Carla Flati on thu 3 feb 00
Hi Jessica. Well you asked for advice and do I have it! Take that baby
into that studio with you!!!!! Now, you're going to have friends and
relatives telling you that a clay studio is nowhere for an infant because
it's too dirty or "What if the baby needs your attention while you're in the
middle of throwing and your hands are full of clay?" or blah, blah, blah.
IGNORE THEM!
Eighteen years ago, I actually listened to that kind of garbage only because
it was my husband saying those things and I didn't want to hear the constant
complaining so to keep peace I sold everything, my wheel, kiln, clay and
chemicals. This was my first child and I thought by doing this I would be a
better mother because I would have all this extra time to pour into raising
the baby, but this was not a good approach. You can't be a good parent if
you're not happy with yourself. You can be dirt poor and still be a good
parent if you feel self-fulfilled. I didn't feel like that. There was a
tremendous void in my life and I felt so guilty about it because I had been
blessed with this beautiful baby girl and I should be happy. Ah, but I was
young and dumb and there was no Clayart back then to save me from myself.
It took about 4 years to reach the "I can't stand it another minute" point.
I had a talk with myself and decided enough was enough and I was getting
back to my clay. But how? I needed everything and didn't have the cash to
do it. I had a good job but not good enough to filter that much cash out of
the checking account. My husband would notice. All was not lost however.
One day I opened the mail and WHOOSH! It was an epiphany! Well, almost,
it was a letter from VISA telling me I was pre-approved for a gold card with
an $8000 credit limit. I started calling for catalogs that minute! Ordered
a new wheel, kiln, extruder and a slab roller. I didn't have the last two
items before, but I figured what the heck. If it was a platinum card, I
would have ordered a pug mill....de-airing! I had to time their delivery to
coincide with my husband's 12-day road trip (works for a hockey team) and I
set up my new and improved studio. There was lots of screamin goin on when
he got back, but eventually it stopped. I am however, still paying on that
card (just kidding).
Five years after setting up this new studio, I had a "surprise child". This
time no one dared to lecture me about the studio. I continued to throw
until my belly touched the splashpan and I couldn't bend over any more.
When he was a few weeks old I propped my son up on my worktable in his
little baby seat to watch me throw. Sometimes I set his swing up next to my
wheel. A word of caution here. I put it a little too close one time and he
got a clay bath. He didn't seem to mind, he just laughed. I found that
when my son was an infant, I had more clay time than when he was a toddler.
The minute they stand up and walk you can't take your eyes off them for a
second. This is when I became the basement dwelling vampire potter (can
only pot at night after the kids go down). You get some time back when you
can give them a piece of clay and they don't eat it. That's when they start
making their own pots and that's the best. My grandmother taught me and I
taught my children. What a great feeling!!! Of course, my daughter grew up
and grew nails and decided that clay was too dirty, but my little one is
still at it. He just turned 10 and can throw some really decent pots, but
he's partial to handbuilding. Granted, I took some drastic measures to get
my clay life back, but it was worth it. You'll miss that "sense of
grounding and happiness after a day in the studio" so don't give it up for a
minute. Well, maybe for labor, delivery and the initial settling in period.
Geez, sorry to be so long winded. I usually don't go on like this (I can
hear at least a dozen clayarters saying, "yeah, right") Hope this story
helped you a little, Jessica. Good luck with your work and congratulations
on the soon to be studio baby.
Carla
Charles G Hughes on fri 4 feb 00
I share your attitude completely Carla!
Giving up your hearts passion can do more damage than can be healed. I
brought my son into the studio at 6 months, we worked through all his stages
and now we have a grand relationship! He has all the daddy time he wants,
which he wouldn't get if I had taken the attitude of "kids don't belong in
the studio" My son is healthy, happy and VERY skilled because he spent his
early years with me in the studio. At 8 he can draw better than a lot of
adults and can sculpt/handbuild almost anything. I think it is great that he
was able to be exposed to high levels of creativity at such a young age. He
earns his spending money by selling his works and just had his first art
show in a local coffeeshop.
C
----- Original Message -----
From: Carla Flati
To:
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2000 1:06 PM
Subject: Studio Babies
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi Jessica. Well you asked for advice and do I have it! Take that baby
> into that studio with you!!!!! Now, you're going to have friends and
> relatives telling you that a clay studio is nowhere for an infant because
> it's too dirty or "What if the baby needs your attention while you're in
the
> middle of throwing and your hands are full of clay?" or blah, blah, blah.
> IGNORE THEM!
>
> Eighteen years ago, I actually listened to that kind of garbage only
because
> it was my husband saying those things and I didn't want to hear the
constant
> complaining so to keep peace I sold everything, my wheel, kiln, clay and
> chemicals. This was my first child and I thought by doing this I would be
a
> better mother because I would have all this extra time to pour into
raising
> the baby, but this was not a good approach. You can't be a good parent if
> you're not happy with yourself. You can be dirt poor and still be a good
> parent if you feel self-fulfilled. I didn't feel like that. There was a
> tremendous void in my life and I felt so guilty about it because I had
been
> blessed with this beautiful baby girl and I should be happy. Ah, but I
was
> young and dumb and there was no Clayart back then to save me from myself.
>
> It took about 4 years to reach the "I can't stand it another minute"
point.
