[This post includes pictures from the K-12 exhibit, the Resources Hall, demonstrating artists and the NCECA Biennial, with links to the featured artists websites wherever possible.]

I started the day with sunrise yoga taught by Debra Chronister. Lots of shoulder-opening stretches and wrist-strengthening exercises. Her series of wrist and forearm stretches felt really good; it's on her website (linked above). I had breakfast at the wonderful Ellie's Bakery nearby, packed full of pottery people with blue NCECA badges hanging around their necks.

Back in the Convention Centre, I attended a couple of lectures. The first on "The Basics of Business in the Arts" by Heidi McKenzie and then one called "Become Your Own Photographer" by Dustin Miyakawa. Heidi's talk reminded me of many things I have been meaning to do, but putting off, like writing an artist's statement. Dustin's talk proved to me that I had been photographing my work all wrong: he was fond of saying "that's just amateur hour."

Dustin and his lighting set up

From here, I wandered into the K-12 exhibition. There were some absolutely stunning ceramics that would have been at home in any of the exhibits at NCECA. Here are a few snaps:

Jimin Park, Grandfather's Teapot, Grade 12.

Joshua Castle, Teapot Set, Grade 8.

George Liu, Perception, Grade 12

Rhys Castro, Kitchen Yellow, Grade 12.

Jeremy Sweeten, Shino Bottle, Grade 12.

Johanna Engebrecht, Nancy's Teapot, Grade 9.

Brandon Benson, Sink, Grade 11.

Next I bumbled in to see Gustavo Perez and Linda Christianson demonstrating. They worked well together, with Gustavo describing his process as Linda threw the beginnings of her pieces. I found Gustavo's process fascinating. He works with cylinders and alters them; usually with a scalpel or several scalpels strapped together, and by pushing out parts of the form from the inside. He embodied the idea that ceramics should be playful, saying, "my idea is that you have to try every idea that comes into your head." Gustavo only finds the piece interesting whilst he is changing it; once fired, he loses interest.

Gustavo Perez

Altered cylinder

More altered cylinders

Gustavo in action

I fancied a wander after this, so I took a look around the Resources Hall. I spoke to quite a few people including the lovely folks at the log book (a long-running wood-firing journal) and Claudia and Pietro from La Meridiana. It was great seeing Claudia and Pietro again, and reminded me of my time at their school in Tuscany. It's a magical place, and I recommend going if you can!

I also found lots of interesting pots in the Resources Hall. Most of the pictures have captions with the artist and a link to their site, but there were a couple I failed to note down; help out in a comment if you know the artist.

Marian Baker, Green stoneware teapot, Yarmouth, 2014.

Jim Dugan, Resident Artist, Baltimore Clayworks.

Kevin Rhode, Oyster Seeds.

I love this teapot but don't know who made it: anyone know? Please leave it in a comment if you do!

Hunt Dalglish, Finger combed slip platter.

Liz Quackenbush, various pieces.

An airstream full of pots.

Inside the stream.

David Bogus, Optimist Luggage 101, Earthenware, 2014, $1500.

David Bogus

David Bogus, Boot Stack, Earthenware, Suitcase, 2014, $4000.

Unsure of this artist.

More pots. Pots everywhere!

Audrey Roseluk (these mugs feel amazing in the hand and I bought one for my wife Lauren).

Steven Hill

Henderson's Redware

I bought a lovely brush from this chap, whose name I cannot recall.

Bamboo handled brushes with various hairs.

Lots of clay on that wheel.

After much exploring downstairs I went back up to hear John Baymore's talk, "What Makes a Teabowl a Chawan?" This was awesome. John cleared up many questions I had had about the Japanese Tea Ceremony and made me realise that I must go and see it for real and participate. I learnt the difference between coach and oust for example: thick and thin tea. It became clear that there was a level of intricate detail to the movements and conventions that John did not begin to describe.

I nearly went to grab some dinner but decided to head straight to the Biennial at Brown University, stomach rumbling away. I was so happy to arrive and find a long table laid out with pita breads, falafel, hummus and other executive snacks, as well as obliging barmen serving wine. I ate far too much and meandered around happily red wine in hand. The work was mostly sculptural and tended towards conceptual art rather than functional pieces.

Christy Wittmer, Scavanged, 2014, Porcelain, wood, concrete, styrofoam cup, dirt, rubber band.

Nancy Green, Wood Fired Hollow Square Tray, 2013. Anagram wood fired, Shigaraki clay.

Donna Cole, Regeneration II, 2014, Porcelain, Crystalline glaze.

Zac Spates, Firebox Pitcher, 2013, Wood fired porcelain, shino slip.

Virginia Pates, The Lower Parking Lot, 2014, Thrown and altered porcelain, fired dirt from the lower parking lot at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College (NB: best notecard description I saw at NCECA).

Liza Riddle, Closed Form #321, Hand built wet clay applied to a previously fired form, water soluble metals, iron, nickel, cobalt and other metal salts.

Aaron Nelson, Pixel, 2013, Upcycled vintage porcelain plates, digital decals, rare earth magnets, steel, data matrix code.

Vlad Basarab, The Archeology of Memory-Large Book, 2014, Unfired white clay and video.

Vlad Basarab, The Archeology of Memory-Large Book, 2014. (You could see how rain water had started forming streams that cut through and eroded sections of the clay book).

Jessika Edgar, Seated Woman, 2014. Red earthenware with mica, majolica glaze, rubber, copper leaf, metal stool.

YunWook Mun, Poof 2.0, 2014. Unglazed porcelain, porcelain slip, steel shelves, pedestals.

Brooks Oliver, Wobble Vessels, (wobble vase, wobble curved vase, wobble bowl, wobble vase/bowl), 2014. Cast porcelain.

Young Mi Kim, Vessel 1, 2013. Coiled and pinched stoneware, glaze.

Jeremy Brooks, Shinowear, 2014. Wood fired stoneware, shine glaze, ceramic decal.

Jeremy Brooks, Coming Out, 2013. Manufactured porcelain plate, frame, ceramic decal.

Ivan Albreht, Re-deconstructed platter, 2014. Broken and reassembled glazed porcelain, custom decals, gold luster, epoxy, gold leaf powder.

Lorna Meaden, Shot Glasses, 2014. Wood and soda fired porcelain, slip inlay.

Philip Finder, Teapot, 2014, Stoneware, glazed and sandblasted.

Marissa Neuman, 90 Degrees and Sunny, 2014. Stoneware, underglaze, clear glaze, wood, foam, textiles.

Zimra Beiner, Grey Alphabet, 2013. Glazed earthenware, wooden bench.

Jeffrey Mongrain, State of the Union Address, Dec 3rd 1929, President Herbert Hoover;"... returning to normal...", 2012. Sculpted sound translation, clay and marble dust.

Eva Kwong, KERMES, 2013. Coil-built stoneware, glaze, oxide painting with flashing.

Misty Gamble, Sunday, 2013. Casting slip, beads, enamel pearls, rhinestones, glaze.

Misty Gamble, Sunday, 2013. Casting slip, beads, enamel, pearls, rhinestones, glaze.

Jin Kim, Heteronymous, 2014, Porcelain and Plexiglas.

Well, that took awhile to catalogue! I hope you enjoyed the pictures, and I will be posting soon about Friday of NCECA.