tony clennell on thu 11 sep 08
Thanx Mel, E, Ric and others:
I wrote the damn thing over a course of 2 days and took a break to cut
the lawn. While I was riding around on my John Deere I thought that
thing I wrote doesn't sound like me. How will anyone know who the heck
wrote it. If I can't identify me in there than how will anyone else? I
came back and reread some things I had underlined in a book my very
first class at Sheridan gave me as a farewell gift- Writing Down the
Bones by Natalie Goldberg. So now the artspeak is gone and the casual
voice that is mine is back. I'll have this thing put to bed before bed
tonight.
Cheers,
Tony
P.S Get crabs at Priddy Pottery- scratch, scratch, itch, itch. E your
painting has gone miles since I last looked at it.
--
http://sourcherrypottery.com
http://smokieclennell.blogspot.com
Elizabeth Priddy on thu 11 sep 08
Thank you.
=A0
Who would have thought that a 4 year hiatus to take care of the kid would m=
ake me better?=A0 The first kiln out, I was sick waiting.=A0 I feared it wo=
uld all be bad.
=A0
Get crabs at priddy Pottery!
=A0
I think I'll make a road sign.
Elizabeth Priddy
Beaufort, NC - USA
Workshops and pottery online at:
http://www.elizabethpriddy.com
Natural Instincts Conference Information:
http://downtothepottershouse.com/NaturalInstincts.html
Kiln pictures and such:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7973282@N03/
--- On Thu, 9/11/08, tony clennell wrote:
From: tony clennell
Subject: Teaching Philosophy
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Thursday, September 11, 2008, 11:14 AM
Thanx Mel, E, Ric and others:
I wrote the damn thing over a course of 2 days and took a break to cut
the lawn. While I was riding around on my John Deere I thought that
thing I wrote doesn't sound like me. How will anyone know who the heck
wrote it. If I can't identify me in there than how will anyone else? I
came back and reread some things I had underlined in a book my very
first class at Sheridan gave me as a farewell gift- Writing Down the
Bones by Natalie Goldberg. So now the artspeak is gone and the casual
voice that is mine is back. I'll have this thing put to bed before bed
tonight.
Cheers,
Tony
P.S Get crabs at Priddy Pottery- scratch, scratch, itch, itch. E your
painting has gone miles since I last looked at it.
--
http://sourcherrypottery.com
http://smokieclennell.blogspot.com
=0A=0A=0A
Lili Krakowski on sat 13 sep 08
Tony: We never have met, but, over the years I have read you on
ClayArt--we even have had words!
But, like many constant ClayArters, you come across as a
real mensch, a solid individual. Nothing namby pamby, wishy
washy, but
a firm and "grounded' potter.
Now this may, or may not, be The Real Tony. That does not
matter.
Inside you may be mush, you may weep over sick kittens. It
does not matter. You "are" what what you seem to others.
Great teachers attract people "as blue serge attracts lint"!
Right or wrong, saints or devils, wise or foolish,
their personality draws people to them. And when students
gather 'round their teacher a creative dynamic
takes place.
It is not your responsibility whether these kids will
make a living at clay. And it has nothing to do with
ethics! You have knowledge and are exercising a moral
responsibility to pass it on. "As our grandfathers planted
for us, so we will plant for our children." The transmission of
knowledge has nothing to do with earning a living. You
will be teaching clay. CLAY! Not economics. I am sure
no one who teaches history, philosophy, social sciences,
and what not, concerns himself with how students
will make a living ! In fact there are some
courses whose translation into commercial venture would
land one in jail!
Unfortunately, the academization of craft
has done a huge disservice to craft. I have said that just short
of forever!
And nothing has changed my mind! College costs--at least
in the US--have risen to the fantastical. Graduates in
some disciplines may make a living when they leave school--but
it will take them years and years to pay off staggering debts.
The old system was infinitely better for the crafts. One learned
the craft. One learned from a craftsman. It may have been
apprenticeship, it may have been a craft course or school. There
was no fudging or confusion. One did not have 40 minutes of
"Glaze theory" sandwiched
between 40 minutes of Icelandic Poetry and 40 minutes of
Statistics. One focused on craft and worked at it all day, every
day, all week.
