Ceramic Competitions, an issue of Function ?

Sue Sellschop's grandchild Oliver sitting on my Ceramic Sculpture

titled Dog, Press moulded and burnished Ceramic Sculpture,

fired to 1000 degrees celsius.

(collection Sue Sellschop)

Through the eyes of a child even the most complex work can have a more simple obvious function. We often tend to complicate matters, especially when it comes to determining the meaning and significance of ceramic art, design and or craft. We tend to classify ceramics as expressive and therefore nonfunctional. These terms often get created to separate the various groupings of work as part of entries to competitions. Is it utilitarian, sculptural, expressive and or decorative. We forget that ceramic products can function on many levels (depending on the artist's intent) - utilitarian, decorative, ritualistic and or expressive.  Work that  is nonfunctional is in fact useless. It would seem the Mino competition organisers got it right - any comments!

Dog, burnished earthenware 30x70 cm (1990). 
collection Sue Sellschop.

There are many national and international competitions coming up. The National Ceramic Awards Exhibition 2010 (South Africa) opens today, Sunday 10 October 2010 - The Gallery at Grande Provence - Heritage Wine Estate Franschoek South Africa. Good luck to all that entered. Winners to be announced at 11:00 am. The next big competition is the 9 ^th International Ceramics Competition of Mino, Japan. Entires can be submitted from November 1, 2010 until January 10, 2011.

Categories are;

• Ceramics Design, Factory. Design entries for factory produced pieces with practical functionality (items produced mainly on the machinery of a factory assembly line)
• Ceramics Design, Studio. Design entries for studio produced pieces with practical functionality. (items from individuals, mainly produced by hand in small quantities).
• Ceramic Arts. Entires for ceramic art works that incorporates unique creativity and techniques.

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Ceramic Competitions, an issue of Function ?

Sue Sellschop's grandchild Oliver sitting on my Ceramic Sculpture

titled Dog, Press moulded and burnished Ceramic Sculpture,

fired to 1000 degrees celsius.

(collection Sue Sellschop)

Through the eyes of a child even the most complex work can have a more simple obvious function. We often tend to complicate matters, especially when it comes to determining the meaning and significance of ceramic art, design and or craft. We tend to classify ceramics as expressive and therefore nonfunctional. These terms often get created to separate the various groupings of work as part of entries to competitions. Is it utilitarian, sculptural, expressive and or decorative. We forget that ceramic products can function on many levels (depending on the artist's intent) - utilitarian, decorative, ritualistic and or expressive.  Work that  is nonfunctional is in fact useless. It would seem the Mino competition organisers got it right - any comments!

Dog, burnished earthenware 30x70 cm (1990). 
collection Sue Sellschop.

There are many national and international competitions coming up. The National Ceramic Awards Exhibition 2010 (South Africa) opens today, Sunday 10 October 2010 - The Gallery at Grande Provence - Heritage Wine Estate Franschoek South Africa. Good luck to all that entered. Winners to be announced at 11:00 am. The next big competition is the 9 ^th International Ceramics Competition of Mino, Japan. Entires can be submitted from November 1, 2010 until January 10, 2011.

Categories are;

• Ceramics Design, Factory. Design entries for factory produced pieces with practical functionality (items produced mainly on the machinery of a factory assembly line)
• Ceramics Design, Studio. Design entries for studio produced pieces with practical functionality. (items from individuals, mainly produced by hand in small quantities).
• Ceramic Arts. Entires for ceramic art works that incorporates unique creativity and techniques.

Read More

Seduced and abandoned; Ceramic Competitions!

Spanner in the works, Page one of three. Entry forms for Mixed Media - Ceramics plus, The Nassauische Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics.

Seduced

Entering Ceramic Competitions is every aspiring ceramist�s dream to gain regional, national and international recognition. The idea is to seek an acclaimed status (celebrated, applauded and much appraised) amongst the elite of one�s ceramic peers. Being accepted and winning an award, boosts one�s creative endeavours and looks great on the CV. However being rejected, especially when you were very confident with your entry, can be devastating!

Spanner in the works, Page two of three. Entry forms for Mixed Media - Ceramics plus, The Nassauische Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics.

Case in point

This post entry is in direct response to my work being rejected for the Mixed media � Ceramic Plus, The Nassausiche Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics. Enclosed are the drawings, images and supporting text submitted for the Ceramic Competition (as requested in the entry forms) �an installation of 16 tattooed rats with actual piercings titled, Spanner in the Works. To my knowledge this is the first time, in an International Ceramic Competition, that your ideas, drawings, models and prototypes had to be submitted for adjudication and not photographic documentation of the finished final piece. I assume most ceramists would have submitted images of their final pieces and not drawings etc as stated on the entry forms.

