M.A.M.A. PRESENTS… 2002 ARTIST SHOWCASE: MARLANA RIVER with Airielle Pearson & Jason Schwartz on Maui at the Village Gallery in Lahaina as well as artist house studio in Kihei.
Summary & Timestamped transcript Below…
Introduction and Setting
The video opens with an introduction to Marlana River, a ceramic artist showcasing her work at the Village Gallery in Lahaina, Maui.
Marlana is described as both beautiful and talented, with a whimsical, light, and happy artistic style.
The setting is relaxed, with a walk around the gallery and yard, giving viewers a tactile experience of the artwork — encouraging them to touch and smellthe pieces, enhancing the connection to the art.
Marlana’s work is noted for its organic inspiration, involving Hawaiian floraand natural forms, particularly orchids and tropical foliage.
[07:57 → 14:41]
Marlana’s Biography and Artistic Process
Marlana has been creating ceramics since she was 17 years old.
She began in Ohio, then moved to California, establishing studios and growing her expertise, eventually arriving in Maui to continue her craft.
Her technique is based on throwing clay on a potter’s wheel, followed by hand sculpting and assembling multiple pieces into complex forms.
A highlight is Marlana’s masterpiece “Simone,” named after her daughter, which is thrown in three separate 25-pound sections and later joined into one functional, durable, and food-safe hollow sculpture.
Important aspects of her work:
Food safety and non-toxicity, emphasizing suitability for functional use.
Intricate assembly with seamless joins, molded lips, and sculpted noses, skirts, and wings applied separately for precision.
Pieces are designed for both home and restaurant use.
Marlana describes her creative journey as involving:
Extensive drawing, observation, and research.
Taking inspiration from world travel and local Hawaiian elements.
A focus on fun and enjoyment in the creative process, combining traditional motifs like roses with local Hawaiian flora such as Hawaiiana leaves.
Example pieces include her mermaid series, orchid-inspired containers, and large sculptural forms that can hold plants or be used decoratively.
[14:41 → 19:58]
Artistic Philosophy and Style
Marlana encourages interaction with art, especially for children, believing that touching and feeling artwork is vital to learning and appreciating art.
Her style is described as dynamic and motion-filled, often making the clay “dance” by stretching and undulating forms after throwing.
Her work is colorful, lively, and tropical, reflecting the spirit of Hawaii and incorporating imagery such as parrots and tropical foliage.
She has a long history of producing varied collections, from high-end sculptures to small collectibles, and continues evolving her style in Maui.
Marlana plans to expand into larger architectural installations, such as fish columns and fountains, blending functionality with artistic expression.
Fabric texture is an important motif, influenced by her background as a fabric designer, adding a tactile and visual layer to the clay surface.
[19:58 → 26:33]
Production Timeline and Technical Details
The throwing process takes about 20 minutes for the initial form, but the entire sculpting and assembly is more intricate and time-consuming.
After shaping, pieces are dried to a leather-hard stage for detailed manipulation and joining.
The firing process involves:
First firing: About 8 hours in a kiln.
Glazing: Clear glaze applied for food safety and durability.
Second firing: Another 8-hour kiln firing.
Marlana built a special kiln on Maui to accommodate large pieces.
The clay is imported from the mainland U.S., starting as white clay that is then painted with bright, non-toxic colors.
The final pieces combine sculpture, painting, and glazing with a focus on durability and functionality.
Marlana emphasizes the rarity and importance of preserving ceramics as a dying art form and encourages others to learn and teach it.
[26:33 → 32:57]
Educational Demonstration: Throwing Clay
Marlana provides an educational demonstration of throwing clay on a potter’s wheel, explaining the process of centering, shaping, and trimming.
She highlights the physical demands of the craft, mentioning that she can throw up to 400 pounds of clay per day and that she maintains physical fitness to sustain her work.
The demonstration includes:
Centering the clay on the wheel.
Forming the base of a pot.
Trimming the bottom with precision for balance and aesthetic.
She explains the drying process, noting Maui’s climate allows pots to dry fully within two days due to intense sun and warm conditions.
Marlana contrasts modern electric wheels with traditional hand and foot-powered wheels she encountered in Nepal, sharing her unique experience as the only woman potter in a male-dominated Nepalese village.
She stresses the importance of preserving ceramic skills and traditions, especially among youth, through hands-on education and community engagement.
[32:57 → 39:19]
Artistic Philosophy on Craft and Community
Marlana reinforces that her ceramic works are food-safe, lead-free, and non-toxic, suitable for cooking and eating.
She laments the decline of ceramic craft in the U.S., contrasting it with thriving traditions elsewhere globally.
She explains the precision and skill required in ceramics, where a slight slip can ruin a piece, emphasizing the importance of experience and technique.
Marlana advocates for more artists teaching and sharing their craft locally to inspire youth and elderly alike.
