John Jensen on fri 7 sep 01
I don't feel like I have a lot at stake in this discussion, but I feel like
throwing is in a category all by itself. The process of throwing is so
mysterious and wonderful that to call it hand made is to sell it short.
Call it handmade or call it machine made if you like, but to my mind it is
thrown. I've seen the look on peoples faces when I demonstrate throwing and
it is clear that throwing can seem like pure magic. So if you ask me if my
work is handmade, I won't say yes or no...I'll say
"It's thrown on the wheel."
John Jensen, Mudbug Pottery
mudbug@toad.net www.Toadhouse.com
Gail Dapogny on sat 8 sep 01
I knew someone who regularly demonstrated throwing at an annual art fair,
and had developed a following, a clientele, etc. In his demo, he threw
various pieces, then decorated them.
However, his pieces, which incidentally were uncomplicated functional
pieces (serving pieces, casseroles, pitchers, etc.), were in fact slipcast.
Personally I felt disgusted by the implicit dishonesty in this: a prominent
demonstrator of wheel-thrown pots, (which of course were selling by the
bushel) with pots to sell that weren't thrown at all. Would he have told
anyone who asked about the slipcasting procedure? He indeed might have,
probably would have, if asked, but WHY WOULD ANYONE THINK TO ASK?
He was banking on the public making the assumption that what he was
demonstrating was what he did.
So the honesty issue goes a bit farther than merely being willing to
disclose your procedure but only IF ASKED. Bothersome...
-----Gail
Gail Dapogny
1154 Olden Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103-3005
(734) 665-9816
gdapogny@umich.edu
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