Lily Krakowski on thu 17 oct 02
Ketchup time.
1. It is totally totally beyond me why so many people write in and ask for
advice that can be researched at any good clay library. I am NOT being
reproachful, critical, or that current nonce term "judgemental"
But is seems to me that if you are about to spend $1000 plus on building a
kiln, on buying a wheel, you should take the time and $200 and go spend a
day at a college or similar that has back issues of Ceramics Monthly, Clay
Times, Pottery Making Illustrated and all the clay books you could want.
OF COURSE half a dozen of us can give advice. But there is no way you can
decide on a costly investment this way. You need to spend TIME and EFFORT
with lots of options and read and reread and think in between.
Some people write in and ask about books. Many of the good ones are OP, and
pricey on the used book market. Robert Fournier's book on electric kilns,
for instance. But my PL will interloan it. It seems to me that buying
books is penny wise pound foolish. Yes, yes, yes, I buy lots of them. Sure.
But I am not a newbie. I know what I am buying in the sense that I know
when I buy cookbooks what I am getting, that I will use the recipes, can
afford the ingredients, etc.
Someone asked about kiln plans. Well there are plenty in Olsen, in Rhodes,
and if one built all the kilns Ceramics Monthly has written up one could
fill the runways of Atlanta's airport!!!!!!!!!!
If you are within the US you are within a day's drive (or bus ride) from a
college with a clay program. WHY not take a couple of days and go there and
read and read and read? It will cost you the price of about four books.
And you will learn a lot. And you might as well pick a college near where
Aunt Mildred and Uncle Ethelred live. They would love to see you, put you
up and house you.
Lili Krakowski
P.O. Box #1
Constableville, N.Y.
(315) 942-5916/ 397-2389
Be of good courage....
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