Tommy Humphries on tue 6 feb 01
Sometimes, while in a long production run of pots for an order, I will find
my hands making a pot that just wants to be made. Nothing that I am
conscious of is driving that creative urge, it is just that when a pot
decides it wants to be made it will impose itself upon you to make it.
Oftentimes these spontaneous pots are a release of energy that has built up
inside while the creative stream has been cut off making duplicate pots...a
manifestation of the fundamental creativity that drives us all. This pot
usually speaks to us personally and often to others through the care and
intensity that created it. I often work before the public in my job, and
once in the midst of a run of particularly boring spoon rests there sprung
from the wheel a small bowl... graceful flowing curves from foot to rim,
almost paper thin. Feeling a strange tension in the air, I looked up and
there were at least 20 people standing there watching, as I cut the bowl
off the wheel and picked it up with my fingers and thumbs, there was a
collective sigh throughout the crowd as if they had all been holding their
breaths. One lady finally just shook her head and said that she had never
watched anything like that before, that all the other pots that I had been
making were just lumps of clay next to that one bowl. I had to agree with
her.
Craftsmen can often through the sheer and utter skill with which they ply
their craft unwittingly create art. I am a craftsman first and foremost...I
know that through the application of skill and love of my craft I can create
what is known as art. Most of my pieces that I make are plain utilitarian
wares, made (to artimater's chagrin) to sell fairly cheaply, I don't
apologize for this as it is what I do for a living, and I am proud to be the
fourth generation of my family, though likely the last, to do so.
Tommy Humphries
Photos here http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=939179&a=6869600
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joyce Lee"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 4:13 PM
Subject: What Your Work Says/long
> Once again there's mention of knowing what you're trying "to say" with
> your work in order to be your most effective. Tony used it this time
> paraphrasing Casson. I know I'm not an artist; I want to be a better
> craftsperson, and that will be good enough..... outstanding, in fact.
> But I have no idea what this phrase really means! Some of the most
> self-conscious, awkward work I've seen has been work that was trying to
> deliver a blatant message. Don't think that kind of work is what is
> being described here. Nevertheless at times I've still beem stirred by
> such a piece; other times, my major emotion was sadness that a
> worthwhile theme couldn't have been better presented. Then I think of
> Marcia Selsor's raku slabs of wild horses as viewed from above ... even
> in photographs I can sense the wildness, the movement, their spirit,
> being caught in a canyon, racing for freedom, Marcia's love for this
> work and her wish to create it again and again until it says what she
> wants it to say... which may be ever evolving so can never be
> captured... Bacia's nonfunctional teapots move me as intensely.
> Connell's (Jim's?) most recent evolution of his sandblasted handbuilt
> forms that pretend to be teapots, but the viewer knows full well are too
> convoluted for such fanciness say SOMETHING to me about Jim and about
> me. Valice's .. well, I've spoken of Valice's work before.... but it
> speaks of the richness and fullness of her complex and very caring self.
> Tony's dancing cups and saucers; David's twisty extruded vases and
> salt/peppers. Nils' placement of his pots by a stream. Each hang in my
> memory. Dannon's odd but so personable, round, scruffy little pitcher.
> Connie's duck (but not duck) teapots... Odd... I can perceive
> this....... and much more..... but wonder if they knew what they were
> trying to say when they BEGAN creating their work..... and did they
> succeed?
>
> Occasionally I feel I have a glimmering of some intense, personal
> feeling being expressed in one of my pots; have one like that now ...
> just a faint glimmering. Think maybe it borders on being a"good" pot,
> and yet, more important somehow, is that it does, indeed, speak to me. I
> just don't know what it's saying! Generally these glimmers come across
> as a feeling of satisfaction ... that what I've done does express
> something about me, the craftsperson. BUT this feeling is ALWAYS after
> the pot is completed; or maybe halfway through the process, I recognize
> where I want to go and, if I'm lucky, how to get there. Usually occurs
> during handbuilding, or when carving/decorating a thrown piece that I
> recognize that FOR ME something nice is happening. However, though I
> relish words, thought processes, talking, writing, reading ....
