elizabeth priddy on tue 7 dec 99
Here is one assignment I give to particularly
stubborn "..but I am not an artist..." types:
find something that you use in your home
everyday that works well.
find something that does not.
make one of the good things out of clay.
make the thing that does not function right,
but make it work right.
It helps them over the creativity hump every
time. Although they sometimes get inspired to
make something else entirely after wandering
through their junk.
---
Elizabeth Priddy
email: epriddy@usa.net
http://www.angelfire.com/nc/clayworkshop
Clay: 12,000 yrs and still fresh!
On Mon, 6 Dec 1999 15:54:56 Marcia Selsor wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Dear Ray,
>I am winding up a semester with General education students many from
>business majors. If they had an idea , any idea, I'd be thrilled. I have
>spent the best part of the semester trying to get them to think up an
>idea. Many sit there as you say, doing nothing. Finally they have been
>working doing sculpture or throwing pots. I do not practise "memes" of
>how to make something like what I make. We have gone through historical
>pieces, to pieces made for specific functions of their choice.
>But, geez, some students even art majors don't have ideas. This is the
>most challenging to teach to students. I don't think Mel disagrees with
>that either.
>Marcia in Montana
>
>Ray Aldridge wrote:
>>
>> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> At 10:37 AM 12/4/99 EST, mel wrote:
>> >----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> >at no time in my life have i ever thought that teaching ideas or concept to
>> >be anything but important.
>>
>> I hesitate to disagree with mel (and I don't think I really am) but in my
>> opinion, the *least* important job of a teacher is teaching "ideas" in the
>> sense of design ideas, or what constitutes a good stylistic direction for a
>> student to follow.
>>
>>
>SNIP
>>
>> When it comes to ideas, the best thing teachers can do for their students
>> is to teach them techniques for accessing their own ideas. But again,
>> these are learnable techniques, just like centering.
>>
>> Finally, I want to make a distinction between "ideas" and "facts." Here's
>> an idea: "Hey I think I'll make a mug with a little press-molded frog in
>> the bottom! It'll be funny, and I'm sure no one has ever thought of this
>> before." Here are facts: "High relief on the inside of functional ware is
>> unsanitary. And a zillion other potters beat you to the idea."
>>
>> Teach facts and techniques, not ideas. This will lead to greater range and
>> diversity in the wares potters make, because as students they will form the
>> early attitude that they must rely on their own inner voices to make
>> stylistic decisions.
>>
>> Ray
>>
>> Aldridge Porcelain and Stoneware
>> http://www.goodpots.com
>
>--
>Marcia Selsor
>selsor@imt.net
>http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls
>http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/spain99.html
>http://www.silverhawk.com/ex99/selsor/welcome.html
>
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