Not My Hobby | An NCECA Popup | Episode 1217

·40 min·4 clips

Lauren Bushek uses sculptural pottery to confront sexual abuse and trauma, turning personal pain into advocacy.

Host Paul Blaise introduces episode 1217 of The Potters Cast, sharing that he has been recovering from illness. He explains that NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts) features daytime events and evening pop-ups, where artists sell their work in informal settings. Blaise visits the Not My Hobby pop-up in Detroit, interviewing artists to showcase their diverse approaches. Lauren Bushek discusses her hand-built, feminist-inspired pottery that tackles themes of consent and sexual abuse, explaining how it helps her process trauma. Tyler Yoakum reveals he started ceramics after concussions ended his high school football career, influenced by Ben Bushnow's slip work. Zoë Minzenberger talks about balancing wheel-thrown and hand-building techniques, inspired by Chicago's architecture. Dara Schumann describes her geometric mugs derived from larger sculptural forms, with her boyfriend Brian offering an outsider's perspective on the pottery community. Belen Perez Perez shares how her fruit-decorated pottery stems from family memories, like her father peeling oranges. Drew Hurstam explains his thin, light pots fired in a gas kiln with chino and wood ash glazes. Mikey Gambino discusses his slip-cast geometric work with color blocking rules. Kevin Corotis details using rutile iron oxide for wood-fire-like surfaces in cone 10 reduction. Aaron Hayden recounts a dream about orcas that led him from painting to making teapots after just three years in ceramics. Adrian Santiago, studio manager at Terra Incognito, talks about his journey from community college to Alfred University. Kaylee Dullard describes creating custom glazes for her fluted pottery, inspired by an art camp teacher. The episode concludes with Blaise directing listeners to show notes for artist links and promoting Patreon support.

As heard by us

Memory, sunlit work, and reduction firing shape this loose pop-up episode.

Episode 1217 keeps a pop-up-show mood, moving from Belen Arari's fruit imagery to Drew Hurstam's work at an easy pace. Belen Arari links oranges, papaya, and ceramic fruit bowls to family memory, giving a mug the sense that it can hold a personal story as well as a drink.

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Why you'd press play

Stop here when you want fruit-filled pottery stories, gas-kiln firing talk, and a mug that carries a memory.

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