Before COVID-19 shuttered us all away, before “social distancing” became embedded in our daily conversations, I was crafting plans to travel to exhibitions around the country and to visit artists in their studios on short tours of various regions. My vision was inspired by our founder, Gerry Williams, and back issues like Indiana Potters, Vol. 19 No. 2; Maine Potters, Vol. 7 No. 1; or the article “Nine Potters from Philadelphia (and a little bit outside)” from Vol. 2 No. 1. My plans have turned to dreams and my household budget has a new goal for 2021 and beyond, the acquisition of a self-contained adventure that is a travel van, a mobile office and home from which to operate safely in our new reality. 

What we offer you in August, are five stories that just might scratch any itch you are feeling about traveling. Although, I suppose these stories might also just re-ignite your wanderlust, rather than satiate it. Either way, for those of you who long for the days of themed Studio Potter journals, let’s call this the Travel Edition. Margaret Bohls takes us on a journey through history via Italy and the United Kingdom, exposing us to the evolution of forms and her process for translating this research into contemporary objects. Jesse Golden takes us to South Korea where he stoked his nascent passion for the wood-fire process and built the foundations of a lifelong friendship with Master Shin Chul. We can take a journey on multiple levels when we read Kayleigh Porter’s article, “The Unanticipated Path of an Artist Who Became an Engineer,” traveling to Mars aboard the Curiosity Rover while simultaneously traveling from art school to a career in engineering with the materials lab as our portal. Circling back to journeys through history, Doug Van Beek introduces us to cooking in clay, the medieval edition. We are treated to a culinary journey informed by the archaeological record. He even leaves us with a couple of recipes for us to try out the next time we gather with friends around a fire. Finally, a conclusive counterpoint to all the above, and a stoic embrace of our new reality, comes from one of our student submissions. Angelina Dimagro accepts her studio exile, opening her imagination, and ours, to expanding dualities rather than exclusive binary options like either/or. 

Stay tuned in September for the follow up to “In Order to Hold Ourselves Accountable,” when we will explore anti-racist work from the administrative side of the evolving conversation. Be sure to check out our new EDUCATOR'S PACKAGE too; our board members have worked hard to create a resource to support the new demands facing academia. In the meantime, wherever you may roam, wherever your journey takes you, we hope you go safely, that your road is inspired, and that you share your story with us.

Be well everyone and thanks for reading,

Jill Foote-Hutton

Editor, Studio Potter