tony clennell on wed 5 sep 07
Kelly wrote:
Can I come with you, Tony?
Safe journey to you, buddy, and I'll be watching your blog. My Jeff and
your Sheila are pretty cool about holding down the fort while we're off
gallivanting... she's got a business to run, he's got three kids to deal
with. They both deserve some kind of major award... and we ain't it ;0)
Kelly; I'm sure you don't mean it but John would make room if ya pack your
chopsticks. My chair at the table will have been empty for 8 months in
2007. It's not the kitchen chair that matters so much as the potters chair.
We live by our pots alone. I did bring home some lovely work from Utah and
it is all sold. The trip to China will have me all eyes and pockets empty.
I'm going to try to learn things to do when I get home. There is lots of
studio time in Jingdezhen but I ain't gonna bust a gut there since I really
can't imagine shipping it home anyways. I'm in a place where they can do
anything imaginable with porcelain. Heck, the street lamp posts are
porcelain and the vases as tall as 18 feet. I actually dreamed last night
that I got throw with a couple of guys tandom on some big vases.
On my walk this morn ya had me thinking about me being no major award. I
don't think creative people are the best reward. Probably better to attach
yourself to some one that is predictable and has a better chance of bringing
home some big Canadian bacon. Material artists have not got much of a
chance of being financial tycoons.
I'm married to a very creative woman. She'd be bored stiff with a real
award. Our reward will have been our success as living artists. I once told
the story on Clayart of Milton Acorn one of my favourite Canadian poets. He
was a character. He had flaming red hair, wore red everything including
converse all stars. He would show up and protest politicans and go on rants
in a drunken rage. he was nominated for the Governor Generals Award and
didn't receive it. His poet friends Leonard Cohen and company thru him a
party at Grossmans Tavern and presented him with the People's Poet Award and
$1000 which he promptly lost.
A few years later he actually won the Governor Generals Award. He asked his
aging mother to accompany him. She said only if you wear a suit and behave
yourself. He promised and went out and bought a red suit,red shirt and red
tie.
When standing to receive this prestigous award he shook the GG's hand,
pulled out the People's Choice Award and said ' i've all ready got the one
that really matters!
What the people loved about Milton was the fire inside. Ya can't put out the
fire in people. What I love about my partner is that she has always stoked
the fire. Sometimes she ain't sure why but she keeps it lit.
I know how lucky I am.!
Good luck with your pots and final year.
Best,
Tony
Lee Love on wed 5 sep 07
On 9/5/07, tony clennell wrote:
> What the people loved about Milton was the fire inside. Ya can't put out the
> fire in people. What I love about my partner is that she has always stoked
> the fire. Sometimes she ain't sure why but she keeps it lit.
> I know how lucky I am.!
> Good luck with your pots and final year.
Fire is good. Being real good at what you do is good too.
For it to be meaningful to other people, some kind of altruistic
intention is necessary. My late teacher spoke about it in the quote
below:
"If you want to be a pianist, devote yourself to studying and
practicing the piano. This is the mind that seeks Truth. But though
you may eventually reach a lofty stage as a musician, it is not good
enough. You have to descend into the human world as well. Your life,
your presence, your personality must touch people's hearts directly.
This means you have to go beyond being a pianist.
"It is relatively easy to teach people to be musicians, but it is not
so easy to teach them how to go beyond being a musician. If you would
teach this to others, your mind must be based on compassion. When you
teach, you have to pierce the human heart and take away the flag of
ego. So your compassion must extend beyond the words you use. Then
your penetrating words will teach and not injure." --Dainin Katagiri
Roshi
--
Lee in Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
"Making pots should not be a struggle.
It should be like walking down a hill
in a gentle breeze." --Shoji Hamada
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
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