Gerry Chichester on mon 17 jul 00
I generally read the more "philosophical" renderings and pass on any =
comments I might have, but Ann's beautiful poem touched a particular =
spot in my heart. Several years ago I was asked by a friend to turn out =
a most heartbreaking piece of pottery; it was to be a urn for the ashes =
of her 18 yr. old nephew who was killed in a car crash. I knew nothing =
of the family as they lived in another state and was given no other =
information other than the young man's name, age, date of birth and date =
of his so untimely death along with a line from a poem he had written. =
I never got to read the entire poem, but the one line sounded so =
exquisite I cry to this day to remember it. I agonized over form and =
glaze for what seemed like forever. Sitting in front of my wheel, I =
simply began meditating on that one line of poetry, and before I knew =
it, the form of this young person's final resting place took shape with =
such ease! The colors of the glaze, the decoration and the impressing =
of the line of poetry all fell into place at once, and even tho' it was =
a funeral piece the urn was remarked upon by several people as being =
"beautiful". I sent it to the boy's family and within days received an =
incredibly moving message of thanks from his mother, and one that sent =
shivers through me when I read, " ..... and how you knew the exact =
colors that were his favorites, or that the decorative impressions were =
ones he used...he was studying to be a potter, you see....." There is a =
connection within all artists' souls. Carly
| |
|
