Passion for Fire

Morrison House Presents: Jack Heimerman, Ceramicist and Art League Teacher

Occasionally Morrison House Presents features a younger artist at the start of their professional career. These artists are selected because they have followed a course since childhood that shows serious intent. They have gone through some of the rigors of advanced art education and have made the difficult transition to working as a professional, finding both a medium and a voice beyond art school and university. This takes guts and determination and a fire in the belly.

Jack Heimerman is such an artist having not only passion, but having chosen a medium that is combustible by its very nature. In this discussion, Jack Heimerman will illustrate the unique and historical ceramics process known as wood-firing. In this process extreme temperatures in the kiln create ash from the wood which is thrown onto the pottery, transforming the ash from a combustive byproduct to a beautiful glaze. The ash glaze is highly erratic, ranging from subtle browns to brilliant reds and blues. Jack will discuss the history of the kilns used and will raise questions on the aesthetic appeal of work made with such uncertain variables. He will also show samples of work made with the process and discuss the problems and perils of working in this difficult medium. Jack will also express his current perspective on what it is like to embark on the journey of becoming a professional artist.

Jack Heimerman currently teaches ceramics for The Art League in Alexandria. He is a 2010 graduate of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. He has exhibited widely and won several awards for his ceramics.