Virtual Exhibition
POTTERS OF THE NORTH
A Tradition in Wood Fired Pottery
Virtual exhibition on view starting November 20, 2020
Click Image to Enter Exhibit
Beautiful and earthy, the tradition of wood fired pottery lives on in the Northwoods of the Midwest through the Potters of the North; a group of artists dedicated in the ancient art of Japanese wood firing. Sometimes rough looking, always handcrafted, view artworks with a deep connection to history and terra firma.
Featuring the works of David Caradori and Daniel Ingersoll.
ARTIST STATEMENTS AND BIOS
Statements and biographies are written by the individual artists and are published with their permission. The views expressed are their own. All artwork pricing is set by the artist and is non-negotiable and non-refundable. All artwork sales are by commission with Pablo Center at the Confluence. Your purchase supports our endeavors to present quality visual arts programming that is free and open to the public. Thank you.
ARTISTS BIOS
Into the Kiln - Behind the artwork of Potters of the North
Image 1 | David Caradori has been wood firing his Sasukenei kiln four to five times a year for the past 15 years. The kiln was designed and built under the supervision of Japanese kiln master, Masakazu Kusakabe. The kiln is fired for 24 hours and requires two people to accomplish the task. Daniel Ingersoll has been Dave’s firing partner since the kiln was built.
Image 2 | Pots are stacked into the kiln on a series of kiln shelves and posts. It takes about two days to fill the kiln.
Image 3 | Each time the kiln is fired, the door of the kiln is “bricked up.”
Image 4 | A large amount of wood is prepared for each firing. Much of the wood comes from dead wood on Dave’s 12 acre woodlot. The whole wood firing process is very labor intensive.
Image 5 |During the 24 hour firing, wood is fed into the fire box. The kiln is monitored and wood is added as needed. Temperatures in the kiln will reach 2300 degrees fahrenheit.
Image 6 | After a firing is complete, the kiln takes 3 days to cool down enough to remove the pots. Brick by brick the door is removed to reveal the pots.
Image 7 | The pots are unloaded and placed around the kiln.
Image 8 | Every now and then the loading process is paused to appreciate the beauty of a wood fired piece. The atmosphere in a wood firing is filled with fly ash from the pots. This ash sticks to the pots and eventually melts to form a glassy surface. The ash mixes with glazes that have been applied to the pots leaving every pot in the kiln, painted with fire and ash.
Image 2 | Pots are stacked into the kiln on a series of kiln shelves and posts. It takes about two days to fill the kiln.
Image 3 | Each time the kiln is fired, the door of the kiln is “bricked up.”
Image 4 | A large amount of wood is prepared for each firing. Much of the wood comes from dead wood on Dave’s 12 acre woodlot. The whole wood firing process is very labor intensive.
Image 5 |During the 24 hour firing, wood is fed into the fire box. The kiln is monitored and wood is added as needed. Temperatures in the kiln will reach 2300 degrees fahrenheit.
Image 6 | After a firing is complete, the kiln takes 3 days to cool down enough to remove the pots. Brick by brick the door is removed to reveal the pots.
Image 7 | The pots are unloaded and placed around the kiln.
Image 8 | Every now and then the loading process is paused to appreciate the beauty of a wood fired piece. The atmosphere in a wood firing is filled with fly ash from the pots. This ash sticks to the pots and eventually melts to form a glassy surface. The ash mixes with glazes that have been applied to the pots leaving every pot in the kiln, painted with fire and ash.
David Caradori
I believe in putting out a product that is timeless and enhances our culture through tradition. The firing process and alchemy of the glazes represent a large part of my artwork with an emphasis on functionality in a traditional craft setting.
David Caradori studied pottery with master potters Kingo Jiro and Masakasa Kusekabi in Japan. He taught many workshops in the US and Japan and is the owner of Caradori Pottery since 1986. David has shown work in galleries and museums in the US and Japan.
David Caradori studied pottery with master potters Kingo Jiro and Masakasa Kusekabi in Japan. He taught many workshops in the US and Japan and is the owner of Caradori Pottery since 1986. David has shown work in galleries and museums in the US and Japan.
Daniel Ingersoll
While I love the conceptual potential of art, most of my work in this show is functional in nature. I love the idea of taking raw materials that are perceived to have little value and shaping these materials with heart, hand, and head into objects of beauty and pleasure. A special handmade cup can transform the everyday experience of drinking coffee into a ritualistic, aesthetic experience. The process of working with clay is both simple and complex. Simple materials of clay, minerals, and fire present endless challenges and possibilities creating a deep well of desire for greater understanding.
Dan Ingersoll spent 30 years in Eau Claire classrooms teaching students the skills that would enable them to explore the infinite possibilities for expression through art. Seventeen of his thirty years was spent teaching ceramics and sculpture at Memorial High School. Throughout his time in Eau Claire, Dan has partnered with David Caradori to Fire David’s wood kiln located on his property 15 miles north of Eau Claire. Dan furthered his ceramic skills through his association with David as well as taking workshops with Randy Johnston, Jan Mckeachie Johnston, and Mike Weber. Dan’s work has been shown regionally and nationally through his inclusion in the “Strictly Functional National” pottery show in Pennsylvania. In retirement from teaching, Dan has enjoyed writing articles for Pottery Making Illustrated and Ceramics Monthly publication.
Dan Ingersoll spent 30 years in Eau Claire classrooms teaching students the skills that would enable them to explore the infinite possibilities for expression through art. Seventeen of his thirty years was spent teaching ceramics and sculpture at Memorial High School. Throughout his time in Eau Claire, Dan has partnered with David Caradori to Fire David’s wood kiln located on his property 15 miles north of Eau Claire. Dan furthered his ceramic skills through his association with David as well as taking workshops with Randy Johnston, Jan Mckeachie Johnston, and Mike Weber. Dan’s work has been shown regionally and nationally through his inclusion in the “Strictly Functional National” pottery show in Pennsylvania. In retirement from teaching, Dan has enjoyed writing articles for Pottery Making Illustrated and Ceramics Monthly publication.
Behind the Art : Message from Curator Rose Dolan-Neill
Through the viewing of art in our virtual exhibits on our website, we can all have a common experience. We can gain an understanding of our community and our humanity by scrolling through the images of artworks that have been created by our region’s top artistic minds. We can reach audiences from across the world and those communities close to home that might not get to come into Pablo Center that often. Please be sure to read through the artistic statements and biographies of the artists on display, these words will add to the enjoyment and appreciation of the artwork and may give you further reason to purchase a work of art from Pablo Center. Who knows, it may even inspire you to take the next steps in your creative endeavor.
Interested in purchasing a work of art?
Interested in a work of art exhibited in one of our virtual galleries or exhibits? It may be available for purchase. To purchase a work of art, contact Rose, our Visual and Literary Arts Manager.
All artwork pricing is set by the artists and is non-negotiable and non-refundable. All artwork sales are by commission with Pablo Center at the Confluence. Your purchase supports our endeavors to present quality visual art programming that is free and open to the public.
Contact Rose
All artwork pricing is set by the artists and is non-negotiable and non-refundable. All artwork sales are by commission with Pablo Center at the Confluence. Your purchase supports our endeavors to present quality visual art programming that is free and open to the public.
Contact Rose