Lee Love on sat 10 jul 04
I've seen maybe 3 times more visitors this summer than I've
had in the rest of my 4.5 years here in Japan. When I was doing the
apprenticeship, my time was inflexible and I always felt bad about not
being able to take time off to show folks around.
Since I've built my own kiln, and started making my
own work here in Mashiko, I haven't had much time to get out and see
shows and visit the museums or get out in nature (not including my
morning and evening walks with Taiko.) Jean and I got out regularly
during my apprenticeship, often during my lunch break, just to
"decompress" a little bit. What is so great about showing folks around
this summer, not to mention meeting new friends in the flesh and seeing
old ones again, is that it gives you a chance to remember what it was
like the first time we came to Mashiko and helps you see it through
"visitor's eyes" once more. It really is easy to get "jaded" and get
too caught up in work to surface for some "down time." It makes me
realize, that I really need a designated day off, a day to either just
be quiet and let things percolate, or to go out in nature or the the
museums to pull in new inspiration.
As several people mentioned to me after their stay at
Kanayama: potters in Japan seem not to go outside their "circles"
often. Either that, or they are busy all the time. My visitors this
summer have really provided important fellowship and comraderie that I
miss back home in Minnesota.
I heard news today from a visitor that really made me
happy: Bayard Morgan, that when he got back to Wisconsin, said he
heard that one of my favorite potters that I spoke about to him and
Phoebe, happened to be at MacKenzie's. John Reeve was visiting
MacKenzie for two weeks and was working in his studio! Bayard went out
to visit and enjoyed listing to Warren and John talk about their time at
the Leach Pottery. I wish he would have made a tape. :-( :-)
I heard John wasn't working in clay any longer, so I am really happy
to hear about him working in Stillwater.
Tomorrow, Jim Coenen is coming to visit from Saitama (a
place outside of Tokyo.) Jim was Jerry Horning's first pottery
student in Omaha.
It is a mighty small world.
--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
http://journals.fotki.com/togeika/Mashiko/ Commentary On Pottery
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