Lee Love on wed 16 dec 09
On Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 9:32 PM, douglas fur <23drb50@gmail.com> wrote:
> So whats the real question since it's not "What's handmade?"
> "Why do we make things?"
> How do different processes effect the meaning of what we do?"
Now, that IS a more interesting topic.
I come to pottery from archeology, anthropology, ecology and
my zen studies. So seeing how my craft fits into the big picture
is more important to me than novelty.
My quest is to make genuine pots, not novel ones.
--
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D97tha=
t is, "T=3D
he
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue
Joseph Bennion on thu 17 dec 09
Lee said:" My quest is to make genuine pots, not novel ones."I have been wa=
=3D
iting for this comment. I would insert the word authentic, though genuine w=
=3D
orks well enough. My experience in both the commercial (Art and Craft Fairs=
=3D
) and academic (MFA) arenas have left me with a bad taste in my mouth aroun=
=3D
d the idea of novelty. =3DC2=3DA0At the fairs I see worried potters/artists=
loo=3D
king around trying to guess what next season's colors, textures and forms w=
=3D
ill be. I remember Jeff Oestreich suggesting in an article in Studio Potter=
=3D
near the end of the nineties that we have a moratorium on fairs as they ar=
=3D
e running our field into the ground. In grad school I was told I could not =
=3D
make pottery because it had already been done and that I had to pursue work=
=3D
that reflected "issues". So utility, home, family, friendship, domesticity=
=3D
, tradition and food are not issues? I am sick to death already with all of=
=3D
the academic striving for something that will get the attention of the
art gods. There is nothing really all that new in the world of ceramics. A=
=3D
ny one who thinks their work is novel ought to thumb through a few more boo=
=3D
ks or visit a few more museums. You and only you know if the work is authen=
=3D
tic. If it doesn't come from the heart it should never go into the kiln. If=
=3D
things come to that, (making work simply for the market, the critics, the =
=3D
galleries or whomever), you would be better off getting a real job that pay=
=3D
s better than this stuff we do.Does anyone remember Joseph Campbell's line =
=3D
about bliss.? "Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where the=
=3D
re were only walls."=3DC2=3DA0=3DC2=3DA0That should be our standard in life=
and esp=3D
ecially in working clay. If that feeling of interest, affection and childli=
=3D
ke wonder isn't there you are in trouble. That goes for any line of work. G=
=3D
et real, be genuine and find what is authentically yours. Then make it with=
=3D
what ever materials, tools or processes are appropriate.=3DC2=3DA0Joe the =
Pott=3D
er
Joseph Bennion=3D20
=3D0AHorseshoe Mountain Pottery
=3D0AMom's Stuff Healing Salve=3D20
=3D0APO Box 186 =3D20
=3D0ASpring City, Utah 84662 =
=3D
=3D20
=3D0A435-462-2708=3D20
=3D0Awww.horseshoemountainpottery.com
--- On Wed, 12/16/09, Lee Love wrote:
From: Lee Love
Subject: "Why do we make things?" was: Re: santa and handmade
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Wednesday, December 16, 2009, 9:18 PM
On Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 9:32 PM, douglas fur <23drb50@gmail.com> wrote:
> So whats the real question since it's not "What's handmade?"
> "Why do we make things?"
> How do different processes effect the meaning of what we do?"
=3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 Now, that IS a more interesting topic.
=3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0=3DC2=3DA0=3DC2=3DA0I come to po=
ttery from archeology, a=3D
nthropology,=3DC2=3DA0 ecology and
my zen studies.=3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0=3DC2=3DA0=3DC2=3DA0So seein=
g how my craft fits =3D
into the big picture
is more important to me than novelty.
=3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0 =3DC2=3DA0=3DC2=3DA0=3DC2=3DA0My quest is =
to make genuine pots, no=3D
t novel ones.
--
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
"Ta tIr na n-=3DC3=3DB3g ar chul an tI=3DE2=3D80=3D94tIr dlainn trina ch=
=3DC3=3DA9ile"=3D
=3DE2=3D80=3D94that is, "The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue
=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A
Lee Love on thu 17 dec 09
On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 11:04 AM, Joseph Bennion <
joe.the.potter@rocketmail.com> wrote:
> Lee said:
> *" My quest is to make genuine pots, not novel ones."*
> I have been waiting for this comment. I would insert the word authentic,
> though genuine works well enough.
