Malcolm Schosha on mon 8 sep 03
It is pretty easy to mix different things into one catagory.
Potters who make one-of-a-kind pieces are producing art work, and
their prices are comparable to those of painters or sculptors. This
is so no matter how the work is produced, including molds.
Potters who are producing limited numbers of pieces that are similar
to eachother, are artisans.
Potters who produce large numbers of pieces that are similar or the
same are involved in the ceramics industry, and will be competing
with companies like Lenox or Spode. Once again, the production
methods do not change the catagory. I have known potters who could
easily throw 800 mugs in a day, or 120 (18"-20")umbrella stands a
day. This is industrial production, and depending on how many people
are involved in the operation of the company, may require continious
firing kilns, large loading docks, etc.
So the consideration is NOT the method of production, but rather the
attention given to each individual piece, and the size of production.
Fine arts, artisan, industrial. Very different mind set, and very
different QUALITY of results.
Malcolm
............................................
--- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Scott Ackerman
wrote:
> I couldn't agree with you more Lance. It would do most of the
people that
> have a problem with methods of assisted technology in pottery to
read their
> history books. The Arts and Crafts movement was a reaction against
the
> industrial revolution. However they didn't abandoned the technology
and
> become "ceramic luddites", the reaction was against the lack of good
> intention. Gustav Stickley didn't make his furniture with hand
tools,
> Rookwood didn't "hand-throw" their vases. They realized that they
couldn't
> reduce their craft to the technology that produced it. Many would
do well to
> learn from this.
>
> "Every improvement in the standard of work men do is followed
swiftly and
> inevitably by an improvement in the men who do it" - William Morris
>
>
> Scott Ackerman
> 1133 Riverside
> Suite B
> Fort Collins, CO 80524
> 970-231-9035
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@L...] On Behalf Of lance millward
> Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2003 4:47 PM
> To: CLAYART@L...
> Subject: Men's underwear, Rampressing, and Slipcasting and
highhorses
>
>
> Sounds like someone is on their high horse. 'High
> craft'...a term borrowed from 'high art' other people
> with too big an ego. Photography has long been
> considered a lower art. Few galleries were collecting
> plans and blueprints in the past either. I've seen
> 'hand coloured' plans that are so beautiful they would
> make you cry. They have always been useful restoring
> old parks and buildings. Now they are often
> considered art in their own right. Especially with
> the increasing amounts of competition design for big
> landscape and architecture projects. The ideas for
> the 9-11 building/park for example, who is not
> interested in what might have been.
>
> Be careful if you become a famous potter people might
> come around digging in your yard for all your failed
> pieces to exhibit. Or the pieces you made as a child.
> I hope ceramics, pottery or what ever term you want
> to use, get some more well earned respect. But it
> won't come from being uppity and putting down people
> who work in other mediums or use other methods.
>
> Lance.
>
> --- Vince Pitelka wrote: > > I
> have seen slipcast work of high artistic value.
> > Isn't that the method
> > that
> > > was used for much of the early Meissen pottery as
> > well?
> > > The skill to create a really good, artistic mold
> > is a remarkable one.
> > > What about stamps? If I make a stamp to transfer
> > an intricate design
> > rather
> > > than spend HOURS carving -- does that mean my
> > artistic vision was less?
> >
> > Susan -
> > If you thought about this a bit you would see the
> > obvious difference. A
> > stamp is just a tool you use to impress a design on
> > the surface of your
> > handmade work, and it is a very old process used by
> > potters all over the
> > world. A ram press or a slip-casting mold makes an
> > entire vessel, exactly
> > like the rest of the who-knows-how-many-others cast
> > from the same mold.
> > That concept is simply incompatible with the notion
> > of handmade fine craft.
> > The people who are slipcasting many many multiples
> > of an original are
> > manufacturing, they are not handmaking, even if they
> > finish the piece by
> > hand. The original and the product might still be
> > very beautiful, but it is
> > not handmade, and it does not belong in venues with
> > handmade fine craft.
