Fred Parker on sat 26 jun 10
I have a friend who teaches sculpture and ceramics in a high school. Rat=
=3D
her
than limiting lessons to only the craft at hand she likes to provide a bi=
=3D
t
of historical context relative to the techniques employed. She recently =
=3D
saw
some slab pieces I made and asked is I knew of any significant historical=
=3D
connections to slab-building (well-known potters working almost exclusive=
=3D
ly
with slabs, peoples around the world who rely/relied on slabs over coils =
=3D
or
wheel-thrown etc.)
Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with a good answer. I begged off
explaining that I never studied ceramics academically where courses on ar=
=3D
t
history might address such matters.
If anyone can provide some information about the historical use and/or
evolution of slab-based pottery I (and she) would be most grateful. Many=
=3D
thanks in advance,
Fred Parker
Vince Pitelka on sun 27 jun 10
Fred Parker wrote:
"If anyone can provide some information about the historical use and/or
evolution of slab-based pottery I (and she) would be most grateful. Many
thanks in advance,"
Fred -
I teach ceramic history every other fall, and so this is something I have
pondered on and researched. There are few examples of slab-built work in
historical pottery until the modern era and no real continuity in the
development and use of slab-construction until the advent of the
slab-roller. In ancient and tribal work, I think it simply had to do with
the difficulty of making flat, uniform slabs, which at the least requires a
very flat surface to roll upon, and a very uniform mallet or roller to
compress and expand the clay. Both would have been possible in any fairly
advanced civilization in the past, but perhaps not in tribal cultures.
I have never come up with a good theory about why so few of the more
advanced historical cultures used slabs, especially considering the
extraordinary craftsmanship and control of materials exhibited in many
different media. Japanese Haniwa tomb figures were made with a combination
of thrown, handbuilt, and slab-formed components. Mesoamerican cultures
used a lot of slabs, and if you can specifically find images of Zapotec (a
branch of Mayan) censers (large incense burners), you will find very
creative use of slab-work, usually in combination of coil-building and
press-molding.
So, I guess there is no real "evolution" of slab-built pottery until the
post-WW-II period.
Hope that helps.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
Vince Pitelka on wed 30 jun 10
Larry Kruzan wrote:
"Does the use of an extruder follow a similar historical trend?
If so, would you suppose that this "recent" evolution may be related to the
march into the industrial age that spurred thoughts of producing
slabs/extrusions via machine? Perhaps as a result of wartime production
needs."
Larry -
There's only a limited comparison, because there is no precedent for the
extruder, whereas there were a number of cultures using slabs in
historic/ancient times. The precedents for the extruder are the pugmill an=
d
the cookie press. It was only after WWII that American studio ceramics
really became a national trend, and that multiplied the number of heads
thinking of new mechanical solutions to studio challenges. I'd say that th=
e
creation of the slab roller and the clay extruder had more to do with the
G.I. Bill and the number of clever ex-military men and women entering
colleges and universities after WWII and the Korean and Vietnam wars.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
Larry Kruzan on wed 30 jun 10
Hi Vince and all,
Does the use of an extruder follow a similar historical trend?
If so, would you suppose that this "recent" evolution may be related to the
march into the industrial age that spurred thoughts of producing
slabs/extrusions via machine? Perhaps as a result of wartime production
needs.
Thanks,
Larry Kruzan
Lost Creek Pottery
www.lostcreekpottery.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Vince Pitelka
Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 3:43 PM
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Slab history question
Fred Parker wrote:
"If anyone can provide some information about the historical use and/or
evolution of slab-based pottery I (and she) would be most grateful. Many
thanks in advance,"
Fred -
I teach ceramic history every other fall, and so this is something I have
pondered on and researched. There are few examples of slab-built work in
historical pottery until the modern era and no real continuity in the
development and use of slab-construction until the advent of the
slab-roller. In ancient and tribal work, I think it simply had to do with
the difficulty of making flat, uniform slabs, which at the least requires a
very flat surface to roll upon, and a very uniform mallet or roller to
compress and expand the clay. Both would have been possible in any fairly
advanced civilization in the past, but perhaps not in tribal cultures.
