Shelley Potter on sat 13 nov 99
I once went through all my pots and culled the ones I thought just didn't
make the grade. I put them in a cardboard box out on the curb . I figured
the garbage truck would take them away. (maybe not very ecological of me,
but that's what I did) When I came out the next morning, the truck had not
yert arrived, but the box was empty. I was very surprised. I hope this
meant that other people found my cast off pots more pleasing than I did.
Shelley
Earl Brunner on tue 16 nov 99
I recently paid $200.00 dor a "second" made by Elaine Coleman, and
consider it money well spent. I love the pot and the small crack on the
rim glazed over and is quite sound. I could never have afforded this
pot as a first.
Pots can be rated I think right as they come out of the kiln, "Great",
"OK" (but nothing exciting), "pretty poor quality" and "seriously
flawed". I never sell or give away "seriously flawed" pottery, it gets
made into shards. I sometimes break some of the "pretty poor quality"
ones.
If pots sit around for a long time and I don't ever get to liking them,
I get rid of them.
I like what another teacher friend sometimes does. At the end of a 10
week course he will sometimes allow his students to draw numbers and
then he will bring out a box or two of his less favorite pots and let
the students take turns picking one in the order they drew their
number. These pots for me are one step away from the hammer, but the
students love them. and it makes them happy.
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
Mark & Pauline Donaldson-Drzazga on fri 19 nov 99
------------------
Dear Paul Taylor and all Clayarters,
I think your last line was a stroke of genius.
And as for some potters who smash their seconds=3B it's nice to know that
they are maintaining such high standards for us all, by only having half the
rubbish they make on display.
I've been thinking what to say to the Prima Donnas (seems to be something I
ate), you have said it so much better than I could, Bravo.
Happy potting Marek http://www.moley.uk.com
Earl Brunner on sat 20 nov 99
I find it peculiar that people that consider their "pottery" so *precious* that
they apparently can't bear a little mercy killing (Heck, we're talking about
pots that are on ventilators and respirators here, they really are already dead,
play Kavorkian for hecks sake and put the little suckers out of their misery)
should be so caustic. In the first place I don't think I break anywhere close to
50% of my pots and in the second place, by breaking what I do, I make the rest
of my "rubbish" more expensive (its rarer). One man's rubbish is another man's
treasure. But if you want to treasure my rubbish you will need some glue. Have
a nice day!
sighned:
Primadonna
Mark & Pauline Donaldson-Drzazga wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> ------------------
> Dear Paul Taylor and all Clayarters,
>
> I think your last line was a stroke of genius.
> And as for some potters who smash their seconds; it's nice to know that
> they are maintaining such high standards for us all, by only having half the
> rubbish they make on display.
>
> I've been thinking what to say to the Prima Donnas (seems to be something I
> ate), you have said it so much better than I could, Bravo.
>
> Happy potting Marek http://www.moley.uk.com
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
Ray Aldridge on sun 21 nov 99
At 05:07 PM 11/20/99 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I find it peculiar that people that consider their "pottery" so *precious*
that
>they apparently can't bear a little mercy killing (Heck, we're talking about
>pots that are on ventilators and respirators here, they really are already
dead,
>play Kavorkian for hecks sake and put the little suckers out of their misery)
We shouldn't anthropomorphize our pots. They hate that.
Ray
Aldridge Porcelain and Stoneware
http://www.goodpots.com
Phyllis E. Tilton on tue 23 nov 99
HI: There are several common denominators that seem to apply to most potters,
cooking and gardening. The gardening part is where I use many seconds-pots
that did not come up to my expectations. I use them under plants. I have some
of those gizmos that hang on the fence, with space to put flowering plants. I
have some shelves that were built at the corner of my patio. Plants go there
and if the pesky squirrels or chipmonks dig in them and knock them off, no
great loss because I always have backups in the shed. I store the pots in the
shed in the winter.
