Posts Tagged ‘pottery’

 

For those of you not familiar with our family’s history, we thought that we would give you a quick summary….

 Thirty years ago, Robert ‘Andy’ Gordon walked into a ten by eight foot tin shed, picked up a lump of clay and turned his potters wheel. The Pack Track Pottery was born.

But the story and inspiration for Robert Gordon dates long before 1979 and a rickety home made studio.

Andy’s mother, the renowned Australian potter June Dyson, set up her  studios in 1945.  June was from fine creative heritage.  Her father, Edward Dyson was a successful poet and author and her uncle Will, a revered political cartoonist and the Australian Government’s official artist during the First World War.

June formed a formidable partnership with her husband Colin who became the company’s business director. And it was June’s second son Andy, who showed most interest in the pottery, helping out in the studio from his early twenties.

It was inevitable that Andy would one day follow in his mother’s footsteps. And having married his English wife Barbara, the couple set about moulding their dream.

The Pack Track Pottery may have been simple and small but this tiny studio tucked away in Gembrook, an hour’s drive from Melbourne, became a prodigious production line. Every Sunday Andy and Barbara made the trip to the city and to St Kilda market with their week’s wares. The pots sold as quickly as they could make them.

By 1987 it was time for the company to expand. A factory in Pakenham was bought and Robert Gordon had grown from a tin shed with a dirt floor to a very large purpose built headquarters. Employing 30 staff, the Pakenham HQ remains its home today.

It was also time to bring new staff into the business. Andy and Barbara didn’t have to look far. Their four children, Hannah, Kate, Bobby and Sam all joined the firm. History had repeated.

More than sixty years of heritage and three generations of potters.

Robert Gordon. Proud of its past. Its future, fired with imagination.

Occasionally we like to talk about the other side of the commerical ceramics business of Robert Gordon Australia. While we are known in the business world as a designer, manufacturer and retailer of fine ceramics, and supplier to some of the world’s better restaurants of quality china products, we like sometimes to remember that, at heart, we are potters.

The main aim of this list is to provide a useful resource for anyone active in the pottery world. But its secondary aim is to keep us in touch with our past, with the artistic instincts born in the grassroots pottery community.

This list has been some time in the making — a lot longer than we expected when we conceived of the project. The reason for that is principally the response we have had from potters, a response which proves that there is a vibrant and generous potting community out there.

We would like to offer sincere thanks to the following for their contributions to the list:

Des and Jan Howard
Graeme Anderson
Ellen Appleby
Kirk Winter
Ian Hodgson
Michael Keighery
Ryland family
Gary Odgers

And, especially, Julie Vaux, whose bookswellread blog gave us the idea for this list in the first place.

POTTERY GUIDES

Robin Hopper
Functional Pottery
Subtitled: Form and Aesthetic in Pots of Purpose

Published 1986 by Chilton Book Co.

Description at alibris.com: “Through a wide display of functional pottery, this reference book offers information and practical tips as well as international coverage of both the design and aesthetics of ceramics and artists’ work.”

Recomended by Australian potter Julie Vaux. Part of her review of the book here http://www.bookswellread.net/functional-pottery/ says: “This is an essential reference book for teachers and students. Every school or arts centre that teaches ceramics should have a copy of this work. t covers the practical mechanics of applying geometry to proportions to get a balance functional item of ceramics. There is an excellent selection of historical examples and the practical forms covered range from handles to casseroles.”

Find it here.

Mel Jacobsen
Pottery: A Life – A Lifetime

Published in 2004 by American Ceramic Society.

Recommended by Australian potter Graeme Anderson.

Review (anonymous) at betterworldbooks.com: “Mel Jacobson’s book is a real pleasure to read. His experiences as an apprentice potter in Japan are delightful not only for the pottery experience but also for sharing his experience living in a different culture. There are plenty of technical pearls all through the book making it helpful to any potter seeking progress in their craft. In a way the book reads like a long chat with a great and inspiring teacher. I hope he writes a new one!”

Find it here.

Mimi Obstler and Robina Simpson
Out of the Earth, Into the Fire: A course in ceramic materials for the
studio potter

Published 1996 by the American Ceramic Society.

From a review by Australian potter Ian Hodgson: “If you are interested in where glazes come from and why they do what they do, then I certainly recommend you look at this book. I wish I had had copy 10 years ago.”

Find the 2001 edition here.

Daniel Rhodes
Clay and Glazes for the Potter

First published in 1973 by Pitman Publishing. Revised and expanded edition (paperback, 352 pages) published in 2000 by Krause Publications.

Recommended by Australian potter Gary Odgers who is ceramic designer/mould maker at Robert Gordon Australia, and who says: “This is a reference book. It’s not an exciting read, but has lots of useful and good information.”

