds true
to her promise (threat?), it will appear in CM or in the NCECA journal.
Perhaps it will even find its way on-line. I mean, if one is going to make
a spectacle of oneself, why not go all the way?
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Linda Blossom on fri 3 apr 98
You bet I am going to send the photo of the cowboy potters to CM. But that
idea of putting it online is a great one. Anyone with a scanner that would
like to help???! You've got to see these guys on the bull!
Linda Blossom
2366 Slaterville Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850
6075397912
www.artscape.com
blossom@lightlink.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Vince Pitelka
To: Multiple recipients of list CLAYART
Date: Thursday, April 02, 1998 8:19 AM
Subject: NCECA
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Many good reports on NCECA already. It was a wonderful conference, more so
because I didn't anticipate that it would be. Pre-conference publicity was
not all it could be. And many thought that after last years Las Vegas
blowout this would be a very sedate conference. All involved in NCECA do
such a heroic job putting on these conferences, and I am so grateful to
them. But I wish I had received more extensive prior information about all
the exhibitions, etc. Also, as someone else mentioned, all the problems
with P.A. systems, slide projectors, and other amenities were really
appalling. A few technical problems here and there are par for the course,
but this was ridiculous. This was of course the responsible of the company
contracted to provide such services.
Few complaints about the job the NCECA folks did, but I am baffled that the
opening awards and presentations included absolutely no mention of Beatrice
Wood's recent passing. Also, I was disturbed that the Potters for Peace
were excluded from the exhibition hall, apparently because they are selling
pottery (one of their major fundraisers). They were banished to the
neighboring outlet mall. Other non-profit exhibitors were selling
tee-shirts, books, and other things, and the commercial exhibitors were
selling everything imaginable, so I do not understand. Seems that there
were complaints last year about the extent of their display and their sales.
But I would think that there could have been a compromise, rather than
complete exclusion from the exhibit hall. This bothered me quite a bit.
I spent most of my time at the Craft Center table in the exhibition hall,
schmoozing with people, and I think you can all understand how great it was
for me to be able to finally relate some GOOD NEWS about prospects at the
Craft Center. I didn't see any of the sessions except for the lecture and
demonstration on "Bonfire Pottery in the Carribean", presented by my good
friend Tricia Fay. This was a fine presentation, and the two potters Tricia
brought up from Santa Lucia gave an amazing demonstration. They used the
native Santa Lucian clay, which is mostly montmorillonite and temper, and
doesn't follow the rules that clay normally has to follow. Tricia had to
get an act of congress to get this clay into the country. The Department of
Agriculture confiscated it, because "We already have clay in this country.
We don't need to import it." Finally the US Geologic Survey intervened in
the nick of time, bless their souls. The Santa Lucian potters handbuilt at
lightening speed with this clay - large charcoal stoves, planters, etc.,
with no waiting time for the wares to stiffen, no hair-dryer, no propane
torch. Wow.
The exhibitions were excellent. I saw less than half of them, but what I
saw was great. Among the best were "Ceramics USA" (thanks to Dannon Rhudy),
"Within The Borders", "Heroes and Icons", and all the shows at University of
Dallas, which included one on Juan Quezeda, one on Maria/Julian Martinez and
four generations of decendants, one on Harding Black, one on graduates of
the university, one on the finalists in the American Ceramic Society
competition, and a rather remarkable national K-12 show. The latter put
many MFA thesis shows to shame. University of Dallas is to be commended for
such an extensive effort.
The Clayart room was a delight. I did not spend nearly as much time there
as I would have liked, due to responsibilities elsewhere. We really owe Mel
a lot for organizing this. Next year in Columbus we must do the same, and
this time I hope Clayart attendees can all share the cost.
Went out for excellent Mexican food twice with Clayarters - unlimited
guacamole - ahhhh . . . . heaven. On Friday night went with a group of
Clayarters to Billy Bob's Texas, world's largest honky-tonk - acres and
acres under one roof. Group included Mel Jacobsen, Linda Blossom, Kevin
Caufield and his dear wife Amy, Mark Issenberg, David McBeth, Jan Walker. I
wish you all could have seen Mel dancing with Linda Blossom (and others),
doing his thing in the midst of legions of line-dancing Fort Worth rednecks.
We were all proud of him.
