Carl Cravens on fri 7 oct 11
Favorite to make or favorite to use?
I like using bowls. There is somethin=3D
g just "right" about holding a bowl in the hand to eat, and most commercial=
=3D
bowls don't fit right in the hand. A hot noodle bowl with a deep foot ring=
=3D
can be held with thumb on the rim, fingers on the foot without being too h=
=3D
ot. I like that. More than the mug, the
bowl represents "the" functional po=3D
t to me.
Making... While I like to make bowls, I really enjoy throwing lid=3D
ded jars. I'll not sure why... all the variation, knobs, methods of making =
=3D
lids, etc. A lidded jar was one of the earliest forms I threw, right after =
=3D
my first mug.
Jeff Longtin on fri 7 oct 11
I don't know about you but certain forms seem to strike my fancy more than
others. Presuming this is the same for others I will ask everyone to
describe their favorite form and why.
On the other hand, if you have an idea for a Friday Theme, feel free to
suggest it. The idea here is for us to tell our stories and get to know eac=
h
other as clay people. (To learn what makes us similar but also to learn
what makes us different.) If you have a desire to tell a specific story the=
n
please do.
My favorite form, for some reason, is the teapot. Something about it just
gets me excited. I'm not sure if its the form itself or the process
involved in making it, but teapots have been my thing as long as I can rem=
ember.
I think one reason I liked it was that it involved so much effort. And so
varied an effort at that. Throwing a spout was different than throwing the
pot. Throwing the pot was different than throwing the lid. Adding a handle
was yet another challenge.
The aesthetic questions seemed endless.
Then there was the usage aspect. That something I've created might actually
"make a good cup of tea" for someone is another joy.
Even today, as a slip caster, I still love making teapots. Now I assemble
teapots, more than actually form them, but the various pleasures are still
there.
take care everyone. Look forward to reading your story.
Jeff Longtin
Minneapolis
Taylor Hendrix on fri 7 oct 11
My wife is my favorite form. Been striking my fancy for over 24 years.
Yee haw.
Taylor, in Rockport TX
wirerabbit1 on Skype (-0600 UTC)
http://wirerabbit.blogspot.com
http://wirerabbitpots.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wirerabbit/
On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 6:58 AM, Jeff Longtin wrote:
> I don't know about you but certain forms seem to strike my fancy more tha=
n
> others. Presuming this is the same for others I will ask everyone to
...
Wendy Peck on fri 7 oct 11
Jeff,
For me (and I bet the pros will identify me as a hobby potter instantly), i=
t
is the mug. I worship my coffee, even roasting my own beans. The first cup
of coffee of the day is a decadent pleasure that never grows old. About ten
years ago, I bought a mug made by Tony Winchester, and I quickly deemed it
to be the perfect mug.
Since then, I have been trying for the same thing in my own work. I can't
copy Tony's mugexactly, because my natural style is quite different than
his, but I can shoot for the balance in your hand, the wonderful lip feel,
the size, the perfect handle, the visual interest -- all the things that
have made that mug one of my treasured possessions.
I've come close on a couple of my own mugs -- dropped and broke my best
attempt soon after I had started reaching for it as often as Tony's. But
that goal keeps me going back, year after year, seeking the perfect one. My
friends seem quite happy to take the rejects off my hands, and since they
don't have the perfect one to compare them to, are quite happy with them.
When friends come to my home, everyone chooses which mug from my collection
they want their coffee or tea served in -- it's a fun little tradition.
When I travel in the winter, I leave home with a box of mugs, and have my
hosts each choose a mug as a thank you for the hospitality. It's fun and
fascinating to watch and listen to the choosing process. I'm getting pretty
good at predicting who will choose what, though I get at least one surprise
per trip. That's also valuable training.
In addition, making mugs has really advanced my skills. I have experimented
in every way possible with throwing forms and handbuilding, surface, glaze,
trimming, creating the size I expect (there is an embarrassing generation o=
f
small mugs out there from me). My pottery skills are competant at best, but
I can pull a great handle. Because it is a food container, I have forced
myself to understand (tentatively) glaze fit and safety. Because they are
small, I can do all of this experimenting working with one and two gallon
glaze batches. I've learned to spray glazes with a Critter Spray gun and a
cardboard box as a spray booth, since I am often only working on three or
four mugs at a time.
I keep promising myself that I will become obessessed with something new,
like lidded forms, but when I clean away the garden mess and my studio
becomes a clay studio again, I'm back at the mugs. Last year I veered a bit
and made a bunch of tumblers, which isn't much of a diversion.
Wendy
-----
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William & Susan Schran User on fri 7 oct 11
On 10/7/11 7:58 AM, "Jeff Longtin" wrote:
> My favorite form, for some reason, is the teapot. Something about it jus=
t
> gets me excited. I'm not sure if its the form itself or the process
> involved in making it, but teapots have been my thing as long as I can
> remember.
The teapot is also my favorite.
I've explored the teapot for 40+ years and still find it a challenge to hav=
e
all parts work together as one - a unified form.
