Upcoming Events
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September 19th-21st
Throwing and Handles with Tony Clennell
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October
Ocarinas and Whistles with Jared
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November 22nd
Holiday Sale
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December 14th
Randy Johnston​
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2026
Kathy King
Lucy Fagella
Deb Schwartzkopf
Visiting artist workshop registrations may be cancelled freely until within 24 hours of the event. Inside 24 hours, there is a 50% fee. There are no refunds for no-shows. Cancellation must be in writing to indigofirestudio@gmail.com.
Tony Clennell
After a year and a half of planning, we're thrilled to welcome our Canadian neighbor, Tony Clennell, to Indigo Fire this September. His work is absolutely unique and will change your relationship with clay.
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This demonstration-based workshop will focus on larger than life utilitarian pottery for occasional use. We will pay attention to the details on large casseroles, pitchers, bowls, baskets and plates so they may be used for celebration and presentation.
Tony enjoys composite throwing where he adds many pieces together to make one vessel. Extreme handles are his specialty.
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His recent work includes gestural marks and brushwork for a tactile geological surface. The maker’s marks and details of process are what he's interested in leaving in the finished work.
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Be prepared to be inspired!
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September 19th-21st
Indigo Fire Watertown
$175
Schedule of Events
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6-9pm Friday, September 19: Opening Night
Meet Tony and mingle with the workshop participants. At 7pm Tony will present "Fail it ain't so bad. Look at me!", a tour of his 45 years making pots.
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10am-4pm Saturday, September 20: Day 1 of demonstrations
Tony will be unfettered and armed with unlimited clay at the wheel. He'll be focused on throwing, altering and combining wet stoneware.
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10am-4pm Sunday, September 21: Day 2 of demonstrations
On Sunday, Tony will be trimming, decorating and handling his pots from Saturday.
Additional Details
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- Lunch will be from 12-1pm each day. We recommend packing a lunch if possible, but there is plenty of local food to pickup as well. We do have a microwave, but there tends to be a line once we break for lunch.
- There is ample parking on site.
- We recommend bringing each day: a sketchbook, a water bottle, a mug for coffee, and a packed lunch.
- The workshop starts at 10am, but coffee is available starting at 9:30am.
- We have a large TV that will show a close up of Tony's hands throughout the weekend, so don't worry about claiming a 'good' seat.
- This is a demonstration based workshop. We are positive that Tony will be heavily engaged with the audience throughout the weekend, but participants will not be working with clay.
Tony's Blog: https://smokieclennell.blogspot.com/
Artist Statement: My ceramic work began with and is rooted in utilitarian studio ceramics. I continue to enjoy making work that can be experienced on both a visual and physical level. I have always thought of my work as a form of braille so that the blind may also enjoy my ceramics. The maker’s marks and details of process are what I am interested in leaving in the finished work.
Artist CV: Education 2009 Master of Fine Arts, Utah State University 2009Royal Canadian Academy of the Arts 2007 International Studies Graduation Certificate, Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute , China 1975 Bachelor of Education, University of Western Ontario 1974 Bachelor of Business Management, Ryerson University 1970Business Diploma , Sheridan College Teaching Experience 2014- Adjunct Professor Sheridan College, School of Animation, Arts and Design 2014- 16 Program Director Pinecroft School of the Arts, 2011-13 Sheridan College, School of Animation, Arts and Design, Acting Head of Ceramics 2011-12 Ontario College of Art and Design University- Adjunct Professor of Ceramics- Summer 2001-10 Sheridan College, School of Animation, Arts and Design, Ceramics -Adjunct Professor 2009Utah State University - Introductory Ceramics 2008 Utah State University - Intermediate Ceramics 2007 La Meridiana, Italy - Ceramics course design and workshop facilitator Utah State University –Handbuilding and sculpture 2006NAU University, Flagstaff, Arizona, International Woodfire Conference, Panelist Hood College, Frederick, Maryland, Master’s Class Instructor 2004 University of Iowa, International Woodfire Conference, Panelist Workshops Presented: 2019- Ceramics Functional- Wooster, Ohio 2019- La Meridiana, Certaldo, Italy- 3 month intensive workshop 2019- Haliburton School of Fine Arts, Haliburton, Ontario 2019- Alison Palmer Studio, South Kent, Connecticut. 2018- The Kiln Studio- Fairhope, Alabama 2018- Starworks, Star, NC. 2018- Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 2017- Potter’s Council- Cincinnatti, Ohio 2017- Shadbolt Arts Centre- Burnaby, BC 2017- Alabama Potters Conference- Birmingham, Alabama 2016- North Carolina Potters Conference- Asheboro, NC 2016- Peter’s Vallery , Layton, NJ 2016- Donovan Palmquist Wood firing- Minnesota 2016- Celedon Gallery, Sag Harbour, The Hamptons, NY 2016- Rochester Potters Invitational, Rochester, NY 2015- Collanwalde Arts Centre- Atlanta, Georgia 2015- Woodfiring Mentorship Hamilton Potter’s Guild 2015- West Virginia University- Morgantown, West Virginia 2015-Clayland Studios- Naples, Florida 2015- Gloucester Arts Center- Ottawa, Ontario 2015- Icheon Ceramics Festival- Icheon, Korea 2015- International Ceramics Festival- Aberystwyth, Wales 2015- Shadbolt Creative Arts Centre- Burnaby, BC 2015- Wood fire Mentorship- Hamilton Potter’s Guild 2015- La Merdiana- Certaldo, Italy 2015- Flower City Potter’s Invitational – Rochester ,NY 2014- NCECA(National Council on Education of Ceramic Arts) MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, USA- panel discussion Where have all the potter’s gone? Lisa Hammond, UK, Mark Hewitt, USA, tony Clennell, Canada 2014- North Vancouver Island College- Instructor- Professional Potters Certificate Program 2014- National Dinnerware Juror- The Torpedo Factory , Alexandria, Virginia, USA 2014- University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. 2014-Humboldt University, Greensville, South Carolina 2014- Peter’s Valley Arts Center, Layton, New Jersey 2013- Spruill Arts Centre- Atlanta, Georgia 2012 Sugar Maples School of Art- Catskills, NY 2012Maryland Potters Guild, Frederick, Maryland 2012Yellowknife Potters Guild, Yellowknif 2013- University of Georgia- Athens. 2011Peters Valley , NJ, USA 2011Tozan Society Ladysmith, BC 2010 La Meridiana, Certaldo, Italy 2010Tucker’s Pottery Supply, Toronto, Ontario 2010Mud Bucket Pottery, Myrtle Beach, SC 2010 Calgary Clayart Centre, Calgary, AB 2010Mississauga Potters Guild, Mississauga, ON 2010 Sault Ste. Marie Potters Guild, Sault Ste. Marie, ON OVER 30 Workshops given prior to 2010 Curatorial Endeavors 2010 Burlington Arts Centre Juror: ‘Fire+Earth+Imagination’, Burlington, ON 2007 Utah State University, Logan, UT ‘Pots Only a Mudder Could Love’ 2004 Burlington Arts Centre, Burlington, ON ‘Quietly Convincing’ 2001 Carnegie Gallery, Dundas, ON ‘Works in Shino’ 2000 Carnegie Gallery, Dundas, ON ‘Designer Craft’ Juried Exhibitions and Invitational Show 2016- Flower City Potter’s Invitational- Rochester, NY 2016- Minnesota Potters Invitational- Hutchinson, MN 2015- Icheon Inter- local Potters Invitational 2015- Flower City Potter’s Invitational- Rochester, NY 2015- Stoke- Wood fired potters show- The Store, Hamilton, Ontario 2015- Solo Show- Dust Evans Gallery, Otttawa, Ontario 2015- 16 AKAR Yunomi Potter’s Invitational 2014- 260 Fingers Potters Invitational Show- Ottawa, Ontario 2013- Surfaces- Harbourfront Centre , Toronto, Ontario, Canada 2013- Wood- Ontario Crafts Council, Toronto, Ontario 2013- Craft 2013- Carnegie Gallery, Dundas, Ontario. 