Studio Potter – The Podcast

• An Interview with Richard Notkin

  For this episode and contemporary audio, I sat down, remotely, with Richard Notkin on November 13, 2025, for an extended conversation about his life in clay and the principles that have fueled his practice.Notkin, who has spent nearly sixty years making work that confronts war, challenges the failures of human leadership, and probes humanity’s fragile relationship with the environment, speaks with the clarity of someone who has never separated his artistry from his ethics. With characteristic frankness, he traces the events that shaped his worldview – from Cold War tensions, to the Vietnam era, to today’s global instability. What follows is a masterclass about art as conscience and craftsmanship as conviction. This interview captures an artist looking backward, forward, and unflinchingly at the present.

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• Studio Potter Archival Audio – The Archie Bray Foundation 50th Anniversary

  In this special episode recorded during the Archie Bray Foundation’s 50th anniversary, panelists and trailblazers of American ceramics, including Ken Ferguson, Rudy Autio, and Peter Voulkos, reflect on the foundation’s origins and evolution. The conversation explores the challenges of its early years, the vision and influence of Archie Bray and colleagues, and pivotal moments such as visits from international legends like Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada. Moving between personal stories and historical insights, the panel illustrates how a dream and a community’s dedication transformed the Foundation into a renowned center for ceramic arts, shaping generations of artists and preserving a vibrant creative legacy.Cover Art: Robert Harrison, Potters Shrine, at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana. Photo Credit: Robert Harrison.

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• Archival Audio - Stanley Wilson, LA County California.

  As one of the five Black Los Angeles artists featured in Studio Potter (Vol. 9, No. 2, 1981), Stanley Wilson's insights and experiences continue to resonate, inspiring new generations of makers and scholars. His dedication to ceramics, mentorship, and advocacy has built a lasting legacy – one that bridges the past, present, and future.

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• Studio Potter Archival Audio – Neolia Cole, North Carolina Potters

  These are the voices of Gerry Williams, the founding editor of Studio Potter, interviewing North Carolina potter Neolia Cole. One of the most enduring and prolific of North Carolina’s potting dynasties is the Cole family, whose members have been potting in central North Carolina—Randolph, Moore, Lee, and Montgomery Counties—for more than two hundred years.This audio was summarized into a short article featuring Neol in Studio Potters North Caroline Potters issue from December 1997. This issue focused on the vibrant pottery traditions of the region, and Studio Potter has remastered these voices from the past. Over the next few months, we’ll dive into our archives to share audio stories from potters in states impacted by Hurricane Helene.

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• Studio Potter Archival Audio - Melvin Lee Owens, North Carolina Potters

  This audio was summarized into a short article featuring Melvin Lee Ownes and his studio in Studio Potters North Caroline Potters issue from December 1997. This issue focused on the vibrant pottery traditions of the region, and Studio Potter has remastered these voices from the past. Over the next few months, we’ll be diving into our archives to share audio stories from potters in states impacted by Hurricane Helene, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina.As a potter who has personally felt the devastating effects of natural disasters, I can attest to the value of nonprofit organizations like The Craft Emergency Relief Fund in supporting artists during times of crisis. Now more than ever, this nonprofit will need us to champion their cause through mutual aid and financial support. Before we dive into today’s episode, we’d like to offer a gentle listener warning. This archival audio was originally recorded on a cassette tape so that you may notice sound artifacts from the time, place, and region. Additionally, at certain unpredictable moments, you’ll hear the sound of gunshots from hunters' targets practicing in preparation for deer season. Please be aware of these elements as you listen, and we hope you enjoy this piece of Studio Potter history.

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