In case you've been interested in doing a workshop with me, November 16th & 17th at Pewabic Pottery in Detroit, I will be doing a hands-on workshop. The cost is only $175! We will go over beginning pinched forms, how to work large, how to taper in forms, how to create different surfaces with your fingers and much more.
Find out more information here:
photo by Darcy Demmel
Photo by Darcy Demmel
Many things have been happening here in Chicago over the past several months. The biggest change was moving studios this summer which took MUCH longer than expected. Now, with most things in place and a kiln set up and running, I am ready to get back making work as you can see!
The new space isn't very far from my old studio, just a few blocks south. The new address is 3717 North Ravenswood Ave, Unit #115 in Chicago. In addition to having a great new location, I have a great new studio mate! Jayson Lawfer and The Nevica Project occupies the front part of the space, while I occupy the back. Jayson buys and sells all kinds of art, but specializes in ceramics, so it great fun to see all of the treats he brings in.
Another big change is I am going to be dropping down to cone 6 clay and glazes, so if there are any of those blushed pink pieces that you have had your eye one, now might be the time to snag one. I am not sure how long it will take to get my glazes reformulated.
I just uploaded a bunch of work to my Etsy site, specifically some cups, even some espresso cups!, but work is also available at the locations listed below. The Objective Clay site is a great place to find a lot of plates at the moment, so if you are looking for some of those...look no further!
Small snack plates!
If you would like to stay in the loop as to sales and such, please sign up to be on my mailing list here.
This weekend I will be doing my first "craft" fair ever. I am a little nervous to be quite honest! I have always shied away from events like this, BUT I decided I would make a few exceptions this year in order to try and share my work with more people in Chicago. So, if you happen to be in the neighborhood, this Saturday I will have a small table set up for Versionfest13 as part of the SMALL Manufacturing Alliance. It's from 1-7pm, Saturday June 15 located at Maria's and Pleasant House Bakery: 960 W 31st Street Chicago, IL (in Bridgeport). Admission is free!
For more information and to learn more about what is happening at Versionfest13 check out the link here. Hope to see you there!
I am very excited to announce that at the end of this month I will be relocating studios in Chicago. My new space won't be moving far, but I will go from a 50 square foot "mouse house" to a 500 square foot studio space. I am *really* excited about this. This new space will offer so many more opportunities and I am looking forward to sharing those with you! The total space is 500 square feet, but I will only get about 350 sf since the front space will be occupied by The Nevica Project and Jayson Lawfer. There are great times ahead.
Here is a lovely photo taken outside our studio by my new studio-mate Jayson Lawfer
Here is the spotlight article with Ceramics Monthly discussing Arrowmonts Utilitarian Clay Conference and the creation of the artist run group Objective Clay.
Originally published in Ceramics Monthly, December 2012, p. 80.
http://ceramicartsdaily.org/ceramics-monthly/
Copyright, The American Ceramic Society. Reprinted with permission."
So for those of you in or on your way to NCECA in Houston, see if you can find this little gem hidden somewhere! Artist Adam Field has put together a great line up of artists who have donated pieces to hide around Houston and 36 lucky folks will get to take these home with them! Follow it on Instagram at #Hidenseeka .
If you find him, you get him!
Here is a snippet of some of the other folks involved. What a crew!
Coming soon to a Pottery Making Illustrated near you...
"Originally published in Pottery Making Illustrated, March/April 2013, pp. 17-21.
http://ceramicartsdaily.org/pottery-making-illustrated
Copyright, The American Ceramic Society. Reprinted with permission."
Just a friendly reminder, I am still doing free shipping through my Etsy site for any purchase over $70. For purchases $70 and under it is only $5. Not too shabby!
I just posted several vases, both small and large, that would make great table centerpieces. Not to mention, what girl wouldn't like a beautiful boquet of tulips in one of these for Valentines Day?
Last week I did a photo shoot with my friend and incredible photographer Darcy Demmel. I am going to have an article in a ceramics magazine talking about my process and detailing how to build a pitcher! I am really excited to have more details out for you soon, but in the mean time. Here is a peek!
Well, I have been in a bit of a predicament. I have some larger pieces that I have wanted to glaze, but I can't quite fit them in my glaze bucket. I know that you can pour glaze over the pieces, but I don't want my work sitting in a pool of glaze. I know that some people use a foam or sponge to help support it, but I didn't feel that would quite work either.
Enter the mesh screen! I realied I could build a little mesh screen on a frame to hold the work up above the bottom of the bucket. That way, I can pour the glaze over, the glaze goes through and my work isn't sitting in a pool of glaze!
The total cost was bit ridiculous considering what it is, but it was only because I didn't have a lot of the tools I needed (such as a miter saw). I know that i can use these tools again in other contraptions, but here is the finished product!
Tada!
So this month, not one, but TWO articles came out in two different magazines. I knew about the article in Ceramics Monthly, but I didn't know about the plug in Ceramic Review! So that was a real treat to see that!
Almost two months ago now, I cam back from Arrowmonts Utilitarian Clay Symposium and I was really energized and invigorated by that time together. So much so, that i began writing a little something, just for my own personal record. Then I thought, "Maybe someone else would want to hear about this?" and so I sent a note to Ceramics Monthly with my article and asked if they would be interested and lo and behold, they were!
