Larry Kruzan on fri 5 sep 08
<<<<<<<<<<<<it?--acting like professionals?
Lili Krakowski>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Dittos Lili!!!!!
It is so funny that one of the most common comments visitors to my studio
make concerns how clean it is. Frankly, most of the time I KNOW better but
I always wonder about the condition of the studios that they have seen.
Some I have visited could be improved by just putting unused items into a
drawer. Trash paper or empty food containers setting on a bench two feet
from a trashcan etc.
We do work in a media that most of the world knows as mud so there will be a
certain level of splatter and drips as we work - but clean it up when you
are finished.
A friend and mentor works so clean that I suspect his studio would pass for
a surgical operating room in most of the world. He is very, very dedicated
to keeping it that way too. After a few pulls he rinses his sponge and
wipes up ANY splatter, slop from the bat and the rim of the splash pan.
Trimming is performed as a ballet and nothing stays on the floor long enough
to dry out.
Way too much for this country boy but watching him has made an impression on
me. A impression I want visitors to leave my studio with. I want them to
KNOW I care as much about the pottery they are buying as I do about my
studio. A sloppy studio might reflect that I don't really care about the
pottery I make either.
I love trying to be a "professional" potter but it is darn hard work!
Sometimes I fail, sometimes I get it right, however, it is always worth the
effort.
Larry Kruzan
Lost Creek Pottery
www.lostcreekpottery.com
Lili Krakowski on fri 5 sep 08
Maybe it is time to sit down and talk. Because I have gotten
several off-list posts telling horror stories about filthy
studios, careless students, idiotic "teachers" slack
administrators....etc. It all is not just a lawsuit waiting to
happen, it is a disgrace to our PROFESSION.
I know I rant endlessly about this--namely that anyone with the $
for the investment, or for a class, can set up shop as a
potter....If people don't think clay is a real job it is because
WE have allowed monstrously low standards to invade our calling.
(But that
is for another day)
Right now the fact is that dangerous things are being done and
tolerated. Levels of dirt in classrooms that would never be
allowed in a chem lab abound in clay studios. And on and on.
Well maybe we should do some collective soul searching, sock
pulling up and like that. Mel and Vince have provided us with
excellent outlines of their cleaning/safety procedures.
Maybe among ourselves we can draw up a 1 page outline of what
needs doing in a studio by every person in it, and maybe we can
have ClayTimes and PotteryMaking Illustrated publish it in
printed form. Maybe ACERS can provide and sell posters with such
instructions, and maybe L.P. Skeen would put it someplace in her
next calendar.
Maybe we can raise respect for our profession by--dare I say
it?--acting like professionals?
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Monica Wright on fri 5 sep 08
AMEN!!!=A0 How many times have I seen websites and visited studios where th=
e work produced is the quality of a second year undergraduate student?=A0 S=
ome of these people have graduate degrees which, I feel, holds them to a hi=
gher standard in both how they run their studio and the work produced.=A0 S=
ome people are going to be slobs, that might just be their personality.=A0 =
Doesn't bother me nearly as much as the crap they produce.=A0=20
=A0
I'm not a professional potter.=A0 I've got 2 kids and a wife with medical i=
ssues.=A0 I need a job right now with insurance.=A0 I could easily set up a=
website to sell some work on the side but why?=A0 I can't commit the time =
to it that I need to in order to become proficient.=A0 I wish others would =
just close up shop.=A0 As I tell my students... "there is already too much =
ugly in the world -ugly people, ugly buildings, ugly dogs... we don't need =
ugly art"
=A0
Sorry, a little off track there.
=A0
-Steve
=A0
--- On Fri, 9/5/08, Lili Krakowski wrote:
From: Lili Krakowski
Subject: About clean studios
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Friday, September 5, 2008, 7:32 AM
WE have allowed monstrously low standards to invade our calling.
Dawn Kleinman on fri 5 sep 08
Great idea
I do the following:
Sweep my studio everyday that I'm in it
Mop at least once a week
Wash my wheel and splash pan almost everyday
Mix glazes outside with a dust mask (even in the winter)
Open all doors and windows whne the kiln is running. I also do not work in
the studio then since my kiln has no draft system.
Keep careful records of kiln glaze stats
Take breaks
Do lots of research on the internet to keep well informed
On Fri, Sep 5, 2008 at 8:32 AM, Lili Krakowski wrote:
> Maybe it is time to sit down and talk. Because I have gotten
> several off-list posts telling horror stories about filthy
> studios, careless students, idiotic "teachers" slack
> administrators....etc. It all is not just a lawsuit waiting to
> happen, it is a disgrace to our PROFESSION.
>
> I know I rant endlessly about this--namely that anyone with the $
> for the investment, or for a class, can set up shop as a
> potter....If people don't think clay is a real job it is because
> WE have allowed monstrously low standards to invade our calling.
> (But that
>
> is for another day)
>
> Right now the fact is that dangerous things are being done and
> tolerated. Levels of dirt in classrooms that would never be
> allowed in a chem lab abound in clay studios. And on and on.
>
> Well maybe we should do some collective soul searching, sock
> pulling up and like that. Mel and Vince have provided us with
> excellent outlines of their cleaning/safety procedures.
>
> Maybe among ourselves we can draw up a 1 page outline of what
> needs doing in a studio by every person in it, and maybe we can
> have ClayTimes and PotteryMaking Illustrated publish it in
> printed form. Maybe ACERS can provide and sell posters with such
> instructions, and maybe L.P. Skeen would put it someplace in her
> next calendar.
>
> Maybe we can raise respect for our profession by--dare I say
> it?--acting like professionals?
