Brian Mielke (pronounced Mil-kē), 25, was born and raised up north in Fond du Lac but came to Milwaukee about six years ago to attend school at UWM.
If you visit Brian on MySpace you will find that he describes himself as an "Aspiring magic man, spends too much time sitting at home diving into books and booze of worthless information. Bottle washer, filler of pint glasses, born again atheist, eater of children and cats and pepperoni pizza combos. Doesn't function until after noon on any given day, has no worthy direction in life, owner of a giant wrench, grower of refrigerator mold, nail bed, cinderblock, metal-bender, tight-rope faller, coulrophobic*, smasher of pottery, mammal."
*Coulrophobia is an abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns so I had to ask Brain why, if he was coulrophobic, he chooses to work with Dead Mans Carnival which has no less than two clowns performing at their shows. His response, "I am not afraid of clowns and my description shouldn't be taken literally. I mean, after all I don't really eat children either."
I glimpsed Brian Mielke for the first time at Stonefly about a month ago during a performance with The Dead Man's Carnival where he was having cinderblocks smashed on his torso while lying on two beds of nails and wearing a Mexican luchador mask. That night the nails left quite an impression on his back (see photos courtesy of Alexis Ronsmans) and he in turn made quite an impression on me. Also, at 6'4" he is hard to miss! However, I didn't officially meet him until recently when we attended a mutual friend's (Gypsy Geoff) birthday party. Much to my dismay he was sporting a t-shirt that, in very large letters, declared "Tattoos Are For Losers." Ouch! In spite of this, this is when I learned that Brian not only possessed Uri Geller-like skills, but he was also a wonderful ceramic artist who practiced my favorite ceramic firing method: Raku.
Note: Raku originated in Japan in the 16th century. It is a low-fire technique, where bisqued work is quickly heated to red hot temperature and then taken out of the kiln and reduced in wood shavings, newspaper or a similar combustible material.
Anyway, I do so love people who are multifaceted and I became immediately fascinated by this man. So what did I do? I begged him to let me watch one of his firing sessions and then interview him. The following are the results, so read on...
So how are you?
I've been pretty busy lately. So I'm tired.. It's just too hot in the house to sleep.
So Brian, how long have you been working with clay?
Somewhere around ten years now.
Tell me, do you consider yourself an "artist"?
Not really. I don't really like the term "artist." In school I was always struggling with defining my work conceptually. I was more interested in the process, not what it means after the work is done. I feel like I'm making art, but once a piece is finished, it's something beyond me. It doesn't interest me anymore because it's finished with me.
In less than 50 words, what makes you want to make things?
Some people are cut out to work in offices, build buildings, wage wars, and cure cancer. I've done several things, trying to find my niche. I can't say that I'm going to do this for the rest of my life, but for now it gives me the most satisfaction.
Did you go to art school, and if so, are you satisfied with the experience vs. teaching yourself or being classically trained?
I did go to school. I think that I walked out of there better than when I walked in, but not for the reasons I thought I would. Most of what I do I never learned in school. I've always struggled with teachers. I wanted to question their authority since as long as I can remember. Graduating I remember being frustrated. Here I had learned how to make all these things but I had no clue how to really market the shit. It wasn't until I got out into the real world where I started meeting people who were actually making a living (or at least trying to) doing this. School seemed more caught up in talking about work, not selling it. 98% of all art students don't continue to make art after school. In school, you are surrounded by a high concentration of "artists." You graduate, you don't get that usual exposure, and you can get discouraged.
Side Note: Brian indicated that if he goes back to school he has decided to pursue studies in Social Behaviorism. That's quite a jump from ceramic artist if you ask me, but upon hearing his explanation as to what this entails I have to admit I am now curious and will perhaps read up a bit on studies done by George Herbert Mead.
Have you always had a preference for clay or do you/have you worked in other media?
I used to paint. I've worked with metal before too. Clay was that medium that I could use to do anything.
Have you always done Raku?
