Janet Kaiser on sun 30 jan 00
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Just thought I'd pass on the following two extracts from POTTERS (11th =
edition)
published by the CPA (copyright). They are submitted by the potters =
themselves
and I think they illustrate the changes over the second half of the 20th =
century
really well...
How the Art School and fine art perspective is affecting the traditional
progression of development and even our values within the clay community.
Even 20-30 years ago, no way would Richard Dewar have even been considered =
for
CPA membership. =22Wrong=22 attitude, not the right work ethic... Even the
photograph of him smiling and playing a guitar... In a serious potters' =
book?
Dear me=21 Whatever next? Not to mention is wonky teapots...
And yet there is John Leach in the same generation, doing what a serious =
potter
should do... A potter from a family of master potters... Just what we
traditionally expect.
CPA Member: RICHARD DEWAR First touched clay in 1954 at primary school and =
found
it quite sticky. Just thumb pots then, baked in the sun. Painted and =
varnished.
Then at big school in 1964. Earthenware and electric kiln. College at =
Corsham in
1966. Throwing, drinking and firing. College at Harrow in 1970, same but =
more
intensive. Set up studio in Glos(cestershire) in 1972 and had to learn it =
all
over again. Moved to France in 1979. I've continued playing with clay,
attempting to produce three or four good pots out of the hundreds I make =
each
year. It's not easy=21
CPA Fellow: JOHN LEACH Set up Muchelney Pottery, Somerset with his wife =
Lizzie
in 1964, following an apprenticeship with his father David and grandfather
Bernard Leach. He also trained with Ray Finch and Colin Pearson. He quickly
established a reputation for his range of generously rounded hand thrown =
kitchen
stoneware with its unglazed =22toasted=22 wood-fired finish. It was not =
until 1983
that he felt able to free himself from the disciplined work ethic of repeat =
ware
to create signed individual pots. These explore a wider range of shapes and
creative impulses, and are inspired, in part, by workshop and travel =
experiences
in Europe, America and Nigeria. His pots are in the collections of the =
Victoria
=26 Albert Museum, the Fitzwilliam Museum, the Crafts Council, the National =
Museum
of Wales and Belfast Museum. Since 1972, John's assistant, master potter =
Nick
Rees has played a key role in standard ware production and the day to day
running of the pottery. Student potter Paul Dennis also shares the hard work=
and
excitement of firing the Japanese style climbing kiln.
=2A=2A=2A=2A=2A=2A
I am not saying one is better than the other, nor right or wrong. Just
interesting to see this development in my own lifetime. All part of =
ageing...
You get your own little bit of history to play around with and meditate =
on...
What were you doing the day John F. Kennedy was shot? Half our friends are =
not
too clear who or what JFK was. In all likelihood, they were not even born=21
Is this the generation gap for real? Looking down from the other end of the
telescope? No wonder I am starting to get condescending looks from =
youngsters...
=22Humour the old biddy=22 sort of conversations. Worst part is, I know I =
was just
the same 20-30 years ago...
Janet Kaiser feeling contemplative after an uplifting string quartet concert=
of
Mozart, Tibbet =26 Smetana by four young musicians in The Chapel of Art:
Home of The International Potters' Path
Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales, UK
WEBSITE: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
EMAIL: postbox=40the-coa.org.uk
We have server problems. If you cannot access
The CoA web page, please try again later. Thanks=21
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