Studio of Melody Tiemann

Update: Winterfest 2011

2011-12-06T08:07:00.001-06:00

The exhibition I am part of at Baltimore Clayworks is now online. Work can be purchased, although I am not sure of their shipping schedule. My platter made the title wall! Here is the link to the online gallery.

http://www.baltimoreclayworks.org/images/exhibition/11/winterfest/Winterfest_2011/index.html

Remember, support artists by buying handmade.

Update: Winter's Florifertum

2011-12-05T20:54:00.001-06:00

The exhibition at Red Lodge Clay Center is now online and all work is available for purchase and immediate delivery. Support artists and Buy Handmade for all your gifts!

Red Lodge Clay Center | Winter's Florifertum: Annual Holiday Invitational

www.redlodgeclaycenter.com

Winter's Florifertum

2011-11-14T15:38:00.001-06:00

I am excited to be included in Winter's Florifertum, December 2-23, 2011, at Red Lodge Clay Center. According to the exhibition card, Molly Hatch will collaborate with other elaborately ornate varietals of function including: Jenni Brandt, Michael Kline, Melody Tiemann, Julie Johnson, Diana Fayt, Elizabeth Robinson, Sanam Emami and Michelle Miller. The loft gallery will bloom in excessive, celebratory holiday abundance.

Winterfest 2011

2011-11-10T12:27:00.001-06:00

These salt and peppers are an example of the work I sent to Balti more Clayworks for their Winterfest 2011 exhibition and sale. The show runs from November 19, 2011-January 6, 2012. Other invited artists include: Lorna Awalt (MD), Ingrid Bathe (ME), HP Bloomer (TX), Jeff Campana (VT), Josh Copus (NC), Marty Fielding (VT), Janelle Gang (MD), Daniel Garretson (CO), Andrew Gilliatt (LA), Lynne Hobaica (NY), Mike Jabbur (VA), Tom Jaszczak (MN), Brian Jones (OR), Christopher Melia (TX), Sebastian Moh (KY), Lindsey Oesteritter (KY), Debra Oliva (MI), Doug Peltzman (NY), Melody Tiemann (MS), Jeremy Wallace (MD).

It's Been Awhile

2011-11-10T12:13:00.001-06:00

To keep it brief a lot has happened since my last post over a year ago.

I moved to Mississippi to take a teaching position at Mississippi Valley State University last Fall after my time at the Appalachian Center for Craft was over. I had three fabulous and enriching years as the Resident Artist in Clay at the Craft Center, and miss it still.

I am currently teaching five courses a semester ranging from foundation classes to art history. It has been a wild ride, but so worth it. In addition to teaching, I've been making work. Most recently for group exhibitions and sales at Red Lodge Clay Center in Montana, Balitmore Clayworks, and the Appalachian Center for Craft.

I am also in the process of updating my website so until that is complete please excuse the down site. I will keep you posted, a little better this time.

Decals

2010-07-04T20:46:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about decals for a while now, and wondering how to incorporate them into my work. In trying to eliminate a few steps of the process, namely a third firing, I've played with the oxide decals you can buy from Chinese Clay Art. I like the process and results of using the oxide ones, but am limited by the types of designs commercially available. So in order to create decals of my own designs/motifs, I dusted off my rusty screen printing skills (a big thank you to my fellow AIR, Jess, who made sure I was doing it right) and made my own. The results are not too bad (see mug above). I think I might need to put a binder in the oxide mix so that it doesn't flake off the paper once it's dried. Other than than, I won't know until I fire the mug if it will be successful.

A Friendly Fellow

2010-06-19T10:19:00.000-05:00

This morning I had a visitor to the studio. He appeared over by the mailbox and slowly kept walking up to the studio sidewalk. I've noticed him before, but this is the closets he's ever come to the studio and to me. I think we were separated by about 15 yards. The campus shuttle pulled up and he dashed off back into the woods.

