Lili Krakowski on mon 29 aug 11
First the good news: Barbara Cowles writes that SAC just added a big =3D
space to their ceramics area. And that neither Penland nor Haystack are =
=3D
cutting clay...And we all know Vince is fighting the good fight at =3D
Appalachian Center for Craft,Tennessee Tech University.
So them that is dropping clay is dropping clay because their hearts =3D
really never were in it.=3D20
When cuts need to be made, utility and "popularity" become determinant =3D
. When art programs are cut in public schools there is less money for =3D
art rooms and supplies, less demand for art teachers, and so forth. =3D
"Art classes" will be reduced to pencil, paper, ink, bring-your-own =3D
Crayolas. The cost of clay, glaze, firing costs--not to mention extra =3D
janitorial work--will not be kept up. So why not cut college clay =3D
programs?
I know nothing about glass...and it is glamorous, flashy, dramatic and =3D
all that. But I suspect--oh, dear--that a lot of its appeal is =3D
fashion--and fad.
When clay was a "novelty" and one had to be knowledgeable, skilled, and =
=3D
dedicated to do it, it had glamour. Then, for good as well as bad, =3D
facilitating tools and supplies came in. No need to mix a clay body; =3D
dozens can be bought. No need to build your kiln (and yes, early on, =3D
even electric kilns could be, were, home built...) make your own wheel, =3D
bats, ribs ...all became wonderfully facilitated, and the un-dedicated =3D
came into the field. The rest is history...and, like all history, a =3D
mixed bag.
So right now glass is "new" and, as far as I know, nothing yet is =3D
prefabricated! But, not to worry, someone out there is working to make =3D
it all quick and easy, so that stressed orthodontists, and bored =3D
actuaries can do it recreationally!
Just look at what happened to quilting!! Once a gentle, sociable, =3D
lovely domestic craft, recycling of cloth, stretching of imagination-- =3D
skill and patience, patience and skill. Some great art emerging....And =3D
now? Sewing machines that cost $10,000, even more, that do every =3D
embroidery stitch imaginable! Printed fabrics with "pictures" that once =
=3D
were pieced and stitched and embroidered together. All sorts of tools =3D
to facilitate cutting an fitting...It all is easy! It all is fun! =3D
And, I am waiting eagerly for a computer that makes bobbin lace....
Yes. I am chuckling at the Future of Glass! Think of it! Some sort of =
=3D
digitally controlled blowing device: and a furnace with automatic thises =
=3D
and thats...And clever turning machines, to swirl that glass =3D
blob--Anyone will be able to do it all too soon! Just you wait.
As to pomposity: it is a character trait....Maybe, or not, pompous =3D
people are attracted to glass. I mean doesn't "blow-hard" describe glass =
=3D
making quite well? =3D20
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Veena Raghavan on wed 31 aug 11
Hi Shula,
I have never quilted in my life, although I sew and knit, and have done so
for years, more in years past than now.
About a year ago, I decided that I have silk saris I never wear, have not
done so for years, but that their pretty patterns would make nice quilts. s=
o
with no experience but with the advice of a few people and a couple of
books, I started quilting! I have made about four quilts, all by hand witho=
ut a
frame. The hardest part is getting the layers together. Now, at almost 73, =
I
find it hard to get down on the ground for hours to put the layers together
neatly. I pin, then baste them together. I then quilt around the pattern in
the material. I only use an embroidery loop, as I prefer to sit on the sofa
and quilt while we are watching TV!
Good luck if and when you start quilting.
Veena
In a message dated 8/31/2011 8:16:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
purplelama@EARTHLINK.NET writes:
> Lili,
>
> You made me chuckle. While at a client site recently (day job), a group o=
f
> us were talking about what we do when we are not working our 55-80 work
> weeks. One of the women said that she quilted. That is a craft I would li=
ke
> to try. I sew, embroider, knit, needlepoint, etc., but haven't tried
> quilting. I have room in my living room for a quilting frame (or a loom -=
weaving
> is another craft on my list). So I asked the "quilter" whether she uses a
> quilting frame and stitches by hand. She proudly stated that she has a
> sewing machine that does all of that for her - as though quilting by hand=
is not
> something to be proud of. I was rather surprised (although I didn't
> display it at the time). So much for craft!
