Professor Ted Saupe and Professor Emeritus Ron Meyers both have exhibitions of their work opening at AKAR Gallery in Iowa City, Iowa on September 30th. Saupe has 30 pieces in the exhibit of new work that are all hand built porcelain loosely based on traditional pottery forms which have been covered in graffiti like brush drawings, depicting images and words that appeal to Saupe.

Saupe is most directly interested in the utilitarian pottery of the southeastern United States from the 19th and early 20th centuries, and the country pottery of Oribe, Japan. Both styles of pottery were fairly simple forms made for the storage and serving of food, with minor decoration and glazing, and made in a spirit of directness and respect for material and process. "I have always loved these pots from different cultures and am really trying to capture some of the freshness and strengths of these two influences," notes Saupe.

Image: Two Tea Bowls, aprox. 4 inches high, porcelain with gold luster