Upcoming Events

2010-03-23T10:44:00.000-05:00

Evening Workshops: Tonight the eight-week evening workshops come to an end. We will have potluck and ohh and ahh over the finished work. This is my favorite part of the workshop, when the students see the rewards of their hard work. I am so proud of them.

NCECA: Next week, March 31-April 3 I, along with several thousand other ceramics professionals, professors, students, hobbyists, wholesalers, and enthusiasts will descend on Philadelphia, PA for the Annual National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts Conference. The city's galleries, store fronts, coffee shops, etc. will be filled with ceramic art. In addition to all the art on display, the conference center will host demonstrations, lectures, panel discussions, video screenings, and a huge room filled with vendors, schools, and non-profits. Throughout the conference an atmosphere similar to a family reunion will prevail as old relationships are renewed and new ones are made. I can't wait!

AIR Opening: Just a reminder that applications for the Clay Artist-in-Residence position are due at the Craft Center April 1, 2010. You can find the particulars here. It is a great job in a beautiful place.

Summer Workshops: The Appalachian Center for Craft has released their Summer Workshop Calendar.
They have a new schedule for this Summer. In May the workshops are weekends (Fri-Sun) only. They will be taught by Marc Barr, Nancy Jacobsohn, myself, and Susan Smith. June will be a three-week intensive that can be taken for college credit. In clay, Suze Lindsay will be teaching! July will consist of three one-week (Sun-Fri) workshops featuring classes taught by Gay Smith, Kristen Kieffer, and Aaron Lee Benson. I hope you can join us for a lot of workshop fun.

Clay AIR Job Opening

2010-03-20T09:13:00.000-05:00

My time here at the Craft Center is coming to an end in August and the search is on for the next clay Artist-in-Residence. I believe the deadline for applying is April 1, 2010. So if you are interested or know of anyone who might be, please send in your applications. Full details can be found at https://www.tntech.edu/jobs-cs/artist-in-residence-clay-appalachian-center-for-craft-684010/.

My Statement for AIR 2010 Exhibition

2010-03-07T16:30:00.000-06:00

The artwork presented for this exhibition is a sampling of my explorations in clay over the past few months. The questions, "What happens if . . .?" was a dominant aspect in the creation of the work. It factored into almost all formal decisions, including whether the pieces were for the wall or pedestal, size, color combinations, use of materials and techniques to create the designs/patterns, and the forms themselves. Through this the work became a study of form, composition, color, materials, and technique.

To keep from limiting myself in the discovery process, I used a variety of construction and surface decoration methods. I borrowed techniques from industry in the creation of form through the use of molds and templates, and from printmaking for ideas about applying surface.

While the formal elements of the works were carefully considered, I allowed the conceptual aspects to evolve in a more intuitive manner. The imagery became reflections of my moods and inner thoughts about relationships, transitions, and memories.

Artist-in-Residence Exhibition 2010

2010-03-07T14:17:00.001-06:00

The Appalachian Center for Craft Artists-in-Residence have installed work in Gallery II for their annual exhibition and will be on display from February 28-April 14. Below is a sampling of the work. Hope you can come see it.

Entering the show.

Jess Jones: Fibers AIR

Jess Jones: folded books, handmade paper

My work: Loafing & Passing 1 & 2

My work: Installation view

My Work: Prints

My work: Nostalgia Series

My Work: Spring 1, 2, & 3

Sarah McClary: Exhibitions AIR

Sung-Yeoul Lee: Metals AIR

Sung-Yeoul Lee

Andrew Najarian: Glass AIR

Trey Gossett: Wood AIR

Outdoor Fun

2010-01-30T16:48:00.000-06:00

It is a snowy wonderland outside this weekend. Normally, that would be a perfect time to stay indoors and work in the studio, but the urge to hike down to the lake was too great. The fresh air, falling snow, exercise, and the beauty of the woods in winter did more to calm my mind and refresh my spirit than staying indoors would have done. I ended the afternoon with hot chocolate and cookies with friends. A great day overall. Here are a few pictures from the adventure.

A robin eating berries.

