How Montana Became World Renown For Ceramic Art | Steven Lee | TEDxHelena
A brief history of the Archie Bray Foundations for the Ceramic Arts in Helena, Montana.
Steven Young Lee has been the resident artist director of the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts in Helena, Montana since 2006. In 2004-05, he lectured and taught at numerous universities throughout China as part of a one-year cultural and educational exchange in Jingdezhen, Shanghai, and Beijing. In 2005-06 he was a visiting professor at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. In March 2013 he participated on a panel, Americans in the Porcelain City, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In 2013, he was one of several international artists invited to participate in “New Blue and White,” an exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston that featured contemporary artists working in the blue-and-white tradition of ceramic production. In the Fall of 2016, his work was featured as part of the Renwick Invitational at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.
Steve received his BFA and MFA in Ceramics from Alfred University. archiebray.org
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at
Montana Made: Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts
Helena is home to a long legacy for those working with ceramics at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts.
The process of working with ceramics is relatively simple: artists take clay, spend time molding it using water and binders, and then fire it in a kiln to make a rigid product.
But the end creations are much more complicated, blending different colors, forms, sizes, materials and complexities. Some of the art is functional like plates and bowls, others purely aesthetic.
At the Bray, all types of art are embraced. Steven Lee came to the Bray in the 1990s from Chicago to become a resident artist. Now, he is the resident artist director.
The Bray “was founded with a very simple mission for all those sincerely interested in ceramics arts to find a place to work,” Lee said.
Started in 1951 by Archie Bray as the Western Clay Manufacturing Co., a brick-making business, the dilapidated, old buildings and crumbling kilns can still be seen on the grounds.
“Archie Bray was a really interesting person,” Lee said. “He was also very eccentric in his interests. He loved the arts. He loved theater. He would bring actors and actresses from New York by rail to come to the community of Helena.”
In the modern day, the Bray is somewhat of an epicenter for ceramic artists across the country.
“There’s been a pattern of people who come to the Bray from elsewhere outside the state and then decide to stay and live here,” Lee said.
Each year more than 30 artists work at the Bray. In total, there have been more than 600 artists to walk the halls, each leaving their own unique mark. Lee said the Treasure State’s geography and remoteness may have something to do with attracting creative types from across the country.
“I think the landscape and access to nature certainly bleeds into some people’s work,” Lee said.
There’s also another feature of the bray not found at most other artists in residency programs. The Archie Bray Clay Business makes clay on campus that is used by the artists.
“That is one thing that’s really unique about this place,” Chuck Aydlett, the “Clay Biz” manager, said. “And the residents, they love it. They only have to walk from there to here to get whatever they want.”
Aydlett said the business pumps out about 20 different types of clay totaling more than 476 tons of clay each year, distributed coast to coast and even in Canada. Much of the clay makes its way to production potters or Montana schools.
The Bray also opened a brand new education center last year.
“I think the Bray in a way has really been a place that has played a very significant role in the development of ceramics arts in this country,” Lee said.
After facing several roadblocks and possible shutdowns, Montanans came to the Bray’s rescue.
“There were many points where when money was tight or some event would occur, this place could have gone under and disappeared. But there were a lot of people that were dedicated to seeing it succeed and saw value early on,” Lee said.
For more information, visit the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramics Arts website.
Montana Made: Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts
Helena is home to a long legacy for those working with ceramics at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts.
