Donn Buchfinck on wed 13 jan 99
I wanted to interject some points that I think are important to the argument
that seems to be going on.
first I think it is important to understand and define what venue a person
wishes to be in.
during the 80's ceramics began showing in some of the better fine art
galleries, and some potters wished to make a different type of pot for that
venue, and they did.
a lot of these potters were also teachers who started graduating students who
wanted to be in those same galleries, not selling bowls for under 20 dollars
but for several hundred dollars that would justify the expense and time that
had gone into the creation of the piece.
school became complex, or as I call it corporate. Slides became very
important to getting into the good schools, the good shows, the good
galleries. A whole generation of ceramic artists were graduated with this
mind set. Success was defined as the college teaching job. You got the Job
to do research. To get the job one made the work, applied to shows and showed
in them, I do not think that major universities have hired a lot of people
and have given them tenure with a resume filled with art fairs. Now this is
not fair I know, people like clarey Illian and the Leach potter horde have
what they deem is equal to a show career and the live a lifestyle making pots
for a certain market.
I think it is important for people who make ceramic stuff to try to understand
the market. The market is not make it and they will buy it. I have seen many
a people become disappointed by this thought pattern. In the studio that I am
a part of we make three types of work. I make VOCO pots, Vessel oriented
ceramic objects. I know I know, it sounds sad doesn't it, But I went to art
school and I love the process of making unique one of a kind pots. I feel
that the work I am making is giving something new to the tradition of clay.
And I could be deluding myself, history is the great equalizer. Second my
girlfriend Catherine Merrill makes life sized figurative sculpture out of
terracotta, really great monumental stuff, and she gives a great workshop
also, I like to make table top art, something you can interact with. But she
makes this grand stuff based on the human figure. And we collaborate on
earthenware glazed pottery that has bright colors and gold. We have a lot of
fun making this stuff and we sell all we make. We looked around and started
to look at the shows and I asked myself, who does the best business at the art
fairs. The glass people, why??? People love color and gold, so we have
targeted the product we wanted to make, and we make it with a lot of color. I
would not in a thousand years put what I make next to the earthenware pots at
an art fair, it would mean death for me and my work, I will not even show my
VOCO vessels there. They are made to enter into competitions. That is what
the work is for. To compeat, to "GET ON THE COVER OF ROLLING STONE" sounds
better than ceramics monthly. And if you think my ego is talking, your right,
Art is ego, or ego is art. And the emperor has such nice clothes. A crafts
person can sit in their studio and work all day all their life and make stuff,
and chant to themselves "it is art, it is art".
but finally what makes art is recognition and money, and I mean FINE ART not
craft art. Galleries, shows, magazine articles. They are important to some
people. And it is a valid way to go about making pottery.
but if you want to go this way, if PEER recognition is what is important to
you, then you had better lay out the big bucks for the slides, and if you
want to see yourself on the cover of the ceramics magazines you had better
invest in medium or large format transparencies.
take the magazines into the photographer and show them the pictures. Say
"this is how I want it done"
if you are going to do it yourself then invest in some white to black
gradiated paper to shoot the work on. It works like a charm.
and even if you are making pots for the 50 mile circle, still put up the 100
dollars for the 500 postcards from modern postcard and have a postcard to send
to your friends and customers. It is a great advertisment device.
and whatever you do if someone has said something that offends you here on
clay art, and if they have a website, look at the work, all the hot air can't
make weak work better, and in the end it is the work that truly speaks for us.
Donn Buchfinck
p.s. I am working on a web page now
vince pitelka on fri 5 apr 02
> showing in DETAIL the craftsmanship involved be included. So do I send
> several slides of one type of work, but with different glaze
> applications? Or same glaze, but on a variety of pieces? A close up of
> the glaze? I've only been doing shows for seven years, but I haven't run
> into this before and am not sure how to approach it. Any suggestions
> would be greatly appreciated.
Jan -
This really is much simpler than you think. Just include five slides which
best represent the work you plan to sell. Try to have the slides (and the
work) as coherent and unified as possible. Do not show any pieces that do
not fit in with the rest of the work. This certainly does not mean that you
should just show one glaze! Show some variety, but make sure the group
shows stylistic continuity. If possible, show at least one detail shot of
any interesting surfaces.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
JJ Adams on fri 5 apr 02
Hi,
Again I go to the Encyclopedia Clayart!