Find it here.

Robert Tichane
Celadon Blues

Published 1998 by Krause Publications.

Recommended by Australian potters Des and Jan Howard.

Description at alibris.com: “The definitive reference for potters of all skill levels who want to duplicate celadon glazes, one of the oldest and most beautiful high-fire reduction glazes, this guide carefully dissects Chinese glazes and reconstructs them with modern materials. The author offers explanations of the results and techniques.”

Find it here.

Robert Tichane
Copper Red Glazes

Published 1998 by Krause Publications.

Recommended by Australian potters Des and Jan Howard.

Description at alibris.com: “A reference guide for potters who want success with copper-red glazes without doing extensive and frustrating experimentation. Robert Tichane’s approach provides a clear account of the processes involved in the production of copper-red glazes that has a relevance for potters beyond copper red.”

Find it here

John Britt
The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glazes
Subtitle: Glazing & Firing at Cone 10

Published 2007 by Lark Books.

Recommended by Australian potters Des and Jan Howard.

From the description at alibris.com: “With hundreds of recipes for some of the most popular and enduring high-fire glazes, this reference will prove a boon to ceramists who want to master this complex and versatile aspect of the art.”

Find it here.

Michael Bailey
Oriental Glazes

Published 2004 by University of Pennsylvania Press.

Recommended by Australian potters Des and Jan Howard.

From the description at betterworldbooks.com: “Oriental Glazes offers a complete overview of the art of high fire reduction glazing, which can be notoriously difficult to master. Michael Bailey has provided in-depth research to bring a wide variety of Oriental glazes to the reader with explanations, notes, and direction where needed. He discusses recipes, chemical make-up, and troubleshooting, and examines current artists’ use of these unique glazes. A wide variety of techniques and glazes are presented, from celadons and tekmokus to the more specialized tea dust and hare’s fur.:

Find it here.

Nigel Wood
Chinese Glazes
Subtitle: Their Origins, Chemistry and Recreation

Published 1999 by A&C Black.

Recommended by Australian potters Des and Jan Howard.

From the description at alibris.com: “Chinese ceramics and their glazes have delighted and enthralled the world for centuries. In this book, Nigel Wood traces the development of Chinese glazes from the Bronze Age to the present day. He carefully describes how Chinese glazes were made, and how they evolved over some 3000 years of continuous production.”

Find it here.

Steve Harrison
Rock Glazes: Geology and Mineral Processing For Potters

Published 2005 by Hot & Sticky Press

Includes a CD.

Recommended by Australian potters Des and Jan Howard.

Find it here.

Greg Daly
Glazes and Glazing Techniques

Published 1995 by A & C Black Publishers Ltd

Recommended by Australian potters Des and Jan Howard.

Description at betterworldbooks.com: “The author takes a straightforward, empirical approach to the subject of glazes. He shows the reader how to develop glaze recipes by the trial and error” method. He also helps the reader to understand the function of the materials in the glaze, how they affect the colouring oxides, and how variations in application and firing can alter the final outcome. The process sequences and finished works are illustrated in the text. The aim of the book is to provide a simple guide to the subject which will educate as well as inspire.”

Find it here.

Ian Currie
Stoneware glazes: a systematic approach

Published 1986 (2nd Edition) by Bootstrap Press.

Recommended by Australian potters Des and Jan Howard.

Find it here

Ian Currie
Revealing Glazes: Using the Grid Method

Published 2000 by Bootstrap Press.

Recommended by Australian potters Des and Jan Howard.

Find it here.

ARTISTIC INSPIRATION

Leonard Koren
Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers
Published in 1994 by Stone Bridge Press

Recommended by Australian potter Kirk Winter, who says the book looks at the ways we see and perceive things.

From the book’s introduction: “Wabi-sabi is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. It is a beauty of things modest and humble. It is a beauty of things unconventional.”

Find it here

Soetsu Yanagi
Unknown Craftsman
Subtitled: A Japanese Insight Into Beauty

Published in 1972 by Kodansha International Ltd (Tokyo)

Recommended by Australian potter Kirk Winter, who says: “A way of looking at handcrafts.”

Find it here

HISTORY

Janet Gleeson
The Arcanum

Published 1998 by Bantam.

Description: The invention of European porcelain.

Recommended by Australian potter Michael Keighery, who says: “Skullduggery involved even makes the NSW ALP look good.”

Comment by an amazon.com reviewer: “Janet Gleeeson takes us on an intricate and spellbinding tour of 18th century Saxony as she breathtakingly relates the history of porcelain through three of its major players. The story of the aracanum produces a history lesson and detective novel in one as court misdemeanors and everyday life are revealed in all their glory. Everything is revealed from sexually transmitted diseases to the swapping of a vase for a dragoon of soldiers.”

