Mary Lynch on thu 26 sep 02
especially for newcomers
Dannon wrote:
> The point is not to make everthing yourself, starting with rock and a hammer.
> It's to use your time to your own best advantage. If you enjoy the
> rock&hammer part, go for it. If you'd rather be doing something else, buy
> what you need and get on with it.
Please Please Please, especially if you're new to clay, engrave this on your
wheelhead or wedging board or where ever you will see it when you work!
I felt guilty buying clay instead of making my own, couldn't even think
about using commercial glazes or underglazes, and thought I was cheating by
"only" firing in an electric kiln. Wouldn't sell my work because I wasn't a
"real" potter, whatever that is, and geez, I "only" made functional work,
not sculpture . . . wasted way too much time on that stuff! And how
insulting to all those wonderful potters/artists out there who do any or all
of the above . . . .
When there's so much to learn it can be easy to fall into someone else's way
of thinking about what's 'right' or 'wrong' - I liked the quote from David
Shaner in the latest issue of Clay Times about being original by being
yourself . . . and of course Mel and others have had some wonderful words of
advice on the same subject here on Clayart.
Now I handbuild instead of throw, make glazes because I wanna, produce
functional work because that's what I love to do, and buy my clay and
underglazes and whatever else I need without guilt (in fact, with great
pleasure!). And appreciate that others work differently but don't waste
energy or time on feeling guilty that I don't 'do it all.' Life's too short
to do everything I want to do - much less those 'shoulds' or 'oughts'!
Mary in TN
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