Ginger's Glass Art

Bill Campbell has been a potter for over 30 years. Across the country his porcelain is admired for its spectacular color and elegant, crisp forms…each piece maintaining some of the energy of its creator. The glazes dance with surprising vibrancy in unexpected patterns. Functional pots become little moments of celebration within the day-to-day routine.

The following excerpt from Bill’s website helps describe a little of his history with pottery;

“Once I discovered that making pottery was what I wanted to do with my life, I became committed. I broke all ties with my past (job wise) and spent every moment trying to learn my craft. I went back to college, and then I worked at organizing my life so I could go somewhere and make pots. That meant that everything that got in the way had to be forgotten for about four years. I didn’t buy a new TV or car, or take a vacation-the only allowable expenses beyond those necessary for daily life were for supplies and equipment as I saved toward the day I could buy a studio building. Keeping that goal in the front of my mind was hard. By the time I was out of school I was 36 and I felt I didn’t have too many years left to squander if my dream was going to come true.“

“My motive in making pottery is not terribly noble. I merely try to cause a little celebration in everyday living. I am always aware of the possibilities and limitations of the wonderful/dreadful layered glaze I employ. An enigmatic mistress, it is very fussy about the body it resides upon. It often crawls, blisters and crazes, and the color is not always reliable. Though demanding, it is too vibrant and exciting to simply dismiss as troublesome. This means that everything must be technically perfect in order to achieve its full potential. “

Flambeaux art pottery is the fusion of the creative energy, talent and the imagination of two very good friends, Bill Campbell and Kent Follette. It also helps that they are both really good potters! The idea for this line was hatched on a warm summer day, in a gently rocking boat with fishing lines trailing out into the calm water. Flambeaux Art Pottery was born and the adventure began there.

Their work represented is high fire porcelain clay with a crystalline glaze. The zinc crystals are grown at extremely high temperatures; as the glaze becomes fluid, the crystals are free to bloom. Multiple layers of varying glazes and an intricate firing schedule of the kiln allow the glaze to flow over the form of the pot. The piece dances with the flame. This is the essence of Flambeaux Art Pottery. "Flambeaux" translated means "Dances with Fire".