Gayle Bair on sun 23 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
Hi Billi,
I have been doing a weekly purge.
I fill at least one trash can bag. I purge several shelves
each week. This has been going on every Tuesday for over a month.
BUT I just don't get it.... when I come into the studio the next morning
it seems like there is just as much as before......
I suspect the stuff is procreating at night!
Gayle Bair - just back from the Potters Council "Breaking the Surface"
workshop.... it was excellent.
Bainbridge Island, WA
Tucson, AZ
http://claybair.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On Behalf Of Billie
Mitchell
Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2007 5:49 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: is your studio clean , cluttered, somewhat dirty or down right
dirty
this week i have been cleaning my studio.. i have things in there that i
have had since
i very first started pottery over 13 years ago.. really cant remember how
long some
of this stuff has been in there..
i found that some of my studio was somewhat organized and other parts was
just
downright dirty.. piled high of stuff i just couldnt let go of.. dont know
why i kept
some of it so long.. i know that i am a pack rat.. a freind told me that
artists tend to
be pack rats. but when you get two packrats into the home everything adds up
to
where you have to start purging somewhere. i started doing this and now i
find i want
to get rid of even more clutter.. i have thrown so much into the trash this
week that
i had to put some in the neighbors trash.. you know you can only put so much
out
there that the trash people will pick up.
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Checked by AVG Free Edition.
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1:53 PM
Taylor Hendrix on sun 23 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
Billie, Billie, Billie,
My garagio is a disaster area. When I get my camera back I'll post a
pic of it for you. I told you that I'm a slob in the studio, so don't
be surprised. Eventually it will get so bad and I will get so mad,
that I will spend 2 days "cleaning up". Most things won't get thrown
away but rather just packed down in those little pockets of detritus
that form around my work areas. In a few years that stuff will break
down enough and I'll have excellent studio mulch for growing pots.
Sigh...
Taylor, in Rockport TX
On 9/22/07, Billie Mitchell wrote:
> this week i have been cleaning my studio.. i have things in there that i have had since
> i very first started pottery over 13 years ago.. really cant remember how long some
> of this stuff has been in there..
...
Steve Dalton on sun 23 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
I keep saying one of these days. I also say I need a
larger space! I've got a lot in a 20x24! Yes I know,
I've out grown it!
I've got; my reloading equipment with tubs and bags of
brass( my hobby is target shooting) my tools, family
storage(I built a loft just for this), wheel, slab
roller, pugmill...
I guess I can say, it is very cluttered.
Steve Dalton
Clear Creek Pottery
Snohomish, WA
--- Billie Mitchell
wrote:
> this week i have been cleaning my studio.. i have
> things in there that i have had since
> i very first started pottery over 13 years ago..
> really cant remember how long some
> of this stuff has been in there..
>
> i found that some of my studio was somewhat
> organized and other parts was just
> downright dirty.. piled high of stuff i just couldnt
> let go of.. dont know why i kept
> some of it so long.. i know that i am a pack rat.. a
> freind told me that artists tend to
> be pack rats. but when you get two packrats into the
> home everything adds up to
> where you have to start purging somewhere. i started
> doing this and now i find i want
> to get rid of even more clutter.. i have thrown so
> much into the trash this week that
> i had to put some in the neighbors trash.. you know
> you can only put so much out
> there that the trash people will pick up.
>
> i havent been able to get hubby to purge yet.. but
> working on it.. he actually came to
> me today and said we need to go through the shed and
> get rid of stuff that we just
> dont use.. you know we kept alot of stuff saying we
> might need it one day.
>
> im sure im not the only one who has kept things in
> their studio till the shelves get full
> and overflowing. so i finally just started throwing
> things away. some day i might
> regret throwing some of it away.. but i just cant
> look back now and say should of
> could of kept that.
>
> is there anyone else out there that finds they cant
> work in a completely clean studio?
> i just dont know what im gonna do when i get it done
> and can find a place to put
> everything and not have to stack it up on top of
> each other..