I have never come up with a good theory about why so few of the more
advanced historical cultures used slabs, especially considering the
extraordinary craftsmanship and control of materials exhibited in many
different media. Japanese Haniwa tomb figures were made with a combination
of thrown, handbuilt, and slab-formed components. Mesoamerican cultures
used a lot of slabs, and if you can specifically find images of Zapotec (a
branch of Mayan) censers (large incense burners), you will find very
creative use of slab-work, usually in combination of coil-building and
press-molding.
So, I guess there is no real "evolution" of slab-built pottery until the
post-WW-II period.
Hope that helps.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Email scanned by PC Tools - No viruses or spyware found.
(Email Guard: 7.0.0.18, Virus/Spyware Database: 6.15330)
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=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
James Freeman on thu 1 jul 10
Hi, Vince, Larry...
According to the only textbook I know of on ceramic extrusion and it's
history, Extrusion in Ceramics, by Frank Handle, ISBN 3540271007,
ceramic extrusion has existed since at least 1619 C.E. (A.D.). The
author cited three types of extruders in use back then to extrude
plastic and semi-plastic clay, the piston extruder, the auger
extruder, and something called a roll extruder, with the auger
extruder being the most popular. They were used to make ceramic
construction components, not art ware.
I seem to recall reading somewhere that pug mills weren't invented
until the mid 1800s, but I could be mistaken.
And don't forget the Play Doh fun factory, possibly the greatest
application of extrusion technology in the history of the world!
For whatever it may be worth.
...James
James Freeman
"All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I
should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed."
-Michel de Montaigne
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com/resources
On Thu, Jul 1, 2010 at 12:36 AM, Vince Pitelka wrote:
> Larry Kruzan wrote:
> "Does the use of an extruder follow a similar historical trend?
> If so, would you suppose that this "recent" evolution may be related to t=
=3D
he
> march into the industrial age that spurred thoughts of producing
> slabs/extrusions via machine? Perhaps as a result of wartime production
> needs."
>
> Larry -
> There's only a limited comparison, because there is no precedent for the
> extruder, whereas there were a number of cultures using slabs in
> historic/ancient times. =3DA0The precedents for the extruder are the pugm=
il=3D
l and
> the cookie press. =3DA0It was only after WWII that American studio cerami=
cs
> really became a national trend, and that multiplied the number of heads
> thinking of new mechanical solutions to studio challenges. =3DA0I'd say t=
ha=3D
t the
> creation of the slab roller and the clay extruder had more to do with the
> G.I. Bill and the number of clever ex-military men and women entering
> colleges and universities after WWII and the Korean and Vietnam wars.
> - Vince
>
> Vince Pitelka
> Appalachian Center for Craft
> Tennessee Tech University
> vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
> http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
>
Marcia Selsor on thu 1 jul 10
Not sure I agree with you on the extruded use since the G.I.Bill.
I have been to Portuguese sewer pipe factories and Italian=3D20
factories that have been extruding tubes for many decades preceding =3D
WWII.
Marcia
On Jun 30, 2010, at 11:36 PM, Vince Pitelka wrote:
> Larry Kruzan wrote:
> "Does the use of an extruder follow a similar historical trend?
> If so, would you suppose that this "recent" evolution may be related =3D
to the
> march into the industrial age that spurred thoughts of producing
> slabs/extrusions via machine? Perhaps as a result of wartime =3D
production
> needs."
