primalmommy on wed 12 sep 07
I used to be the local contact person for homeschooling. Libraries gave
out my phone number, and I spent hours on the phone with potential HSers
and newbies or every type: anti-establishment hippies, parents pulling
kids out of gangs, fundamentalists of several religions, regular folks
thinking it might be fun, whacko isolationists, people buying historic
homes in one of the nation's worst school systems, parents of the
expelled, gifted, bullied, disabled, and more.
It occurred to me that I could answer questions, but only with MY
answers. It wasn't always enough.
So I made a website with contacts from every homeschool group, and
invited callers to just show up at our weekly gatherings or join the
yahoo group, and ask their questions there. They would get all KINDS of
answers, some contradictory; they would get the wide picture, and not
just my own narrowish view. They would have to sort out answers for
themselves, but they would have lots of options to choose from. And they
could see first hand the diversity of the HS community, the good, the
bad and the whackadoo.
So, now. When my studio-mates asked about clayart, Of COURSE I told them
what I know. I told them that the regulars sometimes roll cyber-eyes
when newbies post with, "I need a good ^6 blue glaze", or post a bunch
of drive-by "gimmee" questions about things most easily accessed in the
archives. (Nancy swears that EVERYTHING anyone ever would want to know
is in the archives, which makes asking anything seem daunting.)
I told them that folks often DO post pretty elementary questions,
though, and that they can wade in with answers, or at least with their
own experiments and results.
I also suggested that it helps to read clayart long enough to get to
know a few of the players... like if the posters talking about glazes
are the same names as the books on your shelf, you might give those a
bit of extra weight. At the same time, you might not want fashion advice
from Paul Soldner, or materials safety advice from Peter Voulkous (RIP).
If somebody says product X is the greatest thing since sliced toast,
it's good to know whether they are selling any product X. Or if they say
it's crap, whether they maybe sell the competitive product Y.
Anyway, it's hard for people to jump in to a community when they aren't
sure what might get them flamed (or ignored). So I got it into my mind
-- knowing that both my pals read clayart -- that I could kind of
introduce them with my post, open the door for them, explain their
interest, and throw it out there to let clayarters answer the "how to
get involved" question (for Nancy and Joanne to read themselves). I 'm
not sure the response thus far has exactly encouraged them to dive in,
but there's always a circling fin in any water, real or cyber. It goes
with the territory. J&N are big girls, and regularly weather some
no-holds-barred critiques. I doubt they will retreat over a little
crabbiness.
As to sharing the great secrets of the MFA: it's not like an extra long
workshop with tricks, demos and how-tos. I saw more demos in a two day
Nick Joerling gig than in a year of the MFA program. We already know how
to make stuff. What learning happens is fine-tuning, as individual as
each student, and builds slowly, like a relationship or a learned dance.
It's mostly work... then a comment, then work.... a suggestion, and back
to work.
It has required setting ego aside, relearning how to be a student even
if we consider ourselves teachers.
There are no secret handshakes, (sorry Lori), ;0) no amazing
quick-success-tricks. The process of learning is very specific. This
sculptor, that potter, this terra cotta, that stoneware, all need
different feedback. And at least in our program, the process is slow and
very visual, almost without words.
Is it time to stoke now? How about now?
No, see flame curling down from the grate, there? Wait until it does --
that -- yeah, that. See? NOW stoke.
What's not right about this pot?
It's that angle there... and this curve. It's visually heavy through
here, this needs more ...oomph. Oh, and it's still too heavy.
OK, what about this one?
Or we learn from watching another student's personal light bulb moment,
or another student's dramatic crash-and-burn. Or by talking about art,
and function, decoration and bones, craftsmanship and the big picture --
as likely to take place over beer, morning coffee or email as they are
in the studio.
The grad students teach each other, good and bad. They aren't all happy
endings. And we aren't all soul mates. Some of us wouldn't have chosen
each other. But we share this one medium, the gifts and limitations of
this department, this one fireball of a prof. We laugh a lot, but often
it's that much needed release after dealing with tension. There are days
when I look forward to my own quiet studio at home, with no chatter, no
drama, no crit-eye-over-your-shoulder when you try something new. But
there are also unsettling moments when I realize that after graduation
next spring, I'll be evicted from this community of learners, this
familiar place, this challenge and feedback. "My" wheel and shelves,
"my" beloved few feet of canvas covered territory will be somebody
else's spot next year.
School turns out to be not the kind of experience that shares well. I
have struggled to explain the progress that takes place, here, and on my
blog, and in Clay Times, and for the video camera in the documentary
Diana is making to track our years in the program. But it's like
watching the moon come up. You can't see it move, but suddenly, it's up
to there.. and then there. Not even the overstimulated color-commentator
at the televised rocks-paper-scissors championship could bring moonrise
to a radio audience in any meaningful way.