>
> i know i have alot of freinds who studios are
> spotless and clean. i dont know how
> they do it with working with clay..
>
> humm i wonder how long i will be able to keep it
> this way.. im sure it wont be long
> and i will start stacking stuff up again.. saying i
> might use that one day..
>
> billie mitchell
>
> --
> livingspiritpottery@comcast.net
> Acworth ga.
>
>
______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
> reached at melpots2@visi.com
>
Angela Davis on sun 23 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
Congratulations Billie, throwing out is a difficult project to start
but once begun takes on it's own momentum.
(I wonder how many of us were wondering what was in that trash heap that
we could use?)
Do you find yourself sneaking a peek at your new space even when you don't
actually
have a reason to go to the studio? I do that when I just clean out the
fridge.
Be sure to take photos of your organized studio, you
may forget that it can look like that.
I actually made a video of my walk in closet after a mandatory
organization ( the closet maid collapsed leaving everything in a heap).
I installed heavy duty hanging brackets and added more shelving.
Threw out a ton of stuff too.
I was so proud of how nice it looked I shot the video. Good thing
because I can hardly find anything in there today and it's only been 2
years!
Angela Davis
In Homosassa. ( Let's not talk about the studio.)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Billie Mitchell"
To:
Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2007 7:49 PM
Subject: is your studio clean , cluttered, somewhat dirty or down right
dirty
> this week i have been cleaning my studio.. i have things in there that i
> have had since
> i very first started pottery over 13 years ago.. really cant remember how
> long some
> of this stuff has been in there..
>
> i found that some of my studio was somewhat organized and other parts was
> just
> downright dirty.. piled high of stuff i just couldnt let go of.. dont know
> why i kept
> some of it so long.. i know that i am a pack rat.. a freind told me that
> artists tend to
> be pack rats. but when you get two packrats into the home everything adds
> up to
> where you have to start purging somewhere. i started doing this and now i
> find i want
> to get rid of even more clutter.. i have thrown so much into the trash
> this week that
> i had to put some in the neighbors trash.. you know you can only put so
> much out
> there that the trash people will pick up.
>
> i havent been able to get hubby to purge yet.. but working on it.. he
> actually came to
> me today and said we need to go through the shed and get rid of stuff that
> we just
> dont use.. you know we kept alot of stuff saying we might need it one day.
>
> im sure im not the only one who has kept things in their studio till the
> shelves get full
> and overflowing. so i finally just started throwing things away. some day
> i might
> regret throwing some of it away.. but i just cant look back now and say
> should of
> could of kept that.
>
> is there anyone else out there that finds they cant work in a completely
> clean studio?
> i just dont know what im gonna do when i get it done and can find a place
> to put
> everything and not have to stack it up on top of each other..
>
> i know i have alot of freinds who studios are spotless and clean. i dont
> know how
> they do it with working with clay..
>
> humm i wonder how long i will be able to keep it this way.. im sure it
> wont be long
> and i will start stacking stuff up again.. saying i might use that one
> day..
>
> billie mitchell
>
> --
> livingspiritpottery@comcast.net
> Acworth ga.
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots2@visi.com
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.13.28/1023 - Release Date:
> 9/22/2007 1:27 PM
>
>
Lisa Skeen on sun 23 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
Hey Billie, I'm right in there with you. I don't have a lot of stuff I
don't use - there is SOME, but not a lot - but I am a clutterbug, and tend
to leave things where I finish using them. But. I can't do major amounts
of work in a cluttery space and I get major mental block until I clean the
place up. It needs cleaning now.... And I've got to gear up for two
shows, so guess what I'll be doing next week?
L
http://www.living-tree.net/calendar.htm
----- Original Message -----
From: "Billie Mitchell"
> is there anyone else out there that finds they cant work in a completely
> clean studio?
Gayle Bair on mon 24 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
Re: keeper of things
On the other hand I must say that I really get a charge out of my husband or
son
coming into the studio and asking me if I have some tool or something they
are positive
I won't have on hand and I say sure and give it to them.
Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island, WA
Tucson, AZ
http://claybair.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Lauren Bellero
hi billie!
you asked:
> is there anyone else out there that finds they cant work in a completely
clean studio?
oh i definitely COULD -- if only! i am a clutter-er, too. and keeper of
things
remotely usable (and sometimes things i can't think of a use for now, but
know i
will someday). i also work that way. i work myself into the smallest usable
space
before i get so annoyed that i have to clear everything away 'right now' to
keep
going. snip>
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Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.13.30/1027 - Release Date: 9/24/2007
11:27 AM
Kathy Forer on mon 24 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
On Sep 24, 2007, at 11:04 AM, Lauren Bellero wrote:
> hi billie!
>
> you asked:
>> is there anyone else out there that finds they cant work in a
>> completely clean studio?
I can work just fine in a clean studio. It just doesn't stay that way.
I work on projects. Before I start and at intervals during a project
I will clean the immediate area. But within five minutes of starting
work, it looks like a wind has gone through. If it doesn't,
something's not working!
Kathy
--
www.kathyforer.com
Veena Raghavan on mon 24 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
Hi Billie,
My studio is cluttered and cluttered and cluttered. Each time I tidy up and
organize, I feel I have spent a great deal of time and achieved a lot. Then a
couple of weeks later, I am back in the same chaos. I have decided that, though
I do have to clear up, I thrive on the chaos. Maybe that's just an excuse I
make to myself, but I can never seem to keep it tidy and organized.
I think you are terrific taking on this endeavor and clearing up. Enjoy your
organized studio and the good feeling.
Veena
In a message dated 9/24/2007 12:16:33 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
wirerabbit2@GMAIL.COM writes:
>
> On 9/22/07, Billie Mitchell wrote:
> >this week i have been cleaning my studio.. i have things in there that i
> have had since
> >i very first started pottery over 13 years ago.. really cant remember how
> long some
> >of this stuff has been in there..
> ...
>
VeenaRaghavan@cs.com
Susan Fox Hirschmann on mon 24 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
In a message dated 9/24/2007 11:29:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
VeenaRaghavan@CS.COM writes:
Hi Billie,
My studio is cluttered and cluttered and cluttered. Each time I tidy up and
organize, I feel I have spent a great deal of time and achieved a lot. Then a
couple of weeks later, I am back in the same chaos. I have decided that,
though
I do have to clear up, I thrive on the chaos. Maybe that's just an excuse I
make to myself, but I can never seem to keep it tidy and organized.
I think you are terrific taking on this endeavor and clearing up. Enjoy your
organized studio and the good feeling.
Veena
After each session of classes, I do something I call
"therapuetic cleaning", cause it makes me feel SOOOO Good afterwards to work
and live in a clean organized space.
Makes me feel more in control of my work, my sometimes crazy schedule, with
people and classes coming and going all the time....., and life in general.
Susan
Annandale, VA
************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
Lois Sharpe on mon 24 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
On Sep 24, 2007, at 10:04 AM, Jancy Jaslow wrote:
>
> Observation: potters who come from a teaching, med/nursing,
> engineering background seem really tidy when they work in clay???
> Probably their day-work enforced that ethic.
>
> Jancy Jaslow
>
>
Well, there are exceptions to everything. I was an Emergency Room
nurse for 20+ years. Because I do well with pressure and chaos.
Ok! imagine how my studio looks. and the more deadlines I have the
more I enjoy my process.
BUT the older I get, the less stuff I want, and I am slowly redoing
my house to be clutter free and organized. I love my newly
redecorated, clean and UNCLUTTERED kitchen.
so maybe it will drift to the studio one day..........
one day......
haaaaaaaaa
lo
Lois Sharpe
Durham NC
Phone 919 489 1715
Dannon Rhudy on mon 24 sep 07
I keep my studio pretty clean. I don't like clutter-
it's visually distracting and I'm claustrophobic.
And, I like lots of space
to work in. I tend to make a lot of mess when
I work, but I always clean the studio before I
stop for the day - or night, as the case may be.
