Guangzhen Zhou on thu 6 jul 06
CHINESE CLAYART, July 2006, Vol. 51.
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"CHINESE CLAYART" is a newsletter emailed bi-monthly to professional
artists, curators, collectors, writers, experts, educators and students in
the ceramic field, who want to know about ceramic art in China and things
related. This newsletter will be a bridge between China and Western
countries for the ceramic arts. Comments and suggestions are very welcome.
(Copyright 2006, the Chinese Ceramic Art Council, USA. All rights
reserved.)
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The Chinese Ceramic Art Council, USA
P.O. Box 1733, Cupertino, CA 95015, USA
Tel. 800-689-2529, Fax. 408-777-8321
Email: chineseclayart@hotmail.com
Web: www.chineseclayart.com
Chief Editor: Guangzhen "Po" Zhou
English Editor: Deborah Bouchette
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FEATURES
Hands on Teapot Workshop at Wuxi Institute of Arts and Technology
On the recent Ceramic China group tour, I decided to hold a hands-on teapot
workshop and slide talk in Yixing. I made a few phone calls and arranged
everything. The next day we got to Yixing, and we went to the Wuxi Institute
of Arts and Technology.
I told everyone to draw a sketch first, and the school provided the Purple
Sand clay and clay tools. A group of local artists and teachers worked
together with our group. After four hours, everyone completed a creative
teapot using Yixing clay and the school’s tools.
In the evening, we exchanged slide talks with local artists at the Yixing
Ceramics Association.
Everyone enjoyed the workshop time, and we will continue to provide this
kind of hands-on teapot workshop for future tours.
---Po Zhou
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PROFILE
Introduction to the Wuxi Institute of Arts and Technology
The Wuxi Institute of Arts and Technology (WIAT) is located in Yixing, the
Capital of Pottery. Situated on the west bank of Taihu Lake in the delta of
the Yangtze River, the city traditionally has been called “fish and rice
village.” It is also known as a “hometown of professors” (many Yixing-born
professors teach all over the world today).
The Institute covers an area of over 100 acres and its new campus building
area amounts to approximately 150,000 square meters, which offers a perfect
modern learning environment for more than 6,000 students. The Institute has
six departments: arts and design, mechanics, electronics, ceramic design
and sculpture, costume design, and commerce and trade.
The Institute is under the direct leadership of the Education Department of
Jiangsu Province, and is nationally accredited with a long history of more
that 50 years, mainly specializing in arts and crafts, mechanics,
electronics, materials, engineering, optometry, modern information
technology, business and trade.
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CONFERENCE AND EVENT
Question and Answer about the Jingdezhen Ceramic Fair and Yixing Ceramic
Festival in China, October 2006:
Q: What will be happening during the events in Jingdezhen and Yixing?
A: Usually, there is a large opening ceremony with many of the invited
foreign guests wearing flowers. Buses will take you from the hotel to the
ceremony site with a police cars escort in front and back. Also, you will be
invited to enjoy the local folk art performance after a banquet with the
mayor.
Q: What are the differences between the two events?
A: The Ceramic Fair in Jingdezhen will have more commercial booths and the
Pottery Festival will have more art related activities.
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TRAVEL
Tour of “Ceramic China,” October tour itinerary update:
China Ceramics Tour, Oct. 11-30, 2006. Beijing, Xi'an, Jingdezhen, Yellow
Mountain, Yixing and Shanghai. $3,200 ($2,950 if signed up before August
11th 2006).
www.ChineseClayArt.com. ChineseClayArt@hotmail.com
Tel. 800-689-clay(2529). PO Box 1733, Cupertino, CA 95015
10/11, Depart from the west coast of the US for China.
10/12, Arrive in Beijing in the evening.
10/13, Visit Tsinghua University and hold exchanges with the faculty and
students.
10/14, Visit Panjiayuan Antique Market in the morning and the Forbidden City
in the afternoon.
10/15, Visit the Great Wall in the morning and the Liulichang Cultural
Street in the afternoon. Take overnight train to Xi’an in the evening.
10/16, Arrive in Xian in the morning, and visit the ancient ceramic village
of Chenlu.
10/17, Tour the Terra-cotta Warriors Museum in the morning, then fly to
Nanchang and take the bus to Jingdezhen.
10/18-21, Participate in the Ceramic Fair. Tour Jingdezhen. Visit the
Historical Ceramic Museum, the Ancient Kiln and Porcelain Factories, Yaoli
Ancient Village, and the Relic Site of Gaoling (Kaolin) Mine.
10/21, Take the bus to Nanchang and an overnight train to Shanghai.
10/22, Tour Shanghai..
10/23, Visit the Yu Garden and Yu Market in the morning, and tour Fuzhou
Road (the cultural and books street) in the afternoon. Cruise on the Huangpu
River in the evening.
10/24, Visit the Shanghai Museum in the morning and have free shopping time
in the afternoon.
10/25, Bus to Suzhou, tour the famous Southern China Style Gardens.
10/26, Take the bus to Yixing in the morning.
10/27-29, Enjoy the Yixing Ceramic Art Festival and tour the teapot studios
of local masters, the dragon kiln, teapot markets, clay tool stores, and
participate in a hands-on teapot workshop
10/29, Bus to Shanghai in the evening and stay one night near the airport.