In several of the applications for (what I consider) good quality
shows, they are asking for FIVE slides of work with no booth slide. They
state that the quality of all work you intend to sell should be
represented, but one went on to say that while showing a variety of work
might indicate the artist had a wide range of skills, it could also show
a lack of focus. They also recommended that a close-up of one work
showing in DETAIL the craftsmanship involved be included. So do I send
several slides of one type of work, but with different glaze
applications? Or same glaze, but on a variety of pieces? A close up of
the glaze? I've only been doing shows for seven years, but I haven't run
into this before and am not sure how to approach it. Any suggestions
would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Jan
Tony Ferguson on fri 5 apr 02
Jan,
What they are looking for is consistency or a "look"--unfortunetly this
commercial like view of artfairs and how things look overall--in my opinion,
variation on visual labeling, controlling, a manufactured idea of sameness =
skill or proficiency--sorry got off the train.
Find out if they want 1 or 2 or 3 closeups. Is is 3 regular slides and 2
closeups for a total of 5? Find out, email them, call them up and ask them
to be more specific. They are looking for a connection between the works in
your slides--usually by glaze method but also form--like if someone where to
look at your work and go, "Oh, that's a Jan ___ piece." I don't agree with
it. I always thought diversity in a body of work carried out successfully
is better. It is not the real world, encrusted with behaviorism and
mechanistic thinking as they are applied to the arts.
Thank you!
Tony Ferguson
Stoneware, Porcelain, Raku
www.aquariusartgallery.com
Web Site, Marketing & Photographic Services for Artists
Workshops available
218-727-6339
315 N. Lake Ave
Apt 312
Duluth, MN 55806
----- Original Message -----
From: "JJ Adams"
To:
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 6:59 AM
Subject: Slides and shows
> Hi,
>
> Again I go to the Encyclopedia Clayart!
>
> In several of the applications for (what I consider) good quality
> shows, they are asking for FIVE slides of work with no booth slide. They
> state that the quality of all work you intend to sell should be
> represented, but one went on to say that while showing a variety of work
> might indicate the artist had a wide range of skills, it could also show
> a lack of focus. They also recommended that a close-up of one work
> showing in DETAIL the craftsmanship involved be included. So do I send
> several slides of one type of work, but with different glaze
> applications? Or same glaze, but on a variety of pieces? A close up of
> the glaze? I've only been doing shows for seven years, but I haven't run
> into this before and am not sure how to approach it. Any suggestions
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks, Jan
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
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>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Snail Scott on fri 5 apr 02
At 08:59 AM 4/5/02 -0600, you wrote:
...one went on to say that while showing a variety of work
>might indicate the artist had a wide range of skills, it could also show
>a lack of focus. They also recommended that a close-up of one work
>showing in DETAIL the craftsmanship involved be included. So do I send
>several slides of one type of work, but with different glaze
>applications? Or same glaze, but on a variety of pieces? A close up of
>the glaze?
It means, "don't show woodcarving, silvermithing, and
basketry all together". It MIGHT mean, (depending on
the show,) "don't show raku, porcelain dinner sets,
and terra-cotta sculpture together". But they DO want
to know what sort of work you're proposing to exhibit.
So, don't show just jugs, if you also plan to show
mugs, bowls, oil lamps, or whatever. Show the range of
your work, but make sure it all looks like the same
person's work! They won't be happy if you show up at
the event with stuff they never anticipated from your
slides. By all means, show different glazes, different
forms. But not radically different styles.
Never leave the juror wondering, "Did someone else's
slides get into this batch?"
My definition of 'cohesive body of work': If the gofer
trips and accidentally drop all the entered slides from
everyone into a big pile on the floor, they can separate
them out by looks alone. "Yep, that's gotta be one of
hers!"
As for detail shots, this is more relevant in some other
crafts, but still important. Have you ever seen a nice-
looking chair, but up close the joinery was badly fitted?
Or a piece of jewelry that on closer inspection had a
poorly-sized bezel or globs of solder? For pottery, they
don't want wonky-fitting lids, rough feet, patchy glaze,
etc. When you select a detail view, find an angle that
gives the view that a customer in person would see on
closer observation. Maybe a closeup of a nicely-trimmed
foot showing the glaze edge? or the top of a teapot
showing the closely-fitted lid and a bit of the handle
connection?
I love shooting detail views! It's a chance to recompose
you work as an abstract image, free of the formulaic
constraints of normal documentation photography. Choose
a beautiful, dynamic angle. The detail shot can be your
chance at putting drama and interest into your photos.
They've still got to be well-lit and clear, but there's
a lot of room for creativity.
-Snail
Cantello Studios on fri 5 apr 02
We were rejected from a show do to "lack of focus". Chris drove 3 hours to
jury in person, given 48 inches of space to set up. He took an octopus pot,
large roundel with trout design and some smaller raku celadon pieces.
Arrange them on a nice piece of gray fabric he brought. Reject letter
stated jury thought he lacked focused. The booth space was 10 by 15 feet.
