SaraBeth Metzger on wed 2 feb 00
I was wondering if anyone reading this message could
give me some advice. My problem is that I took some
ceramic courses in college, but ceramics was not my
major. Over the past 2 years I have continued to make
ceramics and have discovered that this is where my
passion is. Now I want to continue to learn as much
as possible, in hopes that one day I can make this my
profession, but I am uncertain in which direction I
should go. Without any formal art classes I am
intimidated by going back to school all over again in
this field, but if I need to then I will. If anyone
reading this could offer me some insight, I would
greatly appreciate it. My email address is
sbhmetzger@yahoo.com. Thank you so much for your time.
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David McDonald on thu 3 feb 00
Hi SaraBeth,
I've made my living from clay for over 20 years, and my advice/input to
you would be this; either do an aprenticeship, or get a job with a
pottery studio run by someone whose work you admire, and is along the
lines of the type of claywork you like best (as much as possible). To me
this would mean anything related to clay if that's what it took. Spend a
few years there. If necessary, do the same at another place. In other
words, learn how to do what you've said you want to do at someone else's
expense. When you are ready to go off on your own, you will have a pretty
realistic sense of what's involved, on all fronts.
Or, another way to go about it would be to just read everything you can
get your hands on, make as many pots as you can, learning from your
mistakes, and when you are ready to do so, just jump in. If you really
want to do it, you will. To the degree that this kind of an undertaking
is difficult to achieve, if you can match the challenge with passion, the
rewards and benefits will come your way in forms very uncommon in these
times.
Hope this was of help. David
On Wed, 2 Feb 2000 16:40:50 EST SaraBeth Metzger
writes:
> ----------------------------Original
> message----------------------------
> I was wondering if anyone reading this message could
> give me some advice. My problem is that I took some
> ceramic courses in college, but ceramics was not my
> major. Over the past 2 years I have continued to make
> ceramics and have discovered that this is where my
> passion is. Now I want to continue to learn as much
> as possible, in hopes that one day I can make this my
> profession, but I am uncertain in which direction I
> should go. Without any formal art classes I am
> intimidated by going back to school all over again in
> this field, but if I need to then I will. If anyone
> reading this could offer me some insight, I would
> greatly appreciate it. My email address is
> sbhmetzger@yahoo.com. Thank you so much for your time.
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
> http://im.yahoo.com
David McDonald
Limberlost Pottery
721 First Street
Prescott,AZ 86301
(520)778-7854 claydog@juno.com
________________________________________________________________
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Wade Blocker on thu 3 feb 00
----------
> From: SaraBeth Metzger
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Subject: Need Advice Please
> Date: Wednesday, February 02, 2000 2:40 PM
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I was wondering if anyone reading this message could
> give me some advice. My problem is that I took some
> ceramic courses in college, but ceramics was not my
> major. Over the past 2 years I have continued to make
> ceramics and have discovered that this is where my
> passion is. Now I want to continue to learn as much
> as possible, in hopes that one day I can make this my
> profession, but I am uncertain in which direction I
> should go. Without any formal art classes I am
> intimidated by going back to school all over again in
> this field, but if I need to then I will. If anyone
> reading this could offer me some insight, I would
> greatly appreciate it. My email address is
> sbhmetzger@yahoo.com. Thank you so much for your time.
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
> http://im.yahoo.com
Dear SaraBeth,
Go to your nearest public library and checkout all the books on
ceramics that you can find
and read them. Nelson, John B Kenney are just two names of authors that are
helpful. Subscribe to ceramic magazines. I personally found that I learned
more from books than any workshop I attended. Start your own reference
library if you find a book that you particularly like. Join a co op, or
adult education classes to practice with clay. When you find just what
aspect of pottery making you are most interested in, throwing on the wheel,
handbuilding, glazing, raku, you might be ready to open your own studio.
Trial and error played a large part in my learning process,which is still
ongoing. In the beginning I worked with wheelthrown porcelain . Now slab
built and coiled work is what I do. So many gifted potters give workshops.
Again you'll have to choose where to go and what to take.
Reading should direct the way for you. Mia in ABQ
.
Earl Brunner on thu 3 feb 00
I don't like to give advice, at least in the sense that I would be
suggesting what you should do. I would suggest that you need to
examine what and how you want to do clay. If a formal education is
not needed then you could find an apprenticeship type situation and
possibly benefit. Workshops are great, places like Anderson Ranch
and Archie Bray are super.
SaraBeth Metzger wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I was wondering if anyone reading this message could
> give me some advice. My problem is that I took some
> ceramic courses in college, but ceramics was not my
> major. Over the past 2 years I have continued to make
> ceramics and have discovered that this is where my
> passion is. Now I want to continue to learn as much
> as possible, in hopes that one day I can make this my
> profession, but I am uncertain in which direction I
> should go. Without any formal art classes I am
> intimidated by going back to school all over again in
> this field, but if I need to then I will. If anyone
> reading this could offer me some insight, I would
> greatly appreciate it. My email address is
> sbhmetzger@yahoo.com. Thank you so much for your time.