She describes the joy and nurturing aspect of ceramics as a creative and functional art form that connects people to handmade objects in their daily lives.
[39:19 → 46:55]
Painting and Decorating Ceramic Pieces
The video transitions to Marlana’s painting process on dried clay pieces, applying vivid full-spectrum colors using premixed paints.
She shows a collection of coffee mugs and decorative pottery featuring tropical Hawaiian themes such as flowers and foliage.
The painting is followed by glazing and a second kiln firing to seal colors and add durability.
Marlana discusses her artistic freedom to incorporate multimedia elementssuch as crystals, metals, and glass onto her sculptures for unique effects.
She demonstrates assembling components on larger works, including attaching wings and other sculptural elements with slip (a clay-and-water mixture used as adhesive).
The artist’s approach to painting is spontaneous and free, intentionally painting outside the lines to reflect the vibrancy and unpredictability of life.
Collaboration and fun are integral to the process, with assistants sometimes helping add playful patterns like polka dots.
[46:55 → 54:18]
Final Stages and Multimedia Art
Marlana shows advanced techniques such as incising (carving into dried clay) to add texture and detail before painting.
She plans multimedia pieces combining ceramics with jewelry, crystals, and other adornments, aiming for bold, modern aesthetics inspired by iconic figures like Elton John.
Each piece is unique and custom, with no repetitive stock designs, emphasizing individuality and artistic expression.
Finishing touches include clear glaze application, scribing details, and painting wings and other motifs to highlight sculptural forms.
The process is collaborative and joyful, reinforcing Marlana’s belief that art should be fun, interactive, and accessible.
[54:18 → End]
Closing Remarks and Invitation
Marlana and her hosts express gratitude for the opportunity to share her craft and philosophy.
She invites viewers and local community members to visit her studio for demonstrations and to engage with ceramic art firsthand.
The video closes with an emphasis on the importance of supporting local artists, keeping traditional crafts alive, and spreading the Aloha spirit through creativity and connection.
Summary Table: Marlana River’s Ceramic Art Process
Step
Description
Time/Details
Clay Throwing
Centering and shaping clay on potter’s wheel
~20 minutes per form
Form Manipulation
Stretching, contorting, and hand-sculpting leather-hard clay
Ongoing, intricate
Assembly
Joining multiple thrown pieces (e.g., wings, lips, skirts) using slip
Precise to hide seams
Drying
Air-dried under Maui sun to leather-hard or dry state
1-2 days
First Kiln Firing
Bisque firing to harden clay
8 hours
Painting/Decorating
Application of bright, non-toxic paints and detailing (including incising and multimedia additions)
Variable, detailed work
Glazing
Clear glaze coat applied
Thin layers, drying between coats
Second Kiln Firing
Final glaze firing for durability and finish
8 hours
Final Assembly & Finishing
Adding multimedia elements and final touches
Variable
Key Insights and Conclusions
Marlana River is a master ceramicist combining traditional pottery techniques with contemporary, multimedia approaches, producing highly functional, durable, and colorful art pieces deeply inspired by Hawaiian nature and culture.
Her work is food-safe, non-toxic, and designed for everyday use, bridging the gap between fine art and functional craft.
She emphasizes the importance of tactile engagement with art, especially for children, advocating for hands-on learning and community involvement.
The ceramic art form is in decline in many places, but Marlana is dedicated to preserving and teaching this “dying art”, ensuring its continuation through education and community presence.
Maui’s environment uniquely supports the rapid drying and creation of ceramic pieces, enabling faster production cycles than many other locations.
Marlana’s artistic process is deeply rooted in motion, color, and joy, reflecting both her personal philosophy and the vibrant spirit of her adopted island home.
The video serves as both an educational resource and an inspirational glimpse into the life of a dedicated artist blending craft, culture, and community.
Q: How long does it take to create a ceramic piece from start to finish?
A: Throwing the clay takes about 20 minutes, but full sculpting, drying, painting, glazing, and firing usually take several days due to drying times and kiln schedules.
Q: Is Marlana’s ceramic work functional or purely decorative?
A: Marlana’s work is both functional and decorative. All pieces are food-safe and non-toxic, suitable for everyday use including serving food.
Q: What makes Marlana’s art distinct?
A: Her art blends intricate hand-sculpting with bright colors, Hawaiian natural motifs, and multimedia elements such as crystals and metals, emphasizing joy and motion.
Q: Does Marlana teach ceramics or offer demonstrations?
A: Yes, she regularly offers demonstrations and encourages hands-on learning, particularly for youth, to preserve the craft.
Q: What is the significance of Maui’s climate for pottery?
A: Maui’s intense sun and warm weather allow pieces to dry quickly (within 1-2 days), speeding up the production process compared to cooler or more humid locations.