Farewell to Akio Takamori
Akio Takamori ((1950 - 2017) was a sculptor, printmaker, and painter who explored human relationships: interpersonal, archetypal, social and historical. Born in Nobeoka, Japan in 1950, Akio received formal training in both Japan and the United States. In 1974 Takamori made the move to the United States, receiving his B.F.A. from the Kansas City Art Institute and later attending Alfred University in New York for his M.F.A.. After working as a resident artist at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana, he moved to Seattle, Washington in 1993, where he took his past teaching position as associate professor of the University of Washington's ceramics department. He has exhibited throughout the world and his artwork has been collected by museums including the American Craft Museum (New York), Archie Bray Foundation (Helena, MT), Arizona State University Art Museum, Nelson Fine Arts Center (Tempe), The Arkansas Arts Center Decorative Arts Museum (Little Rock), Boca Raton Museum of Art (Boca Raton), Boston Athenaeum (Boston), Carnegie Institute Art Museum (Pittsburgh), Hallmark Art Collection (Kansas City, MO), Kansas City Art Institute, Johnson County Community College (Overland Park, KS), The Kinsey Institute (Bloomington, IN), Kruithuis Museum (The Netherlands), Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art (Shigaraki, Japan) The Museum of Ceramic Arts (Alfred, NY), National Museum of History (Taipei, Republic of China), Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Spencer Museum of Art (Laurence, KS), Taipei Fine Arts Museum (Republic of China) Victoria & Albert Museum (London), and Winnipeg Art Gallery (Winnipeg, Canada).
Montana Mosaic 11: The Arts and Humanities in Montana
This 18-minute video discusses the influence Montana's natural beauty has had on the arts. Montana's landscape provides inspiration for artists of all media. In turn, their work reflects these artists' individual understandings of what it means to be a Montanan. This video can be viewed as two shorter segments if desired. Segment 1 (11:35) focuses on the ceramic art of the Archie Bray foundation in Helena. Segment 2 (5:50) focuses on the paintings of Browning, Montana, local, Ernie Pepion (1944–2005).
RUDY AUTIO
*VIDEOCERÁMICA # RUDY AUTIO
Rudy Autio is one of the most masterful and influential artists working with clay in the United States today. Born in Butte, Montana in 1926, Autio has lived in his native state throughout most of his career. He headed the ceramics area at the University of Montana for twenty-eight years and is now retired as Professor Emeritus of the School of Fine Arts. Prior to his appointment at the University of Montana, Autio was a founding resident artist at the Archie Bray Ceramics Foundation in Helena, Montana.
Autio received a Tiffany Award in Crafts in 1963, the American Ceramic Society Art Award in 1978, and a National Endowment grant in 1980, enabling him to work and lecture at the Arabia Porcelain Factory and the Applied Arts University in Helsinki, Finland. While there, he was elected honorary member of Ornamo, Finland's Designers organization. In 1981 he was the first recipient of the Governor's Award and named outstanding visual artist in the state of Montana.
He is a Fellow of the American Crafts Council, Honorary member of the National Council of Education in the Ceramic Arts, and recipient of the honorary Doctorate of Art from the Maryland Institute, College of Art in Baltimore. In November 1999 he was awarded the American Craftsman's Gold Medal Award in ceremonies at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, N.C.
While Autio's best known work is figurative ceramic vessels, he has worked in a variety of materials and other media. In addition to commissions in ceramic relief and tile murals, he has worked in bronze, concrete, glass, fabricated metal sculpture, and design of colorful Rya tapestries. Most of these were commissioned for public buildings in the Northwest and one is in Finland
Montana Connections: Rudy Autio
The first video in a series of artist portraits inspired by the Missoula Art Museum Collections in MIssoula, Montana. Rudy Autio is best known for figurative ceramic vessels. He contributed generously and significantly to the world of ceramics. Curator Peter Held interviewed him at his home in 2007. The video was created after Rudy's death incorporating photos, footage of Rudy by his son, Chris Autio, and interview audio provided by MAM through Peter Held.
Many thanks to Rudy's wife, Lela, and family, MAM staff members Jenn Reifsneider and Renee Taffe, Peter Held, artist, educator and musician Beth Lo, the Archie Bray Foundation, Dexter Payne, John McFarland and the Big Sky Mudflaps.
www.directorymontana.com - Attractions Helena, Montana
Collected by:
Helena, also known as the Queen City, is located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains and is the Capitol of the State of Montana, the See of the Diocese of Helena.
