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favorite pottery books

updated wed 26 nov 03

 

Chris Rupp on fri 21 nov 03


My advice is to start with the classics!

A Potter's Book - by Bernard Leach

I happened to find this book in a pile of junk books being discarded from a
library. I had no clue as to its importance for studio pottery throughout
the world, but once I started reading I could not stop. Next thing I knew I
was grinding up stones, burning wood for ash, and looking for a place to
fire. Five years and about 50 books later, this is the one that started it
all for me and many others out there!

Chris
Sunny Santa Barbara

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Debbie on fri 21 nov 03


To all the excellent ones already mentioned, I'd add:
Glazes ^6 by Michael Bailey

Debbie

Tig Dupre on fri 21 nov 03


Lesley,

One of my personal favorites is "Out of the Earth, Into the Fire," by Mimi Obstler. It's expensive, but well worth it. Describes materials and explains the functions and reactions of each by itself, in combination with others, all in the fire of creativity.

Another one I like is Vince Pitelka's "Clay: A Studio Handbook." It is a wealth of information gleaned from years of experience.

If you can get one, try to snag a copy of Val Cushing's "Handbook." It is a treasure! I call it a "hardcopy of Val's brains."

If you find all three of those in your stocking this year, you're lucky indeed!

Now, get busy and chuck some mud!

Warm regards from,

Tig
in white Port Orchard, WA

Sarah Kelly on sat 22 nov 03




 


I happen to be able to get my hands on Val Cushing's Handbook, if any of you are interested (as i'm sure some of you are). I'm attending school at Alfred U, and the pharmacy in town sells them, and I'm willing to send them out to whoever I can for cost of book and shipping. I'll need to go down and check the price, but I think it's around $20 us dollars. so just give me a yell and i'll try to accommodate.

 

Sarah Kelly

an aspiring ceramic artist at a candystore school :)


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Helen Bates on sun 23 nov 03


On Sun, 23 Nov 2003 10:23:03 +0900, Lee Love wrote:

>Philip Rawson's Ceramics and Shoji Hamada's 77 Teabowls.
>
> I'd like to see the book that Leach was working on when the MacKenzies
>lived and worked with him: "A Potter's Portfolio" 1966.
>
>Is anybody familiar with A Potters Challenge?

Both of these books are available at the moment from used books sellers who
list with Addall.com or for direct link to used books
search click on .

Helen

Craig Edwards on sun 23 nov 03


Hello Lee: I've been looking for Philip Rawson's "Ceramics" no joy, and
also Hamada's 77 Teabowls. Would you have the publisher and ISBN # for them.
Also here is a book that is worth risking your eyesight on " Ice and
Green Clouds". It's an exibition book of Celedons.

Craig Edwards
New London MN

Lee Love wrote:

>Philip Rawson's Ceramics and Shoji Hamada's 77 Teabowls.
>
> I'd like to see the book that Leach was working on when the MacKenzies
>lived and worked with him: "A Potter's Portfolio" 1966.
>
>Is anybody familiar with A Potters Challenge?
>
>
>--
>Lee In Mashiko, Japan
>http://Mashiko.org
>Web Log (click on recent date):
>http://www.livejournal.com/users/togeika/calendar
>MingeiSota
> $BL17] (B $B%=%? (B
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
>

Lee Love on sun 23 nov 03


Philip Rawson's Ceramics and Shoji Hamada's 77 Teabowls.

I'd like to see the book that Leach was working on when the MacKenzies
lived and worked with him: "A Potter's Portfolio" 1966.

Is anybody familiar with A Potters Challenge?


--
Lee In Mashiko, Japan
http://Mashiko.org
Web Log (click on recent date):
http://www.livejournal.com/users/togeika/calendar
MingeiSota
$BL17] (B $B%=%? (B

Steve Slatin on mon 24 nov 03


-----Original Message-----
Yet another great tip, Helen. I don't know how much time you spend each
day finding things, but you're a fabulous resource for us. I'd never
heard
of Addall.com, but already found two books I was looking for elsewhere,
without luck.