Me on the Lake shore.

The inlet shoreline.

Winter is Here!

2010-01-09T13:01:00.000-06:00

Winter, or at least what I always imagined winter being, is here! I grew up in South Texas where winter usually consisted of a month or two of 40-50 degree weather, and the occasional 20-30 degree day. Few and far between were a day or two of ice, or if we were really lucky a smattering of snow. I'm now in Tennessee where we have four seasons that are definable, and I love it. How do I know winter is here? Well, the temperature has been in the 20s or lower for more than 4 days AND there is snow on the ground! I must admit I am extremely curious about the snow. It is beautiful and romantic, but it is also dangerous, and I wonder how people who have it on the ground all winter deal with it. In the meantime, I've been out enjoying the white stuff. Here are a few pictures from around campus. We even had a student try to sled on a garbage can lid down the hill out back. Unfortunately, I don't think we had enough snow for it.

sledding

Icicles

The lake, can you see the snow on the opposite shore?

More of the lake.

Me bundled up. My fingers were beginning to get a little numb at this point. I went in shortly after.

Welcome 2010

2010-01-03T13:07:00.001-06:00

A new year has begun and along with it a new journey. This is my last Spring here at the Craft Center, as my residency ends in August. I am realizing that this year is to be filled with bittersweet moments alongside new experiences. Where I will be after this, I don't know. Will it be a teaching position, residency, or setting up my own studio? I am open to all these, but know I will be sad to leave this wonderful place that has allowed me to grow as an artist, teacher, and person. So many good things have happened to me here in Tennessee, and so I must believe that wherever I land, good things will happen there too. Welcome 2010.

I'm on Etsy

2009-11-23T21:25:00.000-06:00

I've finally done it. I've become a seller on Etsy. It is very exciting to be selling my work to a broader audience that is available to me on the internet. I feel like I'm an entrepreneur. My shop's name is MRoseStudio. Take a look and let me know what you think. Maybe buy something. It doesn't need to be a special occasion to purchase a piece of handmade functional pottery. I will post new work as it becomes available. You can also keep up with my shop with the handy Etsy Mini to the left of this post.

It's Fall in TN!

2009-10-26T11:54:00.000-05:00

I just thought to share a little of the beauty of Fall in Middle Tennessee. The trees are changing color and the leaves are falling. They make such a wonderful crunching sound underfoot.

Bowl-a-thon Update

2009-10-26T11:50:00.000-05:00

All the bowls made during the Bowl-a-thon in September are finally fired. They will be picked up on Wednesday to be washed and made ready for the Cookin' on the Square event this Friday. You can read about the event in the Herald-Citizen. I'm not sure how many bowls were made, but there were four kiln loads worth.

A New Direction?

2009-10-16T10:51:00.001-05:00

In an attempt to add "more" (meaning, visual complexity, etc.) to my work, I decided to use my own corrupted version of printmaking on clay. The thought process went something like this: I enjoyed creating monotypes and monoprints in grad school, what if I took those ideas of making and used them on clay. From there I had a liberating sense of the possibilities of experimentation. Most of the results fall into the category of "the bad stuff you make in order to get to the good stuff." I don't know if I would classify the plates to the left as "the good stuff" just yet, but they are definitely on their way. I am very encouraged by these results, but am skeptical as to how well this process will translate to forms that are not flat or slightly curved. Those experiments begin today.

Bowl-A-Thon!

2009-09-27T20:55:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, Saturday, September 26th, the ceramics department held Bowl-a-thon. Students, potters, and folks from the community who could throw a bowl, wedge clay, or just wanted to help were welcome to participate. All the bowls made are going to be fired and donated to Cookin' on the Square in Cookeville, TN. This event benefits Habitat for Humanity and is held the last Friday of October (the 30th this year). I've already got the first load in the kilns to be bisque-fired.

After making bowls all morning long, the masses were hungry. The doughnuts gave us enough of a sugar buzz to work until lunch, but this pizza and Snapple didn't last long.

