John Rodgers on mon 8 sep 03
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At last, we have a genuine ongoing debate about handmade vs. the other!!!!
The premise has been for a long time that clay manipulated on a wheel by
the hand is hand made and that anything made with a mold is not, whether
pressed, jiggered, or what-have-you.
I flatly disagree.
Go to my web page at http://www.webpages.charter.net/j_rodgers and look
up “Satan Bound.” View all the pictures, and then lets discuss what is
“hand made” and what is not!!!
For clay, I think a very close examination of what is truly involved
with “hand made” will give a better definition of the word as applied to
clay work.
From my view,
1) any clay item made without the use of a single implement, tool
or device, but only the hands and fingers, is “hand made”. A pinch pot
is most likely “hand made”. A coiled pot is most likely “hand made”. In
both cases, the work can be completely done with the hands only. No
tools of any sort are required, not even for the coiled pot. It can be
smoothed with the hand and fingers.
2) Any clay item thrown on a wheel IS NOT “hand made.” A wheel is a
complex machine using mechanical principles of simple machines – the
screw, lever, and wheel - and is used to aid in the forming of the
clay by applying mechanical advantage . If the wheel turns so much as
one revolution and the clay is changed in form in any way what so ever,
force to the clay by mechanical advantage has been applied, and the work
is no longer “hand made”. The application is subtle, and most of us miss
the point, but none the less, the clay has been manipulated by a
machine, and no longer deserves being viewed in that lofty realm of
“hand made”.
3) Any clay work to which any instrument, implement, tool or
machine has been applied in its formation of form, is not deserving of
being placed in that lofty realm of “hand made”.
4) Ribs, etc., wheels, slab rollers, molds, etc., all give
advantage to manipulating the clay in a direction that we want it to go,
and every application, every step that is taken moves it further from
being truly “hand made”.
5) Wheels are simply a tool, a device to aid in manipulating and
shaping the clay to a given form.
6) Molds are simply a tool, a device to aid in manipulating and
shaping the clay to a given form.
7) What is a wheel thrown pot? Clay, manipulated by the hands, with
the aid of a wheel and handheld tools, to a form.
8) What is a molded pot? Clay whose form was first created by
hands, tools and instruments, captured in a mold, and then shaped by the
mold.
9) Differences between thrown pottery and molded pottery?? The
wheel thrown clay arrives at a form at the end of the process and the
molded clays form is derived at the beginning of the process. The final
result is the same……Two clay pots.
10) What are the REAL differences, and differences in value? I believe
the real differences are only in the eye of the beholder, essentially,
and so is the value.
11) Differences: Thrown vs. Mold Made – none really, because both
require the use of tools and machines in addition to the use of the
hands. Therefore they are the same
12) Would I keep a production potter’s work out of a fine art or craft
show? Depends on the standards of the show. If “no production work” is
specified, I would not accept any work perceived as production work,
work that represents repetitive throwing of many look-alikes, whether
thrown on a wheel or not. If the work is a one-off type, as an example
of his/her skill, I would accept the work.
13) Would I keep a slip caster’s work from a show? Depends. If the work
is one out of a production run, it doesn’t belong. If it is one that
precedes a production run, a “first off” in a new design, an “Artist
Proof” more or less, that would be acceptable.
14) Standards: Some standards are necessary. A line must be drawn
somewhere, but lets not be arbitrary about it. Lets not separate thrown
from slip cast arbitrarily when there are no essential differences.
Every show operator has the right to specify the parameters of the show.
But the parameters need to be based on a very real understanding of the
various processes.
Wheel thrown work and slip cast work are so similar. Each can be altered
and manipulated after forming.
It is interesting to note one difference between the two processes.
1)Hand thrown clay ENDS with a newly created form that didn’t exist in
the beginning. 2) Slip cast clay BEGINS with a newly created form that
didn’t exist at the beginning of the process.
In the end, I believe that it is the final form and the finished medium
of a work that counts. The processes, and the steps in getting there are
secondary to the essential fact that the thing we all admire is the
finished work, whatever medium it is in.
As for mold work, there are times when the old principle of “you can’t
get there from here!” applies. There is a lot of beautiful work that
simply cannot be produced in any other way.
From my view, neither thrown pottery nor molded pottery holds sway one
over the other.
Raise oars!!
John Rodgers
Birmingham, AL
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