For the most part, I've always enjoyed the randomness that is bound to occur. While there are certain effects that I like to see I don't always like knowing the outcome beforehand. I like surprises.
How did you learn about this process and do you prefer it?
I met another artist who played around with it. Then I started seeing the process show up in books. So I learned other people's ways of working with this technique. It gave me a blueprint to start off with. When I learned it, it worked really well with the types of vases I was making. I was dealing with how to glaze this body of work for a long time, this process showed up and that was it; I didn't feel like I had a choice anymore. I started with a shoddy kiln in my backyard. Now, It's a driveway or parking lot, but with the same bad kiln.
Most people are familiar with traditional Raku firing. Can you tell me more about the process you use?
The process is essentially the same. Traditional Raku uses things like sawdust or newspaper as their burning material but I spray my work with rubbing alcohol. It's smokeless; you don't end up smelling like a camp fire.
Side Note: During the time I spent with Brian watching him fire some pots I asked him if he has ever tried to use other forms of combustible liquid. He explained that the liquid used had to have a high alcohol content, making it extremely combustible; and while you could use moonshine or some sort of high proof alcohol, to him that is just a shameful waste of good libation.
Do you have secret formulas or techniques that you keep to yourself and refuse to share with other artists?
No I don't. I feel that a lot of what we do as artists is recycling and redefining of ideas that have been around for a long time. I can't remember who I'm quoting when I say, "You cannot teach someone something new; you can only show them something that they've known all along, just in a different light." In that sense I think it's kind of ignorant to think that what I'm doing is mine and mine alone.
Do you teach any classes on the art form of making and firing ceramics?
Right now, no. I go different places and demonstrate what I do. Working at Murray Hill, I am constantly meeting new people; there's always someone who wants to join in and Raku too. When an offer opens up, I take it.
What is the worst way in which you've injured yourself (or someone else) during a firing?
I use a spray gun to apply rubbing alcohol to these pieces. It's the plastic kind you would use to kill weeds with. Sometimes at these temperatures, the bottle melts and sprays flaming alcohol everywhere. I've lit my entire arm on fire.
Your forms are very organic and remind me of sea urchins. What is it that inspires your forms?
I've always made very textured work. A lot of people who work with clay make a lot of traditional forms. This wasn't for me. I couldn't make you a dinner set to save my life. I don't think I could really say what inspires these forms. It's a lot of things, I'm sure, but I tend to just make them. Hours go by and I'm not thinking about the work when I'm making it. It's a little more meditative for me. I figure out a lot of shit in my head by getting lost in a pile of dirt..
What are your methods of visualization? How does the process of creating piece begin?
Usually I make pieces in groups. I'll make several pieces all similar. In making them, I start to see little things I can do to make the next set a little better. I solve a problem if you will each time I finish a set.
Do you plan out a piece or do you wing it?
I usually start out winging it. I get a feel for what I feel like doing by messing around for a couple hours until I see something I like. Then I run with it.
What is your biggest challenge personally as it pertains to making your work?
I smash a lot of them. Some of them never make it to the final fire; they just look like shit to me. The rest hit the fire and I'm unhappy with the result. Those don't last real long. People get pissed at me for it because they wanted this piece or that. I'm getting better at not breaking them, but every once in a while...
What is your favorite reaction that anyone has ever had to your work?
While I don't promote the act, I would have to say when people have stolen my art. It's strange, I know. Here's someone that could not afford what I had to offer, so they go to the extent of stealing it to have it. They broke the law because they wanted it so much. I take it as a compliment.
What was the most deflating?
I really hate it when people send me pictures of my work with flowers in them.
What is the strangest or funniest comment or question you've ever gotten about your work?
A friend said one of my pieces looked like a vagina: a spiky, green and orange vagina? I hear there are pills you can take to fix that.
How do you feel when you hear someone critique your work?
Unless the criticism is technical, I usually don't pay too much attention. I do enjoy hearing what people see differently in the work. Some people see faces on the sides, sea creatures, and/or plants. One of my brothers thinks that some of them look like they have scabs on them.