> I had a talk with myself and decided enough was enough and I was getting
> back to my clay. But how? I needed everything and didn't have the cash
to
> do it. I had a good job but not good enough to filter that much cash out
of
> the checking account. My husband would notice. All was not lost however.
> One day I opened the mail and WHOOSH! It was an epiphany! Well, almost,
> it was a letter from VISA telling me I was pre-approved for a gold card
with
> an $8000 credit limit. I started calling for catalogs that minute!
Ordered
> a new wheel, kiln, extruder and a slab roller. I didn't have the last two
> items before, but I figured what the heck. If it was a platinum card, I
> would have ordered a pug mill....de-airing! I had to time their delivery
to
> coincide with my husband's 12-day road trip (works for a hockey team) and
I
> set up my new and improved studio. There was lots of screamin goin on
when
> he got back, but eventually it stopped. I am however, still paying on
that
> card (just kidding).
>
> Five years after setting up this new studio, I had a "surprise child".
This
> time no one dared to lecture me about the studio. I continued to throw
> until my belly touched the splashpan and I couldn't bend over any more.
> When he was a few weeks old I propped my son up on my worktable in his
> little baby seat to watch me throw. Sometimes I set his swing up next to
my
> wheel. A word of caution here. I put it a little too close one time and
he
> got a clay bath. He didn't seem to mind, he just laughed. I found that
> when my son was an infant, I had more clay time than when he was a
toddler.
> The minute they stand up and walk you can't take your eyes off them for a
> second. This is when I became the basement dwelling vampire potter (can
> only pot at night after the kids go down). You get some time back when
you
> can give them a piece of clay and they don't eat it. That's when they
start
> making their own pots and that's the best. My grandmother taught me and I
> taught my children. What a great feeling!!! Of course, my daughter grew
up
> and grew nails and decided that clay was too dirty, but my little one is
> still at it. He just turned 10 and can throw some really decent pots, but
> he's partial to handbuilding. Granted, I took some drastic measures to
get
> my clay life back, but it was worth it. You'll miss that "sense of
> grounding and happiness after a day in the studio" so don't give it up for
a
> minute. Well, maybe for labor, delivery and the initial settling in
period.
>
> Geez, sorry to be so long winded. I usually don't go on like this (I can
> hear at least a dozen clayarters saying, "yeah, right") Hope this story
> helped you a little, Jessica. Good luck with your work and
congratulations
> on the soon to be studio baby.
>
> Carla
Murray & Bacia Edelman on fri 4 feb 00
What am I doing responding about babies in the studio? At least, while
deleting about 80% of the Clayart messages for lack of time, I find myself
reading all on that thread.
While my youngest grandchild is 17 months!
But two things come to mind. Studio in basement most of my life except
when we first moved to Madison or when I needed a wider slab roller and
registered at the U. as special summer student. I know I hired sitters for
all the daughters at some point, but with the third child in her first 6
months, I would hire a sitter and go down and sleep on a canvas cot part of
my free time. This child turned out to be a non-napper, so I took a
tailoring course, and pad-stitched inner-lining into a coat for my then 8
yr. old while turning the little one over periodically like a pancake. This
was also in her first 6 months.
Early on, they came into the studio in a high chair. They are mostly in
good health and have busy careers, nothing to do with clay of course. The
point is: I survived as well as did they.
Last Saturday, my nearly 4 yr. old granddaughter was my guest in the studio
for well over an hour. Her second visit to the pot shop. Some of the
results are hilarious.
A head, without a body, in a cradle. A cup and saucer, the handle of the
cup at 90 degrees from where it should be, along the top edge. It was I
who decided to quit, not she.
Jessica, what would you do without all these opinions and reminiscences? I
loved reading Carla's story. Listen to your heart and don't glaze around
the baby.
A beautiful experience lies ahead. Bacia
Bacia Edelman Madison, Wisconsin
http://www.mypots.com/bacia.htm
Sheron Roberts on wed 9 feb 00
------------------
Carla,
Bravo=21
I have raised 3 children to
the ages of 26, 24, 19 and
as far as I can tell they are
all healthy and happy.
=3EFrom the time I was 7 until
I turned 18, my father farmed
tobacco. That meant walking
behind a tractor and plow
uncovering tobacco(that had
been covered by the plow)
many, many afternoons after
school. That meant
standing in a barn of cured
tobacco helping unload it
while dirt rained down on my
head. That meant watching
crop dusters fly over spraying
who knows what. During that time my
dad also decided to go into
egg production. He built 3
large buildings that housed
over 11,000 chickens. You
don't know what dust is until
you are standing among
approximately 3800 chickens
and something startles them.
You spit feathers and dirt for
and blow crud for quite a while.
I don't think my father who could
not afford to hire out all these jobs,
was being abusive. He was doing
the best he could to support and
raise his family. I could go on and
on with other examples, but I think
we all have gotten the picture.
Anyway, I take all the precautions
I can in my studio. The floor drains
to a clay trap under the sink. I
hose the entire floor, which is
concrete. There is enough
water pressure to thoroughly scour
the floor. And of course while
mixing glazes I wear a mask.
I am not afraid for my nieces and
nephews to come into the studio.
Sheron in NC, where it looked and
felt somewhat like spring today.
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