Emotional Distress

I was very confident with my drawing skills and design layout knowledge, including my highly refined conceptual ability, that I would be one of the 150 out of 350 entries to this prestigious awards exhibition. Especially as the 2010 competition focuses on Art or expressive works rather than studio ceramics and or Ceramic Craft. The inclusion of piercing linked to tattoos, associated with the historically significant event, Operational Spanner UK, seemed the obvious creative direction for me to pursue, and perfectly meets the competition's mixed media criteria. On rejection a carefully constructed letter was compiled and sent to the abandoned and rejected individuals, with these comforting and encouraging words; to consider future participation � �but please: as you surely know, - in another context, with another group of jury members or another theme the decision could have been easily another one involving your wonderful project, too.�

Spanner in the works, Page three of three. Entry forms for Mixed Media - Ceramics plus, The Nassauische Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics.

Abandonment

Most competitions have a policy that the judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into / or entertained at the rejection of the work. No feedback is ever provided. This leaves one with the feeling of self-doubt and rejection, a Dostoyevsky type angst (Crime and Punishment syndrome) associated with a lack of creativity and innovation underpinning one�s work.

Judging

In my capacity as a judge, I have myself rejected work for regional and national competitions, and therefore should be well prepared for the worst outcome. However there are those times when one is maybe over confident and forget that there are so many factors that contribute to work being accepted and certain work to be rejected. To try and begin to analyse the reasons for the work�s rejection, is a futile exercise, and in itself destructive. There are always more questions than answers. Doubt is not all bad and if channelled correctly could bring out the best in one�s creativity.

Restitution?

One should take refuge in one�s self belief, and pursue one�s creative passion with ever increasing determination. One needs to get over it, not to take it so personally, and to get on with it. So there you have it. Respect for the judges decision is always good governance, obstinate behaviour could have serious consequences, that draws far too much attention to oneself for the wrong reasons, which most certainly will not aid one�s future career development or successful entry in future competitions.

Read More

Seduced and abandoned; Ceramic Competitions!

Spanner in the works, Page one of three. Entry forms for Mixed Media - Ceramics plus, The Nassauische Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics.

Seduced

Entering Ceramic Competitions is every aspiring ceramist�s dream to gain regional, national and international recognition. The idea is to seek an acclaimed status (celebrated, applauded and much appraised) amongst the elite of one�s ceramic peers. Being accepted and winning an award, boosts one�s creative endeavours and looks great on the CV. However being rejected, especially when you were very confident with your entry, can be devastating!

Spanner in the works, Page two of three. Entry forms for Mixed Media - Ceramics plus, The Nassauische Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics.

Case in point

This post entry is in direct response to my work being rejected for the Mixed media � Ceramic Plus, The Nassausiche Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics. Enclosed are the drawings, images and supporting text submitted for the Ceramic Competition (as requested in the entry forms) �an installation of 16 tattooed rats with actual piercings titled, Spanner in the Works. To my knowledge this is the first time, in an International Ceramic Competition, that your ideas, drawings, models and prototypes had to be submitted for adjudication and not photographic documentation of the finished final piece. I assume most ceramists would have submitted images of their final pieces and not drawings etc as stated on the entry forms.

Emotional Distress

I was very confident with my drawing skills and design layout knowledge, including my highly refined conceptual ability, that I would be one of the 150 out of 350 entries to this prestigious awards exhibition. Especially as the 2010 competition focuses on Art or expressive works rather than studio ceramics and or Ceramic Craft. The inclusion of piercing linked to tattoos, associated with the historically significant event, Operational Spanner UK, seemed the obvious creative direction for me to pursue, and perfectly meets the competition's mixed media criteria. On rejection a carefully constructed letter was compiled and sent to the abandoned and rejected individuals, with these comforting and encouraging words; to consider future participation � �but please: as you surely know, - in another context, with another group of jury members or another theme the decision could have been easily another one involving your wonderful project, too.�

Spanner in the works, Page three of three. Entry forms for Mixed Media - Ceramics plus, The Nassauische Sparkasse 2010 Talent Award for Ceramics.

Abandonment

Most competitions have a policy that the judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into / or entertained at the rejection of the work. No feedback is ever provided. This leaves one with the feeling of self-doubt and rejection, a Dostoyevsky type angst (Crime and Punishment syndrome) associated with a lack of creativity and innovation underpinning one�s work.

Judging

In my capacity as a judge, I have myself rejected work for regional and national competitions, and therefore should be well prepared for the worst outcome. However there are those times when one is maybe over confident and forget that there are so many factors that contribute to work being accepted and certain work to be rejected. To try and begin to analyse the reasons for the work�s rejection, is a futile exercise, and in itself destructive. There are always more questions than answers. Doubt is not all bad and if channelled correctly could bring out the best in one�s creativity.

Restitution?

One should take refuge in one�s self belief, and pursue one�s creative passion with ever increasing determination. One needs to get over it, not to take it so personally, and to get on with it. So there you have it. Respect for the judges decision is always good governance, obstinate behaviour could have serious consequences, that draws far too much attention to oneself for the wrong reasons, which most certainly will not aid one�s future career development or successful entry in future competitions.

Read More

And the winner is...

Congratulations to the winner, Karen Murray. Follow the link to view her work and profile.

