Author Archives: jtwalthier

Pamma FitzGerald is a very interesting multimedia artist who combines ceramics with collage, charcoal, pastel and other materials to create visually compelling, layered works of art. Pamma has two fine art degrees from the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD), one in drawing and the second in ceramics. She fuses those skills with anContinue reading “Pamma FitzGerald – Artist Profile”

I started a series of Sgrafitto birdhouses in the fall as a way to inject levity and fun into the shortening days of winter. It’s been a pleasure to work on them. And it was fun to have these to fire when I quarantined with Coronavirus. My wife came down with COVID-19 through exposure atContinue reading “Sgrafitto Birdhouses”

Thomas Frye set up a pottery factory outside London in 1748. Frye located his factory close to the London stockyards and availed himself of plentiful cattle bones from slaughtered animals. Frye threw the bones into his ovens to reduce the bones into ash, and then included a substantial portion of that bone ash (45%) inContinue reading “Gladstone Pottery and English Bone China”

I came upon Jaroslav’s ceramics via his website. I found his work to be a wonderful exploration of two different themes: the first being very lyrical – almost musical – exploration of shape, form & motion, the second being a focus on the abstract qualities inherent in clay and glaze itself, as material. Shape, FormContinue reading “Jaroslav Hrustalenko – Artist Profile”

Take a few minutes during the cold winter months to enjoy these Swiss ceramic tile stoves. Ceramic factories in Winterthur and Zurich produced elaborate tile stoves for wealthy Swiss patrons from about 1550 through the mid-1700s. The stoves provided radiant heat to keep rooms cozy during long Swiss winters. The enclosed stove chamber also containedContinue reading “Swiss Ceramic Stoves”

I like Russell Biles’ work. A lot. But I admit not everyone shares my enthusiasm. My wife, for example. I say this guy is provocative, she says he picks at scabs. Perhaps it depends on your perspective or approach to art. Everyone should be able to agree that he is a skilled craftsman and extremelyContinue reading “Russell Biles – Artist Profile”

In the past I’ve toyed with newsprint transfers offered by Isla Transfers. I enjoyed the experiments but am no means competent using them. So I sought out Jason Bige Burnett at Isla Transfers to ask him about his company and products. First of all, newsprint transfers consist of underglaze pigment screen-printed onto newsprint and usedContinue reading “Isla Transfers”

Francoise Joris is a Belgian ceramic artist. Her work is identifiable by its ethereal, fragile appearance and suggestions of marine and plant living forms. The best introduction to her work is perhaps this video, which although in French with Dutch subtitles, demonstrates her creative process. JW: Do you use cellulose or nylon fiber additives inContinue reading “Francoise Joris – Artist Profile”

Cybele Beaudoin is another Canadian ceramic artist doing interesting things with a lighter, more lyrical tone. (What’s with all the Canadian creativity? Is there something in the water?) Cybele describes herself as a 30-year old French Canadian and a full-time ceramic artist for almost 4 years. She works at home in her small studio (inContinue reading “Cybele Beaudoin – Artist Profile”

I subscribe to the NY Times. The paper recently ran an article about a donation of arms and armor to the Metropolitan Museum in New York. I looked up the Met’s website to see whether they post online information about their ceramics collection. They do indeed. In 2017, The Met made all images of public-domainContinue reading “The Met’s Ceramics Collection”