Ric Swenson on fri 27 apr 07
Hey, Hey, Hey,
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Ni Hao from China. Weather in JingDeZhen is Spring-like if maybe a bit rai=
ny and cool some days. I am awoken each day by the early cock crows in the =
yard below my window where there sits a large gas kiln and a small studio a=
rea..... and the mournful dogs who wails from nearby a campus neighbor's ya=
rd. Some mornings it is the cats in the dorm hallways arguing over the chi=
cken bones and other tasty stuff left in the hallway waste bins by students=
and faculty from foreign lands. MEOWWWW!
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I seldom have to set an alarm clock. The water pump is turned on each day =
at 6:30 AM and I catch the bus to New Campus most days at 7:30....so there =
is time to three S (ie. S..., shower and shave. I usually stop by the campu=
s canteen/dining hall to grab a carrot/lettuce "sandwich".... a delightful =
substitute for the Mickey D's McMuffin with 30 weight oil... avail in USA a=
nd elsewhere. The food here really is very fresh and extremely tasty. The f=
ruits and vegetables arrive daily, along with some interesting meats. I ha=
d water buffalo innards the other day.....kidneys, stomach, liver, heart an=
d intestines. Lotus root and bamboo shoots are excellent. The local delica=
sy is a rice noodle dough, sliced and boiled with spiced (brown) water and =
then cooked in soy oil with vegetables d'jour. Yummy.
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CCTV 9 which is available in US on most cable channels is an interesting wa=
y to learn about China. Good documentaries and not too much propaganda. I w=
as a judge, along with Noel O'Connell from Wisconsin....and several Chinese=
English language teachers from local high schools and colleges...of the En=
glish language competition in CCTV JinDeZhen last weekend. Interesting to =
hear how the younger students actually have a better command of the languag=
e of English than the college aged students. Contestants were from 5 to 25=
years old.
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The youngest generation here is getting the most exposure to oral English. =
As it should be. They will be the teachers who make it possible for all Ch=
inese to know some English some day. Just as all Americans could push aside=
their egos for a moment and learn some Chinese...if they were of a mind to=
. My second language is Spanish and my third is Norwegian....then Chinese, =
Korean and Japanese. But my German is very poor, (only a semester in colle=
ge) my French is terrible ( mostly by osmosis from living in Paris for 6 we=
eks and the fact that my younger sister and both daughters took French.....=
and my Italian is nearly non-existent.( 6 weeks in Florence and Rome isn't=
enough to teach one too much.) Communication is so vital these days. I wi=
sh I were capable of learning more.
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The May Day (Labor Day) Holiday begins May 1...Tuesday. We have 7 days off =
and I will travel to Yunnan Province....and Shangrila, Kunming, etc. I am =
looking forward to the flight and seeing some interesting Ethnic minority C=
hinese groups. Southwest China is said to be very beautiful and different f=
rom where I spend the lion's share of my time....in East central China Jian=
Xi Province.
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Artist's statements are an interesting topic. I did one for my December exh=
ibition of ceramic sculptures (Winged pots) I draw every day. I use a sumi =
brush and carbon black ink on gouache paper or rice paper. I seek forms and=
lines that are interesting.
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After 40 years of potting and sculpting and doin' clay and all sorts of art=
sy-fartsy stuff, I have had many critiques...critiques galore...and like wa=
ter off a duck's back, some of the more critical remarks I tend to listen t=
oo...but consider the source and choose to ignore.....but I still want to h=
ear critical remarks...it keeps me grounded and I don't get wrapped up in m=
y own egotistical karma.
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I do defend my choices of media, shape, form, color, texture, etc. because =
they all come from my being, my thoughts and creative urges. I thoughtfully=
consider my choices and so it is easy to defend my work. It is mine and mi=
ne alone. I may owe something to former teachers and contemporaries, but i=
t is my work and I don't copy others. Mostly I try not to copy myself.
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My work is mine. It is defensible and not offensive. I use humor and shamel=
essly collaborate with other clay artists. I believe I still have much to l=
earn from others. My students constantly amaze me with their honesty and c=
reative views. =20
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Although I have written more than a dozen articles for CM and Am Craft mag.=
and been featured in some "big shows" it is not what drives me to work. I=
try not to cloud my work with lofty words. Just state the facts and the f=
eelings is what I was taught....and it works for me. KISS (Keep It Simple S=
tupid)
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and
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On another subject..... trying to explain American English expressions and =
idioms is very difficult. How can one be "beside themselves"? How is one "=
out of his head"? Tired as a dog? How can it rain "cats and dogs" ( yeah, I=
know it goes back to medieval thatched roofs.) =20
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The copper and gold mines here are prospering. Their stock prices have gon=
e out of sight. Yikes. I wish I had a lot of Yuan to invest in Chinese sto=
ck right now. There are clay mines, gypsum mines and of course coal mines k=
eep the power plant in town going. The ceramics industry is thriving here n=
ow. The economy is growing at amazing levels. The government does control =
the growth to avoid the 'bursting bubble' at some future point. The biggest=
industries and government owned/controlled and exist to serve the populous=
. But they also have their issues among leaders.... with honesty, and graft=
too. Humans...hey what can you do?
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So I hope this little missal finds you well and hale and hearty. Keep potti=
ng!!
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& "Keep your stick on the ice!"
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Regards,
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Ric
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"...then fiery expedition be my wing, ..." Wm. Shakespeare, RICHARD III, Ac=
t IV Scene III Richard H. ("Ric") Swenson, Teacher, Office of International=
Cooperation and Exchange of Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, TaoYang Road, Ea=
stern Suburb, Jingdezhen City JiangXi Province, P.R. of China. Postal code=
333001. Mobile/cellular phone :13767818872 +86-0798-8499600 (ofc.) +86-079=
8-8499012 (fax) E-Mail: RicSwenson0823@hotmail.com=20
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