Last month, I ran a competition to celebrate my blog's 1 st year birthday. The prize was a Pair of Crafty Rats, part of an installation, that won The Clay pot Award at last year's Ceramics SA regional awards exhibition. I asked John to adjudicate the draw, and the first correct entry was Karen Murray, a B Tech graduate from the UJ Ceramic department. She was also an award winner at last year's regional. Only a few entries were received, to win the pair of rats, I guess the marketing exercise associated with the event was not really a success. Thanks to those that entered. I trust that next year the event will be a greater success.

Read More

And the winner is...

Congratulations to the winner, Karen Murray. Follow the link to view her work and profile.

Last month, I ran a competition to celebrate my blog's 1 st year birthday. The prize was a Pair of Crafty Rats, part of an installation, that won The Clay pot Award at last year's Ceramics SA regional awards exhibition. I asked John to adjudicate the draw, and the first correct entry was Karen Murray, a B Tech graduate from the UJ Ceramic department. She was also an award winner at last year's regional. Only a few entries were received, to win the pair of rats, I guess the marketing exercise associated with the event was not really a success. Thanks to those that entered. I trust that next year the event will be a greater success.

Read More

Ceramic Competition; Win a pair of Crafty Rats.

A Formal Portrait, John Nowers. Earthenware, Collection Iziko Gallery, South Africa National Gallery, Cape Town (copyright with the Gallery). I though it fitting to post one of my lecturer's works - as he introduced me to ceramics.

Birthday Present - Prize for a lucky follower of this blog.

My blog is one year old and I have decided to give away a prize, a birthday present. The prize is a ceramic statement titled a pair of Crafty Rats (image below). Who qualifies / are eligible for the prize � entries must be a follower of the blog? Submit a rating for the blog (follow the link) and answer a simple question (the answer which is imbedded in the text of one of the blog post entries. The first correct entry that meets all the requirements wins the prize.

Award Winning Prize (Clay pot Award at Ceramics SA Regional), Pair of Crafty Rats,

Blog statistics.

The blog has reached a mile stone of 12000 hits, that's about 67 hits per day. The number of page views stand at 22, 245, a 108 per day. Not bad for a blog that focuses mainly on the development of ceramic statements. This is no ordinary blog fulfilling a different function and need. I trust that you as followers have benefited from my shared knowledge; skills and techniques and processes. Thanks for your input and support, especially John Shirley without whom this blog would not have been possible. Then also to Jim Gottuso who always posts insightful comments, thank you guys.

Competition Criteria:

1. Be a Follower (join now).
2. Rate the blog.
3. Answer the following question, "What is the title of my Ceramic Sculpture that refers to the American policy on gays serving in the army, Don�t Ask Don�t Tell"?

A visual clue for the competition question.

Competition Details and requirements.

• The prize is a pair of Crafty Rats (image above).
• Entries have to be in by the Sunday 28 of February 2010.
• Only one entry per person.
• Entries are entered as comments on the post - to be published after the winner is announced.
• An out of town winner will have to pay the transport/shipping and if required insurance costs.
• A member of Ceramics SA Management Committee will act as the adjudicator � his/her word is final and no discussion will be entered into.

Read More

Ceramic Competition; Win a pair of Crafty Rats.

A Formal Portrait, John Nowers. Earthenware, Collection Iziko Gallery, South Africa National Gallery, Cape Town (copyright with the Gallery). I though it fitting to post one of my lecturer's works - as he introduced me to ceramics.

Birthday Present - Prize for a lucky follower of this blog.

My blog is one year old and I have decided to give away a prize, a birthday present. The prize is a ceramic statement titled a pair of Crafty Rats (image below). Who qualifies / are eligible for the prize � entries must be a follower of the blog? Submit a rating for the blog (follow the link) and answer a simple question (the answer which is imbedded in the text of one of the blog post entries. The first correct entry that meets all the requirements wins the prize.

Award Winning Prize (Clay pot Award at Ceramics SA Regional), Pair of Crafty Rats,

Blog statistics.

The blog has reached a mile stone of 12000 hits, that's about 67 hits per day. The number of page views stand at 22, 245, a 108 per day. Not bad for a blog that focuses mainly on the development of ceramic statements. This is no ordinary blog fulfilling a different function and need. I trust that you as followers have benefited from my shared knowledge; skills and techniques and processes. Thanks for your input and support, especially John Shirley without whom this blog would not have been possible. Then also to Jim Gottuso who always posts insightful comments, thank you guys.

Competition Criteria:

1. Be a Follower (join now).
2. Rate the blog.
3. Answer the following question, "What is the title of my Ceramic Sculpture that refers to the American policy on gays serving in the army, Don�t Ask Don�t Tell"?

A visual clue for the competition question.

Competition Details and requirements.

• The prize is a pair of Crafty Rats (image above).
• Entries have to be in by the Sunday 28 of February 2010.
• Only one entry per person.
• Entries are entered as comments on the post - to be published after the winner is announced.
• An out of town winner will have to pay the transport/shipping and if required insurance costs.
• A member of Ceramics SA Management Committee will act as the adjudicator � his/her word is final and no discussion will be entered into.

Read More