Earl Brunner on tue 7 sep 99
There has been a rather animated discussion in Ceramics Monthly over the
last two issues as to the relevance or even importance of Bernard Leach
in the overall scheme of pottery things. I find value in his writings,
and if they are representative of the man, then I find him relevant to
me and to my pottery because his words and his work influence me. It's
really that simple. What we experience will influence us, we can try to
reject, or we can embrace, but either way the experience will change
us. If we don't want to be changed we must lock ourselves away and
avoid experience. Don't read books, don't visit with or converse with
other potters, or customers for that matter, don't seek impute. I find
the following valuable as an artist, as a craftsman and as a teacher.
Bernard Leach:
"In the pots of the world that we consider the best- Korean of the Yi
dynasty and Chinese Sung-this quality of life comes out of what was
essentially repeat work. These rice and soup bowls that we admire were
made by the thousands. In the Leach Pottery, where we usually have
several student potters, I have always said that by making a lot of
similar pots by hand (of a shape that you like), an expansion of the
true spirit at the expense of the lesser ego is bound to take place.
There are two parts to each of us: the surface man who is concerned
with pose and position, who thinks what he has been taught to think: and
the real man who responds to nature and seeks life in his work."
--A Potter's Companion pg 58
I think this relates directly to our topic of lifeless pots.
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
Don & Isao Morrill on wed 8 sep 99
At 13:33 9/7/99 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>There has been a rather animated discussion in Ceramics Monthly over the
>last two issues as to the relevance or even importance of Bernard Leach
>in the overall scheme of pottery things. I find value in his writings,
>and if they are representative of the man, then I find him relevant to
>me and to my pottery because his words and his work influence me. It's
>really that simple. What we experience will influence us, we can try to
>reject, or we can embrace, but either way the experience will change
>us. If we don't want to be changed we must lock ourselves away and
>avoid experience. Don't read books, don't visit with or converse with
>other potters, or customers for that matter, don't seek impute. I find
>the following valuable as an artist, as a craftsman and as a teacher.
>Bernard Leach:
>"In the pots of the world that we consider the best- Korean of the Yi
>dynasty and Chinese Sung-this quality of life comes out of what was
>essentially repeat work. These rice and soup bowls that we admire were
>made by the thousands. In the Leach Pottery, where we usually have
>several student potters, I have always said that by making a lot of
>similar pots by hand (of a shape that you like), an expansion of the
>true spirit at the expense of the lesser ego is bound to take place.
>There are two parts to each of us: the surface man who is concerned
>with pose and position, who thinks what he has been taught to think: and
>the real man who responds to nature and seeks life in his work."
>--A Potter's Companion pg 58
>I think this relates directly to our topic of lifeless pots.
>--
>Earl Brunner
>http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
>mailto:bruec@anv.net
>
Earl, No doubt Leach 'infected' many hundreds of young and enthusiastic
neophyte potters thirty or fourty years ago. Certainly,I was one of them
and am in his debt. By extension,the number of potters influenced by
Bernard Leach must be legion. I do not believe Leach was overly impressed
with the necessity for taking-up university space learning,what is a
relativly simple trade...and I emphasize "Trade". These days there appears
to be a real drive to mystify potting....to build a priesthood and therebye
remove the trade from all but the properly initiate. From my viewpoint at
least, this recognizes the bankruptcy and death of a
middle-class,continuing its' attempt to make any sort of 'hand-skill'
respectable.
Bernard Leach joins that long line which includes William
Morris and other workers in the field....Not that they were "Anti-machine"
and certainly not that they were confirmed "Luddites",but that they
recognised the effect upon ourselvs in a machine world where the concept of
'perfection' was machine-driven, just as today the computer infects young
minds with a sterility of imagination un-connected with "Program."
Don Morrill,(I n his not so HO)
Steve Dalton on wed 8 sep 99
Reading several other books based on Leach and St Ives, he was quoted that
he could tell
who made which pots. Even if there were several on a board or shelf. Their
spirit or soul
could be easily found.
Steve Dalton
----------
> From: Earl Brunner
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Subject: Bernard Leach and lifeless pots
> Date: Tue, 7 Sep 1999 13:33:49 EDT
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>There has been a rather animated discussion in Ceramics Monthly over the
>last two issues as to the relevance or even importance of Bernard Leach
>in the overall scheme of pottery things. I find value in his writings,
>and if they are representative of the man, then I find him relevant to
>me and to my pottery because his words and his work influence me. It's
>really that simple. What we experience will influence us, we can try to
>reject, or we can embrace, but either way the experience will change
>us. If we don't want to be changed we must lock ourselves away and
>avoid experience. Don't read books, don't visit with or converse with
>other potters, or customers for that matter, don't seek impute. I find
>the following valuable as an artist, as a craftsman and as a teacher.
>Bernard Leach:
>"In the pots of the world that we consider the best- Korean of the Yi
>dynasty and Chinese Sung-this quality of life comes out of what was
>essentially repeat work. These rice and soup bowls that we admire were
>made by the thousands. In the Leach Pottery, where we usually have
>several student potters, I have always said that by making a lot of
>similar pots by hand (of a shape that you like), an expansion of the
>true spirit at the expense of the lesser ego is bound to take place.
>There are two parts to each of us: the surface man who is concerned
>with pose and position, who thinks what he has been taught to think: and
>the real man who responds to nature and seeks life in his work."
>--A Potter's Companion pg 58
>I think this relates directly to our topic of lifeless pots.
