conference was reflected in the theme “Borderline Clay”. | think
We made an impressive contribution in the galleries as well a3 in
the presentations by lecturers and panelists.

The conference fsell offered an expansive fare of lectures and
presentations for 2500+/- attendees covering @ wide variety of
topics as well as slide presentations of up and coming artists,

Not to be missed was the effervescent presentation by Walter
Ostrom: " The Virtue of Necessity” | am always impressed with
his energy and enthusiasm as well as his ability to make just
living an art in the way he integrates his interests in clay,
gardening, teaching and home. His lecture focused on the social,
economic and aesthetic aspects of the functional pot Walker
may be many things, but dull is not one of them,

"What's Clay Got To Do With It? “a panel discussion between Ed
Lebow, art critic and curator, and Adrian Saxe, clay artist, held
Special interest for me since | had recently done a study af Saxe's
work at collage. His work, inspirad by Sevres porcetain exudes
the fine craftsmanship and nich, highly decorated surfaces of that
era but with a witty contemporary twist that | find appealing and
influential in my own work. Also | identify with his attempt to
make his work accessible at some level to everyone.

Saxe showed @ brief retrospective of his work discussing what
drove him in this direction as well as how he has dealt with the
criticism that has come his way.

Ed Lebow reviewed how he approached criticism and curating
and how his own values and preferences affected his chalces,
“Artist act before they think,"
“Critics think before they act”
A question was raised regarding the trend to apply the theories of
criticism directed to “high art" (@.g. painting and sculpture) ta
cefamic arts and how this was affecting the ceramic artist
brought the following response from Lebow. “Yes, | think it
heaving an effect. The artist becomes more self conscious of what
he makes. Criticism about utilitarian ceramics is usually more
about haw it looks rather than how it functions” suggesting that
the functional aspects are given less attention.

Paul Mattieu's lecture , “Erotics and Aesthetics/Ceramics and
Sexuality” packed out the largest baliroom in the hotel. | guess
that speaks for itself!

The closing lecture by Efien Dissanayake was, for me, the most
intriguing of all. She is an independent scholar of the Humanities
and a researcher of modem and postmodern societies. She has
published two books “WHAT IS ART?" and "HOMO
AESTHETICS: Where does does art come from and why?"[which
| am now reading) as well as numerous articles in national
magazines and periodicals including the May 1995 issue of
AMERICAN CRAFT magazine entitled "The Pleasure and
Meaning of Making”.

Dissanayake's lecture “Beyond Nostalgia” addressed our
increasing yearning for a romanticized version of # simpler life
style of bygone eras and societies spurred by the ever
burgeoning complexities and pressures of the world we now live
in. She presented eleven basic and human needs and
predispositions which if not met lead to a sense of dissatisfaction
and sense of homelessness, Her books are well worth a read.

But all was not seriousness, There was plenty of socializing and

reunions hap@ening. The dance to live county music provided a
levitating release for the huge crowd that turned up on Saturday
night,

As a very pleasant finale Sally and | drove to her family farm
three hours out of Minneapolis for a couple of days of relaxation.
Although it was the end of March, the ice had not yet broken on
the many lakes in that area. To our surprise we awakened on the
morning we were to drive back fo Minneapolis Airport to six
inches of snow! That caused a brief panic, but Sally, no stranger
to snow, got us there just fine.

Reflections on the NCECA Conference continue to pass through
my mind, Thera is so much more that went on than what | have
shared. | was pleased to have the opportunity to go and grow
through this experience.

LUCIE RIE AND MAY DAVIS

Two of the world's most famous potters have died in the last few
months. May Davis died last December in New Zealand. Lucie
Rie, who was 93 years old died recently in England. Lucie Rie
was bom in Awstria but moved to England in the 1330's, where
she spent same time working with Bernard Leach before going
her own Way. According te an article in the London Daily
Telegraph, she said of Leach, “he educated me and | owe him a
fremendous lot,” but she was insistently unprefentqus and
dismissed Leach's evocation of ‘life flowing for a few moments
Perfectly through the hands of a potter.” ‘I just throw,’ she said,’
until | ke the shape,”

About May Davis: When we decided to reprint articles from
previous Potters Guild newsletters as part of our fortieth year
celeoration, one of the articles | ran acress was May Davis's
account of her first time in lzcuchaca, Peru. Because the article
so nicely elucidates the kind of social conscience and change
that prevailed in the late ‘60's and early TC's, | felt that it would
make a good companion to the Jean Marie Weaklend article we
ran éarlier that cealt with potters trying new teaching
approaches with children at U.B.C. Tam Irving suggested that it
might be # good idea te contact May Davis directty (this was in
March) to get an update, if possible, on the izcuchaca project,
but we couldn't find a phone number or address for her. So,
having the phone number of the president of the New Zealand
Society of Potters available, | proceeded to phone President
Jennie Rassel of the society at what turmed out te be a rather
small hour of the morning, in New Zealand, to see if @ phone
number could be obtained,

twas af this time that | discovered that May Davis had died last
Oecember and that the only person who might know what had
happenad since in izcuchaca was nicely incognito in Bali, Ms
Rassel was very pleasant to this strange voice on the phone at
such a small hour in the morning and | apologize profusely for
having awakened her and her companion who answered the
phone.

Continuing ta pursue this problem of an update, | read May
Davis's book, May Davis; Her Story, This is an astonishingly
trank and honest book that tells a tale of some joy and a lot of
hardship, May does not accuse or complain of her lot, but the
incidents she relates clearly spell out the difficulties she endured
throughout her life.