centa uhalde on thu 1 jan 98
Hi all,
This may be a bit long. Being new to ceramics, I haven't followed the
"moving ahead" thread but with just a peek it sounds like it has to do with
learning approaches/style. My question has to do with the tendency to
overwhelm myself in the learning process, particularly in learning new
things. I've spent most of this year getting an overview, by no means
comprehensive, but the best I could given allotted resources and not being
in an academic program. At this juncture, with a newly converted studio in
my garage heading towards completion, with a slabroller and electric wheel
both still in their respective boxes, an electric kiln now fired once with
success at cone 5 and once a lemon low fire/bisque, I am almost ready to go
to the next step for year 2. Partly this will involve continuing classes.
My concern has to do with how I might best approach the learning. My
perrenial problem is having more than one thread I want to follow and being
unable to narrow my focus successfully, at least I think this is a problem.
There is potting and there is handbuilding/sculpture. There is maiolica and
there is carved and relief decorative surface. There is low fire and higher
fire glazing. There is pit firing and raku. My problem is and always has
been in how to FOCUS. I'm always afraid of short changing myself if I focus
on ONE deal, so I don't choose just ONE, and end up short in terms of depth
of expertise in any one field, much less in any specific venue within a
field, as well as feeling overwhelmed, and often self defeated in the
process. This is a stuckness of another kind. I have a tremendous amount
of good intention and enthusiasm and ideas, it is just how to harness it
all so that I am the most productive/creative I can be rather than scaring
myself with the learning of it all. If one is in an academic setting, this
"probelm" my be somewhat short-circuited by the external structure that is
provided. But with myself as the guiding force in terms of resource and
direction, which I feel is my 'work' to learn how to do, it is easier to
scatter. Does anyone relate? Any remedies, suggestions?
Thanks,
Centa
Dan Wilson on fri 2 jan 98
Centa Uhalde,
"The materials, tools and processes wait passively. Waiting to teach us..."
"Focus is a natural outgrowth of a specific interest not related to
materials, tools and processes."
Best regards,
Dan Wilson
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hi all,
>My concern has to do with how I might best approach the learning.
shelford on fri 2 jan 98
Hi Centa -
I'm sure a lot of us relate to what you are saying; one of the most
addictive and frustrating things about clay work is all the different
possibilities it would be fun to pursue. My own conclusion is that one
lifetime is not enough to do it all well, so we might as well relax, pursue
what seems to glow brightest for us at any one time, and over time, each of
us will find it coming together into our own unique blend of skills and
vision. Nothing important is ever learned fast. Skills come quickly or
slowly, depending on our particular talents, but what to use the skills for
is the question that will take a lifetime to answer, so we might as well
just enjoy the process. The pots etc. that ensue from the search will be
worthwhile, but never exactly what you were after. So you will keep
looking. And learning. And, I hope, loving it.
- Veronica
waxing philosophical while still drooling and dreaming over the new glazes
to add to the palette
Centa wrote:
My question has to do with the tendency to
>overwhelm myself in the learning process, particularly in learning new
>things.
My
>perrenial problem is having more than one thread I want to follow and being
>unable to narrow my focus successfully, at least I think this is a problem.
>I'm always afraid of short changing myself if I focus
>on ONE deal, so I don't choose just ONE, and end up short in terms of depth
>of expertise in any one field, much less in any specific venue within a
>field, as well as feeling overwhelmed, and often self defeated in the
>process. This is a stuckness of another kind. I have a tremendous amount
>of good intention and enthusiasm and ideas, it is just how to harness it
>all so that I am the most productive/creative I can be rather than scaring
>myself with the learning of it all. If one is in an academic setting, this
>"probelm" my be somewhat short-circuited by the external structure that is
>provided. But with myself as the guiding force in terms of resource and
>direction, which I feel is my 'work' to learn how to do, it is easier to
>scatter. Does anyone relate? Any remedies, suggestions?
___________________________________________
Veronica Shelford
e-mail: shelford@island.net
s-mail: P.O. Box 6-15
Thetis Island, BC V0R 2Y0
Tel: (250) 246-1509
Dave Allen on fri 2 jan 98
As someone who has just recently gotten back into clay, I have found my
focus by making firm decisions based on what I like.
1. I only throw on the wheel. My partner does the glazing, and I stay
away from any hand building (except for handles).
2. I only make things that can be used as containers such as bowls,
plates, teapots, mugs, etc. I want things that will last long after I am
gone.
3. As I have an electric kiln that only squeeks up to cone 5. That is
where I am starting. I also have a gas kiln that has not been hooked up
yet, and I hope to get that going in the spring, which will allow me up
to cone 11 (I hope).