Q: How does Marlana incorporate fabric design into her ceramics?
A: Drawing on her background as a fabric designer, she textures clay surfaces to mimic fabric patterns and uses this motif in her sculptural forms and painted details.
This summary faithfully captures the comprehensive insights from Marlana River’s interview and demonstration, highlighting her artistry, technical skill, philosophy, and dedication to community and craft preservation.
Transcript
[Music] what a beautiful smiling girl I thank you go mama presents a really fun artist today my Lena River strong flow like the river let’s go look [Music] [Music] [Music] every time you tell you stories about tomorrow Marlana these more than right have a beautiful big piece and we have a medium yes I read oh yeah good so anyway the pieces are absolutely gorgeous different bakiyev plant in it and they’re growing out of berries they have
04:26
water on the roots and they’re just a big fan for a long time beautiful stuff can an old friend and Kim came to you when he first saw your work at a fair in the Marin County and loved it so much wanted it didn’t have any money and she gave it to and said you can owe me send me a check send me a check well you know everybody local needs my work that’s all so come on down we all get there she always that your work very much I think that that possibility I wish [Music] please okay when I look at Marley hair its window
07:01
think oh great whoo like it should have around dancing and welcome to mama presents and today mama prevents Marlana river isn’t she P UT come on Marlana river that’s a great name it’s not your real name yes it is Jason yeah I know it so I’m gonna let you guys do some talking and walking around the yard what do you think so not only is she beautiful but she’s really talented I love her where thank you I’ve loved your work make first a very great time I looked at it I meant oh it’s lured yeah
07:57
I really valued that and I still feel that way your work is really thank you my life’s fun your life’s wonderful whimsical it’s light its happy every time I see it it me oh good I want to hear that that’s great so you’re going to tell us about your worth today right yeah I’m gonna do a little bit of an educational tour as well as a fun tour and we’re here at my gallery where she her work is showing we’re in village gallery here in Lahaina I am thrilled to be here in Maui I’m
08:30
thrilled to be a vehicle to let people know what this arts about and also to give some information to the public about how it’s made and also the way an artist starts from the beginning and ends up in a gallery a very prestigious wonderful very long loved gallery on Maui so I think when very much as well and anybody would like to come and view this show please come to village gallery on Dickenson Street and I’m in both of her galleries here and what you can do is you can come and touch it and see it
09:01
and smell the orchids and share what my little art world is about so we’ll begin but we are beginning yes we begun before we look at the closer I just want to ask a few questions did it thank you yeah so how long have you been doing this type of artwork um I like that well I have been doing this artwork most of my life I began doing it when I was 17 and I fell in love with ceramics and I studied it and then I opened a studio in Ohio and then from there I moved to California and opened another
09:38
studio in California and I have been moving along in my life and I have another studio as well in California which is on my farm I’ve been and I have been did you study at school to do that I did learn to throw things for and that is the basis of my construction everything here is thrown on the wheel and then it’s hand sculpted and assembled and it’s quite intricate like this piece in particular which is my masterpiece called Simone this is named after my darling daughter who is also on island with me and is a very
10:17
prolific artist this piece is thrown in three sections 25 pound sections and then it is changed in a form that I actually adapt the clay and move it and mold it and join it and roll it and throw it and then do all these pieces separate and then join it when the piece is leather hard and it’s a very intricate process it has a base that it stands on it’s a hollow form it’s designed for function and it’s also designed for durability as well as all these products are food-safe that’s one
10:50
of the things that I totally adhere to predominantly so that if you wanted to serve food out of any of the work that I do you can the process is also completely non-toxic which I would like to emphasize especially to the younger children who are doing ceramics that they can be a field that’s completely non-toxic so let’s get on here these lips are actually molded by my hand their drive to some extent and then they’re slipped behind it and apply and you’ll notice that there’s a seam here and a seam here
11:23
and this piece completely separate they rolled with a rolling pin just as if you were to do a pie and then I join it right here my expertise of course is that you do not see the scenes and the nose is sculpted separate and the skirt is separate and the wings are separately so it’s very precision and this piece in particular is designed for restaurants and large establishments and personal homes that you can actually show an arrangement a very large Hawaii on a flowers with this I’ve seen wanted that
11:53
filled with flowers it’s so I see her beautiful functional art but I’m wondering about the art sit to be a Potter you’ve been doing this for years what kind of processes you were talking about starting at one place in getting something to a gallery right over hard work and diligence and perseverance and a constant creative processes and is in process like for most of these pieces I may do ten drawings and choose one sculpture and what I do is I do constant drawing I do constant observation I do
12:32
lots of research I travel the world for inspiration as well and what I do is I take a drawing and transform it to an actual piece of sculpture and they say this is creative this is brilliant this is my clients would like this mine collectors would like this and then they bring you into a gallery like this and they introduce you as an artist with the body of work which is what Lynn has done with me and the fun thing Jason is that something like this was done when I first came to Maui which was about a
