Colorful and lively: an interview with Jude Odell. (Cover Story).

Colorful and lively: an interview with Jude Odell. (Cover Story). Jude Odell creates handbuilt sculptures, vessels, and goblets--allvery figurative--and often they are colorful and lively. Her piecesreflect her appreciation for life and there is a touch of whimsy whim��syalso whim��sey ?n. pl. whim��sies also whim��seys1. An odd or fanciful idea; a whim.2. A quaint or fanciful quality: stories full of whimsy. andhumor in much that she does. Jude is a professional clay artist whoshows and sells her work in juried exhibitions and at art festivalsacross the country. In addition to pursuing her career as an artist, sheteaches in a variety of children's art programs. In this interview, Jude shares with us her journey to become anartist, the evolution of her work, the approach she uses to create herpieces, and why teaching is so important to her. H.G. Being creative is in your blood, isn't it? J.O. I suppose so. As a child, I was always makingsomething--clearing out the junk drawer to make figures out of bolts,wire, and unidentified plastic and metal items. I would go diggingthrough cabinets for felt, rickrack rick��rack?n.A flat narrow braid woven in zigzag form, used as a trimming for clothing or curtains.[Reduplication of rack1. and leather scraps. I used tocollect bones in the woods to incorporate into macrame pieces, and paintintricate dot designs on river stones. H.G. Did you only use "found" objects or was there aconstant supply of traditional art materials Techniques and materials related to art:Traditional techniques: Acrylic paint Charcoal Clay Collage Drawing Fresco Glass Gouache Gum arabic Lithography Oil painting Oil pastel Paint Painting Pen and ink also? J.O. Art supplies are where you find them. I found a wealth ofmaterials surrounding me in my everyday life. The basement was my havenand there were always projects-in-progress down there--papier-machesculptures, baskets made from yarn and rope with beaded or cotton ballrims. I had very little art in school, but taught myself byexperimenting, paging through books and magazines, and latching onto anyadult who would talk to me about techniques at small local art shows. H.G. You are really a self-taught artist? J.O. When you really want something, you find your way. Throughjunior high and high school, I taught myself linoleum-block printing,complex tie-dye patterns, batik batik(bətēk`), method of decorating fabrics practiced for centuries by the natives of Indonesia. It consists of applying a design to the surface of the cloth by using melted wax. and macrame I laugh when I remember thefaux-leather shoes I made and proudly wore in seventh grade, and theinteresting clothing I made patterns for and sewed out of unconventionalfabrics. I discovered clay in high school and took some throwinglessons. I practiced at our art center and handbuilt clay pieces in myroom at home. H.G. Did you go to college? J.O. Yes, I started out in the ceramics program at University ofTennessee The University of Tennessee (UT), sometimes called the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UT Knoxville or UTK), is the flagship institution of the statewide land-grant University of Tennessee public university system in the American state of Tennessee. , where I continued throwing and learned kiln construction andglaze calculation. I found myself becoming more and more immersed in theAppalachian culture surrounding me in east Tennessee East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the state of Tennessee. Unlike the names given to regions or portions of many of U.S. states, the term East Tennessee can be precisely defined. . After a year, I quit school to live in the mountains of Virginia tolearn weaving, quilting quilting,form of needlework, almost always created by women, most of them anonymous, in which two layers of fabric on either side of an interlining (batting) are sewn together, usually with a pattern of back or running (quilting) stitches that hold the layers , rug braiding, oak-split basketry basketry,art of weaving or coiling and sewing flexible materials to form vessels or other commodities. The materials used include twigs, roots, strips of hide, splints, osier willows, bamboo splits, cane or rattan, raffia, grasses, straw, and crepe paper. and othertraditional crafts from the locals, and on my own. I was thoroughlyintrigued by the ingenuity and self-sufficiency of the traditions ofpeople who had figured out how to make what they needed or wanted--orhow to do without. During that time, I worked with kids in the communitycenter of a coal-mining town called Appalachia. I also started pickingup banjo banjo,stringed musical instrument, with a body resembling a tambourine. The banjo consists of a hoop over which a skin membrane is stretched; it has a long, often fretted neck and four to nine strings, which are plucked with a pick or the fingers. playing, mountain singing and traditional dance. H.G. Did