Michael McDowell on tue 26 may 98
OK, I promised myself I would wait. I've been cramming your mailboxes, and
crimping my time. This can't go on 'less I could get a grant for it...Hmmmm.
I also promised Lorca
I'd tell her my tale.
How I once met Bill Daley,
And he helped =22lift my veil=22.
Now I got wind that there's still space for his workshop in mid-June at the
Appalachin Center. Some out there I know are teetering on the brink. So I'm =
just
going to have to do it now. =22Just do it..........=22
It was the first anniversary of Mt. Saint Helen's big blow. I was basking in=
the
glow of MY 15 minutes of fame as the author of the article in CM on using =
the
ash from same. Garth Clarke was touring his exibit =22The Contemporary =
American
Potter=22. It was coming to Washington State University, and the organizers =
there
approached me with the offer. I could come to the accompanying symposium =
where
some of the featured potters would present, if I would make a small =
presentation
myself. My =22honorarium=22 was attendance free of charge, and =22Inclusion =
in the
Inner Circle=22 an honor quite large. So I went there, I did it, was an =
=22inner=22
for a change. I'd always been an =22outer=22 you see. As I said to Marcia S.=
the
other day: =22I'm not comfortable with me in a formal setting, I was =
mentored not
taught.=22
At that time in my potter life I was into the numbers. Hundred mugs a day =
sort
of aesthetic. I'm not bragging, it's part of my past. I'm glad it's over. =
Right
then I was nearer the end of that phase than I realized. But you know it was
only =22potters like me=22 that I noticed in CM. And mostly, I just didn't =
read
stuff back then. I had my pots to make. I was all in. Immersed in my =
passion, I
thought. But for some reason I had taken note some time before of an article=
on
Bill Daley which had come to the fore. He was doing these =22bowls=22. Well =
empty
forms, small at the bottom, large at the top. Had a stair step =
configuration.
Looked like miniature ampitheatres. Yeah, I'm reeel good at this. Picture =
what
you will. For some reason these forms caught my limited imagination, just =
how
limited, I'm about to reveal.
As the days of the symposium passed (Rudy Autio, humbly awesome, Ken =
Ferguson,
relaxed, Garth Clarke, sure could dance) I kept an eye out for a chance to =
get
Bill's attention. I can't remember the exact setting, but I'm afraid there =
were
witnesses. I was burning with enthusiasm. =22Bill, I just love what you're =
doing
with these forms. I can see them reproduced as drinking fountains, maybe =
even
decorative trash can covers....=22 His eyes grew wide. His jaw dropped. =
=22You can't
do that=21 Those are my prayers=21=22 he said. Well, the =22audience=22 was =
ended. I'd
failed in disgrace. But I came away from that symposium thinking =22I'd like=
to
feel like that about my work.=22
And now I do....
(-:MM:-)
Michael McDowell
Whatcom County, WA USA
http://www2.memes.com/mmpots
mmpots=40memes.com
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