Adam Yungbluth

What to make

2011-06-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

this is probably the fifth or sixth blog post I have started in the the last few months. Maybe I will finish and publish this one. What to make? I just realized as I stirred my dirty gin martini that it dd not really make sence to drink out of an espresso sized mug. Usually in the evenings when I sit around and have a night kap it is bourbon or a martini drank out of a ceramic cup, go figure, and mostly it is out of a rocks glass or a large shot glass. Every now and then, like tonight, I grab one of two small mugs that we own. It is either a Beck Evans or a Laura Williams is Laura Ashley I guess that is. It always seems weird, but I keep doing it. At a certain point the indented purpose does not really matter. I think I have drank more hard liquor out of these two cups than coffee or espresso, and that is ok.

The past few weeks have been a battle to decide what to make. One day it is sculpture, another day is pottery and then on to sculptural vessels another day. So what to do? Who knows. I figure if I keep it up and think about things and find reasons for why things are not working, it should play out in the end.

Woodfired Ceramics: A Contemporary Approach @ University of Notre Dame

2011-02-06T21:18:00.000-08:00

2011 and counting.......

2011-01-03T21:40:00.000-08:00

It is a new year for all of us in St Pete. A lot has changed over the last few months and they just keep getting bigger and bigger. Went to a christmas party where I got a bottle of Basil Hayden, so that is pretty sweet. Enjoying some right now as a matter of fact. If all goes well tomorrow we will begin the building the new salt kiln at SPCC. It should only take a couple of days.

Too many cords of wood to split, and too many bricks to move.....

Yet still, I need to find more time to make more work. The shelves are getting empty and I am looking to spread around to some galleries. It's weird, every now and again I think about how I used to be more sculpturally oriented. The last few I made just felt forced, but who knows.

When life hands you limes.....

2010-10-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

start drinking Coronas and decide to live in Florida for the rest of your days. Or act like the Chavi and put limes into the silver bullet. Any who, it has been a busy past month or so. If you have not heard, Matt Schiemann and I purchased St Petersburg Clay Company, (SPCC), and are ready to take it to the next level. SPCC is already a great place. A dozen or so electric kilns, two gas kiln, soda, a train, an anagama and in a few weeks a brand spanken new salt kiln. Let me not forget to mention the great members and artists in residence that make the place pop on a daily basis. Right now we are getting ready for a big holiday sale and a members show and that should rap the year up pretty well. Let us not the big pre-NCECA workshop we will be holding with the Morean Art Center for Clay.

Tomorrow morning we are going to upload the train kiln from a workshop led last weekend with Matt J-gel and myself, while Elmer Taylor taught a brush making a surface decoration workshop. Should be good.

On another, and totally different note, I found out this past summer while teaching summer camp that I am still not the best drawer in class. It is weird, as a youth, I never thought I would be an artist because I could not draw realistically or replicate comic books. These days I still can not, but I now don't care. It is not what I am about, so why would I need to? Here are some sketches for an instillation based on an amusement park theme. The soda shack and hot dog stand are my favorites.

another tea bowl post......

2010-09-26T20:10:00.000-07:00

here is an assortment of tea bowls I have made lately.

When is a bowl not a bowl.....

2010-08-02T19:53:00.001-07:00

...when it is a cup. Or a tea bowl that is. Tonight I made my first tea bowl since before graduate school. So, like four years. I stopped making them because I lost my interest in tea. Hot tea. Never had good, hot, traditional tea. I have had the blacks, whites, greens and mints. Maybe there was a flaw in my method of tea bagging, but it always just seemed like hot water. This was also the after undergraduate school where I was making a point to be more healthy than my malt liquor and taco bell days of Miami undergrad. Needless to say, it did not carry on.

Now five years later I randomly decide to make a tea bowl in the studio. Truth be told, I have thought about it the past few day while trying to expand my functional vocabulary. My resistance to tea bowls started when I tried to label what I was and was not as an artist, ceramic artist to be exact. Tea bowls can seem cliche. An easy answer for the ceramic process, something with an automatic historical context. Turns out it is like any other functional form, where there is a will there is a way...or purpose.