This not only taught craft, it taught the discipline of craft.
If one
could not "endure" the hard work, the physical fatigue then
one moved on to something.
That is what a clay teacher is there for. To teach all that clay
stuff, and demonstrate, represent the lived life. You certainly
can do that!!!!!!!!!!!!! So get out there be YOU, exactly
as you are....and all will be well!
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
tony clennell on sat 13 sep 08
On Sat, Sep 13, 2008 at 2:58 PM, Lili Krakowski wrote:
> Tony: We never have met, but, over the years I have read you on
> ClayArt--we even have had words!
>
> But, like many constant ClayArters, you come across as a
> real mensch, a solid individual. Nothing namby pamby, wishy
> washy, but
> a firm and "grounded' potter.
>
> Now this may, or may not, be The Real Tony. That does not
> matter.
> Inside you may be mush, you may weep over sick kittens. It
> does not matter. You "are" what what you seem to others.
>
> Great teachers attract people "as blue serge attracts lint"!
> Right or wrong, saints or devils, wise or foolish,
> their personality draws people to them. And when students
> gather 'round their teacher a creative dynamic
> takes place.
>
> It is not your responsibility whether these kids will
> make a living at clay. And it has nothing to do with
> ethics! You have knowledge and are exercising a moral
> responsibility to pass it on. "As our grandfathers planted
> for us, so we will plant for our children." The transmission of
> knowledge has nothing to do with earning a living. You
> will be teaching clay. CLAY! Not economics. I am sure
> no one who teaches history, philosophy, social sciences,
> and what not, concerns himself with how students
> will make a living ! In fact there are some
> courses whose translation into commercial venture would
> land one in jail!
>
> Unfortunately, the academization of craft
> has done a huge disservice to craft. I have said that just short
> of forever!
> And nothing has changed my mind! College costs--at least
> in the US--have risen to the fantastical. Graduates in
> some disciplines may make a living when they leave school--but
> it will take them years and years to pay off staggering debts.
>
> The old system was infinitely better for the crafts. One learned
> the craft. One learned from a craftsman. It may have been
> apprenticeship, it may have been a craft course or school. There
> was no fudging or confusion. One did not have 40 minutes of
> "Glaze theory" sandwiched
> between 40 minutes of Icelandic Poetry and 40 minutes of
> Statistics. One focused on craft and worked at it all day, every
> day, all week.
>
> This not only taught craft, it taught the discipline of craft.
> If one
> could not "endure" the hard work, the physical fatigue then
> one moved on to something.
>
> That is what a clay teacher is there for. To teach all that clay
> stuff, and demonstrate, represent the lived life. You certainly
> can do that!!!!!!!!!!!!! So get out there be YOU, exactly
> as you are....and all will be well!
>
>
>
Lili: Thank you for the kind words. What ya read is what ya get. In my
day I've even drowned kittens in a burlap sack with my uncle- that was
feline birth control back in those days. Yep, he even let me put the
chickens head between two nails on the chopping block while he raised
the axe and I would then run like hell thinking the thing was chasing
me.
All the advice I have been given on Clayart including yours has been
taken to heart. I am who I am and this whole process of writing down
the teaching philosophy has really helped me to figure out what I
stand for and what I can offer. I will teach potters economics. I do
it instinctively because each day for the past two decades I have had
to consider what I do and make impacts our livelihood. I can't shake
it! The very thought of a weekend off is somewhat of mystery to me.
Reading the newspaper is unproductive time.
I have had to collect images of my students work and man oh man they
are the creme de la creme. I can't take credit for the quality of
their work other than I gave them a solid foundation and a looooooong
leash.
I think you are right about the old system in which I was trained.
Robin Hopper set up my program and 8 of the 10 students that graduated
from that program with me have raised a family, paid the mortgage, car
payments, etc, etc from clay. Nobody has heard of these potters. They
have regional reputations and are still at it.
Ah, we need to sit down at the Ramshead and have a beer. So much to
consider for the future. I can tell ya what I have done to stay alive
but I have no clue what I will do next year or a decade from now.
If I get mamby pamby smack me in the forehead with a fire brick- high
duty alumina dry pressed.
All the best,
Tony
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