Fred Parker on wed 15 dec 10
There has been a good bit of discussion here recently about getting an ex=
=3D
act
glaze color from a recipe. I have often suffered the same frustrations o=
=3D
f
discovering a fired glaze that just didn't measure up to what I "expected=
=3D
"
it to be.
During a recent prowl through some old boxes of things I made several yea=
=3D
rs
ago -- and filed away in the basement because I didn't like their glaze
outcomes -- I was pleasantly surprised to find that now, I actually like
many of them. Even more surprising is the fact that several friends who
have seen them also like them.
It brings up a point I believe every potter could benefit from pondering
more. That is, "there is no accounting for taste." It changes over time=
=3D
and with different influences. A glaze I find too flat or too boring tod=
=3D
ay
might seem perfect for the item a year from now. Something I really love=
=3D
might never sell because none of my customers like it.
I'm not saying potters should simply adopt a policy of "anything goes" an=
=3D
d
do whatever they want with no regard for fired appearance. However,
sometimes I believe we overlook some very nice glazes because what we fou=
=3D
nd
when we opened the kiln is not what we hoped we would find. We have
designated certain outcomes to be "good" iron or copper reds, for example=
=3D
,
and then elevated them to the status of benchmarks for measuring potters'=
=3D
competencies in glaze formulation and kiln firing. I would never deny th=
=3D
at
the colors usually selected are indeed beautiful colors that I wish I cou=
=3D
ld
achieve. I am only saying there are also lots of other beautiful colors =
=3D
on
either side of the "benchmark" we should also embrace.
Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it...
Fred Parker
David Beumee on thu 16 dec 10
Yours is a good argument not to smash pots too soon when they appear from a
firing,
especially if you're one who's always trying for new colors and combination=
s
thereof.
David Beumee
Lafayette, CO
On Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 11:26 AM, Fred Parker wrote:
> There has been a good bit of discussion here recently about getting an
> exact
> glaze color from a recipe. I have often suffered the same frustrations o=
f
> discovering a fired glaze that just didn't measure up to what I "expected=
"
> it to be.
>
> During a recent prowl through some old boxes of things I made several yea=
rs
> ago -- and filed away in the basement because I didn't like their glaze
> outcomes -- I was pleasantly surprised to find that now, I actually like
> many of them. Even more surprising is the fact that several friends who
> have seen them also like them.
>
> It brings up a point I believe every potter could benefit from pondering
> more. That is, "there is no accounting for taste." It changes over time
> and with different influences. A glaze I find too flat or too boring tod=
ay
> might seem perfect for the item a year from now. Something I really love
> might never sell because none of my customers like it.
>
> I'm not saying potters should simply adopt a policy of "anything goes" an=
d
> do whatever they want with no regard for fired appearance. However,
> sometimes I believe we overlook some very nice glazes because what we fou=
nd
> when we opened the kiln is not what we hoped we would find. We have
> designated certain outcomes to be "good" iron or copper reds, for example=
,
> and then elevated them to the status of benchmarks for measuring potters'
> competencies in glaze formulation and kiln firing. I would never deny th=
at
> the colors usually selected are indeed beautiful colors that I wish I cou=
ld
> achieve. I am only saying there are also lots of other beautiful colors =
on
> either side of the "benchmark" we should also embrace.
>
> Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it...
>
> Fred Parker
>
Steve Mills on fri 17 dec 10
So True! you could re-write the proverb: "Smash in haste, repent at
leisure!"
I certainly have!!
The best comment I've ever heard was from Australian/Mashiko Potter Euan
Craig when discussing this subject (imagine his dry Ozzie Drawl): "I usuall=
y
find the difference between a good pot and a bad pot is about a week!"
Steve M
On 17 December 2010 00:03, David Beumee wrote:
> Yours is a good argument not to smash pots too soon when they appear from=
a
> firing,
> especially if you're one who's always trying for new colors and
> combinations
> thereof.
