Chronicles the history of the last half century of ceramic art as seen through the works of some 70 artists from the Marer Collection. Essays discuss artistic and historical issues such as the unity of the designer and maker and new stylistic avenues from the 1960s to the present. Includes color plates and a checklist of the entire collection. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

As French consul to the Carolinas and Georgia, Citizen Mangourit was dispatched in 1792 to capitalize on the fledgling alliance between the young republics as opportunity to spread the French Revolution into Spanish holdings in the Floridas and Louisiana. In his analysis of the public and clandestine activities of Mangourit during his short tenure in Charleston, Alderson presents a case study of the challenge given to U.S. republicanism by its French counterpart. Mangourit tapped into a wide range of support for the French Revolution and its implications for South Carolina, drawing support for his cause from well-off planters and disenfranchised groups of backcountrymen, slaves, and women..In the end he was recalled before the invasion projects could be carried out. French and American republicanism quickly diverged, and the French lost their best opportunity to reclaim their empire in North America. Aldersons study shows that the tension between republicanism and self-interest could be resolved at the local level, but republicanism could not be the only basis for national relations.

Freeing clay from technical constraints, lightening pieces, modeling large, slender forms . . . These ceramicists’ dreams become reality with paper clay! Complete Guide to Paper Clay thoroughly and accurately introduces this versatile material of clay and fibers, and showcases its distinctive characteristics and advantages. Liliane Tardio-Brise illustrates step by step the reactions of paper clay to the usual techniques of ceramics—pinch building, coils, slabs, wheel throwing, etc. The cellulose fibers in paper clay give it new properties that typical clay cannot attain. Rehydrating paper clay pieces brings back their suppleness and allows them to accept deformations, easily repair cracks, and be built on with new clay pieces. Paper clay lends itself to all finishes, can be air dried and/or fired, and, because the fibers burn off when fired, finished pieces are lighter and can be built taller and still maintain their stability. Explore the many possibilities of paper clay with the ten projects in the book, which each use very different properties of the clay to a variety of effects. Once you see the versatility of paper clay, you’ll be ready to try your own sculptures in this adaptable medium.