With a population of nearly 50,000. Check out the Holter Museum of Modern Art, The Archie Bray Foundation, or one of the many art galleries located in the downtown area. Helena is a great place to live and vacation. Make yourself comfortable, enjoy our warm hospitality, and enjoy the Big Sky.
For more videos, please visit our video page:
Joanna Powell Lecture
Low-Residency MFA in Visual Studies welcomes Joanna Powell to lecture on her work. Powell comes to PNCA as a Visiting Artist for the Low-Res MFA in Visual Studies program’s summer intensive.
Joanna Powell (b.1981,Dallas,TX) received a BFA in ceramics from the University of North Texas(2008) and received an MFA in ceramics from the University of Colorado at Boulder (2012). Powell has exhibited her work throughout the United States including The Archie Bray Foundation, Helena; Showpen Gallery, Denver; and the Center for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburg, PA. In 2011, she was a LEAP finalist at The Center for Contemporary Craft. Powell was a finalist in the Zanesville Prize for Contemporary Ceramics and received Honorable Mention. From 2013-2015 she was a long term-resident at The Archie Bray Foundation. Recently, she was named a 2015 NCECA Emerging Artist. From 2015-2016 she was an Artist-In- Residence at Kansas State University and taught ceramics. Currently she is a full-time studio artist in Helena, Montana
Surface Design and Treatment with Ben Carter
Ben demonstrates various techniques and strategies for surface design used on his pots including slip trailing, paper resist and texturing.
Ben Carter is a studio potter, workshop leader, and social media enthusiast based in Santa Cruz, CA. He received his BFA in ceramics/painting from Appalachian State University, and his MFA in ceramics from the University of Florida. His professional experience includes being an artist-in-residence at the Odyssey Center for Ceramic Art in Asheville, NC, as well as Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass, CO, the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, MT, and the Ceramic Research Center Guldagergaard in Skelskor, Denmark.
From 2010-2012 he served as the Education Director of the Pottery Workshop in Shanghai, China. He has lectured and presented workshops at universities and craft centers in the United States, Canada, China, Australia, and New Zealand. He has exhibited internationally in numerous invitational and juried shows. Carter was recently named the 2016 Ceramic Artist of the Year for Ceramics Monthly and Pottery Making Illustrated.
Archie Bray Opening (Rick Pope)
A firing at the Bray (opening night)
52 for 150: What's So Special About Ken Ferguson?
Follow us!
Facebook -
Twitter -
Instagram -
Pinterest -
Website -
For week 16 of our Kansas sesquicentennial series, we're focusing on ceramist Ken Ferguson (1938-2004), former Professor and Chair of the ceramics department at Kansas City Art Institute for over thirty years.
In 1981 Ferguson was voted one of the twelve greatest living potters in a readers' survey by Ceramics Monthly magazine. His students included many successful contemporary ceramists including Richard Notkin [1], our juror for this year's Topeka Competition 30. As a graduate student at Alfred University, resident potter and studio manager at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana, and through years of teaching, Ferguson mastered the craft of functional pottery, developing formidable skills on the wheel and in handling glazes that integrally informed his work. [2]
Every object has a story, and stories build history. To celebrate 150 years of Kansas statehood we're featuring 52 objects (or collections of related objects)—something new each week throughout the year—from the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library's 130-year-old special, and permanent collections, that represent our collective state history and cultural diversity.
Our collections are available for teachers, students, researchers and general interest, and we hope this online video program will provide insight into what's so special about Special Collections. Your library's commitment to collecting art and preserving local history makes it possible for users today and in the future to have immediate access to invaluable research material and cultural artifacts.
To make an appointment to see work by Ken Ferguson, or get help finding books and videos related to him and his work, call or stop by the Sabatini Gallery (785-580-4515). We're located on your right just beyond the Library rotunda entrance.
[1]
[2]
Subscribe! -
Peter Voulkos at Archie Bray, 1955
Peter Voulkos at Archie Bray, 1955, from “Peter Voulkos Working,” produced by Susan Fanshel and Ann Voulkos, and distributed by Documentary Educational Resources.