13:03
year ago and I fell in love with mermaids here on the island and I did a whole series of pieces this is in my personal collection and you can see here that this is a small voluptuous form that you can also plant it as well now I decided to do these beautiful orchids because I’ve fallen in love with orchids while I’ve been here and they just lend themselves to being orchid cuts so the other part about this is it’s just fun like Arielle said I have decided in this place in my life that if I’m not having
13:33
fun making art I’m not doing it so that’s what’s going on with my finger and my signature has always been roses and now that I’m on Hawaii I use a lot of the Hawaii Ani foliage which really tends itself you know lends itself to being wonderful as far as the ceramics are concerned and this piece here is my recent most recent piece it was a sister piece to a commission that was sent to the mainland and I am really enjoying not only the versatility of the taller form which holds all kinds of plants but
14:05
also that I can integrate for the Hawaii Jana leaves and foliage with my roses as well now this is also a container that’s hollow that holds water that you can use indoor or outdoor plants in and this is about 22 pounds of clay come get this one this is throwing in two pieces actually it’s joined in the center and you can see where you join them no no that’s the precision and that is what makes the work so explicit in the construction which as a sculptor I’m very concerned amazing yes very much so
14:41
and this piece here this is really really a fun piece this is my mermaid series as well with the tail and wings and again a Jana and I like this format and it has the undulating lips and undulating floral form so that this piece is viewed in the round as well because when I have a collector start collecting my work I want them to have fun and put it and place it and use it in many different capacities for instance you could actually serve food out of this if you chose so do you have any questions area okay so are all of
15:23
these pieces are some of them one thing but these are all they start with a one form of clay usually I start with about 12 pounds a solid hunk of clay which Jason has already videoed in my studio and I form it into a cylinder or round form for a long form like this and then I take it when it’s leather hard and I contort it and move it and form it and undulate the form and I kind of use it as dance how do you undo it well I take the clay and I stretch it and I mold it and I move it and i form
16:02
it any way I want and that’s what I did with this piece and I just make the clay dance so that when you say you wanna touch this piece what children come up to them I encourage them to touch it because that what art is about none of this don’t touch because how do they learn if it’s not some color a little touch they feel so good and that’s one of the things why I’m sculpting and then I add color because I love color I see you put lights at parties and yes I love that’s my signature as well and this
16:34
piece has a parrot because I am trying to introduce what Hawaii means to me and the tropical miss of this island really lends itself to fun I like that the people like you are young you love it that’s right that’s right thank you this step is so fun and beautiful so has your work in like this since you first started doing pottery yes your work different yes it’s been always fun and I’ve had various collections in my lifetime most of my original sculpture and the major collection of my collectibles are
17:11
in my California studio I was fortunate enough to keep them in my archives and so they’re very varied from extremely high-end sculpture to small Kachinas to a large mass collection and very always fun and then this is the new collection that I’ve done on Maui so far and actually to tell you the truth I came here to do large pieces like this and to do commissioned exterior founds interior fountains and also I’d like to do these in people’s homes so that if they say well could you
17:47
do this and I’d say yeah I’d love to I like the scale of this size particularly I’m also designing some fish columns that I’d like to do is architectural installations but I loved his idea to make this the wine found a wine fountain yeah and I wanted to show Jason that this piece given as heavy as it is it has all this detail and interest because one of the things that I’ve always done in clay is make fabric on clay in the sense that I’ve painted on the fabric that I’d really
18:20
like to how do you get it to work so fabric so tense jury well when is what we eighths that texture well I was a fabric designer for a very long time and I have a lot of interest in fabric and in to the actual fundus of fabric so this was extensive painting but I took me quite a while but I wanted it to be really like this fun cover Miranda skirt like we’d all want to put it on with the belly button yeah the belly button doesn’t have a belly button right now that’s not appears no it’s not how you
18:53
do it quit with something in there yeah but he has a heart right where the heart should be sure it does and this is actually a totem this piece has got a fisheye and the fabric I think is so important again about learning and getting back to the actual basics of what art is about and for me it’s teaching I really in love with the concept that everybody can make art everybody can learn and everybody can express themselves and it’s a personal matter so when somebody sees this they go oh can I do this I go
19:26
you know what you can do this I love your stuff but I see it in homes it brightens me right up I know these people know how to have fun she looks like she’s gonna fly yeah this is a totem to my daughter who’s a great inspiration in my life she has actually packed my bags and sent me to Maui she said mom it’s a time for you to go to Paradise and make art so here I am and I am very grateful to share this with the Maui audience and with my friends Arielle and Jason how long did it take for these pieces to be created
19:58
