Gene and Dolita Dohrman on wed 20 aug 03
I have been reading the posts from new potters and their desire to be =
better and wonderings on how long it takes. My experience has been that =
it may not take long before you make a pot worthy of being labeled =
"good". It is the ability to throw good pots consistently that =
continues to escape me, even after 8 years. Mind you that is while =
having a full-time job, and going to the studio 3 times a week. I am =
waiting for my own studio to be completed and renovation will begin on =
Sept. 3. In the meantime I have decided to go to my local studio and =
just throw cylinders. I have been taking 3-6 lbs of clay and seeing how =
high I can pull up a cylinder. I made it to 15 inches on the 6 lbs - =
then cut it, it was not bad. The masters are sooo right, it is =
practice, practice, practice. One night I did fine. Made lots of =
cylinders, cut them, they looked good. The other night I was there and =
only managed to cut one cylinder - none of the others made it. I came =
home telling my husband, maybe we need to re-think this whole studio =
thing....
Is anyone out there in the same position? Building a studio but not a =
great potter, trying to get there? I am so scared all of a sudden that =
I am about to spend approx. $10,000 (my brother is doing the renovation =
and that includes all my equipment) on my "hobby" (yes, I am spoiled and =
very lucky) and suddenly I am thinking - What if I lose interest, what =
if I never get "good", what if, what if....! =20
On a slightly different note, I have given gifts of pots I thought were =
worthy only to see the pots later on a visit to someone's house and just =
cringe that I had the nerve to make a gift of the pot! On the other =
hand, I have run into some of my "good" pots and wish I had never sold =
or given them away!
So, even though I have been throwing pots for 8 years, when I walk into =
my own studio and sit down at my wheel for the first time, I will feel =
like a beginner!
Dolita in Louisville, KY
dohrman@insightbb.com
Gene and Dolita Dohrman
1811 Edenside Avenue
Louisville, Ky 40204
Phone 502-749-1513
Cindi Anderson on wed 20 aug 03
I found that my skilled improved a great deal the minute I had my own
studio. Having the wheel right there so I could throw as long as I wanted
was very helpful (instead of having to throw within the confines of a two
hour long class, knowing that they close at a certain time). I believe that
if you love clay, you will make something in your studio. If you can't make
great things by throwing you will make other things. And if you decide you
don't love clay, most equipment can be resold without too much loss. So I
wouldn't worry about it. Just assume it is a good move, and if you change
your mind later so be it.
About giving away pottery: Maybe excellent potters don't have this problem,
because all their stuff is so good that most people like it... But I have
found I am completely unable to choose what piece of pottery somebody will
like. I have taken to lining up 5 things and asking them to pick one. They
NEVER choose the ones I like, or the ones that I would have chosen for them.
Cindi
Fremont, CA
joan woodward on wed 20 aug 03
Yes! Yes! Yes! I've been throwing for 6 1/2 years and could have written your post. I do sell at several sales each year, and I'm generally proud of what I sell. But the hidden cost is all those pots that didn't make it, or made it only after trimming like crazy - sometimes on the inside! I do think the main thing is practice, and I tend to throw a few plates, then some mugs, then some bowls - you get the idea. Lately, I have been concentrating more on cylinders myself. As for the studio, I had the same fears, but we all know how addicting this clay stuff is. I've found that participating in our local guild is helpful; if you're really stuck on some aspect of throwing, there's always someone who will demonstrate or take a look at what you're doing. So . . . take heart, and make sure you have way more shelves in your studio than you think you'll need!
Joan, in Colorado
I have been reading the posts from new potters and their desire to be better and wonderings on how long it takes. My experience has been that it may not take long before you make a pot worthy of being labeled "good". It is the ability to throw good pots consistently that continues to escape me, even after 8 years. Mind you that is while having a full-time job, and going to the studio 3 times a week. I am waiting for my own studio to be completed and renovation will begin on Sept. 3. In the meantime I have decided to go to my local studio and just throw cylinders. I have been taking 3-6 lbs of clay and seeing how high I can pull up a cylinder. I made it to 15 inches on the 6 lbs - then cut it, it was not bad. The masters are sooo right, it is practice, practice, practice. One night I did fine. Made lots of cylinders, cut them, they looked good. The other night I was there and only managed to cut one cylinder - none of the others made it. I came home telling my husband, maybe we need
to re-think this whole studio thing....
Is anyone out there in the same position? Building a studio but not a great potter, trying to get there? I am so scared all of a sudden that I am about to spend approx. $10,000 (my brother is doing the renovation and that includes all my equipment) on my "hobby" (yes, I am spoiled and very lucky) and suddenly I am thinking - What if I lose interest, what if I never get "good", what if, what if....!
On a slightly different note, I have given gifts of pots I thought were worthy only to see the pots later on a visit to someone's house and just cringe that I had the nerve to make a gift of the pot! On the other hand, I have run into some of my "good" pots and wish I had never sold or given them away!
So, even though I have been throwing pots for 8 years, when I walk into my own studio and sit down at my wheel for the first time, I will feel like a beginner!