My most creative and energetic time is morning.
I don't want to spend a minute of it cleaning
up last night's mess. And cleaning up before I
leave "winds me down" as it were.
Since my space is limited, I don't want to
allot any of it to "stuff". My main concession to
collecting is a larger-than-needed tool
collection. Most are put away; I regularly use
only a half dozen or so. I store my (many) bats
beneath a large worktable on a dolly. Out of
the way, easy to reach.
Boring, eh?
regards
Dannon Rhudy
Lauren Bellero on mon 24 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
hi billie!
you asked:
> is there anyone else out there that finds they cant work in a completely clean studio?
oh i definitely COULD -- if only! i am a clutter-er, too. and keeper of things
remotely usable (and sometimes things i can't think of a use for now, but know i
will someday). i also work that way. i work myself into the smallest usable space
before i get so annoyed that i have to clear everything away 'right now' to keep
going.
unfortunately, i also have a bad memory. so even if i've saved something,
i usually can't find where i put it! i've kept all kinds of things i've found
(or bought) that i 'may' need someday for some seemingly, but not really,
'fantastic' idea i have to try, or for some effect/technique that takes more
time to master than i wind up giving it. however, i truly believe that no matter
how much space i have, i'd eventually wind up filling it with more 'stuff'. i do
try to purge things now and then, but only because they may have been lying around
for 10 or more yrs! i have over 150 glaze containers (large and small) of test
batches and others. yes, i deserve to be hit with the infamous 2x4. i just know
there's a gold mine there (if i could get to know a couple of them like mel knows
his rhodes).
and i can't pass up a bucket! really, how many buckets does one person need??
fortunately, every once in a while, my right hand man (who's actually a lefty --
and a bit anal) will take pity on me and help me organize. and, man, do i love it!
too bad it doesn't become a habit for me. can we change our stripes? i don't
know. sometimes i just accept that i do what i do ("i yam what i yam") and keep
on working!
all the best,
lauren
--
Lauren Bellero, Mudslingers Pottery
http://mudslingerspottery.net
Red Bank, NJ
Forrest on tue 25 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
Lauren and other clutterers,
I have a small studio and I confess I'm a clutterbug. But I'm not as bad as
I was just a few years ago. I kept everything - dryer lint, would you
believe? I thought it might give interesting effects in my smoke firings.
I dried my herbs, flowers and even some weeds for the same use. I have
pecan trees and kept the pecan shells, even. Then one day I was sitting at
my wheel, happily throwing pots when I heard a skritch-scratch sound.
Searching led me to my bags of stuff infested with fat bugs. That cured me!
Now my studio is a bit of a mess, but it is a functional mess and I no
longer keep everything thinking I'll use it. In fact, today I am starting a
long overdue project: taking everything out of the studio so I can seal the
floor, which somehow never got done when I built the studio 7 years ago.
Rosemary
On 9/24/07 11:04 AM, "Lauren Bellero" wrote:
> hi billie!
>
> you asked:
>> is there anyone else out there that finds they cant work in a completely u
>> clean studio?
>
> oh i definitely COULD -- if only! i am a clutter-er, too. and keeper of things
> remotely usable (and sometimes things i can't think of a use for now, but know
> i
> will someday). i also work that way. i work myself into the smallest usable
> space
> before i get so annoyed that i have to clear everything away 'right now' to
> keep
> going.
> unfortunately, i also have a bad memory. so even if i've saved something,
> i usually can't find where i put it! i've kept all kinds of things i've found
> (or bought) that i 'may' need someday for some seemingly, but not really,
> 'fantastic' idea i have to try, or for some effect/technique that takes more
> time to master than i wind up giving it. however, i truly believe that no
> matter
> how much space i have, i'd eventually wind up filling it with more 'stuff'. i
> do
> try to purge things now and then, but only because they may have been lying
> around
> for 10 or more yrs! i have over 150 glaze containers (large and small) of test
> batches and others. yes, i deserve to be hit with the infamous 2x4. i just
> know
> there's a gold mine there (if i could get to know a couple of them like mel
> knows
> his rhodes).