> > Best wishes -
> > - Vince
> >
> > Vince Pitelka
> > Appalachian Center for Craft
> > Tennessee Technological University
> > 1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
> > Home - vpitelka@d...
> > 615/597-5376
> > Office - wpitelka@t...
> > 615/597-6801 x111, FAX 615/597-6803
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
> >
> >
>
______________________________________________________________________
______
> __
> > Send postings to clayart@l...
> >
> > 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@p...
>
> http://search.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Search
> - Looking for more? Try the new Yahoo! Search
>
>
______________________________________________________________________
______
> __
> Send postings to clayart@l...
>
> 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@p...
>
>
______________________________________________________________________
________
> Send postings to clayart@l...
>
> 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@p...
Vince Pitelka on mon 8 sep 03
Scott wrote"
"I couldn’t agree with you more Lance. It would do most of the people that
have a problem with methods of assisted technology in pottery to read their
history books. The Arts and Crafts movement was a reaction against the
industrial revolution. However they didn't abandoned the technology and
become "ceramic luddites", the reaction was against the lack of good
intention. Gustav Stickley didn't make his furniture with hand tools,
Rookwood didn't "hand-throw" their vases. They realized that they couldn't
reduce their craft to the technology that produced it. Many would do well to
learn from this."
Scott -
This is all true, and it is great information, but it doesn't really shed
any light on this particular discussion. I am talking about the purity and
continuity of the independent fine craftsperson who makes handmade items
one-by one, as most of us do. When someone else uses assisted technologies
such as ram-pressing or slip-casting to crank out many many multiples,
bypassing the hand-work involved in making individually handcrafted work,
there is no way you can defend the premise that the work is "handmade." It
is manufactured. That was true of Stickley furniture and Rookwood pottery.
However beautiful, however high quality those products, they were
factory-made, and in contemporary terms, certainly would not have belonged
in a craft show or fine craft gallery. The means of their making
contradicts the entire premise of handmade fine craft. When a potter
chooses to take a mold from her/his originals and slipcast multiples ad
nauseum, they are manufacturing, not hand-making.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Office - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 x111, FAX 615/597-6803
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
Scott Ackerman on mon 8 sep 03
I couldn=92t agree with you more Lance. It would do most of the people =
that
have a problem with methods of assisted technology in pottery to read =
their
history books. The Arts and Crafts movement was a reaction against the
industrial revolution. However they didn't abandoned the technology and
become "ceramic luddites", the reaction was against the lack of good
intention. Gustav Stickley didn't make his furniture with hand tools,
Rookwood didn't "hand-throw" their vases. They realized that they =
couldn't
reduce their craft to the technology that produced it. Many would do =
well to
learn from this.
"Every improvement in the standard of work men do is followed swiftly =
and
inevitably by an improvement in the men who do it" - William Morris
=20
Scott Ackerman
1133 Riverside
Suite B
Fort Collins, CO 80524
970-231-9035
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of lance =
millward
Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2003 4:47 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Men's underwear, Rampressing, and Slipcasting and highhorses
Sounds like someone is on their high horse. 'High
craft'...a term borrowed from 'high art' other people
with too big an ego. Photography has long been
considered a lower art. Few galleries were collecting
plans and blueprints in the past either. I've seen
'hand coloured' plans that are so beautiful they would
make you cry. They have always been useful restoring
old parks and buildings. Now they are often
considered art in their own right. Especially with
the increasing amounts of competition design for big
landscape and architecture projects. The ideas for
the 9-11 building/park for example, who is not
interested in what might have been.
Be careful if you become a famous potter people might
come around digging in your yard for all your failed
pieces to exhibit. Or the pieces you made as a child.
I hope ceramics, pottery or what ever term you want
to use, get some more well earned respect. But it
won't come from being uppity and putting down people
who work in other mediums or use other methods.
Lance.
