Joyce Lee, Jim Lee on mon 10 feb 97
Karen,
Not cool to respond to "newbies"???? No way this is true! Must
protest! I am definitely a relatively new potter ( two years now, but
also only two years with ANY art form). Like all of us, I've learned
so much from Clayart especially in areas I didn't even know existed
until I viewed threads presented by Clayarters. In addition, I've asked
specific questions which led to rather lengthy threads which had
to enrich every "newbie's" understanding. Questions such as:
"What do you do to keep yourself and your studio cleaner than I'm
keeping mine?" Received 23 responses to that seemingly simple but
oh-so-serious query, each covering some aspect not covered by others.
"How do you get on the Glaze Database? What am I doing wrong?" AND the
ruination of my kiln shelves question. Wow! I have a complete folder
of those responses .....and have passed on all the information to others
who requested it, many of whom were "newbies" and some of whom were
vastly experienced, and didn't pay much attention to the answers until
realizing that I was receiving a gold mine of info. In additon to
posts on Clayart, I've had numerous, highly respected, very experienced
teachers/potter/artists respond with direct e-mail. Each time I'm
overwhelmed. Peggy Heer, Rose Downs, Vince Pitelka, Richard Aerni,
June Perry, Karen G. from Alfred, Ron Roy, Tony Hansen, Tom Gray,
Robert Wilt, Richard Burkett, Jean Lehman, Lous Katz, Elenora Eden,
Marcia Selsor, Joe Molinaro, Francoise, Paul Lewing, Jonathon, Craig
Marshall, Linda Blossom, Linda Arbuckle. The list truly goes on and on.
This "newbie" is now moving a wee bit beyond that status with gratitude
for, and thanks owed to, my teacher, my mentor and my Clayarters,
especially the many whose direct e-mails are sometimes sent around
midnight, their time, after a long day toiling wherever they toil.
Joyce
In the Mojave wanting to add much more but appreciating the need
for the limits set by Joe.
Richard Ramirez on mon 10 feb 97
Too All New Potters,
Everyone that communicates on this discussion group, contibutes something to
us all. Whether we're knowledgable or expereinced doesn't really matter(
although it does come in handy) the real purpose is to be united with a
common interest that can overcome that feeling of being alone and not having
someone around to ask for help or information. Thats what this group is here
for, to help us all. So no matter how old, young, knowledgable, experienced
or unexperienced, the common thread thats woven here is clay. So don't feel
intimiated by those that have been there before you, you'll surely get there
in due time, keep your eyes and ears opened and your hands in the clay, and
things will come out.
Don't forget to ask questions!
Sincerely, Richard Ramirez "The Clay Stalker"
David Donica on tue 11 feb 97
At 09:19 AM 2/10/97 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Thank you Joyce for taking the time to respond and echo my sentiments
exactly. I will always be a new potter and as a newcomer to Clayart I am
amazed and so thankful to all the people you listed (and everyone else!)
for their willingness to share their opinions, ideas and expertise and help
us all advance our art/craft. I live in a rural area and have a "real job"
and there is no way I would ever have the time or resources to learn all
that I learn sitting in front of my computer every morning before leaving
for work. And it does seem that the more simple or mundane questions spawn
the most informative discussions. So, I'd like to offer to all the people
considering themselves newbies that the only bad question is the one that
goes unasked.
Maggie Shepard
FireWorks Pottery
Mt. Shasta, Calif.
Richard Gralnik on tue 11 feb 97
1. Clayart newbies should not be allowed to ask basic questions (check one):
( ) agree strongly
( ) agree
( ) disagree
(X) disagree strongly
This list is the most amazing collection of pottery wisdom and comraderie
you could ever want. I've been around pretty much since clayart started, and
I have megabytes of saved information shared by the kindness of strangers...
Sure, after years on the list I've seen some of these questions asked before.
I've seen formerly active members reduce their level of participation and
new gurus step in to provide so much valued help. There are entire threads
that I don't read. But so what? I just hope I can learn something worth
sharing to continue the cycle. I think it's the best way to say "Thank you!"
Richard
Vince Pitelka on wed 12 feb 97
At 08:32 AM 2/11/97 -0500, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>1. Clayart newbies should not be allowed to ask basic questions (check one):
>( ) agree strongly
>( ) agree
>( ) disagree
>(X) disagree strongly
Well, we went around and around on this quite recently, but I will stick my
foot in again. It is not a question of who should be ALLOWED to ask what,
and it is a little insulting to even imply such dictatorial policies. But
for God's sake, people, use a little common sense. We are up to 55 to 75
messages a day, and it is only common sense to go consult your handy copy of
any basic ceramics text before you post a question to the list. If you do
not have at least a few basic ceramics texts around, shame on you. Before
you all accuse me of being a curmudgeon, let me affirm that I love this list
and ALMOST all of the dialogue that takes place here. I answer many basic
questions, often via direct email, when the question is not something that
could be easily answered by any basic ceramics text. So, welcome to the
list to any of you who are new to clay. We are delighted to have you as
participants, and your questions and comments are ALWAYS welcome, but please
take the preceding paragraph into consideration.
Dannon Rhudy on thu 13 feb 97
Vince,
Thank you for a reasonable and reasoned response to a recurring
(and obviously inflammatory) question.
Of course people can and will ask whatever questions they like
of the list; there will be response or no response from others
on the list, as it should be. There are as yet no "question
police" to monitor "question correctness".
But as you point out, the list gets bigger, posts become more
numerous all the time. It certainly seems reasonable that
people will do a bit of research of their own when possible,
for very basic any-beginners-book-answers-this kinds of questions.
And there are the archives, too, for those who can access them.
Lots of good stuff, there.