I have a friend that is part of a therapy group at Ohio State University for
people that are in rehab from accidents, surgery or whatever. She is a
volunteer and maintains a garden with them in the summer. They have a room
with grow lights, etc, that is used to grow plants, pot them, divide etc. She
always needs pots--the patients can take them to their rooms or homes when
discharged. My 'better' seconds go there as a donation and she is so grateful.
With all that, I still have those that get the hammer elimination.
Phyllis Tilton
Daisypet@aol.com
mel jacobson on thu 9 mar 00
i have had several requests to address the seconds issue.
seconds are a fact of life in the pottery world.
you cannot get around it.
i have them all the time.
my first option is to refire/usually use
pete's red, thick with temmoku.
and put them in a hot spot in the kiln, melt
the hell out of them.
i do have a 5 dollar pile at my shows...those are
pots that have gone through three shows and have
not sold. they are ok. just need homes. (always have a lot
of dust on them.)
ugly second fires get broken.
i get to hate them. just smack em.
on occassion i sell for cheap a pot with a blem.
tell the folks, great glaze, pretty pot, but just a small
blemish...those pots do not come home and haunt me.
it is the ugly, runny glaze. camo colors.
you will see it on someone's coffee table at a party.
make you throw up.
mel/mn
http://www.pclink.com/melpots (website)
from minnetonka, minnesota, u.s.a.
WHew536674@CS.COM on tue 7 nov 00
Tony said, "I've become so good at making seconds..." Good point. That's
the way I feel most of the time. When you think about it, sooner or later
everything becomes seconds, like 6 month old pots. There is always someone
out there that will LOVE it. The things that I have thought were my best
were ignored by buyers, the things I really didn't like, someone loved. We
all have a level we strive for, and when we make it, we raise the bar higher.
If we didn't sell our seconds, whether it had a blister on it, or was 6
months old, I don't think we would sell as much. When I was an undergraduate
in my first or second semester of ceramics, I made a vase, the white glaze
was on too thick over a brown slip, and talk about blisters, all over it.
Boy, did my folks love that pot. My dad made a wood base for it, got lamp
fixtures for it, a shade and they used that lamp for the next 25 years. Both
were very crytical, dad was a commercial artist, very good designer, but they
loved that blistered pot, and not because I made it, they would have liked it
no matter who made it. We have to be crytical about our own work, but maybe
at times we are a bit too harsh on ourselves and should lighten up a bit and
enjoy the flaws, that make that piece unique, and someone will still love it,
beyond our comprehension.
Joyce A
Sarah House on tue 7 nov 00
My views on seconds have changed in the last couple of years. After my
first year of potting i looked back and hated every thing i did and wished
i could have it all back. Now a few years later i realize that i'm picky
and what i hate is perfectly all right to someone else. I often mark my
table "Seconds, discounts and some ugly stuff" Customers sometimes ask What
do you think is ugly? (they are always currently holding a great example so
i have to bite my lip.) I am considering a section for my christmas sale
where all procedes will go to a charity. I think then i can get rid of some
of the good quality just ugly stuff without marking it down too much.
Sarah House
Tommy Humphries on tue 7 nov 00
Oftentimes when we make a pot and fire it , it doesn't come out the way we
thought it should and we are disappointed. These are often relegated to the
seconds heap without another thought. These pots which are not "flawed"
structurally are looked down upon by us as being second quality...not
worthy.
These same pots, standing alone, without our critical eye would be
beautiful.
But since we have some pre-conceived expectations about them, and they did
not meet that expectation, WE the makers of the pots will never see that
beauty unless we give up our notions of what a perfect pot should be.
For too many years, these same standards were applied to people. A slight
flaw here or there, and they were second class, or useless. If that person
was a slightly different color than was desired, he was shunted off to the
side...ignored.
I guess my point is that everyone has a different eye as to what is
appealing, why not let the public decide if they want a pot to live with
them. Would you want to chose only from a select few, a mate or companion?
If the pots in question are flawed to the point of being unstable, or
dangerous, then by all means do not unleash them to the public...they might
not know the difference, if outwardly they are beautiful. Instead, using
the hammer, and a measured blow , turn them into shards to be remade into
harmless or beautiful mosiacs.
