Ingeborg Foco on sat 7 jul 07
How nice to be finally connected to the greater clay community. I was on a
China tour
for over two weeks and of course did not receive clayart. After I
returned, I was suffering from major jet lag and clayart seemed to be not
working when I would have appreciated reading it during the wee hours of the
night when everyone else was sleeping. Then, my own email stopped
functioning. They now have level two admins trying to figure out what the
problem is. As of this writing, they have not figured it out. Time for
them to move up to level 3 me thinks!
My trip to China was absolutely fantastic. China is such an old and exotic
land with an enormous ceramic history that the trip was more than I could
have expected. It seems everyone is going to China these days. I read Tony
F's recent blog about his China experience; very interesting. Although I
gathered he went to work and exchange ideas rather than tour. Of course
Rick Swenson is working in Jindezhen and we get his regular updates on life
in China.
If you are considering going to China on a Ceramic Cultural Exchange, I
highly recommend the experience. Going with Po was a huge plus. Po is the
nicest person you could want to lead your group. He is knowledgeable about
clay and highly respected in the Chinese ceramic community. China is also
still very reasonable.
I would love to go to Japan, unfortunately, things seem horribly expensive
at least at this time.
Ellen, thanks, I received both emails. It lists your name and email address
with a number 2 behind it which I guess means there are two responses from
you. What I can't figure out is your email thru clayart or sent to me
individually. So definitely gmail format is different. It will take some
getting used to. For one thing, I can't quite figure out how to cut and
paste (yet) I also used to have a folder set up where clayart mail went
separating it from other email. Haven't gotten to that yet either. It's
wonderful to be back.
Sincerely,
Ingeborg
in SW Florida where the heat and humidity is unbelievably stifling. You
just gotta love Florida in July:)
www.thepottersworkshop.com
Ric Swenson on sun 8 jul 07
Ingeborg,
=20
Happy to hear about your trip with PO...He is indeed a gem. He helped me w=
ith my first visa application and I met him here when he brought a group to=
JDZ last year.
=20
BTW Don't miss the CERAMICS MONTHLY article on Trimming in the current (=
June-July, Summer issue, 2007) It was written and photographed by my friend=
"Shirley" who is just finishing her graduate degree in ceramics here at th=
e JingDeZhen Ceramic Institute. Her photos, I think, are quite outstanding.=
The article clearly explains the trimming process as it has been done her=
e for nearly a mellinia. ("thin as paper, sound as a bell, white as jade...=
..usw)
=20
I just watched a program on CCTV-9 (China's English language station...avai=
lable on cable worldwide) about Hu Tian Fe and his long research and work o=
n the Cadmium cone 13 China Red glaze. Some of the first Chinese ceramic wo=
rk, according to archeologists, was done in Chang Cha, Hunnan Province. (Th=
ey showed an unglazed piece 15,000 years old!) The kilns at Chang Cha were =
purportedly the first to do Copper reds....and are the origins of the 'sacr=
ificial' firing stories...and strong reduction causing the copper to go ox =
blood red instead of green, pink or the combination peach blossom.
=20
I flashed-back to 1980, when I met the monk (Brother Thomas) at Weston Prio=
ry in Vermont, who did beautiful copper reds. His porcelain 'pots' weren't =
too shabby either.
=20
Happy potting.
