27th Annual Alabama Clay Conference
This year’s conference was in beautiful Birmingham. The presenters were Chris Gryder, Lorna Meaden, and Sergei Isupov! The conference began with a reception for the 1st Clay Market at the Art Folk Gallery. Numerous local potters and sculptors set up tables and sold their wares. It was nice to see work by Alabama artists. The second day, Friday, was pretty basic. The student-teacher art show opened, the presenters started their pieces, explained a little background about their respective processes, and Chris gave his background presentation. The third and final day was wonderful. The presenters finished up and Lorna and Sergei gave their background presentations. The day ended with a pint exchange and after party at the Good People Brewery. A friend and I even spoke with Sergei and Chris for a bit at the party. All-in-all it was a pretty good conference.
South’s table at the Student-Teacher show
Sergei at work! The figure is slab built and painted with slips thinned with gum solution and stained with a heavily concentrated mason stains. (He later finished the piece by painting the dress black.)
Lorna at work!
Chris at work! Chris is the only clay artists emplying “Earth Casting” or “Silt Casting” in contemporary ceramics. He created a negative in silt then casts the piece in slip. He finished his pieces with engobe and slip washes.
My cup for the pint exhchange. It was a big hit!