Once lunch was finished, it was time to get back on the wheel. Here I am throwing. Not my usual method of making with clay as evidenced by the mound of scrap. I'm usually a hand-builder, but the opportunity to throw was too tempting to resist.

At the end of the day, I'm not sure how many bowls were made, but all the carts in the kiln room were full. I won't do an official count until they are being packed for delivery.

The NEW Soda Kiln

2009-09-27T20:09:00.000-05:00

The month of September has disappeared in a flurry of activity, namely, kiln building. After we tore down the Raku Kiln, the previous Soda Kiln, and small test soda, it was time to rebuild the Soda Kiln in its new home. The advanced students were a tremendous help rebuilding the kiln. Here some of them (Morgan, Brendan, and Ryan) are prepping the arch for the castable we were using for the key.

Once we poured the castable, it was time for a mudding of the arch. This is just the first layer of a combination of recycle clay, sand, and sawdust. After this came a layer of scrap soft brick, then more of this yummy goo.

Then came the chimney, at least the brick part of it. We moved the damper to the front side of the chimney for easier access.

Vince and Brendan placed the culvert on top of the brick part of the chimney. This extends through the metal roof and is held in place with more castable. I had an adventurous time picking up the culvert pipe in Cookeville. It was during a downpour, which after three weeks of rain, became a flood. I was very glad to be in the Craft Center's truck and not my car!

Here is our "new" burner system. Same burners as the last one, but a more uniform piping system, and easier access to the valves. Gotta love the yellow!

Isn't she a beauty? Our new soda kiln. I wonder who will be the first to fire her.

Exhibiton Opening

2009-09-04T17:17:00.000-05:00

The Wichita All Media National Craft Exhibition opens today. My piece titled Solitary Dinner was juried into the exhibition. The dates for the show are September 4 - October 18, 2009 with the opening reception tonight from 5-7pm. I wish I was able to attend, but maybe they will post pictures online.

Raku Kiln Takedown

2009-09-02T11:43:00.001-05:00

Due to unforseen events this summer we, the clay studio, need to move our soda kiln to the area where our raku kiln lives. In order to accomplish this, we had to remove the raku kiln. This does not mean the end of raku here at the craft center, just an adjustment in kiln use.

Yesterday was the day of demolition for our very old, and remarkably still good raku kiln. Here Vince Pitelka, head of clay at ACC, is using the cutting torch to remove the steel frame from around the soft brick. John Cole is lending a hand.

We were concerned about the roof collapsing once we cut the frame off. Fortunately it did not. The bricks at in the bottom of the kiln have been pulled out of the roof.

Here it is in mid-takedown. We were able to salvage quite a bit of soft brick. Yay! More to use for other things and kilns.

Now we are down to the floor of the kiln. All kinds of thing melted into it. Some of the debris had amazing sculptural qualities.

Instead of pouring a pad of concrete to level the kiln, whoever built the raku kiln used mortar on each cinder block to level it. After many years of bearing the weight of the kiln, those cinder blocks adhered themselves to the concrete beneath. We had to use a chisel and a pry bar to remove them. Here the chisel caught the tip of the glove holding it in place. Luckily Vince's fingers were not caught.

With the raku kiln gone, we now have an area to pour a concrete pad for the soda kiln. I'll document the demolition and rebuilding of the soda in another post.

Finished Work: Holiday Sale

2009-09-02T09:28:00.002-05:00

Here it is, some of the finished work for the Appalachian Center for Craft Holiday Sale. I am pretty pleased with the finished product. The intensity of some of the color combinations is greater than expected, but I don't mind. It is that uncertainty popping up again. These pieces along with a few other platters, bowls, and salt/pepper sets will be available at the Holiday Sale Thanksgiving weekend.

