Adam Mankoski interviews Palul, a k a Paul Rideout, one of the artists in the Art in City Hall Fall 2009 exhibit, Sept. 14 to Jan. 15, Redding City Hall. Opening reception is Thursday, Sept. 24, 5-7 p.m.
How has your work evolved over the last 40 years?
I started out creating functional work, which gave me good technical skills. Design ideas were usually derived from the form of the piece. As my technical skills evolved, I found ceramics to be a way of expressing thoughts and feelings. Now the ideas come first. I always try to think in universal terms when it comes to ideas… you know, the sun and stars, the body and mind, emotions… then the technique magically follows.
You have done many series in the course of your career. Which series is your favorite?
It’s hard to answer this question. Lidded series? Teapot series? Cave series? Mirror series? Torso series? Giant flower series? Wall-hanging series? One series flows into another. When I am creating a group of work I am in love … my favorite series at the time. As I start on a new series or idea, I cannot throw away the old impressions like a broken love affair. The new is always evolving out of the old.
What is it like to have your work in the Arboretum at Turtle Bay?
The two pyramids are a pinnacle of my career. All the years of technical practice and philosophical ideas are melded together. I get a feeling of completeness, of knowing that when I die I will have left behind an inspiring legacy that will last hundreds, maybe thousands of years. I am grateful to have been a key player in the creation of these sculptures. Turtle Bay Exploration Park staff was right there with a wonderful location and a beautiful installation.
If you could install work anywhere in the world, where would it be? What would it be?
I can think of three scenarios:
1. My ego would like to see a 12-foot pyramid in Paris at the Louvre.
2. My spirit would like to see a network of tile pyramids scattered around the world, on every continent, on islands, on deserts and in jungles, in places both populated and unpopulated. They act as energy spikes.
3. My peaceful self would like to see a couple of these 7-foot pyramids located in a public garden setting, by a river with a beautiful graceful bridge within a few hundred feet. These pyramids are perfect right where they are.
What do you like best about teaching your art?
The best part of teaching is feeling the flow of knowledge moving through me. The history of ceramics is over 20,000 years old. I was taught by a master (Mark Fleming) who was also taught by a master (Marguerite Wildenhain) who was a product of the Bauhaus Foundation in Germany in the ’20s. I, in turn, pass my knowledge on to my students who will hand the knowledge on their students, etc. What is cool is that we’re all both students and teachers. We are a flowing part of this clay history. I like to tell my students that they are now part of this great flow… their work will last for hundreds of years. So, if you’re going to make something, make it good.
Describe your upcoming show at City Hall.
The theme is Raku Art. There are seven fairly large Raku-fired pieces and one high-fired piece for contrast. There is one wheel-thrown piece, a 17-inch-high classic vase. The rest of the pieces are hand-built. There are four animal pieces, two pyramids and one rectangular vase. I have tried to express a raw power in these pieces that relates to the excitement and energy of the living fire of Raku.
I like that you are using the show at City Hall to educate the public about ceramics. What can we expect?
Three posters created by one of my students, Queen V (Veronica Carrel), illustrate the whole process, including an interesting collage and a poster of about 50 of my earlier raku pieces.
There is an oversize shell sculpture that may or may not be defective. A short blurb beside the piece gets you thinking about what a “second” is. Expect to see examples of the effects of fire and smoke on clay and glazes. You will see plenty of metallics, crackle and color.
Adam Mankoski is a recent North State transplant who feels completely at home here. He enjoys experiencing and writing about the people, places and things that embody the free spirit of the State of Jefferson. He and his partner own HawkMan Studios and are the creators of Redding’s 2nd Saturday ArtHop.
