Craig Martell on wed 28 jun 00
Hi:
Ok, you said you wanted to be a potter. Sometimes throwing repeat work is
part of the job. If it is so terribly painful to keep doing the same
forms, don't do them. If it's really driving you nuts you probably need to
work on making the forms more interesting and challenging. I try and look
at forms I've done for decades with fresh eyes every time I start a new
cycle. It doesn't always work as I'd like, but often I work a little
something extra into what I do. It helps me to keep the idea of constant
growth and change somewhere in my mind while I knead, throw, glaze,
paint. It's like the Chris Rea thing, "New light thru old windows". I
like that! Every pot you make builds on the skills you already have and
things do get easier. Sometimes I think about what Harry Davis
said. "Tedium is accentuated when skill is minimal!" I don't think he was
being stern here but just saying that as you develop your skills, doing a
series time after time gets easier and you are more in tune with the process.
As far as the books on tape and music and all of that goes, I think it's
great as long as that isn't the main focus. If doing any form that you do
is so mundane and tedious that you have to focus your attention on
something else, why bother? I listen to all kinds of music while I work
but the work itself is at the forefront because that's where I want it to
be. If this ain't working, I quit for the day and mix clay, sweep the
floor, call my mom, water the plants, go to town for groceries.
Enjoy the work. We never know how long we have to do what we want to
do. Time could be short and you may have a long way to go.
kind regards, Craig Martell in Oregon
Veena Raghavan on sat 1 jul 00
Message text written by Ceramic Arts Discussion List
>Enjoy the work. We never know how long we have to do what we want to
do. Time could be short and you may have a long way to go.
<
Very interesting thought from Craig. On the other hand, it could be "Time
could be short, and you may not have a long way to go." On that theory, I
think one should always find the time to do the things one wants to do as
well as what one has to do. This applies to life and to all the creative
things one does. I have so many ideas I want to try out and just hope I do
have enough time to attempt them before I can no longer do so!
Hope everyone has a happy July 4th.
Veena
Veena Raghavan
75124.2520@compuserve.com
Lee Love on sun 2 jul 00
----- Original Message -----
From: Veena Raghavan <75124.2520@COMPUSERVE.COM>
> >Enjoy the work. We never know how long we have to do what we want to
> do. Time could be short and you may have a long way to go.
> <
>
> Very interesting thought from Craig. On the other hand, it could be "Time
> could be short, and you may not have a long way to go."
Zorba the Greek told a story (as best as I can remember) about a 90 year
old man that planted almond trees. He asked the old man, "Old Man.
You'll never live to see almonds on these trees. Why do you plant them."
The Old Man replied, "I live as though I will live forever." Zorba
laughed and said, "I live as though I will die tomorrow."
Seems like living with both these mindsets at the same time is
the best way to go. The long view is doing work that will be useful for
others in the future. Living as though you will die tomorrow means living
life deeply and not putting off the important things.
Please go see the walk I took with Jean and Taiko before it started raining:
(our neighborhood shrine)
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=815504&a=7003229&p=23629751
--
Lee Love
Nanai , Mashiko-machi ,Tochigi-ken 321-4106 JAPAN Ikiru@kami.com
Voice Mail and Faxes (a USA number): (303) 256-0374
Help E.T. Phone Earth: http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
Craig Martell on sun 2 jul 00
Hi:
I thought, after reading a couple of replys to this post that I should
explain one of the thoughts. When I said that we don't know how long we
have to do what we want to do, I wasn't just refering to our inevitable
mortality. Twice I've had to face the possibility of having to stop making
pots because of physical problems. Both times, I'd just hit my stride with
some work that I really wanted to be making and I had been searching for
that "place" for a long time. Fortunately, I have recovered from these
little setbacks and am able to work pretty hard. I've seen this happen to
others too and it leads one to think about how time is used and how much
we've got.
Also, when I hear people talk about getting the boring work done so they
can get on to the "good" stuff that really turns up the volume, I think
about how hard potting is on ones physical self. So, if you can swing it,
do the stuff that you want to do and put your heart and hands into it full
tilt. The results will show the feelings behind the work. If you are
going to work your body hard, make it count to yourself mostly. Then you
won't have to look back on your potting life and think that you shoulda and
you coulda.
later, Craig Martell in Oregon
Jim Bozeman on sun 2 jul 00
I have never understood why anybody would want to produce pots if they were
really bored by it? Just make what you really enjoy. If somebody wants me to
produce something that I'm not really crazy about doing, I put the price
high. I only make what I like to make, that's it. We as artists have every
right to have 100% creative control over what we make. It's just that some
people don't exert that right. Jim in Athens, GA
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