=20
Ric
=20
> Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2007 19:37:21 -0400> From: ingeborg.foco@GMAIL.COM> Subj=
ect: Trip to China with Po> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG> > How nice to be =
finally connected to the greater clay community. I was on a> China tour> fo=
r over two weeks and of course did not receive clayart. After I> returned, =
I was suffering from major jet lag and clayart seemed to be not> working wh=
en I would have appreciated reading it during the wee hours of the> night w=
hen everyone else was sleeping. Then, my own email stopped> functioning. Th=
ey now have level two admins trying to figure out what the> problem is. As =
of this writing, they have not figured it out. Time for> them to move up to=
level 3 me thinks!> > My trip to China was absolutely fantastic. China is =
such an old and exotic> land with an enormous ceramic history that the trip=
was more than I could> have expected. It seems everyone is going to China =
these days. I read Tony> F's recent blog about his China experience; very i=
nteresting. Although I> gathered he went to work and exchange ideas rather =
than tour. Of course> Rick Swenson is working in Jindezhen and we get his r=
egular updates on life> in China.> > If you are considering going to China =
on a Ceramic Cultural Exchange, I> highly recommend the experience. Going w=
ith Po was a huge plus. Po is the> nicest person you could want to lead you=
r group. He is knowledgeable about> clay and highly respected in the Chines=
e ceramic community. China is also> still very reasonable.> > I would love =
to go to Japan, unfortunately, things seem horribly expensive> at least at =
this time.> > Ellen, thanks, I received both emails. It lists your name and=
email address> with a number 2 behind it which I guess means there are two=
responses from> you. What I can't figure out is your email thru clayart or=
sent to me> individually. So definitely gmail format is different. It will=
take some> getting used to. For one thing, I can't quite figure out how to=
cut and> paste (yet) I also used to have a folder set up where clayart mai=
l went> separating it from other email. Haven't gotten to that yet either. =
It's> wonderful to be back.> > Sincerely,> > Ingeborg> > in SW Florida wher=
e the heat and humidity is unbelievably stifling. You> just gotta love Flor=
ida in July:)> > www.thepottersworkshop.com>=20
_________________________________________________________________
Missed the show?=A0 Watch videos of the Live Earth Concert on MSN.
http://liveearth.msn.com=
Ingeborg Foco on mon 9 jul 07
Dear Ric,
We spent a couple of days in JingDeZhen and I think it is one of my favorite
places. What a lovely campus where you work. Regretfully, Po was not able
to locate you while we were at the Ceramic Institute.
I have many great memories and wonderful pictures of the bustling ceramic
business. Everywhere I looked people were transporting enormous pots on the
back of bikes, mopeds or those two wheeled carts pulled by human beasts of
burden. Twice I saw a large truck (dump truck size) loaded to the hilt with
rectangular clay extrusions. It was quite a site and unfortunately, my
camera was not ready. By the time it booted up, the truck swerved around a
corner and was gone to whatever factory he was delivering the clay which by
the way was not packaged in any way. It would have been a great shot.
The first part of our trip with Po was a gastronomic delight. What we think
of Chinese food is a sad replica of what we actually experienced in
China. It was quite something. I wish I had some of the recipes that these
great dishes were concocted from. All of the restaurants Po took us to
where quite nice, but I regretted not being able to eat at the little
roadside stands. We were duly warned if we wanted to stay well and not risk
illness to not drink the water nor eat at those kinds of establishments.
While I never paid for any of the meals, it appeared eating out was very
reasonable at least by our standards. The food was fantastic and we ate
large quantities three times per day. Hard to believe that I didn't put on
10 lbs while there. Actually I didn't gain an ounce. Amazing!
We all purchased tools in Yixing and brushes, ink and paper in Beijing. The
prices were unbelievable. I am anxious to get back into the studio and try
using some of them before I forget what they are for. I am now wondering
what I bought buffalo horn for? But, how many times do you get the
opportunity to purchase buffalo horn?
It was a wonderful trip, something to remember for a very long time. Now I
am back home and need to get back into the swing of things here. Work
always waits for you it seems and it is hard to get much done with the heat
and oppressive humidity. We are now in the rainy season and every afternoon
it storms and usually rains often times with horrendous lightning storms
where it is not safe to be outside. It helps cool things off somewhat (for
an hour or so ha ha) Soon I will have to get back into the studio and make
inventory for the upcoming tourist season. My little Yixing teapot will be
on display in my gallery...of course it won't be for sale. And if I don't
find a use for my buffalo horn I guess it can go on display as well.
