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Northwest Woodfire Ceramic Exhibit At CCC

From: Richard Rowland
To: Media
Date: 03/19/10
Subject: Northwest Woodfire Ceramic Exhibit At CCC PR

Clatsop Community College
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 03/19/10
Contact: Richard Rowland 503-338-2449, rrowland@clatsopcc.edu
Images Attached
Artist Biographies Attached

Woodfire Exhibit Curated By John Benn At Clatsop Community College

Clatsop Community College (CCC) is excited to announce the upcoming Northwest Woodfire Ceramic Exhibition at the College’s Art Center Gallery, 1799 Lexington Avenue, in Astoria, Oregon. The show opens on April 15th, 2010 and runs until May 21st, 2010. We are honored to have seven experienced American woodfire potters coming to exhibit their wood fired ceramics. The show will feature work from Colleen Gallagher, John Harris, Chris Knapp, Susan Lochner, Karen Mittet, Reid Ozaki and John Benn. There will be an opening reception on Thursday, April 15th, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. in the CCC Art Center Gallery. Dave Drury will perform music. Northwest Artist and Potter John Benn will curate the show. He will also be giving a ceramic “Big Pot Throwing” workshop on Friday, April 16th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., which will be open to the public. There will be a potluck luncheon that day around Noon.

In this exhibit, we will have an opportunity to see the inherent reference to traditional and ancient techniques of Korea, China and Japan in our choice to fire our pottery in a particular style of a wood fired kiln. One of the leading techniques of woodfire has been the grassroots migration of the Anagama style kiln, which has recently (in the past 30 years) developed into an American ceramic movement. It is an ancient type of pottery kiln brought to Japan from China via Korea in the 5th century. An anagama (a Japanese term meaning "cave kiln") consists of a firing chamber with a firebox at one end and a flue at the other (note that although the term "firebox" is used to describe the space for the wood and fire, there is sometimes no physical structure separating the stoking space from the pottery space). The wood is thrown directly on top of some of the pots. The term Anagama is a Japanese word that describes single-chamber kilns built in the shape of a sloping tunnel. In fact, ancient kilns were sometimes built by digging tunnels into banks of clay.

The anagama is fueled with firewood, in contrast to the electric or gas-fueled kilns commonly used by most contemporary potters. A continuous supply of fuel is needed for firing, as wood thrown into the hot kiln is consumed very rapidly. So, stoking occurs round-the-clock until an appropriate temperature is reached. Work can be fired from 3 days to 10 or more using 6 - 10 cord of wood.

From this 1st generation migration to the United States, many American Anagama hybrids have quickly developed. An example is what is now called a wood-fired train kiln that was developed in Utah. Another example is the Noborigama being changed to fit the American innovative style, which has, some would say, more flexibility in its multi-chambered form.

In this American mix, Northwest potter John Benn has created what he calls the “Mongrel-Gama”, a mixture of anagama, ground hog, and train kilns. John Benn says, “I have to be true to myself. I am excited to put all the traditional styles together and make my own kiln style.”

He built his kiln in a converted boatbuilding workshop on Harstine Island in Puget Sound. John Benn and his wife and fellow potter, Colleen Gallagher, make woodfired pottery and sculptural tiles. They dig several local stoneware clays and fire their wood kilns longer and hotter than is considered wise.

John and Colleen have been professional potters for 27 years. Their work has won awards in the US and internationally and can be seen in private collections, museums, and public art projects.

John Benn built his first wood kiln in 1976. He studied with F. Carleton Ball and Ken Stevens at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, and with Howard Shapiro and Sandra Simon in the MFA Program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Colleen Gallagher studied ceramics with Ka Kwong Hui at Rutgers University and studio art in the MFA Program at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. She earned her MFA from the University of Puget Sound, where she met John.

Ms. Gallagher states that, "The compulsive and inefficient nature of the woodfire process connects us closely to the earth. We dig local clays. We fire using trees from our forest. We submit the work to our kilns to be reborn as a permanent object that records the touch of our hands and the fire and ash that have transformed it. We control choices of clays, shapes, glazes, kiln structure, type of wood, stacking method, duration and temperature of the firing. But we must also give up control to violent forces of nature. The wood kiln is not a tame beast. It gives us accidents and blessings. We find beauty in imperfection. Our commitment to woodfiring is obsessive and non-intellectual. We discover our pots in addition to creating them."

“What I like about John’s approach to the woodfire process is that he has been fortunate and courageous enough to find his own way,” says Richard Rowland. “Woodfire ceramics takes decades of physical work to begin to understand the complexities of this unique, creative and transformative process.