>=3D20
> Larry -
> There's only a limited comparison, because there is no precedent for =3D
the
> extruder, whereas there were a number of cultures using slabs in
> historic/ancient times. The precedents for the extruder are the =3D
pugmill and
> the cookie press. It was only after WWII that American studio =3D
ceramics
> really became a national trend, and that multiplied the number of =3D
heads
> thinking of new mechanical solutions to studio challenges. I'd say =3D
that the
> creation of the slab roller and the clay extruder had more to do with =3D
the
> G.I. Bill and the number of clever ex-military men and women entering
> colleges and universities after WWII and the Korean and Vietnam wars.
> - Vince
>=3D20
> Vince Pitelka
> Appalachian Center for Craft
> Tennessee Tech University
> vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
> http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
>=3D20
Marcia Selsor
http://www.marciaselsor.com
Larry Kruzan on fri 2 jul 10
Hi Marcia,
I'm sorry, as usual I typed one thing and really ment another....
I guess my question was more about the use by studio potters rather than
industry. Was the influx of machinery into studios due to the populations
exposure to mechanized production techniques or was it due to an expected
(and definable) evolution in technique?
I'm always intrigued with the impetus of development. Just what triggered
this advancement after many centuries of hand construction with little
mechanical advancement. With no clear march towards mechanization, then
there is a sudden influx of machinery into our studios after WWII. Or am I
not seeing the whole picture?
Larry Kruzan
Lost Creek Pottery
www.lostcreekpottery.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Marcia Selsor
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2010 12:45 PM
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Slab history question
Not sure I agree with you on the extruded use since the G.I.Bill.
I have been to Portuguese sewer pipe factories and Italian
factories that have been extruding tubes for many decades preceding WWII.
Marcia
On Jun 30, 2010, at 11:36 PM, Vince Pitelka wrote:
> Larry Kruzan wrote:
> "Does the use of an extruder follow a similar historical trend?
> If so, would you suppose that this "recent" evolution may be related to
the
> march into the industrial age that spurred thoughts of producing
> slabs/extrusions via machine? Perhaps as a result of wartime production
> needs."
>
> Larry -
> There's only a limited comparison, because there is no precedent for the
> extruder, whereas there were a number of cultures using slabs in
> historic/ancient times. The precedents for the extruder are the pugmill
and
> the cookie press. It was only after WWII that American studio ceramics
> really became a national trend, and that multiplied the number of heads
> thinking of new mechanical solutions to studio challenges. I'd say that
the
> creation of the slab roller and the clay extruder had more to do with the
> G.I. Bill and the number of clever ex-military men and women entering
> colleges and universities after WWII and the Korean and Vietnam wars.
> - Vince
>
> Vince Pitelka
> Appalachian Center for Craft
> Tennessee Tech University
> vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
> http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
>
Marcia Selsor
http://www.marciaselsor.com
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Email scanned by PC Tools - No viruses or spyware found.
(Email Guard: 7.0.0.18, Virus/Spyware Database: 6.15350)
http://www.pctools.com/
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
douglas fur on tue 6 jul 10
Fred
I did a workshop with Rudi Autio in the seventies. He said he learned his
slab technique- throwing large lumps of clay down with a glancing blow flip
and throw again this streches the clay out into a slab- form brick makers.
DRB
Seola Creek
On Sat, Jun 26, 2010 at 7:17 AM, Fred Parker wrote:
> I have a friend who teaches sculpture and ceramics in a high school.
> Rather
> than limiting lessons to only the craft at hand she likes to provide a bi=
t
> of historical context relative to the techniques employed. She recently
> saw
> some slab pieces I made and asked is I knew of any significant historical
> connections to slab-building (well-known potters working almost exclusive=
ly
> with slabs, peoples around the world who rely/relied on slabs over coils =
or
> wheel-thrown etc.)
>
> Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with a good answer. I begged off
> explaining that I never studied ceramics academically where courses on ar=
t
> history might address such matters.
>
> If anyone can provide some information about the historical use and/or
> evolution of slab-based pottery I (and she) would be most grateful. Many
> thanks in advance,
>
> Fred Parker
>
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