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Ceramics Marcelle Glock Podcast TTT Season 3 Wood Fired Ceramic Tradition

Season 3 Episode 45: Marcelle Glock, Ceramist on The Wood Fired Ceramic Tradition

Marcelle Glock, Ceramist

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Marcelle Glock, Ceramist

Today, I am heading over to Mudge Island, located within the scenic Gulf Islands, between Vancouver Island and Gabriola Island.   I am delighted and thrilled to meet up with Marcelle Glock, Ceramist to discuss the wood fired ceramic tradition.

Marcelle is a remarkable artist. Her pottery and sculptures sit in private collections around the world. Her artwork encompasses stoneware, raku, and local wild terra-cotta.  Marcelle forms clay into extraordinary artworks – from functional to sculptural, wearable and oracle.  She imbues each piece with a primal reverence toward the natural world. 

I invite you to put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on Tea Toast & Trivia.

The Gallery

Thank you for joining Marcelle and me on Tea Toast & Trivia.

This conversation has been pure magic, Marcelle. I cannot believe that we have been talking for over two hours and it feels like twenty minutes. 

Listeners, thank you for joining Marcelle and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. You will be pleased to know that this is just part one of a two-part conversation with Marcelle.  Stay tune for our ongoing discussion in part two which will take you deeper into the journey of an artist working in the wood fired ceramic tradition.

Marcelle Glock, Ceramist

And a special thank you, Marcelle, for sharing your insights, your journey, and your connection to nature through the medium of clay.  Your continued awareness, respect and reverence for your art and the medium in which you work inspires me.  I know that you have encouraged listeners to recognize artistic endeavour is a calling and a responsibility

Listeners, I invite you to meet up with Marcelle on her website, Mad Mudslinger on Instagram  and YouTube.  And if you are visiting Gabriola Island, Marcelle’s work will be featured in the November 2021 grand opening of Free Spirit Gallery on North Road.

Until next time we meet, dear friends, keep safe and be well.

Marcelle Glock, Ceramist on the Wood Fired Ceramic Tradition – Tea. Toast. & Trivia.

By Rebecca Budd

Blogger, Visual Storyteller, Podcaster, Traveler and Life-long Learner

53 replies on “Season 3 Episode 45: Marcelle Glock, Ceramist on The Wood Fired Ceramic Tradition”

Very interesting interview. There seem to be a lot of artisans in the Gulf Islands. I couldn’t find the type of gate latch a wanted for the gate I ordered for the office anywhere in the States. I finely found an artisan on Pender Island who made the latch I was looking for. I have the latch and the hinges, but I’m still waiting on the gate. I think it’s stuck on a container ship.

Marcelle is a marvelous mudslinger. She makes really interesting pieces from what I saw on her website. I also found it interesting she did a ten-year apprenticeship. I don’t hear much about apprenticeships these days. We have a lot of ceramic artists out here, but I don’t know if we have any using wood-fired kilns. Hanselman’s pottery used to be two properties north of us, but they moved their operation upon Corrales Road, They have an interesting storefront model. The store is open 24/7 with no staff. The pottery sits out on shelves with prices for each piece. You walk in, pick out what you like, and leave cash or a check in the cashbox for the amount of the prices marked on the pottery. It’s an honor-based system and must work okay because the storefront has been open for years.

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Thank you Tim for adding depth to this conversation. I hope your gate arrives shortly. Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands have an artistic energy that attracts creatives, including writers and poets. And then there are those amazing winery tours. I really enjoyed meeting up with Marcelle – she is full of enthusiasm and joy. One day, we hope to make that journey over to Mudge Island. https://artsgabriola.ca/marcelle-glock/

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Colin, the artist I got the latch from, is finishing an amazing hay bail house. You can see it on his wife’s blog: https://inspirationalvillage.me/. The gate will come some day. I had to get our monument sign from India. No one would make it locally. It’s really hard to get anything done by contractors these days.

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Thank you for the introduction to another blogger. Brilliant site! I was very interested in the homeschooling posts and information. We homeschooled our son via the Vancouver School board – he is now a PhD candidate at Simon Fraser University. . It was a great experience.

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I find that homeschooling has many benefits, but it isn’t for everyone. The idea of a life-long learning journey starts at home. I know that you and Laurie provided the most amazing environment of learning for Tristan!

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Parents can buy a lot of IQ points by providing an enriched environment and allowing their children to flit between interests and whatever creative passion they have for a split second or for a lifetime. Parental guidance is always necessary, but parents who try to force their children to pursue and live the dreams they have for their children are all wrong, and so counterproductive. There’s a lot of messed up kids because they can’t live up to or they are not interested in the dreams their parents have for them.

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So very well said, Tim!!! What I have found was that as parents, we must have our dreams, set apart from our children. We cannot be fulfilled by living through our children’s successes. I also had to remind myself that being overprotective is not in the best interests of my son. Thank you for a great conversation.

