keramos

MudFire Gallery welcomes "keramos" - a showing of new works by three long-time friends who have shared a love of clay for decades. Atlanta artists Margaret Patterson, Eloise Hally, and Bill Buckner bring us a collection of finely-crafted objects that are alternately whimsical and sublime, often eminently functional and sometimes tauntingly not. Beginning with an opening night celebration on Thursday July 15 from 6-10pm, the exhibit and sale continues through August 14, 2004.

Eloise Hally

This is my exit show from the two-year Callanwolde Pottery Assistantship Program. I came to Callanwolde ten years ago to devote myself to exploring clay. I loved the wheel and could have been happy with leather-hard pots forever. But eventually, reduction firing in the gas kiln became an exciting part of the process and the ancient Shino glaze captured my imagination. Probably half the pots in the show are glazed in Shino, many with brushwork. Shino can look different each firing, and part of the fun has been experimenting with the glazing, placement in the kiln, and variations in the timing of body reduction and glaze reduction during the firing.

The brushwork has also been an area of experimentation for me. Several years ago, I became interested in Chinese brush painting. Adapting the painting of bamboo from paper and ink to clay and oxides and engobes has been a challenge, especially with the Shino glaze. Some of the brushwork is underglaze, painted on the bisque, and some is overglaze decoration. Some of the most interesting results come from experiments with overglaze brushwork and firing variations, a never wholly predictable undertaking!

A particular benefit of the Shino glaze is that it is safe for food, so that functional ware can be made from it. And, at bottom, I am a functional potter. I love to bring food to the table in beautiful bowls and plates and to serve tea or lemonade to guests in interesting teapots and pitchers. I like the pots to be user friendly and easy to clean afterwards. All the food and drink related pots I make can go in the dishwasher, oven and refrigerator. It's sturdy stuff!

In making and decorating pots, I am most drawn to forms and patterns from nature, especially the regular irregularity that gives something an organic feel. But another side of me appreciates clean lines, simple curves, and the pure utility of, say, a milkcan or an oilcan. Many of the pots in this show reflect my efforts to combine these two pulls on my imagination.

I anticipate being able to explore these two themes on into the future in my own studio. I will also continue being an Episcopal priest and pastoral counselor/psychotherapist. I am very grateful to Callanwolde, my teachers and colleagues, for being with me on this part of my journey.