Had decent Texas dry-smoked pork-ribs at Billy Bob's. By some miracle,
every time I got up to use the boy's room or get more beer (maybe there's a
connection??), more ribs would appear on my plate. Offered a few to others,
but otherwise ate them all. Too good to pass up. Food was otherwise
nothing to celebrate, but the pork ribs were excellent. And they had
bull-riding. We're not talkin' mechanical bulls. They had REAL BULL
RIDING. Linda Blossom and Amy paid their two bucks to get into the arena
and watch young cowboys subjecting themselves to unimaginable trauma.
You can all look forward to a compromising photograph of Mel, Kevin
Caufield, Mark, David, and me at Billy Bob's. If Linda Blossom holds true
to her promise (threat?), it will appear in CM or in the NCECA journal.
Perhaps it will even find its way on-line. I mean, if one is going to make
a spectacle of oneself, why not go all the way?
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Louis Katz on fri 3 apr 98
Thanks for your comments Vince. I will forward your concerns to the
board for the meeting in May. I will try to respond to your concerns the
best I can here.
>But I wish I had received more extensive prior information about all
the exhibitions, etc.
Me too. There were at least forty exhibitions. Most had no official
connection to NCECA. I would have liked some maps, but was glad that I
didn't have to make them. It would have been a lot of work. <
>Also, as someone else mentioned, all the problems
with P.A. systems, slide projectors, and other amenities were really
appalling. A few technical problems here and there are par for the
course,
but this was ridiculous. This was of course the responsible of the
company
contracted to provide such services.<
I could use the help of a few individuals to help make sure that slide
projectors are set up so that you can see the slides and that they are
working properly in Columbus. This is just to run around to a bunch or
rooms a couple of times each day (once early before the first session
starts) to make sure things are working correctly.
>Few complaints about the job the NCECA folks did, but I am baffled that
the
opening awards and presentations included absolutely no mention of
Beatrice
Wood's recent passing. <
This did not pass by the boards notice either. A short talk was given by
Garth Clark at the First Memeber Business Meeting.
>Also, I was disturbed that the Potters for Peace
were excluded from the exhibition hall, apparently because they are
selling
pottery (one of their major fundraisers). <
Last year we had some complaints from our commercial exhibitors (who pay
a hefty price for their spots) that the nonprofits were affecting their
business. We tried to clear this up with guidelines of what could and
could not be done with a nonprofit booth, but we apparently were not
clear enough or did not get the word out well enough.
My understanding of what took place, and I will know more in May is that
Potters for Peace was given some options, but that the commercial spots
were already taken, and they decided not to take a nonprofit spot within
the restricted sales policy we had set.
This is a sticky issue. The conference recieves much support from
commercial exhibitor. I am sure it will get significant attention at the
board meeting.
Thanks for your comments. I am looking forward to Columbus. NCECA has a
lot of resources to draw from for this conference and I think it will be
great.
Dan Hammet and others did a magnificent job, it was a great conference.
Louis
lkatz@falcon.tamucc.edu
Things to remember:
1. It is O.K. to nominate someone for a board position from the floor
2. Proposals for the next conference are due May 1
3. Emerging Talent Nominations are coming up
4. Breakout group proposals are due in the Fall
Don't forget to thank our list moderators every chance you get.
Thanks
OWL POTTER on fri 3 apr 98
A big thank you to all who went to NCECA and reported back to us unfortunates
who weren't able to attend this year.
It used to be my understanding that the conferences and workshops, etc were
geared towards the teaching profession and as a non-teaching, full time studio
potter, I had previously thought that NCECA had little to offer me. But, I am
seriously changing my mind and am planning to take in the conference next
year.
Carolynn Palmer, Somerset Center, Michigan
Craig Fulladosa on fri 3 apr 98
I am Craig Fulladosa, otherwise known as the Clayman on the internet.
I went to the NCECA conference recently and would like to know if anyone
is interested in receiving some of the digital pics I took with my new
Sony-Mavica camera?
Ciao!
Craig
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DIANA PANCIOLI, ASSOC. PROF. on sat 4 apr 98
A public thanks to Andrea who ran the slides and lights on Friday
afternoon at the Ramada. She did great!
Thanks,
Diana
Mark Issenberg on sat 4 apr 98
Well i am sitting here thinking about the incredible time i had in Texas.
