Dana & Chris Trabka on tue 13 jul 10
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dana & Chris Trabka"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 11:03 AM
Subject: Re: Pricing. Can we talk?
> Ron,
>
> I too believe that it necessary to be able to create a pot that displays
> sound craftsmanship.
> A pot suited to its purpose. The apprentice/master was good model for
> learning the craft of making good sound pots.
>
> Today it is the community center, the small studios that teach others how
> to make pots and the schools that are
> the main venue for learning the craft of pottery. However, they are not
> all the same. Some you learn how to
> hand build only, some you might get to know about glaze formulation and
> clay-glaze fit.
>
> It would be nice to have a way where the public would know what level of
> expertise does the venue offer.
> Yes there are those places were it is obvious (decorate bisqued pieces
> with supplied glazes). But, how
> does Mary Q Public find out more about a place without know the questions
> to ask?
>
> This is an opportunity for Clay Art/Ceramics Monthly/The Potters
> Council/Schools ... to step in and provide a service
> to the community and the public.
>
> Chris
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ron Roy"
>
>> If we were to support the idea of good craftsmanship here on clayart -
>> as a group - so that others would understand how important it is -
>> that would help.
>
>
>> I have brought the subject up many times on this list and have waited
>> - mostly in vain - for others to second the motion.
>
Fabienne McMillan on tue 13 jul 10
I wonder how realistic we're being for a potter who is cranking it out tryi=
ng to
make a living. What if the clay composition changes? Are we sure the mate=
rial
used are consistent? I forgot. But, one thing for sure, are we to say tha=
t
every firing is identical? Probably not, today I have 3 pots in there and =
it's
humid out, tomorrow I have 6 platers and it's dry out. Would I have to mak=
e a
tile to stick on every shelf of every single firing and do that same exam e=
very
time? Now glazes, if I make my own or not, are we to say that the material=
are
consistent, ditto for the firing. What's reasonable and who's to say?
I'm just wondering how feasible this would truly be. Time is money. Potte=
rs
are already earning a hard living; what would all this mean in terms of cos=
t?
Customers are tight these days on top of it and the forecast on loosening u=
p is
not in sight yet.
Many of you are equipped to answer those questions. I'm just equipped to w=
hine
and raise questions ;) What say you?
Fabienne
________________________________
Ron...for what it is worth, I second the motion! In my humble foray into m=
aking
pots, I am often amazed at how many well-known, experienced potters either =
don't
care about vitrification or the food safety of glazes, or don't know. How =
hard
is it to figure it out? A few books, a few experiments (water in a vase on
newspaper for 24 hours or weighing a test tile before soaking for a period =
of
time, then weighing again). If we can just get everyone to cover those ba=
ses
it would help our craft immensely.
Dolita in Kentucky
On Jul 12, 2010, at 8:48 PM, Ron Roy wrote:
> I have brought the subject up many times on this list and have waited
> - mostly in vain - for others to second the motion.
>
> I simply do not understand why the idea of making pots that don't leak
> is not a popular idea. Thats just basic stuff - or should be.
>
Ron Roy on wed 14 jul 10
Hi Fabienne,
All that is necessary is testing each load of clay you get for
absorbency to make sure it does not leak - that would take a few
minutes to make a couple of bars - run them through a bisque and a
glaze firing with a cone beside them in the glaze firing.
Most supply houses number each batch of clay they make - do two bars
for each different batch.
Beats having to replace any pots that don't hold water.
Make sure you mix up glazes before you need em so you can run a test
to see if they are right - that will probably save you lots of money
in the end.
It's not hard to do and takes only minutes - do you want me to send my
instructions on how to test clay?
RR
Quoting Fabienne McMillan :
> I wonder how realistic we're being for a potter who is cranking it
> out trying to
> make a living. What if the clay composition changes? Are we sure
> the material
> used are consistent? I forgot. But, one thing for sure, are we to say t=
hat
> every firing is identical? Probably not, today I have 3 pots in
> there and it's
> humid out, tomorrow I have 6 platers and it's dry out. Would I have
> to make a
> tile to stick on every shelf of every single firing and do that same
> exam every
> time? Now glazes, if I make my own or not, are we to say that the
> material are
> consistent, ditto for the firing. What's reasonable and who's to say?
>
>
> I'm just wondering how feasible this would truly be. Time is money. Pot=
ters
> are already earning a hard living; what would all this mean in terms of c=
ost?
> Customers are tight these days on top of it and the forecast on
> loosening up is
> not in sight yet.
>
> Many of you are equipped to answer those questions. I'm just
> equipped to whine
> and raise questions ;) What say you?
>
> Fabienne
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> Ron...for what it is worth, I second the motion! In my humble foray
> into making
> pots, I am often amazed at how many well-known, experienced potters
> either don't
> care about vitrification or the food safety of glazes, or don't
> know. How hard
> is it to figure it out? A few books, a few experiments (water in a vase =
on
> newspaper for 24 hours or weighing a test tile before soaking for a perio=
d of
> time, then weighing again). If we can just get everyone to cover
> those bases
> it would help our craft immensely.
>
> Dolita in Kentucky
>
> On Jul 12, 2010, at 8:48 PM, Ron Roy wrote:
>> I have brought the subject up many times on this list and have waited
>> - mostly in vain - for others to second the motion.
>>
>> I simply do not understand why the idea of making pots that don't leak
>> is not a popular idea. Thats just basic stuff - or should be.
>>
>
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