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difficult part of the job

updated mon 21 dec 09

 

Larry Kruzan on sat 19 dec 09


For me it is getting past the "job" part.
I find the creative drive, the playful time with the clay, trying new
methods, makingand testing new glazes, firing the kilns (and much, much
more) very easy.
Showing up to open the gallery when I'd rather be in bed is hard, doing the
books tiresome but required, Marketing is so time consuming; in other words
the job part hard - but the studio work makes it worth it all.

Larry Kruzan
Lost Creek Pottery
www.lostcreekpottery.com



-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Terrance
Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2009 8:32 AM
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Difficult part of the job

A group of ceramic students came to visit my studio the other day and while
I
was showing them around, I was asked; "What is the most difficult part of
the
job?"

My answer was "creativity."

I would be interested to hear what others would had answered.

Terrance

Terrance on sat 19 dec 09


A group of ceramic students came to visit my studio the other day and whi=
=3D
le I=3D20
was showing them around, I was asked; "What is the most difficult part o=
=3D
f the=3D20
job?"=3D20

My answer was "creativity."=3D20=3D20

I would be interested to hear what others would had answered.

Terrance

tony clennell on sat 19 dec 09


Terrance: That's a good answer. I often wonder if i had security in
terms of a paycheck, pension, etc whether I'd be more creative. Then
on the other hand I have customers whom I depend on to live that
continually ask me what is new??? If I don't come up with something
new there are many other potters that they might want to visit. So
creativity is a necessity and is the mother of invention in our
shop.
I was tired about a week ago and didn't feel all that creative. After
a week of retailing and running around catching up on life I was ready
to be back in the studio and I am producing some new work that I am
excited about. I got a glimmer of a new slip(actually on the shoulder
of a jug I sent to Chris Campbell) This slip under our shino glaze and
hit with a lot of ash is a spectacular black, blue, green. I'm out in
the studio doing a bunch of plates using this slip and ying/yang paper
resist patterning based on the pictures of dividing a circle in a book
I have on Mimbres pottery. It's slow going but i don't feel rushed.
Everyone is at the mall and probably all thoughtful shoppers have been
here already. It may be a slow end to the week. I have wood, wine and
food so we're good to hunker down.
Cheers,
Tony

On Sat, Dec 19, 2009 at 9:31 AM, Terrance wrote:
> A group of ceramic students came to visit my studio the other day and whi=
le I
> was showing them around, I was asked; "What is the most difficult part o=
f the
> job?"
>
> My answer was "creativity."
>
> I would be interested to hear what others would had answered.
>
> Terrance
>



--
http://sourcherrypottery.com
http://smokieclennell.blogspot.com
Workshop Feb 5,6,7 Mudbucket Pottery
Myrtle Beach, SC
info@mudbucketpottery.com
Workshop Feb 13th
Tucker's Pottery Supply-Lies, lies and more lies
info@tuckerspottery.com

Lee Love on sat 19 dec 09


On Sat, Dec 19, 2009 at 8:31 AM, Terrance wrote:
> A group of ceramic students came to visit my studio the other day and whi=
=3D
le I
> was showing them around, I was asked; =3DA0"What is the most difficult pa=
rt=3D
of the
> job?"

Focus.


--=3D20
--
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

Carolyn Boeri on sat 19 dec 09


Terrance,
I agree it is difficult to force those creative juices. Chogyum Trunkpa
Rinpoche, Tibetan Buddhist founder of the first Buddhist center in the US,
in Vermont-Tail of the Tiger then, called Karme Choling now, wrote a book
called True Perception that is a beautifully written guide to creating art.
In it he talks about ways to open up our perception. There are buddhist
studies that deal directly with creativity and opening up the heart. Great
reference, I believe.
Enjoy the day,
Carolyn
----- Original Message -----
From: "Terrance"
To:
Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2009 9:31 AM
Subject: Difficult part of the job


>A group of ceramic students came to visit my studio the other day and whil=
e
>I
> was showing them around, I was asked; "What is the most difficult part o=
f
> the
> job?"
>
> My answer was "creativity."
>
> I would be interested to hear what others would had answered.
>
> Terrance
>
>
>

Paul Lewing on sat 19 dec 09


On Dec 19, 2009, at 6:31 AM, Terrance wrote:

A group of ceramic students came to visit my studio the other day and
while I
was showing them around, I was asked; "What is the most difficult
part of the
job?"

