Geico and Macon Arts Alliance present the 11th Annual Fired Works Regional Ceramics Exhibition and Sale, held April 16-24 in the Historic Round Building in Macon’s Central City Park. The 2016 exhibit features 65 potters and more than 6,000 pieces of pottery from Georgia and the Southeast. This year, featured potters, Bill and Pam Clark, of Clark House Pottery in Greenville, South Carolina, will discuss their work and the influence of George Ohr on their approach to pottery making.
Eccentricity at finest can be found in the folds, ruffles, twists, and pinches of the self proclaimed “Mad Potter of Biloxi’s” work. George Ohr, Biloxi, Mississippi native, was an American ceramic artist whose wild and innovative style have lead many to believe he reigns as the forerunner to the abstract-expressionism movement. Ohr challenged any potter on earth to replicate his wonderfully puzzling work; it wasn’t until nearly eighty years later that that challenge was accepted.
A serendipitous connection was made in 2003 when Bill and Pam Clark attended the annual National Arts and Crafts Conference at the Grove Park Inn, in Asheville, North Carolina. Enthralled by the craftsmanship and intricacies of Ohr’s work, Bill quickly committed to mastering this lost art of folding clay. This craft was so lost that all formulas, studio and kiln notes used by Ohr were mysteriously destroyed tens of years earlier by an unnamed assailant, thought to be a disgruntled family member.
The mastery of this form would come in stages for Bill. He knew he would need to achieve ruffling and folding, however lightness of weight and delicacy were also essential to this contrived chaos. Experimentation was key along with understanding the fundamentals of pottery throwing, as it is imperative to create pieces in as few moves as possible due to clay’s short lifespan on the wheel due to water absorption. Unknown techniques and a rudimentary understanding of ceramics was a lofty equation to solve.
Use of natural versus commercial clay was a non-negotiable during this process. Trial and error led to a multitude of techniques, five/six ways of ruffle making, rope looking collapses in the middle of pieces, hidden folds, opposite direction folds, etc. It wasn’t long before the Clark’s work gained vast recognition and a healthy following.
In 2009, Bill and Pam were contacted by Dick and Dot Morgan (great-grandchildren of Ohr) and other Ohr descendants to attend a family reunion in Biloxi, Mississsippi. It was at this gathering that the Clark’s were able to connect with the people that Ohr is survived by, discuss the uniqueness of this pottery, and pay homage to Ohr’s cultural influence. 2011 legitimized Bill’s commitment and dedication to honoring Ohr’s work. The Ohr family officially [in-writing] welcomed Bill to their family, the only artists to which they’ve ever extended this invitation.
During its 9-day run, Fired Works includes special events such as an Artist Talk by featured potters, Bill and Pam Clark of Clark House Pottery, Clay Workshops for Children, Corks and Clay, and a Wheel Turning Class for the experienced ceramicists. A special Preview Party will be held on Friday, April 15 with live music from the Macon Pops Jazz Trio, catering by Moonhanger Group, complimentary drinks , and an exclusive chance to purchase work before the exhibit opens to the general public.
A complete schedule and tickets are available now at FiredWorksMacon.com.