--- Vince Pitelka wrote: > > I
have seen slipcast work of high artistic value.
> Isn't that the method
> that
> > was used for much of the early Meissen pottery as
> well?
> > The skill to create a really good, artistic mold
> is a remarkable one.
> > What about stamps? If I make a stamp to transfer
> an intricate design
> rather
> > than spend HOURS carving -- does that mean my
> artistic vision was less?
>
> Susan -
> If you thought about this a bit you would see the
> obvious difference. A
> stamp is just a tool you use to impress a design on
> the surface of your
> handmade work, and it is a very old process used by
> potters all over the
> world. A ram press or a slip-casting mold makes an
> entire vessel, exactly
> like the rest of the who-knows-how-many-others cast
> from the same mold.
> That concept is simply incompatible with the notion
> of handmade fine craft.
> The people who are slipcasting many many multiples
> of an original are
> manufacturing, they are not handmaking, even if they
> finish the piece by
> hand. The original and the product might still be
> very beautiful, but it is
> not handmade, and it does not belong in venues with
> handmade fine craft.
> Best wishes -
> - Vince
>
> Vince Pitelka
> Appalachian Center for Craft
> Tennessee Technological University
> 1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
> Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
> 615/597-5376
> Office - wpitelka@tntech.edu
> 615/597-6801 x111, FAX 615/597-6803 http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
>
>
_________________________________________________________________________=
___
__
> 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.
http://search.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Search
- Looking for more? Try the new Yahoo! Search
_________________________________________________________________________=
___
__
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.
=?iso-8859-1?q?lance=20millward?= on mon 8 sep 03
Sounds like someone is on their high horse. 'High
craft'...a term borrowed from 'high art' other people
with too big an ego. Photography has long been
considered a lower art. Few galleries were collecting
plans and blueprints in the past either. I've seen
'hand coloured' plans that are so beautiful they would
make you cry. They have always been useful restoring
old parks and buildings. Now they are often
considered art in their own right. Especially with
the increasing amounts of competition design for big
landscape and architecture projects. The ideas for
the 9-11 building/park for example, who is not
interested in what might have been.
Be careful if you become a famous potter people might
come around digging in your yard for all your failed
pieces to exhibit. Or the pieces you made as a child.
I hope ceramics, pottery or what ever term you want
to use, get some more well earned respect. But it
won't come from being uppity and putting down people
who work in other mediums or use other methods.
Lance.
--- Vince Pitelka wrote: > > I
have seen slipcast work of high artistic value.
> Isn't that the method
> that
> > was used for much of the early Meissen pottery as
> well?
> > The skill to create a really good, artistic mold
> is a remarkable one.
> > What about stamps? If I make a stamp to transfer
> an intricate design
> rather
> > than spend HOURS carving -- does that mean my
> artistic vision was less?
>
> Susan -
> If you thought about this a bit you would see the
> obvious difference. A
> stamp is just a tool you use to impress a design on
> the surface of your
> handmade work, and it is a very old process used by
> potters all over the
> world. A ram press or a slip-casting mold makes an
> entire vessel, exactly
> like the rest of the who-knows-how-many-others cast
> from the same mold.
> That concept is simply incompatible with the notion
> of handmade fine craft.
> The people who are slipcasting many many multiples
> of an original are
> manufacturing, they are not handmaking, even if they
> finish the piece by
> hand. The original and the product might still be
> very beautiful, but it is
> not handmade, and it does not belong in venues with
> handmade fine craft.
> Best wishes -
> - Vince
>
> Vince Pitelka
> Appalachian Center for Craft
> Tennessee Technological University
> 1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
> Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
> 615/597-5376
> Office - wpitelka@tntech.edu
> 615/597-6801 x111, FAX 615/597-6803
> http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
>
>
______________________________________________________________________________
> 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.
http://search.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Search
- Looking for more? Try the new Yahoo! Search
Donn Buchfinck on tue 9 sep 03
Don't forget jiggering too.