Don't they realize that we would have tastefully displayed the work in
groupings? So frustrating to jury for shows. If we had taken 3 pieces of
the same than we probably would be told not enough variety. Jurying in my
opinion is just like gambling they take your jury fee and most of the time
you lose. Tried to get into a show last year and paid our $25.00, sent the
photos and rejected. Found out latter from another potter that he is
automatically invited back and that in the pass 10 years that he had been
doing the show he had seen only 2 new potters all the rest were like him,
just invited back year after year. Grr... I could rant for along time on
this subject, as the other half of Cantello Studios this is one of the areas
I take care of, filling out and sending in show applications.
Tracy- the other half of Cantello Studios
www.cantellostudios.com
Jan wrote:
In several of the applications for (what I consider) good quality
shows, they are asking for FIVE slides of work with no booth slide. They
state that the quality of all work you intend to sell should be
represented, but one went on to say that while showing a variety of work
might indicate the artist had a wide range of skills, it could also show
a lack of focus. They also recommended that a close-up of one work
showing in DETAIL the craftsmanship involved be included. So do I send
several slides of one type of work, but with different glaze
applications? Or same glaze, but on a variety of pieces? A close up of
the glaze
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
vince pitelka on sat 6 apr 02
> I would certainly agree with all of your statement quoted below except for
> the last sentence: "If possible, show at least one detail shot of any
> interesting surfaces." What is the basis for this statement of yours? Is
> it only your own anecdotal experience?
> My own anecdotal experience would suggest otherwise.
Richard -
I certainly cannot disagree with your own experience, but perhaps it has to
do with your own pots. They are quite extraordinary, and I especially
appreciate the subtleties of color shifts and visual texture in your ash
glazes, but is it possible that your particular glazes just come across
better when one sees the entire pot, rather than a detail?
I said "Show at least one detail of any interesting surfaces." and I suppose
that is entirely subjective. In the best-case situation, one should solicit
unbiased opinions as to whether the detail shots are necessary and
worthwhile. Some detail shots come across very well. I have juried a lot
of shows, and I like seeing the detail shots when they really do show
interesting surfaces.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
Sandra Benscoter on sat 6 apr 02
Hi Vince!
In your post you stated:
Try to have the slides (and the
> work) as coherent and unified as possible. Do not show any pieces that
do
> not fit in with the rest of the work. This certainly does not mean
that
you
> should just show one glaze! Show some variety, but make sure the group
> shows stylistic continuity.
I fire my hand built boxes in a variety of kilns: raku, gas or wood
burning. When submitting slides for a juried exhibition would you
recommend submitting slides of work fired in the same type of firing
(either gas, wood or raku). Does it detract to mix slides of work from
different firings?
I wasn't able to attend NCECA this year, therefore missing the slide
critique in the Clayart room (which I heard was wonderful, as usual).
Stay centered!
Sande
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Richard Aerni on sat 6 apr 02
Vince,
I would certainly agree with all of your statement quoted below except for
the last sentence: "If possible, show at least one detail shot of any
interesting surfaces." What is the basis for this statement of yours? Is
it only your own anecdotal experience?
My own anecdotal experience would suggest otherwise. I've got two detail
slides of glaze effects which just knock me out. For several years I've
submitted one or the other of them to show juries, thinking as I'm sure you
do, that they would offer further evidence of the superior technical effort
that went into their formulation, as well as the superior surface, and
positively affect my jury score. But, I've been rejected by 100% of those
juries. I've come to think that most jurors don't have the time or
expertise to understand, without a detailed written explanation (which most
juries don't allow), what they're seeing on a detail shot. It ends up being
just a throw-away slide, a wasted effort, UNLESS it shows something so
phenomenal that the jurors just can't ignore it. So that's my experience,
which rebuts your statement, which is why I wonder what prompted you to give
it. Otherwise, I would agree completely with your opinion.
Best,
Richard Aerni
Bloomfield, NY
----- Original Message -----
From: "vince pitelka"
> Jan -
> This really is much simpler than you think. Just include five slides
which
> best represent the work you plan to sell. Try to have the slides (and the
> work) as coherent and unified as possible. Do not show any pieces that do
> not fit in with the rest of the work. This certainly does not mean that
you
> should just show one glaze! Show some variety, but make sure the group
> shows stylistic continuity. If possible, show at least one detail shot of
> any interesting surfaces.
> - Vince
>
Richard Aerni on sun 7 apr 02
> Richard -
> I certainly cannot disagree with your own experience, but perhaps it has
to
> do with your own pots... is it possible that your particular glazes just
come across better when one sees the entire pot, rather than a detail?
. Some detail shots come across very well. I have juried a lot
> of shows, and I like seeing the detail shots when they really do show
> interesting surfaces.
Vince,
We're really splitting hairs, I think. I happen to agree with your
viewpoint, which is why I've been submitting detail shots. But I wonder
sometimes, when submitting to show juries for retail shows, how well
equipped a fibre artist, or a jeweler, or a sculptor is to analyze my work
from a technical standpoint, as opposed to just the broad overall impact of
it in a slide? In the end, it is the total impact of the piece that
matters...I understand this.