>--
>Earl Brunner
>http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
>mailto:bruec@anv.net
Janet Kaiser on sun 12 sep 99
>There has been a rather animated discussion in Ceramics Monthly over the
>last two issues as to the relevance or even importance of Bernard Leach
>in the overall scheme of pottery things. I find value in his writings,
>and if they are representative of the man, then I find him relevant to
>me and to my pottery because his words and his work influence me. It's
>really that simple. What we experience will influence us, we can try to
>reject, or we can embrace, but either way the experience will change
>us. If we don't want to be changed we must lock ourselves away and
>avoid experience. Don't read books, don't visit with or converse with
>other potters, or customers for that matter, don't seek impute. I find
>the following valuable as an artist, as a craftsman and as a teacher.
>Bernard Leach:
>"In the pots of the world that we consider the best- Korean of the Yi
>dynasty and Chinese Sung-this quality of life comes out of what was
>essentially repeat work. These rice and soup bowls that we admire were
>made by the thousands. In the Leach Pottery, where we usually have
>several student potters, I have always said that by making a lot of
>similar pots by hand (of a shape that you like), an expansion of the
>true spirit at the expense of the lesser ego is bound to take place.
>There are two parts to each of us: the surface man who is concerned
>with pose and position, who thinks what he has been taught to think: and
>the real man who responds to nature and seeks life in his work."
>--A Potter's Companion pg 58
>I think this relates directly to our topic of lifeless pots.
>--
>Earl Brunner
>http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
>mailto:bruec@anv.net
>
Earl, No doubt Leach 'infected' many hundreds of young and enthusiastic
neophyte potters thirty or fourty years ago. Certainly,I was one of them
and am in his debt. By extension,the number of potters influenced by
Bernard Leach must be legion. I do not believe Leach was overly impressed
with the necessity for taking-up university space learning,what is a
relativly simple trade...and I emphasize "Trade". These days there appears
to be a real drive to mystify potting....to build a priesthood and therebye
remove the trade from all but the properly initiate. From my viewpoint at
least, this recognizes the bankruptcy and death of a
middle-class,continuing its' attempt to make any sort of 'hand-skill'
respectable.
Bernard Leach joins that long line which includes William
Morris and other workers in the field....Not that they were "Anti-machine"
and certainly not that they were confirmed "Luddites",but that they
recognised the effect upon ourselvs in a machine world where the concept of
'perfection' was machine-driven, just as today the computer infects young
minds with a sterility of imagination un-connected with "Program."
Don Morrill,(I n his not so HO)
I agree with Don. Also in my NSHO the indirect effect of Leach and his
teaching could include most studio potters in the world today! He continued
the tradition started by William Morris which "rediscovered" the validity of
the crafts person and his/her work. Do not forget that the Victorians had
more or less decided that the only good stuff around was MANUFACTURED in the
satanic mills of the industrial revolution.
If Morris, Leach & Co. had not introduced the world to their aesthetics and
attitudes, which we take for granted today, non of us could be out there
making and selling pots for a living. We would all be factory workers and
nothing "hand made" would be on the market anywhere, except in so-called
"primitive" and "underdeveloped" societies.
To say Leach is irrelevant to any potter today, is like saying "my
grandfather did not exist". It just cannot be true.
Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art, Criccieth, GB-Wales
Home of The International Potters Path
http://www.the-coa.org.uk
postbox@the-coa.org.uk
Earl Brunner on mon 13 sep 99
Janet Kaiser wrote:
> Earl, No doubt Leach 'infected' many hundreds of young and enthusiastic
> neophyte potters thirty or fourty years ago. Certainly,I was one of them
> and am in his debt. By extension,the number of potters influenced by
> Bernard Leach must be legion. I do not believe Leach was overly impressed
> with the necessity for taking-up university space learning,what is a
> relativly simple trade...and I emphasize "Trade". These days there appears
> to be a real drive to mystify potting....to build a priesthood and therebye
> remove the trade from all but the properly initiate. From my viewpoint at
> least, this recognizes the bankruptcy and death of a
> middle-class,continuing its' attempt to make any sort of 'hand-skill'
> respectable.
> Bernard Leach joins that long line which includes William
> Morris and other workers in the field....Not that they were "Anti-machine"
> and certainly not that they were confirmed "Luddites",but that they
> recognised the effect upon ourselvs in a machine world where the concept of
> 'perfection' was machine-driven, just as today the computer infects young
> minds with a sterility of imagination un-connected with "Program."
> Don Morrill,(I n his not so HO)
>
> I agree with Don. Also in my NSHO the indirect effect of Leach and his
> teaching could include most studio potters in the world today! He continued
> the tradition started by William Morris which "rediscovered" the validity of
> the crafts person and his/her work. Do not forget that the Victorians had
> more or less decided that the only good stuff around was MANUFACTURED in the
> satanic mills of the industrial revolution.
>
> If Morris, Leach & Co. had not introduced the world to their aesthetics and
> attitudes, which we take for granted today, non of us could be out there
> making and selling pots for a living. We would all be factory workers and
> nothing "hand made" would be on the market anywhere, except in so-called
> "primitive" and "underdeveloped" societies.
>
> To say Leach is irrelevant to any potter today, is like saying "my
> grandfather did not exist". It just cannot be true.
>
Yes, I would agree with the above as well, I ws responding more to what I
consider to be those who would reject his influence altogether.
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
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