-- Steve Slatin

>Philip Rawson's Ceramics and Shoji Hamada's 77 Teabowls.
>
> I'd like to see the book that Leach was working on when the
MacKenzies
>lived and worked with him: "A Potter's Portfolio" 1966.
>
>Is anybody familiar with A Potters Challenge?

Both of these books are available at the moment from used books sellers
who
list with Addall.com or for direct link to used
books
search click on .

Helen

David Beumee on mon 24 nov 03


Craig Edwards wrote:
> Hello Lee: I've been looking for Philip Rawson's "Ceramics" no joy, and
> also Hamada's 77 Teabowls. Would you have the publisher and ISBN # for them.

I wrote to the Potters Shop about 77 Teabowls, and Steve Branfman had never
heard of it. I too would like to know a publisher and whether the book is
still available.

David Beumee
Lafayette, CO
> Hello Lee: I've been looking for Philip Rawson's "Ceramics" no joy, and
> also Hamada's 77 Teabowls. Would you have the publisher and ISBN # for them.
> Also here is a book that is worth risking your eyesight on " Ice and
> Green Clouds". It's an exibition book of Celedons.
>
> Craig Edwards
> New London MN
>
> Lee Love wrote:
>
> >Philip Rawson's Ceramics and Shoji Hamada's 77 Teabowls.
> >
> > I'd like to see the book that Leach was working on when the MacKenzies
> >lived and worked with him: "A Potter's Portfolio" 1966.
> >
> >Is anybody familiar with A Potters Challenge?
> >
> >
> >--
> >Lee In Mashiko, Japan
> >http://Mashiko.org
> >Web Log (click on recent date):
> >http://www.livejournal.com/users/togeika/calendar
> >MingeiSota
> > $BL17] (B $B%=%? (B
> >
> >______________________________________________________________________________
> >Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
> >
> >You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> >settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
> >
> >Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
> >
> >
> >
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.

Lee Love on tue 25 nov 03


> Craig Edwards wrote:
> > Hello Lee: I've been looking for Philip Rawson's "Ceramics" no joy, and
> > also Hamada's 77 Teabowls. Would you have the publisher and ISBN # for
them.

Here is the publisher's link on Ceramics:
http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/1555.html

(see below related to Hamada book)

here are reviews:

"With the unassuming title of Ceramics, Rawson has presented a very clear,
orderly and thought-provoking guide for discussion. He provides words for
those nebulous, or nonexistent, thoughts that students avoid talking about
in critiques, and our professional associates talk all around, using
whatever art language is being worn out at the time--'Is your work
postmodernist yet?' Now we have no excuse to complain that there is no
vocabulary."--National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts Newsletter
"Rawson defines a clear framework for discussing both the visual and
psychological elements of the pottery tradition. The book presents a way to
analyze and understand which particular elements touch or SPEAK to us across
cultures and history. And there are enough pictures and diagrams to help out
the less verbal."--National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts
Newsletter


"David Beumee" wrote:

> I wrote to the Potters Shop about 77 Teabowls, and Steve Branfman had
never
> heard of it. I too would like to know a publisher and whether the book is
> still available.

No, it isn't available. It has no ISBN. It is in Japanese.
I've search extrensively on the web and I haven't found any mention of it.
My wife Jean photocopied the inside front page. The friends we have asked
to translated it cannot, because the kanji are old fashioned. When I get
time, we will have my wood block teacher read it for us.

The last time I borrowed it, my friend asked for it back
quickly. I think they think I might keep it. :^) I have another
friend that owns it and I've asked Jean to borrow it again, the next time sh
e visits (she only gets over there about once and month and just visited
yesterday.) I don't have my scanner working on my new computer yet
(anybody know how to install a twain device that is operating off a USB
conversion hub, parallel to USB?.) When it is working, I'll put up some
photos of the pots from the book. It is ALL photographs of Hamada tea
bowls.


--
Lee In Mashiko, Japan
http://Mashiko.org
Web Log (click on recent date):
http://www.livejournal.com/users/togeika/calendar