Tommy
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2000 11:47 PM
Subject: seconds
> Tony said, "I've become so good at making seconds..." Good point. That's
> the way I feel most of the time. When you think about it, sooner or
later
> everything becomes seconds, like 6 month old pots. There is always
someone
> out there that will LOVE it. The things that I have thought were my best
> were ignored by buyers, the things I really didn't like, someone loved.
We
> all have a level we strive for, and when we make it, we raise the bar
higher.
> If we didn't sell our seconds, whether it had a blister on it, or was 6
> months old, I don't think we would sell as much. When I was an
undergraduate
> in my first or second semester of ceramics, I made a vase, the white
glaze
> was on too thick over a brown slip, and talk about blisters, all over it.
> Boy, did my folks love that pot. My dad made a wood base for it, got lamp
> fixtures for it, a shade and they used that lamp for the next 25 years.
Both
> were very crytical, dad was a commercial artist, very good designer, but
they
> loved that blistered pot, and not because I made it, they would have liked
it
> no matter who made it. We have to be crytical about our own work, but
maybe
> at times we are a bit too harsh on ourselves and should lighten up a bit
and
> enjoy the flaws, that make that piece unique, and someone will still love
it,
> beyond our comprehension.
> Joyce A
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
>
Earl Brunner on wed 8 nov 00
lol, flame, flame, flame (please don't take this as such,
disagreement? yes, flame, no)
I try so hard to get my students past that point where
everything they make is so precious to them that they have
to try and save it at all costs.
I have one student whose husband is a dentist or
orthodontist. He ruined three diamond dental bits freeing
one of her glazed on lids. Sorry, it still looked nasty
with all the scarring and chips. She would have been far
ahead to have put her energies into making a better one
without the glaze defect.
A different color of glaze than expected does not a second
make. Something that interferes with functionality does.
I find it hard to believe that everything that you make
turns out fully functional. You have never had a glaze
craze on a food surface piece? You have never had a glaze
shiver? Handles have never cracked at the attachment joint?
No glaze crawling? No lids stick, no drips sticking to the
shelf, no chipped foot rims?
Just as in nature birth, there are a percentage of births
that are defective. There are mental handicaps, and
physical ones that prevent babies from ever reaching the
"norm" of their potential. Some children are destined to
live short lives, and yes, some are stillborn. Some are
allowed to die. If you want to use the analogy of birth,
then it holds true for pots. Some have no life, some enter
this life handicapped, some develop handicaps along the
way. They are still less than fully functional "perfect"
children. Euthanasia for pottery should not be as abhorrent
to us as euthanasia for babies.
artimater wrote:
>
> Just a little side note;
> my interest in clay led to a passion for collecting the work of the great potteries of the last century; Rookwood, Van Briggle, Niloak, etc.....welll, at this flea market one time I found a familiar Niloak form with no glaze outside and a lump of glaze inside. The lady who had it told me that as a little girl they lived accross from the Niloak pottery and she and her friends used to go through the trash and appropriate some pieces to use in their little girl tea ceremonies...She sold it cheap and now I figure I have a Niloak piece like no other, I certainly don't hide it. It is a nice form with a history.
> As for my "seconds," I don't make any. God sometimes does nice things for me in a kiln and occaisionally he really plays the trickster. Maybe sometimes he thinks I need another lesson in ceramics, Sometimes he wants to cheer me up. I have one "gonna be red" piece that came out with a better than Rookwood semi-matt, mottled pink and green, with that oh soooo nice soft feel that I love. That is one "second" that will never be duplicated because I don't have a clue how it got that way. It will also never be sold because I love it. Fact is, I love all my little clay children the same; even when they act like they want to break my heart. Would I kick a child to the curb for a wart on his nose? If I would I would soon have no children at all. Hell, when I'm throwing and the pot slumps I twist the clay back up and ask it what it didn't like about what I wanted it to be, and what it had in mind because I must not have been listening the first time through.......
