Joyce Lee on fri 22 mar 02
I missed some of the significant presentations that I'd marked in my =
NCECA book as "Do Not Miss." I knew John's would be over my head... =
forewarned by the man, himself ... but I like to stretch and wanted to =
support him.
I missed Paul Lewing's also and it was a "Must See" for me. Why did I =
not see my friends reportedly grand "performances"? Because I =
discovered a small room off the big room on the floor upstairs from the =
mezzanine in the Hyatt, and just as I do with clay/glazes, I wandered =
away from my intended purpose. No fanfare .... but a nice idea. A room =
with a screen and projector where apparently anyone attending NCECA =
could show their videos or slides that had to do with clay. I'd peek in =
to check on what was happening, if anything.... would stop for "just a =
minute" and wind up staying for the whole showing. For instance, I saw =
a perfect-for-me-at-the-moment video on throwing .... simple, basic =
moves with a few new twists ... there were maybe half a dozen of us =
watching .. turned out the creator was sitting in front of me. I didn't =
get his name nor info about where to buy the video. I think maybe it =
isn't for sale yet .... that this was a trial for him in order to get =
reactions to his work. One aspect that was helpful was the use of =
double images, one showing the pot from the side as he threw; the other =
showing the inside of the pot .... very helpful, not at all confusing. =
Anyway, it was a good review of the cylinder, as well as where to go =
from there ... for me. Very, very well done. (I still need a basic =
workshop in throwing, however .... somebody to observe my throwing and =
correct me on the spot. I've videoed myself and did see areas where I'd =
gotten sloppy ... AND I use a mirror, which helps. I'd still like the =
workshop.)
Some have asked what I bought this time, since I've made many of my =
major studio purchases at NCECA, have received okay show prices, and =
with the NorthStar extruder received ... without cost... copies of ALL =
of their dies ..... dozens of them, maybe as many as a hundred and many =
of those with both solid and hollow forms, or several dies in one .... =
could be two hundred.......
I didn't buy much but treasure the items I did purchase. I have my =
friend Diana Pancioli's extruder book already (use it often), so this =
time I bought Baird's..... with my Potters Council discount .... and =
find that the two books complement one another well. My imagination is =
sparked each time I read them. Darryl Baird's really opened up my use =
of several of the Bailey dies that have been just sitting waiting for me =
to be inspired.... the muse has landed and I'm happily dealing with =
extruded forms for awhile.
I didn't buy much else since I'm waiting for San Diego when I can drive =
down and have the luxury of hauling my goodies home myself. I have a =
granddaughter there also so could store what I couldn't tote back to the =
desert. =20
I DID purchase a bunch of handmade rollers and stamps for impressing =
clay to show my mentees who started back this week after a year away. =
These were handcarved and will work well with Chris Henley's carved =
paddles (I DO like texture...). Both my mentees are recognized artists =
in this part of the world, but neither are clayartists .... no =
experience with clay when they began working with me. They handbuild, =
never create traditional beginner work, have no patience for the =
wheel... so I've had to become more educated in handbuilding. They are =
incredibly creative, are accustomed to working with multi-media, and =
have tremendous energy for any age... although they are about my age, =
one a few years older, but by this time we lump one another together by =
scores rather than by decades .... she's the one who last year at 72 WON =
the local "legs" contest at some fundraiser. Most weren't amazed that =
she'd won when competing against ladies decades younger; they were =
amazed that she'd entered. Not I. If it's happening, Pat's there. We =
three aging ladies liven up the desert with our discoveries almost =
daily, so I suspected that they'd "love" the stamps/rollers (they did) =
but would never use them as intended ... would develop the concept and =
make it their own ..... they have .... can't wait to show them the =
mayor's suggestion for easily creating one's own rollers ... but that's =
up to him to share or not since such ideas may wind up in publication =
somewhere. (If they don't, they should.) This is getting much too long. =
Anyway, those simple rollers and stamps, which totaled about $18.00, =
have been a great jumping off place and we still haven't hit the =
water.....
Joyce
In the Mojave aghast that Richard Aernie couldn't get in a show of any =
kind associated with clay!! What chance could the likes of me have?? =
AND, since Lori mentioned food, recalling the appetizers
dinner we had in the Sky Room..... pretty expensive .... Lori and I =
with Rikki, Linda Blossom, Becky and??? What was it? SheCrab Soup, =
Spinach&Artichoke dip, CrabCake etc. Very tasty .... and where some Very =
Young guys hit on our Linda ... she does, indeed, look fabulous .... =
triumph over adversity must be a fantastic beauty aid....
| |
|
