Clay and Kin

In this episode, Dad and I take a clear, grounded look at safety in the ceramic studio — from the invisible risks of silica dust to the practical realities of kiln fumes, ventilation, and daily cleanup. We break down how to read and understand Safety Data Sheets (SDS), what they actually tell makers, and how to build healthier habits around the materials we use every day. It’s a conversation about care, craft, and responsibility, rooted in decades of experience and our shared commitment to keeping ceramic spaces safe, informed, and thriving.

The Marble Technique in Ceramics

In this episode of Clay & Kin, we dive into the mesmerizing world of marble technique in ceramics — a process that blends artistry, chemistry, and a little bit of magic. Together, we explore how colored clays intertwine to create fluid, organic patterns, and what makes marbling both technically challenging and deeply expressive.

In this special birthday episode of Clay & Kin, Dad celebrates his 80 years of life, art, and community. Together, we explore what eight decades in ceramics have taught him — about creativity, patience, teaching, and the deep relationships formed through clay. Dad reflects on the moments that shaped his artistic journey, the students who became family, and the ways aging has expanded his perspective as a Ceramicist. This conversation is both a tribute and a time capsule: a father sharing the wisdom of a lifetime, and a daughter honoring the legacy that shaped her.

In this episode, Dad — master gardener, ceramic artist, and longtime educator — explore how tending a garden shapes the way he approaches clay, creativity, and community. From the quiet rituals of working the soil to the long arc of nurturing plants through seasons,Dad reflects on the deep parallels between gardening and artmaking: patience, observation, failure, renewal, and the beauty of slow growth.

It’s a conversation about creativity rooted in care — and how tending the earth can transform the way we make, teach, and imagine.

This week, we slow down and sink into a conversation about Dad’s diving practice—how being underwater has shaped his sense of self, his teaching, and his connection to the natural world. We talk about beauty, technique, and the small rituals that make diving feel sacred. It’s an episode about presence, creativity, and the way a hobby becomes a lens for understanding life. A gentle, thoughtful dive—Clay & Kin style.

In this episode, Dad and talk about the opening and reception of the USA Clay Project’s 250th Anniversary exhibition. We break down what made the final collaborative piece so powerful—from the craftsmanship to the collective vision behind it. Our conversation looks ahead to how community-based clay projects can continue to evolve, inspire, and bring makers together across generations.

In this episode, Dad and I explore the quiet, intentional world of matcha ceremonial tea vessels — from the chawan’s form and weight to the way glaze, texture, and lineage shape the experience of preparing tea. We talk about what makes a matcha bowl successful, how tradition informs contemporary making, and why these vessels carry a kind of presence that goes beyond function.

In this episode, Dad and I dive into the layered, tactile world of screen printing on clay—a process that blends precision, experimentation, and a little bit of magic. We talk through how the technique works, why it’s become such a compelling way to add imagery and texture to ceramic surfaces, and the moments in Dad’s teaching practice where screen printing opened new creative doors for students.

In this episode, Dad and I take a joyful detour from clay to the court, breaking down the Knicks’ big win and what it means to longtime fans like him. We talk legacy, loyalty, and why certain victories just hit different when you share them with family. It’s sports, storytelling, and a little New York magic woven into our usual Clay & Kin rhythm.

In this episode of Clay & Kin, Dad and I explore what happens when a lifelong teacher steps out of the classroom but never stops teaching. We talk about identity, purpose, creativity, and the quiet ways teaching continues long after retirement. From the studio to everyday life, this conversation reveals how a calling can evolve, soften, and deepen — even when the bell has long since rung.

This week, Dad and I take on a growing crisis in higher education: the removal of ceramics, studio arts, and humanities programs from colleges and universities across the country. We talk about what’s driving these cuts, what’s at stake when creative disciplines are treated as expendable, and why these programs have always been more than “electives.” They’re places where students learn to think critically, build community, take risks, and understand themselves in relation to the world.

Fresh from the 2026 NSECA Conference in Detroit, Dad and I talk about what stayed with him long after the sessions ended. The ideas, artists, and conversations that left an imprint—from community building to the evolving role of ceramics in education. It’s a gentle, thoughtful exchange about how gatherings like NSECA continue to shape our creativity.

In this episode of Clay & Kin, Dad and I sit down to talk about something every art lover—and every curious visitor—should know: the best practices for experiencing museums and galleries with intention, respect, and genuine presence.

In This episode Dad and I explore the long, intertwined relationship between art and public life—how creativity becomes a language for expressing identity, challenging norms, and imagining new possibilities.

In this episode of Clay & Kin, we explore what it really means to experience art—not just look at it. Dad and I talk about the best practices for visiting museums and galleries, from slowing down and being present to engaging with the space, the staff, and the stories behind the work.

In this episode,Dad and I have a thoughtful conversation about the surprising and beautiful tension between digital media and clay. We explore how ancient, tactile practices meet modern tools, how technology can expand rather than replace tradition, and what it means to carry creative lineage into a rapidly changing world. It’s part storytelling, part reflection, and fully rooted in the shared joy of making.

In this special father–daughter episode, I sit down with dad, Richard Buncamper ceramics teacher, mentor, and artist of more than forty years—to talk about the upcoming 2026 NSECA Conference in Detroit. Together, we explore what NSECA has meant to him across decades of teaching, how the conference continues to shape the ceramics community, and what he’s most excited to experience this year.

What happens when a ceramic piece leaves the studio and enters someone’s home—does its story end, or just begin? In this episode of Clay & Kin, Dad and I, dive into the fascinating (and sometimes controversial) practice of altering ceramics after purchase.

In this episode, Dad and I explore the afterlife of ceramics—how art endures, how legacy is carried, and how stories live on through the vessels we leave behind.

In this heartfelt and illuminating conversation, dad and I explore what it truly means to become your own unique artist. From early influences to creative breakthroughs. We talk about resisting trends, embracing doubt, and honoring legacy while forging new ground. Whether you're just starting out or deep in your craft, this episode offers inspiration, honesty, and practical wisdom for anyone seeking to create from a place of truth.