Headlines.

Investigating local materials is not a common practice among ceramic artists today but for the potter it can mean the production of a unique idiom, one that is recognisable as coming from a specific region and a particular workshop. Steve Harrison is one such potter who continues to investigate the materials for clay bodies and glazes from his surrounding district, in his case seeking the qualities of porcelain that include translucency and whiteness. While he acknowledges that finding suitable plastic clay has been a problem and he has found it necessary to add a small percentage of imported bentonite, the search itself has taken his interest to considerable lengths, and the results have kept his passion alive. I can emphasise with such research and for many years have used only the local kaolins, felspars, silicas and limestones from my surroundings in Gulgong, some hundreds of kilometres from the Southern Highlands where Steve Harrison practises. Frank Hamer in his article 'We Need Glazes' is equally passionate about the beauty and lasting qualities of the glazed surface. Ceramics is a form of art and science that can offer an enormous range of participation to its practitioners; from the conceptual aspects of art by way of sculpture and installations, to design elements for practical wares and to the most intricate, even microscopic, realms of scientific experiment. All these forms of study can take a lifetime of endeavour.

In this issue of Ceramics TECHNICAL the range of articles covers a broad list of subjects. Some artists use clay for painting as in the article by Janos Probstner on the work of Andras Antal; some use clay to involve others in mosaic making as a community effort bringing people together; and a number of artists use clay and ceramics to draw our attention to social issues. All these articles reveal human endeavour for a purpose. Exhibitions on ceramic art abound and there are a number of reviews published in this edition of the magazine. Write-ups on activities such as invitational residencies for ceramic artists are also covered; these are important experiences for artists, working alongside their peers, exchanging ideas and camaraderie and making international friendships and contacts for future interaction. Knowledge of historical ceramics, such as we can learn from Glen Brown's researched article on Thai wares, 'Si Satchananalai Celadons of the 14th-18th Centuries', are valuable in setting a background to contemporary work and reinforcing the fact that ceramic art has been with us for millennia and it is impossible to master it all. The beauty of those Sawankhalock unctuous green glazes, the incised patterns and the strength of the sandy clay bodies, reveals expertise and a sensitivity to beauty; as the article suggests, these wares 'occupy a legitimate place among the world's great historical stonewares'.

As usual, we publish a number of book reviews to enable the reader to evaluate some of the books that come on to the market each month. With so many books written on each and every aspect of ceramics, it is difficult to choose the most useful and/or inspirational book to buy. Read on.