> -artimator...making his first post in years and hoping it doesn't require the 60 off-topic flames and banishment the last one did......
>
> artimator@earthlink.net
>
> "i only indulge when i've seen a snake, so i keep a supply of indulgences and snakes handy"
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> 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.
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
artimater on wed 8 nov 00
Just a little side note;
my interest in clay led to a passion for collecting the work of the =
great potteries of the last century; Rookwood, Van Briggle, Niloak, =
etc.....welll, at this flea market one time I found a familiar Niloak =
form with no glaze outside and a lump of glaze inside. The lady who had =
it told me that as a little girl they lived accross from the Niloak =
pottery and she and her friends used to go through the trash and =
appropriate some pieces to use in their little girl tea ceremonies...She =
sold it cheap and now I figure I have a Niloak piece like no other, I =
certainly don't hide it. It is a nice form with a history.
As for my "seconds," I don't make any. God sometimes does nice =
things for me in a kiln and occaisionally he really plays the trickster. =
Maybe sometimes he thinks I need another lesson in ceramics, Sometimes =
he wants to cheer me up. I have one "gonna be red" piece that came out =
with a better than Rookwood semi-matt, mottled pink and green, with that =
oh soooo nice soft feel that I love. That is one "second" that will =
never be duplicated because I don't have a clue how it got that way. It =
will also never be sold because I love it. Fact is, I love all my =
little clay children the same; even when they act like they want to =
break my heart. Would I kick a child to the curb for a wart on his =
nose? If I would I would soon have no children at all. Hell, when I'm =
throwing and the pot slumps I twist the clay back up and ask it what it =
didn't like about what I wanted it to be, and what it had in mind =
because I must not have been listening the first time through.......
-artimator...making his first post in years and hoping it doesn't =
require the 60 off-topic flames and banishment the last one did......
=20
artimator@earthlink.net
"i only indulge when i've seen a snake, so i keep a supply of =
indulgences and snakes handy"
priddy on thu 9 nov 00
to me, and me only....disclaimer
a second is any thing that did not come out as I expected...
as in: =
"On Second thought, that IS interesting, wonder how I did that?"
because the First thought on seeing it is usually "OH My god..."
If I can do it again, I have firsts. =
Its usually takes a lot more seconds before =
I get that first quality one.
I have learned to be more generous with myself =
on 1rst v 2cnd quality.
I rate it out like prints now, I line them up and price =
them according to quality and keep going down a few dollars =
until I get to rock bottom. The rest I give away to people =
I KNOW can't afford to go around buying art, like family, =
who both don't care that it has a little bump and also who =
I know will not be re-selling it later. I make a point of =
giving them something very nice at least once a year to =
balance out all the handy little seconds. =
The best way to get a pot at my house is to admire =
something you are eating off in my kitchen while enjoying =
time with me. If I made it and am still using it and it =
is not one of my husband's claims, it is probably going =
home with you, with me saying, =
"don't make such a fuss..I'll make more"
I know I will make more, they are seconds. =
respectfully submitted,
elizabeth priddy
priddy-clay@usa.net
http://www.angelfire.com/nc/clayworkshop
____________________________________________________________________
Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=3D=
1
artimater on thu 9 nov 00
I find it hard to believe that everything that you make
turns out fully functional. You have never had a glaze
craze on a food surface piece? You have never had a glaze
shiver? Handles have never cracked at the attachment joint?
No glaze crawling? No lids stick, no drips sticking to the
shelf, no chipped foot rims?
Those dysfunctional pots become fully functional again when I toss =
them out in the rose garden where they make an excellant mulch (no =
foolin). Believe it or not, I have had several of those excellant mulch =
pots stolen...........
artimator
"i only indulge when i've seen a snake, so i keep a supply of =
indulgences and snakes handy"
Lizacat29@AOL.COM on thu 9 nov 00
In a message dated 11/9/00 3:21:41 AM Central Standard Time, bruec@ANV.NET
writes:
<< Fact is, I love all my little clay children the same; even when they act
like they want to break my heart. Would I kick a child to the curb for a
wart on his nose? If I would I would soon have no children at all. Hell,
when I'm throwing and the pot slumps I twist the clay back up and ask it what
it didn't like about what I wanted it to be, and what it had in mind because
I must not have been listening the first time through....... >>
I just thought that this deserves to be run again on the board. I love the
thoughts there. I was just writing to someone else about the fact that I
made my first sale and felt a little twinge seeing my pots going away, as if
they were my children going off with strangers! And me with no control over
whether they were dropped, chipped, loved, or given to the goodwill!