> and i can't pass up a bucket! really, how many buckets does one person need??
> fortunately, every once in a while, my right hand man (who's actually a lefty
> --
> and a bit anal) will take pity on me and help me organize. and, man, do i love
> it!
> too bad it doesn't become a habit for me. can we change our stripes? i don't
> know. sometimes i just accept that i do what i do ("i yam what i yam") and
> keep
> on working!
>
> all the best,
> lauren
> --
> Lauren Bellero, Mudslingers Pottery
> http://mudslingerspottery.net
> Red Bank, NJ
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots2@visi.com
Donna Kat on tue 25 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
I think craftsmen/artist tend to be packrats because they can always see
potential in almost anything. Old newspaper can be used for raku, paper
clay, cover for wareboards... Any kitchen tool is useable in the studio.
Much of what is trash to others is something to be put to use by a
potter. What would we do without those plastic dry cleaning bags, unused
greenboard or cement board, scrap lumber, etc. Limbs pruned off a tree
get nail together to make a beautiful arbor or bench. Grapevines pulled
up as weeds make such beautiful handles. I could go on and on but I would
only be preaching to the choir.
Donna
P.S. I border on OCD most of the time so my clutter/junk is nicely
organized and I wet mop the studio frequently to keep down the dust.
On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:49:18 +0000, Billie Mitchell
wrote:
>this week i have been cleaning my studio.. i have things in there that i
have had since
>i very first started pottery over 13 years ago.. really cant remember how
long some
>of this stuff has been in there..
>
>i found that some of my studio was somewhat organized and other parts was
just
>downright dirty.. piled high of stuff i just couldnt let go of.. dont
know why i kept
>some of it so long.. i know that i am a pack rat.. a freind told me that
artists tend to
>be pack rats. but when you get two packrats into the home everything adds
up to
>where you have to start purging somewhere. i started doing this and now i
find i want
>to get rid of even more clutter.. i have thrown so much into the trash
this week that
>i had to put some in the neighbors trash.. you know you can only put so
much out
>there that the trash people will pick up.
>
>i havent been able to get hubby to purge yet.. but working on it.. he
actually came to
>me today and said we need to go through the shed and get rid of stuff
that we just
>dont use.. you know we kept alot of stuff saying we might need it one day.
>
>im sure im not the only one who has kept things in their studio till the
shelves get full
>and overflowing. so i finally just started throwing things away. some day
i might
>regret throwing some of it away.. but i just cant look back now and say
should of
>could of kept that.
>
>is there anyone else out there that finds they cant work in a completely
clean studio?
>i just dont know what im gonna do when i get it done and can find a place
to put
>everything and not have to stack it up on top of each other..
>
>i know i have alot of freinds who studios are spotless and clean. i dont
know how
>they do it with working with clay..
>
>humm i wonder how long i will be able to keep it this way.. im sure it
wont be long
>and i will start stacking stuff up again.. saying i might use that one
day..
>
>billie mitchell
>
>--
>livingspiritpottery@comcast.net
>Acworth ga.
>
>__________________________________________________________________________
____
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots2@visi.com
Barbara Lewis on tue 25 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
Donna: I agree with you on the pack rat stuff, which makes emptying my
studio to fix a nasty little termite problem seem overwhelming. Now if only
I had a high school football team to help with the heavy lifting and moving!
Barbara
----- Original Message -----
From: "Donna Kat"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 5:28 PM
Subject: Re: is your studio clean , cluttered, somewhat dirty or down right
dirty
>I think craftsmen/artist tend to be packrats because they can always see
> potential in almost anything. Old newspaper can be used for raku, paper
> clay, cover for wareboards... Any kitchen tool is useable in the studio.
> Much of what is trash to others is something to be put to use by a
> potter. What would we do without those plastic dry cleaning bags, unused
> greenboard or cement board, scrap lumber, etc. Limbs pruned off a tree
> get nail together to make a beautiful arbor or bench. Grapevines pulled
> up as weeds make such beautiful handles. I could go on and on but I would
> only be preaching to the choir.