>
> David Beumee
> Lafayette, CO
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 11:26 AM, Fred Parker wrote:
>
> > There has been a good bit of discussion here recently about getting an
> > exact
> > glaze color from a recipe. I have often suffered the same frustrations
> of
> > discovering a fired glaze that just didn't measure up to what I
> "expected"
> > it to be.
> >
> > During a recent prowl through some old boxes of things I made several
> years
> > ago -- and filed away in the basement because I didn't like their glaze
> > outcomes -- I was pleasantly surprised to find that now, I actually lik=
e
> > many of them. Even more surprising is the fact that several friends wh=
o
> > have seen them also like them.
> >
> > It brings up a point I believe every potter could benefit from ponderin=
g
> > more. That is, "there is no accounting for taste." It changes over ti=
me
> > and with different influences. A glaze I find too flat or too boring
> today
> > might seem perfect for the item a year from now. Something I really lo=
ve
> > might never sell because none of my customers like it.
> >
> > I'm not saying potters should simply adopt a policy of "anything goes"
> and
> > do whatever they want with no regard for fired appearance. However,
> > sometimes I believe we overlook some very nice glazes because what we
> found
> > when we opened the kiln is not what we hoped we would find. We have
> > designated certain outcomes to be "good" iron or copper reds, for
> example,
> > and then elevated them to the status of benchmarks for measuring potter=
s'
> > competencies in glaze formulation and kiln firing. I would never deny
> that
> > the colors usually selected are indeed beautiful colors that I wish I
> could
> > achieve. I am only saying there are also lots of other beautiful color=
s
> on
> > either side of the "benchmark" we should also embrace.
> >
> > Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it...
> >
> > Fred Parker
> >
>
James Freeman on fri 17 dec 10
On Thu, Dec 16, 2010 at 7:03 PM, David Beumee wrote=
=3D
:
> Yours is a good argument not to smash pots too soon when they appear from=
=3D
a
> firing,
Wow, my own problem is quite the opposite. I tend to save everything.
I have boxes up in the attic above my studio that are labeled "Crappy
pots, but too good to throw out". When I do go back and look at them,
I cannot figure out what I possible saw in them that saved them from
the hammer. When I made the big recycled vase this summer
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/), quite a few
"crappy pots, but too good to throw out" saw the hammer and moved on
to a better place!
All the best.
...James
James Freeman
"...outsider artists, caught in the bog of their own consciousness,
too preciously idiosyncratic to be taken seriously."
"All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice.=3DA0 I
should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed."
-Michel de Montaigne
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com/resources
C Sullivan on sat 18 dec 10
I've saved all my "crappy pots" to use as reference material.
"Oh yes, this is the pot that i used this glaze combo on and this is what i=
t
did."
Or
"My goodness, don't try that design technique again." and i have the pot in
front of me to display the fallacy of that design.
Over the years, as i go on and try out new glazes and new designs, i forget
the old ones (sad but true) and thus "those pots" hanging around are a
reminder that if i try the very same thing again, the results will be the
very same and i won't be pleased with the new pots either !!!
Chae
On Fri, Dec 17, 2010 at 11:30 AM, James Freeman <
jamesfreemanstudio@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Dec 16, 2010 at 7:03 PM, David Beumee
> wrote:
> > Yours is a good argument not to smash pots too soon when they appear fr=
om
> a
> > firing,
>
>
>
>
> Wow, my own problem is quite the opposite. I tend to save everything.
> I have boxes up in the attic above my studio that are labeled "Crappy
> pots, but too good to throw out". When I do go back and look at them,
> I cannot figure out what I possible saw in them that saved them from
> the hammer. When I made the big recycled vase this summer
> (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/), quite a few
> "crappy pots, but too good to throw out" saw the hammer and moved on
> to a better place!
>
> All the best.
>
> ...James
>
> James Freeman
>
> "...outsider artists, caught in the bog of their own consciousness,
> too preciously idiosyncratic to be taken seriously."
>
> "All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I
> should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed."
> -Michel de Montaigne
>
> http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/
> http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com/resources
>
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