Transitions of a Still Life: Ceramic Work by Tam Irving

Potters are a dedicated bunch who spend long hours mastering the skills of throwing, trimming and glazing until they can produce consistently well-shaped and well-glazed pots, and it is such a great relief to get to this point that many potters stay there indefinitely. To reach a higher level, one must be both talented and brave, much like Tam Irving, one of Canada’s leading ceramic artists, whose life with clay is examined in Transitions of a Still Life: Ceramic Work by Tam Irving, by Carol E. Mayer (Anvil Press). For the past forty years, Irving, who is still creating beautiful, weird and funny pots, has continued to move forward to explore new methods and ideas; this book, with its elegant layout, good writing and gorgeous photos, should inspire other potters who, like me, fight against complacency.