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Overprotective we were not. One of the advantages of living in a mostly rural environment. One day Tristan came in and announced that she and David were going out to shoot at each other with airsoft guns. Laurie said okay don’t break anything, especially the rose bushes. David was in shock. He said his mom would be having a fit if she knew what he was doing, and all your mom has to say is “don’t break the rose bushes?”

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Ah, an enviable talent,a ceramist, a milieu I always wanted to indulge in, especially after roaming around i Italia, Venezia’s ceramists and glass blowers, so many years ago, off the Piazza San Marco, where one could also eat at one of the many ristoranti all around this magnificent piazza. But ceramist I was not to be, and alas i would have to accept settling for being a scribbler.

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Thank you for listening in, Jean-Jacques. I knew you would enjoy this conversation. Ah, those wonderful shops in Venice!!! The ceramics and glassblowen objects were amazing.. As Marcelle noted, clay and ceramics has been with us for a long time, the art going in many directions. I have been very interested in learning more about Raku ceramics, a type of Japanese pottery traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies, most often in the form of chawan tea bowls. I am looking forward to continuing the discussion with Marcelle – every day I learn more and more. Many thanks for your visit and comments – very much appreciated.

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I am delighted that you listened in, Gallivanta. Don & I had a wonderful time connecting with Marcelle. I was amazed that our conversation lasted over 2 hours and we could have gone on for another hour. Stay tuned, there is more coming where Marcelle goes deeper into the tradition.

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Marvelous post! I learned so much listening to this. It sounds amazing all that went into building the kiln…all those bricks carried over by boat. It is a wonderful adventure to discover your passion and follow your dreams…and a lot of hard work!!! It sounds like a very beautiful place to live, and it has certainly inspired beautiful creations!!! 🙂 It is inspiring to learn about someone who felt a calling and acted upon it without hesitation…took the leap, and followed their heart.

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Marcelle has extraordinary insight how we can embrace our creative spirit. What was also life-affirming to me was her mother, Darlene’s guidance, which was based on understanding Marcelle’s passion for clay at a very early age. As you said so well, Marcelle felt the calling and responded. Thank you for listening in and for your heartening comments, Linda!

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Thank you Darlene for introducing me to Marcelle. Don and I had so much fun meeting up with Marcelle. Our conversation went well over 2 hours and could have gone on for another hour. Part two will be coming out shortly so stay tuned for more as we go deeper into the wood fired ceramic tradition. Here is an idea – would you be able to join Marcelle and me on TTT in 2022? Would love to connect Spain, Vancouver & Mudge Island.

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I am delighted that you listened in, Liz. What I especially appreciated was the connection between Darlene and Marcelle, which fostered and encouraged curiosity and exploration. Many thanks for your visit and for your comments. Hugs!

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Thank you, Marcelle and Rebecca, for this unique and educational conversation. How I would love to be there with the two of you. I am reminded of Marcelle’s mother who was so instrumental in Marcelle’s success, a reminder that we should encourage each other. I love the picture of Marcelle at her Art table with some of her clay and equipment, It would be an extraordinary experience to visit her studio, take a look at the kiln and other important articles she uses to produce her pieces of extraordinary beauty. I appreciate the hard work that it took to carry those heavy bricks and design each one to make the unique kiln. Her home on the island must give the quiet inspiration needed to work and design the unique objects that have travelled to all parts of the world. This has been a special experience for me and I look forward to the next part of the story! !

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I knew you would enjoy this conversation, Frances. Don and I had a wonderful time meeting up with Marcelle virtually. I agree that Marcelle’s location does provide the inspiration and connection to nature. Stay tuned for part 2, which will be coming in a few weeks. I have also confirmed with Darlene and Marcelle that the will be joining me as guests on TTT in 2022. We will be linking Spain, Vancouver and Mudge Island.

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Lovely to meet Marcelle and a terrific interview Rebecca.. my best friend was at art college and she and her husband are both very talented potters and I used to love watching the process when I stayed with them. I still have a plate she made for a wedding present 41 years later. Fascinating to learn about Marcelle’s early introduction to clay via her mother and her definition of an artist and that was thought provoking. I love her pieces and look forward to learning more in part two.. an extraordinary creative person.

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Thank you for listening in, Sally and for adding to the conversation. I agree – Darlene’s intuitive insight was pivotal in fostering a life long creative journey for Marcelle. It is a reminder that our lives are connected and that encouragement for others is an essential catalyst for cultivating and advancing positive outcomes. That is what you do every day, Sally. Many thanks for all you do!

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I knew that you would enjoy Marcelle’s thoughts on creativity and art. As an artist and creator, you would have a deep understand Marcelle’s journey because of your shared connection to earth. I am enjoying your recent posts from the archives, especially the “As Above So Below!!” Sending many hugs along with my gratitude.

