Tom Gray on mon 10 feb 97
I think burnout affects all of us at some time or other, if we work at this
profession long enough. How you deal with it is a personal thing. Sometimes
burnout may signal a time for change, or signal a time for reevaluation. In
my case, burnout came (the first time) about 10 years ago. For me, it meant
time to reevaluate. The result was not allow pottery to be my whole life,
and spend more time fishing. It worked for me! Had a lot of fun catching
some great fish as a result! The second time came last year. This time it
wasn't the least bit traumatic (like before), yet, it signaled a new
direction (computers) was due in my life. I have been making pots for 21
years, 19 full time, day in, day out. Making pots requires so much focus,
that it is easy to make it more important than it really is. I think that
when we do this, we do get into trouble. I remember reading an article in
CM several years ago by a potter that looked forward to having the option
of making pots for a hobby. I didn't understand at the time, but do now.
Those of us that make pots full time and feed our families, take vacations,
have health insurance, etc., from the proceeds are very lucky, indeed. But,
most of us are not big names that command big prices, and we still have to
make a few hundred mugs every year to help pay the bills. Boring sometimes,
but necessary. That's life. The question for you is, is it time to
redirect, just take a break, question why you do this in the first place,
or here's the biggie (judging from your letter), afraid of success?
Take a break, go catch a fish. You will be amazed at how many pottery
related problems can be solved when you get away from it for a while.
Later-
Tom Gray
Seagrove, NC
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