mel jacobson on thu 7 jul 11
i have been rather deep in thought for the
last few days about the concept of clay
re/cycle, new bodies and why we do it.
then zac emailed me about his new (used) 4,000 lb
trailer. he was so excited. he can get an entire
bundle of slab wood from butch now. haul it to
the farm...and, he is making a nice relationship
with a trophy company for their 8 foot sticks
of cherry and walnut scrap.
he is so excited. his new wood kiln will begin
to be built next month. zac apprenticed with mark
hewitt for three years. he is a dedicated wood firing
potter.
why all the work, why the trailer, chain saws, the
sweat and energy.???? why does he want to do that?
why does colleen love to go up in the woods with
zac, kevin and bill? not just because they are virile
and handsome men...she loves the hauling and the
saws and the stacking of wood. she is a potter you know.
i do not go into the woods with them. i do not even care
that much for my pots to be in the wood kiln. not my aesthetic.
but, i love the process. i love being with them, sharing my
kiln with them...letting them use my house anytime they want.
zac and his wife have made my little wood house their own when
they fire our wood kiln. it is joyful to be a part of this effort.
and, i get to take care of the chain saws, as they are mine. have
two of them in the chain saw hospital so that gary, the expert, master
mechanic can make them new again. one is a stihl, one is a huskavarna.
good equipment. they have to be perfect, so doctor gary will do
that for us. a few dollars to have it done right. no short cuts with
chain saws.
it is process. different potters like different process. it does not
make them more noble, or better than....or wonderful. it is just
their process. craig edwards is a master wood firing potter. he loves
the process, the color, the fire, the wood. we admire his energy and
his love for his process. he is not better than a person firing a
small electric kiln in their garage. but, he loves `his` process.
i love the energy i find in my pug mill. it makes my clay perfection
times ten. my clay is important to me. only i can make the clay
body that i want. it is part of my process. is it a great deal of work?
of course...but it is good hardy work that makes me strong. it makes
me sweat and get ready for making pots. i am sure i will do
it until i can no longer push the handle down on my walker pug mill.
it is sort of why i am going to build my own computer next week. my
expert buddy/master computer builder and i are going to the wholesale
parts store to buy all the components. a new intel 5 processor, and the
best sound and video card i can afford. all new. fast as can be. reliabl=
e.
yes, i know...i can afford a new $2,000 mac, and some will never understand
why i would stay with pc...but, i know them front and back, they are a
part of my process.
you just have to take ownership in your own process. if you are not
totally happy with that process..change. some spend their entire life
with kiln envy. `whaa, i want to have a cone 10 reduction salt kiln`.
well, build one. or, stop the whining and learn to love your own
process. it is all about choice. and then the energy and passion to
make it happen. it does not just pop into place.
i guess what i do the most with this issue is try to get people to
add to their own process. add a bit at a time. one thing..then another.
it does make for incredible growth. there are so many ways to make
pots and work with clay..endless. and, as sharlene has told me a thousand
times...`my god, you don't have to learn to do everything`. well, i do.
not master everything, just understand as much as i can about the
process of being a potter...and that is vast.
got to hurry.
it is 4:20 a.m. and i have to start my gas kiln. loaded and ready.
it is time to get after that process. i am still exited.
firing day.
mel
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
Wendy Peck on sat 9 jul 11
mel said:
>you just have to take ownership in your own process. if you are not
>totally happy with that process..change. some spend their entire life
>with kiln envy. `whaa, i want to have a cone 10 reduction salt kiln`.
>well, build one. or, stop the whining and learn to love your own
>process. it is all about choice. and then the energy and passion to
>make it happen. it does not just pop into place.
Here is a perfect example of a young man with the energy and passion to mak=
e
a kiln happen in Detroit. He's a student, with recovered bricks from an old
salt kiln and can't find the funds to finish. I am impressed that he has
made it as far as he has. He has set up a funding project, and with his
passion and charisma, he could probably sit back and collect what he needs.
But he is offering his work as a reward for donations. To me, that says: he
is stuck, needs help, and he's willing to work for it.
Even if you don't want to support the project, the video is worth seeing.
Nothing is going to stop this young man from finishing and firing this kiln=
.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/henrycrissman/the-salty-dog-detroits-no=
borigama-wood-kiln
Disclaimer: I just heard about this project tonight and have no connection
to the project or the young man.
Wendy
William & Susan Schran User on sat 9 jul 11
On 7/9/11 1:45 AM, "Wendy Peck" wrote:
>
> Here is a perfect example of a young man with the energy and passion to m=
ake
> a kiln happen in Detroit. He's a student, with recovered bricks from an o=
ld
> salt kiln and can't find the funds to finish. I am impressed that he has
> made it as far as he has. He has set up a funding project, and with his
> passion and charisma, he could probably sit back and collect what he need=
s.
> But he is offering his work as a reward for donations. To me, that says: =
he
> is stuck, needs help, and he's willing to work for it.
>
> Even if you don't want to support the project, the video is worth seeing.
> Nothing is going to stop this young man from finishing and firing this ki=
ln.
> http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/henrycrissman/the-salty-dog-detroits-=
nobor
> igama-wood-kiln
Thanks for posting the site Wendy.
Henry sounds just like me while in school and continuing to this day.
I wanted a gas fired kiln for my students.
Funding from the college is laughable.
I needed to raise $55,000 for kiln & building.
Took me 6 years of grants, begging for donations and holiday pottery sales
at the school, but it finally happened.
This is a pay it forward, or perhaps clay it forward, moment.
Time to give back, so I sent along a nice donation.
Perhaps others on this forum who have the resources will share also.
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
Wendy Peck on sat 9 jul 11
Bill said:
>I wanted a gas fired kiln for my students.
>Funding from the college is laughable.
>I needed to raise $55,000 for kiln & building.
>Took me 6 years of grants, begging for donations and holiday pottery sales
>at the school, but it finally happened.
Bill,
Interesting, because this project moved me for the opposite reason to yours=
.
I have been "planning" a small gas kiln for three years now, and I am still
at the idea stage. I was motivated to contribute by this kid taking on a
many more challenges, with fewer resources to do a bigger project -- and to
get started with the faith that the resources will arrive. At one time, tha=
t
would have been me, and this guy is motivating me I get off the safety of m=
y
planning route (just because I am older doesn't mean it has to be perfect
first time, right?) and lay some bricks down.
Wendy
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