Digital video, TRT 00:08:11
Photography by Maxime Blackmer
This video has no sound.
Archer Gallery art talks: Trey Hill
treyhillstudio.com :
About Trey:
Trey Hill is a professional sculptor and Associate Professor at The University of Montana where he teaches in both the ceramics and sculpture. His colleagues include Beth Lo and Julia Galloway. He received his BFA from Bowling Green State University in 1999 and his MFA from San Jose State University in 2002.
His work has been shown in galleries and museums throughout the United States and internationally. Trey has extensive travel and creative experiences through his vast artist residencies including: The Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, MT; the LH Project Joseph, OR; Da Wang Cultural Highlands, DaWang, China; HAP Studios, Beijing, China; Fule International Ceramic Art Museum, Fuping, China; and the Rojal Art Laboratory, Roja, Latvia.
Artist Statement:
My new body of work springs from the lure of attraction, seduction, sensuality, beauty, and grace. I am fascinated not only by the sensuality and grace of the human form, but also the exploration of the prosaic. I pull forth emotions that are at once, beautiful and raucous, yet elemental and essential, all the while exploring our human hesitancies.
The work employs anatomical fragments along with other recognizable images to create pieces that reflect these complex inquiries. By employing segments of the universality of human experience, my work alludes to the hauntingly delicate beauty of the exterior that masks the emotion and strength of structure that lies beneath the surface. Using various forms as building blocks to create larger works, I am able to able to deeply explore my curiosities and maintain a technically challenging studio environment.
I aim to seduce the senses while exploring the fragile boundaries that weave human sexuality, strength, power, emotion, and vulnerability into one cohesive identity.
Helena, Montana | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Helena, Montana
00:01:10 1 History
00:01:19 1.1 Pre-settlement
00:01:53 1.2 Early settlement and gold rush
00:05:43 1.3 Wealth boom
00:09:10 1.4 1980s–present
00:11:09 2 Geography
00:12:22 2.1 Climate
00:13:59 3 Demographics
00:14:08 3.1 2010 census
00:16:22 3.2 2000 census
00:19:11 4 Economy
00:20:38 5 Education
00:20:47 5.1 Higher education
00:21:18 5.2 Primary and secondary education
00:22:31 6 Media
00:24:15 7 Notable people
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Helena is the state capital of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County.
Helena was founded as a gold camp during the Montana gold rush, and was established in 1864. Over $3.6 billion of gold was extracted in the city limits over a duration of two decades, making it one of the wealthiest cities in the United States by the late nineteenth century. The concentration of wealth contributed to the city's prominent, elaborate Victorian architecture.
At the 2010 census Helena's population was 28,190, making it the fifth least populous state capital in the United States and the sixth most populous city in Montana. It is the principal city of the Helena Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Lewis and Clark and Jefferson counties; its population is 77,414 according to the 2015 Census Estimate.The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. Professional sports teams include the Helena Bighorns Tier III Junior A hockey team. The city is served by Helena Regional Airport (HLN).
Montana Arts Driven Economic Development
Face The State - Russell Rowland
This program featured author Russell Rowland, discussing his latest book, Fifty Six Counties, A Montana Journey. Russell talked about his book – described as a combination travelogue, memoir and historical account of what makes Montana such a unique place.
Rowland spent two years traveling to all 56 Montana counties – interviewing people from all walks of live. During his Montana travels, Rowland takes a closer look at who we are, where we came from, and what we might be in the process of becoming.
Rowland has also written several other books about Montana, including In Open Spaces, The Watershed Years, and High & Inside.