I also like the part about twisting the clay back up and asking what it
didn't like about what I wanted it to be....I'm printing that out and putting
it on my workshop wall!
Earl Brunner on thu 9 nov 00
Well sure, you can grind them up into grog and still make
the material functional. Grog is good. But you didn't
answer the question. Have you ever had an otherwise
functional pot shiver? Because if you have then you have
worst than a second, you have an unsafe pot that could be a
serious hazard and it should be destroyed.
artimater wrote:
>
>> turns out fully functional. You have never had a glaze
>> craze on a food surface piece? You have never had a glaze
>> shiver? Handles have never cracked at the attachment joint?
>> No glaze crawling? No lids stick, no drips sticking to the
>> shelf, no chipped foot rims?
> Those dysfunctional pots become fully functional again when I toss them out in the rose garden where they make an excellant mulch (no foolin). Believe it or not, I have had several of those excellant mulch pots stolen...........
> artimator
>
> "i only indulge when i've seen a snake, so i keep a supply of indulgences and snakes handy"
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> 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.
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
Martin Howard on fri 10 nov 00
Earl is right in that we should take students passed the point where
everything is precious.
A young child makes his or her first ever pot on the wheel. Save it all
costs. That is precious. Then turn it, glaze it and pass it back to those
eager little hands and watch the face light up.
The mature student makes some bad pots? So, give them the hammer. Show them
where to put the shards.
Yourself? Anything that is less than first class (in your eyes at the time)
is dispensable and you can use the time you would have saved in doctoring it
by throwing several others of top quality.
Martin Howard
Webb's Cottage Pottery
Woolpits Road, Great Saling
BRAINTREE, Essex CM7 5DZ
England
martin@webbscottage.co.uk
Denise Bohart on fri 10 nov 00
>So how long did it take people to reach "firsts" or "gallery quality", in
your own mind? Is there hope for me?
I think that "in your own mind" is the key... I know myself well enough
to realize that everything I produce will always have an element of "I'd
like it better if..." which always makes it a second in my eyes.
Perhaps the place you will reach is the ability to step back and
occasionally view through another's eyes, and see that, while it may not
be perfect to you, no one else has your unique perspective... no one
else sees the same shortcomings that your eyes see. This is what I'm
trying to learn... it's hard, for a lifelong perfectionist...
Denise Bohart
Morris, Marlene F. on fri 10 nov 00
I've also read on this list that putting a piece away for a month or so
helps. By that time you may have forgotten your original intentions for the
piece and judge it as it is, instead of kicking yourself for not succeeding.
Marlene
-----Original Message-----
From: Denise Bohart [mailto:denise@DAVIS.COM]
Sent: Friday, November 10, 2000 1:32 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: seconds
>So how long did it take people to reach "firsts" or "gallery quality", in
your own mind? Is there hope for me?
I think that "in your own mind" is the key... I know myself well enough
to realize that everything I produce will always have an element of "I'd
like it better if..." which always makes it a second in my eyes.
Perhaps the place you will reach is the ability to step back and
occasionally view through another's eyes, and see that, while it may not
be perfect to you, no one else has your unique perspective... no one
else sees the same shortcomings that your eyes see. This is what I'm
trying to learn... it's hard, for a lifelong perfectionist...
Denise Bohart
____________________________________________________________________________
__
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.