> communicating ... I would never be able to say in advance just what it
> is I wish "to say" with my work... Once I believed such statements to be
> pure pomposity; now, I'm not so sure. Are all of you getting something
> that I'm not? If so, can that occur later on another rung of the
> learning ladder? I often recognize what has inspired something I've made
> ... but WHat Does It Say? What do I want it to say? No idea. I do see
> that the pot I'm treasuring the most right now, grabs the attention of
> visitors to my studio. Some smile and look at me. Others walk around it,
> carefully examining but NOT TOUCHING. There are few comments, but much
> attention. Is it somehow speaking to them? Saying what I was
> subconsciously trying to express? If so, I'd sure like to know what the
> hell it is!
>
> Joyce
> In the Mojave wondering if "artimater" is a play on "almamater" with all
> the attendant baggage and resonance that might suggest??
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Joyce Lee on tue 6 feb 01
Once again there's mention of knowing what you're trying "to say" with
your work in order to be your most effective. Tony used it this time
paraphrasing Casson. I know I'm not an artist; I want to be a better
craftsperson, and that will be good enough..... outstanding, in fact.
But I have no idea what this phrase really means! Some of the most
self-conscious, awkward work I've seen has been work that was trying to
deliver a blatant message. Don't think that kind of work is what is
being described here. Nevertheless at times I've still beem stirred by
such a piece; other times, my major emotion was sadness that a
worthwhile theme couldn't have been better presented. Then I think of
Marcia Selsor's raku slabs of wild horses as viewed from above ... even
in photographs I can sense the wildness, the movement, their spirit,
being caught in a canyon, racing for freedom, Marcia's love for this
work and her wish to create it again and again until it says what she
wants it to say... which may be ever evolving so can never be
captured... Bacia's nonfunctional teapots move me as intensely.
Connell's (Jim's?) most recent evolution of his sandblasted handbuilt
forms that pretend to be teapots, but the viewer knows full well are too
convoluted for such fanciness say SOMETHING to me about Jim and about
me. Valice's .. well, I've spoken of Valice's work before.... but it
speaks of the richness and fullness of her complex and very caring self.
Tony's dancing cups and saucers; David's twisty extruded vases and
salt/peppers. Nils' placement of his pots by a stream. Each hang in my
memory. Dannon's odd but so personable, round, scruffy little pitcher.
Connie's duck (but not duck) teapots... Odd... I can perceive
this....... and much more..... but wonder if they knew what they were
trying to say when they BEGAN creating their work..... and did they
succeed?
Occasionally I feel I have a glimmering of some intense, personal
feeling being expressed in one of my pots; have one like that now ...
just a faint glimmering. Think maybe it borders on being a"good" pot,
and yet, more important somehow, is that it does, indeed, speak to me. I
just don't know what it's saying! Generally these glimmers come across
as a feeling of satisfaction ... that what I've done does express
something about me, the craftsperson. BUT this feeling is ALWAYS after
the pot is completed; or maybe halfway through the process, I recognize
where I want to go and, if I'm lucky, how to get there. Usually occurs
during handbuilding, or when carving/decorating a thrown piece that I
recognize that FOR ME something nice is happening. However, though I
relish words, thought processes, talking, writing, reading ....
communicating ... I would never be able to say in advance just what it
is I wish "to say" with my work... Once I believed such statements to be
pure pomposity; now, I'm not so sure. Are all of you getting something
that I'm not? If so, can that occur later on another rung of the
learning ladder? I often recognize what has inspired something I've made
.... but WHat Does It Say? What do I want it to say? No idea. I do see
that the pot I'm treasuring the most right now, grabs the attention of
visitors to my studio. Some smile and look at me. Others walk around it,
carefully examining but NOT TOUCHING. There are few comments, but much
attention. Is it somehow speaking to them? Saying what I was
subconsciously trying to express? If so, I'd sure like to know what the
hell it is!
Joyce
In the Mojave wondering if "artimater" is a play on "almamater" with all
the attendant baggage and resonance that might suggest??
stephen mazza on wed 7 feb 01
"Occasionally I feel I have a glimmering of some
intense, personal
feeling being expressed in one of my pots"
I think I get a "glimmering" of what you are trying to
express with your post. It seems to me that art
represents the question rather than the answer. A
cliche in itself I know. But its the closest I've been
able to come to feeling good, or even accept for that
matter, the fact that I can almost never answer the
question from viewers "what does it mean?"