I have spent the better part of two weeks welding up a jiggering arm for my=20
wheel, and working with plaster to make bats to make dinner plates.
I worked for hours and hours carving the templates, just to turn around and=20
have to make a new one because the clay has a "memory" but the rims flatten=20
out, not pop up. I have made countless plaster bats that are now in the garb=
age=20
because they are not the right size/angle.
A lot of time has gone into this project. The realy cool thing is, I can=20
make 16 dinner plates now, all pretty much alike, I can do this twice a day.=
That=20
makes 32 a day, thin and perfect. This blows me away, I could never make a=20
dinner plate that could compare with the ones I am making now.
My potters wheel, a soldner p200 is a machine, the jiggering arm is a=20
machine, I have a clay mixer and a pug mill, soon I will be building an extr=
uder. =20
All Machines/tools. My hands touch the plate as it goes around, it takes ski=
ll,=20
skill to get it to the right thickness and not strip the plate off the bat.=20=
I=20
am doing this so I can offer dinner plates and to decorate them. To offer=20
them economicaly so people will want to give me money and take them home and=
use=20
them, I am going to sell them for around 18 dollar a piece. The jiggering=20
setup makes this possible. And I bet the plates I make can compare to anyon=
e=20
that are thrown and trimmed.
People can and are considered machines, look at the IRS and I think you can=20
depreciate your workforce.
Hamada had a crew of people producing pottery so he could decorate a fractio=
n=20
of it. But it is still hamada pottery, some of it press molded pottery. =20
What is the difference between having a 60 ton press or 2 people pressing fo=
rms=20
out of plaster molds?? Both are formed in plaster, both the master forms we=
re=20
created by hand.=20
We are realy talking about commerce, competition in the marketplace between=20
the potters who have reached the industrial revolution of our craft, and=20
potters who have not. This is the hard thing to accept, a lot of oldtimers=20=
and=20
industries were left behind by the IR. =20
Look at what people like, go to IKEA, Walmart. Learn YOUR customer base.=20
What you say, not me, I will be a purist, I will make on a treadle wheel and=
=20
age my clay for generations, and only use pure captured rainwater to mix my=20
clay in pits. Digging the natural materials to make glazes.
You will go broke, and it will break you, You are in business, and business=20
is harsh, businesses fail every year. =20
My advice, find a potter, I mean a REAL potter, someone who makes thier=20
living from making pottery, not a trust fund or a stipend. There are some=20
mengisotta poters out there who fit this bill, potters who make affordable h=
umble pots,=20
but who have something to lean on.
Find someone who is running an honest to goodness a real business making=20
pottery. Pick thier brains, you will be surprised.
I have made some killer pots, and the old timer in my studio, a 65 year old=
=20
potter who can out throw anyone I have ever seen, looks at the pot and says,=
=20
that's a great pot, nobody will buy it, but it's a great pot. That says it=20
all. Everything this guy makes goes away. Retail, wholesale, second sales.=20=
I am=20
not a big fan of some of what he makes, but you can=E2=80=99t argue that he=20=
has his=20
finger on the puse of his public, And you want to know something else, other=
=20
potters don=E2=80=99t like him, why, because he runs his pottery as a busine=
ss. It=20
isn't me a potter vs you a potter, it is me a potter getting customer A thru=
e Z=20
to give me money and take my stuff away so I can make more stuff, doing what=
I=20
love and not working for the man.
What does it matter what machine one uses. I think a lot of people should no=
t=20
get into pissing matches about this and understand that business is harsh,=20
and life is difficult and unfair, and get in the game and stop complaining t=
he=20
rules are not fair. Because if some people would have their way, they would=
=20
close pottery and set a standard for what makes a =E2=80=9CHand made pot=E2=
=80=9D Cutting out=20
so much of what is rich in our heritage. =20
Donn Buchfinck
San Francisco
Scott Ackerman on tue 9 sep 03
Vince,
I believe that it has everything to do with the issue at hand. I was =
trying
to draw a parallel between your position and the arts and crafts =
movement.
