Events celebrate release of ‘With Fire’

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Geoff Tesch

Crucible #19, 2011, by Richard Hirsch.

Author Scott Meyer will discuss the artist’s career of Richard Hirsch in two community events scheduled this week as RIT Press celebrates the book release of With Fire: A Life Between Chance and Design.

With Fire explores the life and career of RIT Professor Hirsch, who grew up in Manhattan and is a renowned ceramic artist—particularly in the field of raku and among the leaders in the contemporary clay field. He has taught for 41 years, 25 at RIT—inheriting the same “hot seat” as Bauhaus-trained master potter Frans Wildenhain, with whom he studied at RIT in the early 1970s.

Both book events are free and open to the public:

• 7 p.m. Thursday, April 11: Lecture by Scott Meyer followed by a book signing at the Memorial Art Gallery auditorium, 500 University Ave.
• 4:30 to 6 p.m. Friday, April 12: Book signing at Gallery r, 100 College Ave. Purchase a book and be entered into a drawing for a piece of art by Hirsch.

Meyer is professor of ceramics at the University of Montevallo in Alabama. He has authored numerous articles and is the recipient of many awards for creative excellence and teaching. Meyer’s work with Hirsch has spanned studio, kiln, writing and educational workshops. Their current work in process, “The Crucible Project,” has further defined their collaborative talents.