Robert C. Rank on mon 10 aug 98
I just spent a week a,t Idyllwild here in California with 2 Mata Ortiz
potters Cesar Dominguez and Gabriella his wife and their 2 sons. They
spoke no english I spoke no espanol, but sure wished I had. We had a
translator for words but much communication was just done through feeling.
Wonderful people. Everyone made 3 pots or so and with the help of their
painting, with a human hair brush which proved impossible for the novice to
handle, we all came out with spectacular pieces to take home. I am an avid
handbuilder. Their clay is much like soft paste porcelain and my comment at
the end was "mucho trabajo". If anyone is interested in a copy of what I
video-taped send me a VHS tape and I will attempt to record it.
Lynn Rank, 34323 Tollhouse Road, Auberry, CA 93602
Lynn in suuuuunnnnnny ca
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU] On Behalf Of
mel jacobson
Sent: Sunday, August 09, 1998 8:55 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Subject: art fair comments
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
the luckiest day of my life was the second uptown art fair in
minneapolis..............
a sorta dorkie guy came up to me, said `hey are you mexican?`............i
said `no,
i am norwegian (well sorta`).............then he said `hey, did you make
this crap?`, and i said
`yes i did`, he said, `you must be mexican, because mexicans make this
crap`.
i said `go screw yourself`.(actually it was a more military
expression)..........packed up my pots, went home, and never
went to an art fair again..............started my professional career, sold
all my pots
out of my studio, and have been a gloriously happy man ever since.
keep a computer list of 1000 names, have shows off my back
deck...........serve
wine and cider...........talk to wonderful clients, take orders, make
pots..........
see great friends... and not one person has asked me `are you
mexican?`........but
i would answer now.........`god, i would be proud to make pots like a `mata
ortiz, mexican`.
perhaps the finest potters in the world. (and perhaps the kindest and
gentlest potters i have ever met)
thanks elanora for reminding me how happy i am.
mel/mn
http://www/pclink.com/melpots
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