what would be a time take to create well the actual throwing form well you have to understand it’s been my life’s work now for quite a while and I’m an expert but on the other hand the throwing process probably would take about 20 minutes to throw the form then to let it dry a bit and then maneuver the actual stretching of it and you know the the flow of it and then adding this all separately making these coils moving these sides making this leave this is much more intricate here this piece here because of all the wings
20:31
and then I inscribed into it I cut away a larger flipping her hair and for me it’s very important that these pieces are flying that’s why I’m a sculptor I love motion in clay I love color that’s why I paint as well so then you have the whole thing painted then you fire it in your furnace that’s a eight hour process you cool it you take it out then you glaze it one more time with a clear glaze which what is this right here this is the body of the paint this comes out clear this is the body of the clay and
21:06
all my clay is shipped over from the mainland and it comes white that’s where I how I buy it and then it goes back into the furnace again in this particular situation I built a furnace here on the island to accommodate this sculpture in particular then it’s fired again for eight hours taken out and it’s done Wow it’s sort of like a really fancy cake it’s a very fancy change I don’t know you made great bread by the way we don’t want to let any people know I won’t even Debbie just calling up for
21:36
your that’s right well creative in all of her nature here in Maui we are so blessed you know when artists are now we get together they find that they’re counting so many areas like I know you’re a great swimmer yeah yeah you’re really been a great advocate for help both you guys but I know Marlana have really been in training and really making great things happen it’s nice when we can take all of the aspects of our life and integrate them together and here on Maui with the great
22:07
weather and sort of a really great attitude all the time it’s just wonderful I am so glad that you came to our show and was enough you’ve come to our Island to really add to the Aloha that this place holds and wants to share with the world I tell you know I’m sure we’re gonna make another stop down at marlenas studio area when we’re gonna see the next stages of the painting of the pieces that she created that we videoed earlier okay okay any other things about your work that you feel is really essential for
22:44
people to understand and appreciate them you know it’s sometimes the art speaks for itself and other times an artist has a message they really want to convey anything that you want to say well I think it’s important as an artist in this day and age where things can be complex or things can be simple that you bless your life and I my life is very blessed and exceedingly so and one of the things that’s most important to me in is color and I go through my life with color in mind because of the richness of
23:22
what we have people on this planet right now and it really it feeds me and it feeds my soul and it feeds everyone that I love and everyone that loves me and you know what why not make fine art that’s my feeling you know Meghan is much fun and as many smiles and I noticed this new philosophy of mine and in that you know you talk to strangers you talk to them about good stories you talk to them about the beautiful peace and love on me Aloha Island and also you make them smile and then they pass that on and
23:54
it’s kind of like the monkey theory so thanks again you guys and I hope you come visit me again okay whoa wait wait what’s the monkey there well the monkey theory is basically we all know that that if you give praises and people hear that then maybe they’ll start thinking about all the good fortune they have and they’ll be passing that good fortune on and then someone will listen we’ll go oh well listen about like their fortune and then we’ll have all that going on in the room
24:22
like the monkeys and yes exactly like to pay it forward syndrome we like that yeah yeah it is our pleasure to present people that hold love and aloha in their heart and know how to share you know because you may realize that the core of mama is to find that artists and musicians and people with different kind of craft care and want to contribute back to the earth and hearing now if we get to sort of live it and what a blessing we have you’re a blessing and I really appreciate you coming and joining
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us thank you is a blessing I would need to come over here participant okay I just have this bishop we’re gonna say goodbye that’s it we’re holding on to the mama oh now is this a colorful route of Maui artistes a couple of cups of thing you guys there is Lake Grande master of film Jason Florida and two of the loveliest nips on Maui you guys are fun you know very colorful this gallery and this whole atmosphere is just so colorful you know sometimes art galleries feel stuffy and feel distant then I guess the pieces
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that are stand off the distance and then there are things that are livable and touchable breathable and huggable missable and I want you to know a weird village gallery on Dickenson Street well they know that sent me to it’s part where it says village gallery thank you very very much for having us here at village gallery and thank you very much for having us all you out there in television land mama presents Arielle and Marlana River will be back again we hope you’ll join us Aloha Aloha
26:33
Aloha it’s like praying a prayer position are you doing something with that dough that’s not dough it’s gonna turn into dough right now it’s clay just thinking about how I was gonna introduce this as a very coarse sensuous but I wanted to note that I wanted to make this as educational as possible to the public yes so I wanted to make sure that everybody knows that this instrument here is called a potter’s wheel this has been with me since I’m 18 years old my whole life and almost and was originated
27:51
in Cleveland Ohio when I became a Potter when I was 19 years old really what I’m doing right now is centering the clay and I just got finished throwing the base to this what is it throwing it means that you’re forming the clay into a pot depending on what you choose for it to be and what I’m going to do is I’m going to do an educational demonstration for you okay right now I’m starting to throw the majority of the structure and I will note that I lift weights every day to work in this field