10/30, Leave from Pudong airport for home and arrive on the same day (local
time) on the west coast of the U.S.
Letter from Ellie Bartholomew, Southern California
Subject: Re: Back from China
Date: Mon, 03 Jul 2006 09:26:21 -0800
Hi Po,
I'm finally over jet lag and have got my pictures back. Not too many were
good, but hopefully I'll have some to share when I get organized. But the
pictures did bring back all the good memories of our trip and the great
company we shared. I thoroughly enjoyed the China trip (but not the airplane
trip! too long!).
You were a wonderful guide, very patient and informative.
Thank you for being so available to us. I know it must have been exhausting
for you.
The good things about the trip:- the opportunity to see China changing right
before
our eyes. We saw the old and new China. The trip to Chen Lu was long but we
all loved the small village and its dedication to its clay arts. I know that
type of living will be soon disappearing and I think that was why it was so
valuable to see.
- the hands-on pottery experience in Yixing. I had lots of fun and learned a
lot. The man who worked with me was probably going crazy with my strange
design. Thank you for
showing him the picture. It made all the difference. I hope I get my chicken
back someday.
- the hotels were very nice. Even Jingdezhen was not too bad.
- the group was very cohesive and friendly. I have made many new friends and
I am sure we will always stay in touch and inspire each other with our clay
ideas. Robert was especially inspirational in his dedication and expertise.
My roommate, Miggi, was great and she is coming over tomorrow to share
pictures.
- John was a very patient and good guide. He was very knowledgeable in
history and culture. He often went out of his way to solve our problems.
The not so good things about the trip:
- there was too much food and the food had too much salt in it. My ankles
blew up to twice their size and the capillaries in the skin broke. This has
never happened to me before. Miggi and I decided to be very selective after
that in what we ate and our ankles went back to normal. Perhaps you should
warn people about that. But, I guess there is not much you
can do. I hope the Chinese don't eat like we did. I fear for their blood
pressure.
- although the bus trip was long and bumpy (my back really hurt, but is back
to normal now) we did see so much of the countryside that I think most of us
really enjoyed it in the long run. I think if you OVER estimate the times it
will take to get somewhere, then people will not have unrealistic
expectations and will be happier.
- everything else was ok. Even the factories (I learned a lot about carpet
weaving, silk making and pearls) were bearable. But perhaps there were 2 too
many factories on our itinerary.
So Po, thank you so much again. I had a great time and will cherish the
memories and the friendships I made.
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ACTIVITIES
IAC Assembly at Riga, Latvia, August 14-18, 2006
Organized by the Chinese National Ceramic Association, there will be about
thirty five Chinese ceramic artists and educators in the assembly of IAC
(International Academy of Ceramics) in Latvia August this year.
The IAC assembly hosts an assembly every two years, and the assembly of 2008
will be hosted in Xi’an, China.
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LETTERS
Childhood under the Red Flag (section one: click here for the story)
This is a true story of my life, which I wrote in the late 1980’s to early
1990’s with three sections. The first is my childhood; the second section is
my life as a jobless young man who is struggling with asthma attacks; and
the third is my study and survival in the U.S. Only the first section has
been translated into English so far. I maybe able to spend more time to
continue to work on this project and complete it as a book in the future.
I was born in a “black family” of Red China in 1953, and right after my 6th
grade the Cultural Revolution started, that was 1966. I didn’t go to the
countryside for re-education, but stayed at home and jobless for four years,
when all jobs have to be assigned by the government.
I was very poor and hopeless before the end of the 1970’s. I arrived at Los
Angeles International Airport with two heavy suitcases of Chinese art books
and $200 US dollars in my pocket in August 18, 1989.
At the 40th anniversary of the Cultural Revolution in China, I would like to
present and share my story with others for the memorial of my family members
and many other Chinese who died in the misfortune during that time.
I am so glad the nightmare is over. Today, I am pretty happy with how China
has been developed during the past twenty eight years. I believe that the
Chinese people will receive more freedoms, both economically and
democratically soon.
-- by Guangzhen Zhou, Northern California, July, 2006.
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CLAY TOOL and BOOK STORE
Four Kinds of Wheels for Clay Work
Yixing-Style Wheels. The traditional Yixing-style wheel functions similarly
to a western banding wheel. The Yixing-style wheel is normally a piece of
rounded wood with a one side flat and one side curved.
Double-sided Western Banding Wheels. We have imported cast iron western
banding wheels with both sides flat, which means you can use the smaller
side or larger side for working.
Lazy Susan (aluminum spin-able ring, thin and light-weight). Can be used to
spin your art for working or exhibition. Three diameter sizes of 8”, 10”,
and 12”.
Caster Wheels: After attaching the four wheels to a board, you can set your
work on top, and it will be very easy to push around. It is a good idea for
heavy and large floor pieces.
Please visit our website at www.ChineseClayArt.com for details.
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An earlier newsletter is on the Web at:
http://www.chineseclayart.com
THE END.
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Guangzhen "Po" Zhou
The Chinese Clay Art, USA
PO Box 1733
Cupertino, CA 95015
Tel. 408-343-3919, 408-777-8319, Fax. 408-777-8321
www.chineseclayart.com, chineseclayart@hotmail.com
Art Tools are Part of Art Works.
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