>
Joe, I think maybe authentic is a better word. Gotta walk Kintaro. Will
reply at length later.
--
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D97that=
is, "Th=3D
e
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue
Hank Murrow on thu 17 dec 09
On Dec 17, 2009, at 9:04 AM, Joseph Bennion wrote:
> Lee said:" My quest is to make genuine pots, not novel ones."I have
> been waiting for this comment. I would insert the word authentic,
> though genuine works well enough. Snip.......
> You and only you know if the work is authentic. If it doesn't come
> from the heart it should never go into the kiln. If things come to
> that, (making work simply for the market, the critics, the
> galleries or whomever), you would be better off getting a real job
> that pays better than this stuff we do.
.........and probably do a service to someone.
> Does anyone remember Joseph Campbell's line about bliss.? "Follow
> your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only
> walls."
I remember Hamada saying that he realized he'd make a second-rate
painter........ and he thought he might eventually be a good potter;
so he went for that with passion and enthusiasm. See where it got him!
> If that feeling of interest, affection and childlike wonder isn't
> there you are in trouble. That goes for any line of work. Get real,
> be genuine and find what is authentically yours. Then make it with
> what ever materials, tools or processes are appropriate. Joe the
> Potter
Another thing Hamada said, was that he always invited old friends
over when he was making tea bowls; so their conversation would
prevent him from over-thinking/working them.
Thanks, Joe! I remember your workshop at the U of Oregon very well.
Been around 15 or 20 years now?
Cheerz! Hank in Eugene
Joseph Bennion on thu 17 dec 09
"Another thing Hamada said, was that he always invited old friends
over when he was making tea bowls; so their conversation would
prevent him from over-thinking/working them.
Thanks, Joe! I remember your workshop at the U of Oregon very well.
Been around 15 or 20 years now?"
Cheerz! Hank in Eugene
If I am not mistaken I used that quote in the workshop you attended. It has=
been a favorite of mine for years. I wish I had documentation on it. Think=
ing or conscious mind often gets in the way of the energy flowing from the =
heart through the hands to the materials. If technique has been learned to =
the point of being second nature then the brain can be occupied with someth=
ing else so that the "unborn self" can be made manifest in the product.
Sounds like art to me.
Joe the Potter
Joseph Bennion
Horseshoe Mountain Pottery
Mom's Stuff Healing Salve
PO Box 186
Spring City, Utah 84662
435-462-2708
www.horseshoemountainpottery.com
Hank Murrow on thu 17 dec 09
On Dec 17, 2009, at 6:09 PM, Joseph Bennion wrote:
> "Another thing Hamada said, was that he always invited old friends
> over when he was making tea bowls; so their conversation would
> prevent him from over-thinking/working them.
>
> Thanks, Joe! I remember your workshop at the U of Oregon very well.
> Been around 15 or 20 years now?"
>
> Cheerz! Hank in Eugene
>
> If I am not mistaken I used that quote in the workshop you =3D20
> attended. It has been a favorite of mine for years. I wish I had =3D20
> documentation on it.
>
>
> You may have done that. I remember him saying it in a workshop at =3D20
> USC with his son Shinsaku in 1963. It was a wonderful thing to see =3D20
> the two of them so deftly and surely making several hundred pieces =3D20
> in five weeks, from mud to gallery show.
>
> Thinking or conscious mind often gets in the way of the energy =3D20
> flowing from the heart through the hands to the materials. If =3D20
> technique has been learned to the point of being second nature then =3D20=
=3D
> the brain can be occupied with something else so that the "unborn =3D20
> self" can be made manifest in the product.
>
> Sounds like art to me.
To me as well......
Cheers, Hank
=3DEF=3DBF=3DBC
Soft faceted bowl, porcelain soda fire
=3DEF=3DBF=3DBC
Soft faceted bowl, anagama firing
=3DEF=3DBF=3DBC
Soft faceted bowl, C10R in my gas kiln
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