Lili Krakowski on wed 25 jan 12
Every so often there is a thread about US who make up this list, and, by =
=3D
extension, the craft, the art community. And, having just received an =3D
"annual report" from a young friend, a singer, married to another =3D
musician, raising children "in music" I am taking the chance of thinking =
=3D
aloud.
All around us Contemporary Culture is riddled with the notion of =3D
"entitlement". The cultural consensus is: Everyone is entitled to =3D
everything =3D20
When a designer creates a new and improved whatever, gorgeous, good, =3D
costly, there is an immediate rush, not to judgment, but to China--where =
=3D
shoddy knockoffs are churned out, so that "everyone" can have this =3D
whatever. =3D20
And up, down, and sideways, the cry is that effortlessly, without work, =3D
without sacrifice, without hardship, without tradeoffs, "everyone is =3D
entitled" to everything.
What puzzles me--or why I am putting my neck on the block--is that =3D
throughout the ClayArt years this theme never ever comes up! As a group =3D
we accept the high cost of doing business, the hard work, the =3D
sacrifices,
etc. We scrimp, we save, we improvise, we make do, we do without. We =3D
drive rattletrap pickups, work in cobbled together studios, wear
thrift shop clothes, and on and on...We do not expect anyone else to pay =
=3D
for our clay, our kilns, our firing costs...It just does not cross our =3D
minds.
Which begs the question: Why, how come? What is it in the arts and =3D
crafts community that automatically rejects the notion of entitlement?
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Steve Mills on wed 25 jan 12
Dear Lili,=3D20
Perhaps it is because we as individuals make original and highly personal =
w=3D
orks we appreciate the genuine article and consequently reject the ersatz. =
=3D20=3D
Steve M
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
Sent from my iPod
On 25 Jan 2012, at 15:01, Lili Krakowski wrote:
> Every so often there is a thread about US who make up this list, and, by =
e=3D
xtension, the craft, the art community. And, having just received an "annu=
a=3D
l report" from a young friend, a singer, married to another musician, raisi=
n=3D
g children "in music" I am taking the chance of thinking aloud.
>=3D20
> All around us Contemporary Culture is riddled with the notion of "entitle=
m=3D
ent". The cultural consensus is: Everyone is entitled to everything =3D=
20
>=3D20
> When a designer creates a new and improved whatever, gorgeous, good, cos=
t=3D
ly, there is an immediate rush, not to judgment, but to China--where shoddy=
k=3D
nockoffs are churned out, so that "everyone" can have this whatever. =3D20
>=3D20
> And up, down, and sideways, the cry is that effortlessly, without work, w=
i=3D
thout sacrifice, without hardship, without tradeoffs, "everyone is entitled=
"=3D
to everything.
>=3D20
> What puzzles me--or why I am putting my neck on the block--is that throug=
h=3D
out the ClayArt years this theme never ever comes up! As a group we accept =
t=3D
he high cost of doing business, the hard work, the sacrifices,
> etc. We scrimp, we save, we improvise, we make do, we do without. We dr=
i=3D
ve rattletrap pickups, work in cobbled together studios, wear
> thrift shop clothes, and on and on...We do not expect anyone else to pay =
f=3D
or our clay, our kilns, our firing costs...It just does not cross our minds=
.=3D
>=3D20
> Which begs the question: Why, how come? What is it in the arts and craft=
s=3D
community that automatically rejects the notion of entitlement?
>=3D20
>=3D20
> Lili Krakowski
> Be of good courage
Nefsigh@AOL.COM on wed 25 jan 12
A good question. From my 63 years of life of which art and clay has been
part of 41 of them, I offer the following observations:
First, we have to understand that one of the reasons we "accept" the
issues associated with being art makers is that we get to do something we l=
ove.
Second, we also have to recognize that there is comfort in collective
misery.
By that I mean the following: Most artist and clay workers in our
society are looked upon, by the general public as outliers at best and
court jesters by most. When you think seriously of your community and your
"place" within it, what do you find? You find that once or twice a year, t=
he
community leaders (usually the more wealthy, semi-elitist members) drag "U=
S"
out for a local fair or exhibition. During that time our lives and works
are "celebrated" as the quaint potter or painter working in the city.
Meanwhile those "leaders" pat themselves on their backs for having such a
connection to Bohemia, and for tolerating such riff raff in the community.=
When
folks ask us outside such events about what we do, and we tell them, most =
come
away with a blank face, not really knowing what and particularly not
knowing why, we do what we do.
During the rest of the time, we work, usually in solitude or within small
groups, almost always associating with "our own kind", in part because we
like each other, but also because we can commiserate with one another abou=
t
the difficulties and the occasional excitement of our work.