The article is a little insight into some of the ideas and conversations that went on late into the night at UC6. It was so great and I feel very fortunate to have had such great artists for company. If you have read it, I would love to hear your thoughts, even if you didn't go to the conference! You can pick up a copy at any large bookseller.
I think I could honestly type for the next 3 days straight with all of the fun and incredible things that have occured over the past week. I got home from Arrowomont on Sunday with a great group of new friends and endless amounts of inspiration. What a joy!
I also just discovered that I was selected as plate #1000 for the Plate a Day blog which is one of my favorite blogs to pop in on. I can't even say honored I am to receive the comments that artist and blogger Carole Epp made for my work!
#1000 Plates
All of that to say...I am heading out tomorrow to do a workshop in DC at the Lee Arts Center for 2 days and then I will be back again and hopefully able to post some information and talk a little bit about my experience.
'Til then!
Hi all-
Just wanted to let you know I now have my work available at the Crimson Laurel Gallery in Bakersville, North Carolina! They are a really wonderful gallery and have a great selection of work to choose from. I know that there are many people like myself who still like to handle, touch and feel an object before they buy it, so for those of you living in the Carolina's area...here you go!
Here is a link to my page on their site: Emily Schroeder Willis
Better late than never...this summer my husband and I took my first ever trip to Milwaukee. I know, I know! It's pretty bad that Milwaukee only lies 90 minutes from our doorstep and I had never made the trek, but a few weeks ago we went up there to see the Face Jugs exhibition that they had.
Unfortunately, the exhibition has now moved on, but there were a lot of other incredible pieces of work to see. The Face Jugs exhibition is traveling and it will be on view at the Columbia Museum of Art September 28 - December 16.
Two other pieces that were interesting to me were Robert Morris vs. Eva Hesse
It's interesting to see two artist play with the same idea, but both end up with a very different result!
Yesterday I went to the Art Institute and saw the new Roy Lichtenstein exhibition. I really didn't think I would like it very much. I am not a big fan of Pop Art and I always thought that Lichtenstein was kind of a one note tune. I think I may have to eat my words....
While, yes, Roy Lichtenstein stayed very much in the same style of painting for most of his career, this exhibition truly knocked my socks off. A lot of what I had seen of his was this comic books like paintings of women in distress, but his sculptures, his mirror paintings and his architectural paintings were absolutely incredible!
Regarding his sculptures, it is a simple thing to make a flat image look "flat". It's a whole other deal to make a 3-dimensional object appear flat.
My absolute favorite works out of this exhibition were his mirror paintings. Walking up to a mirror, you expect yourself to fill the object; when nothing appears, when nothing reflects, you reexamine how you approach certain familiar objects. When I am no longer the focus within the object, how does that make me feel about something where I am no longer the subject?
So, I have had a bit more time on my hands lately than normal and I have decided to do a bit of updating to the website. Just wondering what you think? I wanted things to feel a bit more cohesive and also to have a simpler feel. I feel like I am still just hitting the tip of the iceberg when it comes to figuring out how to design and plan a website. I would love your feedback and insight!
I just finished up an entirely new body of work. I must admit I have been a little nervous of how other people may like or not like it. I think I have made a decision to step away from making all of the little lines on the pots. I loved them, and for the moment, I have fallen out of love with them. I want my work to feel more mature and less cute. I really hope that you like this new group of vessels. If you want, please let me know what you think!
The exhibition goes live tomorrow!
Check it out here: The Nevica Project
Here are a few pieces that are my fav's
It's so hard balancing all of the different facets of being an artist. Hopefully by early next week I will have some new work posted on Etsy. Additionally, starting July 3rd, there will be an exhibition with The Nevica Project here in Chicago and you can check out some of the work that will arrive out of my kiln either tonight or tomorrow! Needless to say, there is a lot of new work coming at you in the not so distant future.
Here is a preview of some work that will be available on Etsy soon. I hope you like it!
Before
and after!
We got this little gem at the St. Croix River Pottery Tour on Mother's Day Weekend. Exited to see more of his work at the Arrowmont Utilitarian Clay Conference. Sign up for the conference if you haven't yet, there are only 200 spots available!
What is that you say? Radical hospitality in the form of an identical lunch? Odd, but twas so at the SMART.
Almost 2 weeks ago I went to the SMART Musem's Symposium on Radical Hospitality in Contemporary Art. There were numerous fabulous presentors who spoke about topics such as: what it means to be a "Good Host" versus a "Bad Host" (as in the case of Enemy Kitchen) or how to incorporate ritual of eating together in mixed company (as in the case of Theaster Gates Soul Food Dinners). It was also the World Premiere for the FLUXUS Blender Symphony of the Identical Lunch conducted by Alison Knowles. It was such a great day of learning about how different artists (particularly non-ceramic/pottery artists) perceive the idea of sharing a meal and how that creates community for the good or in some instances bad. Michael Rakowitz's "Enemy Kitchen" project is a really fascinating intersection of good host/bad host where Iraqi war vets serve Iraqi food served on paper plates of Sadam Hussein's china pattern. It was really incredible!
Blender Prepared-ness
Pouring the buttermilk, hold the mayo!
The Blender Symphony is about to begin!
The blended "Identical Lunch" oddly really did taste like a liquid tunafish sandwich... I am not saying that it was bad...or that it was good either.
The Enemy Food Truck