What is your favorite piece that you have created?
That's hard to say. I think that I haven't found it yet. This particular body of work is always showing better and better things. Once I get to that one, most favorite piece, I'll probably move on and make something completely different. I don't want to get stuck just making the same thing over and over.
How do you market/promote yourself, and does it work?
Word of mouth seems to still work best. Most people who buy my work know me, or have been networked through to me. I've been doing a lot of promoting through Murray Hill Pottery Works lately but a lot of people think we've gone away because we don't use the storefront anymore. I'm also at the East Side Open Market; usually I'll fire work right on-sight.
Do you consider your art your career?
I approach it as so. The economy sucks right now, so people are a little hard-pressed on their wallets. It's hard to buy luxury items.
What do you do for a "real job"?
Right now I'm unemployed. Up until about two weeks ago, I was a bartender in Wind Lake, Wisconsin and a place called Badlanders. I loved the environment, but it was a tough commute. I gave it up and came back here to concentrate on what I know I can do. I pick up side jobs here and there. I also work as a magician and I'm part of the Dead Man's Carnival, but I mostly work independently for parties of all kinds.
If you were told you could no longer make art for some reason, what would you do with that energy?
I'd concentrate more on marketing the magician in me. Bend more forks or smash a cinder block on my head.
When you are bored what do you do to get out and take a break and cut loose?
I like to go out and be around people. I spend a lot of time alone working on this stuff. I enjoy the nightlife around Milwaukee, there's always something going on. Otherwise, I spend the rest of my time reading.
If you had an uninhibited alter-ego who could do anything he wanted, what would he be doing?
He would be skydiving over the Alps.
What piece of good advice has someone given you?
It's better to be the fool than to be nothing at all.
Do you think it was it good advice and do you follow it?
I think that we are all the same inside. We have fears and insecurities. I think that once we get over these things, we don't end up asking that stupid "what if" question.
Do you ever say to yourself, "What the fuck am I doing?" If so, what do you do to get past it?
Yeah it happens all the time. Now it's the "You idiot, you quit your job to do this." I get past it realizing that if I don't do this, I would spend my time wishing that I gave it a chance.
What is the first thing that usually comes to your mind in the morning?
No one should like tequila this much.
Single? If so, what's the worst pick-up line you have ever used trying to pick-up a girl or do you not need them since the women probably typically try to pick you up?
How much does a polar bear weigh?.... Enough to break the ice, my name is Brian.
Why aren't you working or doing something more creative/productive than answering my stupid questions?
It's hard to drink this here Pabst when my hands are full of clay. This is easy.
Finally, do you have any upcoming shows where people can see your pieces?
On July 25th some of my work will be displayed at Moct for a special art event.
Final Notes: To learn more about Brain, his ceramics, and his other magical talents you can contact him via MySpace at Brian Mielke.
Also, Brian will be performing with Dead Man's Carnival on August 9th at Stonefly so plan on coming out and seeing him have a cinder block or two smashed on his head.
Plus, don't forget to check out his work on display at Moct at the end of the month for the Made in Milwaukee Event and buy a piece or two every Thursday at the East Side Open Market, but don't show your appreciation of his work by stealing them! Brian's pieces can range anywhere between $30 and $150.
Murray Hill Pottery Works
2458 North Murray Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211
Gallery & Studio Hours are Tuesday 2pm - 9pm, Wednesday - Friday 12pm - 9pm, Saturday 10am - 4pm, Sunday 12pm-4pm
Murray Hills Pottery Works also hosts a great fundraiser called Empty Bowls that will be held this year on Saturday, October 11, 2008, 10:30am - 2:00pm. For more information contact Paula DeTemple at MKEEmptyBowls@yahoo.com or Ann Williamsen at a.williamsen@sbcglobal.net
East Side Open Market in the Beans and Barley parking lot
Thursday nights from 3pm to 7pm
June 12th through October 9th