Lili Krakowski on sun 4 jul 04
It may be hard to believe, but I have written criticism. And I begin =
with several questions I think worth remembering: Who the *&$$&* am I? =
What does the person whose work I am critiquing aim to do? What does =
the public to whom I am "talking" want from me? What are my own =
biases?
In teaching or judging shows it goes like this. I am a potter with =
(yikes) 55 years of clay behind me. I have seen a lot of stuff come =
and go. "They" asked me to look at this stuff. Period. The person =
who is being mauled is a student who should benefit from constructive =
positive technical advice. Hows to avoid cracks, how to put on =
handles...etc. A person appling to a show knows I was "hired" to select =
work that despite my feelings --and I detest some stuff being done today =
as just plain ugly--represents the very best of technical skill! DON'T =
try to sneak those pinholes past me. Make a crattered glaze by all =
means....but...
I make my own biases clear from the get go. I do not do "art" , I do =
not talk "art". I do and talk technique; it is like teaching language. =
I teach the grammar and the spelling and the use of dictionaries and =
like that. Write poetry, laundry lists whatever you want. I do not =
care if you buy Tide or All-- just DON'T write " Bottle of big Tide...." =
(For heavens sake, if I were related to Proctor and Gamble or whatever =
would I haved shoveled a ton of gravel--well twice 1/2 ton--last week?"
WHEELS: WHY WHY WHY WHY do we put up with manufacturers who consider =
being asked for directions and schematics of their wheels indiscrete??? =
Again and again we get questions: how do I get the head off; what is =
that funny switch thatkeeps sparking...Kiln manufacturers spill their =
guts; what is so secret about wheels?
No one wants the technical aspects of the patented diddledigoo inside =
the patented electronic thingie. But I have an RK2 lying in pieces in a =
corner of my studio floor. It was a gift, and came with a bad bearing =
under the head. Swell. Getting the bearing out was, I was told, a =
challenge. Swell. Unless your hands are the size of a 2-year olds, and =
you can do it without other tools, you have to take the thing apart. =
Wrote, called Shimpo. A muddy photocopy of something arrived that told =
me nothing. I just got tired of the whole thing.. NO I AM NOT BLAMING =
SHIMPO! I am blaming US who do not say when we buy a wheel: ok guys =
how does this thing come apart....If the kiln manufacturers can do =
it....On my Skutts, every time I have needed to replace an element--NOT =
often, in fact rarely, the new element comes with instructions so =
clear, if they were for appendix removal I could take out my own =
appendix...
Will someone please cover Arnold Howard with kisses? What a dear =
generous man! His generosity is electrifying...
Lili
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