Deborah Bouchette on mon 12 jun 00
OK, I'm almost recovered from 17 intense days studying ceramics in China
with 9 other committed ceramic artists (including some big names, but I
haven't sought their permissions to discuss them, so I won't name-drop
here--yet!). For all of you interested, the editor of the Chinese
Clayart e-mail newsletter will again host a trip next year. Every year
will be a bit different depending on what events are happening over
there. Check out www.chineseclayart.com to view this year's itinerary.
(I skipped the Hong Kong and Taiwan parts due to prior commitments.)
Whew. The home of 5000 years of kiln-fired ceramics. China has it all,
ancient kilns, ancient pottery, museums, factories, reproductions,
wonderful original work, incredible hand-painted underglazes and
overglazes, and, of course, that personality-filled life-sized terra
cotta army! And artists that welcomed us into their homes, served us
tea and watermelon, and shared their techniques with us.
I'm going to make this posting short but I hope to compose something
that really gives the flavor when I have more time. But let me tell you
this: it's VERY IMPORTANT to pick a tour to China that has *your* best
interests in mind. We crossed paths with two other ceramic study tours
that exhibited the following faults:
1. One tour had 60 traveling, but only 2 guides. Our tour had 10
traveling plus 2 guides. If you don't know China and don't know
Chinese, I'd recommend no more than 15 travelers to 2 guides, just so
you can hear and ask questions. Also, a smaller group has a lot less
stand-around-and-wait-time that could be better spent on pottery.
2. One tour stayed in school dormitories in one city, and only got hot
water for 2 hours per day. China is not a very clean place, and it can
get very humid and hot. If you value personal hygiene, keep this in
mind.
3. Most tours are going to have one or more segments of travel on
Chinese trains, where first class is the only decent way to travel. One
tour didn't get or book enough first class space and 8 travelers were
reduced to a lower class. All 8 were subsequently HOSPITALIZED with
respiratory infections--just from breathing.
And I doubt that we would have been able to visit the homes of as many
Chinese artists if we had had a bigger group.
--Deb Bouchette
www.aleatoric-art.com
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