I guess it started with eating those wonderfull juicy,big,gooey ,all you
could eat ribs at Riskys for $8.00 with Cara and Veronica.Downtown Forth
Worth was great, having lots of stuff to look at with in walking
distance.
I also enjoy beer and finding The Flying Saucer which had every
beer i could think of on tap was a plus.
The ceramic shows were super, and the Sid Richardson collection
of western art was my favorite. Sid had collected a lot of Remingtons and
Russells, plus there were some great saddles dripping with silver, i hope
other clay people went in there. The prints in all the rooms in the
Worthington were copys from the Sid Richardson collection.
Having the Clayart room was probably the high light of all and
having our own mug exchange was super. I got a Ron Roy mug. Thank-you
Kathleen for doing so much work and thank-you Mel, what a GREAT idea.
Some one showed me a pen that was done with bamboo, she had
broken a BIC and jammed the writing part into the open end of the bamboo
,so if you got a piece of the bamboo and didnt want to make a brush make
a pen
WOW sure had fun
Mark in Miami ashpots@juno.com
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jetharrs@pacific.telebyte.net on sat 4 apr 98
I've spent the week mulling over NCECA and my experience there--
I agree with most of the comments, but given the constraints of place and
human nature, I doubt if there will ever be a perfect conference. Doesn't
mean you have to quit trying, though.
I looked at so much stuff, tried to absorb so much data, I was in overload
by the time I climbed onto my plane. So, I retreated to my studio, tired
and happy, to glorious solitude to recover. And the Clayart Room--what can
I say besides, Thanks, Mel. Would have loved to have spent more time
there.
In retrospect, the Bank One was probably the most rewarding exhibit because
while we were there, we were encouraged to feel the pieces, c-a-r-e-fully
lift the lids and peer inside and tilt flat pieces for better photos.
Touch adds so much information to the understanding of a piece! (as
opposed to a few of the other displays we saw---a-hem)
I so much apprecieated the fact that the buses covered all the displays, as
opposed to the Las Vegas roulette bus routes. bah da bam
The Mexican work on display in the library was another winner.
Unfortunately, we could find very little information about it.
Which brings up another thing--I thought Wendy Rosen's condensed marketing
meeting was helpful--at least it was from my standpoint. It's nice to be
able to be a tenured professor of ceramics with that tidy check coming in
every month and a studio facility to work in. (tone note here--this is
meant to be a gentle comment, guys--not flame bait) But, for the rest of
us who would like to see a little profit--especially after taking a quick
look at my income tax figures--a lot of her perspective from the business
side gave a bit more balance to the picture. Some of it was relevant to my
situation, some of it wasn't. That's the whole idea, though, to create a
forum for ideas to flow, then pick your own track to follow.
Which brings up yet another thing in my stream-of-ideas semi-rant here:
While in one exhibit, we were talking to a couple of non-artists who were
very upset that they couldn't find anybody who could tell them about works
for sale. And they really wanted to buy a couple of pieces.
Unfortunately, we couldn't help them either. If there had been a price
list, a person who could have at least taken the names of prospective
buyers, or someone who could be a contact person, those artists might have
made a sale and found a future collector of their work. Marketing isn't a
bad word.
Back to the studio
Jeanette in Poulsbo WA
Vince Pitelka on sat 4 apr 98
>It used to be my understanding that the conferences and workshops, etc were
>geared towards the teaching profession and as a non-teaching, full time studio
>potter, I had previously thought that NCECA had little to offer me. But, I am
>seriously changing my mind and am planning to take in the conference next
>year.
As an academic who attends NCECA religiously, I would have to say that the
conference is a WHOLE LOT more interesting as a result of all the
non-academics who attend and participate. Education, as in the National
Council on Education in the Ceramic Arts, does not have to imply academic
affiliation. Education is what moves us forward, in our private studios, in
our cooperative ventures, in our municipal art centers, etc. Vocation or
avocation, if you love clay, you belong at NCECA.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
sandra m benscoter on sun 5 apr 98
Hi Jeanette!
You must have lucked out!!! When I gently lifted a tea pot lid at the
Bank One exhibit, I was sternly told not to touch the work!!!! Later, I
overheard her reprimanding several other people for touching work, also.