>
> Another craft bites the dust!
>
> Shula
>
VeenaRaghavan@cs.com
KATHI LESUEUR on wed 31 aug 11
In the seventies pottery was "in". Everyone wanted it. Potters ruled the =
=3D
shows. Potters made lots of money. Other exhibitors complained that =3D
there were too many potters. And, of course, the commercial entities =3D
copied designs and mass produced them for Walmart and such. Then, =3D
photography took over. Everyone was buying photos. they were making the =3D
money. Everyone complained about them. "If you take enough pictures you =3D
can get some good ones." And then, of course, photographs could print =3D
endlessly and with little effort make lots of money. And, like clay, =3D
stores started carrying lots of photography. Now, it is glass. They are =3D
in their prime. People like bright shiny objects. But, like everyone =3D
before them, the pieces are being copied and mass produced off shore. =3D
They will have their day, month, year in the sun and then buyers will =3D
move on to something different. It's the way of the world.=3D20
As for ceramics in colleges and universities, maybe it's a good thing. =3D
There was so much crap coming out of them in the name of "different" =3D
that anything good got lost. Maybe now people who want to learn about =3D
clay will again learn as an apprentice. Maybe they will learn what a =3D
good pot is. How to make it , glaze it, and fire it.
KATHI LESUEUR
http://www.lesueurclaywork.com
Shula on wed 31 aug 11
Lili,
You made me chuckle. While at a client site recently (day job), a group of =
us were talking about what we do when we are not working our 55-80 work wee=
ks. One of the women said that she quilted. That is a craft I would like to=
try. I sew, embroider, knit, needlepoint, etc., but haven't tried quilting=
. I have room in my living room for a quilting frame (or a loom - weaving i=
s another craft on my list). So I asked the "quilter" whether she uses a qu=
ilting frame and stitches by hand. She proudly stated that she has a sewing=
machine that does all of that for her - as though quilting by hand is not =
something to be proud of. I was rather surprised (although I didn't display=
it at the time). So much for craft!
Another craft bites the dust!
Shula
-----Original Message-----
>From: Lili Krakowski
>Just look at what happened to quilting!! Once a gentle, sociable, lovely=
domestic craft, recycling of cloth, stretching of imagination-- skill and=
patience, patience and skill. Some great art emerging....And now? Sewing=
machines that cost $10,000, even more, that do every embroidery stitch ima=
ginable! Printed fabrics with "pictures" that once were pieced and stitche=
d and embroidered together. All sorts of tools to facilitate cutting an fi=
tting...It all is easy! It all is fun! And, I am waiting eagerly for a c=
omputer that makes bobbin lace....
Shula
Desert Hot Springs, California USA
www.claymystique.etsy.com
Liz Gowen 1 on thu 1 sep 11
Shula I came from a long line of quilters on my moms side. Have pieced quil=
t
tops 1 each from my great great grandmother to my mother. None of them eve=
r
put them together and quilted them, a lot of time spent on piecework not to
finish it. I decided to continue the tradition a little but wanted a
finished piece. I made baby blankets and what I call sofa blankets not too
big so they were finishable. I chose a beautibul piece of material, no piec=
e
work, and sewed around the designs or drew in some with sewing chalk. My on=
e
nephew kept it on top of his bed till he was 15. I quilted it in a large
oval hoop I could keep on my lap and hand quilt while I watched sort-of TV
or at least listened. I much prefer hand quilting to machine. It is very
soothing. I did a number of both but decided my medium is still clay so got
the gas kiln and have been learning to fire it after 40 years of elctric
thanks to clayart folks and some other potters I know that gas fire. Liz
Gowen
. One of the women said that she quilted. That is a craft I would like to
try. I sew, embroider, knit, needlepoint, etc., but haven't tried quilting.
