Vince Pitelka on tue 9 sep 03
> 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.
Malcolm -
Unfortunately, this simply is not the way it is in the real world. Potters
who make large numbers of items - production potters - are still making each
one by hand in the noble tradition that has existed for thousands of years,
and there is conscious decision making that goes into every single one.
This is not remotely similar to slipcasting or rampressing items which come
out absolutely identical, with no decision making by the human mind and
hand. Once the mold is made, the form is set, with no variation at all
other than the final finishing. The creativity only goes into the original
item, and perhaps in the final finishing. For the potter, there is
creativity and skill in every single piece, regardless of the quantity.
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/
Malcolm Schosha on wed 10 sep 03
Vince,
Production potters are not inclined to put any unnecessary extra
touchs into work that is not called for. I have done the work in this
country (USA), and in Italy. A production potter is given a model or
a drawing with dimensions indicated. In Italy I was trained to throw
within 1/32" tolerences. If I had creative ideas about how to improve
something, I was always free to speak up; but suggestions were seldom
accepted. Production potters are paid to make pieces according to
specification, not to be creative. Of course, when I had my own
studio, this training made it possible to make shapes on the wheel
that few potters can, and I could make whatever changes I wanted
whenever I wanted. I would nor necessarily recomend this course of
training to everyone, but I am very classicly oriented and the
technique fit my artistic inclinations.
Also, you must remember that molds did not start with casting, but
just extended that technique. It is possible that molds are actually
the oldest methid of forming pottery. I recall seeing a photograph of
a bowl from the neolithic period that was formed by pressing clay
into a wicker basket which served as a mold.
I see molds as just a different way of forming pottery. In both
throwing and molds the final results depend on the skill and artistic
imagination (if any) of the potter, and on the individual attention
each piece gets.
However, speaking for myself, I fell in love with throwing the moment
I saw throwing demonstrated. To me it is more fasinating than any
magic act. I feel throwing is something very special. But great
pottery has been made by other methods, including molds.
Best wishes
Malcolm Schosha
Brooklyn, NY
.............................................
--- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Vince Pitelka wrote:
> > 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.
>
> Malcolm -
> Unfortunately, this simply is not the way it is in the real world.
Potters
> who make large numbers of items - production potters - are still
making each
> one by hand in the noble tradition that has existed for thousands
of years,
> and there is conscious decision making that goes into every single
one.
> This is not remotely similar to slipcasting or rampressing items
which come
> out absolutely identical, with no decision making by the human mind
and
> hand. Once the mold is made, the form is set, with no variation at
all
> other than the final finishing. The creativity only goes into the
original
> item, and perhaps in the final finishing. For the potter, there is
> creativity and skill in every single piece, regardless of the
quantity.
> Best wishes -
> - Vince
>
> Vince Pitelka
> Appalachian Center for Craft
> Tennessee Technological University
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