I can understand their point: not everyone attending the exhibit may be
as careful as you and I may be.
Sande
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Cheryl L Litman on sun 5 apr 98
The topical discussion on teaching outside of academia was attended by
about 30 people most of whom stayed for the hour and a half so I guess
they got something valuable from the discussion. My original intent was
for those of us teaching from home studios or small rental spaces to
discuss problems and solutions. Instead we spent most of the time on
large scale operations. Some of the same problems and a whole lot of
new ones as well. I didn't take notes so I can only hope I remember the
most important points which were made. So in no particular order...
*Host parties in your studio - birthday parties where they make whatever
and decorate with slip. You bisque and clear glaze and then the customer
picks up later. Another person invites professionals in for meet the
artist parties and has work for sale.
*Host workshops to bring in extra money
*Small scale studios need lots of extra storage space for student work.
Also most students want at least one extra time slot of open studio time
for practice.
*Some people have an all inclusive price but most charge extra for clay
(some give the first bag free), most charge extra for firings, some
include "x" amount of clay firing for free. Fees are usually charged on
a cubic inch per firing basis but a few charge per pound of bone dry
weight. One person allows people to take a formal class up to three
times before they need to purchase space by "contract". She has various
contracts available - 20 hours in 3 months, 30 hours in three month, etc.
Prices for classes varied widely according to the region and I didn't
write down numbers.
*Some provide tools and some have the students purchase a tool kit - less
lost tools this way.
*In a large scale operation additional staff is needed to make glazes,
handle the kilns and perhaps even to keep track of paperwork. Some hire
high school students, some their own students, some offer discounts and
trade services for classes although one person cautioned that this could
lead to problems if the scope and quality of the work isn't agreed upon
by both parties.
*One person attracts new students by going through the local
community/adult education program.
*girl scout ceramics badges are popular
I wish I had written more down but this is all I remember.
Cheryl Litman
Somerset, NJ
email: cheryllitman@juno.com
_____________________________________________________________________
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Timothy Dean Malm on sun 5 apr 98
My clayart friend Paul Lewing who is usually my NCECA roommate dropped by
for a visit yesterday and told me how enjoyable the Clayart room was at
NCECA. It sounds to me like the conference this year was really worth
being at.Paul told me there was a lot of walking between locations for
events which would have been very challenging for me. Yesterday, I
achieved one of my Spring goals, to walk around the block I live on
without stopping. It took me about twenty minutes to do but it did get
done. I felt a great sense of achievement.Considering that as recently as
October,I couldn't even stand up without assistance.I trust that by next
year I'll be back to NCECA.
Sincerely,Tim Malm
marg on fri 10 apr 98
Hello to the list,
To all those who attended the Clayart room at NCECA, I am sorry I didn't
get to attend the big gettogether. I did, however, drop by a mug (the
majolica one with the fishes). Whoever got it, enjoy. I did get a plate
from David Hendley with the signature "c sir 97". Can I ask who this is?
As for the conference, I believe it to be the best organized I have
attended. Yes, there were the techno-gliches (as usual), but they were
addressed. And the distance between hotels interfered with participation
in some cases. But, I believe each year improvements are implemented as
a result of "learning from our mistakes". So kudos to all who did the
organizing and participating!
From a lurker to the list
Marg (in Baton Rouge)
Craig Fulladosa on tue 14 apr 98
I am very busy with work right now , teaching high schhool ceramics, but
I am still planning on sending photos of nceca show to all interested
individuals. I prefer to use email at clayman@qnet.com or
craigfull@earthlink.net. I have over 200 pics of local shows and
exhibits.I shot the Dallas Bus Tour on Sat. and the Nuestra Tierra, Bank
One, and the Modern Show.Plus a few wild cups at the cup sale.
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Janet Harper on fri 18 dec 98
Are you going to NCECA in March? I have never been but am wondering if I am
missing something by not going. Is it mainly for educators or would it be
interesting to a studio potter? I would be interested in any input you might
have. Thanks!
Janet
Lee Marshall on sat 19 dec 98
I went to the NCECA conference in Vegas. It was summer camp for adults who
happen to be potters. The gods talk to you! (ie soldner, reich, pipenburg,etc
etc) You are soaked in clay for 4 days. From clayart breakfasts to late
evenings in the bars. The NCECA sponsored programs are just the excuse for all
the other great thing that happen. And the NCECA sponsored programs are
wonderful! GO! GO! GO! you will be inspired for years.