What made me think about making tea bowls again? Every morning I walk into the living room and notice the two tea bowls we own and are on display in the living room. Almost a decade of ceramics and I only own two tea bowls, strange. A Don Reitz tea bowl sits on a shelf below a shelf with a John Balistreri tea bowl. One I got for doing slides of Don's recent Anagama work from St Pete Clay, and the other for firing John's refires in the salt kiln along with Schiemann. As they say, it is always in ones best interest to surround themselves with people smarter than themselves. I am still very young in my ceramics career, to young to dismiss forms for weak reasons.

In the end it is just a shape, a vessel that hold liquid. Right now I am drinking bourbon out of a small mug by Beck Evans. The lips a little too fat and round and the handle is a little odd. It is the funky oddities make pottery special. It has a deep brown clay body with a hell of a white shino wrapped around it.

second billing????

2010-06-10T21:03:00.000-07:00

Just kidding. Second billing is fine, as long as it is alphabetical. Ha Ha. Well this is some of our new work. I have been focusing on hand built functional work with somewhat random surfaces, while Melissa has been slip casting and painting for hours on each piece. Good times they are. I think this card is for a show we are submitting for in a few months, we shall see. I might be able to see if a flicker site is around...http://bit.ly/cYqpZd .

I am not to sure where this line of pottery is going. For the first time I am building pots like I build sculptures. Mostly with coils and out of an earthenware body. This started a few weeks ago, and so far I think they are the best pots I have made. Luckily, it should go that way. Since starting at SPCC I have tried to focus more on functional ware. Three years of graduate school taught me that I loved making sculpture and growing a concept, but making pots is what brought me to the medium, passion as they call it. One of my first goals was to throw pots on the wheel that did not look wheel thrown at first glance. After awhile I realized that my proficiency at wheel throwing was holding me back. I was making things to fast, not enough care was being taken. Now, hand building each pot slows the process down to almost a snails pace. So far people seem to be favorable about the pieces.

Rebuilding threw destruction....

2010-05-14T05:19:00.000-07:00

Well, here @ St Pete Clay it is time to for new kilns. That is right, we are planning multiple kilns. What you see here are the battered remains of a seven or so year old salt kiln. After the last couple of firings had the inside of the walls melting out and the arch starting to split apart, we all new it was time. The last couple of firings were amazing surface wise, but then again I was part of the firings.

This was a monster of a kiln. It was designed by Don Reitz and built in about two weeks alongside a soda kiln, train kiln and an anagama. This was the type of kiln that took months of preparation to fill the kiln adequately or a handful of large pieces. It was the type of kiln I could jump up and down inside of.

Right now we are planning on a smaller more efficient salt kiln that will be moved to outside of the kiln pad roof. Typical downdraft kiln with detachable burners so they do not get destroyed like those of the former kiln. There are also talks of building a catenary arch wood klin that might have the option of oil drip burners. maybe.

Another NCECA Another City

2010-04-04T11:58:00.000-07:00

Well, NCECA 2010 has come and gone. It was fun, but good t be back in the sun shine state since I have a few things coming up that I need to prepare for. As usual one of the better things about the conference was seeing old friends and studio mates. Missed a few chances to meet up with some folks, but unfortunately that is often par for the course. One two many nights till 4 or 5am can take a toll on just about anyone.

This NCECA was the first time in three years that the majority of my time was not spent saying, "Here is why Ole Miss kicks ass." The good thing is it allowed me to walk around more and see some good shows. Somehow I missed most lectures and demos, but that happens. It was cool to walk around such a historic town. Seeing the Liberty Bell and numerous of examples of historic architecture. This post includes a few pics from "Hermaphrodites" one of the better shows I saw. The Clay Studio was also a great place to see.

If you are in Memphis

2010-03-25T20:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the likes of Tom Lee, sculpture professor @ Memphis college of Art, I was asked to be in a show @ MCA. Local Flavors: Seven Local Artists, was put together by Jennifer Sargent. Although I am no longer local, I think there was a 70 mile radius or so, I was asked to participate while I was in Oxford and Florida was unknown. Invitational shows are always great. This was really the first time someone I did not know asked me what I was putting into a show, not select from a body of work. Really the best part was when I received MCA's Fedex number for shipping. Shipping prices is a draw back to sculpture, and having a shipping code made it awesome. Sounds like Dr. Piggy did not survive the trip. We shall see when she comes home.

if your in Gainesville......

