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ADAM SILVERMAN IS ATWATER POTTERY
by catherine bailey and simone earnhardt
Adam's passion for clay began 25 years ago at The University of Colorado. He continued his education at Rhode Island School of Design where he studied architecture, art & design. He eventually went into practice as an architect and co-founded X-Large clothing company — all while building upon and continuing to nurture his love of clay.
In 1998, Adam made the switch to full-time potter. Today, he operates a solo (and very successful) business, Atwater Pottery from a storefront in Silverlake, Los Angeles. Over time, his work has evolved from strictly functional pottery to a broader, more process-oriented investigation into forms and their functions. He creates vessels that combine clean, modern shapes with non-traditional, aesthetic and tactile glazes — with names like volcanic blue and oatmeal. He explores the glaze's ability to bubble and blister in the firing process, qualities often thought to be faulty — the result is a wonderful balance between urban and organic, craft and design. "It's not beautiful, which I like, the most exciting stuff is the kind that straddles the line between beautiful and ugly," says Adam.
About the relationship between his three mediums: "Architecture, clothing and pottery are all ancient activities that fulfill basic human needs. The three intersect in very interesting ways — the human body's relationship to each is of primary interest. Then there's structure and engineering. How things are built, their function, façade and surface treatment in relation to their interior space. In their highest form, architecture, clothing and pottery are each capable of transcending their functionality and becoming deeply meaningful arts. This is the realm that I aspire to operate in".
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The largest collection of Atwater Pottery can be found at the Los Angeles store OK, as well as Play Mountain in Tokyo — and we're lucky enough to have a collection for sale in the Heath Factory Store.
Here are some photos from our recent visit to Adam's studio.
SEASONAL COLLECTION
Our Limited Edition 2007 Winter items are now available online. In a combination of meadow, winter and chocolate glazes, we have old favorites — bowls, budvases, trays and cups, and new favorites — a beautiful collection of newly designed vases to complement your Heath collection. Available in singles or discounted as a set. Take a look
OK LOS ANGELES
One of our favorite blogs is written by the owner of a wonderful store in Los Angeles, OK. Larry Schaffer has an incredible eye for design, evident from the images in his blog and the objects within his store (which is a don't-miss if you're in the LA area, by the way).
CAD SALON SERIES
Join the Center for Architecture & Design for their salon series held at the fantastic Flora Grubb Gardens in San Francisco. Participate in amazing acts of art, design, social action and environmental mischief. The first event, Civil Twilight takes place on October 11. More info
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