Lee marshall
lmarsh1220@aol.com
Louis Katz on sat 19 dec 98
Hi Janet,
I am on the board of NCECA, and I am hoping that someone else will also answer.
NCECA is a great conference for everyone interested in clay. Many of my students
who have attended have enjoyed it thoroughly even though the majority of their
work is in other media.
I hope you visit our site on the web. There is a program, and other information.
Our URL is http://nceca.net
Louis
Janet Harper wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Are you going to NCECA in March? I have never been but am wondering if I am
> missing something by not going. Is it mainly for educators or would it be
> interesting to a studio potter? I would be interested in any input you might
> have. Thanks!
> Janet
--
Louis Katz
lkatz@falcon.tamucc.edu
NCECA Director At Large
Texas A&M-CC Division of Visual and Performing Arts Webmaster (512) 994-5987
Vince Pitelka on sat 19 dec 98
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Are you going to NCECA in March? I have never been but am wondering if I am
>missing something by not going. Is it mainly for educators or would it be
>interesting to a studio potter? I would be interested in any input you might
>have. Thanks!
NCECA has changed a lot over the years, in very positive ways. It used to
be almost entirely for academics, but thankfully the national and
international communities of studio pottes have become more involved. I
have spoken to many independent studio artists who have attended NCECA, and
uniformly they comment on what an incredible experience it is, charged with
valuable information and aesthetic inspiration. I cannot imagine another
forum where you can meet so many like-minded people, examine (and often
sample) commercial products, watch demonstrations, attend a multitude of
lectures and panel discussions. The four days at NCECA are always packed
with productive activity. When I return to the studio and classroom I
always feel like I have been away for two weeks.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
mel jacobson on sun 20 dec 98
if you do not go to nceca you cannot hang out in the clayart
room...meet great friends, exchange a mug....talk to nils, vince, ron roy,
dannon and about 200 other clayarters an hour.
you will not be able to listen to feriz delkic` go on about firing
or taste
alice's cooking (she is doing a reception for all of us.)
you will not be able to step next door and meet howard axner in his
hospitality room ( he has decided to get in on the action of getting
folks together. (he is truely a nice guy))
i am sure that ruth butler and bill jones from cm will join us.
and many other surprises.
mel./ mn
the clayart room, a place for `all` people to gather, meet, and smile
alot. (p.s. there will be a great deal of `loud talk, and laughing`.
as it should be.
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
Rick Sherman on mon 21 dec 98
>----------------------------Original message----------------------
>Are you going to NCECA in March? I have never been but am wondering if I am mi
--------------------------
It is one of the best deals you can get for the cost. Great programs
and demonstration, lots of vendors to meet, good ideas floating around,
wonderful exhibitis, the Glaze and Clay Doctors, a tour of the town,
the chance to try out new restaurants, and - above all - the opportunty
to meet other Clayarters! You will find out what we REALLY like.
[exept for mel. he uses a double.]
Rick Sherman
San Jose, CA USofA
sherman@ricochet.net
Geoff Walker on mon 21 dec 98
Mel!
We can't all travel half way around the world for these events. This
list is an international forum, you know. (Hugs .........)
I KNOW you will all have a wonderful time, and although not envious (did
I say THAT!!!???), there are many of us who look forward to hearing some
snippets from you and our other clay mates.
To ALL on the list .... My wish is for each and every one of you to
enjoy the delights of a peaceful, loving Christmas ... and may '99 bring
a stir of DRIVEN (com)PASSION in EVERYTHING you do. Think only GOOD of
others ...
.... with clay's magic,
Geoff.
http://www.cronulla-pot.com.au
Cynthia Spencer on tue 22 dec 98
I say ditto to all the glowing comments about NCECA. It's a bit of a good
old fashioned big tent clay REVIVAL, where one goes home feeling like
CLAY WILL SAVE THE WORLD!
My one teensy weensy (possibly a chip on my shoulder) bristle with NCECA
is the many times one gets asked, "where did you study" as the
conversation opener. As one who doesn't have a pedigree, it can be
embarrassing. I know that this is to lend context to the types of work I
might possibly be making due to with whom I have studied. And, I'm a big
enough girl to feel good about where I am in my clay career, but after
being asked the umpteenth time . . . Maybe a better opening line is
"What cone?, or How do you fire?"