My answer was "creativity."

Mine would be "marketing".

Paul Lewing
www.paullewingtile.com
www.paullewingart.com

Joseph Bennion on sat 19 dec 09


Terrance,I think creativity is in-born and unconscious. Getting to it is a =
=3D
process of clearing away the overburden of self conscious garbage, getting =
=3D
quiet and finding the real place where joy and bliss live and emerge from. =
=3D
It may mean setting aside your list of things that "have" to be make that d=
=3D
ay and following your heart.=3DA0I can't find that difficult. It just takes=
t=3D
ime, space and resolve. What a joy to work in bliss as opposed to drudgery.=
=3D
Maybe that is where play is divided from work. It is the same energy kids =
=3D
employ in true play; no batteries and as few manufactured props as possible=
=3D
. I studied developmental psychology before getting sidetracked in clay. I =
=3D
could watch kids involved in solitary or group play forever if it is real p=
=3D
lay (the child's work after all) and not some canned experience designed an=
=3D
d catered by toy and gadget makers and sold to them on Saturday morning bet=
=3D
ween episodes of Transformers.I find marketing the thing that most
smells like work in my operation. I don't hate it, I just find it less int=
=3D
eresting or fun. I'd ignore it but then I'd have a full showroom and nowher=
=3D
e to put those new pots from my last mud-splattered, pyrotechnic binge.Joe =
=3D
the Potter

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 Sat, 12/19/09, Terrance wrote:

From: Terrance
Subject: Difficult part of the job
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Saturday, December 19, 2009, 6:31 AM

A group of ceramic students came to visit my studio the other day and while=
=3D
I=3D20
was showing them around, I was asked;=3DA0 "What is the most difficult part=
o=3D
f the=3D20
job?"=3D20

My answer was "creativity."=3DA0=3D20

I would be interested to hear what others would had answered.

Terrance
=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A

Alex on sun 20 dec 09


The most difficult part for me is all of the waiting. Waiting for pieces=
=3D
to dry so=3D20
I can get them into the kiln. And most of all, waiting for the kiln to c=
=3D
ool=3D20
enough to open it and see what's inside!

Alex
http://ugabugabowls.artfire.com

Russel Fouts on sun 20 dec 09


Focus.

I find that the most difficult. There are so many good ideas to try,
paths to follow. I have to say, no!, I'm not going to try that I'm going
to try this because it's within the scope I feel most passionate about.

For me, that's really difficult.

I'm typing this on the laptop while my main computer is doing some other
work. My screensaver is playing a slide show of all the pot pictures
I've collected over many years. I look up from my work from time to time
and see some wonderful pot picture collected years ago and forgotten.
God! that's beautiful! How'd they do that? I love that form, how's they
get that texture, look at the way that glaze pools, etc.

An Ian Godfrey boat, wonderful simple form, beautiful surface texture
and treatment, fun little animals on it.

A 1960's Cobra sports car, sensuous sexy curves, speed incarnate.

Doug Fitch's luscious galena glazed, country pottery.

A footed bowl by an unknown potter, pinched, faceted an then wood fired.

The cover of a book on English Midwinter Pottery.

A white Hagi teabowl where the thicker glaze on the foot has crawled and
gone a soft blue over the dark body. Perfect.

Too much! Too much!

But in truth, it all influences.

I just have to stay focused on my priority. My smoke fired work ... but
I've got to get these maiolica pasta plates out of the way first, and
then, and then, and then.........DAMN! ;0)

Ru

Lee Love on sun 20 dec 09


On Sat, Dec 19, 2009 at 3:36 PM, Joseph Bennion
wrote:

> I studied developmental psychology before getting sidetracked in clay.

This was my focus in psychology too. A growing mind is the most
fascinating thing in existence.

> I could watch kids involved in solitary or group play forever if it is re=
=3D
al play
> (the child's work after all)

When I was a kid growing up outside of Detroit, when there
wasn't school, we'd leave the house after breakfast, sometimes only
coming home for dinner, spending most of our time outside. On my
two daily dog walks in Mashiko along the irrigation canals and the
river, I rarely saw children playing near the water. There were
bugs and frogs everywhere. In my childhood, we found the ponds in
the city where we could catch polywogs. I know things aren't as
safe as they were in my childhood. But I don't understand why kids
aren't outside playing.

You don't have to be a Luddite to love Nature.


--
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