If we can define in words what the art "means" doesn't
that make the art itself redundantly unnecessary? I
still haven't figured out how to explain this with any
elegance however. Easier to mumble something about
being drunk at the time I made it and not remembering
what I was thinking...
--- Joyce Lee Joycelee@iwvisp.com> wrote:
> Once again there's mention of knowing what you're
> trying "to say" with
> your work in order to be your most effective. Tony
> used it this time
> paraphrasing Casson. I know I'm not an artist; I
> want to be a better
> craftsperson, and that will be good enough.....
> outstanding, in fact.
> But I have no idea what this phrase really means!
> Some of the most
> self-conscious, awkward work I've seen has been work
> that was trying to
> deliver a blatant message. Don't think that kind of
> work is what is
> being described here. Nevertheless at times I've
> still beem stirred by
> such a piece; other times, my major emotion was
> sadness that a
> worthwhile theme couldn't have been better
> presented. Then I think of
> Marcia Selsor's raku slabs of wild horses as viewed
> from above ... even
> in photographs I can sense the wildness, the
> movement, their spirit,
> being caught in a canyon, racing for freedom,
> Marcia's love for this
> work and her wish to create it again and again until
> it says what she
> wants it to say... which may be ever evolving so can
> never be
> captured... Bacia's nonfunctional teapots move me as
> intensely.
> Connell's (Jim's?) most recent evolution of his
> sandblasted handbuilt
> forms that pretend to be teapots, but the viewer
> knows full well are too
> convoluted for such fanciness say SOMETHING to me
> about Jim and about
> me. Valice's .. well, I've spoken of Valice's work
> before.... but it
> speaks of the richness and fullness of her complex
> and very caring self.
> Tony's dancing cups and saucers; David's twisty
> extruded vases and
> salt/peppers. Nils' placement of his pots by a
> stream. Each hang in my
> memory. Dannon's odd but so personable, round,
> scruffy little pitcher.
> Connie's duck (but not duck) teapots... Odd... I can
> perceive
> this....... and much more..... but wonder if they
> knew what they were
> trying to say when they BEGAN creating their
> work..... and did they
> succeed?
>
> Occasionally I feel I have a glimmering of some
> intense, personal
> feeling being expressed in one of my pots; have one
> like that now ...
> just a faint glimmering. Think maybe it borders on
> being a"good" pot,
> and yet, more important somehow, is that it does,
> indeed, speak to me. I
> just don't know what it's saying! Generally these
> glimmers come across
> as a feeling of satisfaction ... that what I've done
> does express
> something about me, the craftsperson. BUT this
> feeling is ALWAYS after
> the pot is completed; or maybe halfway through the
> process, I recognize
> where I want to go and, if I'm lucky, how to get
> there. Usually occurs
> during handbuilding, or when carving/decorating a
> thrown piece that I
> recognize that FOR ME something nice is happening.
> However, though I
> relish words, thought processes, talking, writing,
> reading ....
> communicating ... I would never be able to say in
> advance just what it
> is I wish "to say" with my work... Once I believed
> such statements to be
> pure pomposity; now, I'm not so sure. Are all of you
> getting something
> that I'm not? If so, can that occur later on another
> rung of the
> learning ladder? I often recognize what has inspired
> something I've made
> ... but WHat Does It Say? What do I want it to say?
> No idea. I do see
> that the pot I'm treasuring the most right now,
> grabs the attention of
> visitors to my studio. Some smile and look at me.
> Others walk around it,
> carefully examining but NOT TOUCHING. There are few
> comments, but much
> attention. Is it somehow speaking to them? Saying
> what I was
> subconsciously trying to express? If so, I'd sure
> like to know what the
> hell it is!
>
> Joyce
> In the Mojave wondering if "artimater" is a play on
> "almamater" with all
> the attendant baggage and resonance that might
> suggest??
>
>
______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
> reached at melpots@pclink.com.
__________________________________________________
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Joseph Dallas on wed 7 feb 01
Joyce,
I, also, struggle with this. Does my work "say" anything? Well, the
conclusion I reached seems to settle my mind.