4. I will practice as often as I can by making different things that fit
in the categories listed above (item 2.) and when I have a finsihed
product Iam proud of (I have had a few already) I will sell them for a
reasonable price.
5. I enjoy the formula I have made for myself, and that may be the key.
Find the things that you love to do most and stick with them.
Hope this helps.
Cheers...
Dave
-=-=-=-
centa uhalde wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi all,
> This may be a bit long. Being new to ceramics, I haven't followed the
> "moving ahead" thread but with just a peek it sounds like it has to do with
> learning approaches/style. My question has to do with the tendency to
> overwhelm myself in the learning process, particularly in learning new
> things. I've spent most of this year getting an overview, by no means
> comprehensive, but the best I could given allotted resources and not being
> in an academic program. At this juncture, with a newly converted studio in
> my garage heading towards completion, with a slabroller and electric wheel
> both still in their respective boxes, an electric kiln now fired once with
> success at cone 5 and once a lemon low fire/bisque, I am almost ready to go
> to the next step for year 2. Partly this will involve continuing classes.
> My concern has to do with how I might best approach the learning. My
> perrenial problem is having more than one thread I want to follow and being
> unable to narrow my focus successfully, at least I think this is a problem.
> There is potting and there is handbuilding/sculpture. There is maiolica and
> there is carved and relief decorative surface. There is low fire and higher
> fire glazing. There is pit firing and raku. My problem is and always has
> been in how to FOCUS. I'm always afraid of short changing myself if I focus
> on ONE deal, so I don't choose just ONE, and end up short in terms of depth
> of expertise in any one field, much less in any specific venue within a
> field, as well as feeling overwhelmed, and often self defeated in the
> process. This is a stuckness of another kind. I have a tremendous amount
> of good intention and enthusiasm and ideas, it is just how to harness it
> all so that I am the most productive/creative I can be rather than scaring
> myself with the learning of it all. If one is in an academic setting, this
> "probelm" my be somewhat short-circuited by the external structure that is
> provided. But with myself as the guiding force in terms of resource and
> direction, which I feel is my 'work' to learn how to do, it is easier to
> scatter. Does anyone relate? Any remedies, suggestions?
> Thanks,
> Centa
--
David Russell Allen - Box 363, Sechelt, B.C. Canada V0N 3A0 (604)
885-5327 fax: 885-5890
Selective Wood Carving and Pottery from Sandy Hook's Worn Wood Studios -
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/6911
Eydie DeVincenzi on fri 2 jan 98
------------------
=3C=3C
here is maiolica and
there is carved and relief decorative surface. There is low fire and higher
fire glazing. There is pit firing and raku. My problem is and always has
been in how to FOCUS. I'm always afraid of short changing myself if I focus
on ONE deal, so I don't choose just ONE, and end up short in terms of depth
of expertise in any one field
=3E=3E
I can relate.
Maybe it's a rationalization, but I think great minds are always searching
the universe of possibilities. The trick seems to be NOT to shut off this
wonderful process, but to do it in 'background' mode while FOCUSing on
one's current goals and objectives.
I resisted this for years. My business associate told me that I needed to
write a business plan because I was constantly looking at new business
opportunities rather than focusing on my current business. It always
seemed that the =22best and most exciting=22 ideas were the ones I had just
discovered. (This is beginning to sound like a corollary to =22the grass
looks greener...=22).
Anyway, I finally took his advice, wrote a =5Bone-year=5D business plan and =
now
I keep it on my desk (my 5-year plan is also readily available). No, it
doesn't get dusty because I whenever I begin to loose my way, I open it to
the OBJECTIVES page. What has amazed me is how having a Plan =5Bread, being
forced-to-focus=5D has not at all cut down on my exploration of new ideas.
Rather it has given me STRUCTURE. Now I evaluate the new idea in terms of
my objectives and time frames. Can I incorporate this new idea into one of
my CURRENT objectives? If the answer is =22no=22, then I jot down the idea =
on
the FUTURE page in my Plan.
Kind-a longwinded, but I hope it helps.
Eydie
Laura Conley on fri 2 jan 98
I too am relatively new to ceramics, and I have just begun to set up a studio
at home. I have taken classes at a community college for 1 1/2 years, about
40-50 hours/week, but moved out of state last fall and am now enrolled at 3
different studios while I am setting up at home. I too have had enourmous,
seemingly endless bursts of creativity and energy, and have tried MANY
different things during this last year. I also was frustrated for a while that
I was only gaining breadth and not depth, but I have found that after having
tried so many things, that I am now finally beginning to recognize what my
strong interests are, and in those areas my skills have grown significantly. I
am still broadening my interests and skills, but these are now more focused
around particular areas.
