will edwards on sun 24 sep 00
In regards to those who have spoke about the placement of wheels and such=
I
add my insight here as well.
When we first started the Center where I am at now I was up against the w=
all
with wondering which would make the best plcement for our wheels.
I came from a studio that had wheels facing each other but they were a
partition between the wheels with little view of the potters on the other=
side. We still managed to talk unless our view was obstructed by our pots=
on
the shelf.
I also remember we had some major potters that could throw professionally=
and
the newer students there sometimes would try and throw a pot or two and g=
et
frustrated and just get up and quit and remark how inferior they felt.
Sooo - In our center we took to the walls. No wheels face each other with=
exception to the kickwheel which I use to teach on. The others are electr=
ic..
All the wheels face the wall and we have two windows where most of them s=
ee
just a little of the ourdoor landscape. The kickwheel I use is located in=
the
teaching area in another room where I can demo in front of the students s=
lowly
how to accomplish certain skills prior to turning them loose in the big
throwing room. All the students have made comments that they like the app=
roach
and they feel equal.
We also have two Penland students/members from way back and they both are=
very
avid about the importance of the location of the wheels. I suppose someho=
w in
my mind this settled the arguments on where and how I need to place the w=
heels
for our future growth we are anticipating. Happy throwing and may the wal=
l
catch all your flying debris instead of your neighbor.
William Edwards
Opelika Arts Center
=
____________________________________________________________________
Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=3D=
1
Frank Gaydos on sun 24 sep 00
Will,
I might reconsider placing our wheels face to face if we had a nice outdoor
window to look out of.
Our studio is located in the old US Mint building in the center of the city.
When the school was given
the space for a community college, no other discipline wanted the space
with the 20 foot windows and 30 foot ceilings.
So that is our studio space but the windows face a library and lunchroom
below in an enclosed space.
The Mint building is wonderful, it was used as the police station in the
movie, 'Trading Places'.
I have been on EBAY a lot to purchase old postcards with views of the Mint
interior and exterior. I intend to scan and
Photoshop them and present them to the rest of the Faculty in the near
future, a 'then and now' presentation.
What fun.
Frank Gaydos
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Wheels and Shy ones
> All the wheels face the wall and we have two windows where most of them
see
> just a little of the ourdoor landscape.
Beth Donovan on sun 24 sep 00
I'm one of those shy ones. In the first class I took (and so far, the only
one, because it is the only place in town), the wheels faced each other with
see-through plexiglass between them. Also, the wheels were about 6 inches
from the wheel next to it. It was a small class. The only other student
had taken several classes before, and I'm not sure why he decided to take a
beginner class, but he was able to center the clay immdediately. He made
about 15 cylinders to every 1 I managed to get out, and he often exclaimed
about how easy it was. The teacher skipped ahead a lot because she didn't
want him to feel bored.
I finally quit going to class because I felt like I could never, ever learn
to be as good as the other student was. But, because I really liked playing
with the clay, I used my annual bonus from work to buy a wheel in 1999 and a
kiln in 2000. I'm lucky I get large enough bonus's to do that! I have about
15 books on pottery and I subscribe to a lot of magazines, and I'm teaching
myself, pretty much.
So, to all those teachers who keep their student's a little separate from
the others, hurray! And to those who don't - do you ever notice the
students who don't come back for a second class?
Beth Donovan
Leavenworth, KS
Erin Hayes on sun 24 sep 00
Hi All!
I've watched this thread for a while, and I'm not sure if I agree that it's
simply seeing and being seen by other students that's really the larger
issue here. I can't imagine a class that didn't get the opportunity to watch
and learn from each other visually - surely it would diminish the group
chemistry.
Maybe the larger issue is providing a supportive environment and lots of
feedback so the students start to figure out what they're doing. There will
always be a few students who pick it up more quickly than others, but that
happens in drawing, French and math too. Art-related skills aren't any
different - I've never understood why the perception persists that it should
be easier or harder than anything else.
In my experience, the key to keeping students together in the mental (and
sometimes emotional) sense is to balance a focus individuals problem-solving
their technique and process and encouraging the students to help each other.
It isn't a contest, after all.
My opinion as always,
Erin.
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