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Malcolm Davis

Biography to Display: 

1937Born Newport News, Virginia

2011Died Washington, DC

EDUCATION

1955-1959BS Mathematics, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

1959-1964Master of Divinity, Union Theological Seminary, New York, New York

1962-1963Theological Studies University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

1974Ceramics Class, Department of Recreation, Washington, D.C.

1974-1976Corcoran School of Art, Washington, D.C.

1977-1979George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1981-2012Studio potter, Upshur County, West Virginia

RESIDENCIES AND APPRENTICESHIPS

BIOGRAPHY

Malcolm Davis worked exclusively in porcelain making pots for daily use that were well designed within the context of function. He is internationally recognized for his work with Shino glazes.

His search for glazes that would not compete with the form led him to a red Shino glaze, discovered while at Baltimore Clayworks. It took him over a year to perfect his technique which involved starving the kiln of oxygen to create smoke. This glaze is often called “Malcolm’s Shino.” He shared the formula for this glaze and it quickly became a sensation in the pottery world. 

Davis first touched clay in 1974 at age 37 and became a full-time studio potter in 1984 when he left his previous career as a campus minister. His work was inspired by diverse folk traditions from early Korean to Native American pottery.

Public Collections

Public Collections to Display: 

Alfred Ceramic Art Museum, Alfred  University, Alfred, New York

Brunnier Art Museum, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa

Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, New York

Mobach Collection, Utrecht, Holland

Museum of Arts and Design, New York, New York

Sarah Lawrence College, Twentieth Century Collection, Bronxville, New York

 

Bibliography

Bibliography to Display: 

Britt, John. The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glazes. Asheville, NC: Lark Crafts, 2007.

Burleson, Mark. The Ceramic Glaze Handbook. Asheville, NC: Lark Books, 2001.

Coates, Michelle. Creative Pottery: A Step-by-Step. Rockport, MA: Rockport Publishers, 1998.

Davis, Don. Wheel - Thrown Ceramics: Altering, Trimming, Adding, Finishing. Asheville, NC: Lark Books, 1998.

Fina, Angela and Jonathan Fairbanks. The Best of Pottery.  Rockport, MA: Rockport Publishers, 1996.

Hluch, Kevin A. The Art of Contemporary American Pottery. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2001.

Hopper, Robin. Functional Ceramics. Westerville, OH: The American Ceramic Society, 2008.

____________. Making Marks: Discovering the Ceramic Surface. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2004.

Rhodes, Daniel. Clay and Glazes for the Potter. Southborough, MA: Chilton Book Co., 1973.

Richter, Lester. American Shino: The Glaze of a Thousand Faces. Gilroy, CA: Chameleon Books, 2003.

Tourtillott, Suzanne. 500 Teapots: Contemporary Explorations of a Timeless Design. Asheville, NC: Lark Books, 2002.

_______________. 500 Cups: Ceramic Explorations of Utility and Grace. Asheville, NC: Lark Books, 2005.

Williams, Gerry. "Interview with Malcolm Davis: Shino Warrior." The Studio Potter 32, no.1 (December 2003).

Woodhead, Steve. The Teapot Book. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2005.

Zakin, Richard. Ceramics – Mastering the Craft. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2001.

 

 

 

Center for CraftSouthern Highland Craft Guild

 

Typical Marks
Small Box
Date: 2000
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
Judith and Martin Schwartz Collection
Photo: John Polak
Judith and Martin Schwartz Collection
Photo: John Polak
Tall Box
Date: 2000
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
Judith and Martin Schwartz Collection
Photo: John Polak
Judith and Martin Schwartz Collection
Photo: John Polak
Yunomi
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown and Altered
Surface Technique: Glaze, Shino Glaze
Photo: Loren Maron
Photo: Loren Maron
Photo: Loren Maron
Yunomi
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown and Altered
Surface Technique: Shino Glaze
Vase
Date: ca 2000
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown and Altered
Surface Technique: Glaze
Judith and Martin Schwartz Collection
Photo: John Polak
Judith and Martin Schwartz Collection
Photo: John Polak
Yumoni
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze, Shino Glaze
Collection American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, California
Photo: TMP
Collection American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, California
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Vase
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown and Altered
Dimensions: 6" x 3" x 9"
Surface Technique: Glaze
Brunnier Art Museum, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, gift of Carmon Slater and Donald Randall, um2016.465.10.2022.jb
Photo: ISU
Brunnier Art Museum, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, gift of Carmon Slater and Donald Randall, um2016.465.10.2022.jb
Photo: ISU

Citation: "The Marks Project." Last modified September 2, 2023. http://www.themarksproject.org/marks/davis