I think it is wonderful to learn while you are able and interested. Perhaps
you can continue to do more exploring at the other studios that already have
facilities for things you might want to try (adventurous pots: if they fail,
you don't have to re-wedge the clay yourself, or different firing methods: they
already have the kilns) and begin to focus more on some things at your studio
at home. If you don't even know what a few of those areas are in which you
want more depth, don't pressure yourself to hard - if you are too uptight
about it you might not be able to hear those little voices from within...
Laura Conley
Boulder, CO
Mike Wright on sat 3 jan 98
Centa wrote:
> My problem is and always has
>been in how to FOCUS. I'm always afraid of short changing myself if I focus
>on ONE deal, so I don't choose just ONE, and end up short in terms of depth
>of expertise feeling overwhelmed, and often self defeated in the
>process. This is a stuckness of another kind. I have a tremendous amount
>of good intention and enthusiasm and ideas, it is just how to harness it
>all so that I am the most productive/creative I can be rather than scaring
>myself with the learning of it all.
This is tough. You'll have to find some structure that you can impose upon
yourself. A realistic structure. It's so easy to have all these great ideas,
but putting them into practice is another matter. But you're going to have
to make choices. If you're scattered all over you won't be really good at
anything, probably mediocre at everything. So choose. You're going to
do pots. So do cylinders (for example) for a week (3 days, whatever--a
period).
You will no doubt have 10,000 great ideas during this time. Write them down,
but keep doing your cylinders. Keep doing cylinders until you think you're
pretty good at it--maybe longer than a week.. Then look at your list of
ideas.
Is there anything there that relates to cylinders? Play with it a little. But
then know that you've got another focus a'waiting: let's say bowls. Repeat
the same
pattern. What you're doing is imposing some discipline on your ideas.
This doesn't stifle them, because your're writing them down as you go. But
it does contain them until you've at least got some of your basics mastered.
You won't get short-changed--you're just controlling things a bit more. Then
after a while you can maybe choose one of your ideas to pursue. Maybe you
can do five of them. But meanwhile you've managed to harness some of that
energy
and creativity and it's gotten you someplace.
Don't be afraid of the process--without it you don't go anywhere. Try to be
aware
of what you're doing, and tolerate, learn from, perhaps even enjoy it. It
sounds
like you have the energy and the ideas. Now comes the hard part!
Mike Wright
Poverty Ridge Pottery
Ackworth, Iowa
UNI_ POTTER on sat 3 jan 98
I am basically a beginner. I write myself an order now and fill it. Right now it
is several dozen teabowls off the hump, thrown test tiles, miniture Mei-Ping vas
Koryu dynasty style, with my own underglaze decoration.
It's basically important to learn these things:
1) Throw deep/tall forms
2) Throw wide diameter flat forms
3) Throw miniature forms
4) Get with the illustration aspect of claywork
5) Do some hand-formed sculptural elements
I could be happy doing bottles and bowls and nothing else, but learning-wise the
5 things do go a long way together in combination.
Eric Hansen, Lawrence, Ks.
P.S. Oh yes - every pot has it's own soul; keep a respect for it.
Free web-based email, Forever, From anywhere!
http://www.mailexcite.com
Alison Hamilton on sat 3 jan 98
Centa,
Perhaps you should congratulate yourself on your enthusiasm and energy
and accept them for the gifts that they are.
I, too, am relatively new to pottery and while I can see there is tons I
need to learn, I'm also sure there is tons that I don't even know about
yet! My impression is that people seem to specialize to some degree. I
think it would be pretty impossible to be accomplished at all the fields
you suggest (raku, carving, maiolica, handbuilding, low fire, high fire
etc), unless you want to be a generalist and know a bit about everything
and not a specialist. Yes, you will miss out on things by not covering
it all, but the other way of looking at it is that you will receive many
gifts by focussing on one or two particular areas.
But hey, it's all a process anyway, right? Whatever we do (pottery,
sport, cooking, admin work) it's all a way of learning about who we
are. So pottery is giving you an opportunity to figure this issue out.