I suspect you are on vacation, off from teaching school. When we were
visiting the Forbidden City I thought everything was very crowded. However,
the tour guide said it wasn't really crowded but in another week, school
would be out and then throngs of people would be everywhere. I guess June
was a good time to visit.
Have a great summer and do keep sending us your informative letters from
China.
Sincerely,
Ingeborg
www.thepottersworkshop.com
On 7/8/07, Ric Swenson wrote:
>
> Ingeborg,
>
> Happy to hear about your trip with PO...He is indeed a gem. He helped me
> with my first visa application and I met him here when he brought a group to
> JDZ last year.
>
> BTW Don't miss the CERAMICS MONTHLY article on Trimming in the current
> (June-July, Summer issue, 2007) It was written and photographed by my friend
> "Shirley" who is just finishing her graduate degree in ceramics here at the
> JingDeZhen Ceramic Institute. Her photos, I think, are quite
> outstanding. The article clearly explains the trimming process as it has
> been done here for nearly a mellinia. ("thin as paper, sound as a bell,
> white as jade.....usw)
>
> I just watched a program on CCTV-9 (China's English language
> station...available on cable worldwide) about Hu Tian Fe and his long
> research and work on the Cadmium cone 13 China Red glaze. Some of the first
> Chinese ceramic work, according to archeologists, was done in Chang Cha,
> Hunnan Province. (They showed an unglazed piece 15,000 years old!) The kilns
> at Chang Cha were purportedly the first to do Copper reds....and are the
> origins of the 'sacrificial' firing stories...and strong reduction causing
> the copper to go ox blood red instead of green, pink or the combination
> peach blossom.
>
> I flashed-back to 1980, when I met the monk (Brother Thomas) at Weston
> Priory in Vermont, who did beautiful copper reds. His porcelain 'pots'
> weren't too shabby either.
>
> Happy potting.
>
> Ric
>
>
>
>
> > Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2007 19:37:21 -0400> From: ingeborg.foco@GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: Trip to China with Po> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG> > How nice
> to be finally connected to the greater clay community. I was on a> China
> tour> for over two weeks and of course did not receive clayart. After I>
> returned, I was suffering from major jet lag and clayart seemed to be not>
> working when I would have appreciated reading it during the wee hours of
> the> night when everyone else was sleeping. Then, my own email stopped>
> functioning. They now have level two admins trying to figure out what the>
> problem is. As of this writing, they have not figured it out. Time for> them
> to move up to level 3 me thinks!> > My trip to China was absolutely
> fantastic. China is such an old and exotic> land with an enormous ceramic
> history that the trip was more than I could> have expected. It seems
> everyone is going to China these days. I read Tony> F's recent blog about
> his China experience; very interesting. Although I> gathered he went to work
> and exchange ideas rather than tour. Of course> Rick Swenson is working in
> Jindezhen and we get his regular updates on life> in China.> > If you are
> considering going to China on a Ceramic Cultural Exchange, I> highly
> recommend the experience. Going with Po was a huge plus. Po is the> nicest
> person you could want to lead your group. He is knowledgeable about> clay
> and highly respected in the Chinese ceramic community. China is also> still
> very reasonable.> > I would love to go to Japan, unfortunately, things seem
> horribly expensive> at least at this time.> > Ellen, thanks, I received both
> emails. It lists your name and email address> with a number 2 behind it
> which I guess means there are two responses from> you. What I can't figure
> out is your email thru clayart or sent to me> individually. So definitely
> gmail format is different. It will take some> getting used to. For one
> thing, I can't quite figure out how to cut and> paste (yet) I also used to
> have a folder set up where clayart mail went> separating it from other
> email. Haven't gotten to that yet either. It's> wonderful to be back.> >
> Sincerely,> > Ingeborg> > in SW Florida where the heat and humidity is
> unbelievably stifling. You> just gotta love Florida in July:)> >
> www.thepottersworkshop.com>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Missed the show? Watch videos of the Live Earth Concert on MSN.
> http://liveearth.msn.com
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
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