Everything in Nature contains all the powers of Nature.  Everything is made of one hidden stuff – Clay.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Silica: a major component of raw clay, glass and ceramic glazes. Conundrum: a logical postulation that evades resolution, an intricate and difficult problem, a riddle that is usually answered by a pun. Siliconundrum: how I saw making art with clay. Or more accurately how I came to see clay art after having spent a few year at Alfred University studying art and parsing my visual vocabulary. But ultimately, I’ve always liked the idea of clay being a medium to explore endless questions through exploration. Not having total control. Maybe not always finding the answers and raising even more …  part of the conundrum. It was quite freeing. Plus I always loved how wet clay feels …so very very visceral. Continue Reading > > >

Working with Lynn Peters was an incredible experience. She was an adjunct professor at Brookdale Community College and my first ceramics professor. She was the “nurturing type” of teacher with a philosophical bent. One indicator was her assigning, as part of the course reading, “Zen In The Art Of Archery“. She asked us to meditate before working with the clay. To center ourselves so we might hear what the clay was saying to us. Okay, maybe a little woo woo, but I think that she was trying to get us to think in terms of process, and ritual. She really did think out of the box, and provoked us to do as well.

She only had a few rules. There would be no cutsie tiles with the word “Home” or “Best Mom” on it, nor would we be making horrible little ash trays. She claimed we were ALL artists. She told us as children we were all creative. We drew, sculpted, or painted until our parents told us we were too old to pursue such childish things. Maybe on some level she was right. But, it was interesting to hear her speak, and to see her creative mind work.

With my first three pieces out of the kiln, Lynn turned to me and said, “Joe you are good enough to show.” Just out of the blue. That’s just the way she was. She also said, “.. it’s now your job to create a body of work, and do a one man show.” And so I was challenged!

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This post was previously published on my other blog Siliconundrum.com. I decided to close down Siliconundrum.com & move those few posts to my personal blog @ go2jo.com.

Maybe one day in the future when I have a studio and am producing work, I’ll start it back up … but probably not. Siliconundrum still lives on in my mind and my heart.

And now back to our regular programming …

It all started sometime in 1990. I was in a committed relationship, living in a Long Branch, NJ beach front apartment complex with Adam. It was a time of transition. I was no longer workin’ (read employed) in “Daddy’s Garage”. My “family business” was industrial metal finishing … electroplating. I so needed out of there! I had worked there on and off from the time I was a teenager. I told my mom … I’m done. Lay me off so I can collect unemployment and get some time to make some changes. I want to go back to school.

Luckily during that time I was seeing my therapist Phil. There was a lot of change going on. My brain was being rewired … it was invigorating and intoxicating. Inevitably with this much change comes the “hitting of the wall” or a plateau … if you will. When I got to that point, I wasn’t sure what to do next. Phil sure had an idea. “Joe, I have someone you should see. She’ll put you on the right path.” Oh great … he’s trying to get rid of me. I’m sorry Phil …. I’ll do better! Don’t abandon me! “No Joe. She’s not a therapist. She’s a psychic.” Huh!?! What!?! A psychic? Phil said, “she’s good!” She can do more for you in one visit than will ever do.”

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