Work in Progress: Holiday Sale

2009-08-19T18:14:00.003-05:00

I know, I'm a little early to be thinking about the Holiday Sale (which isn't until Thanksgiving) much less making items for it. With the start of a very busy semester just over a week away, I decided to get a jump on my commitments for this Fall. Since I'm trying a few new color layering techniques, I wanted to give myself time in case of failures. I don't want to be scrambling at the last minute to make work and hope for the best. This way, if they don't work or disaster strikes, I have time to redo and try something else. And, too, if these techniques do work, I will be that much farther ahead and can then incorporate them into new bodies of work for other projects. I'll let you know what I discover. As nerve wracking as it can be, I just love the uncertainty!

Last Rush of Summer

2009-08-19T17:46:00.002-05:00

It has been a busy Summer here on "The Hill". From workshops to cookouts and all manner of weather, it has been fun. The picture above (from outside my studio toward the rest of ceramics) is one of the many storms we had this week. Unfortunately, Summer is almost over with the start of school just over a week away. The students move back in on the 27th bringing with them the excitement of a new school year. The studio will start to fill with eager students and the craziness will begin. As much as I love the quiet of the studio in the Summer, I am looking forward to having energetic students around. It will be a busy Fall semester for me. In addition to my resident duties, I will be teaching three-dimensional design for the university and evening workshops for the community. These are usually great fun as the students are most enthusiastic. It being the Fall semester, we, the clay department in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity in Cookeville will host Bowl-a-thon. No, not that kind of bowling. We will make bowls one Saturday in September which will then be finished for the main event, Cookin' on the Square, in October. All money raised goes to Habitat for Humanity. I'm looking forward to it, although I will relish these last few days of quiet.

Process: Finished work

2009-07-31T13:48:00.007-05:00

Finally, the finished work. I tried a variety of surface masking techniques such as wax resist and tape. I am fairly happy with the results except for the slip dots popping off (you can see it on the base for the sugar/creamer set). I first noticed it when I took the work out of the kiln. Then when I unloaded the work for the photo shoot, my container was littered with them. Now days later, they are still jumping off the forms. I don't know what is causing it. I haven't changed anything except the glaze application process. I sprayed the glaze instead of my normal dunking or brushing methods. There was no indication after bisque of the dots wanting to pop off. I'm wondering if my slip was a little too watery when I applied it. I'm going to try it with a little thicker slip, on a little wetter form next time. I might also try drying the work slower. Examples of the tape resist are the matte lines in the salt and peppers. I used several widths of tape designed for painting automobiles. It was fun experimenting with it. I love the crisp edges it left. I used the wax resist to cover broad areas, and as in the blue tumbler to make dots. All in all, I'm happy with the forms and color combinations. The search continues for better surface designs.

In the Mail

2009-07-24T09:51:00.002-05:00

I've been applying to shows, both sculptural and functional, like crazy this summer. The notifications have started to roll in and yesterday's mail brought a mixed bag of news.

The bad first: I was rejected from Strictly Functional. As there were over 1000 entries from 500 artists, with only 109 objects being chosen, I don't feel too bad about the rejection. There is always next year and other shows.

The good news: I was accepted to the Wichita National All Media Craft Exhibiton 2009. I entered three sculptures and Solitary Dinner was accepted. Kathleen Royster Lamb, Assistant Professor at the Metropolitan State College of Denver, was the juror. She will select award winners upon installation of the works in September. The show runs from September 4 to October 18. The opening reception will be September 4, 5pm-7pm. As much as I would like to attend, the schedule will not allow me to do so.

I'm awaiting a few more notices. When I hear something, I'll post.

Process: Beginning/Middle

2009-07-14T15:57:00.005-05:00

I thought I would post a few in process pictures of new forms. They are sugar creamer sets with bases and a few tumblers. My roommate and fellow AIR refers to them as my Alice in Wonderland sets. They are slightly over-sized, but I figure shrinkage will take care of that issue. The challenges of these sets are numerous: lid design, handle and spout placement, and my re-occurring stumbling block, surface design. I am happy with the overall forms, but have other ideas for handle placement. As for surface, I have ideas. I'll post those results when they are out of the kiln. Until then, the pictures are of the raw forms, and then the next step with underglazes.

