Eric Suchman on mon 21 may 07
With that in mind I've been trying to decide which magazine to
delete. Ceramics Monthly or Claytimes. I have just subscribed to
Ceramics Technical and have to let one of them go. Any thoughts?
Eric in Oceanside
Ellen Currans on mon 21 may 07
I've subscribed to CM for close to 50 years, and the last ten or so I
have mostly felt let down when it comes. It is probably just that I'm
one of the dinosaurs still thinking in terms of pottery as opposed to
"art"; also usefulness, beauty of form and glaze, and horror of
horrors, " can I make a living doing it? ". In its new format,
separating technical, how we do it information, from MFA shows and
exhibitions of new trendy work, I don't find much that excites me. If
I see one more lumpy, bumpy, overpainted set of cruets sitting on a
pedestal, I will gag. I cook and love to serve food, but never in my
wildest dreams would I go to all the bother of transfering oil and
vinegar to such an expensive little gewgaw just for one meal. And, I
wonder how many of the younger generations, many of whom subsist on
takeout and pizza, would do so either.
That said, I think the June/July issue is very well done and worth the
money. It has already been noted that there is a good article on
firing Cone 6 iron reds. The focus of the issue is "Working Potters"
and there are articles by 9 full-time potters telling how they have
made it work for them. Lots of good information for those of you
thinking about making your living from clay. Why they live where they
do, whether they do wholesale or craft fairs or sell out of the studio
---all the questions asked from time to time on Clayart, with a variety
of sensible, answers. There is an article on how the Toe River Studio
tour works. And, Mark Hewitt has a delightful Comment on "Functional
Pride: putting the fun back into functional pottery," which should
satisfy a great many Clayarter's need to define everything down to the
last degree. Mark gives us a great many new categories for types of
functional pottery, or as Mark would say, "Fun pottery."
If would be great if this issue sells out and CM gets the message that
we want more meaty info along with our pretty pictures.
Ellen Currans
Dundee, Oregon
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louroess2210 on mon 21 may 07
On May 21, 2007, at 12:29 PM, Ellen Currans wrote:
> I've subscribed to CM for close to 50 years, and the last ten or so I
> have mostly felt let down when it comes.
Ellen, I totally agree with you. I stopped my subscription several
years ago for the exact reasons you state. I glance through the
copies at the school studio, but usually all that does is validate my
decision. I will go a little slower through the current issue and
see what there is to see.
Lou
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