For the Curious
- Dock 6 Pottery are good buddies and were my mentors for several yeaars.
- I get my clay and materials from Continental Clay.
- eYakimono is a great place to research your next visit to Japan.
- The Northern Clay Center has a well respected gallery of pottery.
- Fired Up is nearby and provides pottery classes and studio rentals.
- Mike Tschantz-Hahn is an excellent artist (and my brother in law).
- It's factory made, but I enjoyed the glazes on Denby Pottery while I was in Ireland.
- The web site designer? Uh, that'd be me...
And remember: The Future is Hand Made!
My Life, Sweetened and Condensed
Education
1984: B.S.M.E. University of California, Berkeley
1987: M.S. Machine Design, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Pottery History
DNA: My grandmother, Ruth Stapleton, was a potter in New Jersey
1993: Started at Northern Clay Center in Saint Paul
1996: Studio at Northern Clay Center, cone 10 reduction work.
1999: Moved to Clonmel, Ireland. Very humble studio in town.
2000: Wood firing at Grenan Mill and building a kiln in 'Derry.
2001: Returned to Minnesota, rented studio space at Dock 6 Pottery.
2004: Established Bungalow Pottery, side by side with Dock 6 Pottery.
2006: Moved Bungalow Pottery to Milton Square in Saint Anthony Park, St. Paul.
Other Tidbits
1962: Born in Killeen, Texas. I moved around a lot, but grew up mostly in California.
1978 - 2000: Wrote a lot of software, mostly for science, animation and user interfaces. Google me if you're interested. I still write code on the side.
I've been married to Michele Chin-Purcell since 1986 and have two girls, Mara (b. 1992) and Lia (b. 1998). We live in Saint Anthony Park, in Saint Paul.
A Few Words
My first studio was at the Northern Clay Center, where I earlier learned to make pots in the Japanese influenced "Mingei-sota" style. To non-potters this more or less means "rustic brown pots". The clay is usually gritty, the glazes often pitted and crazed. It's an acquired taste. The Northern Clay Center does a good job at teaching this "real potter" style of pottery, although the front gallery is looking more refined lately.
My first teacher was Al Clemente Saks, who imprinted on me the throwing basics. I had two other influential teachers, Donovan Palmquist and Shirley Johnson, both of whom are long time Minnesota potters and have worked with Warren MacKenzie. I really took to Donovan's sense of form, and Shirley taught me how to think about and critique pots. While I make less brown pots now there is still an echo of Mingei in my work.
Despite some drawbacks, the Clayart internet mailing list has also been an invaluable resource.
Some Q&A
Q: Why pottery?
A: Like many potters, I like the process, the alchemy, working with my hands, making things to be held. I think MacKenzie is right in saying that modern society, with all it's machine made surfaces and objects, is tactile-deprived. And although it seems crazy to make a point out of it, I enjoy eating together at home, at the table. It's scary how many people don't really need dishes anymore.
Q: Why white stoneware?
A: It's warmer and more informal than porcelain yet it has good color response and glaze interaction.
Q: Why high fire?
A: I like interesting glazes, but I want them to look like they are part of the pot. Since more things melt at higher temperatures, it's easier to formulate glazes that interact, or blend, with the clay when you high fire. This produces a softer and deeper look to the glaze. The ware is more durable too, so it can be used in the dishwasher and microwave.
Q: Why an electric kiln?
A: Electric firing results in clearer colors, which after years of muted colors from reduction firings are refreshing to my eye. Most of the energy used in a gas kiln goes right up the flue and the emissions are uncontrolled, so electric firings are perhaps a bit kinder to the environment. Best of all, with a controller you can fire an electric kiln unattended with consistent results.
Q: How long does it take for you to make a mug or bowl?
A: Throwing a mug or small bowl takes a few minutes at the most.
Q: That's it?
A: Well, no, throwing is just part of the process. This is what is involved in making a mug:
- Wedge (kneed) or pug a 25lb bag of clay until it is uniform.
- Portion out 1 lb balls.
- Throw the mug.
- Let the mug dry overnight to "leather hard".
- If the form has a turned foot then put it back on the wheel and trim.
- From wedged clay make a bunch of clay carrots.
- Score, slip and attach carrots to mugs, pull a handle from each carrot.
- Sign or stamp pot.
- Dry completely.
- Load kiln, bisque fire, unload kiln.
- Wax bottom.
- Mix up any glazes that are running low.
- Glaze inside, let dry, wax inside rim, glaze outside, let dry.
- Load kiln, glaze fire, unload kiln.
- Store mug until sold.
In other words, pottery is labor intensive. It makes you appreciate the benefits of mass production.
Denby Pottery - Discontinued Pottery - Denby Dinnerware - Discontinued China
Denby China Find offers a huge stock of denby pottery, denby tableware, denby plates, denby dishes, denby dinner plates, denby teapot, denby mug, denby stoneware, denby bowl and many more in denby china. Provides most popular discontinued china pattern are Arabesque, Troubadour, Gypsy, Daybreak, Encore, Baroque, Marrakesh, Colonial Blue and Boston.