Update on Summer Workshops

2009-07-07T08:45:00.002-05:00

Summer workshops are winding down here at the Craft Center, and the last two weeks of classes have been canceled for a variety of reasons, most notably lack of enrollment. It seems the summer classes are yet another victim of the economy. The good news is ACC is still accepting registrations for the September weekend classes, see catalog for specifics. The dates are September 11-13 and 18-20. I will be teaching a hand building class focusing on the drinking vessel. We will explore cups, saucers, mugs, and tumblers. Call the Craft Center today to register.

I Got In!

2009-06-30T09:05:00.002-05:00

Good news arrived in the inbox this morning. All three pieces above were juried into the exhibition Dining In: An Artful Experience. The exhibition will be held at 18 Hands Gallery in Houston, TX in August 2009. It sounds pretty neat. Here it is from the prospectus: The exhibition will feature hand-made items that might be found on a dinner table. The final show installation will consist of 5-10 fully appointed dining tables.

Plates and Platters

2009-06-11T19:45:00.003-05:00

I finally got around to glazing these platters. No surprises which is a good thing. They were fired to cone 1 oxidation. I am pleased with the results, especially the richness of the terracotta clay.

Updated Website

2009-06-11T09:48:00.002-05:00

I've finally updated my website. You may notice a new color scheme. I wanted something bolder. I think I achieved that. Too, I've updated my artist's statements, CV, and links. I would love to hear what you think about the changes. Here's the link: melodytiemann.com

Playing Around

2009-06-01T16:50:00.002-05:00

Since I taught my Plates and Platters workshop in May, I've been dying to make more. So I decided to make a few more molds, the trapezoidal and long oval ones, and get started. I am really interested in surface design and finding the right imagery for the form. As you can see, I've been playing. The tug of war is organic versus geometric. Then of course, how busy can I make the patterning. Eventually, I will find the balance. These plates and platters are on the verge of being bone dry, so maybe they'll find their way into a kiln this week. If any turn out, I'll post the finished product.

New Work

2009-05-24T22:09:00.002-05:00

I've posted new work on my website. Follow the link to see it. http://www.melodytiemann.com/16732/index.htm

Summer Faculty Show

2009-05-24T20:06:00.003-05:00

The Appalachian Center for Craft is featuring the Visiting Workshop Faculty Exhibition until August 4 in Gallery One. All the craft media are represented by emerging and professional artists. I have the bowl above in the show as I will be teaching Handbuilt Vessels in July. Check out the Craft Center website http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/PDF/Craft_Center_Workshop_Catalog09.pdf for more information on the workshop offerings.

Weekend Workshop

2009-05-20T11:10:00.005-05:00

A couple of weekends ago at the Craft Center, I taught a hand building workshop on making plates and platters. I had four students who were great! We had a fun time in the studio making crazy plate and platter forms, although we did not neglect the traditional forms. We discussed form in relation to function and a variety of surfacing techniques. Some of the participants were really into texture and form, while others were more interested in using slips and sgraffito. The pictures are from show and tell at lunch on Sunday, and of the students being creative. Other workshops were going at the same time in metals, blacksmithing, fibers, and wood. The Appalachian Center for craft has many of its summer and fall evening workshops still open. Call the office at 615.597.6801 to register or for a catalog and information about workshops go online at http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/wkshops.html.

ACC Resident Exhibition

2009-04-30T20:20:00.005-05:00

From now until early June, my new work and that of my fellow Resident Artists will be on view in Gallery I at the Appalachian Center for Craft. I displayed my Beauty Slugs #1-3 as seen above. Jessica Jones, fibers, hung beautiful tapestries that invite the viewer to get lost in all the layers and lines. Sung Yeoul Lee, metals, presented the viewer with broaches as jewelry/sculpture. Trey Gossett, wood, included wall pieces and sculpture. Andrew Najarian, glass, recreated candy, such as a lollipop ring, and displayed it next to the original. Exhibitions resident, Sarah McClary, installed her metal smokestack trees. Hopefully, I'll get more pictures of the show up soon.

