DAN ANDERSON (1945-2023)

Back when I was a pottery nomad of sorts, I had two encounters with Dan Anderson, both slideshow lectures and both thoughtful, inspiring and honestly fun, there seemed to be nothing boring about him. It is my second encounter that I remember most, my wife and I ended up in a car with Dan Anderson, John Gil and Kirk Mangus and though this sounds like a set up for a joke, it was a wonderful hour or so in which as a "newbie" to ceramics I learned quite a bit about wood firing and the making thought process. Despite my wife being there as a non-ceramics person, all three graciously answered her questions and I think preferred her conversation and inquiries to mine. At the time Dan was giving a lecture regarding his towers, water tanks, etc. and was beyond illuminating and humorous, it was a time worth remembering. Though very brief, hearing about his passing has been a bit sobering and reflective and I am sure anyone that has met him over his long career was touched by the encounter as another legend has left us but lives on in his teaching and body of work as well as his thoughtful collection of art and pottery all punctuating a lifetime in clay.   

I decided to use this picture which I am sure I have used this teabowl before as it is one of the only pieces of wood fired pottery that I have left that I made in the early 90s. I believe this was made about when the above encounter happened and since I have very few actual photos of that time period, this will have to act as a stand in since I have no personal pictures of Dan Anderson or his pottery and didn't just want to grab something off the internet.