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
Patty Kaliher on fri 7 oct 11
It's a toss-up the teapot or the pitcher. Love the asymmetry of the teapot
and all the creative things people have done with that form but a pitcher
can be truly majestic, elegant and oh so functional.
Patty Kaliher
Edouard Bastarache on fri 7 oct 11
Je prefere les "boules":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D8vuqjkMWMG8
Gis,
Edouard Bastarache
Spertesperantisto
Sorel-Tracy
Quebec
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30058682@N00/
http://edouardbastarache.blogspot.com/
http://edouardbastaracheblogs2.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/edouard.bastarache
Vince Pitelka on fri 7 oct 11
Teapot, hands down. It is the most challenging utilitarian form. You =3D
have to balance body, spout, handle, and lid, and screwing up one of =3D
them ruins the whole form. Also, the line created by a handle doesn't =3D
stop at the surface of the teapot. Where does it go? What kind of line =
=3D
does it create? What other parts of the form does it connect with? =3D
Does the handle balance the spout? Is the handle really appropriate for =
=3D
the form. Is the lid appropriate for the form considering the handle =3D
and spout? One out of every one hundred teapots is a good teapot. The =3D
rest of them are crap, just because the maker didn't really stop to =3D
think about all these things. =3D20
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
=3D20
May Luk on fri 7 oct 11
My favorite form is the Korean Moon Jar.
Here is a bit of historical reference written by an MA student in East
Asian Art at Sotheby's Institute of Art
http://www.fuximagazine.com/art_design/2009/12/20/the-full-moon-jar-in-the-=
british-museum/
Have a good weekend
May
Brooklyn
P.S. Thanks for positive comments about the video of my studio.
--
http://www.artspan.org/artist/mayluk
http://www.ceramicsbrooklyn.com/
Jeff Longtin on sat 8 oct 11
Great story Wendy. Thanks for contributing.
Hobby potter, or professional, we're all part of the clay community.
The people that enjoy your mugs probably don't care if you do it full time,
or part time, they just enjoy what you do. That's the way it should be.
take care
Jeff Longtin
Minneapolis
Carl Cravens on sun 9 oct 11
On 10/07/2011 05:07 PM, Edouard Bastarache wrote:
> Je prefere les "boules":
Google Translate says "I prefer the 'balls'." Hm. Alternates are "bowl" a=
nd "scoop". Would you call that a "bottle" in English?
If I go the other way, giving it "I prefer bottles" I get "Je pr=E9f=E8re l=
es bouteilles."
--
Carl D Cravens (raven@phoenyx.net)
Hey! We're out of wine, women, and song! !@#$*!?% NO MERRIER
Lee on sun 9 oct 11
On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 11:53 AM, Taylor Hendrix wro=
=3D
te:
> My wife is my favorite form. Been striking my fancy for over 24 years.
I like seeing the clouds and the horizon over Lake Superior.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3D3D10150319767502057&set=3D3Da.1015=
0212=3D
563702057.311179.550727056&type=3D3D3&theater
or
http://on.fb.me/oIOXWF
--
=3DA0Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
=3DA0"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D9=
7that is, =3D
"The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue
Steve Slatin on sun 9 oct 11
Carl -- The Edinator has spoken, and I believe it is best to let it=3D0Asta=
nd=3D
in its splendid simplicity.=3D0A=3DA0=3D0A(FWIW, my presumption was he was=
sayin=3D
g something that would=3D0Atranslate as "I prefer the traditional European =
ga=3D
me of bocce, as it=3D0Ais played by elderly gentlemen on villiage greens."=
=3DA0=3D
But translation is=3D0Aalways more an art than a science.)=3D0A=3D0ASteve =
Slatin=3D
-- =3D0A=3D0A=3D0AN48.0886450=3D0AW123.1420482=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A_____________=
______________=3D
_____=3D0AFrom: Carl Cravens =3D0ATo: Clayart@LSV.CERAMI=
CS.O=3D
RG=3D0ASent: Saturday, October 8, 2011 10:31 PM=3D0ASubject: Re: Friday Cla=
yart=3D
Theme - What's your favorite form?=3D0A=3D0AOn 10/07/2011 05:07 PM, Edouar=
d Ba=3D
starache wrote:=3D0A> Je prefere les "boules":--
Jeff Brown on mon 10 oct 11
My favorite form
to work with is round.
On Sun, 9 Oct 2011 00:43:37 -0500, Lee wrote:
>On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 11:53 AM, Taylor Hendrix =3D=
20=3D
wrote:
>> My wife is my favorite form. Been striking my fancy for over 24 years.=
=3D
>
>I like seeing the clouds and the horizon over Lake Superior.
>
>http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
fbid=3D3D10150319767502057&set=3D3Da.10150212563702057.311179.550727056&a=
=3D
mp;typ
e=3D3D3&theater
>
>or
>
>http://on.fb.me/oIOXWF
>--
>=3DA0Lee Love in Minneapolis
>http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
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