NCECA 2009

2009-04-13T15:22:00.004-05:00

This past week in Phoenix, AZ, the 43 Annual Conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) was held. In conjunction with the conference, many of the galleries, museums, and universities in Phoenix and the surrounding towns hosted ceramic exhibitions. I was there as a representative of the Appalachian Center for Craft. Vince Pitelka, head of ceramics, and I sat at the table in the Exhibitor's Hall passing out pamphlets and workshop catalogs, seeing old friends, and making new ones. I did manage to sit in on a few panel discussions on installation art and promoting your work on Friday afternoon. In the evenings, I was able to see a few exhibits, have dinner with friends, and walk around downtown Phoenix. For more information on this, past, and future NCECAs visit www.nceca.net.

Dogwood Arts Festival Gala and Awards Ceremony

2009-04-04T22:18:00.000-05:00

Thursday evening Meredith Lewis and I attended the Dogwood Arts Festival Gala and Awards Ceremony for the Regional Juried Fine Arts Exhibition in Knoxville, TN. She and I both had two pieces juried into the Dogwood Arts Festival Regional Fine Arts Exhibit. We had a fine time at the Gala partaking of the yummy hors d'oeuvres, gourmet chocolates, wine, and dancing. In addition to the party, the Dogwood Arts Festival along with ORNL gave out five awards. First place went to "Quote", www.quotemusic.net a collaborative effort of music and visual art, second to Crystal Wagner, www.crystalwagner.com, a printmaker/sculptor, third to me, and two honorable mentions. The photos above are of the first through third award winners with juror, dancing after the awards, and finally my two pieces in the exhibit.

Celebration 2009

2009-04-04T20:21:00.003-05:00

Today was the 11th Annual Appalachian Center for Craft Celebration. We had food, music, demonstrations in all the studios, and an area for kids crafts. I worked the Build a Bowl booth with students from the Craft Center and volunteers from the high school in Monterey, TN. They were a huge help wrangling all the kids that came to make bowls. All the bowls, approximately 300, will be donated to the Cookin' on the Square event in October to raise money for Habitat for Humanity.

Art Comes to School

2009-03-30T16:23:00.003-05:00

For the last month, Rob Harvey, a potter from Dowelltown, TN, and I have been participating in the Art Comes to Schools program which is a joint effort between the Appalachian Center for Craft, the Tennessee Arts Commission, and three area schools. The purpose of this program is to bring professional artists working in fibers, clay, and metals to rural schools and have students participate in hands on projects that culminate in an exhibition of their works. Rob and I taught the clay portion to fifth graders, middle schoolers, and high schoolers. We visited each school twice. On the first visit we had them create masks using slabs, newspaper, and most of all their imaginations. The second visit involved finishing the bisque masks with paint, feathers, beads, and other embellishments. In addition to the hands on approach, we taught them a little about the history and use of masks. I think some of the students, surprised themselves with their creativity. All in all, it was very rewarding working with the students and teachers. The pictures above are from our visit to Gordonsville, TN. They are in order from top to bottom: Rob working with several students, the bisque masks, students finishing the surfaces with art teacher Jenny Ford, and finally, a few of the end products.

Krueger Workshop

2009-02-18T19:54:00.003-06:00

The pictures above are from the hand building demonstration workshop at Krueger Pottery, www.kruegerpottery.com/, I taught on Valentine's. It was a success! They had so many people register for the workshop, they had to find an alternative venue. This made me nervous, thinking, "How many?" Webster University's ceramics department was kind enough to lend them the space. The participants were a wonderful crowd of enthusiasts, hobbyists, and lifers. They asked great questions, and were responsive to my ideas and stories. I want to send a big THANK YOU to Ryan and Aimee Rich for having me in to teach, and Jeri Au, head of ceramics at Webster, for donating the ceramics studio. It was a blast!

