Liz Dodge on sun 14 sep 97
Put your mind at ease, we plundering potters have not stripped the earth of
Albany slip clay. According to Mimi Obstler, author of "Out of the Earth into
the Fire", Albany clay is abundantly present in glacial deposits in what is
now the city of Albany, NY, but because the land was more valuable as real
estate than a clay mine, it has been sold and developed, so Albany slip clay
is still present but no longer accessible. Mimi's book really is a kick to
read - she's a delightful writer. Worth having if you've ever wondered where
pottery materials come from, go to, and behave under different conditions.
Previous postings on this thread:
> Albany slip ...the real stuff has been mined out years ago. Keeps us
> aware of how we are stripping our Mother Earth.
Let's see.... The deposit of Albany Slip clay comprised something like
0.000000000033% of the surface area of the US and by transforming the
soil located on that spot untold millions of homes were made more
graceful or functional through the use of the glaze it produced. Here
we're being told this suggests some sort of debauchery by someone who
apparently believes that a substitute made from materials deriving from
various and far-flung holes in the ground is somehow more benign. Hard
to figure, but who's to blame for reciting what they saw on a
television.
There's a marvellous substitute for Albany Slip clay here in Santa
Catarina I'd be happy to pack and ship to anyone who wants to buy a
container load.
Regards,
KPP
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