you return to school? J.O. I went back--this time to Virginia Commonwealth University Formed by a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968, VCU has a medical school that is home to the nation's oldest organ transplant program. inRichmond. After art foundation, I studied ceramics, woodworking andsculpture, before enrolling in the art education department. I began tothink that a job would be a wonderful thing to have after graduation.Upon completing my BFA BFAabbr.Bachelor of Fine ArtsBFAabbr BFA, B.F.ABachelor of Fine Arts; first degree in Fine Arts. in crafts and art education, my strong desire toexplore and learn about people, cultures, art and music put my teachingcareer on hold. H.G. Where did your journey lead you next? J.O. To many places and through a variety of experiences. I spent ayear crewing on sailboats in the Caribbean and the next five in NewOrleans New Orleans(ôr`lēənz –lənz, ôrlēnz`), city (2006 pop. 187,525), coextensive with Orleans parish, SE La., between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, 107 mi (172 km) by water from the river mouth; founded listening to and playing music, learning local cultural dancestyles, and working in a variety of jobs--including production managerof a ceramic Mardi Gras mask company, loftsman, boat builder, andteacher for summer and after-school programs. H.G. When did you, if you'll excuse the expression, settledown and begin pursuing a career as a full-time ceramic artist? J.O. There is nothing settled down about being a professionalartist. It's an ever-changing and challenging journey. While I wasin New Orleans, I began making and selling my own clay work. Afterseveral years of maintaining part-time jobs, my work was successfulenough to become my full-time profession, which it has now been for 14years. H.G. You continue to teach, don't you? J.O. I really missed the exuberance and enthusiasm of childreninvolved in the art experience. About nine years ago, I began teachingagain in various programs. Currently, I teach inner-city children inafter-school programs through the Indianapolis Art Center and work inthe school and summer programs for Young Audiences of Indiana. H.G. Tell us about these programs. J.O. In these programs, I think in terms of expanding thekids' experiences and frames of mind. I base art lessons on imagesof artwork of various cultures and work by artists with individualizedideas or points of view. I want the kids to be aware that there's awide world out there that includes many different visual traditions andideas, cultural lifestyles, and ways of looking at things. I like to bring in unconventional material and ways of working.We've used plumbing insulation tubes and Styrofoam[R] houseinsulation for sculptures, plastic construction-site fencingstaple-gunned to student-made wood frames for weaving, paint sticks andcookie sheets for dragonflies, and wood strips for decorated fences andtrellises for our class gardens. H.G. What, besides artwork, do you hope the students are gainingfrom these programs? J.O. I'm hoping that in my art sessions, the kids aredeveloping their problem-solving skills, exploring their creativity andself-expression, building confidence in their ideas, and improving theirpeople skills. I'd like them to be enthusiastic about taking onchallenges. Development in these areas extends well past childhood artprojects and can influence success in adult life. I have to believe thata drop in the bucket may have a positive outcome somewhere, sometime. H.G. What have you learned about clay and kids through yourteaching experiences? J.O. I've found kids to be extremely eager to get their handsin clay. I present simple projects that give my students the opportunityto really get in and manipulate the clay, but I set them up sothere's a high potential for success. I use a very forgiving claybody that lessens the need for technical proficiency. Balled, coiled andpinched forms attached to flat surfaces usually provide the most freedomand success. This approach works well and can be enjoyed by youngchildren through adults. It's not the project, but rather the student's age,creativity and ability that establish the limits. As clay skillsdevelop, more difficult pieces can be attempted, but a simple"beginner" project has a lot of scope. I like to use simpleconstruction methods so that my students don't get bogged down inprocess. I want them to freely use their imagination, creativity andideas. Techniques should always be accessible "tools" andsimply a means to an end. H.G. Tell us a little bit about your life as a ceramic artist. J.O. A childhood full of experimenting, collecting and continuouscreating has extended into my adult life. My focus is on, but notlimited to, clay. My house seems more studio than living quarters, withan abundance of ongoing projects, musical instruments and itemsI've hauled in to be used in future artwork. A full clay studiowith slab roller, extruder, two kilns and myriad clays, glazes, toolsand