Carla Flati on sat 13 apr 96
Hi All,
I just finished reading Carl Craven's message and have already started talking
to myself so I figured I better respond quickly.
What is talent anyway? Is it just being skilled at something, or is it a
combination of skill, creativity and a passion for whatever it is you're
"talented" in? For the sake of argument, I consider it the combination.
>>I believe in talent. I have a knack for computer intuition... it comes
easy for me. I don't have a talent for clay... but that doesn't mean I
can't learn it.<<
This is true to a point, but what will you learn? You can learn the skills of
the trade... how to throw, how to formulate your owns glazes, how to fire, but
without the talent , everything you make will look just like the work of the
person or persons that taught you. Without the creativity there's nothing
pushing you to take it one step further. Nothing to make it your own.
>>Being talented in an area of interest just makes it easier to learn. Being
untalented in an area makes it harder to learn, but certainly doesn't mean that
one can't.<<
Exactly! But I don't think we look at this in the same way. When I think back
to school, the things that didn't come easy for me are the things that I still
have absolutely no interest in. Even though I made good grades, I hated math in
any form...algebra, trig, geometry....yuk! I really had to study for those A's.
I loved art and journalism and still do. (If I had enough forsight, I would have
tried to like and remember chemistry a bit more.) For me, what came easy were
the things I truly love to do.....the things I should have chosen to do for a
living, but didn't much to my regret. I had two wonderful high school teachers
that realized this and really encouraged me. Unfortunately, I had a guidance
counselor who was as old as dirt. All that bra burning that was going on didn't
mean a thing to that guy. A female reporter was bad enough, but a female potter
was out of the question. I can just kick myself in the butt for actually having
listened to that man! Carl believes a person can learn something that doesn't
come naturally. I say why pursue something that is difficult for you? Too many
kids are forced into doing things that don't come naturally to them and they end
up as adults who hate what they do for a living. Not that we shouldn't look
forward to a challenge, but I'm talking about your life's work. I love a
challenge when it has to do with with the things I love, but don't throw a math
test in front of me or you might get your hand bitten off.
Beside our immediate family, my kids' teachers are the most important people in
their lives. I'm responsible for their hearts. I have to teach them to be good
human beings. I also have to help their teachers who are responsible for their
minds. My God, they have to teach them to read! Think about it. Elementary
teachers have the enormous responsibilty of teaching reading, writing, and
basic math. If we all do our jobs, we end up with 14 year olds that can read a
newspaper, make correct change and have a pretty good start on the rest of their
lives. But the hard part's not over. High school is where our kids have to
decide what they want to do for the rest of their lives and hopefully, their
high school teachers will help them make the right choices. Talk about
responsibility! My daughter will start high school this fall. Since I always
act on intuition and usually never on logic, I'm going to depend on her teachers
to save her from her mother. My intuition tells me that my daughter is a
lot like her me, not in the area of art, but she loves to write. What if I'm
wrong and it's just a mother's wishful thinking? I can't push her into
something she may not really be cut out for. High school teachers can possibly
make or break a kid and I can only hope that she ends up with "talented"
teachers.
One more thing. You may be able to learn clay, but I gotta tell ya.....there's
no way in this world that I could ever learn to sing. Even though I would love
to be able to, it's just not in me. To spare my family and friends any
discomfort, I usually lip synch Happy Birthday. So you see, sometimes
dedication, sincerity and practice just doesn't cut it. I've been practicing
for a looooooong time. ;-)
Carla
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