Don Reitz (USA)

Unfortunately Don Reitz has been forbidden by his doctor to travel, so sadly he will not be attending the Festival in person. He says: ‘Please accept my most sincere apologies.  Words cannot express my disappointment of missing this opportunity.’  At Don’s suggestion, American potter Chris Gustin has agreed to demonstrate at the Festival (more detaisl below); and in addition Don is also keen to supply us with a video link so that he can give a lecture at the festival.

Don Reitz is undoubtedly one of the most important and influential ceramicists working today. Taught at Alfred University in the early 1960’s, Reitz has pursued a life-long investigation of both salt and wood firing, his forms full bodied and boldly marked and etched with knife marks. A great teacher and a fearless improviser, Don Reitz has received many honours world wide and will be an inspirational demonstrator at the Festival weekend.

For more information about Don Reitz please click here to visit his website.

Chris Gustin (USA)

Chris is a studio artist and Emeritus Professor at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. He received his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1975, and his MFA from Alfred University in 1977.  Chris lives and works in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

Using the traditions of the vessel as a means of abstraction, Chris uses scale and gesture to explore the dynamic of the human form.  Chris’ work is published extensively, and is represented in numerous public and private collections, including the Renwick Gallery of the National Museum of American Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the World Ceramic Exposition Foundation in Icheon, Korea, the Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, the Syracuse Art Museum, the Shigaraki Cultural Park in Japan, the Yingge Ceramics Museum in Taipei, and the Mint Museum of Craft. 

With over forty solo exhibitions, he has exhibited, lectured and taught workshops in the United States, Caribbean, Europe, Middle East and Asia.  He has received two National Endowment for the Arts Artist Fellowships, and three Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellowships, the most recent in 2009.  Chris is cofounder of the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Maine, and currently serves on its board. Chris is represented by Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art in Kansas City, the Snyderman-Works Gallery in Philadelphia and the Sherrie Gallerie in Columbus, Ohio.

For more details about Chris please visit his website: www.gustinceramics.com