Alisa Clausen on thu 29 jan 04
Dear Vince,
I am especially glad to see Margie's name appear. She is one of my heroes.
While I was at Syracuse Univ. working on a BFA in very production orientated
program,
I met Margie. I was her student for one year through.She was slamming huge
slabs around, coloring them, mending them together and firing cone 6 ox.
For my final senior show, I worked far away from the tenmoku, cone 9
production I was learning, and made slip painted, colored clay wall tiles,
inspired by admiration of Margie's work.
David MacDonald, Syracuse Univ BFA program, had taught me a great deal
about stoneware production and Margie taught me to try something I had no
confidence in. I apprenticed for her following my senior year. A lot of
wedging, coloring clay, admiration as she scraped and gleaned over those
enormous slabs called Fans, and showed at and collaborated with, Garth
Clark. The Clay Institute at Syracuse University, pioneered by Margie, was
in it's first year.
Margie Hughto is someone who I remember as having the ability not only as a
wonderful ceramist, but also as a person who could inspire me to reach
beyond the comfortable. Many, many years later, today, I can see parts and
pieces of what I inhaled that year at the old Consolidated Can Company where
Margie had her studio on one of the top floors. I use color on surfaces
from oxides, etc. that I believe is inspired by her use of colored clays.
Tapestries of experiences.
I have to assume that her mural or "Arts for Transit", actually 12 or so
connected murals, at Cortland street just below where the WTC Tower 11
stood, is lost. I do not read anything or know anything about what Margie
is doing these days. Maybe still in the Syracuse area. The catalogue of
the
show she curated, co-authored with Garth Clark,
"A Century of Ceramics in the United States 1878 -1978" is an excellent
reference.
regards from Alisa
the teachers here are smart not to give any homework these days.
The kids will remember more about building igloos, sled riding and how good
it is to finally come inside and drink cocoa, than an extra page of math. It
is wonderful to
see good childhood memories from the kitchen window.
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