Stephani Stephenson on tue 2 may 00
Seems that much of the "handmade or not" discussion centers around POTS
and though pots is what many of us make pots, is not all we all make.
Some make tile, some are sculptors, etc.
For years I made one of a kind handbuilt sculpture. It was difficult
to consistently receive a price worth the value of the time spent on a
piece, though I worked fairly quickly and vigorously, with more than one
piece in process at a time.
Recently I began to slipcast a few sculptural pieces. As I consider
the issue of "handmade" , I cannot help but draw an analogy to the art
of the print. I know a man who is a wood engraver /printer. His original
carvings/engravings are time consuming.They are works of art in
themselves, but so are the prints pulled from them. We accept these
prints as works of art ,though we understand them to be prints, not
paintings. How haughty it would be to pooh pooh the works of the
printmakers because they were not one of a kind.
I feel that when one looks at a fine engraving or print one can
indeed feel the beauty the creativity the life force, the intention
and skill of the artist, if , in fact, it is a good work to begin with.
Applying the engraving analogy to clay... I too, create an original. I
spend a great deal of time working on the original and use the best of
my skill to infuse it with life. I design, sketch, carve. I design
and make the mold, I prepare the the clay slip ,pour the mold and
then do the finishing work, glazing and firing.
Interestingly, I am finding that this process opens up my creativity
on the front end, where I can devote more time to the design and
development of the original, and also in the glazing, where I can play
with variations on glazing the same form. With one of a kinds, there
were no second chances, though one could refire.
Even at the end of the process, I'm still the artist and maker and I
still exercise aesthetic judgment about each piece. I know that some
sculptors work in limited editions, as printmakers do ,to keep the value
up for themselves and the buyer. No matter how you work , the challenge
is to keep fresh, creative and disciplined in your work.
I use all my wits and skill and muscle and heart and , honestly, I
battle to garner enough greenbacks to keep my old car running and my
internet hooked up. Multiples may be a tool for economic survival. no
denying it. But the old phrase 'appropriate technology" comes to mind
here.
I know you wheel potters love your vessels and have variations on
the ethics of the vessel. I love them too. The world of clay-art
contains you but embraces so much more.
So, wrapping up the ramble, much of what has been said rings true. I
agreed with much of what Jonathan Kaplan said in his post the other day,
1) design is an element we often forget to consider in our discussions
and Vince and Tony and others,
2) yes be honest about what you do, there's no need to misrepresent.
3) for heaven's sake, widen your horizons and celebrate all the ways we
work with clay!
happy May Day
Stephani
mudmistress@earthlink.net
www.alchemiestudio.com
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