Rikki Gill on thu 18 jul 02
Hi Greg, I am really glad you had a good show. I got your card, with your
beautiful photograph. It always feels so good to have your work
appreciated. Best wishes, Rikki
----- Original Message -----
From: "gregg lindsley"
To:
Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2002 10:50 AM
Subject: seconds
> Hi everyone-
>
> I would like to share a 'seconds' experience I had
> last week. A large vase of mine came outof the kiln
> with a little crawling around the widest part of the
> pot, near the top. When i pulled itout of the kiln, my
> first reaction was YUCK!! RATS!! Shoot!! and so on.
> (Mel, yr & s are ok?)...
> Well, after calming down, I thought well, I need
> it for my gallery show in two nights, and it is
> functional, and the glaze combination I used is
> stunning, and I really want to show off the shape,
> sooooooooooooooo OK, i'll put it in the show,
> disappointed that it didn't come out perfect.
> the night ofthe reception, one of my pottery
> friends came in, took one look at it and....... you
> were going tosay chewed me out for putting inthe show
> right. Nope. He says, wow, how did you do that? Would
> you show me how to do that? Man, \people try to do
> this and can't..... So I shrugged my shoulder and
> said, sure i can show you, I'm good at this. :)
> Actually, it was porcelain, and I had let been
> working with newspapers and got ink on the pot, so it
> crawled.
> Then..... it was the second pot sold!!!! The person
> who bought it said it was the st beautiful pot there!
> It had full function, and so there you go. I agree
> with Janet, if a pot if functional, let the buyers
> decide if it's a second. I put this out with a first
> price, and it flew off the shelf. If it had sat there
> for a long time and repeated attempts to sell it, it
> would become a second and then a useful function for a
> hammer. Go figure.
> Remember: there is no accounting for taste.
>
> Gregg Allen Lindsley
> Earth and Fire Pottery
> Whispering Pines Ca
>
> Where it is in the mid 90's, and beautiful. A good
> change from 109 of last week, and where experiences
> like the above are helping me to shed my 'everything
> must be perfect' outlook.
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Autos - Get free new car price quotes
> http://autos.yahoo.com
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
>
gregg lindsley on thu 18 jul 02
Hi everyone-
I would like to share a 'seconds' experience I had
last week. A large vase of mine came outof the kiln
with a little crawling around the widest part of the
pot, near the top. When i pulled itout of the kiln, my
first reaction was YUCK!! RATS!! Shoot!! and so on.
(Mel, yr & s are ok?)...
Well, after calming down, I thought well, I need
it for my gallery show in two nights, and it is
functional, and the glaze combination I used is
stunning, and I really want to show off the shape,
sooooooooooooooo OK, i'll put it in the show,
disappointed that it didn't come out perfect.
the night ofthe reception, one of my pottery
friends came in, took one look at it and....... you
were going tosay chewed me out for putting inthe show
right. Nope. He says, wow, how did you do that? Would
you show me how to do that? Man, \people try to do
this and can't..... So I shrugged my shoulder and
said, sure i can show you, I'm good at this. :)
Actually, it was porcelain, and I had let been
working with newspapers and got ink on the pot, so it
crawled.
Then..... it was the second pot sold!!!! The person
who bought it said it was the st beautiful pot there!
It had full function, and so there you go. I agree
with Janet, if a pot if functional, let the buyers
decide if it's a second. I put this out with a first
price, and it flew off the shelf. If it had sat there
for a long time and repeated attempts to sell it, it
would become a second and then a useful function for a
hammer. Go figure.
Remember: there is no accounting for taste.
Gregg Allen Lindsley
Earth and Fire Pottery
Whispering Pines Ca
Where it is in the mid 90's, and beautiful. A good
change from 109 of last week, and where experiences
like the above are helping me to shed my 'everything
must be perfect' outlook.
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dreamsinclay on sun 29 feb 04
This is the first time I am writng to the clayart
community and I suppose that first thing I wanted to
say is thank you all for being the inspiration that
has helped carry me for quite some time.
I am responding the the subject of SECONDS
From the minute my hands touched clay....I had to be
in it!
Potting for me is like breathing...there is no
question that if I'm not potting I'm not happy.