2009-12-06T05:36:00.000-08:00

Currents: Contemporary Ceramics, will be an exhibition in January @ the Focus Gallery in Gainesville, Fl. It could very well be on the UF campus. Linda Arbuckle and John Bryd were intrigued enough by the digital slide of Nothing Can be Bad in Moderation to include it in the exhibition. The good news is Gainesville is only three hours away, so no shipping required. So come on down to the reception on January 15th, it should be a hoot nanny and a half.

Come on ride the train train, the choo choo train!

2009-11-04T08:17:00.001-08:00

We are currently at hour 39 of firing the train kiln @ St Pete Clay. I awoke shocked at 4:15 when Dani called to see where I was for my 4:00 am shift. As I sped off to the kiln I ran past the local Duncan Donuts to find it closed, what a cruel world. All that meant was TJ and I rocked it in the High Life until 8:00am or so when I remembered the Double D. As I left to give Melissa the car we had 9 bending in front with 6 down hard in the back. Not to shabby. ETA for finish is is around 9:00pm tonight. I am really happy with mine and the other AIRs' interest in wood firing. It is something I have always enjoyed but never committed myself to. TJ was shocked to hear just a few months ago I was making colorful bears and unicorns and surrounding them with sugar, chocolate and corn syrup. For what ever reason I do not have the desire to continue with that body of work. Maybe it is the new place and new people. All I know is that style of work was right for where I needed to do at the time, and not just because it was grad. school and I felt the need to be conceptual or all thinky about my work. It is something I have thought a lot about in the past few weeks.

Next week Long, Reitz and Balistreri come down to make work for a January Anagama firing. I am really interested in meeting Reitz and Balisteri. I talked clay with Reitz on the phone the other day before Googs and I made his clay. Long on the other had I can handle.....more clay, more beer.

time to go

Dear Blog

2009-10-19T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hello blog it is me Adam. It has been a good time so far in St Pete, Fl and wish that I had been more diligent in posting over the last two months or so. I am not taking slides for a few days so I can even really show you what I have been up to. Matt, Dani (both AIRs) recently fired the Train Kiln had a mountain of success. The firing lasted just over 48hrs and had lots of beer and cooking out. There was a Rudy Autio piece in the kiln and that was cool and the fact that it is cracked in half will be remedied soon. At the beginning of November will firing again and I will have a fresh body of work that has been racing thru my mind for the last couple of weeks.

talk to you later!

Two Weeks

2009-08-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

Well, in about 12 hours Melissa, Alien and I will have lived in our new apartment for two weeks. It is kind of surprising that 14 days have already passed. Not much has changed, but it is much hotter. I have been working in the studio for a week or so now and I think headway is being made on new functional work. Like everyone, the idea of sustaining life by my creations is my goal, but the need for a joe job is immediate. I do have an Etsy account and working on packets to send out to galleries. Luckily I have to reshoot all the work I made over the summer @ Ole Miss since my external hard drive crapped out and I lost everything. The good news is they were digital, aka free.

I made bread tonight and that was fun. I think it was the beginning of the summer when I decided to make our bread apposed to buying from the man. That of course turned into making naan because we cook Indian style meals often. Mayo is another thing I make for us, and when I find a mustard seeds in the area mustard will be made as well.

back to the studio in the morning

T Minus 12 Days and Counting

2009-07-16T22:01:00.000-07:00

Well, we are now under the two week mark. Not much left to do but get the truck, pack the truck and then drive the truck for 14 hrs. Even with this tight deadline I am still creating new work, and at this moment it is functional. Mugs, platters, bowls, batter bowls, baskets and that sort of hoop la. It has been an interesting experience since I have never worked with low fire functional ware. I have used Majolica a few time, but now it is slips, copper washes and a few simple glazes. The drawings and carvings on the surface are simple and often I am uncertain why at the moment. Wall paper, pinstripes, old TV screens and checker boards are some of the things are turned into simple line work. It has been fun and a nice break from the sculpture that was being created for my thesis show, but I am getting the sculpture itch....

Once I get situated at The Train Station I will get back on the sculpture horse. I have a few ideas that need to be translated to paper first, but they make me laugh. One of the undergrads, Andrew, knows a guy who has a surplus of molds to dispose of and hopefully I will get the ones I have asked for. A few bears, dolls, a donkey and a unicorn. Do not really know why he had to ask if I wanted a unicorn mold, but luckily he did.

