Overview

With this book that uncovers and presents the topic for the first time, gain a deeper knowledge of 38 of today's top African American artists in clay, the earlier Black artists in Africa and in US slavery who paved their paths, and how their work fits into the 21st-century conversation. Sharing their insights in compelling interviews, 38 of today's Black ceramists demonstrate a diversity of studio practices and ways of using clay, together with more than 250 stunning photos of their work. Especially crucial in light of the times, this book helps disperse the fog of noninclusion. With the goal of giving the artists the recognition long overdue them, donald a clark and Chotsani Elaine Dean begin by grounding us in history and context. The authors take us through time, explaining recent important research from Drayton Hall in South Carolina, for example, and other work that has helped honor the contributions, presence, and experiences of African Americans in ceramic history in America. Bringing us to today, clark and Dean present for each of 38 contemporary ceramic artists an introduction, an interview with the artist, and photos highlighting some of their work. This important and necessary information, with its impact on the medium as a whole, is beautifully and engagingly presented to makers and craft appreciators alike. AUTHORS: Donald A Clark, a core figure in the American ceramic art movement's development over the past 40 years, was a partner at the Ferrin Gallery and served as research manager for the Marks Project. He writes for publications such as Ceramics Monthly and Studio Potter and is the author of Making a Living in Crafts (Lark). Chotsani Elaine Dean is an artist and assistant professor of ceramics at the University of Minnesota. She received her BFA in ceramics from Hartford Art School and her MFA at the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, Washington University in St. Louis. 261 colour images

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9780764364570

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Reviews

A groundbreaking text allowing the reader, through the eyes of the creators, to encounter and understand history through an art form whose use by a people has been largely unexplored. What a powerful gift to the study of ceramics, specifically, and art as a whole.----Mary Dana Hinton, PhD, President, Hollins University Reveals the genius and the beauty of the ceramics artistry that Black artisans brought to the United States via the transatlantic slave trade, while also revealing its influences on Black American ceramists and ceramists in general in the 19th and 20th centuries. . . . Will serve as one of the most important resources for anyone interested in this subject matter. ----Herman J. Milligan Jr., PhD, Acting Executive Director, The Givens Foundation for African American Literature The authors have given us a great gift here: a wonderful compendium . . . may it be the first of many volumes exploring this topic neglected for far too long. ----Rebecca Sive, historian, author of Make Herstory Your Story, ceramics collector The name for the feeling I got came to me: Sankofa, the Akan word derived from the words return, go, look, seek, and take. The book does just that, moving us from 1738 to modern day, from Africa to America and beyond, signifying and testifying to Black America's innumerable contributions to ceramic art. A celebration of culture, the book is a joy to read. ----Lissa Jones, culture coach; podcast and radio show host, Urban Agenda

Author Information

donald a clark, a core figure in the American ceramic art movement's development over the past 40 years, was a partner at the Ferrin Gallery and served as research manager for the Marks Project. He writes for publications such as Ceramics Monthly and Studio Potter and is the author of Making a Living in Crafts (Lark). Chotsani Elaine Dean is an artist and assistant professor of ceramics at the University of Minnesota. She received her BFA in ceramics from Hartford Art School and her MFA at the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, Washington University in St. Louis. www.chotsanielainedean.com

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