lili krakowski on mon 30 nov 09
An old joke that (alas) applies:
"Two elderly, true blue Yankee sisters visited San Francisco. Their =3D
first evening, they went to a recommended restaurant near the wharves. =3D
Looking at the menu one of the sisters said: "I think I'll have the =3D
fish..." To which her sister replied: "Oh, Hattie, do you think that is =3D
safe, so far from the ocean?"
In Europe (and, according to Mel) Japan, electric firing is not only =3D
common, it is standard.
And high fire electric firing achieved/achieves fabulous results. This =3D
US notion that the only good firing is c.10+ reduction is a prejudice, a =
=3D
bias, "a nonsense" as Frans Wildenhain would have said.
Heaven knows how many new potters have this yoke on their shoulders: =3D
"I'll never amount to anything unless I do high fire reduction in a fuel =
=3D
burning kiln" (Supply your own sobs and tears here) And it IS a =3D
nonsense.
To name but a few electric-firing greats: Luice Rie, Hans Coper, Eileen =
=3D
Lewenstein, Emmanuel Cooper. Some--like Ruth Duckworth--worked with =3D
both electric and fuel burning (in her case gas) kilns.
So apologizing for firing at c.10 electric is like apologizing for =3D
wearing silk instead of wool.=3D20
I bore even myself repeating: "Dance with the one that brung you!" =3D
Earthenware and electric firing are what you can afford/do/have access =3D
to: then that is how you work. High fired coarse clay is all you got, =3D
and plenty of wood--go for it. Clay is a way of communication: a =3D
language. All methods of making things out of clay are, in essence, =3D
dialects. When in Montreal, speak French. When in Toronto, speak =3D
English. In this country speak Spanish when you are here, and English =3D
when you are there. If you want to communicate don't nitpick; speak up!
I (fortunately) have no idea what the future will bring re: zonings and =3D
codes and insurance and regulations. Clay will go on--but only if =3D
potters adjust to the realities of their particular times and =3D
situations.
Then:Lee's dramatic "a high priced hooker." as a reference to =3D
professionals who do some work without loving it not only is sexist =3D
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but also cheap. As a female I deeply resent =3D
the continuing reference to hookers, and other prostitutes, as examples =3D
of something awful. Need I point out that secular (as opposed to =3D
temple) prostitution was invented by men--to fill one of their =3D
"perceived needs"? I have never seen a reference to a "John" when =3D
people are talking about sick idiots who insist on paying for what they =3D
could get for free if they were pleasant! Like who refers to people who =
=3D
buy bottled water as "Johns"?
(And NO! I am NOT criticizing the Moderator!)
Anyway: Of course people do work they do not like because it needs to =3D
be done. And they do it for an overarching ideal, an idea, a hope, a =3D
plan....I cannot imagine Father (now St) Damien had fun treating lepers. =
=3D
Nor can I imagine that those who settled the West and made turned the =3D
Great Plains into a breadbasket really had a grand old time....If you =3D
believe in what you are doing, if you have some dream in your heart the =3D
really yucky work does not bother you...
As to calculation and testing. Neither excludes the other; nor is (vide =
=3D
"Basic Internet Glaze Course" does one need a calculation program. =3D
Paper and pencil will do--though a calculator is nice. Calculation =3D
programs, and I love my GlazeMaster (TM), are great for those who really =
=3D
want to focus on developing glazes. For anyone who "just" wants a nice =3D
Floating Blue [!] pencil and paper work great.
None of our materials remains constant. Not in a way that would satisfy =
=3D
true lab-type scientists. Testing is perfectly swell--and I often just =3D
throw this and that together and see what comes out and go from there. =3D
Where calculation is invaluable (repeat: invaluable) is when
one has "perfected" a glaze and wants to make sure it is in balance =3D
--enough silica, enough alumina and like that....
=3D20
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Marcia Selsor on mon 30 nov 09
Thank you again, Lili.
Marcia
On Nov 30, 2009, at 10:25 AM, lili krakowski wrote:
> An old joke that (alas) applies:
>
> "Two elderly, true blue Yankee sisters visited San Francisco.
> Their first evening, they went to a recommended restaurant near the
> wharves. Looking at the menu one of the sisters said: "I think I'll
> have the fish..." To which her sister replied: "Oh, Hattie, do you
> think that is safe, so far from the ocean?"
>
> In Europe (and, according to Mel) Japan, electric firing is not only
> common, it is standard.
> And high fire electric firing achieved/achieves fabulous results.
> This US notion that the only good firing is c.10+ reduction is a
> prejudice, a bias, "a nonsense" as Frans Wildenhain would have said.
>
> Heaven knows how many new potters have this yoke on their shoulders:
> "I'll never amount to anything unless I do high fire reduction in a
> fuel burning kiln" (Supply your own sobs and tears here) And it IS
> a nonsense.
>
> To name but a few electric-firing greats: Luice Rie, Hans Coper,
> Eileen Lewenstein, Emmanuel Cooper. Some--like Ruth Duckworth--
> worked with both electric and fuel burning (in her case gas) kilns.
>
> So apologizing for firing at c.10 electric is like apologizing for
> wearing silk instead of wool.
>
> I bore even myself repeating: "Dance with the one that brung you!"
> Earthenware and electric firing are what you can afford/do/have
> access to: then that is how you work. High fired coarse clay is all
> you got, and plenty of wood--go for it. Clay is a way of
> communication: a language. All methods of making things out of clay
> are, in essence, dialects. When in Montreal, speak French. When in
> Toronto, speak English. In this country speak Spanish when you are
> here, and English when you are there. If you want to communicate
> don't nitpick; speak up!
>
> I (fortunately) have no idea what the future will bring re: zonings
> and codes and insurance and regulations. Clay will go on--but only
> if potters adjust to the realities of their particular times and
> situations.
>
> Then:Lee's dramatic "a high priced hooker." as a reference to
> professionals who do some work without loving it not only is
> sexist !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but also cheap. As a female I
> deeply resent the continuing reference to hookers, and other
> prostitutes, as examples of something awful. Need I point out that
> secular (as opposed to temple) prostitution was invented by men--to
> fill one of their "perceived needs"? I have never seen a reference
> to a "John" when people are talking about sick idiots who insist on
> paying for what they could get for free if they were pleasant! Like
> who refers to people who buy bottled water as "Johns"?
>
> (And NO! I am NOT criticizing the Moderator!)
>
> Anyway: Of course people do work they do not like because it needs
> to be done. And they do it for an overarching ideal, an idea, a
> hope, a plan....I cannot imagine Father (now St) Damien had fun
> treating lepers. Nor can I imagine that those who settled the West
> and made turned the Great Plains into a breadbasket really had a
> grand old time....If you believe in what you are doing, if you have
> some dream in your heart the really yucky work does not bother you...
>
>
> As to calculation and testing. Neither excludes the other; nor is
> (vide "Basic Internet Glaze Course" does one need a calculation
> program. Paper and pencil will do--though a calculator is nice.
> Calculation programs, and I love my GlazeMaster (TM), are great for
> those who really want to focus on developing glazes. For anyone who
> "just" wants a nice Floating Blue [!] pencil and paper work great.
>
> None of our materials remains constant. Not in a way that would
> satisfy true lab-type scientists. Testing is perfectly swell--and I
> often just throw this and that together and see what comes out and
> go from there. Where calculation is invaluable (repeat: invaluable)
> is when
> one has "perfected" a glaze and wants to make sure it is in balance
> --enough silica, enough alumina and like that....
>
>
>
>
>
> Lili Krakowski
> Be of good courage
>
Marcia Selsor
http://marciaselsor.com
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