By all means, GO and ENJOY!!!
Cynthia
------------------------
cynthia.spencer@cmug.com
541-753-4606
Corvallis, OR
Dannon Rhudy on wed 23 dec 98
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I say ditto to all the glowing comments about NCECA. It's a bit of a good
>old fashioned big tent clay REVIVAL,......
>is the many times one gets asked, "where did you study" .....
...................
It should NOT be embarrassing - there are many self-taught potters/ceramists/
artists/whatever. MANY. Perfectly good company to be in.
But people won't change what they
ask, so think of an answer that makes you more comfortable.
Say you're home-schooled.
Say you're self-taught, like Richard Aerni.
Say you are from a four-generation family of potters.
(They don't need to know that you're the FIRST of the
expected four generations....).
Be inventive. Most of all, be comfortable and unintimidated.
Dannon Rhudy
potter@koyote.com
Sam Cuttell on wed 23 dec 98
Cynthia Spencer wrote:
> My one teensy weensy (possibly a chip on my shoulder) bristle with NCECA
> is the many times one gets asked, "where did you study" as the
> conversation opener. As one who doesn't have a pedigree, it can be
> embarrassing.
My standard answer to that one is UHK (university of hard knocks). You
should see the looks on their faces as they try unravel that one (hehehehe).
I am planning on attending NCECA just to visit the clayart room and all the
vendors. To me, the vendors (other than the people one meets) are the best
part. Good, solid information; and the opportunity to grab a passing body
and ask "have you used so and so's product? how does it compare to brand
X". I did this in Vegas, and when I got home, bought a Bailey slab roller
based on the vendors knowledge as well as the glowing, positive, unbiased
thoughts of those wandering through.
I'll (hopefully) see you in mel's room :-)
sam - alias the cat lady
Melbourne, Ontario
SW Ontario CANADA
http://www.geocities.com/paris/3110
scuttell@odyssey.on.ca
"Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods.
Cats have never forgotten this."
Paul Lewing on fri 25 dec 98
Dannon Rhudy wrote:
>
> Say you're home-schooled.
>
> Say you're self-taught, like Richard Aerni.
>
> Say you are from a four-generation family of potters.
> (They don't need to know that you're the FIRST of the
> expected four generations....).
>
Or tell them you're autodidactic, so you didn't need a teacher like
they did. And just to save you looking it up, autodidactic means
self-taught. But you knew that -you're an autodidact!
Merry, merry!
Paul Lewing in Seattle, sho should be visiting family in Montana, but
instead is sitting home with a walking cast on his foot- bone spurs on
the heel. Bummer!
Hawkdancing on wed 10 mar 99
Hi,
Just realized I won't be that far from Columbus on 3/18. Where can I
find out (website/phone# ) what is happening at NCECA on a specific day and
can I attend for just that day?
thanks
Nels
**********************************************************
Drums, Goddess Figures, Porcelain sculpture, and more at:
http://hawkdancing.com/Homepage/hawkhom1.htm
**********************************************************
Join SpiritArt http://hawkdancing.com/spiritart.html
Kip Whelan on thu 11 mar 99
This months issue of Ceramic Monthly has done an excellent job of covering
the conference. It is in the back of the issue. Describes each days
activities, what the galleries are showing and maps of where the galleries
are located. Hope Ceramics Monthly does this every year.
> ----------
> From: Hawkdancing[SMTP:hawkdanc@spacestar.net]
> Reply To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 8:19 AM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Subject: NCECA
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi,
> Just realized I won't be that far from Columbus on 3/18. Where can I
> find out (website/phone# ) what is happening at NCECA on a specific day
> and
> can I attend for just that day?
>
> thanks
> Nels
> **********************************************************
> Drums, Goddess Figures, Porcelain sculpture, and more at:
> http://hawkdancing.com/Homepage/hawkhom1.htm
> **********************************************************
> Join SpiritArt http://hawkdancing.com/spiritart.html
>
Morgan Britt on fri 12 mar 99
Can anyone fill us in? Just wondering when the Clayart room will be
open and exactly where. We're coming in Tuesday evening and would like
to come on over.
