vince pitelka on mon 16 dec 02
This is such an interesting thread, and everyone feels differently about
their older work. Personally, I like to see where I have been along the
way, and I think it is valuable for us each to keep examples of our work as
it evolves. It is certainly nothing to be embarassed about or to conceal
from public view. Most of my older work is in the collections of family and
friends, and I am always pleased to see it. Occasionally I joke about an
old "clunker," but it feels good to know that I have come far.
Regarding what to throw away, watch out! I learned the hard way. I was
raised by a traditional Eastern European disciplinarian who didn't let me
save anything. I used to walk the Berkeley Hills with my eyes on the
gutters, picking up odd rocks, bolts, bits of metal. When I got home, my
dad would make me empty my pockets. Occasionally he would let me keep some
small object, but everything else went in the trash.
This was pretty poor conditioning. It trained me to think of junk as
TREASURE. When I moved up to Humboldt County in 1968 to go to school I
started collecting with a vengeance. For seventeen years I aquired anything
and everything that was free or a good deal and/or I thought I might
possibly ever be able to use. It is amazing the things people give away for
free. And I haunted yard sales and flea markets, looking for bargains. I
filled a big house and a big workshop with stuff. The only place relatively
free of unnecessary clutter was my pottery studio, and that was a matter of
survival.
When we left California in 1985 we got rid of 90% of everything we owned,
including many tons of antique brass and cast iron machinery. It felt
GREAT. But you know what? I got rid of some really wonderful things that
meant a great deal to me and that I can never replace. I wish I had been a
little more careful. It is very easy to get carried away in such a
situation. Purging extraneous clutter is good, but be careful to define
your objectives and be very conscious of what you are doing during the
process.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
Ingeborg Foco on mon 16 dec 02
Vince said:
Purging extraneous clutter is good, but be careful to define
your objectives and be very conscious of what you are doing during the
process.
Unfortunately, the minute you get rid of the clutter, you find out it was a
treasure and you really need it:)
Ingeborg
the Potter's Workshop & Gallery
P.O. Box 510
3058 Stringfellow Road
St. James City, Florida 33956
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