JFH Studio

2009-02-18T19:22:00.007-06:00

Family Dinner, will be at JFH Studio in New Haven, MO from February 9-28th. While I was doing the residency at East Central College, I also had an opening reception in New Haven. JFH Studio is a great intimate space to have a show with large windows facing main street. I was pleasantly surprised with how many students and artists from the area attended. I had a lovely time.

East Central College Installation Residency

2009-02-18T18:51:00.003-06:00

From February 10-13, the art students at East Central College in Union, MO and I were busy creating an installation to transform a portion of their hallway. One of the tenets was to use materials that are readily available and inexpensive, such as kraft paper, charcoal, packaging tape, tracing and tissue paper, and paint. The other was to have the viewer become a participant in the space/installation changing their experience of walking down a hallway. The result is the picture above. They were a great group of students and faculty who worked tirelessly and enthusiastically for two and a half days. Best of all, we had wonderful critical discussions about design and installation art. Furthermore, we created a work of art that engaged the various departments on campus. Thank you for the hard work, camaraderie, and the willingness to embrace the unknown. I had a great time. For more pictures of the creation process you can visit my flickr account, http://www.flickr.com/photos/8158115@N05/sets/72157613868422322/.

Images from UWG exhibit

2009-01-31T12:50:00.005-06:00

Natural Distortion: A view of Cultural Landscapes was a show that reunited a former resident artist in glass, Michael Hernandez, with two current residents, Sarah McClary, exhibitions, and myself, the clay resident. The images above are a few installation shots and close ups of Sarah's and Michael's work. Industrial Evolution, copper, sterling silver, and steel is by Sarah. Michael's piece, Untitled, is made of glass and masonite. My pieces are predominately clay with mixed media element such as coffee filter, polyfil, and dogwood petals.

I want to thank the University of West Georgia for exhibiting our work and hosting us for our gallery talk. It was nice seeing the students and faculty attend and ask questions. Hopefully some of what we said will find root in a few of the students.

February Events

2009-01-17T20:44:00.007-06:00

I will be near St. Louis the second week of February teaching a couple of workshops and having a reception. First up is the installation workshop at East Central College, February 11-12. I am assured that the students are excited, and we have a hall in which we can create/exhibit our work. The ideas are brewing. It is exciting to work with so many students on one project. I can't wait to see how it evolves. I will be posting pictures of all the events when I get back.

In conjunction with the workshops, I will have "Family Dinner" exhibited at my friend Jill's studio, JFH Studios. There will be a reception on that Friday evening. I can't wait to meet the people who attend.

Lastly, but not least in anyway, I will be doing a demo workshop at Krueger Pottery. The focus of this will be hand built functional ware. I am looking forward to sharing my techniques of slab built mugs, tumblers, bowls, and baking dishes. Maybe I'll have designed a plate and pitcher before then, and can demo that too.

New Exhibition!

2009-01-14T12:21:00.007-06:00

Natural Distortion: A View of Cultural Landscapes January 8-30, 2009. Work from three Resident Artists from the Appalachian Center for Craft at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, GA. Sarah McClary and I will give a gallery talk followed by a reception on Friday, January 30.

New Functional Work

2008-12-31T15:54:00.002-06:00

For more examples of the functional work see my website: www.melodytiemann.com. There you will find examples of regular sized mugs, cups, tumblers, and bowls, as well as my sculptural work. Enjoy!

My Next Year

2008-12-02T17:02:00.002-06:00

I've agreed to stay at the Craft Center for one more year. Yay! I'm happy to be back for my third year, what a great opportunity!

Website

2008-11-13T13:58:00.002-06:00

I now have a website of my work, artist's statement, CV, and bio. Yay! You can check it out at www.melodytiemann.com.

Cup Show

2008-11-08T20:21:00.002-06:00

You can see my work and that of other ceramists at jfhstudio.blogspot.com. I'm in the Cups Galore show.

Solitary Dinner

2008-11-06T15:28:00.006-06:00

Beauty Slugs

2008-11-06T14:52:00.006-06:00