mel jacobson on wed 3 sep 08
if my general survey of kids over thirty+years is valid.
many creative artistic people are lefties.
i bet we have at least 40 percent right here on the list.
of course, i am biased...i am a southpaw.
it seemed that about half of all advanced art students.
you know...those A+ kids were lefties.
and, how many lefties get left behind
in school...lots.
in our region, all shop classes, home ec and any other
form of hands on classes have been dropped from the
schools.
they say...`go to vo tech`.
we had seven art teachers in our 2 high schools when i left in
1991, now there are two.
they just threw out one third of all students...those that
learn best with their eyes and hands.
schools are for left brained kids. they thrive.
right brained kids are thrown away.
`you know, ned is really a little slow..he does not read
well...perhaps we could put him in special ed.`
he was my best potter. taught kids to throw, did
glaze research...went on to the kansas city art inst..then
went to yale for his mfa...then a fulbright. yah, he was slow.
i can repeat that story a hundred times.
andrea was not gifted...she got into trouble.
she was korean...with the last name rosenberg. people thought
she was jewish. god.
anyway. on to univ of wisconsin, then cranbrook, then a
fulbright to korea. now a lead designer for dell. makes about
80 percent more than any teacher at hopkins high. and she
works damn hard for it. she is a talent.
edward quit school, i went and got him back.
got him to kansas city.
he called one night.....late...a little tipsy.
he was with his fellow art directors...he directed the
chicago museum of art. not a bad job for a dumb kid.
we as artists/crafts people have a great deal of work to do.
we have to speak out, be examples, never dull our own
sword. be proud of what you do, explain and demo to anyone
that will listen...you are not a hippie, drugged out 60's drop out.
you represent craft, skill, knowledge, personal development of
the very best order.
i had about fifty of my swimming pals over for home made
caramel rolls and coffee last spring. i had them tour my
studio, look at pots...be in my house. i did a quick demo,
showed them the kiln...talked about research and what
joe and i did in china. they went away very impressed.
i never apologize for what i do.
i have a great deal of pride. i make money with pots.
i save money.
i do not have bills.
i do not buy what i do not need.
i do not pay interest to anyone.
i build myself, whatever i can. i make things.
that is the story i give to kids and young people.
it is the key to being independent, and self sustaining.
we have many examples of that sort of thinking on this
list.
they are good friends...live their life with gusto.
mel
from minnetonka:
website http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart site:
http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
Dawn Kleinman on wed 3 sep 08
Mel,
I love your stories
Yep, I'm a lefty. The only one in my entire family including cousins, aunts,
uncles. I am also the only artist. I also did poorly in school. Exept when I
got to The Philadelphia College of Art (now The University of the Arts).
Although my major was Photo, I did very well. I was introduced to pottery
there. That's when my family told me to get a real job. My new husband did
too. No more husband. Family is in another state. And, I did poorly at
almost every job I ever had. I am now almost 43 (as of Sep 11). I have my
own studio. My pottery is my life. I sell everything I make. And my honey
wants to quit her job and become my pottery bitch.
Monster had an ad recently - Do something you love and then get payed for
it.
Dawn
- where I say "Finally"
www.dawnpottery.home.comcast.net
On Wed, Sep 3, 2008 at 8:59 AM, mel jacobson wrote:
> if my general survey of kids over thirty+years is valid.
> many creative artistic people are lefties.
>
> i bet we have at least 40 percent right here on the list.
> of course, i am biased...i am a southpaw.
>
> it seemed that about half of all advanced art students.
> you know...those A+ kids were lefties.
>
> and, how many lefties get left behind
> in school...lots.
>
> in our region, all shop classes, home ec and any other
> form of hands on classes have been dropped from the
> schools.
> they say...`go to vo tech`.
>
> we had seven art teachers in our 2 high schools when i left in
> 1991, now there are two.
>
> they just threw out one third of all students...those that
> learn best with their eyes and hands.
>
> schools are for left brained kids. they thrive.
> right brained kids are thrown away.
>
> `you know, ned is really a little slow..he does not read
> well...perhaps we could put him in special ed.`
> he was my best potter. taught kids to throw, did
> glaze research...went on to the kansas city art inst..then
> went to yale for his mfa...then a fulbright. yah, he was slow.
> i can repeat that story a hundred times.
> andrea was not gifted...she got into trouble.
> she was korean...with the last name rosenberg. people thought
> she was jewish. god.
> anyway. on to univ of wisconsin, then cranbrook, then a
> fulbright to korea. now a lead designer for dell. makes about
> 80 percent more than any teacher at hopkins high. and she
> works damn hard for it. she is a talent.
>
> edward quit school, i went and got him back.
> got him to kansas city.
> he called one night.....late...a little tipsy.
> he was with his fellow art directors...he directed the
> chicago museum of art. not a bad job for a dumb kid.
>
> we as artists/crafts people have a great deal of work to do.
> we have to speak out, be examples, never dull our own
> sword. be proud of what you do, explain and demo to anyone
> that will listen...you are not a hippie, drugged out 60's drop out.
> you represent craft, skill, knowledge, personal development of
> the very best order.
>
> i had about fifty of my swimming pals over for home made
> caramel rolls and coffee last spring. i had them tour my
> studio, look at pots...be in my house. i did a quick demo,
> showed them the kiln...talked about research and what
> joe and i did in china. they went away very impressed.
>
> i never apologize for what i do.
> i have a great deal of pride. i make money with pots.
> i save money.
> i do not have bills.
> i do not buy what i do not need.
> i do not pay interest to anyone.
> i build myself, whatever i can. i make things.
> that is the story i give to kids and young people.
> it is the key to being independent, and self sustaining.
> we have many examples of that sort of thinking on this
> list.
> they are good friends...live their life with gusto.
> mel
>
>
> from minnetonka:
> website http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
> clayart site:
> http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
>
Arnold Howard on wed 3 sep 08
From: "mel jacobson"
> if my general survey of kids over thirty+years is valid.
> many creative artistic people are lefties.
My son, Patrick, could draw and write with either hand when
he was around five. Later he decided to be right-handed.
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com
Neon-Cat on wed 3 sep 08
In Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C., the parenting and academic trend
in the late 50's and early 60's was to switch or coerce children to be
right-handers. I have but a couple of childhood memories so have no idea
what handedness I was originally, but I'm now predominantly right-handed but
do sculpt left handed upon occasion. My brother was one of those forced to
become right-handed, I do remember a discussion on that. There were special
one-on-one sessions at school for those 'out-of-touch' lefties to make sure
they made the transition to right-handedness. My brother was a fine musician
for many years and now owns video stores in South Africa.
Marian
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On Behalf Of Arnold Howard
Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 9:13 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: left handers, kids and schools
From: "mel jacobson"
> if my general survey of kids over thirty+years is valid.
> many creative artistic people are lefties.
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