Joyce Lee, Jim Lee on sat 18 oct 97
I am going to be a mentor in pottery for our local Desert Art League. My
mentee probably has spent more time in class than I, but supposedly we
have different strengths. I expect to learn as well as to facilitate.
We have met one-to-one briefly and spoken on the telephone, thereby
establishing time, day and place and, I hope, a degree of rapport. I
will be mentoring until next May, possibly extending into September. I
was assigned a mentor myself three years ago and found it to be a
rewarding time, as well as making a marvelous friend for life. However,
since I was brand new to pottery and to art, my mentor had to start at
the git-go with me. I can't necessarily apply my mentor's methods to
this new relationship. Now.........any tips, ideas, do's or don'ts you'd
care to share would be greatly appreciated. We start tomorrow at 10.
Thanks for reading.
Joyce
In the Mojave whose boundaries contain my dirty studio which needs to be
clean by morning. Drat...there's always a catch.
Carol Jackaway on tue 21 oct 97
Joyce,
When ever I do a workshop I always talk with the group first, find out
alittle about their strengths, things they want to work on in the workshop,
then I tell them about what I do and base my project around their needs.
Start with where your "student" is at. It sounds like a very rewarding time
for the two of you...enjoy yourself.
Carol
CoilLady
mel jacobson on tue 18 mar 03
this is from mitch.
please respond to him at his email
address. not to clayart.
comments can be addressed to clayart
but, for general discussion only.
We want your ideas for a:
Potter=92s Council Mentoring Program
During the Potter=92s Council board meeting held during the recent San Diego=
=20
NCECA it was decided to investigate the creation of a mentoring program for=
=20
Potter=92s Council members. As a board member I am asking as wide an=20
audience as possible for input as to what a mentoring program might be, as=
=20
it relates to studio potters who work with clay in order to develop their=20
businesses.
Through Clayart and the American Ceramics Society we will consolidate the=20
input and report out on the input trends every other week on Clayart. Our=
=20
goal is to build a =93strawman/strawperson=94, a conceptual picture, which=
=20
outlines the parameters of a mentoring program for the Potter=92s Council=20
board to consider and, if desired, to further develop the program as a=20
benefit of membership. We will do so at our June board meeting, so we want=
=20
to have your input by mid-May.
Please pass the word, use Clayart, or, if you prefer, send me an e-mail=20
with your ideas or comments. The Potter=92s Council appreciates your=20
input. If you want to personally be involved as part of this committee,=20
please let me know via e-mail: mitchkotula@yahoo.com
What follows are very early points of discussion. EVERYTHING IS OPEN FOR=20
INPUT, WITHOUT JUDGEMENT, so let us hear from you.
WHO IS THE AUDIENCE?
Members of the Potter=92s Council
Members who would like to be mentors or work with a mentor or mentors
Members who would like to share or receive advise, counsel, experiences,=20
coaching or other forms of assistance in developing their businesses which=
=20
could involve, but not be limited to sales, marketing, customer relations,=
=20
investments, generation of work, studio set-up and operations, studio=20
efficiency=85
POSSIBLE FORMS OF MENTORING AND HOW WOULD IT WORK?
Live-in/in-studio apprentice situations working with established studio=
potters
Regular or as-needed coaching via e-mail or phone
Regional conferences
One-on-One relationships
Clayart expanded forums or topical discussions related to business=
development
CATEGORIES OF MENTORS?
By region
By type of work
By type of desired work distribution (sales): wholesale, retail,=20
shop-front, art fair, academic, electronic
ADDITIONAL INVOLVEMENT?
Academics, universities, schools
Corporate members of the Potter=92s Council
Art centers: Watershed, Penland, Laloba, Anderson Ranch, Haystack, The=20
Fine Line, Santa Fe Clay, etc.
Associations
Galleries and sales agencies
Go for it!
Mitch Kotula
Board Member
Potter=92s Council
mitchkotula@yahoo.com
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.TICK-ATTACK.COM
stacey ballard on thu 27 mar 03
Hi,
My name is Stacey I am a local artist in Tahoe CA. Here are some of my rambling thoughts on the mentor idea. I think there is a huge need for mentors within the art community. Not only for the exchange of ideas on the development of art, but more on the business side of the art world. I was raised to believe that there were two kinds of artists, Picasso and the world renowned "starving artist". I have learned through trial and error that there is so much more out there in the world for artists, and I think that is what we are forgetting to teach the children. Kids are not taught that the are places out on the world where artists can make a successful living. They are rarely taught that their creativity and there passion can support their way of life. It's hard, I know, I'm still learning (and working a side job) but it can be done. If I were taught the skills of marketing myself, putting together a portfolio, and business, I would be a lot further along than I am now. I think if the
goal of the artist is to make his or her living from their art, then we should give them the skills to make that possible. The schools are certainly not going to teach the kids how to make a living wit
h their creativity, their passion...so who will? As far as paying for mentors, I think part of the payment is knowing that your helping another human being live their dreams, is a pretty good start. There will always be people who take advantage of the situation, but we shouldn't let that stop us from begining to teach.
Thank You,
Stacey
www.basicelements.biz
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Lesley Alexander on sun 30 mar 03
Mitch, can you give us your email address so we can send suggestions? =
There may be a wide range of preferences. Lesley
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