mel jacobson on tue 6 nov 07
all elements of art can be debated, discussed and worked over.
all can be learned. we change our mind and how we do things
because learning and discussion along with observation is how we grow.
if this is not true...we could do away with all art teachers
and art professors. (and master artists/teachers/apprentices.)
the sticky stuff gets stickier when art becomes idea only.
concept and `this is what a meant`.
when the artist must plaster the walls of the gallery with
50 or 60 paragraphs of verbiage to let us know what is
going on..and it is still fuzzy. well, hard to speak of form.
as the art society moves away from solid art concepts...
historic concepts, and art becomes social verbal/written intercourse,
what can be debated and discussed becomes almost impossible.
it is the new way to keep art...your own, totally personal.. it is
like `myface`
or utube. it is all ego...look at me...i am important.
anything to be looked at.
understanding and using the traditional concepts of art...form, design,
color, texture...and on and on...give us starting points of
tradition. we have thousands of years of models of quality pots
to look at and compare with what we do now. we do not have to
depend on accident or hope to make good forms. we study the
great forms, see how they were done...and try and incorporate
them into our own designs. it is not copying...it is study.
we all do it, if we are serious.
form is essential in clay.
space is essential in painting.
the funny thing about much of today's art is that everyone wants to be
new and different...anything to be different...but, like teenagers,
different often means wearing the same outfits, using the same slang,
doing the same things....looking all alike. if you have seen one teenager,
you have seen them all...sort of like concept art...you seen one, you
have seen them all.
it is why good, solid, well designed pots sell. they have actual value.
they fill a void in a society bent on `being different`. good pots
sort of settle folks down. like a quote from my studio last week.
`this is great, i can serve a turkey on this platter, then hang it on
the wall as a painting in my dining room...wow...double duty.
yes, potters can be `double duty`. pots can have function, have
wonderful form and color and be uniquely beautiful.
customers tell me all the time...pots are the only way to display something
of beauty in their homes. hand made. like one of my best customers
said...`you sure cannot bring home a performance art piece, or give
it as a gift`.
mel
i like to think that my pots can go in any room in a home.
i just make them, folks can do whatever they want with them.
serve food, put them on a mantle, make a special glass case
or drain car oil into them...i don't care....it is up to the customer
to see value.
from: mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
Clayart page link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
Ric Swenson on tue 6 nov 07
Mel,
=20
Maybe that is why I hesitate to talk about my own work....and share my insp=
irations...I can share it with my close friends and students on an individu=
al basis...but not in public I guess. Baring my 'clay soul' is difficult.
=20
I have never attended NCECA or other places to display my ego....or my work=
...I don't enter a lot of 'shows'.
=20
It takes something away from my work to try to explain it to others....to t=
ell others about my thinking processes....'explaining it' takes away from m=
y feeling about it in some strange way. Let them hold my clay creations or =
let them see my work up close and let the clay talk to them.
=20
Strange or not............. I choose to choose my venues. My comfort zone =
is my own. My work speaks for itself. Others comments mean little to me...=
.but I do tend to internalize criticisms and learn from them.... as I am ab=
le to do so.
=20
=20
Form in it's most vital and alive ideas means a lot to me ... and decoratio=
n is just that....decoration. ... in my humble opinion. Mostly.... too muc=
h decoration and too many other lines and colors...
=20
'Pretty ' is just ....pretty....not beautiful or even attractive at times =
......just overdone...maybe 'busy' describes it best.........for the sake =
of the ability to draw well...or use color all over the f...'in place...jus=
t because they can.
=20
Glaze is a product of experience and the kiln gods..... only a potter real=
ly appreciates the subtilty of the oil spot....tenmoko or sea foam color or=
copper red sang d'boef of the Song dynasty.... or done by Brother Thomas..=
.....the fire tells all. ...and makes all permanent....for future generatio=
ns to drink tea from or to look at....and use.... or just enjoy for the pur=
e enjoyment of the craft.... and art. Fine craftspersonship speaks for itse=
lf and it doesn't photograph well. It must be held in the hand and used.
=20
Blue and white porcelain means little if not done on a beautifully formed a=
nd shaped piece of thrown or handbuilt pottery. Most is overdone for the s=
heer joy of 'being able' to do it. Skill is wonderful....but not always ver=
y 'creative'.
=20
I look first at the shape of the piece....function is, of course, a particu=
lar pleasure for me. But line and order is first.
=20
As a Scandinavian, I am always shamelessly trying to use simple forms and =
combinations of materials to make works that I consider embody a stoic body=
of work that I can consider my own. My tea bowls and covered jars are just=
as vital as my winged vessels.... in my opinion.=20
=20
Clay is wonderful...but wood and metal and cloth offer opportunities to scu=
lpt space too.
=20
I am full of my 60 years of experience with life...hard times and good time=
s.
=20
My favorite pieces are esoteric...my own feelings.
=20
celadons ....the simplicity of Song Dynasty ... Ninsei Nonomura's water sto=
rage jars....wisteria....tenmoko tea bowls' like stone' from Korea and Japa=
n...active clay forms by Voulkos......THE CLAY...the process and flow of cl=
ay lives there. Colin Pearson's thrown pieces....honest forms...
=20
....but I appreciate much and copy little....
Already I feel hesitant and uncomfortable talking about this subject....so =
I will stop and let others kick in...where they dare to bare their real fee=
lings and souls.
=20
Ric
=20
sharing Tony Clennel's expernences in China.... for nearly two years now in=
JingDeZhen...but not able to compete in sharing my creative juices in exac=
tly that way....
=20
=20
=20
_________________________________________________________________
Help yourself to FREE treats served up daily at the Messenger Caf=E9. Stop =
by today.
http://www.cafemessenger.com/info/info_sweetstuff2.html?ocid=3DTXT_TAGLM_Oc=
tWLtagline=
Overall's on tue 6 nov 07
Mel,
I am beginning to understand the academics of art without the benefit
of university through what you said, also from the others.
From my perspective though, just reading words about form without the triad
of specific work to focus on and another/others for dialogue, it seems more a line
to infinity than a plane to mentally ponder. As others said, people like me need
to see something specific to understand what's in discussion. It gives me points
to connect the outline of dots.
That is precisely where teachers/professors/masters come in to teach others
how to see, think, and rationalize what each experience from a certain object.
Would you care to post an image on your website for us to get in discussion?
Maybe in being more anonymous, someone could outline the image and just
post the outline? Wouldn't it be more about proportion to shape (hxwxd) than
size and scale anyway? Is color and texture important also?
If an outline is too two dimensional, in some image softwares, the image can be
put in negative, or some other feature like 'cartoon' to better disguise the work if
well known.
Kim Overall
http://www.kimoverall.com
Lee Love on tue 6 nov 07
I recommend Philip Rawson's book, Ceramics
http://www.amazon.com/Ceramics-Philip-Rawson/dp/0812211561
--
Lee in Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
"Men are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by
education." -- Bertrand Russell
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