Exhibiting with John and Colleen are five other Northwest artists—John Harris, Chris Knapp, Susan Lochner, Karen Mittet and Reid Ozaki.

Artists John Harris and Susan Lochner both take part in the group that fires at John Benn and Colleen Gallagher’s wood kiln on Harstine Island, Washington.

“I’m 15 years into my wood firing experience. I hope I’m lucky enough to get 10 to 15 more. The learning curve is long and low when you fire only two to three times a year. But it’s so much fun and work in a positive sense that I’ll continue to do it as long as I’m able. Wood burns very differently at various temperatures—all are hypnotic. With no glaze on the pots, the kiln and flame become collaborators with the potter. Sometimes magic happens, sometimes not. These collaborators are often very subtle with their expression; it takes me a long time to appreciate their effect on my work. For that reason, firing with wood is the most amazing process I’ve experienced in my 30 year career as a potter,” says John Harris.

Susan Lochner states, “After a lengthy interruption I’m making pots again, but with a big change in direction. My focus has shifted from functional, electric fired tableware to wood fired ceramics. This challenging and exciting firing process is changing the way I approach clay and the kinds of pots I make. I’m fortunate to be part of the group that fires John Benn and Colleen Gallagher’s wood kiln on Harstine Island in Shelton, WA.”

Reid Ozaki was born in Hilo and raised in Honolulu. He started seriously working in ceramics at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington while completing a degree in Biology and continued in ceramics as a graduate student. Ozaki's current work focusing on Kaki, vessels for Ikebana, was inspired by his childhood summers spent with his grandfather in his gardens and by his interest in traditional Japanese art.

“It is an exciting time making pieces from ideas that have been relatively fully examined as well as work from ideas that will develop further,” Reid states. “I have spent countless hours by myself in my studio making pots. I am quite comfortable with the solitude, finding my own way, pleasing my own aesthetic. When I was invited to participate in a number of wood firings over the past few years, I was, at first, a little hesitant. Wood firing is a communal effort and I am usually most comfortable working alone. John Benn and Colleen Gallagher persisted in inviting me and I finally joined them in their venture in wood firing at their kiln on Harstine Island, WA. In all wood fired kilns, happy results are never guaranteed. When the pots do turn out, they are beautiful and unique. I am fortunate to be firing in John and Colleen’s kilns. Without John’s vision and the hard work of the firing crew, these pieces would not be possible. I have benefited from the advice and guidance of this group and have enjoyed the time spent together preparing for and firing the kiln.”

Karen Mittet—another invited artist—says, “The inherent qualities of clay, the marvelous ability to form something new out of a common material, are enthralling and mysterious. Forms evolve. Sometimes gradually, sometimes instantly…. A spark hits and a new shape comes to life. It is an evolving continuum.”

“For my students and community it will be interesting to see where this dedicated group of Woodfire Artists have taken their creative medium,” says Richard Rowland.

Clatsop Community College is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution. The CCC Art Center and Art Center Gallery are ADA accessible.

Images Attached:

Harstine_Kiln©JohnBenn.jpg: John Benn built his Harstine Kiln in a converted boatbuilding workshop located on Harstine Island in Puget Sound. Benn is the curator for the upcoming Northwest Woodfire Ceramic Exhibition at Clatsop Community College’s Art Center Gallery. The show opens on April 15th, 2010 and runs until May 21st, 2010. Submitted photo.

JBenn_Workshop.jpg: John Benn works on a pot during a workshop. Benn is the curator for the upcoming Northwest Woodfire Ceramic Exhibition at Clatsop Community College’s Art Center Gallery. He will host a ceramic “Big Pot Throwing” workshop on Friday, April 16th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., which will be open to the public. Submitted photo.

JBenn_Example.jpg: An example of John Benn’s ceramic work. Benn is the curator for the upcoming Northwest Woodfire Ceramic Exhibition at Clatsop Community College’s Art Center Gallery. The show opens on April 15th, 2010 and runs until May 21st, 2010. Submitted photo.

Rozaki_Example.jpg: An example of Reid Ozaki’s ceramic work. Ceramicists Reid Ozaki, Colleen Gallagher, John Harris, Chris Knapp, Susan Lochner, Karen Mittet, and John Benn will exhibit their work at the Northwest Woodfire Ceramic Exhibition at Clatsop Community College’s Art Center Gallery. The show opens on April 15th, 2010 and runs until May 21st, 2010. Submitted photo.

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