mel jacobson on sun 1 may 11
look at calligraphy.
no time to learn letters, forms, just smear letters
in any way on a wall. take a photo of it..
get in a show.
`hey, i am a famous calligrapher.`
they did not have to do diligence...just pretend.
it takes ten years of diligent practice to be a master
calligrapher...like becoming a violinist...it takes
years...not ten minutes.
weavers that hang wire from the ceiling with a
cloth dish rag hanging from it. metaphor for her
period. (saw that in a show a couple of years back.)
never touched a loom...`no time to learn that
crap.`
i just do. `i make statements about life.`
`i am famous now...got in a big show.`
ever try and do a complex weave from scratch
on a loom? complex mathematics. takes a bit
of skill and knowledge.
many have no time to be a crafts person.
that takes work, time, effort and of course
you may have to sell what you make and make
a living...a life style.
but then, maybe the society owes them a living
just for being ``wonderful me`...? probably not.
great craft is a life...not a show.
great craft is made to be proud-ful, (i like that word.) it is made
to be given to others to use. the work lasts
forever. anthropologists love us.
can you sell a painted brick? my customers would
laugh me out of minnetonka.
i really do not give a fat rat's ass what others do.
what others think they have to do, or what they
think of what i make. i am far too busy to fret.
i just know i face the mirror every morning with
knowing i know what i am doing and damn proud
of it. i am proud of my books...learning tools
for others.
i cannot expalin what others do...in fact i have
given up judging it. i carry on. time and a life time
of work will be the only judge. and of course the `play`
and joy we have making what we make. it changes,
grows and becomes us.
can you do painted bricks your entire life? no.
can you make great pots your entire life...? yes.
but, please do not think we are stupid and don't understand
`brilliance`. we have seen it all. a flash, bang...dust and
nothing follows. quick here, easy gone. used car salesman
in your future? i have seen hundreds of `new wave` artists.
most are gone as fast as they appear. never knew what
hit them.
our craft lasts forever. one pot at a time, one firing at a
time, one sale at a time. i have sold thousands of pots, thousands.
they are still in homes...holding tea and coffee, cereal, soup,
bread, meat, and big batches of cookies. nice.
mel
had a sweet compliment just yesterday...one of my
fine customers said `my robbie was just divorced, and
he told his ex that all he wanted from the house was
mel's pots, she could keep the rest of the junk.` sweet.
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
alternate: melpots7575@gmail.com
Des & Jan Howard on mon 2 may 11
Mel
I'm going to print this post to hang on my workshop
wall. Only because there ain't enough room to tattoo it
on my chest.
Des
On 2/05/2011 10:49 AM, mel jacobson wrote:
> our craft lasts forever. one pot at a time, one firing
> at a
> time, one sale at a time. i have sold thousands of
> pots, thousands.
> they are still in homes...holding tea and coffee,
> cereal, soup,
> bread, meat, and big batches of cookies. nice.
--
Des & Jan Howard
Lue Pottery
Lue NSW
Australia
2850
02 6373 6419
www.luepottery.hwy.com.au
-32.656072 149.840624
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