works-in-progress fill the upstairs. H.G. Is all your work handbuilt? J.O. I used to throw on the wheel, but have let it go in favor ofhandbuilding. I like moving the clay with my fingers and the lack of anymachined roundness or straightness. I want the soft organic forms thathands create. I use a variety of forming or building techniques--slabconstruction, pinched and pulled heads that are cut in half, hollowedout and reconnected, pinch pots paddled into specific forms, thick coilshollowed out by inserting a dowel dowel/dow��el/ (dou��'l) a peg or pin for fastening an artificial crown or core to a natural tooth root, or affixing a die to a working model for construction of a crown, inlay, or partial denture. , and texturing with anything I find.Pieces are attached with scoring and vinegar for clean joints. I paintlayers of underglaze un��der��glaze?n.Coloring or decoration applied to pottery before glazing. and/or majolica majolica(məjŏl`ĭkə, məyŏl`–)or maiolica(məyŏl`ĭkə)[from Majorca], type of faience usually associated with wares produced in Spain, Italy, and Mexico. colors and sometimes sgrafittothrough the top color. I use some clear and colored glazes, and Imulti-fire my pieces in the range of cone 06 to cone 04. H.G. How does your art reflect your life? J.O. My artwork has moved through many stages, but is usuallyfigurative and often colorful and lively. My work has includedfiguratively painted platters, vases, tile pieces and wall forms.Presently, I'm making mostly sculptures, vases and goblet figures,and images carved in tiles. I've just come out of a very bright, shiny,fully-saturated-color stage, and am now working with more subdued tones,matte surfaces, and texturing in the clay that reveals layers and depth. All the aspects of my work hold, whether consciously or not, adirect relationship to my life--age, frame of mind, perspective, mood.I'm intrigued with the unexpected twists, turns, stumbles andrebirths that life presents--with the resulting seasoning and formingeffects they have on us. My sculptures reflect expressions, stances andpersonalities--all embellished with the subtle marks and scars oflife's experiences. FIGURATIVE GOBLET You may want to do a preliminary pinch-pot lesson to give studentsexperience in controlling their clay forms. Very young students can formthe faces on flat tiles.--J.O. Class 1 1. Form two pinch pots (encourage students to think about andcreate two different shapes for a more interesting piece). 2. Lightly cover with plastic and let them firm up. How tight theplastic is depends on how much drying time you have before the nextclass. The clay should still be damp and malleable. Class 2 1. Score and slip forms, and attach them together as a goblet. Atemporary support plug may be placed in the base until dry and strong.An attached ring around the "neck" is decorative and addssupport. 2. Using small rolled balls and coils, make features. Apply theseto the top pinch pot by scoring and using slip. Encourage students towet their fingers to form, smooth and manipulate character into thepieces. 3. Additional forms for ears, eyebrows and other decoration may bemade by cutting shapes from clay "pancakes" andfinger-forming. Texturing with craft sticks, paintbrush (graphics, tool) Paintbrush - A Microsoft Windows tool for creating bitmap graphics. handles andother tools provides interest. 4. Encourage students to be imaginative and creative for a uniqueface. 5. Younger students may use a clay "pancake" instead of apinch pot for the goblet base. Class 3 1. Bisque-fire the dry greenware For other uses, see .Greenware is a software license which provides an end user with the right to use a particular program as he sees fit (or obtain the source code) if he makes an effort to help out the environment. See also careware. one cone higher than thetemperature to which you are going to glaze-fire the pieces. This willassure that all gases are released from the clay body before glazing. 2. If only underglazes are being applied for a matte finish, thesecan be painted on the greenware and the pieces can be fired once. 3. Paint with underglazes and cover with clear glaze for a shinysurface. Majolicas and colored glazes may also be used by older studentswho want to create a more sophisticated finish. 4. You may once-fire these pieces if the students are careful whenapplying underglazes and glazes. Be sure to fire very slowly so that thegases being released do not bubble the glazes. 5. Fire to the cone dictated by the commercial decorating productand clay body used. Note: Jude Odell colors her pieces with a variety of materials,including AMACO[R] Underglazes, Majolica Gloss Decorating Colors, andLowfire Glazes. For working with students, she uses AMACO[R] Terra Cotta cot��ta?n. pl. cot��tae or cot��tasA short surplice.[Medieval Latin, of Germanic origin.] Clay No. 77, Underglazes, Majolica Gloss Decorating Colors, and LowfireGlazes.--H. G. Harriet Gamble is a free-lance writer from Plainfield, Indiana.