I have room in my living room for a quilting frame (or a loom - weaving is
another craft on my list). So I asked the "quilter" whether she uses a
quilting frame and stitches by hand. She proudly stated that she has a
sewing machine that does all of that for her - as though quilting by hand i=
s
not something to be proud of. I was rather surprised (although I didn't
display it at the time). So much for craft!
Another craft bites the dust!
Shula
-----Original Message-----
>From: Lili Krakowski
>Just look at what happened to quilting!! Once a gentle, sociable, lovely
domestic craft, recycling of cloth, stretching of imagination-- skill and
patience, patience and skill. Some great art emerging....And now? Sewing
machines that cost $10,000, even more, that do every embroidery stitch
imaginable! Printed fabrics with "pictures" that once were pieced and
stitched and embroidered together. All sorts of tools to facilitate cuttin=
g
an fitting...It all is easy! It all is fun! And, I am waiting eagerly fo=
r
a computer that makes bobbin lace....
Shula
Desert Hot Springs, California USA
www.claymystique.etsy.com
Snail Scott on sat 3 sep 11
We are supplying luxury goods. Functional, attractive
manufactured pottery can be had for a fraction of the price
that even a novice craft artist would accept. Those who
choose to spend their money on handmade work are
doing so because it is special, not because it works better.
Sculptural work is even more clearly a luxury good,
budgeted out of discretionary funds and bought because
the buyer likes it. Not 'needs it', 'likes' it! That is a choice
based on personal taste, and a sense of what is appealing.
Regardless of how idiosyncratic and individual we all
like to think we are, our judgement is affected by the
culture around us, by fashions and trends and what the
people around us are doing and discussing. We may not
suck it up blindly, but we cannot avoid being affected.
Ceramics - especially the brown, lumpy, 'primitive' stuff -
had a real heyday in the '70's. Seems like everyone wanted
it in their house, and lot of makers wanted to make it. Earth-
toned colors, raw and natural rough surfaces - they were 'in'.
They were a perfect fit for ceramics, and part of a tactile era.
Now, I look at current TV shows about home decorating
(which seems bigger than ever as a hobby), and while I
still see some rough, natural materials and surfaces, I see
more minimal, smooth, sleeker versions of those things
than we did in the'70's. (When was the last time you met
someone who wanted to keep their knotty pine paneling?)
I often wonder how much influence those TV shows and
magazines have. They do channel the zeitgeist, if you will,
they don't create it from scratch, but what looks good in a
magazine or TV screen isn't the same as what looks good in
person. You can't get close to scrutinize the subtle details
and you can't pick it up to cop a feel - it needs to 'read' at a
distance, like billboard. The items I see in these decorator
rooms are large, bold, and carry their look at a distance.
Glass is especially good at that - smooth, colorful, bold and
simple shapes. Clay can do that, too, and that's the kind of
clay I see in these settings. Not small intimately-scaled
objects for touch. (Clutter! the designer shrieks, and chucks
them out.) Wood, metal, all sorts of media can do this new
contemporary look, even textiles, though, and the ones that
do seem to have a niche. Ceramics seems to be one of the
media most clinging to the past, though, waiting for tastes to
swing back rather than joining the current mode. 'Timeless'
is one thing, and so is 'retro', but 'old-fashioned' is a kiss of
death.
This applies to what is taught, too. If students see something
as irrelevant or quaint, they will skip it. And enrollment will
decline. If they see it as exciting and as something that their
voice can speak through, they will demand it. And if enough
of them do, they will get it.
It's not just a creeping conspiracy of cost-cutting administrators
or craft-philistines that is killing ceramics in school. In part, it's
the hide-bound attitudes of a lot of the people teaching it, who
want it to be the same as it was when they learned it, or when
their own teacher learned it, and so on. Time marches on. The
things we see as timeless were radical and trendy once, too.
Keep making what you want to make. But if people don't want
it, don't bitch about it.
I will duck and cover, now.
-Snail
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