Thanks,
Morgan
--
Morgan Britt
morgan@unlimited.net
Karen Gringhuis on fri 12 mar 99
Read the back pages of ceramics monthly for March.
mel jacobson on mon 22 mar 99
what is clayart?
in many ways i found a great deal about clayart at nceca.
it is a woman that lives on a mountain in alabama........makes her
living with clay........she is a potter.
no mfa
no pedigree
a potter.
she found many friends at nceca, in the clayart room. she came alone.
went home not alone........ever again.
she belonged.
many people found warm friends.
they all belonged.
good men and women that love craft.
love skill.
want to get better at what they love to do.
they cannot wait for 2000.
denver.
and more and more friends to be a part of being
clay people....
no stars
just clay people.
well, one star.
she comes from alabama.
would not trade her for peter v., not even if you added two draft choices.
mel.mn
and that wonderful belgian from wisconsin is a star.
ate his chocolate. hugged carla.
alice fed us til we popped.
and i only had one martini.
(well, maybe two.) keith from ohio is my new `best friend`.
and we so missed nils.
but, he had other things that needed attention.
and the over one hundred mugs on one table was all of us..............just
all of us.
what diversity. no good ones, no bad ones, just us.
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
Joyce Lee on thu 8 jul 99
I don't want to sound priggish nor to offend any of us who speak of
NCECA as just that, NCECA. However, we might not feel the need to more
or less apologize for the fact that NCECA seems to have an "educational"
emphasis if we but stopped to recall what the initials NCECA stand for:
National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts
Works for me. I, for one, am pleased that the Council serves the studio
potter to the extent that it does. Makes me happy.
Joyce
In the Mojave ready to phone clayarter, Valice, who is visiting in the
Mojave and is going to come out so that we can meet... wish the studio
were clean ... wish we'd had a little breather between our non-stop
company the past few weeks so there'd be something wonderful to eat left
in my cupboards. Wish I had more time ... Glad that Sylvia and troop
are coming to help me shovel the house out, and once again pass any
Board of Health inspections that may be looming ....
Joyce Lee on wed 11 aug 99
Jeri,
I love NCECA. The one time I attended I ranked below the minus level in
clay understanding. I still learned so much, and adored the aura of
enthusiasm that was everywhere! I think I fell in love with potters
there in Vegas, before I even understood that my true love was clay. And
we didn't even have a clayart room. That's how I became the world's
oldest potter groupie. If all goes well, my plans are in process now for
going to Denver for the whole week. I certainly hope to see you there.
Joyce
In the Mojave actually wordless, for once, at the response to my
"whininess" post. What a clever group is lurking out there! Come on in.
We'll love you. Your vignettes were great.
Louis H.. Katz on sun 19 sep 99
Dear Clayarters,
Due to a change in our server architecture if you had any internal links
in the NCECA website they probably do not work. The main page of NCECA
remains unchanged, http://nceca.net.
Louis
Kit Shannon on wed 24 nov 99
Can someone tell me what is the schedule for NCECA.
I'm making my travel plans now, and I'm not sure what
days would be good to travel down.
I've never been before so I'm not sure if it would be good
to arrive a few days earlier or what.
any suggestions and advice would be great.
Thanks
Kit
carri dolan on thu 25 nov 99
we got there the day before last yr...it was really
nice to kind of get settled before the total immersion
into the world of clay...There is a ton of stuff to do
in Colorado. you wont be bored
--- Kit Shannon wrote:
> ----------------------------Original
> message----------------------------
> Can someone tell me what is the schedule for NCECA.
> I'm making my travel plans now, and I'm not sure
> what
> days would be good to travel down.
> I've never been before so I'm not sure if it would
> be good
> to arrive a few days earlier or what.
> any suggestions and advice would be great.
>
> Thanks
> Kit
>
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Marcia Selsor on thu 25 nov 99
NCECA dates are March 22-25. It is good to be there on Wed. because
there are usually shuttle buses to all the exhibitions in town. The
program starts Wed. evening. There is always too much going on at the
same time.
Sat afternoon it ends. Many stay over for Sat. night because of plane
ticket prices.
Marcia Selsor
in Billings, Montana
Kit Shannon wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Can someone tell me what is the schedule for NCECA.