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Hi Rebecca, I enjoyed listening to Marcelle speaking about her work with such energy and passion. I have seen samples of her work before and recognise her great talent. I was thinking maybe I should be ceramics a whirl but after listening to the bricks story, I feel a bit less inclined. Our power supply here in South Africa is also very unreliable so this doesn’t sound like a good idea for me. It’s one thing to run an oven on gas, but a kiln sounds a bit beyond the reach of gas.

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Thank you for listening in, Robbie. Marcelle’s dedication to her art is extraordinary. Each piece has an embedded message that reminds us that we belong to an ancient story, with every generation and society adding depth and breadth to the narrative. The summer between my high school and college year, I was involved in an archeological project in Northern Manitoba. When I found my first chard of pottery, I felt I was transported back thousands of years. Many thanks for your visit and comments – very much appreciated.

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Robbie, you have so many creative endeavours, your baking and amazing cake decoration, your many and varied books and stories, photography and gardening abilities, to name a few. You never cease to amaze me. I’m sure if you decided to get into pottery you would find a away to make it work. Perhaps when the boys are grown up and you retire! We wouldn’t want you to get bored. So pleased you enjoyed listening to Marcelle’s story.

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Fantastic discussion, Rebecca, with a master artist! It was fascinating to hear how Marcelle started doing what she does, the process involved in making her creations, and more. Also interesting to hear that clay objects date back at least 30,000 years. That was the time frame of Jean M. Auel’s novel “The Clan of the Cave Bear” and its sequels — in which there were references to firing clay. I look forward to the second part of this discussion!

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I am delighted that you listened in and enjoyed this conversation, Dave. In a world that thrives on designing corporate models with new technologies, there are those who forge business pathways by embracing ancient traditions and the natural world. I have often considered the word “progress” in terms of human endeavour. Progress to what? We are living in a world of Ai, which will bring enormous benefits to our society, and yet, there will always be a need for humanity to return to a natural state. The popularity and desire to read Jean M. Auel’s novels are a testament to our strong connection to the earth. I’m so glad that you brought up these books. Many thanks for your comments and visit!

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Rebecca, it’s a delight to make the acquaintance of Marcelle, albeit from afar. This was a joy of an interview and I’m captivated by her personal story of how she came to this unique craft as well as learning about its history. Wow! Amazing to think how all those bricks were moved across by a boat, a few bricks at a time! Fantastic to hear about ceramic creations today and what a wonderful mother encouraging Marcelle in the arts from a very young age. The love and admiration between mother and daughter is palpable… that little clay rabbit which is still treasured today says it all! This was an interview that seemed to fly by and I’m so happy to hear there is yet another part in the future ..l will look out for it!

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I am so glad your listened in Annika. Marcelle and I had so much fun meeting up and I’m looking forward to when Darlene and Marcelle will join me on TTT in 2022. So many stories that are captured in conversations. They are words given voice.

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I am delighted that you listened in, Klausbernd. I knew that you would appreciated Marcelle’s tenacity and commitment to her creative journey. Sending hugs back to my dear friends, The Fab Four of Cley!

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I am so late catching up, Rebecca but as I reluctantly began deleting emails, I kept saving this one and I am so glad I did.

I am impressed by her gratitude to the people who have helped her. I find that people who understand the journey they’ve been on are so interesting.

I have visited some of the islands in the US straight, but I can only imagine living on one. I also understand the notion of “make and do.”

Whenever someone chooses to make a career with their art, it’s a huge commitment. I think it’s more of a merging than an occupation. Her sculpture items on display here are beautiful.

I like her analogy of the wheel being a lathe for mud. I use a lathe in my woodworking shop, but it’s seems a bit of an inverse process. A wood lathe lets me remove material to find an object within a hunk of wood. Marcelle is shaping an object on the wheel, literally from the clay under her feet.

The story of how she built her kiln is amazing. I am looking forward to part-2 of this amazing story.

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Thank you Dan for adding depth to this conversation. I knew that this conversation would resonate with you because you create with your hands. In a recent conversation with my mother Frances, she said that creating something with her hands gives a sense of well-being. The connection between hand and mind is something that fascinates me. Artists transpose what is in their minds onto a canvas through their hands. Writers transfer words from mind via hands onto paper, generally via handwriting or typing. Again the hands come into play. Musician, sculptures surgeons, architects, – and the list goes on – all use the mind/hand connection to create.

Marcelle is extraordinary in her approach and commitment to her artistic endeavours. She brings ancient memories to life in our time. As I drink tea from her teacup, I am sharing tea with others over the centuries. You will enjoy Part II and I am looking forward to when Marcelle and her mother, Darlene Foster, joins me on TTT for a conversation on fostering creativity.

Thank you so much for your support and encouragement of the TTT Conversations. Don is still perfecting the 3 person interviews. Looking forward to your return as my guest. The world will be turning a year older in 2022. We have learned a great deal over the past two years – together.

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