FICO Score|Collections|Helena MT|Better Qualified LLC
Helena is the capital of Montana and is located in Lewis and Clark County. The city is situated near the Continental Divide, Lake Helena, The Big Belt Mountains, Helena National Forests and other noteworthy scenic sites. The city of Helena was founded in 1864, primarily due to gold being discovered along the Last Chance Creek. The Four Georgians originally discovered gold in the region and the area was called Crab Town in tribute to one of the Four Georgians named John Crab. Quickly, the city was filled with miners seeking gold. Some members of the community decided to rename the city. There was an agreement to name the town after Saint Helena Minnesota; the home town of John Sommerville. The community members decided that Saint would not be included. By the year 1888 approximately 50 millionaires resided in Helena. The city prospered due to the vast amount of gold that was extracted from the Last Chance Gulch. In 1889 railroad entrepreneur Charles Arthur Broadwater constructed the legendary Hotel Broadwater and Natatorium near the city. Helena had been established as the capital of Montana Territory in 1875 and was designated the capital of the state of Montana in 1889. Helena provides residents and visitors with a wide variety of outdoor activities. Fishing, swimming, camping, boating, water-skiing and wind surfing are popular activities at the Holter and Hauser Lakes. Canyon Ferry and Spring Meadow Lake are other popular destinations for outdoor activities. Hiking enthusiasts enjoy Blackfoot Meadows, the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, Mount Helena city park as well as the Continental Divide Trail. The Helena region also provides three major trail systems for snowmobiles. The Great Divide Ski area is located near Helena.
Media Credits list .
You are welcome to .
Paul J. Oster is the CEO of Better Qualified, LLC, a limited liability company that specializes in business and consumer credit services. Better Qualified has helped thousands build, manage, and monitor their credit since 2006. The company has consulted for thousands of individuals and corporations on their credit ratings, operations, sales and business models. Better Qualified helps the customers gain financial freedom through various credit products, including: Manage your credit with our 100% legal, effective and time-tested methods; Building new credit with secured credit cards; Monitoring your credit to protect against identity theft. Paul Oster has extensive knowledge and experience in finance, mortgages and insurance.
See more at .
Leave us a comment on
Our team of credit experts has an excellent experience in helping people manage and build their credit. With the help of consumer credit, thousands of people have achieved financial freedom. We firmly believe our results speak for themselves. We find personal approach to every our client. We take into account your individual needs. As we always strive to be the best, we have the most knowledgeable, helpful and results-driven professionals in the industry. The Finance and Insurance sector has been defined to encompass establishments primarily engaged in financial transactions; that is, transactions involving the creation, liquidation, or change in ownership of financial assets or in facilitating financial transactions. Financial industries are extensive users of electronic means for facilitating the verification of financial balances, authorizing transactions, transferring funds to and from transactors' accounts, notifying banks (or credit card issuers) of the individual transactions, and providing daily summaries. Almost all Americans come across the problem of bad credit score. Steve, the author of the video, gives several useful suggestions to resolve this problem. First of all, one should look at the turning factors when it comes to scoring his credit. Payment history is the most important one. 35% of FICO score is based on payment history, so if you pay on time, your score will never be dropped on hundred points. Next, one should pay attention on the Amounts Owed, which takes 30% of FICO score. The rule №1 – don't keep “max out credit cards”. If it happens, try to pay these accounts down.
Craft in America: COMMUNITY episode
craftinamerica.org. Throughout time, craft work has been a community activity. Gifted artists and passionate newcomers alike reveal the deeply held belief that craft is about more than just the making of an object. Featured artists include Jamex & Einar de la Torre, Preston Singletary, Pilchuck Glass School, Sarah Jaeger, Ken Loeber, Dona Look, Mississippi Cultural Crossroads, Penland School, Denise & Sam Wallace. PBS premiere: May 30, 2007.
For more on Craft in America, visit craftinamerica.org.
All Craft in America programs are now viewable on craftinamerica.org, the PBS iPhone/iPad app and video.pbs.org/program/craft-in-america.
To purchase DVDs: shoppbs.org
LECTURE: Steven Young Lee - February 24, 2019
Steven Young Lee’s artwork often considers his own experience navigating his Korean-American cross-cultural identity through the process of working in ceramics and building installations. In this talk, he discusses his work and the creative process that brought about his current APEX exhibition at the Museum.
This lecture was recorded on February 24, 2019 in Portland Art Museum's Whitsell Auditorium