| When
I returned, Mr. Johnson told me he had set up a meeting
for the next day with the faculty of the foremost teaching
academy in China, the Central Academy of Arts and Design.
Panic set in immediately. What could I possibly have to
offer professors at the top academy in China (where people
have been making pots by hand for thousands years)? However
I reminded myself of my original wish to make a presentation
of my work, took a deep breath, and got myself to the
embassy, as bidden, at the appointed time.
Mr.
Johnson was there to meet me, along with Clare McVeigh,
who was going to accompany me to the Academy. Once there,
the Academy's translator, Ma Ling Huan, greeted us warmly
and ushered us into a small room where the Dean and
six or seven faculty members were assembled. The walls
around us were lined with shelves full of wonderful
pots.
I
began my short speech by explaining why I had brought
a piece of my work. I stopped almost immediately, realizing
that my speech would make more sense if they could see
my pot while I spoke. Yang Yong Shan, Head of the Ceramics
Department, opened the basket that protected the pot.
There was a palpable sigh. I finished my speech and
Professor Yang responded by saying, “The Academy
couldn't imagine why you should be bringing us a pot.
We now realize that this pot has come home.”
I
was presented with a small piece of intricately carved
blackware (of the kind that has been made in China for
4,000 years). It was made by Professor Chen, from the
Central Academy.
As
I sat cradling the beautiful Chinese pot, the professors
plied me with questions about the techniques and aesthetics
of potters in the West. For the first time I realized
how terribly cut off from the rest of the world these
people felt. They were particularly curious about lowlier
techniques, and about people who were using clay as
a canvas. I answered to the best of my ability, but
realized that alone I could not possibly slake their
thirst for information. It was then that I first started
thinking about the possibility of a Ceramic Exchange.
On
my return I talked about this idea whenever I could,
but it wasn’t until several months later that I
happened upon a funding source for my dream. I don't
often meet high tech millionaires, but through my husband,
I did. John Downing and I set up a meeting at the Bravo
Gallery so he could see my work. Afterward, over a cup
of tea, I described my idea of taking a small group
of ceramic artists to demonstrate their specialties
at the Central Academy in Beijing, and my hope that
we could bring two professors to San Diego for a national
ceramics conference in the Spring of 1993.
The
idea was that we would be able to exchange work, ideas,
and techniques; and to further that end we would exhibit
the Chinese pieces we brought back, and arrange for
several lectures for the professors here in San Diego.
To my utter amazement, Mr. Downing immediately committed
the initial funds towards the Chinese Ceramic Exchange.
That
was just the beginning. The San Diego Potters’
Guild voted funding for two members to go along as demonstrators
and numerous other people followed suit with funds and
generous donations of their time and talents.
Our
Ceramic Exchange began on September 24th, 1992 at the
Academy with four days packed with lectures and demonstrations.
Here is a list of the lectures and the names of those
who conducted them:
Chinese
Contemporary Ceramic Folk Art – Yang Yong Shan
Ceramic Education in the USA – John Conrad European
Slipware Techniques Revised – Robin Hopper Inlaid
Color and Pattern in Porcelain — Julie Thompson
Low and High Fire Saggar on Porcelain – Jeannette
Brent Low Fired Color Slips – Elizabeth Woolrych
Oil Drip Reduction for Crystalline Glazes – Julie
Brooke Purple Sand Clayware of Yixing – Zhang Shou
Zhi Chinese Traditional Technique of Pottery Art –
Jin Bao Sheng Low Fire Plate and Vessel Decoration –
Ted Saito Creation of the Ceramic Mural – Chu Da
Nian
Liu
Fang Cun guided us through the three halls of ceramics
in the Forbidden City. With letters of introduction
from Professor Zhang, the Ceramic Exchange continued
for another two and a half weeks, visiting Xian, Hangzhou,
Yixing, and Jingdezhen, and meeting with master potters.
The
Ceramic Exchange continued the following year when Professors
Yang Yong Shan and Zhang Shou Zhi traveled to San Diego.
It was their first ever visit to the West and we made
every effort to expose them to the clay world -- both
academic and commercial – of the West Coast of
the United States.
It
is only now, after a decade of reflection, that we are
beginning to understand much of what we learned in China.
We are a world away from the Chinese potters we talked
with, but will always share the common language represented
by our work in clay. It is my fervent hope that another
Exchange will soon be forthcoming.
I
hope this Web page gives you a glimpse into the Chinese
Ceramic Exchange as we knew it, and the promise it continues
to hold for the future.
~Julie
Brooke
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