We all hope for some thoughtfulness, some common sense, in our
dealings with the world (and the list), both from ourselves and
others. Not too much to ask, not too much to offer.
Dannon Rhudy
potter@koyote.com
Ron Roy on fri 14 feb 97
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>1. Clayart newbies should not be allowed to ask basic questions (check one):
>
>( ) agree strongly
>( ) agree
>( ) disagree
>(X) disagree strongly
>
>This list is the most amazing collection of pottery wisdom and comraderie
>you could ever want. I've been around pretty much since clayart started, and
>I have megabytes of saved information shared by the kindness of strangers...
>
>Sure, after years on the list I've seen some of these questions asked before.
>I've seen formerly active members reduce their level of participation and
>new gurus step in to provide so much valued help. There are entire threads
>that I don't read. But so what? I just hope I can learn something worth
>sharing to continue the cycle. I think it's the best way to say "Thank you!"
>
>Richard
I am still learning plenty from basic questions and answers - it's not
always true of the advanced questions and answers. There is something pure
about beginners attitudes and questions which take me back to my beginning
- I enjoy the trip and the chance to see and feel again that excitement of
finding where I was happiest.
I agree with Richard 100%.
Ron Roy
Toronto, Canada
Evenings, call 416 439 2621
Fax, 416 438 7849
Vince Pitelka on sat 15 feb 97
>I am still learning plenty from basic questions and answers - it's not
>always true of the advanced questions and answers. There is something pure
>about beginners attitudes and questions which take me back to my beginning
>- I enjoy the trip and the chance to see and feel again that excitement of
>finding where I was happiest.
>
>Ron Roy
Ron -
I would agree with most of the above, but we are still left with the dilemma
of how to get through 70, 80, 90 messages per day. Is your enjoyment
diminished at all as the numbers get this high? How do we deal with this?
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Phone - home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801
Appalachian Center for Crafts
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
YiLi Lin on sun 16 feb 97
Hope this is a good reason why the veterans out there should continue to
have patience with the new potters....
This morning I am reading posts while enjoying my "total potter's
breakfast". My fruit is in the "square bowl" I coiled and after first
glazing looked awful until I read a post here about re-firing, now its a
beautiful mottled lavendar- I burnished the second glazing. My coffee is
in my coffee glass- gave up on handles and ridged a wonderfully
comfortable cylinder that fits like a glove. Thank you to the poster
who encouraged going beyond traditional rules. This was my first dipping
(got brave after reading so many posts and set my Duncan ready made
aside). My sesame roll is warming in the oven on my earthenware hot plate
that can also serve as a dish keeping the roll warm.
So thank you all.
YiLi Lin
Julia M. Townsend on sun 16 feb 97
At 11:57 AM 2/15/97 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>>I am still learning plenty from basic questions and answers - it's not
>>always true of the advanced questions and answers. There is something pure
>>about beginners attitudes and questions which take me back to my beginning
>>- I enjoy the trip and the chance to see and feel again that excitement of
>>finding where I was happiest.
>>
>>Ron Roy
>
>Ron -
>I would agree with most of the above, but we are still left with the dilemma
>of how to get through 70, 80, 90 messages per day. Is your enjoyment
>diminished at all as the numbers get this high? How do we deal with this?
>- Vince
>
>Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
>Phone - home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801
>Appalachian Center for Crafts
>1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
>
>Vince-
I am a "newbie" to the clayart list, but not to clay in general. I get
through the 70,80,90 messages per day by reading the topics and only reading
the messages with topics that interest me. There is 30-50% of the topics
that don't interest me, so I don't read them. Its that simple. I only
reply to those I feel I can contribute to.
My enjoyment is not diminished at all by the topics that do not interest me.
They are of interest to someone out there and I would bet they are reading them.
This newsgroup is here for people to learn from and to keep in touch with
others of the same interests. Its not here for some people to say "that is
to simple a question" or "read your basic pottery books". Its human contact
and experience we are trying to draw from here. Let us learn form this list.
JuliA
John Guerin on sun 16 feb 97
In a message dated 97-02-15 12:14:15 EST, vpitelka@Dekalb.Net (Vince Pitelka)
writes:
<< I would agree with most of the above, but we are still left with the
dilemma
of how to get through 70, 80, 90 messages per day. Is your enjoyment
diminished at all as the numbers get this high? How do we deal with this?
- Vince >>
The best way allow us to get through an increasing number of messages each
day is for everyone submitting messages to insure you use good descriptive
SUBJECT that reflects the content of the message. That way we can delete the
message if it is not relevent to our area of interest. Some subject threads
go on for days and tend to wander from the original subject, but the REPLY's
just keep copying the original SUBJECT.
John Guerin
Tucson,AZ
Bill Edwards on wed 12 feb 03
Hi,
Lucy, I think Mary O'Connell is giving probably the
best advice you will find. In other words shake if off
and don't fret over it! You never know, some of those
well defined potters that have mastered the skills may
be having a bad clay day? It happens! I might even
have some tools if you find that Mary's offer doesn't
include all you need. More importantly if I can be of
any other help at all, please feel free to contact me!
Let me know how you progress. Its good to see you on
clayart. If you hang here long enough you will see
everyone gets a good dose of slurry followed by a
dusting of the pants every so often. No one has been
fully immune from the rath of potters that I know of?
You can also learn a whole lot by all this! :) They
mean you no harm I'm sure and in time you will see how
they all will form an alliance with you and help speed
you along when you have a problem. Ok, I should have
them on me by now so you can continue making pots and
enjoying the more important aspects of being a potter.
So take off and get to potting while I have their attention.
=====
http://www.tallapoosariverpottery.com/
Bill Edwards
PO Box 267
Lafayette, AL, 36862
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