When viewed as a whole my work says that I care. I care about beauty,
shape, space, color and function. I care enough to try and show these
characteristics in every piece, whether it's a humble mug or bowl to
28 inch tall pitchers and vases. And if any one piece is taken out of
the context of the whole, then the viewer, holder, owner would get
the same impression. The architectural pieces that I do must also
say the same. That I care. I care about those same aspects, and also
in relation to where it is installed.
When I strive to "say" something beyond that, it always seems so
contrived. As though it's trying to speak, but I didn't give it
the right words. Or that maybe only a few people really "get it"
And for me, that's not good enough.
I see many pieces by other artists that do speak to me on other
levels. But by far the majority of artists, who try say something
with their art, create work that no one gets and obviously least of
all them. But then, that's just my opinion.
I sometimes think that trying to say this with the written word
becomes just as contrived as some of the art I see. As I read back
over what I have written, I hope you "get" what I'm trying to "say".
Regards,
Joe Dallas
Dallas Pottery
Columbus, GA.
jedallas@ att.net
PS I'm leaving your message intact, because it "says" alot.
Joyce Lee wrote:
>
> Once again there's mention of knowing what you're trying "to say" with
> your work in order to be your most effective. Tony used it this time
> paraphrasing Casson. I know I'm not an artist; I want to be a better
> craftsperson, and that will be good enough..... outstanding, in fact.
> But I have no idea what this phrase really means! Some of the most
> self-conscious, awkward work I've seen has been work that was trying to
> deliver a blatant message. Don't think that kind of work is what is
> being described here. Nevertheless at times I've still beem stirred by
> such a piece; other times, my major emotion was sadness that a
> worthwhile theme couldn't have been better presented. Then I think of
> Marcia Selsor's raku slabs of wild horses as viewed from above ... even
> in photographs I can sense the wildness, the movement, their spirit,
> being caught in a canyon, racing for freedom, Marcia's love for this
> work and her wish to create it again and again until it says what she
> wants it to say... which may be ever evolving so can never be
> captured... Bacia's nonfunctional teapots move me as intensely.
> Connell's (Jim's?) most recent evolution of his sandblasted handbuilt
> forms that pretend to be teapots, but the viewer knows full well are too
> convoluted for such fanciness say SOMETHING to me about Jim and about
> me. Valice's .. well, I've spoken of Valice's work before.... but it
> speaks of the richness and fullness of her complex and very caring self.
> Tony's dancing cups and saucers; David's twisty extruded vases and
> salt/peppers. Nils' placement of his pots by a stream. Each hang in my
> memory. Dannon's odd but so personable, round, scruffy little pitcher.
> Connie's duck (but not duck) teapots... Odd... I can perceive
> this....... and much more..... but wonder if they knew what they were
> trying to say when they BEGAN creating their work..... and did they
> succeed?
>
> Occasionally I feel I have a glimmering of some intense, personal
> feeling being expressed in one of my pots; have one like that now ...
> just a faint glimmering. Think maybe it borders on being a"good" pot,
> and yet, more important somehow, is that it does, indeed, speak to me. I
> just don't know what it's saying! Generally these glimmers come across
> as a feeling of satisfaction ... that what I've done does express
> something about me, the craftsperson. BUT this feeling is ALWAYS after
> the pot is completed; or maybe halfway through the process, I recognize
> where I want to go and, if I'm lucky, how to get there. Usually occurs
> during handbuilding, or when carving/decorating a thrown piece that I
> recognize that FOR ME something nice is happening. However, though I
> relish words, thought processes, talking, writing, reading ....
> communicating ... I would never be able to say in advance just what it
> is I wish "to say" with my work... Once I believed such statements to be
> pure pomposity; now, I'm not so sure. Are all of you getting something
> that I'm not? If so, can that occur later on another rung of the
> learning ladder? I often recognize what has inspired something I've made
> ... but WHat Does It Say? What do I want it to say? No idea. I do see
> that the pot I'm treasuring the most right now, grabs the attention of
> visitors to my studio. Some smile and look at me. Others walk around it,
> carefully examining but NOT TOUCHING. There are few comments, but much
> attention. Is it somehow speaking to them? Saying what I was
> subconsciously trying to express? If so, I'd sure like to know what the
> hell it is!
>
> Joyce
>
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