Kathryn Allen-Cynthia Spencer Workshop
Handbuilding and Firing Clay Vessels
May 30-June 1, 2003
| Our most recent Ghost Ranch
workshop featured two of the Pacific Northwest’s finest
clay artists, Kathryn Allen from Seattle, WA and Cynthia
Spencer from Corvallis, OR.
Together, they led a three-day hands-on workshop for 18
potters from New Mexico and Texas, involving many hand-building
techniques, architectural forms and raku firing.
|
Kathryn began her career in
1976 producing custom architectural ceramics. Her work now
includes fireplace fronts, door surrounds, fountains, murals
and sinks as well as the raku vessels and fragment wall
pieces she creates. In the workshop she covered techniques
for producing large-scale works and various installation
approaches and, on a totally different subject, hand-building
vessels for raku firing. |
Kathryn Allen, working on an architectural
column
created by workshop participants |
Cynthia Spencer refining a "garden
art" sculpture |
Cynthia Spencer makes a line of vessels
for flower arrangers and gardening lovers. Her production
work is made from thin slabs of stoneware clay manipulated
when wet, and put together when partially dry. She makes
larger scale sculpture using a pinch/coil method. For several
years she has used her sculptures to capture the essence
of the human figure. Cynthia says there is much joy in the
journey of developing and refining forms over time. Cynthia’s
work can be seen in a feature article in the February 1998
issue of Ceramics Monthly. |
| Cynthia’s view is that workshops
are great because they get us out of our studios and away
from our daily tasks. "Our minds become more open to
possibilities. New dreams and ideas can then take shape. As
workshop leaders, we offer tips and techniques, and problem
solving methods for veteran potters and newcomers to clay
alike. Even if someone is predominantly a wheel potter, we
have some things to try." |
|
Each day, following demonstrations by Kathryn
and Cynthia, participants worked on their own pieces. Participants
also had an opportunity to raku-fire several pieces (bisqued
pots were brought to the workshop), using glazes and techniques
that Kathryn shared with us. |
|
A few of the raku
pieces fired by workshop participants |
During the evenings we had
slide presentations (by leaders and participants) and got
to know our fellow potters better. |
|
NMPA has been doing workshops at Ghost
Ranch annually for over 20 years, to the delight of our
many participants. "Pot Hollow" is an inviting
facility for clay arts, with wheels, kilns, a slab roller
and work areas nestled among tall cottonwoods. Ghost Ranch
is a miraculous setting for learning, for playing, for relaxation
and for re-invigoration. Our next workshop will be in late
May or early June, 2004. Titled The New Mexico Connections,
it will be led by eight or nine New Mexico potters, each
doing a mini-workshop on his or her area of expertise. We
hope you can join us! |
For more information on
upcoming workshops, watch this website or contact Gary Carlson
at workshop@nmpotters.org. |
 Raku
Piece by Kathyrn Allen |
Sculpture by Cynthia Spencer |