The main difference is that the arts and crafts movement focused on =
intent
not technique. I believe that is what we as potters need to do. To
illustrate; I have a friend that introduced me to pottery, several years =
ago
he made a particular large vase, he then decided that he wanted to make =
10
of them exactly the same shape. He made a model (larger of course) and =
made
a mold and slipcast 10 of them. Sold them in an artists opening as an
edition of 10. He broke the mold when he was finished. Others have =
commented
that they knew of individuals who made 500-800 coffee mugs a day. Now =
the
question; which one is following the "purity and continuity of the
independent fine craftsperson" and which one is "cranking out many many
multiples, bypassing the hand-work involved in making individually
handcrafted work"? It isn't so simple any more is it? Usually the reason =
one
makes a distinction is to demonstrate that it is "superior". Try telling =
a
woman who just bought 8 dinner plates from you that the reason they all =
vary
by a half-inch or so and that some of them won't fit in her cupboard, =
and
they don't stack well is because they are "handmade" so they are better.
That dog won't hunt. We all agree that there is badly formed production
ware, but there is also badly formed "hand-made" ware. Seems like we are
very quick to make distinctions in method, and more retiscent to make
distinctions of intent.
By the way, thanks for the feedback on the pugmill. Actually I called
Jonathan Kaplan first and that's why I looked at Bluebird. Just wanted =
some
other opinions. I won't tell you how he opined on the above mentioned =
topic.
"Every improvement in the standard of work men do is followed swiftly =
and
inevitably by an improvement in the men who do it" - William Morris
=20
Scott Ackerman
1133 Riverside
Suite B
Fort Collins, CO 80524
970-231-9035
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Vince =
Pitelka
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003 7:23 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Men's underwear, Rampressing, and Slipcasting and =
highhorses
Scott wrote"
"I couldn=92t agree with you more Lance. It would do most of the people =
that
have a problem with methods of assisted technology in pottery to read =
their
history books. The Arts and Crafts movement was a reaction against the
industrial revolution. However they didn't abandoned the technology and
become "ceramic luddites", the reaction was against the lack of good
intention. Gustav Stickley didn't make his furniture with hand tools,
Rookwood didn't "hand-throw" their vases. They realized that they =
couldn't
reduce their craft to the technology that produced it. Many would do =
well to
learn from this."
Scott -
This is all true, and it is great information, but it doesn't really =
shed
any light on this particular discussion. I am talking about the purity =
and
continuity of the independent fine craftsperson who makes handmade items
one-by one, as most of us do. When someone else uses assisted =
technologies
such as ram-pressing or slip-casting to crank out many many multiples,
bypassing the hand-work involved in making individually handcrafted =
work,
there is no way you can defend the premise that the work is "handmade." =
It
is manufactured. That was true of Stickley furniture and Rookwood =
pottery.
However beautiful, however high quality those products, they were
factory-made, and in contemporary terms, certainly would not have =
belonged
in a craft show or fine craft gallery. The means of their making
contradicts the entire premise of handmade fine craft. When a potter
chooses to take a mold from her/his originals and slipcast multiples ad
nauseum, they are manufacturing, not hand-making. Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Office - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 x111, FAX 615/597-6803 http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
_________________________________________________________________________=
___
__
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.
Lori Leary on tue 9 sep 03
Scott wrote:
Try telling a woman who just bought 8 dinner plates from you that the reason
they all vary by a half-inch or so and that some of them won't fit in her
cupboard, and
they don't stack well is because they are "handmade" so they are better.....
Scott,
I would just say that the plates don't fit well because they are poorly
crafted, not because they are handmade.
Have you ever seen any production ware (handcrafted) from a good potter?
I have. I have the great pleasure to own some. And it stacks and fits in
my cabinets just fine, thank you very much.
You are talking about level of skill, not whether something was handmade or
not.
Lori L.
