THE UT POTTERS - OUR STUDENT ORGANIZATION

Its Origins

The UT Potters by Dr. James F. Darrow
Founder & Sponsor 1973-2000

The UT Potters started as an organization in the Fall of 1973, the first year that I came to the University of Tennessee. The University of Tennessee is located in Knoxville, Tennessee and has a student population that has ranged from 25,000 to 32,000 over the last 25 years. I originally had nine graduate students in ceramics and most of them were interested in making their living as either a production potter or a teacher of ceramics at the college level. While trying to teach about the value of the ceramics that the students were making I thought it would be a good educational experience for the students to price their work and meet their clientele and receive feedback of a positive and/or negative nature while yet a student to prepare them for this occupation. They then could re-consider the aesthetics, durability, functionality and price for the work they were creating in light of someone in addition to the instructors in clay.

Another consideration was to make the student aware of the costs of producing their wares. In this case it was a division of payment that was voted in by the students. The student received 60% of the price of the works and the shop that they had access to at the university received 40%. The next consideration was what that 60% could possibly do for the student who received it. The sponsor/instructor taught the students that they should put the money received from the sales into a personal ceramics account. They then could purchase their own wheel, kiln, shelves, clay mixer etc. as the account accumulated monies from their sales. In this way, the students’ working endeavors and sales provided what they needed to become production potters in the future and set up their studios. If they failed to make enough to do this, it was to be considered a warning that maybe they were not prepared or talented enough to embark on a life with clay as an occupation.

Therefore the mission of the UT Potters was an education in aesthetics, production and marketing.
As the UT Potters moved to the Fine Arts Department of the University of Tennessee in the Fall of 1978 our philosophy changed slightly.

The making of clay objects became more of a fine art for production potters as well as fine art objects, which did not have function as the first priority. Now we were looking at fine arts students working in their studios with clientele which would buy artwork as well as functional pottery. This did not really complicate matters, but rather made for a much more diverse and rich atmosphere within which to work. Each object was looked at as an individual piece of art or sculpture. Coffee cups could be made as one of a kind, and look enough alike as to be considered part of a family rather than simply well designed, glazed the same and look exactly like the last one. Of course, maintaining high quality craftsmanship was still an imperative.

As an outside addition to the making of quality objects in clay, the UT Potters decided that it would be good and in their best interests to issue an invitation to ceramic students who had graduated and were out in the field making their living. So we invited them to join us anytime they could and it has proven to be a very good relationship. The student artists get to meet and greet and find out first hand about the good and bad aspects of making one's living in clay. What to do and what not to do.

This situation is working very well. We usually have from 2 to 4 visiting alumni ceramists with us each sale. The total number of members we have at the sales normally range from 20 to 25. This hasn't varied much since we moved to the Art Department in 1978. Before that, in the College of Home Economics, we had about 9 - 12 student artists and no alumni. Our sales have ranged from $2,500 per sale in 1973 to a high of over $15,000 for a two-day sale in 1995. We now average around $8,000 - $10,000 per sale both Fall and Spring. For example, a teapot which sold for $25.00 in 1973 is now selling for $75.00.

Another addition to our philology charge came in the guise of inviting visiting artists in clay who were considered to be on the leading edge of new ideas in clay in the U.S.A.. The Art Department did this in painting studios, so the ceramics area could invite an artist, pay for transportation, lodging, food and give a modest honorarium in return for the artists coming to make their work and explain their philosophy and work ethic and answer any questions the students could think to pose and most of all, allow the students to meet, close up and personal, an artist in clay making their living as an artist in clay. A list of the visiting artists we have is included at the end of this article.

As years went by the students were concerned for the clay studios in which they were working and wanted to help maintain them. In this regard they decided and voted in a clause for buying at least one piece of equipment the studio each year. In addition to buying the equipment, they decided by vote to pay 1.5% of the total sales to a Director of the December Christmas sale and the May Mothers' Day sale. This eventually was raised to 3% and an additional 1.5% was paid to an Assistant Director this last year. This allows certain continuity of knowledge and the Sponsor doesn't have to retrain someone to head up the sales each time we have one. The UTP organization also came to realize under the tutelage of one director by the name of Beth Dosser, how important advertising is to the sale of any business. This idea was supported and updated by Laurel Kiewitt in the late 90' s. Therefore; we raised our advertising moneys allowable to about 10% of the sales, and developed a mailing list of over 10,000 names. We advertise with handbills distributed by the members, all radio and television outlets, the free ones first, and the Newspapers the last two weeks before the sale. Sales tripled.

The UTP also extended the educational aspect of the group in 1990 by taking a portion of the profits, the amount voted upon each January, and sending all UTP members who wanted to go to the national potters conference known as NCECA (National Council on Education in the Ceramic Arts) each time it was held, which is yearly. The group pays in priority according to the number who wants to attend and the amount of money we have to spend. The priorities are: first, the conference itself, second the hotel room, (we usually get at least two rooms, one male, one female), the food money, and last the transportation to and from the conference. One year we were able to pay all of it for each student who wanted to go and took 22 people. Usually we pay at least $200.00 toward the conference. The students must attend the conference or pay the money back. In order to be eligible to be sent by the UTP, the member must have participated in one of the two sales held in the fiscal year.

The philanthropy of the students included in-the UTP over the years has evidenced itself in more than caring simply about clay people. The UT Potters give regularly to the Women's Faculty Group on-the University campus. They also have been helpful in doing demonstrations out in the public schools community when possible. They have also given a minimum of two awards at the Annual Spring Art Department Student Exhibition, which is juried with an outside juror. They are also active in having student exhibitions at the 1010 Student Gallery downtown at the Candy Factory in Knoxville.

I am very proud of the endeavors of these students to get involved in their career fields in any way that they can and look beyond themselves to the community as a whole. They are not simply concerned about making money, but rather something much greater, which is an elevated aesthetics in lifestyle and satisfaction from a job well done. A quality life.

Dr. James F. Darrow
Professor of Ceramics

Download the UT Potters Bylaws

Artists Invited and Hosted between 1973 and 2000