28:29
I may be throwing as much as 400 pounds a day and this has been my trade since like I said I was a young woman starting out making my own livelihood I’ve always had my own business I actually I’m a multimedia artist as well as a painter but my trade my real trade is I am a trained ceramicist been throwing pots now more than half my life and I love it it’s a I will say it’s a dying art most people aren’t learning this form of craftsmanship any longer you have to look long and hard to find
29:16
someone who is as skilled and willing to teach this trade and anyone is able to call me and come by and see a demonstration if they’re interested in because I think that it’s a lost art and that it should be something that everyone has the availability to learn and see done now I travel to Nepal where I saw the same skill being executed in a village where I actually got the opportunity to throw in a potter’s wheel that was made out of wood and I turned it with a stick and I will add that I
29:50
was the only woman that ever threw pots in that village the village called bhakta poor there are hundreds and hundreds of potters there that’s all this village did it’s on the outskirts of Kathmandu and it was quite a phenomena the town will never forget it i sat down and threw pots with the men and they were very amazed oh yeah at the skill level why are not the women there depart it’s a very class system there and they have their jobs and there are no women Potter’s as I know right now in that
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village but it was very interesting experience because it made me really appreciate my electrical machine you mean the turning now is happening right they do it by hand and foot as most of the powders in the world operates it’s still a very large occupation all over the world and in America it’s being replaced by the glass industry for one and to slot molding where is the machine that will do exactly what I’m doing in some form all my original work is signed Marlana River it always has been for the last it’s
31:03
with the full name yes yes and I had a very large business in the mainland that I ran for ten years under Marlana river designs and one day I picked up and decided to come to Maui since the art industry was so excellent here I was so happy to have you here and I’m so happy to be here Jason yeah you know I say only it seems like a lifetime because what I really like about Maui artists and your great example is there’s so much heart when you dream to make a difference I see your shirt you give you
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know this is such a terrific thing we could support the arts here and help so many people and give a positive example of artists with some heart through the terrific right and I will may I may add that I hope that the other artists that see this demonstration also volunteer their time and and so the children of this island and the people that never have experienced art in their backyards get to really see and learn as the rest of the world turns and things happen it’s very important to keep the
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focus that there is magic being made and art is being made and there’s many artists on this island really talented and the more we share the more our youth will learn the more the elderly will see what’s going on in our community and teaching is a wonderful form of communication and hands-on you know I’m watching this and I’m thinking well it started as just a little blog when you’re doing that you’re actually shaping do you have to finish it each time you got it wet you have to complete
32:57
a piece don’t you well this piece will be completed in front of you are the only thing that won’t it won’t be done is I won’t be painting it for you on this session everything I made all my work is food safe in that you could actually drink and eat out of everything and I’ve always been in a non-toxic field and that my furnace has always been a furnace where I keep it lead-free you can use everyday my ceramics you can heat it you can cook in it my medium being that I’m a painter is bright
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colors I do only highly painted ceramics and all function art form is becoming rarer and rarer well it’s funny that we say the lost art it’s a lost art and that we’re losing the culture because we’re not doing it here other countries are still doing it oh yes how crazy to lose it that way well the truth of the matter is is that it’s a labor of love and yet it’s a very nurturing form of artistic endeavor I mean most people in their lifetime don’t get the opportunity to see
34:05
handmade utilitarian functional object anymore and that’s why I’m so glad to be able to be doing this demonstration for you I’m necking it in I’m actually moving the clay exactly the way I want to and forming it so I’m in total control of what’s going on with the clay you know as I’m watching this I’m having all kinds of fantasies of ghost story was that what it was called yeah I mean when you have this on the wheel as much as it looks so easy I know that with a slip of
34:51
the hand this can turn into a yet again huh right it’s actually a very precision it’s all in your fingertips and in in your skill level I mean as you know MCC teaches this they have a wonderful program as well as the the Hui I know a lot of people tell me that they go there yeah and people have wonderful things to say about it and I’m so glad that it’s still happening those two facilities and I think that the most important thing is that we as ceramicists and artists go into the schools or show this on the TV
35:26
for the youth well I think it’s really good I look forward to sitting and seeing your pieces in completion I bet our audiences too well we’re gonna watch a little bit more here now what’s happening here is I’m trimming the bottom of the pot which is a very important procedure here so what you’re doing is you’re actually trimming the pot on the wheel very very carefully in precision like so I don’t have to trim this again if you’ll notice when you go and see ceramics it’s all precision ly