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
> http://im.yahoo.com
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
Jim Brooks on thu 3 feb 00
SaraBeth, I would urge you to return to school. There are so many
possibilites that it boggles the mind. In school, you will get direction and
focus. It will help you to learn the basics and direct you in the paths
that you choose. I went back to school after i was 50yo. I am glad i
did...and i still go to school..and that has been 14 years ago.
Paul Lewing on thu 3 feb 00
SaraBeth,
You don't say where you live, but I would bet there is someplace near
you that offers workshops in ceramics. Very seldom are there
prerequisites to take workshops, and you can be very selective about
what aspect of ceramics you want to study. They also are very good for
you in that you get your information or new techniques in manageable
bites, take it back to your studio, and work away at that till you feel
you're ready for more. Unless you live someplace really remote, there
is probably a school or art center near you that offers workshops, at
least in the summer if not year-round. And if you can afford the time
and money, there may be no better investment in your career than a major
workshop. Almost every professional clay artist out there can tell you
stories of a workshop that turned their career around.
If you'll tell us where you live, I'm certain that someone on this list
can point you to someplace close to you. And be sure to see the April
issue of Ceramics Monthly for the complete listing of summer workshops
everywhere.
Good luck.
Paul Lewing, Seattle
Kent / Pat on thu 3 feb 00
SaraBeth
I can empathize with your love of clay and the need to make it a goal to
work in it with further training.
What are your goal, more specifically? I mean do you want to do studio
pottery, or production pottery or some day teach it, and if so at what
level? Answers to these questions can guide your choices. For instance,
many of my potter friends have taken few or no academic classes, but have
taken classes through the various community arts programs. They are
realizing their dream and seem quite content to go to the art centers and
various workshops. Some of my instructors have gone as far as Master's
Level at a number of colleges. This will let them teach the art at many
places and makes their technical knowledge sought after within the ceramics
community.
When I was going to art school, I majored in interior design, painting and
sculpture. I never touched clay except to walk through the pottery area to
clean my brushes. That was in the late '60's. I am now 53 and would go
back to study under Maynard Tischler in a heartbeat. If that what it's
going to take for you to get where you want to go, swallow the
apprehensions and go for it!
That's my little soapbox! Hope it helps.
Pat Porter
pporter@4dv.net
Aurora CO USA
----- Original Message -----
From: "SaraBeth Metzger"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2000 1:40 PM
Subject: Need Advice Please
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I was wondering if anyone reading this message could
> give me some advice. My problem is that I took some
> ceramic courses in college, but ceramics was not my
> major. Over the past 2 years I have continued to make
> ceramics and have discovered that this is where my
> passion is. Now I want to continue to learn as much
> as possible, in hopes that one day I can make this my
> profession, but I am uncertain in which direction I
> should go. Without any formal art classes I am
> intimidated by going back to school all over again in
> this field, but if I need to then I will. If anyone
> reading this could offer me some insight, I would
> greatly appreciate it. My email address is
> sbhmetzger@yahoo.com. Thank you so much for your time.
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
> http://im.yahoo.com
ferenc jakab on thu 3 feb 00
SarahBeth,
I originally graduated as a sculptor, with electives in ceramics. I.e. I
learnt to hand build, throw, a small amount about clays and firing, but
nothing about glazes.Over the twenty five years since I left Art School I
turned from traditional sculptural techniques to working exclusively with
clay. I was lucky enough to spend 4 years in a publicly funded craft
workshop where there were several well known Australian potters and I learnt
heaps from them. But, and here is the reason for my posting to you, I never
learnt anything about glazing. My work was all to do with the natural clay
surface as fired. Last year I decided that I would like to start introducing
gazes in my work and consequently I enrolled in a university course which
teaches glazing and glaze technology. It's the best move I've made. The
students and lecturers are good to get along with and extremely helpful.
They don't mind at all that I'm a mature age (50) student. and I'm picking
up knowledge far faster than I could on my own.
Moral of story. Don't worry, don't hesitate. The experience will be
absolutely worth it.
Feri.
PAT on fri 4 feb 00
Hi, I'm also in a similar position - but live in a town of 500 in the
boonies of Nebraska so studios, apprenticeships, etc. are at least 4
hours away. Can you tell me where I look for workshops? Thanks, Pat
Eileen Streeter on fri 4 feb 00
sara beth...
where are you located.... that might be one of the most important factors
for a reply... and can you relocate..... and not all institutions
are created equally... if you return to college.... find one with a
good program... so you will be ready to practice your art....
eileens
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