Be gentle with yourself - there's no right or wrong here. And maybe,
just maybe, when you feel positive about being attracted to so many
possibilities, a little teeny voice inside of you will say, "i'd really
like to explore ____ first."
waxing philosophically,
Alison
centa uhalde wrote:
> ----------------------------Original
> message----------------------------
> Hi all,
> This may be a bit long. Being new to ceramics, I haven't followed the
> "moving ahead" thread but with just a peek it sounds like it has to do
> with
> learning approaches/style. My question has to do with the tendency to
> overwhelm myself in the learning process, particularly in learning new
>
> things. I've spent most of this year getting an overview, by no means
> comprehensive, but the best I could given allotted resources and not
> being
> in an academic program. At this juncture, with a newly converted
> studio in
> my garage heading towards completion, with a slabroller and electric
> wheel
> both still in their respective boxes, an electric kiln now fired once
> with
> success at cone 5 and once a lemon low fire/bisque, I am almost ready
> to go
> to the next step for year 2. Partly this will involve continuing
> classes.
> My concern has to do with how I might best approach the learning. My
> perrenial problem is having more than one thread I want to follow and
> being
> unable to narrow my focus successfully, at least I think this is a
> problem.
> There is potting and there is handbuilding/sculpture. There is
> maiolica and
> there is carved and relief decorative surface. There is low fire and
> higher
> fire glazing. There is pit firing and raku. My problem is and always
> has
> been in how to FOCUS. I'm always afraid of short changing myself if I
> focus
> on ONE deal, so I don't choose just ONE, and end up short in terms of
> depth
> of expertise in any one field, much less in any specific venue within
> a
> field, as well as feeling overwhelmed, and often self defeated in the
> process. This is a stuckness of another kind. I have a tremendous
> amount
> of good intention and enthusiasm and ideas, it is just how to harness
> it
> all so that I am the most productive/creative I can be rather than
> scaring
> myself with the learning of it all. If one is in an academic setting,
> this
> "probelm" my be somewhat short-circuited by the external structure
> that is
> provided. But with myself as the guiding force in terms of resource
> and
> direction, which I feel is my 'work' to learn how to do, it is easier
> to
> scatter. Does anyone relate? Any remedies, suggestions?
> Thanks,
> Centa
Werner Schink on mon 5 jan 98
centa uhalde wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi all,
> Being new to ceramics ...
Centa,
In somewhat the same situation you are -- just finishing my first year
in ceramics and don't know where I'm going. Just got down my long-ago
purchased but as yet unread "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle
Maintenance". Starting in the back in the Afterward, Pirsig says about
the Ancient Greek view of time, "They saw the future as something that
came upon them from behind their backs with the past receding away
before their eyes." The Afterward is powerful, speaking of how to
define success, the death of his son, and the birth of his daughter.
Some things to consider: join a ceramics group -- there's one that
meets monthly in Berkeley and you'd probably find a mix of lots of
types; also, join the American Ceramics Society Design Chapter which is
out of So. Calif and has a good lending library of videos. You can view
the ACS/DC homepage at http://www.csun.edu/~vfoao0l8/acsdc.html. Leon
Bush who is the video librarian is very helpful. I just finished two on
sculpture.
Werner in Sacramento where the rain's stopped and the dawn is breaking
to a blue sky, my paper clay is brewing on the patio, and I'm hoping to
throw some pots today with my daughter who is home from Humboldt State.
HAL M DEWITTIE on tue 6 jan 98
centa,
I'm a beginner too, and should have my tiny basement studio ready to go by
the end of this coming weekend.
Focus is a problem for me also. The solution for me has always been to
make lists and follow them.
Make a list of each, individual aspect of pottery/ceramics that you would
like to explore in the coming year. Then go through the list and combine
the things that can be done in combination without becoming too
distracting. Then prioritize the items/combinations starting with the
things that you want to do first.
Go through this process a few times until your satisfied with your starting
point. Then begin working on the first item.
You may want to make a detailed list of things to accomplish at the
beginning of each week and a more detailed, shorter list at the start of
each day. These are what I do to get my mind set on my objectives. This
writing things down, along with a few rough sketches, makes me actively
establish specific goals. Establishing reasonable goals that are
achievable helps me see that I am making progress which further encourages
me to keep working on my established goals.
Start the whole process with the idea that you will reassess your overall
list at the end of each month to allow for any changes that will be
generated from what you learn along the way.
I won't be taking any classes for the next few months so that I can focus
more on getting along on my own. Lists are going to be a big part of that.
sandra m benscoter on wed 7 jan 98
Hi!
I found photographing completed work every few months, also helps. You
can tract your progress visually, especially if you've given away or sold
pieces. It's interesting, years later, to go back and see what elements
you have continued to use in your current work.
Sande
Fogged in in NJ! Where or where is all the snow?!!!
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