> I'm making my travel plans now, and I'm not sure what
> days would be good to travel down.
> I've never been before so I'm not sure if it would be good
> to arrive a few days earlier or what.
> any suggestions and advice would be great.
>
> Thanks
> Kit
--
Marcia Selsor
selsor@imt.net
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/spain99.html
http://www.silverhawk.com/ex99/selsor/welcome.html
Gayle Bair on sat 27 nov 99
dear Kit,
If you have transportation I would highly recommend going a
few days early. There are numerous fabulous places to visit
on the front range on CO all within hours (or less) of Denver.
If you are interested in doing this let me know and I will give you
some ideas.
Gayle Bair
gaylebair@earthlink.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU]On Behalf Of
Kit Shannon
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 1999 6:02 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Subject: NCECA
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Can someone tell me what is the schedule for NCECA.
I'm making my travel plans now, and I'm not sure what
days would be good to travel down.
I've never been before so I'm not sure if it would be good
to arrive a few days earlier or what.
any suggestions and advice would be great.
Thanks
Kit
Cindy Strnad on sun 28 nov 99
Hello, All
I'm interested in attending NCECA, and would like to share a room with as
many other ladies as the hotel will allow (four, I expect), as I'm cheap.
It would need to be a non-smoking room. I live in SD, and will drive,
so I can provide a little bit of transportation around town but not much, as
I have a mini-truck suitable for three (small people) at most. Of course, we
can make two trips. If you are (or think you may be) interested, e-mail me
at earthenv@gwtc.net . Also, any local potter who might like to ride out
together would be welcome.
Thanks,
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
Custer, SD
Liz Willoughby on mon 29 nov 99
Well, the rush is beginning about NCECA. I can feel it. Haven't been
to Denver since I was four years old, and unbelievable as it might
sound I still remember very much about that time and place in my life.
So, I want to congratulate Rodger Lang who has provided such a
wonderful map of central Denver, on the NCECA WEB SITE.
http://www.nceca.net On the map, are lots of hotels in the central
core area, around the conference hotel Adam's Mark, looks like a nice
area. Galleries, shops, and lots of restaurants close by.
So does any body out there really know what that downtown core area
is like, i.e., is it a fairly safe city to walk around in? Looks like
it is, but just curious. Seems like so many cities have very
concentrated areas of slums because, . . . everyone has moved to the
suburbs, and of course that is usually where all the malls are. Just
curious. You can't really see everything on a map.
Liz
Liz Willoughby
R.R. #1
2903 Shelter Valley Rd.
Grafton, Ontario
K0k 2G0
Canada
e-mail, lizwill@phc.igs.net
Cindy Strnad on tue 30 nov 99
Liz,
The downtown core of Denver is very nice, in my opinion, but I wouldn't
likely know if I *was* in danger. You're not likely to be walking around
alone, at any rate. Not with all the CLAYART people there. :)
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
Custer, SD
Andi Cody on tue 30 nov 99
Although I haven't walked around downtown Denver extensively for a few
years, I grew up in Denver and still visit family there. I'm sure, like
all large cities, there are areas that you might want to avoid, and others
where therea re no problems. The 16th Street Mall was the "main drag" of
downtown when I lived there in the 70s and is now set up as a strictly
pedestrian thoroughfare. Larimer Square and the lower downtown area (LoDo)
are also great places to check out, great revitalization of a former slum,
lots of shops and small businesses. Be sure to check out the (many)
microbreweries, Rock Bottom, Breckenridge, Tabernash, and others whose
names I can't remember.
Andi in San Diego (wish I could go to NCECA too)...
At 02:51 PM 11/29/1999 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Well, the rush is beginning about NCECA. I can feel it. Haven't been
>to Denver since I was four years old, and unbelievable as it might
>sound I still remember very much about that time and place in my life.
>
>So, I want to congratulate Rodger Lang who has provided such a
>wonderful map of central Denver, on the NCECA WEB SITE.
>http://www.nceca.net On the map, are lots of hotels in the central
>core area, around the conference hotel Adam's Mark, looks like a nice
>area. Galleries, shops, and lots of restaurants close by.
>
>So does any body out there really know what that downtown core area
>is like, i.e., is it a fairly safe city to walk ar |