35:58
cut on the bottom so I took off a big slab of that and I’m finishing the pot up for you right now now when you see my show up in Lahaina you’ll see a part that’s approximately four and a half feet weighs about 350 pounds warm it was made exactly like this in the sense that it was thrown on this wheel thrown in sections and at some point I’m going to hopefully be able to do this assembled piece that I did over here and show you how you actually assemble sculpture now explain when you see that piece up
36:36
in Lahaina how I actually made it but you’ll see that it actually started on this so this part is almost done now we’re gonna then I guess not today how long does it take to dry before you put it in the kiln well this is one of the reasons I’m in Maui you can actually take this pot put it in the Sun that’s why my Studios part shade part Sun it will be dry by this evening I could paint it tonight and actually if it was dry enough it could be fired tomorrow I’m done in two days
37:04
only in Maui though because of the intensity of the Sun and the drying factor sounds good so this pot is done Jason except for I will have to show you a very special part here where you actually cut it off the ceramic wheel tell me when here comes and it’s thrown on a bat the bat is now popped off the wheel head clearly at music means it’s a wooden bat that I made out of wood and cut it on a saw I have lots of different sizes I’m gonna take this pot right now I put it in the Sun to dry
37:50
none now this piece here I was going to show you actually how I joined I’m going to throw a section about this high and then put it on top and show you how you assemble it okay you want to do that now should we save it for the next show what do you think kind of right but in order to do that I have to make sure since I’m going to make this piece bigger right does it to dry that’s it oh yeah they have a built-in job security in Nepal I wanted to mention that when they throw their pots in this village in bhakta 4
38:43
they throw all the yogurt bowls for the whole village and after you eat your yogurt in the morning you break your bowl huh so they have job security built right into the culture that’s great so the bowls are about this big and once they’re and they’re all made out of clay just like this and it’s dried and not fired very hard very long kind of almost to a medium temperature of brittleness and they serve the yogurt and then when they’re done they throw it on the ground and it’s biodegrade a built in job
39:19
market Wow we snuck inside to see what’s going on inside my Elena rivers the painter you get to see it on her sculpture on the pots and stuff Wow look at these beautiful colors and I know that the finished work the colors come out in such a grand way over this that’s a picture isn’t it well we’re gonna have fun looking at your stuff in LA I know Wow now this is all green where you understand once I made it like you saw in the potter’s wheel I draw it’s in a dried form now this is
39:54
mud and water okay and at this point you take it and you paint it in full-spectrum colors these are the colors right here right they are premade colors that I mix and but they do come right out of the bottle this color now they do not go on the pot the same color they come out but this is a new collection of ceramics I sell this right out of my house if you’re interested these are coffee mug water my bread and butter your bread and butter my friend brother butter dishes and I bread and I do make also bread and
40:27
butter dishes but these are a new coffee mug that I’ve designed and they’re all tropical Hawaii jana with Hawaiian flowers and this is a also green right now this goes into the furnace gets fired and then it goes back to my table i glaze it and fire it again it’s a to process firing what I’m going to be doing to show the audience this mermaid here is going to be a larger form of this that I’m going to be applying to this piece now that I’m going to be making that’s taller I’ll be building
41:01
that right in front of you to show you what look good it looks like what’s the expression do it sent this at home sometimes it’s one of the Stewart she’s quite a girl oh yeah the Martha Stewart of pottery yes why not I bet you bake well till you got a pin there right there I happen to know that’s true yes that is my love bread baker farmer see all your tools are loose in they are well if you borrow another furnace or you build a furnace that’s big enough or you buy one so no
41:51
pieces that you did you didn’t arrive first yes I am actually built a furnace in my studio in California I have another studio in California that’s very beautiful it’s at my home and I do a lot of work there as well because I live there part time and I built a furnace I assembled different furnaces together get what I wanted when you put this on the pieces you see I’m reinforcing it from the back it’s gonna say reinforcement right well you want to do it right for the first time so you want
42:32
to make sure that it’s it’s built to last let’s plan that way and this clay is it’s very funny I bought this clay over a year ago and it’s as clay as opposed to it is matured and it’s become a much better clay than when I first originally bought it I mean you know the Chinese they would bury their clay from generation to generation that was the art form in the Ming Dynasty that you would make your clay for the next generation and you know of course we’re not doing that but clay matures and as
43:06
it matures it gets better and in the sense that it throws better it slopes better so this clay has definitely matured when I got it I hated it it just did not work as well as I wanted it to and now you can see it holds up beautifully I put these wings on with no problem all the joining is becoming very easy easy for you to say you know how I like to bake or else I want a real mermaid you got a choice well I can’t actually order that up but you never know I want one just like that just like this
43:58
