Ricky Maldonado, a well-known pottery artist, visited the ceramics lab in AA 109 on Monday, giving a demonstration of his mastery as a coil builder. All of his pieces are hand burnished, slip decorated and over-glazed.

Maldonado, who has won many pottery awards, presented a series of slides as a visual representation of the intricate detail that goes into each one-of-a-kind piece. In response to question from the audience about the length of time put into each piece, Maldonado said, “A 15-inch plate takes two days just to decorate.” He uses no grids and relies on the judgment of his eyes.

The slide show was followed by a demonstration involving the various techniques used to create his works of art. He offered a few secrets such as starting with dry clay for the clay making process and adding Calgon water-softener to the mixture.

Maldonado is currently working on a series of bowls influenced by his recent trip to Japan. He also has plans to work on a clay representation of the female bust and announced that he would present his first creation next year. More information about Maldonado and his artistry can be accessed on his Web site at www.rickymaldonado.com.

Another highly regarded artist, Harrison McIntosh visited campus on Nov. 16 in Kreider Hall. The event was sponsored by the American Ceramics Society where the potter offered a slide presentation of his contemporary work, as well as a synopsis of his career.