The quest for the ‘good pot’
Fort Lewis exhibits David Hunt Ceramics Invitational

Ceramicist Lisa Pedolsky works on few of her cups in her studio on E. Fifth Avenue on Monday./Photo by David Halterman. Lisa3: Lisa Pedolsky uses the technique of 'sgraffito' to etch characters into the bottom of some of her work in her studio on Monday. X Photo by David Halterman.

by Jules Masterjohn

With such a long history, the momentum within the world of ceramic art is weighty. Some of the first objects known to us about our human heritage were made of the humble material of clay. Objects to serve and store food, to use in ritual practices, and through which to visualize the natural world, clay has served our creative impulse since it squished between the first homo sapiens’ fingers deep within caves in France.

Zoom across the Atlantic and fast-forward 10,000 years to the here and now where examples of a wide variety of ceramic objects can be found at the David Hunt Annual Ceramics Invitational at Fort Lewis College. More than a dozen regional ceramicists are in the exhibit line-up, and many are the same participants from past years. Joining the “usual suspects” this year is Fort Lewis College graduate Adam Field, a resident of Hawaii who is currently apprenticing with a sixth-generation master potter in South Korea.

Field’s wheel-thrown covered jars are an excellent example of the discipline that is cultivated through the rigors of a traditional apprenticeship. Steeped in 2000 years of functional pottery, Field’s work displays variations on a classic form with intricately incised surfaces covered in translucent glazes that accent the designs. His vessels embody restraint, order and harmony and are meticulously crafted. Through two films made by the potter, viewable in the gallery and on YouTube, his technical processes are revealed. Infused with an Asian aesthetic, Field’s vessels are classically beautiful.

Lorna Meaden, after graduating from FLC, has also engaged in further study in ceramics. Since receiving her M.F.A. in 2005, she has been awarded numerous artist residencies at prestigious institutions, and her art pottery is displayed in galleries across the country.

An emerging voice in contemporary pottery, Meaden resides and continues her quest for “the good pot” in Durango, though she is often traveling to share her growing expertise and knowledge as a workshop instructor.

Meaden’s pottery exemplifies the merits that immersion in an academic program can bring to one’s craft. Embracing a broad spectrum of visual and functional devices, “baroque” is a good descriptor for the attitude of her pottery. She combines wheel-thrown porcelain forms with extravagant handles, luxurious embellishments, linear designs and recalcitrant glazes. Meaden’s work seems rooted in a melting pot aesthetic where each functional and decorative aspect of the vessel informs a dynamic expressive whole.

Returning for her sixth year as an invited artist, Lisa Pedolsky takes the FLC exhibit seriously. Though she has been pushed to her limits in her Durango studio since February, working to fill requests for five new galleries, she made a point to consider what she wanted to share with Durangoans this year. “It’s a good opportunity for me to present myself to my own community,” she offered. “Because I’ve chosen not to have any gallery representation locally, I look for opportunities to get my work out in Durango.”

Pedolsky’s pots join the work of 13 others in the current FLC exhibit./Photo by David Halterman.

Pedolsky presents some of her signature vessels as well as a new bowl form. Using terra cotta clay and slab construction, she creates her vessels much like a seamstress, utilizing patterns that indicate darts, cuts and folds. From a thin, flat slab of clay, she builds shapely and voluminous vessels that allude to their interior spaces. Often, she decorates the inside and bottoms of her vessels, a surprise and delight to discover. These intelligent vessels share an earthy redness, intimate layering of textures, and lively combinations of glazed and raw clay surfaces.

Like Field and Meaden, Pedolsky values learning. She spends two weeks each summer studying at Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snowmass Village to increase her technical understanding and make connections with clay professionals from all over the country. “I have an insatiable appetite for learning, which I believe serves me well. There is a danger in churning out work that is familiar, safe or has done well in the past. This creates stagnation – in both myself and the work – and what once had life becomes lifeless.”

This cautionary insight could be beneficial for the FLC exhibit design team to consider. This year, as with the last few David Hunt Annual Ceramic Invitational shows, the conception and implementation of the installation detracts from the viewing experience. It lacks imagination and thoughtful structure, both qualities that would honor the artists’ efforts as well as offer the viewer an engaging experience. Monotony reigns within the four white walls of the gallery. Thankfully, many of the individual works possess enough vitality, visual interest and thoughtfulness to rise above this.

The other ceramic artists participating in the show are Leon Arledge, Rebecca Barfoot, Boots Brown, J. Burnite, Chyako Hashimoto, Peter Karner, Louden Kiracofe, Jennifer Neff, Scott Roberts, Kay Harper Roberts and Cole Taylor. •

The David Hunt Annual Ceramics Invitational is on view until Oct. 24 at the Fort Lewis College Art Gallery. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Mon. – Fri. Adam Field’s work can be seen at www.adamfieldpottery.com; Lorna Meaden’s can be found at www.lornameaden.com; and Lisa Pedolsky’s work is at www.lisapedolsky.com.