Lee on fri 4 apr 08
On Fri, Apr 4, 2008 at 8:50 AM, tony clennell wro=
te:
> Lee: Firstly, congrats on the McKnight scholarship and your
> participation in 2 or 3 wood firings with some very respectable
> potters.
Just back from last minute shopping with Jean. She packs up
and flys to Japan on Sunday.
> I'm off to a juried show tonight where a friend has 3 pots in the
> show. The very same pieces got the boot from the last show and juror.
Luck of the draw of jurors. It takes guts to put yourself out
there for possible rejection. Was talking to the person minding the
Raymond Avenue Gallery today about her making finalist for some of
the big ones like the Bush Foundation and the larger McKnight ones.
She is an A cappella American folk musician and was one of 10
finalists for a big McKnight. My wife Jean, within months, was a
finalist for the Bush and the McKnight. Knocks the stuffing out of
you when you work so hard and get so close. The person at the
Raymond says there is a new McKnight for folks over 55. Something
like $50,000.00 In December I could apply for it. Haha!
> I applied for a grant this year with what I thought was my best work
> to date. I got the boot and was really bummed and then saw who the
> juror was. I didn't have a hope in hell.
You have to keep at it and you get a better match with
judges one of these times.
> In Canada we have two spectator sports- hockey and US politics. I
> don't know much about Minnesota politics other than it's affiliation
> with Pro Wrestling.
My late senator Paul Wellstone and my congressman Keith
Ellison are good places to look to get the picture.
> I do though know quite a bit about Art politics. I
> think if in Mn you follow the MacKenzie party line and you got an
> endorsement from the man himself it is worth more than it's weight in
> gold. I will be using my names to drop when need be.
There isn't much of a "Party line" around MacKenzie.
It is all very informal. While he is outspoken about what he does, he
never tells other folks what to do. For example: He thinks wooden
boxes are not necessary and my tea bowls cost too much, but is always
happy to see me. What I have noticed is that he likes strong people
who live by their personal convictions. Wouldn't it be boring if all
your friends thought just like you?
> Having these wood firings to make for is good motivation to make work.
> Some people need others to set time goals for them. For those of us
I am fitting them in. The workshop was a surprise to
me. I am looking for a show here before fall. The sales area at
the house will be going before the residency ends. It is tough
starting all over. It is probably why most folks stay put if they
are in business.
> that make our living from our work we need to set deadlinlines on an
> almost daily or weekly basis. I have nothing coming up to speak of but
> I had better get my duff out to the studio and make work. No work, no
> money.
Actually, better money is in the gas firing, as you know.
Wood firing doesn't always make $$$ sense, but you learn so much from
the woodkiln, that you let the gas firings subsidize them. I will be
happy to be able to depend on the gas kiln for most firings and firing
with friends in wood.
> I'm on the bar at the show tonight. Sheila has a piece in the show.
Photos? Please share if you can. I got some photos of my teachers'
work (both Curt Hoard and Mark Pharis) from the Raymond gallery and
purposely photo'd for you Tony, a bunch of work made by John Reeve
and glazed and fired by MacKenzie. I gotta buy a cable for my new
phone camera because I am too cheap to upload them to the web directly
from the phone.
We bought a Jan McKechie handbuilt vase at the Raymond,
to celebrate the beginning of my residency and some positive changes
in Jean's work. All these guy's work in the basement at the
Raymond, and Jean and I both picked the same vase by Jan. Haha.
There were Curt Hoard platters and Pharis set of dishes I would have
like to have bought, but $60.00 was closer to our budget.
> didn't have anything I was proud enuff of to enter. I am my own worst
> juror. I jury before the jury and I'm getting harder and harder to
> please.
That's the problem with a growing eye. The longer I lived in
Japan, with all the pottery around me, the more selective I became.
When potters first come to Japan, they seem to like every gnarley pot
they see, whether is good or not, simply because they are not so
common back home. But you learn to judge the good ones from the bad
over time.
There was a nice gnarley Dick Cooter tsubo in the Raymond
basement. Would have liked it, but I was spending only $60.00.
> Well, if you don't drink cheap beer the first round ain't on me.
I make a distinction between a "cheap" beer and an
inexpensive beer. An inexpensive beer is a good one that don't cost
much. I am happy to drink those. But watching carbs, I have
switched to Irish Whiskey, Scotch, or Bourbon. In another month I
will put beer back on the menu on the weekends.
--=20
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
"Ta tIr na n-=F3g ar chul an tI=97tIr dlainn trina ch=E9ile"=97that is, "T=
he
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue
tony clennell on fri 4 apr 08
Lee: Firstly, congrats on the McKnight scholarship and your
participation in 2 or 3 wood firings with some very respectable
potters.
I'm off to a juried show tonight where a friend has 3 pots in the
show. The very same pieces got the boot from the last show and juror.
I applied for a grant this year with what I thought was my best work
to date. I got the boot and was really bummed and then saw who the
juror was. I didn't have a hope in hell.
In Canada we have two spectator sports- hockey and US politics. I
don't know much about Minnesota politics other than it's affiliation
with Pro Wrestling. I do though know quite a bit about Art politics. I
think if in Mn you follow the MacKenzie party line and you got an
endorsement from the man himself it is worth more than it's weight in
gold. I will be using my names to drop when need be.
Having these wood firings to make for is good motivation to make work.
Some people need others to set time goals for them. For those of us
that make our living from our work we need to set deadlinlines on an
almost daily or weekly basis. I have nothing coming up to speak of but
I had better get my duff out to the studio and make work. No work, no
money.
I'm on the bar at the show tonight. Sheila has a piece in the show. i
didn't have anything I was proud enuff of to enter. I am my own worst
juror. I jury before the jury and I'm getting harder and harder to
please.
Well, if you don't drink cheap beer the first round ain't on me.
Cheers,
Tony
--
http://sourcherrypottery.com
http://smokieclennell.blogspot.com
| |
|
