Constance Talbot, Connie

BIOGRAPHY

Constance Talbot is known to have explored a wide range of possible approaches to clay. Her introduction came when she and an assistant to her father, a sculptor, built a potter’s wheel and a small wood-fired kiln. Then at Bennington College, she studied the history of ceramic art and anthropology. Her interest turned to the clay musical instruments from Peru. Talbot spent time studying Peruvian instruments at the Museum of Natural History in New York before she made some of her own instruments and headed off to Peru where she spent 10 years.

Back in the United States Talbot spent many years producing a full line of functional pieces including place settings. These pieces were thrown using porcelain and then often finished with wax-resist drawings of plants and birds. At this time, she also produced monumental stoneware bowls.

Talbot’s long-term desire to cook with her pots on the stovetop led her to flameware clay. This clay is formulated using Spodumene which allows the clay to expand and contract without exploding or cracking when directly exposed to a heat source. Talbot turned to Robbie Lobell of Cook on Clay who shared her knowledge of flameware. Talbot and Lobell follow in the footsteps of Karen Karnes and Bill Sax, who were also masters of working with flameware clay. In an unexpected turn of events the cost of Spodumene sky rocked. It turns out it contains Lithium an important ingredient in electric car batteries, cell phones, and other technology. In 2023 Talbot was still making flameware pieces.