Many of us DO have that sense of "entitlement"-- it merely comes out in the
lament of why don't "THEY" appreciate what I/we do? How come "THEY" don't
"understand". I have heard that type of lament for decades, and my response
has always been the same--Make what you do important enough to others to
MAKE them appreciate what you do.
Part of our problem has indeed been the concept of the humble nature of
our work/lives. We assume, wrongly, that folks appreciate our being "humble
potters/artists". Most do not. Sure, there is a segment of society that has
an appreciation and a sense of true enjoyment of using a hand made item or
buying a painting simply because they appreciate the artists vision. But
really, how many of that type of person is out there? based upon my
experience with the SOFA exhibitions, I'd say not many when you consider t=
here are
more than 300 million people in America and less than 250,000 active,
important and working collectors.
Pottery and clay working also has a long tradition, completely different
than all the other arts-- WE SHARE--While I know there have been historic
cases of individuals and groups discovering a particular "method" and kept=
it
to themselves, by and large, at least since the 1900's we have been a grou=
p
that believes in sharing the knowledge.
When, for example, was the last time you heard of a group of painters
sharing info on canvases, paints and the like? Printmakers? Even sculptors,=
who
do share, are less likely than potters.
So, we share. We help each other with technical information and with the
abundance of magazines, we have also made homogenization of the art more
likely as so many assume that if it is in a publication, it must be good--=
It
must be art, therefore they consciously or un consciously, import that
information into their own work.
So we stumble forward, moving slowly, and in fits and starts continuing
the methods of the past and working with a bunch of dirt. THere is more to
say, but that is enough for now Cheers to all
Lenny
KATHI LESUEUR on wed 25 jan 12
On Jan 25, 2012, at 3:59 PM, Nefsigh@AOL.COM wrote:
> <<<< By that I mean the following: Most artist and clay workers in =3D
our
> society are looked upon, by the general public as outliers at best =3D
and
> court jesters by most. When you think seriously of your community and =
=3D
your
> "place" within it, what do you find? You find that once or twice a =3D
year, the
> community leaders (usually the more wealthy, semi-elitist members) =3D
drag "US"
> out for a local fair or exhibition. During that time our lives and =3D
works
> are "celebrated" as the quaint potter or painter working in the city.
> Meanwhile those "leaders" pat themselves on their backs for having =3D
such a
> connection to Bohemia, and for tolerating such riff raff in the =3D
community. When
> folks ask us outside such events about what we do, and we tell them, =3D
most come
> away with a blank face, not really knowing what and particularly not
> knowing why, we do what we do.>>>>
>=3D20
>=3D20
Lenny,
I don't know where you live or what venues you sell your work in, but my =
=3D
experience is far different from yours. I would expect that Mel, also, =3D
has a different experience with his customers.
With few exceptions, my customers respect and appreciate what I do and =3D
understand the work involved. They don't try to talk me into a lower =3D
price (although some on the east coast have suggested that I raise my =3D
prices). I, in turn, have respect for my customers. I know they will =3D
send that check that they promised to send me because they always have. =3D
Many of my customers have become friends. They love knowing an artist =3D
personally. They invite me to stay in their homes when I'm in their area =
=3D
and if I do treat me wonderfully. They want to make breakfast, dinner, =3D
provide my favorite snacks. Wish I got such treatment at home. They love =
=3D
to visit my studio and see where and how I work. I am the celebrity on =3D
my street. My neighbors bring their friends over to see the studio. And, =
=3D
I guarantee that if someone ever moves in and complains about me running =
=3D
a pottery studio from my home they will have the whole street to contend =
=3D
with. They've told me so.
Every year I host an open house the day of set up at the Ann Arbor Art =3D
Fair to provide dinner for artist friends. It started out with about =3D
twenty artists. Now, it's up to about seventy-five artists and friends =3D
including six women who were customers in Maryland and come every year =3D
to see the Ann Arbor art fair. And, come a day early every year so that =3D
they can come to the open house. Last July they were a G-d send as I was =
=3D
running behind and they just took over. After ten years they knew what =3D
needed to be done. This year another four customers will be joining us =3D
for sure and about ten others have open invitations who really want to =3D
come. Not at all the people you describe.
KATHI LESUEUR
http://www.lesueurclaywork.com
marci Boskie's Mama =3D^..^=3D on thu 26 jan 12
Lenny wrote:
>When, for example, was the last time you heard of a group of painters
>sharing info on canvases, paints and the like?
Hi Lenny ,
Actually, there is an online forum called Wet Canvas that has been
around since the late 90's . www,wetcanvas.com that does just that...
share info about canvases, paints etc .. and even offers tutorials ...
And china painters, who are more " painter" than " potter" have
been doing the same for equally long. I started PPIO in 1996 as a
way for us to share information .
marci the chinapainter
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