Australian potter fires up student interest in ceramics
An Australian potter is visiting campus this week to help students break their molds and improve their ceramic skills.
Tony Nankervis said Monday night at a public lecture, his style of work and life in general were changed by a quote.
“To become a master, people need dedication and curiosity,” ceramic sculptor Jun Kaneko once said.
The lecture allowed students to see slides of Nankervis’ works and hear his comments about how each piece came about. Nankervis said his work may not be the same as other potters, but no one’s work is the same as someone else’s.
“My own belief is that the end result justifies the means,” Nankervis said.
He showed students slides of different kilns used at his university. Some of the kilns were built by his students, he said. Not all of the kilns turn out right the first time, but they provide good learning experiences for the students, he said.
Nankervis has been here for a week working with students, faculty and members of the community. This is his fourth visit to Utah State University, but his first as the art department’s visiting artist. His first visit was to research a kiln design used for firing the ceramics.
Nankervis is visiting USU through the department of art’s Visiting Artist Program. He works at Southern Cross University in Lismore, Australia as the visual arts program leader for its School of Contemporary Arts.
USU has a contract with Southern Cross University that allows students and faculty the opportunity to do an exchange program.
Dave Banga, a graduate student studying ceramics, spent last Fall at SCU. He said he enjoyed the experience and that it is nice to have other teachers here to learn from. The more points of view that can be seen, the better, Banga said.
Every piece created will be different, because there are too many variables to be able to recreate a single piece, he said.
“It won’t come out the same. No matter what, you have to adjust,” Banga said.
Each artist has his own way of creating a specific piece of art, he said.
“The best way to describe Tony’s style is just fluid. He describes it like a dance,” Banga said.
Students had the chance to watch Nankervis work on some pieces at a workshop Tuesday. As he created various cylinders, bowls and saucers, the students were allowed to ask questions about his technique and preferred materials.
Nankervis has been working with pottery for nearly 30 years. Banga said it is good to be able to watch someone who knows the materials so well because of his extensive experience with them.
John Neely, art department head, has also been to SCU.
Nankervis said Neely “may well be one of the single-most-influential potters in recent times.”
One of the USU wood-burning kilns was fired in honor of Nankervis’ visit, Neely said. In order for the kiln to work properly, two or three students had to be present at all times during the 70-hour process of firing the kiln, he said. Wood had to be added every couple of minutes to obtain, and eventually maintain, the kiln’s temperature between 2,000 and 3,000 degrees, he said.
Nankervis is contributing some of his bowls to the USU Ceramic Guild’s chili bowl sale on Oct. 22. The sale will begin at 10 a.m. and will continue until the bowls are all sold.
Neely said the students sold all of their 500 bowls in one hour last year. For $6, the guild will provide a handmade ceramic bowl, traditional or vegetarian chili and a piece of cornbread.
-jonryan@cc.usu.edu
Tony Nankervis, program leader for the School of Contemporary Arts at Southern Cross University in Lismore, Australia, throws a pitcher during the workshop he presented Tuesday morning. (Photos by Angelie Christensen)