Lily Krakowski on fri 9 may 03
words
The “problem” of what to call pseudo, ersatz, wannabe, c.6 “porcelain” has
come up a number of times on CLAYART.
Some want to include the P word feeling white clay is sufficiently “like”
porcelain, or they are former porcelain potters who have resigned themselves
to lower temps for economic or environmental reasons. The other side wants
to have a blunt clear truthful name.
Unfortunately the P-word-including names sound plaintive and weak, and
remind me of the novels and plays of the ‘Twenties in which Russian Dukes
and Princes in exile would resume their styles and titles when, after a
day’s work as taxi drivers and waiters, they got together over tea in some
cheap café.
The frank, clear names sound like sanitary ware. Great in the Bathroom &
Kitchen department, not sexy in a gallery.
Someone suggested a totally new name, and I came up with LABANITE for which
I am NOT campaigning, but which I do think sturdy, clear, pleasant,
reminiscent of granite and a SELLING word. (Thank you Jon.)
All of us d’un certain age remember, and gratefully, when Rayon and Nylon
replaced Artificial Silk…It worked. It done good…
If we settled on a real NAME—and, by the way, most of my clay catalogs speak
of mid-range white clays, not c.6 Porcelain-- we could proceed to ask the
Rons and Johns, and Ivors, and Steves to refine the term to particulars:
this firing range, that shrinkage, that absorbency, and so on.
Moreover, having a proper name would give mid-range white clay a
respectability it lacks as long as it is treated as, well, bastard
porcelain.
We are blessed on CLAYART by the presence of several clay body
manufacturers, at least one kiln-maker, I do not know how many pottery
suppliers, and a group of very distinguished potters. We have all that is
needed to launch and establish a name. It is possible that the clay
magazines would give the item some space and spread the word….
Please think on this…
Lili Krakowski
P.O. Box #1
Constableville, N.Y.
(315) 942-5916/ 397-2389
Be of good courage....
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