>
> Donna
>
> P.S. I border on OCD most of the time so my clutter/junk is nicely
> organized and I wet mop the studio frequently to keep down the dust.
>
>
> On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:49:18 +0000, Billie Mitchell
> wrote:
>
>>this week i have been cleaning my studio.. i have things in there that i
> have had since
>>i very first started pottery over 13 years ago.. really cant remember how
> long some
>>of this stuff has been in there..
>>
>>i found that some of my studio was somewhat organized and other parts was
> just
>>downright dirty.. piled high of stuff i just couldnt let go of.. dont
> know why i kept
>>some of it so long.. i know that i am a pack rat.. a freind told me that
> artists tend to
>>be pack rats. but when you get two packrats into the home everything adds
> up to
>>where you have to start purging somewhere. i started doing this and now i
> find i want
>>to get rid of even more clutter.. i have thrown so much into the trash
> this week that
>>i had to put some in the neighbors trash.. you know you can only put so
> much out
>>there that the trash people will pick up.
>>
>>i havent been able to get hubby to purge yet.. but working on it.. he
> actually came to
>>me today and said we need to go through the shed and get rid of stuff
> that we just
>>dont use.. you know we kept alot of stuff saying we might need it one day.
>>
>>im sure im not the only one who has kept things in their studio till the
> shelves get full
>>and overflowing. so i finally just started throwing things away. some day
> i might
>>regret throwing some of it away.. but i just cant look back now and say
> should of
>>could of kept that.
>>
>>is there anyone else out there that finds they cant work in a completely
> clean studio?
>>i just dont know what im gonna do when i get it done and can find a place
> to put
>>everything and not have to stack it up on top of each other..
>>
>>i know i have alot of freinds who studios are spotless and clean. i dont
> know how
>>they do it with working with clay..
>>
>>humm i wonder how long i will be able to keep it this way.. im sure it
> wont be long
>>and i will start stacking stuff up again.. saying i might use that one
> day..
>>
>>billie mitchell
>>
>>--
>>livingspiritpottery@comcast.net
>>Acworth ga.
>>
>>__________________________________________________________________________
> ____
>>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>>
>>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>>
>>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots2@visi.com
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots2@visi.com
>
Arnold Howard on wed 26 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
Brian Tracy is a time management expert whose advice usually
applies to any work environment. Here is an article on
workspace clutter:
http://blogs.briantracy.com/public/blog/182151
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com
Anne Webb on sun 30 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
>
> > is there anyone else out there that finds they cant work in a completel=
y clean studio?
There was a time when I spent more time on cleaning than making pots (eh Ka=
th?). Sterile studios can be distracting, especially when you lack focus (m=
eaning me at the time, billie, not necessarily you)
Now, years later,there is a much better balance and my studio is certainly =
not lacking for any character. =
=20
Not having a lot of time (or energy) to spend farting around looking for st=
uff every time i get into the studio, i like things to be more or less in t=
heir place where i can readily find them, and not have a lot of clutter, es=
pecially where I am to be working..too claustrophobic and inhibiting. Noth=
ing more annoying than when you have an idea in your head and by the time y=
ou wade through all the crap lying around, you've lost your concentration o=
r have forgotten what you were doing. (ahem.. did I mention that sharing a =
studio presents its challenges....?) =20
=20
A few months ago I moved back out to the studio to work. Clearing out the 6=
+ giant garbage cans worth of garbage and junk made a huge difference. Got =
the "new" claymixer going (1915 Bakery Dough mixer) earlier this summer and=
all the old reclaim and clay that was laying about *finally* made its way =
out to be slaked down as well... its amazing how that stuff accumulates ove=
r time. Felt like that "mission organization" show. Once you have it tidie=
r, sorted, and can find stuff, you just don't want to go back. What an in=
credible sense of accomplishment!
Cheers!