I have been potting full time for over 27
years.....and in that time I have realized that by the
time I have conceptulized and begun a piece, I am so
far past the current piece I am working on that until
the product is actually fired and finished.....it's
out of sight out of mind.
Winters are spent producing 1000's of pieces that are
bisqued and stored in a room until Spring when glazing
begins
My work is produced for different venues.
Galleries expect a certain quality and standard, and I
deliver. This comes with a price tag, and my clients
are willing to pay for that standard.
If I do a show...there is an expectation of quality
for that as well, but a slightly different client
base.
The pieces that I bring there are varried, and my
display will range from gallery quality to average and
affordable for all.
Then there are what I consider seconds. These range
from pieces that I have had for a long time and need
to clear space...maybe that color is not exactly what
i loved but someone else will...sometimes they may
have a small stress crack on the bottom, alot of times
they are extra pieces that I have thrown such as extra
tea cups that the customer had the option to buy with
the set and did'nt want them, but most of the time
seconds are those pots that are from the production
year b-4 and need to move out.
I have 3-4 home shows each year and invite my clients
for some coffee...good pie, and pots!
Then any weekend I have not scheduled a show..I set up
on my front lawn with my kids and we sell pie and pots
or
home made preserves and pots.
Most of my clients are aware of my sales and are happy
to come by with friends and pick up a piece or two.
The prices are good...but I don't just give them away!
I am in business..if a piece is usually $250..they
know they will maybe pay 1/2.
I will never sell a defective piece..or a cracked
piece, or anything that I would'nt eat or drink from.
I take pride in everything I create ...gallery quality
or second!
No matter what you create.....Somebody is going to
love it!
Thanks for listening.....
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lili krakowski on mon 1 mar 04
Some years back someone wrote a wonderful COMMENT in Ceramics =
Monthly--about going through the garbage at other people's studios and =
finding lovable treasures that the potter had tossed as seconds!
As I make functional ware, I give a lot of usable seconds to =
friends--and have embarassed myself often enough because the pot I =
discarded as "unsatisfactory" a few years ago, not talks to me....
"The stone the builders rejected shall become the cornerstone."
Or: toss with care.
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Patrick Bodine on mon 1 mar 04
HI ALL!!! On a visit to a potter's house in North Carolina, I went to see
her kiln in the barn. On the floor (dirt) there was a teapot. I picked it up
and noticed that the spout was chipped and asked "what are you going to do
with this?" "Oh, that thing, it probably has a big crack in the bottom." It sure
did, but I asked if I could have it and she said " sure, I was going to throw
it away." It is in my personal collection as a treasured piece reminding me
of the fabulous trip I took to Bakersville.
Another time I was at a show and during the night a storm had come up and
the wind blew over half of my work smashing to the ground. I gathered up the
pieces and gave them to a mosiac worker at that show. It is what you have
left rather what you have lost is the most important. ;-)
@ home in MS, Patrick Bodine
Sheryl VanVleck-Wells on sat 27 nov 04
After you have gotten out your frustration by taking a hammer to those =
pots, see if any local art teachers would like the pieces for their =
students to use in making mosaics.
I also have given old test tiles to a local fiber artist who specializes =
in recycling. She plans on using them within wall hangings.
Sheryl
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on thu 20 sep 07
Hi Peter, all...
Oh!
That is truely ghastly.
I can not believe this cup/bowl was ever volentarily let loose by Robin, or
would have escaped his inspection when reviewing a fireing's results each
and every one.
Surely, there are limits...!
It would be interesting to write the seller and ask them how they came by
it.
Oye...
Yeeeeeeesh...
Phil
l v
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter H. Pache"
> There's a 'second' (at best) by Robin Hopper on eBay (see item number:
> 250166043001). What a tragedy when we allow such pots to escape our
> studios.
>
> Peter
> NM
Peter H. Pache on fri 21 sep 07
There's a 'second' (at best) by Robin Hopper on eBay (see item number: 250166043001). What a tragedy when we allow such pots to escape our studios.
Peter
NM
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