2013- Akar Gallery- Yunomi Invitational. Iowa City, Iowa, USA 2012- Slow Turning – Retrospective Burlington Arts Center, Burlington, Ontario 2010 AKAR Gallery, The Northerners, Iowa City, IA Bruce Cochrane, Robert Archambeau, Harlan House, Cathi Jefferson, Tony and sheila clennell 2010AKAR Gallery, Yunomi International Invitational, Iowa City, IA 2009 Utah State University- Faculty/Graduate Show, Nceca, Phoenix, AZ AKAR Gallery, Yunomi International Invitational IA No Drips Allowed, Jonathon Bancroft Snell Gallery, London, ON The Art of Function, Blyth Art Gallery, Byth, ON RCA, Royal Canadian Academy of the Arts- Calgary, AB Lester B. Pearson college Metchosin, Vancouver Island, BC Ron Meyers 75th Birthday Exhibition, Red Lodge Center, Red Lodge, MT 2008 AKAR yunomi Invitational – Iowa City, IA Utah State Faculty/Studente/alumni show, Logan, UT 2007 Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, ‘Local clay’, Jingdezhen, China chemketa college, Salem, OR ’Clay-Wood-Fire’ International Invitational Exhibition Jonathons, London, ON ‘Artist’s Surface’, Solo Exhibition Gardiner Museum, Toronto, Canada ‘On the Table: 100 Years of Canadian Ceramics’ Kenan Arts Center, Lockport, NY ‘Extraordinary Forms Bi-National Clay Exhibition’ Louisville Stoneware, Louisville, KY ‘Bourbon Bottles in the Blue Grass’ NCECA Conference, Louisville, KY, ‘Mentors in Clay’ James North Gallery, Hamilton, ON, ‘Table to Wall :Year of Craft’ (23 EXHIBITIONS 2001-2006) Awards, Grants and Honours 2014- City of Hamilton Fine Arts Craftsperson of the Year 2009Utah State University Travel Grant Ontario Arts Council Grant 2007 Manon and Dan C. Russell Fellowship, Utah State University Purchase Award, Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, Jingdezhen, China Honourable Mention, Table to Wall, Hamilton Potters’ Guild Celebrates Year of Craft Brown Foreman Purchase Award, Louisville, KY 2005 Aaron Milrad ‘Best of Medium’, Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition Aaron Milrad ‘Purchase Award’, Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition 2004 Best Functional and Purchase Award, Hamilton Potters’ Juried Show 2003 Canada Council, Travel Grant Ontario Arts Council, Craft Grant Honourable Mention, Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition 2001 Honourable Mention, Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition Craft Education Award, Hamilton and Region Arts Council Jurors Choice Award, Fusion- Ontario Clay and Glass Association 2000Honourable Mention, Hamilton Potters’ Guild Biennial Exhibition Ontario Arts Council Crafts Grants, 1998, 1997,1993 Public and Private Collections Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, Jingdezhen, China Icheon Ceramic Festival- mayor’s Collection at City Hall Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah State University, UT Louisville Stoneware Corporation, Permanent Collection, Louisville KY Brown Foreman collection, Loisville, KY Dwight Holland Collection, Asheboro, NC Goshagawara City Hall, Goshagawara, Japan Kanayama Collection, Amori, Japan Japanese Embassy, Belgium Chemeketa Community College, Permanent Collection, Salem, OR Burlington Arts Centre, Permanent Collection, Burlington, ON Aaron Milrad Permanent Collection, Toronto, ON James Kasper Wood Fire Collection, Iowa City, IO Jacques Israelievitch Collection, Toronto, ON O’Dowda Collection, London, ON Hamilton Potters’ Guild, Permanent Collection, Hamilton, ON Tom Thompson Gallery, Permanent Collection, Owen Sound, ON Published Articles Stuck in the Mud (author)- self published book of irreverent tales, BS and nonsense for the wonderful clay community. Over 55 articles published in the following magazines: Ceramics Monthly, Studio Potter, Clay Times, Fusion : Ontario Clay and Glass and the former Contact Magazine Featured Publications Woodfired Stoneware and Porcelain, Jack Troy, author Stuck in the Mud- Tony Clennell , author. From a Slab of Clay- Daryl E Baird The Ceramic Spectrum, 2nd edition, Robin Hopper, author Making Marks, Robin Hopper, author Aardewerk 2005, Chawan International Chawan Exhibition Studio Practices, Techniques and Tips, Cover Photo and Feature Article, American Ceramic Society, Publisher On the Table:100 Years of Functional Ceramics in Canada A Fine Line: Contemporary Ceramics in Canada, Gail Crawford author 20 +1 Years of Tozan Kilns Professional Affiliations Royal Canadian Academy of the Arts Fusion- Ontario Clay and Glass Association Ontario Craft Council Hamilton Potters Guild London Potters Guild
Quotes from Tony throughout our email exchanges: "Put on your hip waders the BS is coming at ya.." "Looking forward to Boston. I'll learn to drop my r's. " "Bill is busy trying to line us up to do tag team workshops. That will be a battle of hyperbolic storytellers." "I always loved the song Please come to Boston by Dave Loggins." "People love colour." "Members can expect to be making work 2-3 times larger than they are now. So beware your kilns are going to fill up quicker." "I will send some tools that I use and pimp." "If your schedule permits, let's talk turkey."
