search  current discussion  categories  people 

thought on peter voulkous

updated sun 31 mar 96

 

hm9 on fri 15 mar 96

Many have said that Picasso sold out. Many of the same comments directed
about Voulkous could also be directed against picasso.
1]
Peter Voulkous' functional pottery done in the early period of his career
while at Archie Bray are rather poor and are inferior to the work of either
of his mentors, rudy Audio and Picasso.
2]
voulkous along with Don reitz introduced the macho potter as a part of our
ceramic traditions and folklore. the macho potter is defined as one who:
can throw 50 lbs of clay into a dish
usually arrives about 8 pm in the studio
can drink and do drugs all night while firing

2]
the macho potter movement of the late 1950's and earl;y 1960's did libeate
clay from stagnation. Without voulkous, reitz and audio to name only the big
threek, clay would not have evolved into the great vareity of directions as
well as personalities which are at work today. they all must be given credit
for this.
HOWEVER ALL HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR OWN LEGENDS.
4]
We have moved on from these myths to an new reality. In Jungian terms they
are a part of our collective unconscious. but there are other referents in
the collective memories of potters such as:
maria martinez
otto and gertrude natzler
margarete wildenhain
dan rhoades

did these too sell out?

Voulkous's palce in ceramic history has been assured we need to move on.
Pottery to his credit has moved from crafts to art and maybve that
is why some react so. In the 1950's many ceramic programs were still located
in colleges of home economics or in education. Now ceramics is one of the
major offerings in most art departments.
Prior to 1960 you could count on one hand major programs in ceramics, now
they can be found anywhere.
Woulkopus and other lit the spark and we all have benefited.
Yes he sold out| Maybe every artist does so,. what about picasso, ruben,
remebrandt, matissen and even gaugin and cezanne? some sold out for money
and fame, others for myth and romance.
THE DEBATE WAS GREAT
WE NEED MORE.

Harold J. McWHINNIE
Email:Harold_J_McWHINNIE@umail.umd.edu (hm9)
Phone:53125

tom gray on sat 16 mar 96


------ =_NextPart_000_01BB12BB.8E69BFE0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8BIT

Harold- Last weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to meet & watch Don Rietz
work. Having made pots for 20 years- I'm not easily impressed. Don has yet to
outlive his legend. He is a genuine folk hero. Whether we agree with or condone
the macho cowboy lifestyle is immaterial, the man is still capable of making
great art & does so. Tom Gray Seagrove, N.C.
From: hm9[SMTP:Harold_J_McWHINNIE@umail.umd.edu]
Sent: Friday, March 15, 1996 5:38 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list CLAYART
Subject: thought on Peter Voulkous

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Many have said that Picasso sold out. Many of the same comments directed
about Voulkous could also be directed against picasso.
1]
Peter Voulkous' functional pottery done in the early period of his career
while at Archie Bray are rather poor and are inferior to the work of either
of his mentors, rudy Audio and Picasso.
2]
voulkous along with Don reitz introduced the macho potter as a part of our
ceramic traditions and folklore. the macho potter is defined as one who:
can throw 50 lbs of clay into a dish
usually arrives about 8 pm in the studio
can drink and do drugs all night while firing

2]
the macho potter movement of the late 1950's and earl;y 1960's did libeate
clay from stagnation. Without voulkous, reitz and audio to name only the big
threek, clay would not have evolved into the great vareity of directions as
well as personalities which are at work today. they all must be given credit
for this.
HOWEVER ALL HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR OWN LEGENDS.
4]
We have moved on from these myths to an new reality. In Jungian terms they
are a part of our collective unconscious. but there are other referents in
the collective memories of potters such as:
maria martinez
otto and gertrude natzler
margarete wildenhain
dan rhoades

did these too sell out?

Voulkous's palce in ceramic history has been assured we need to move on.
Pottery to his credit has moved from crafts to art and maybve that
is why some react so. In the 1950's many ceramic programs were still located
in colleges of home economics or in education. Now ceramics is one of the
major offerings in most art departments.
Prior to 1960 you could count on one hand major programs in ceramics, now
they can be found anywhere.
Woulkopus and other lit the spark and we all have benefited.
Yes he sold out| Maybe every artist does so,. what about picasso, ruben,
remebrandt, matissen and even gaugin and cezanne? some sold out for money
and fame, others for myth and romance.
THE DEBATE WAS GREAT
WE NEED MORE.

Harold J. McWHINNIE
Email:Harold_J_McWHINNIE@umail.umd.edu (hm9)
Phone:53125



------ =_NextPart_000_01BB12BB.8E69BFE0
Content-Type: application/ms-tnef
Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64
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------ =_NextPart_000_01BB12BB.8E69BFE0--