mel jacobson on thu 22 apr 10
i think it is important to remind folks in the clay world that
we are not kidding about the removal of clay from the schools.
it is happening every day...the uk is working on a ban of
clay in the entire country...k-4. it may have already happened.
imagine, the world's most important technology, silica/clay not safe
for children.
the oldest craft on earth, that which made us from ape to human,
taken away from children.
on this earth day, remember, we can destroy what we love by
being TOO CAREFUL, TOO FRIGHTENED OF EVERYTHING, TOTALLY
IGNORANT of what can harm us.
and, if it comes out of the public school, will the art center and college
program be far behind?
those that teach college programs had better be aware....who
will fill those slots with kids with great hands and minds, when it is take=
n
out of the schools? who will ever know they even have great hands
and skill?
i think it has become the greatest challenge we have ever faced
as potters, artists...FEAR OF MATERIALS. and, if you have limited
knowledge yourself, if you post clayart once a month with:
"IS THIS GOING TO KILL ME?" sort of posts, well
grow up. even lead can be safe and wonderful to use if done with
knowledge and skill.
as you know, we are finding more and more programs with people
teaching that do not have a clue, they know nothing about craft,
skill or materials. they only know `smart art, metaphor and feelings`.
hit that auto button on the kiln, buy another jar of bright red glaze.
`make a dildo and make a sexual statement`. when will that stop?
talk about the same old, same old...and does it get old fast.
Balance is the key. start with knowledge of materials, then skill, then ar=
t.
so many have it backwards. and, they don't know the
difference. well, of course
not, they came from programs that did not know either.
all i know is: we have to wake up, be alert, do not sit on our hands.
those with semi-intelligence will take over, be in power, and destroy all
that we as artists and crafts people hold dear. and they don't care, they
are saving us, from ourselves.
but those same people will drive a car 80mph, on a roadway, with a coke in
one hand, a burger on the seat, while talking on a cell phone. and they ar=
e
talking to someone about saving the world.
mel
on earth day i go out in my woods, lie down, feel the earth...then i
pee on a tree and realize we are all part of the same thing...life.
and then i think of the power of nature, that volcano that just blew, the
earthquake in haiti, katrina, and a tornado roaring across nebraska.
our mother can snuff us out pretty fast when she wants to.
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
Carol Casey on fri 23 apr 10
I find this very sad. Bet they're adding computers . . .
Carol
Canary Court
On Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 9:28 AM, mel jacobson wrote:
> i think it is important to remind folks in the clay world that
> we are not kidding about the removal of clay from the schools.
>
> it is happening every day...the uk is working on a ban of
> clay in the entire country...k-4. it may have already happened.
>
> imagine, the world's most important technology, silica/clay not safe
> for children.
>
> the oldest craft on earth, that which made us from ape to human,
> taken away from children.
>
> on this earth day, remember, we can destroy what we love by
> being TOO CAREFUL, TOO FRIGHTENED OF EVERYTHING, TOTALLY
> IGNORANT of what can harm us.
>
> and, if it comes out of the public school, will the art center and colleg=
e
> program be far behind?
>
> those that teach college programs had better be aware....who
> will fill those slots with kids with great hands and minds, when it is
> taken
> out of the schools? who will ever know they even have great hands
> and skill?
>
> i think it has become the greatest challenge we have ever faced
> as potters, artists...FEAR OF MATERIALS. and, if you have limited
> knowledge yourself, if you post clayart once a month with:
> "IS THIS GOING TO KILL ME?" sort of posts, well
> grow up. even lead can be safe and wonderful to use if done with
> knowledge and skill.
>
> as you know, we are finding more and more programs with people
> teaching that do not have a clue, they know nothing about craft,
> skill or materials. they only know `smart art, metaphor and feelings`.
> hit that auto button on the kiln, buy another jar of bright red glaze.
> `make a dildo and make a sexual statement`. when will that stop?
> talk about the same old, same old...and does it get old fast.
>
> Balance is the key. start with knowledge of materials, then skill, then
> art.
> so many have it backwards. and, they don't know the
> difference. well, of course
> not, they came from programs that did not know either.
>
> all i know is: we have to wake up, be alert, do not sit on our hands.
> those with semi-intelligence will take over, be in power, and destroy all
> that we as artists and crafts people hold dear. and they don't care, the=
y
> are saving us, from ourselves.
>
> but those same people will drive a car 80mph, on a roadway, with a coke i=
n
> one hand, a burger on the seat, while talking on a cell phone. and they
> are
> talking to someone about saving the world.
> mel
> on earth day i go out in my woods, lie down, feel the earth...then i
> pee on a tree and realize we are all part of the same thing...life.
> and then i think of the power of nature, that volcano that just blew, the
> earthquake in haiti, katrina, and a tornado roaring across nebraska.
> our mother can snuff us out pretty fast when she wants to.
>
> from: minnetonka, mn
> website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
> clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html.com/%7Emelpots/clayart.html>
> new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
>
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