Introducing the second edition of Bone Dry Leather Hard – Stories from the Craft Art World, which includes artwork from Amber Pierce, Sydnie Jimenez, Janina Myronova, Natalia Arbelaez, Taili Wu, Amelia Butcher, Kathy King, Christina Margarita Erives, Haylie Jimenez, Nicole Marroquin, Zuzka Vaclavik, and Kristy Moreno.
In the coming four months, Studio Potter will release a comic series from this new anthology. This month, we feature the work of Nicole Marroquin, Kathy King, and Christiana Erives.
Forward by Kathy King
As someone who works narratively on the ceramic surface, I have cited graphic novelists and comics in the inspiration part of my PowerPoint. As a student, I began collecting comics because of their accessibility. They were not precious; they were affordable, allowing me to study how different artists told stories with text and imagery. Their stories spread over the entire page or presented in panels that we must navigate. Black Hole by Charles Burns embraced the horror genre I love so well; Dirty Plotte by Julie Doucet revealed the rawness of an imperfect life, and R. Crumb inspired me to counter his well-drawn yet overly misogynistic comics by developing my feminist, queer voice. I have been asked if I have ever considered creating comics, and I always answer, “Those take so much work!” I’ll take carving through clay any day over putting pen to paper, but I have the utmost respect for those who marry text with imagery to narrate a story.
I am a true fan of the artists included in this issue. Natalia Arbelaez shares behind-the-scenes of an artist’s well-lived life, Doritos and all. Amelia Butcher takes us to heights, while Christina Erivas uses color to redefine “forever.” A chance meeting turns to friendship in Kristy Moreno’s tale, and Amber Pierce tackles history and technique in their quest for faience. Taili Wu partners the magic found in the classroom with the reality of the marketplace. These are just a few of the stories this incredible group of artists shared, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. Thanks to Richard Nickel for providing us with a space to use our marks and voices differently and openly.
Forward by Richard Nickel