Anne =20
_________________________________________________________________
Explore the seven wonders of the world
http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=3D7+wonders+world&mkt=3Den-US&form=3DQ=
BRE=
WJ Seidl on sun 30 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
I'm going to take the opposing viewpoint for this one.
Cleanliness and clutter are twoseparate issues.
I waited to see how others weighed in.
I may be the only potter that cleans the studio after every use. It's
an occupational hazard, I guess, being a professional cleaner for the past
35 years. After being a "dirt burglar" for that many years, I just don't
want to work in it.
I _like_ coming in to a shiny clean studio. I like being able to
park my butt anywhere...table, chair, pugmill (don't ask), and not worry
about it looking like I had an "accident"
in my pants when I get back up. I like being able to read labels on
machinery, being able to rub
up against surfaces (especially in smaller spaces with this body) and
not look like I've been playing
rugby for a fortnight afterward.
Cleanliness does not affect my concentration. If anything, it adds to
it by removing the
"Ack! I really have to clean that" or "Ewwwww!" or the "oh, what in the
name of ____ is THAT?!" distractions I get from working in filth.
I'm not obsessive compulsive about it (you should see my house) but taking
15 minutes or so and cleaning up after working gives me a sense of
accomplishment, gives me the
satisfaction of knowing that everything is ready to go when I return and
that I'm not going
to have to "waste time" scraping off the wheel head, or dealing with
finding and using crusty, nasty tools. The only exception
I make is my throwing slop bowl. I do leave the contents alone, but I
wipe off the outside. Same for the pugmill.
Cleaning up after yourself is time well spent, in my opinion. I just
consider it more
"attention to detail"...the same level of attention that a serious
potter would devote to their work.
And after all, there is no maid here.
(There's a sign in my studio that says "Your mother doesn't work here,
and the maid ran off with your father.")
There are two types of "clutter". Clutter from putting too much in too
small a space (of which I am also guilty, both in the studio
and the office (you should see the piles on my desk...I haven't seen the
desktop in years) and there is
clutter I find in other's spaces (homes offices etc.). Sometimes, this
is unavoidable....it can be justified.
We can't all have 3000 square foot studios. We do the best we can with
the space we're given, and that has to be enough.
The other variety is clutter caused by not returning something to where
it "lives". What I call the
"everything is everywhere" syndrome. That is simply a lack of
discipline on the part of the clutterer. Anyone can learn to overcome
that. And you should, for having to search for things is the largest
time waster of any process, just ask the time-study people.
Avoiding that also makes it easier to clean, since when you put it back
"where it lives" you then have an opportunity to give it
a quick wipe (you don't want to put it away dirty, now do you?). One
thing leads to another, and before you know it, it's all neat and
where it belongs, ready to use again. If you are using quality tools,
if you are attempting to produce quality work, don't you deserve that?
I recommend it thoroughly.
Feel free to disagree.
Best,
Wayne Seidl
Anne Webb wrote:
>>> is there anyone else out there that finds they cant work in a completely clean studio?
>
Bunny Lemak on sun 30 sep 07
somewhat dirty or down right dirty
On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:45:50 -0400, WJ Seidl wrote:
>I may be the only potter that cleans the studio after every use.
>
>I _like_ coming in to a shiny clean studio.
I, like Wayne like a clean studio. My studio is in the house, right off
the kitchen and I have to walk through the kitchen to get to the garage
where the kiln and slab roller are, so being clean is important to me.
When we decided to build this studio, I wanted to make sure everything had
a place, so one half of the studio is shelves with tools, supplies,
paints, etc. I have a 6' table in the middle but only get to use about 4
feet of it, being the kitties must have their boxes to sit & sleep with me
while I work. Then on the other side I have shelves for clay, and work in
various fazes - although I still need more shelving!
It only takes a few minutes to clean up my mess and make sure the cats are
clean and ready for the rest of the house. Some people think I am a clean
freak, maybe I am....but I can't stand trying to work when I see something
that needs to be cleaned!! Just me...... :0)
Bunny
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