A few years ago, three to be exact, I might have turned my head at the use molds like this. As it turns out, three years of intense focus, making and believe it or not, writing!, has aged and changed my opinion. I have been pondering a series of blog posts about my reflections of graduate school and and the positives/minuses. Could be fun since I want to be a serious blogger for what ever reason. Oh, and I will also try to chronicle my St. Pete Clay experience!

see you on the flip side

2009-06-23T22:07:00.001-07:00

not that school is over i have a lot of spare time and only a tire. Any who, I intend to be a full on blogger and tweeter!

I have a future....kind of

2009-06-18T22:09:00.000-07:00

After months of job rejections I have finally stumbled upon a residency experience. Come August I will be an Artist in Residency at...... St Petersburg Clay Company in lovely St Petersburg, FL. (gulf side). I had the pleasure of working at St Pete Clay for two weeks in January as part of an intersession class with Matt Long. At the time I was about to start my final semester as a graduate student @ Ole Miss, but that is so last season.

Now Melissa, Alien and I are on the task of finding live quarters and jobs. The only problem is, it has already hit mid 90's here. My thick Ohio blood might just make me over heat and combust.!!

Sweet Shenanigans

2009-02-26T21:50:00.000-08:00

New thesis work for you viewing pleasure

Welcome

2009-01-21T07:32:00.000-08:00

Just back from St. Pete Clay and my final semester has already started.

Smile! it is the last week of classes!

2008-12-03T06:55:00.000-08:00

Get excited! One thesis semester down and one to go!
National Geographic article

Break Take Over

2008-11-28T21:55:00.000-08:00

WIth the break almost over it is time to clean up and wait another two weeks before I can again take over the main studio. Pictured is two 4' figures, a 3' unicorn, the start of a 3-4' swamp monster and a 3-4' gum drop friend. Go Thesis!

Hey if your in New Hampshire!

2008-10-07T06:20:00.000-07:00

If your in Manchester, NH and looking for some fun stop by the New Hampshire Ceramics Biennial 2008. Tell your friends that they can see Boom Dispenser (Dirty Rat Edition) and many other works that made the cut.

Does this sway any other electoral opinions?

2008-09-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

I found this "looken for action figure" on the world wide web today on herobuilders.com It will be interesting to see how the "hot" factor sways the '08 campaign. I think the little bit of bra showing will help the campaign and save America. Pretty good deal for $30.00.

Hey! If your in Illinois

2008-09-02T18:55:00.001-07:00

This watering can will be on view at Clay Spaces somewhere in Illinois as part of Clay 3 juried by Simon Levin.

Big Monday Coming Up!

2008-08-22T19:07:00.001-07:00

get ready for this. Image at least ten times this much sculpture arranged like candy land in Meek 130 and that is what I call thesis.

Time for the Mid summer classic and beer

2008-07-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

New stuff, kind of

2008-07-10T18:43:00.001-07:00

Top Image: Research
Bottom Image: This is for a sculpture I started in April. The original did not make the cut and this was made a the beginning of the summer and I am finally getting around to firing it.

I got your blog posting right here

2008-07-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

I now have a ETSY Store

2008-05-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

Etsy
Buy Handmade
yungbluth

For those of you not in the know ETSY is an online site that allows members of the art and crafts world to display and sell their work. I am giving it a shot, we shall see

New Work

2008-05-12T20:41:00.000-07:00

top to bottom

"I have no legs, I have no legs" , The Giver of Gifts (bombs and candy) and detail

as it turns out I am not very good at continual posts. Here is a selection of work from the spring semester. The pieces are in the similar vein to what I have been working with and will continue to work with in a similar fashion. They are also a break away from just using ice cream and sticking bombs on the surface. Some of those pieces looked like the commentary was on tragedy of food and not the comments on war.

guess what i did today

2008-05-07T21:03:00.001-07:00

time for a change, plus it is already hot like hell down here

In Progress

2008-04-10T20:05:00.001-07:00

New work in progress. We shall see how the finish as time runs out for the semester.

Behold!!! the success

2008-04-06T14:22:00.000-07:00

Behold!!!

2008-04-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

Behold!!! opens for just three weeks so come quick and stop by Friday night for a rager!