Exhibit celebrates 50 years of Branfman pottery

Internationally known clay artist Steven Branfman P ‘00, ‘02 has actively engaged with his craft on an almost daily basis for five decades, but the longtime Thayer pottery instructor will soon receive a rare gift: the chance to stand back, take a breath, and see the entire journey of his life’s work so far. 

“Steven Branfman: Fifty Years Above The Wheel” will be on display from Feb. 16 until May 4 at the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury. The retrospective will feature works from all periods of Branfman’s career — from his undergrad years, his time in graduate school, his early and mid-career stages, and the present day. The milestone exhibit will include some of Branfman’s remaining Kaddish Chawan, Japanese-style tea bowls thrown by Branfman for one year straight as part of his personal (and his family’s) healing process following the death of his son, Jared Branfman ‘00, in 2005 at age 23. For that year, they were the only pots that he made. The museum will host an artist’s reception on Feb. 16 from 1 to 4 p.m. at its Alden Street location with a gallery talk slated for 2 p.m. 

“Being given the opportunity to have a retrospective exhibition is an honor that few artists are afforded, and even fewer whose art is the category of ‘crafts,’” said Branfman, who lives in Newton with his wife Ellen. “I’ve been blessed to have had — and to continue to have — a career in the arts and the ability to support my family as an artist.” 

Branfman began his teaching career at Thayer in the fall of 1978. To put that in perspective: Branfman’s first Commencement exercises witnessed the graduation of Upper School History Faculty Robin Dixon ‘79 P ‘03, ‘16, himself a vital part of Thayer’s legacy and whose name adorns the basketball court in Memorial Gym. Branfman recalled being offered a yearly salary of $10,500 from then Headmaster Peter Benelli P ‘75, ‘80, ‘81 GP ‘09 but boldly holding out for the don’t-spend-it-all-in-one-place sum of $11,000. Conservatively, Branfman has taught approximately 2,500 students during his time at Thayer; if one factors in his work as an advisor and a coach, that number doubles. 

Branfman earned his reputation as a clay artist, writer, and teacher. He graduated from State University of New York at Cortland with a bachelor’s degree in studio art and art history before earning a master’s degree in education and ceramics from the Rhode Island School of Design. He specializes in Raku firing, a traditional Japanese pottery technique closely connected to the tea ceremony, in which the firing process emphasizes fast firing and quick cooling of the ware. Branfman is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics, considered the most prestigious ceramic association in the world. His Raku ware can be found in several museum collections including the American Museum of Ceramic Art, Museum of Art Rhode Island School of Design, The Alfred University International Ceramic Art Museum, The Crocker Museum, and the Mungyeong Ceramic Museum in South Korea. His work has appeared in more than 150 exhibitions around the world, and he is the author of Raku: A Practical Approach, The Potter’s Professional Handbook, and Mastering Raku.  

Branfman has always been drawn to Raku firing. 

“Raku is fast, spontaneous, physical, and has a rich and important cultural history,” he said. 

Branfman grew up in Brooklyn and then the suburbs with an interest in arts and crafts but a passion for sports. His parents gave the children Saturday morning art classes, but he said that he never really connected with the lessons. What he did love was helping his father around the house and learning how to use tools and build things. In high school, he took a sculpture class “as a lark to fill my schedule” and almost instantly felt a kinship with the class and the instructor. 

“The teacher never really called what we were doing ‘art,’” remembered Branfman. “I remember her calling what we were doing ‘making things.’ My experience with tools connected with the creative concepts that the teacher was presenting, and it all came together. If not for her, I may not have ever pursued art in college and beyond.” 

Branfman’s work has evolved over time. His current pots, he said in an online post published by the Art Complex Museum, often have distorted surfaces that are highly textured or carved. But he takes a decidedly “big picture” view of his earlier work, the attitude of both a committed artist and a longtime teacher. 

“Though I’ve seen my earlier work in various places — collectors’ homes, friends’ homes, family members’ homes, my own home, and my studio — I never view the work critically,” he said. “I see the work in the context of the time, softly recognizing the development and significance of past work and how my earlier work has influenced my present work.” 

That said, he knows that seeing his work in chronological fashion during the upcoming exhibit will be emotional for him. 

“I imagine that I’ll be reflecting not only on my career as an artist and teacher but as a husband and a father,” he said. “Images of people that I’ve encountered over the course of 50-plus years in the arts will be overwhelming — thinking about those people who I wish could be here.” 

Like many serious artists, Branfman’s most interesting project, even after 50 years, is whatever’s happening next. 

“My learning continues in my studio, in my classroom, and my observation of and engagement with my environment and in the landscape that surrounds me, that I live in,” he said. “If the day comes that I’ve got nothing new to learn, that day will signal the end of my career as an artist.”