Oddly, printmaking I could write about at length, if anyone cared. As a
beginner, I am learning new-to-me procedures, tools, skills and terms
every day. In ceramics, though, it's all familiar territory. Nothing
there would be novel or helpful to clayarters. We throw on potter's
wheels, sculpt big stuff on rolling cards, we fire this way or that, mix
clay and glaze.
I think in general the teacher IS the program, plus the concentrated
period of time. Tony's MFA is largely about John Neely and wood kilns.
Mine is about Diana, technical skill and design.
Some high schools have a battered kiln in the janitor's closet and kids
make pinch pots once a year because the teacher is not passionate about
clay... some high schools get a Lee Burningham and become a Ceramics
Program, a breeding ground for potters who graduate to establish their
own studios or head for clay college.
Yes, there are programs with more than one heavy hitter... big programs,
like Diana's own Alfred, like the ones in Ceramics Monthly lately with
well earned reputations, a tradition of ceramics, nice budgets and state
of the art stuff. But the heart of a program is the teaching, not the
stuff.
I'm sorry I don't have more zowie specifics to share about school. I
threw bowls all day, four pounds, then two, then hump thrown small ones.
I brought three boards of bowls home in my van to trim and add thrown
feet this weekend, once I finish fencing the chicken yard and make a few
batches of jam. They're better bowls than I was throwing last year, and
better bowls than I was throwing a week ago, and the 20th was a better
bowl than the 4th. Moon, rising. Interminably slowly. They have been
declared almost good enough to start altering now, in different ways,
experimentally.
We built a kiln, we learn to move equipment and handle the cantankerous
old clay mixer. We learn how a college ceramics program works, but it's
indirectly, in the trenches, one day at a time. We watch how classes are
handled, and how to deal with firing schedules, equipment repairs,
unclaimed pots, grad shows, making slides... by watching, or helping,
indirectly. It's more apprenticeship than "class".
I am sure none of this is the "meat" Elizabeth was looking for, but I am
not sure there's anything I can do about that. E, I am sorry to hear
you're dealing with sadness and worry. Keep in mind, though, that
several souls on this list have lost spouses and children, suffered life
threatening illness, or lost everything to natural disaster, without
ever being rude or unkind to others in their clayart posts.
I am sorry that my chatter seems self-promoting, to you. I have nothing
to sell to clayart, no pots, no conferences, no books. Lately I want to
tell the world about Diana Pancioli, Patrick Green, Joanne North, Nancy
Sly, and the other passionate, talented potters I have been lucky enough
to fall in with. Do I feel lucky to be me? Well, most of the time. When
I'm not feeling tired, overextended, road-weary or discouraged. But MFA
has little to do with all those cycles of lucky-me-poor-me. It's been
the same with any job I've ever had, parenting included. Most of the
time I feel pretty fortunate, though. Maybe it's because I am a
pessimist at heart, and the world keeps surprising me by surpassing my
expectations.
Yours
Kelly yn Ohyo.. tickled pynk that Vynce ys yn Turkey, havyng a byg
adventure...
http://www.primalpotter.com
http://www.primalmommy.com/blog.html
Click to become a designer and quit your boring job.
28Eke2mAon2gtj3/>
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Elizabeth Priddy on thu 13 sep 07
"I am sure none of this is the "meat" Elizabeth was looking for, but I
am
not sure there's anything I can do about that. E, I am sorry to hear
you're dealing with sadness and worry. Keep in mind, though, that
several souls on this list have lost spouses and children, suffered
life
threatening illness, or lost everything to natural disaster, without
ever being rude or unkind to others in their clayart posts."
It isn't. I already apologised for bringing it up. Thanks for rubbing it in.
You are like that.
E
Elizabeth Priddy
Beaufort, NC - USA
Natural Instincts Conference Information:
http://downtothepottershouse.com/NaturalInstincts.html
http://www.elizabethpriddy.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7973282@N03/
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Taylor Hendrix on thu 13 sep 07
Aw man. I though my little grinder song for newbies (aka fresh meat)
was very inviting.
And don't forget that most email readers have filters. Filters are
fantastic here on Clayart. For me some people who post to the list
just no longer exist. Never see a thing they write and some are put on
"hold" for a time until they get their meds readjusted.
I'm wanting to thump some paperclay bowls myself but I only have the
electric kiln and I don't want all that smoke pouring out of the peeps
and into the garagio. When your compadres start down the paper clay
trail be sure to make them post their experiences!
Taylor, in Rockport TX
On 9/12/07, primalmommy wrote:
...
I 'm
> not sure the response thus far has exactly encouraged them to dive in,
> but there's always a circling fin in any water, real or cyber. It goes
> with the territory. J&N are big girls, and regularly weather some
> no-holds-barred critiques. I doubt they will retreat over a little
> crabbiness.
...
Ralph Naylor on sat 15 sep 07
Hey Kelly, just tell N&J to never ever suggest any improvements to Clayart
and they'll be fine.
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