Find it here.

Anthony Burton
Josiah Wedgwood: A Biography

Published 1976 by Andre Deustch.

Recommended by Australian potter Michael Keighery, who says: “The story of the genius, scientist, scholar and industrialist who revolutionised ceramic production.”

Find it here.

Dorothy Johnston
The People’s Potteries: Stories of the Art Potteries of Sydney

More People’s Potteries Stories

Self-published (?), 2002
Description: Pottery history, New South Wales, Australia

Recommended by Australian potter Anna Ryland.

Find both books here or write to: Dorothy Johnson, PO Box 175, Cooranbong NSW 2265, Australia

Michael Cardew
Pioneer Pottery

Published 1971 by St. Martin’s Press (New York).

From the description at alibris.com: When he went to West Africa in the 1940s, Michael Cardew found himself ‘in a land where the potter’s art had been flourishing for centuries without the use of wheels, or kilns, or glazes’. This book grew out of his desire to share all that he had learned from the African pioneers of pottery.”

Recomended by Australian potters Des and Jan Howard.

Find it here.

THE BUSINESS OF ART

Peter Timms
What’s Wrong with Contemporary Art?
Published 2005 by University of New South Wales Press.

Recommended by Australian potter Kirk Winter.

From the description at alibris.com: “In this provocative book, Peter Timms asks confronting questions. Why is contemporary art so in thrall to spruikers and promoters, and why do their extravagant claims so rarely match the reality? Why does the market have such power, and how does it dictate the sort of art we are allowed to see? Why are art schools, museums and the media apparently so eager to fall in line with commercial expectations?”

Find it here.

Harry Davis
The Potter’s Alternative

Published 1987 by Methuen Australia

Recommended by Australian potters Des and Jan Howard.

Description at alibris.com: “Divided into 2 parts: Part 1 is aimed at potters who would like to be independent of supply companies by first finding, then processing their own raw materials using pug mills, blungers and ball mills. Part 2 teaches both potters and others the ‘how to’ of tool and machine making, much of it by hand.”

Find it here.

Take one new and pristine piece of pottery, add paints, tuition, advice and one child, and mix well. The result is a foolproof recipe for a fun day out for everyone.

This fun is available at the Paint-Your-Own studios at Robert Gordon Australia pottery outlets, and offers everything from entertainment to education to the anticipation and fun of creative endeavour.

Participants get to choose from a range of pieces to paint. There are vases, plates, bowls, mugs, sundae containers, popcorn boxes, milkshake containers …

At the end of the painting session, the pieces are glazed and then fired in the Robert Gordon Australia kilns. They can then be collected to start their new life on display in your home. All pieces are microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe, and a potential talking point for generations.

The Paint-Your-Own sessions at Robert Gordon Australia have produced thousands of happy memories over the years. They are perfect for a family day or a birthday party. They are perfect for adults too — organise a function for friends, for a mothers’ group or for Mother’s Day.

For more information, or to make a booking, visit our web page.

We offer today the following video, a remarkable little documentary which, without words, so accurately answers the question: who’d be anything other than a potter?

You close the door of your studio each morning, locking out the complications and uncertainties of that other world, and enter your world, where all decisions are those of the artisan and the only subjective choice is whether today you will be joined by Grappelli, Haydn, Hendrix or silence.

The star of the video is Australian potter Ric Pierce, and in it he is making one of his signature forms, the pelican jug.

Thanks to Elaine Bradley for alerting us to it.

The dates for the 2009 Pottery Expo at Federation Square have been announced. The event, held annually in the heart of Melbourne, Australia, will take place this year on Sunday, November 8.

The Pottery Expos — this will be the fifth in Federation Square and the 16th around the state — were created by local studio potter Jane Annois and are described as a “celebration of Victoria’s finest contemporary ceramic art”.

This year’s Federation Square event will showcase the work of 40 Victorian and NSW ceramic artists. Displays will vary from delicate porcelain to robust sculptures.

The artists will be present to meet and talk to anyone interested in ceramics. Also present will be TAFE college representatives to explain ceramics education options. Other attractions include booths featuring ceramics supplies and necessities such clay, glaze, tools and books, live music, fine food, coffee and wine.

There is space still available for anyone wishing to take part. Stalls are A$150.

The 5th annual Pottery Expo at The Atrium, Federation Square, Sunday 8 November, 10am until 5.30pm. For further information visit www.potteryexpo.com, or email Jane Annois at jane@potteryexpo.com.