Mountain Top, PA
Vince Pitelka on tue 9 sep 03
> Try telling a woman who just bought 8 dinner plates from you that the
reason
> they all vary by a half-inch or so and that some of them won't fit in her
> cupboard, and
> they don't stack well is because they are "handmade" so they are
better.....
Scott -
I have to echo Lori's comment here. As a potter in Northern California in
the 70s and early 80s I specialized in kitchenware and tableware, and I made
plenty of dinnerware sets. There are some simple production techniques
which assist in making bowls or plates which stack beautifully. You can
still tell that the pieces are not identical, but whatever differences there
are between the pieces are no handicap at all, and the whole set has so much
more life and energy than a machine-made set.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Office - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 x111, FAX 615/597-6803
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
John Hesselberth on wed 10 sep 03
>
This whole discussion might be simplified (and there is at least some
tiny chance we might see this issue more eye-to-eye) if we would
discuss one-of-a-kind, few-of-a-kind, and mass produced. In other
words avoid the processes used and talk about the artistic or design
input to each piece.
I personally see little difference between a production potter throwing
several hundred look-alike mugs and a person slip-casting or jiggering
those same mugs. Likewise I see little difference between someone
assembling original sculptures from a bunch of slip cast or jiggered
parts and someone making a similar sculpture from hand built and wheel
thrown parts. There is a high amount of original design content in
both. When anyone starts to make many multiples of the same thing, they
are mass producing. It may be very high quality and they may use their
hands or be assisted by machines, but it is mass produced.
Perhaps another way to say it is that a potter who produces to a
catalog is on the verge of becoming or has already become a mass
producer.
Just adding more fuel to the fire...
Regards,
John
http://www.frogpondpottery.com
http://www.masteringglazes.com
Janet Kaiser on wed 10 sep 03
Oh, yes. Poor Jonathan K. This re-occurring theme was always a
real thorn in his side. Maybe one of the main reasons for him
leaving Clay Town, besides his work-load? Who knows?
In my OPINION almost everyone is exaggerating, whether they are
pro or contra and there are some splendid examples of talking at
cross-purposes.
I was originally in the purist, "Slipcast? No Way, Jos=E9!" camp
with regard to studio potters or small potteries and felt that
slip casting should be left entirely to the "professionals". But
life teaches us many lessons and I have had to reconsider a lot
of the inherited prejudices artists and makers pick up and
nurture along the way. I believe I am now a pragmatist... As a
gallerist I rely on finding artists & makers whose work fits into
the general niveau of the gallery and each exhibition, which
combined are really an expression of "Life's Rich Tapestry". As
long as the work is well made, in appropriate materials and not
some ephemeral arty-farty gimmick it stands a fair chance of
being chosen. What I cannot abide is the misrepresentation of
materials and techniques. Why lie about the methods, why be
ashamed of those used? One of life`s little mysteries.
I do however understand the frustration of makers who employ the
older, more traditional and hands-on techniques when they are
faced by work which is made using assisted technologies. For
example the decoy duck carver who chips away with his set of
chisels vs. the guy with the dremel tool. But then I know what
manual dexterity wielding a chisel requires, the loving care
invested in the tools let alone on the finished product. But at
the end of the day, the end justifies the means... And a duck is
a duck is a duck however it was made.
But regarding the originality/hand-made aspect... I was talking
to an artist today and it transpires that we have both slowly and
painfully, yet quite independently come to the same conclusion
that artists and makers collectively over-estimate the necessity
for or "worthiness" of what we would class as "unique" or
"original" and for the purposes of this thread "hand-made".
It is so discouraging to learn that replicas often sell better
than originals in many of the Arts, not just ceramics. The
limited print, the limited edition pot or sculpture... Only look
at those "designed by our own artist, Lee Su Chi" and
"hand-painted in real 18 carat gold" by "our talented team of
ceramic artists", adverts in national magazines. They sell
thousands of thimbles, pots, plates, bird sculptures, etc. etc.