Also, I was wondering, for clarity's sake, if we shouldn't better define our
terms. When I refer to a "show jury," it is a jury to determine entry into
a retail selling event, such as the Smithsonian Show, the Philadelphia Show,
etc, as opposed to a jury which is determining entry to a "gallery show" or
exposition. In the former, the juries are more likely to be composed of
artists from a variety of media, as well as museum types and gallery owners.
I would suppose that in the latter case, the jurors are more likely to be
evaluating entries from primarily their own medium. This would likely
affect the outcome of your application strategy in different ways.
Best,
Richard Aerni
Bloomfield, NY
Snail Scott on sun 7 apr 02
I don't think a detail slide should only show a
close-up of the glaze. If the slide was requested
(as previously stated,) to show 'craftsmanship',
well, glaze doesn't really demonstrate that. Any
doofus can come up with a few square inches on nice
glaze, even if they can't make a habit of it. And,
to most observers, the subtle variegations of a
well-designed and fired glaze may just look like
'irregularities'. They certainly won't be what the
layperson would take as evidence of craftsmanship.
The best glaze job in the world - say, a perfectly-
breaking tenmoku, or a knockout hares'-fur - isn't
going to impress most folks as skill, even if they
do like the effect. For a specialized ceramics-only
show, maybe such slides would work, but not for a
craft fair where the jurors are reviewing every
imaginable medium, and may not be as well-versed in
ceramics as you might wish.
I suspect that showing details of construction and
fabrication (smooth joints and handles, fitted lids,
clean feet) would be better received by most jurors.
-Snail
Snail Scott on sun 7 apr 02
At 10:32 PM 4/6/02 -0500, you wrote:
>...Does it detract to mix slides of work from
>different firings?
NO! IF your work shows stylistic continuity, the
differences in firing methods, glaze colors, etc,
won't harm the look of the 'unified body of work'.
If all you do is boxes, (as you said) then I'd say
that's plenty cohesive, no matter how you treat
each one. You do want SOME variety, after all -
your work shouldn't look like it came off an
assembly line.
-Snail
vince pitelka on sun 7 apr 02
> I fire my hand built boxes in a variety of kilns: raku, gas or wood
> burning. When submitting slides for a juried exhibition would you
> recommend submitting slides of work fired in the same type of firing
> (either gas, wood or raku). Does it detract to mix slides of work from
> different firings?
Sandra -
If there is a strong stylistic continuity in your boxes, then it will not
matter that they come out of different firing processes. Pick a selection
that look good together. There are several ways to approach these issues.
First, you want to have stylistic continuity in your work overall, because
it represents a mature, self-directed artist. Second, you want stylistic
continuity in your wares in an exhibition, because the customer will
respond, and will be more likely to remember your work. Third, you want the
slides to be a true reflection of the work you intend to show. So
essentially you are bound to represent a cross section of the work you
intend to exhibit, and if that cross section seems too diverse and
disconnected in the slides, then it will be too diverse and disconnected in
the exhibition.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
vince pitelka on sun 7 apr 02
> We're really splitting hairs, I think. I happen to agree with your
> viewpoint, which is why I've been submitting detail shots. But I wonder
> sometimes, when submitting to show juries for retail shows, how well
> equipped a fibre artist, or a jeweler, or a sculptor is to analyze my work
> from a technical standpoint, as opposed to just the broad overall impact
of
> it in a slide? In the end, it is the total impact of the piece that
> matters...I understand this.
Richard -
You make a very good point, and it is possible that a juror who's own work
is in a different medium might not respond well to a detail shot of ash
glaze rivulets. It really must be an individual-case decision. Some people
have considerable diversity of surface and form in their work, and in such
cases a detail shot would likely be distracting. But many mature artists
work within a tight stylistic range, and in that case a detail shot might
introduce variety into the series of slides. It all boils down to whether
or not the detail shot enhances the group of slides.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
KLeSueur@AOL.COM on mon 8 apr 02
<>
For years my booth at Ann Arbor was next to a woodworker making fine furniture. A jeweler in the show and involved in the review of artists complained that this artist's work had not changed over many years. He just couldn't see the differences. And yet this artist had improved dramatically in design and technique over the years. I imagine I would have had the same comments about the jeweler's work. It looked the same to me.
In the end, the juror has only the impact of the slides on a screen for a minute at most to make a decision. Those slides are usually about four feet in size. Many flaws will show up when blown up that size. Many details will also show up. That's why I recommend that you view your slides projected on the wall before sending. That slide that looks great held up to the light might just be washed out when projected on a screen. Too dark or too light slides cause your work to be passed over.
Kathi LeSueur
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