oh yeah but you real a real one a real mermaid all right out of the Maui Ocean I think we have lots of mermaids and lots of angles right here in Maui you’re one of them you know yeah let’s get that what you give in your good spirits it is such an Aloha thing thank you Jason okay so I’m gonna show you guys a real trick of the trade here good because I always teach when I do teach I am going to make sure you guys learn the real secret of ceramics here you have to score now sometimes I
44:37
circumvent it because I’m so quick and been at it so long but I want for sure the children we believe are gonna try this this is called slip you make it out of clay in water and this is the magic that keeps pots together and you’ll see that it’s very essential when you build when I teach that’s what I in other words you make you make this mess is that smooth cement it’s the cement see it holds it clay is really cooperating today gyal wins in PA I know girl I could add crystals I could add real lapis jewelry
45:38
than I make I could add anything I want to make it multimedia glass metal silver gold glass yeah you just glue it on or you build it you know I don’t think it is no you don’t bake it in but if I wanted to adorn this with jewelry or something like that see you gave it wings for the birds and fly on the winds now I made up a armature here that will come off after it’s dry I just added it right there so I don’t have any problem with it going away now the next stage will be that I will throw this form that will come out
46:21
and be very undulating almost like a giant an enemy sea anenome so it depends on whether you want to add that to this cover or not it’s up to you I think we should jump in and see it after it’s kind of put together because we don’t want to spend more time on the show this way we want to get to the next stage because I have a feeling people gonna want to have you back not only have you back they’ll probably want to come over and sit in your studio this sure is fun thank you thank you thank
46:55
you for having us here with you really is a pleasure welcome Jason thank you you know I just watched you inside and I was looking at somebody through watercolors and I thought holy what brilliant colors you really enjoy brilliant colors and what fun to work into all these nice colors well they also notice this there was a couple of pictures of you with this beautiful young girl but I happen to know that’s your beautiful daughter Simone yes she’s a talented artist and a beautiful lady herself yes definitely a wonderful
48:11
artist a great painter her work is in the house as well as a master jeweler she’s a princess with me her whole life as well as her father now this is the finishing stages on the piece that I’m doing for a prize the art that I’m donating and this will also be painted they’re havin too much fun I can see that and through the magic of television Wow now it’s dry and fully formed hi Marlana we were just noticing here now it looks like you’ve really come a long way since before huh yeah this is the
49:06
piece that I was doing for the office remember yeah and it’s finished now it’s kind of a mermaid bird and I’m doing some scribing on it and it’s gonna be I believe a multimedia piece I think I’m going to add some crystals and jewels to this piece and it does I’ll turn it for you and it’s got um a mermaid tail it’s got some fronds here Hawaiiana fronds and of course it’s staged that it’s not painted quite yet but at some point later maybe you’ll do some photographing
49:32
while I’m painting it and this was the piece that we did the other day while I was sculpting and it’s fun it’s a winged mermaid and the other pieces here are also going to the O to a flower farm up in Makkah Wow you take the clear glaze which is this right and you I paint it on right then I pour it in the center I do pour that part and then I let it dry in the Sun and then I put a real thin coat on the bottom and then I do it again so you can imagine how long it takes me to do it all the nicks and crannies there she
50:34
comes so Jason now this is the piece that I made for the camera remember he just brought it in right and I’m gonna show you a little treat here because I’ve started to do something else with my work I decided I wanted to do some incising since I see it means that I’m carving into the clay once it’s dried with it with a tool so that you can actually carve in the dry clay and and carve in a design which is something that I that I’ve started to do with my work this is gonna be a multimedia piece
51:07
like I told you and I’ll probably be making a necklace for her and I’m thinking of making some very outrageous Elton John glasses so it’s gonna be kind of McCobb very Dalia SH very very modern very Eastern you just take each pieces an individual working well you really don’t have sort of stock-in-trade piece no not all individual so I’m kind of putting on the paint lightly and even though it doesn’t look like blue but colors sometimes are the same but very much a lot not the
51:42
same this is blue this is light blue and and I really am an artist that does not do a lot of fastidiousness let’s put it that way in other words I’m you paint outside the lines yes I do is that what it is yeah you don’t mind a little overlapping run together like life it’s like good juices exactly I got it yeah so in my mind I’m thinking okay I’m painting a wing like a phone wing wing’ not nothing will ring like a wing oh yeah oh well so is that is it this Jolie yeah angel Alison yeah so
52:27
this is a white guy see angel wings I have to look cuz I’m not used to looking for angel wings okay I should look I guess huh what color is that one pink yeah this is Bitsy’s now you can go to this angel here on that pot and area will paint I’m evil point Sam huh yeah so I’m defining the sculpture with this line see this wing comes all the way up here on her shoulder so the pain demarcates what is really going on here okay so you in the audience demarcates means marks see that we translate we’re you
53:23
know it’s interesting how different genres have different words but you see she’s just having fun I’m so much fun this is huh that’s what life’s about folks and now I’m gonna have my assistant who I just hired on the spot to apply polka dots oh boy does it get Boop bum oh now this is what you call a collaborative effort of ceramics we’re having fun Oh are we making patterns are we happy yes we are we are having fun this is so much fun thank you very much Jason thank you
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