The Australian Tax Office has announced some good news for Australian potters and artists generally. Bless ‘em.

What they are offering is an investment allowance of up to 50 per cent on artworks bought between December 13 last year and December 31 this year. The allowance is available only to small businesses, defined here as those with a turnover of less than A$2 million a year.

There are other conditions: artworks must be valued at A$1,000 or more; both the buyer and the artist must have an ABN; the artwork must be predominantly (at least 50 per cent of the time) for business use; it must be a recent work by a living artist; and it must be bought from the creator or from a gallery.

Given the business turnover cap and the artwork value minimum, the tax break looks like it could be particularly beneficial to emerging artists, who would have faced the toughest struggle in the economic downturn.

The initiative comes under the heading of “Small business and general business tax break”. You can read more here.

Thanks to Leonard Smith, of the Rosedale Street Gallery, Dulwich Hill, Sydney, for bringing this to our attention.

The ancient art of pottery probably owes its existence to the even more ancient art of basketry.

Basket weaving was one of the first crafts practiced by man. The earliest carry-bags were made from animal hides, but while they worked well as bags, replacing them usually involved waiting for an animal to die.

Grasses and reeds grew naturally pretty much everywhere people lived and roamed, and once the weaving of grasses to create containers and baskets became understood, the craft spread rapidly. Man had invented a cheap, easily replaceable container.

Woven baskets had a drawback, however. They were poor at storing liquids. They were great for carrying the kids, spears and leftovers from last night’s dinner, but no matter how tightly woven, water found a way out.

The need for a watertight container continued to be a problem until about 25,000 years ago when it was discovered that another material found pretty everywhere could be moulded into useful shapes and hardened with heat.

The material was clay, and with that discovery man had taken a big step forward by being able to carry water safely.

The next Members’ Exhibition of the Australian Ceramics Association will be held from April 28 to May 2, 2010. It will be held in Gulgong, New South Wales, and will be called “340 grams”. That mysterious title will be explained in a moment.

The unusual title of the 2010 exhibition, “340 grams”, is taken from the weight of a normal issue of The Journal of Australian Ceramics. The challenge is to use 340 grams of wet clay to make a bowl or a sculpture.

You can find an on-line entry form here or contact the The Australian Ceramics Association (by phone on 1300 720 124 or by email at mail@australianceramics.com) and they will post or email you one.

Members can submit one or two works — just remember that each completed work must weigh less than 340 grams. TACA will charge 20 per cent commission on sales. Entries close February 15, 2010.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines pottery as articles made of fired clay. But what exactly is clay, and what is involved in “firing” it?

Clay is a natural material. The picture at left shows cliffs on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, US, made almost entirely of clay. Clay deposits are found around the world, but their characteristics can vary a lot. In fact, no two deposits of clay have exactly the same characteristics, and often samples from the same deposit differ.

All clay, however, has one unusual attribute, a natural plasticity which changes by varying the water content. Heating clay lowers the water content and makes it harder. Heat it a lot, and it becomes very hard. Make it into a nice shape first, and then heat it to harden it, and you have created pottery.

Raw clay consists of clay particles and feldspar, usually combined with quartz, mica, iron-oxides and other materials. Naturally occurring clay like this can be used to make coarse earthenware pottery, but high-grade pottery involves the selection of special clays and the addition of other ingredients.

Heating (or firing, or baking) of clay was first practiced 25,000, and possibly 30,000, years ago, meaning pottery was invented about the same time as paper. It is truly an ancient art form.

Initially, firing was done over open bonfires, but today it is done in sophisticated kilns — insulated chambers, or ovens, used to harden or dry materials by constant exposure to temperatures well above 1,000 degrees Centigrade.

The earliest firing techniques have always remained in use, however, because the soot and ash of a wood fire gives pottery a unique finish. A second reason for the popularity of wood-fired pottery kilns is that anyone can build one in a couple of hours with a few inexpensive materials.

Welcome to the Robert Gordon Australia blog, which we aim to make a focus point of information, education and discussion about ceramics, design, issues and innovations.

This blog will be about all levels of the industry in which we operate and the market in which our readers are interested. If it’s news, we want to let you know about it. If there is a voice with something important to say, we are happy to share it. If there’s a good story to be told from the present or the past, we want to tell it.

Of course, we’d like to spend some time talking about us as well, providing an insight into the day-to-day life of a large commercial pottery. Playing with mud is the best bit, but it’s all fun and exciting to us and we’d love to share it with anyone interested.

Most importantly, we want to swap thoughts with you, our clients, friends and colleagues in the wonderful world of ceramics. So please drop by the blog often and leave a comment asking a question, offering an opinion or just saying hi.