Dolita in Louisville, KY
dohrman@insightbb.com
Gene and Dolita Dohrman
1811 Edenside Avenue
Louisville, Ky 40204
Phone 502-749-1513
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Jeremy/Bonnie Hellman on wed 20 aug 03
Dolita,
You give the best pots you can make at the time. I know that many potters
don't date their work, because people want to buy "the latest" work. But
until all pots are good, you might want to date your work, so it's very
clear that those pots that look good today are dated today. In a while, when
your pots are "better" you'll know that the older ones were done a while
ago.
Bonnie
(sending this privately)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gene and Dolita Dohrman"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2003 11:06 AM
Subject: Learning to throw - a bit long
I have been reading the posts from new potters and their desire to be better
and wonderings on how long it takes. My experience has been that it may not
take long before you make a pot worthy of being labeled "good". It is the
ability to throw good pots consistently that continues to escape me, even
after 8 years. Mind you that is while having a full-time job, and going to
the studio 3 times a week. I am waiting for my own studio to be completed
and renovation will begin on Sept. 3. In the meantime I have decided to go
to my local studio and just throw cylinders. I have been taking 3-6 lbs of
clay and seeing how high I can pull up a cylinder. I made it to 15 inches
on the 6 lbs - then cut it, it was not bad. The masters are sooo right, it
is practice, practice, practice. One night I did fine. Made lots of
cylinders, cut them, they looked good. The other night I was there and only
managed to cut one cylinder - none of the others made it. I came home
telling my husband, maybe we need to re-think this whole studio thing....
Is anyone out there in the same position? Building a studio but not a great
potter, trying to get there? I am so scared all of a sudden that I am about
to spend approx. $10,000 (my brother is doing the renovation and that
includes all my equipment) on my "hobby" (yes, I am spoiled and very lucky)
and suddenly I am thinking - What if I lose interest, what if I never get
"good", what if, what if....!
On a slightly different note, I have given gifts of pots I thought were
worthy only to see the pots later on a visit to someone's house and just
cringe that I had the nerve to make a gift of the pot! On the other hand, I
have run into some of my "good" pots and wish I had never sold or given them
away!
So, even though I have been throwing pots for 8 years, when I walk into my
own studio and sit down at my wheel for the first time, I will feel like a
beginner!
Dolita in Louisville, KY
dohrman@insightbb.com
Gene and Dolita Dohrman
1811 Edenside Avenue
Louisville, Ky 40204
Phone 502-749-1513
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Ms Diana J Primiterra on wed 20 aug 03
Dolita, I just started pottery last month. My husband
has built me a studio in the undeveloped basement and
everything. I am leasing a wheel, I bought a great old
kick wheel for $100 Canadian, and want a raku kiln
some day. I don't have anything spectacular, but it is
enough to get me started and practicing. I won't have
a kiln for a long time, until I throw well enough to
invest on one. I have a friend whom has a huge gas
kiln as well as an electric kiln if I need to fire
anything.
I think It is great that you can afford to get your
studio and think you should go for it. The amount of
money you spend should be motivation enough to
continue. It is also great working at home in your own
studio, BUT you do get many distractions.
I think you are more then worthy of having the studio
for yourself. You can at least throw something...
--- Gene and Dolita Dohrman
wrote:
> I have been reading the posts from new potters and
> their desire to be better and wonderings on how long
> it takes. My experience has been that it may not
> take long before you make a pot worthy of being
> labeled "good". It is the ability to throw good
> pots consistently that continues to escape me, even
> after 8 years. Mind you that is while having a
> full-time job, and going to the studio 3 times a
> week. I am waiting for my own studio to be
> completed and renovation will begin on Sept. 3. In
> the meantime I have decided to go to my local studio
> and just throw cylinders. I have been taking 3-6
> lbs of clay and seeing how high I can pull up a
> cylinder. I made it to 15 inches on the 6 lbs -
> then cut it, it was not bad. The masters are sooo
> right, it is practice, practice, practice. One
> night I did fine. Made lots of cylinders, cut them,
> they looked good. The other night I was there and
> only managed to cut one cylinder - none of the
> others made it. I came home telling my husband,
> maybe we need to re-think this whole studio
> thing....
> Is anyone out there in the same position? Building
> a studio but not a great potter, trying to get
> there? I am so scared all of a sudden that I am
> about to spend approx. $10,000 (my brother is doing
> the renovation and that includes all my equipment)
> on my "hobby" (yes, I am spoiled and very lucky) and
> suddenly I am thinking - What if I lose interest,
> what if I never get "good", what if, what if....!
> On a slightly different note, I have given gifts of
> pots I thought were worthy only to see the pots
> later on a visit to someone's house and just cringe
> that I had the nerve to make a gift of the pot! On
> the other hand, I have run into some of my "good"
> pots and wish I had never sold or given them away!
> So, even though I have been throwing pots for 8
> years, when I walk into my own studio and sit down
> at my wheel for the first time, I will feel like a
> beginner!
> Dolita in Louisville, KY
>
> dohrman@insightbb.com
> Gene and Dolita Dohrman
> 1811 Edenside Avenue
> Louisville, Ky 40204
> Phone 502-749-1513
>
>
______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
> reached at melpots@pclink.com.
__________________________________
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Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software
http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com
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