>
> Lili Krakowski
>
> Be of good courage
>
William & Susan Schran User on fri 5 sep 08
On 9/5/08 8:32 AM, "Lili Krakowski" wrote:
> Well maybe we should do some collective soul searching, sock
> pulling up and like that. Mel and Vince have provided us with
> excellent outlines of their cleaning/safety procedures.
>
> Maybe among ourselves we can draw up a 1 page outline of what
> needs doing in a studio by every person in it, and maybe we can
> have ClayTimes and PotteryMaking Illustrated publish it in
> printed form. Maybe ACERS can provide and sell posters with such
> instructions, and maybe L.P. Skeen would put it someplace in her
> next calendar.
>
> Maybe we can raise respect for our profession by--dare I say
> it?--acting like professionals?
I am fully aware of all the precautions and issues involved with clay
studios.
I responded privately to the individual who posted the problem with the clay
studio at the community college and the lack of cooperation from the other
instructor. I am also a teacher in a clay studio at a community college in
the same state as this individual. I suggested I be contacted at my official
school email address and I would provide all needed information of what MUST
be done at the state supported school, including the requirement to maintain
MSDS for all stored materials, creating a personal protection plan and a
hazardous material plan.
I agree, the information is out there and available for all to read - that
is if folks care to take the time to find out what might make them ill or
kill them. I know there are folks on this forum who suffer from respiratory
and other issues because they were not aware or did not pay attention to
relatively simple things that might have prevented health issues later in
life.
I'm certain we could get a panel of folks together to give a presentation in
the Clayart room at NCECA about health and safety issues involved while
working with clay and other materials.
I am willing to volunteer to be part of this presentation.
How about others of you who plan to be in Phoenix?
Lili? Vince? Anybody else?
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
William & Susan Schran User on fri 5 sep 08
On 9/5/08 10:00 AM, "Dawn Kleinman" wrote:
> Sweep my studio everyday that I'm in it
I would suggest that you stop sweeping the studio, wet clean-up only.
Sweeping is to get up scraps of clay from trimming, before they have dried
out.
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
Susan Fox Hirschmann on fri 5 sep 08
In a message dated 9/5/2008 12:32:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
dkpottery@GMAIL.COM writes:
Sweep my studio everyday that I'm in it
Mop at least once a week
Forget the sweeping...MOP ONLY! would be my suggestion....gets up the fine
particles much better than having them in the air with sweeping.
Susan
Annandale, VA
**************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog,
plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com.
(http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014)
Frank Gaydos on sat 6 sep 08
I agree with Bill on this.When I have to sweep I use sweeping compound which
has wax or oil in the sawdust to attach to the clay dust. I also have
ventilation to the roof so if any particles are in the air they will be
exhausted. Dust particles can be so small they will remain airborne for
weeks!
If you must sweep, use a low wide push broom and not the iconic corn broom.
Avoid energetic sweeping.
But, damp mopping is way superior.
----- Original Message -----
From: "William & Susan Schran User"
To:
Sent: Friday, September 05, 2008 3:42 PM
Subject: Re: [CLAYART] About clean studios
> On 9/5/08 10:00 AM, "Dawn Kleinman" wrote:
>
>> Sweep my studio everyday that I'm in it
>
> I would suggest that you stop sweeping the studio, wet clean-up only.
> Sweeping is to get up scraps of clay from trimming, before they have dried
> out.
>
> Bill
>
/
Dawn Kleinman on mon 8 sep 08
Wow, thanks
How could I have been so air headed about the dust in the air when I sweep.
I try to be careful about most things in my life. I just can't see
everything all the time. The mop has just replaced the broom.
Thanks again
Dawn in Philly
On Fri, Sep 5, 2008 at 11:07 AM, William & Susan Schran User <
wschran@cox.net> wrote:
> On 9/5/08 8:32 AM, "Lili Krakowski" wrote:
>
> > Well maybe we should do some collective soul searching, sock
> > pulling up and like that. Mel and Vince have provided us with
> > excellent outlines of their cleaning/safety procedures.
> >
> > Maybe among ourselves we can draw up a 1 page outline of what
> > needs doing in a studio by every person in it, and maybe we can
> > have ClayTimes and PotteryMaking Illustrated publish it in
> > printed form. Maybe ACERS can provide and sell posters with such
> > instructions, and maybe L.P. Skeen would put it someplace in her
> > next calendar.
> >
> > Maybe we can raise respect for our profession by--dare I say
> > it?--acting like professionals?
>
> I am fully aware of all the precautions and issues involved with clay
> studios.
> I responded privately to the individual who posted the problem with the
> clay
> studio at the community college and the lack of cooperation from the other
> instructor. I am also a teacher in a clay studio at a community college in
> the same state as this individual. I suggested I be contacted at my
> official
> school email address and I would provide all needed information of what
> MUST
> be done at the state supported school, including the requirement to
> maintain
> MSDS for all stored materials, creating a personal protection plan and a
> hazardous material plan.
>
> I agree, the information is out there and available for all to read - that
> is if folks care to take the time to find out what might make them ill or
> kill them. I know there are folks on this forum who suffer from respiratory
> and other issues because they were not aware or did not pay attention to
> relatively simple things that might have prevented health issues later in
> life.
>
> I'm certain we could get a panel of folks together to give a presentation
> in
> the Clayart room at NCECA about health and safety issues involved while
> working with clay and other materials.
>
> I am willing to volunteer to be part of this presentation.
> How about others of you who plan to be in Phoenix?
> Lili? Vince? Anybody else?
>
> Bill
>
> --
> William "Bill" Schran
> wschran@cox.net
> wschran@nvcc.edu
> http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
>
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