Even famous manufacturers... The annual Christmas Plate produced
by Rosenthal costs an arm and leg, but there are hundreds of avid
collectors who do not turn a hair.
Another example at the other end of the market: my neighbour is
currently buying a "nature magazine" which comes with a "free"
bird sculpture each month. She has already spent over =A3100 on
the first few "editions", yet would consider that to be excessive
and beyond her means under normal shopping conditions, which
incidentally never includes art galleries. It actually represents
only a fraction of the total projected cost and yet she will no
doubt continue until she has the full set. She chose this method
of acquiring little bird sculptures, to those by a famous
manufacturer because she actually does not perceive any
difference in "artistic merit", only the difference in the price
tag. She would definitely not even consider buying "hand-made"
because there are not many makers around who have a repertoire of
60 different birds and those that may, would not be affordable or
even desirable, not least because she would not be able to confer
on her "bird of the month" with her sister who lives in another
part of the country. This is another perfect example of where
originality, uniqueness or "hand-made" is specifically NOT
desirable, just like those Rosenthal plates at the upper end of
the market.
This desire to have a "work of art" which anyone on the country
will recognise, is not confined to ceramics... What about the
Kinkade factory where the "certificated paintings" are painted by
"highly skilled" employees copying a Kinkade original which is
then "genetically signed" (or whatever they call the process
which basically means a hair off Mr. K`s head was chopped up and
stuck into the paint -- or some such thing) with his "real
signature" which is laser beamed on? Who else but other artists
and maybe some gallerists seriously object to the whole Kinkade
Circus?
Most of these manufactured products sell at higher prices than
many individual studio potters or artists could dream of getting
for their work. Not even some who are nationally "household
names" in their own field.
And those sales are in full knowledge that there are a 500, 1000,
5000 or 10,000 others out in the world. But that is precisely
what is selling the ware... There is added security in knowing
that if so many other people buy that sculpture, pot or painting,
"it must be good". This is a concept the Artist, creator and
innovator will never understand or be able to accept.
There is apparently something compelling and reassuring in
multiples or even rows and rows of work which is exactly the same
design, colour and size whether that be cans of baked beans or
pots. Even so, there is still "choice", albeit between the pots
at the front and the one at the back!
And naturally there remain products which require uniformity and
regularity more than others. Whether they are plates which should
stack or tiles for a bathroom wall... Does it really matter if
they are hand-made using a rolling-pin on the kitchen table or
that North Star tile press to make? It is surely the result which
is most important to the end-user. Confidence in the product,
knowing it is the "best money can buy" i.e. the highest quality
for the price one can afford.
Casting hands up in horror at techniques used to achieve the
required result is neither here nor there (naturally with the
proviso that they are "properly made"). It goes without saying
that there remains the parallel desire for unique products,
beautifully made and crafted, but I really do not feel that it is
somehow going to be the same market or client-base. We experience
confirmation of this daily in The Chapel of Art, when people ask
in awe/disapproval/amazement, "Do you ever sell any of this
stuff?" but not least when listening to all the well-meant
suggestions as to what we should show! These kindly words of
advice are the equivalent to a potter being told, "What you are
making is crap. Now I advise you to..."
Sound familiar?
Sincerely
Janet Kaiser - Hopefully safe from further torture for the next
seven to nine months... Gum is "healing over nicely".
*** IN REPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MAIL:
>By the way, thanks for the feedback on the pugmill. Actually I
called
>Jonathan Kaplan first and that's why I looked at Bluebird.
>I won't tell you how he opined on the above mentioned topic.
*** THE MAIL FROM Scott Ackerman ENDS HERE ***
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The top posted mail was sent by Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art : Capel Celfyddyd
8 Marine Crescent : Criccieth : Wales : UK
Centre of Excellence for The Arts
Home of The International Potters' Path
Tel: ++44 (01766) 523570 http://www.the-coa.org.uk
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