Janet Kaiser on tue 21 oct 03
Finally there is someone in Clay Town who knows why I rant and
rave when it comes down to the demise of ceramics in formal
teaching situations (schools, colleges, etc.) in the UK!! Thanks
May! At least you can relate to what I get my knickers in a twist
about.
Although a community college is probably not the best environment
or situation to expect training above a certain hobby or
pass-time standard here in the UK (i.e. it is not the place to
expect the most qualified teachers and it is not part of their
remit anyhow) had you been a student 20 or 30 years ago, you
would have had a tutor with real knowledge and maybe even a
degree which actually meant a little more than the paper it was
printed on! You may also have hit really lucky and got a teacher
at a community college who had NO formal education at all, but
knew a damned sight more about the subject because they came from
a fine and thoroughly practice-based workshop background.
Nowadays, anyone who registers and gets a place at college is
guaranteed an "Honours" degree whether they learn the basics or
not. All teachers are expected to have a bit of paper, so the
real working potters are excluded from all formal teaching
situations... Even community college level. So we now have a
nation of post-graduate "celebrity stars" who are teaching and
have been taught that the **visual effect** is the only important
part of "making art". And be in no doubt... Making Art being the
ONLY allowable activity! What I believe are the *primary skills*
and personal knowledge base necessary in any of the Arts have
been completely marginalised, considered secondary and of little
importance -- if any at all. This is NOT confined to ceramics or
even the visual arts. I know an Honours music graduate who cannot
read a note let alone play an instrument. OK so Paul McCartney
cannot either, but he is not entering Academia as a Music
Professor!
Glaze chemistry? Are you mad?!?! Glaze is what comes in a bag
from the supplier... You just mix it with water. Why worry about
it? Why bother making your own? Make ART, not piddle around with
craft... Egad. Although it is not everyone's forte, it does
belong to those basic skills which every potter should learn,
understand and USE in their day-to-day work. And it makes sense
if studio ceramics are to survive and not be marginalised as
luxury decorative items for the elite even more than they are
now. Poor knowledge of the "basics" will inevitably lead to very
poor pots, which is definitely a Very Bad Thing IMNSHO.
I have slowly begun to come to the conclusion that this
disrespect for skills and craftsmanship which is actively taught
at institutions up and down the country, is some Grand Plan to
make us all dependent on manufactured goods alone. Yes, call it a
conspiracy theory if you want, but if everyone is denied a proper
education and then are only able to produce work which is so poor
it can only be regarded as little more than primitive
sub-standard hobby pottery, then the way is paved for
commercially produced work becoming the only viable option open
to people buying ceramic (and other) work. A few elite will
"design" (naturally using a CAD programme) and the ware
(presuming it is actually "makeable") will be made at some
factory... The whole system will employ many different
"specialists" so no one person will be capable of making a pot
any more. Well, yes, a pot will still be made by individuals, but
only in some sort of hobby situation like night class or on the
kitchen table with the kids...
Once this current generation of "real potters" dies out; there
will be no one left to teach ANYWHERE in the country. The Ceramic
Departments of all colleges and universities have already been
thrown onto the muck heap along with their knowledgeable tutors
with years of experience both in theory AND in practice. If there
is any clay left in these new all-purpose "Art and Design"
departments which have replaced the specialised departments
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, it is mixed in with plaster, textiles,
metal, etc. as "multi-media".
You don't believe me? Well, those who live longest will see most.
I think it will take more than the publication of a couple of
books to turn the tide! "Teach yourself" methods involve so much
more effort and time than the Old Way of being taught the basics
and then "taking it from there". But that starts me off on
another "conspiracy theory"... If we all have to teach ourselves,
we are being kept gainfully occupied and off the streets...
Humm... Better stop! OK... Rant over!!! I sound more like my
Granny with each passing year!
Sincerely
Janet Kaiser -- procrastinating again... Doing anything but
answer all those awaiting mails...
*** IN REPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MAIL:
>A few months after that, I asked him if he can show me glaze
>chemistry. He said it went over his head from his college years.
He
>graduated with Honours.
*** THE MAIL FROM May Luk 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
Open: 13.00 to 17.00hrs : Tuesday to Saturday
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