SimonLevin.com

Pots

LizV — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 23:37:35 +0000

Soda-fired Mug

LizV — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 18:45:37 +0000

Lars

simon — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 02:51:28 +0000

I would like to introduce the next Mill Creek Apprentice Lars Voltz.

Not only is Lars (soft s) the owner of an awesome name he is the first post MFA apprentice to come to Mill Creek Pottery. Lars just finished his MFA from Witchita State University working with Ted Adler. Some of his graduate work is below.

I first met Lars when I did a workshop at Bemidji State University. He is a friend of Tom Jaszcak and also a student of Butch Holden. A native of Bemidji Lars can be best described as ENTHUSIASTIC.

Lars, Bill Wilkey, and Liz Profferty, assisted for me and Kenyon Hansen at Haystack in 2013. And though the boy energy was high we had a great time.

Lars' time at Mill Creek will be packed. Starting in August we are traveling to China to build two kilns for the China Academy of the Arts in Hangzhou.

Holiday Sale

simon — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 16:29:53 +0000

Pots from my first anagama firing on Etsy

Willson — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 03:28:06 +0000

Stick Center

simon — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 16:18:10 +0000

In 2005 I worked with Guillermo Cides and the Chapman Stick center on their first compilation album of Hispanic Chapman Stick players. When they were ready to release the latest album Guillermo contacted me again and I am honored to announce the second album. Which you can download for free at Stickistas.com

The new album feature 40 Stick artists from different countries, cultures and styles. An unprecedented album, unique in the music world.

Lucie CM

simon — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:44:07 +0000

My most recent apprentice Lucie Brisson, has an article about choosing the apprenticeship route in the May issue of Ceramics Monthly. It is personable, vulnerable, helpful and a great read. Click on her name and it will take you to her blog, as she establishes her own pottery in the South of France.

Also in the issue are the 2013 thirteen emerging artists. Two of which are former apprentices. Tom Jaszczak, and Kenyon Hansen. Both are making compelling, strong functional ware.

Lucie's article inspired me to re-write my apprenticeship description. I currently have two openings and I hereby am officially announcing the search.

Fulbright2

simon — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 02:34:57 +0000

My family arrived in Taiwan two weeks into my Fulbright experience. As my schedule has picked up my wife Susan graciously offered to write the following blog post. This is the first time I have ever had a guest blogger write for my website.

Weeks 3-5: Transitions, Expectations, and Adjustments

Twenty minutes after arriving at the Kaohsiung Airport, our youngest announced that jetlag was over. This was, obviously, not the case, but reflected the excitement of both finishing 30 hours of travel and reunion as a family in our temporary Taiwanese home. We had tentative plans for our family time before kids started school after the Chinese New Year, but other opportunities upended the calendar. Of course, one of the joys of travel is discovering what is new and stepping into those rhythms.

Ching-Yuan, head of the Ceramics Department at Tainan National University of the Arts, has graciously arranged a solo exhibition for Simon that will take place in two locations. The artwork he creates here will be shown at the stunningly beautiful Fugui Ceramic Galleries in Yingge and Sanyi near Taipei. One of the challenges of this exhibition is that it opens March 29th. Since Simon’s Fulbright fellowship started the second week of January, the push to make work for these shows is intense. Thus, this post comes from Susan while Simon is throwing.

Rather than easing into a gentle schedule, priority has been given to finding local materials, testing clays, attending to local forms, traditions, uses and making work. Ching-Yuan took Simon to a local brick factory to dig and purchase 1500 pounds of local clay and see their roof and flat tile production. Brad Taylor helped with the digging – thanks, Brad! The red ochre color of the fired clay is reminiscent of Lizella Red from central Georgia, although, with less sand and vitrifies at cone 2.

We will start loading the first wood kiln, a 20 cubic foot Olsen fast fire, on February 28^th and the anagama on March 8^th. Results will just have to wait. The rhythms of making pots, finding our way on unfamiliar roads, stoking kilns, making friends are both challenge and gift as we move through transitions, expectations and adjustments.

First two weeks

simon — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 12:19:41 +0000

I am currently in Taiwan on a Senior Scholar Fulbright research grant. It is a wonderful opportunity to travel, work within another culture and be connected to people who are engaged in exploring the world.

The first two weeks have been a acclimatizing though. Jet lag came first, then just setting myself up. It took a week to move into what will be our family's housing during the stay here. And I am still furnishing the apartment. I am adjusting to working in a community studio, (no more music blasting) an electric wheel (that does not stop when I want it to) language (I do like to be understood) and new clays.

After my first week here a good friend came to visit and we traveled up to Taipei and explored the city. Taipei is tremendously easy and inexpensive to travel around. The Metro is well marked and sensible, and the food vendors will keep you fortified as you walk.

We traveled to Pinglin south of Taiwan for a morning and walked through the tea fields and tea museum. It's beautiful country and we had the privilege of being invited into a family's ancient stone house for tea. It was explained to us that the wooden doors, beams and roof used no nails; a concept that was patiently pantomimed for us repeatedly.

And the last few days were at camp Fulbright mid year conference where all the Fulbright affiliates (Senior Scholars, Fellows and English Teaching Assistants) presented on their progress so far. The conference was a treat. Though the work was serious a lot of fun activities were planned and easy socializing occurred. In the photo on the right I am presenting my lack of progress during my two weeks in country.

Testimonial

simon — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:28:33 +0000

My friend, Mike Skenadore, sent me the following email this moring. Perhaps because he is not a potter, Mike captures the importance of the hand made object so personally and eloquently I am going to stop this lead in and let Mike's words speak.

I served dinner last night on a Linda Christianson piece. I was struck by how much meaning there is in using pottery. All four of us were able to share stories about the piece and how it came to us. The girls of course remember the golf cart rides down the driveway and the rootbeer keg and the swing in the back yard, while Rose and I remember conversations and my impromptu, and totally unauthorized, kiln tour. It is like bumping into an old friend. The girls will ask "Who made this?" or "What tour did we get this from?" and it is always a point of pride for Anna that one of the very first pieces we got was a bowl of yours that she got for a birthday present.

A couple of weeks ago I broke a coffee mug that was gas fired by a lady from Appleton. It was one of Rose's first pottery pieces. I felt so bad that I went online and tried to find a replacement. I apologized to Rose profusely but it took some time to get over the mistake. I tried to remember other plates or cups that I broke through the years and I have to say I can't remember one of them. None of the mass produced Pfaltzgraf stuff I have purchased had any real meaning to it.

I find that when we are setting the table or doing dishes that we linger over our pottery a little longer. I think it is to take a moment to touch the hands of the person who made it and remember the good times and good friends and good travel that brought that piece to us.

I am probably waxing philosophical here but there is a shift in the way we perceive these objects now. I don't know how much I believe in fate and I have always appreciated the serendipitous series of events that brought us together, but I can't help but think, when I am handling somebody's work and enjoying my relationship with that person, that there is some reason (dare I say plan? I think not) that our families have crossed paths in the way we have.