mel jacobson on sat 21 aug 04
there is a theory that television has destroyed
`home town art`.
before television, and mass media, each town in
the world had local entertainers, church music,
local art shows, state fair shows. (most still do.)
locals would be afforded praise for `homemade` work.
great fabrics, quilts, paintings and of course songs.
many towns had great story tellers.
with mass media everyone that preforms is compared
to the very best in the field.
if you sing at church, or a wedding, folks expect perfect
pitch/tune/ for they know what it sounds like on their
cd's.
many of us read the `new york times` art section...art news,
etc. our ideas and values of art come from the so called `top`.
local art, things our neighbors make often do not come up to
a `world` standard.
we watch world class athletes in the olympics and we wonder
`man, my ten lengths in the pool this morning were really bad.`
but, then....who are you comparing yourself too? and, we ain't
a gonna be on tv. it is swimming just for self.
often children compare their talent with tv, cds, radio and
movies. drawing is compared to ads or digital movies.
we sort of never compare.
as described in the book `art and fear`, those that compare
too much, compare at too high a level, and lack basic skill, become
frustrated and
quit. it takes years to master a craft. one must understand that.
i have always encouraged students to `practice`. skill and
understanding is what gets folks over that terrible mental hump.
intellectual blather about self/expression/metaphor does nothing
to break down the barrier of `compared self worth`. as i have said
many times....`the social worker cannot give a kid `self worth`...they
have to work and earn it.` same with my teaching....i cannot talk
folks into success, they have to get after it, practice, and develop
the skills necessary to work on their own.
it is the reason that after years of teaching i am more committed
to skill than ever before. it is what makes the winners win.
i heard an interview with v j singh, the golfer. he described his
youth in southeast asia...hitting thousands of gold balls a day
in 95 degree weather, 95 percent humidity. day after day, year
after year. he said...`that is what made me a champion, it was
not luck.` work, skill, dedication, passion. just like golf.
if you start with a modicum of talent, some basic hand eye skill,
and a great passion.....working, practice, dedication will see you
through. it does not mean you can beat that phelps kid...he will
mop you up every time. same with the extreme `master craftsman`. they
will mop you up. but, your self worth will not be damaged if you
can see improvement, and direction. you then learn from those extremely
talented folks. you enjoy their world records....and say. man, i am not that
far behind. you compare your pots to others and say....`hey, i can
do that some day. i just need time and more work.` you never quit, you
work on.
those that teach with the attitude...`oh, just do anything, no
rules apply, the clay will show you`. total bs. that is the lazy
teacher at work. being self taught is very possible, but a good
skilled teacher at your elbow will make it happen ten times faster.
no question that having warren mackenzie as my first teacher was
a gift. and having kunio uchida has my japanese mentor was dramatic
in my life. but, i still practice. just like a concert violinist...i
practice on and on.
of course we find natural primitive talent all over the world.
we find self taught genius. but, those folks are as rare as the
well educated genius. they are at the front end. most of us are
all packed in the center of the race. and will stay there for a long
time....and often be content just working alone, doing our stuff.
the guy that built the watts towers was not looking for `fame and fortune`.
he did that because of some inner need. that is often true of
primitives. they work from inner direction. often they cannot even
tell you about their work...`hell, i don't know, i just make stuff.`
`grandma moses` became a media frenzie. an anomaly in art.
she was a discovery. most of us will never experience that fame.
and, most do not really want it. most of the folks out there just
want to do their work, get better, and have a few folks now and then
say...`hey, you do good work`.
mel
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.rid-a-tick.com
David Beumee on sat 21 aug 04
Mel wrote:
"those that teach with the attitude...`oh, just do anything, no
rules apply, the clay will show you`. total bs. that is the lazy
teacher at work. being self taught is very possible, but a good
skilled teacher at your elbow will make it happen ten times faster."
Sharing hard earned acquired skill is in some ways more satisfying to me than working alone, and as a workshop leader, it's obvious that students appreciate and yearn for instruction from a potter with skills in all areas from clay bodies to firing.
Mel's right. You can learn it on your own, but it'll come a whole lot faster with a skilled teacher as a guide. Anyone, including students, intuitively knows and understands when such an opportunity is present, and it's such a pleasure to feel a group tune in. For the teacher, such moments could be a giant ego trip, or they could provide the greatest and best opportunity to serve.
David Beumee
Earth Alchemy Pottery
806 East Baseline Road
Lafayette, CO
> there is a theory that television has destroyed
> `home town art`.
>
> before television, and mass media, each town in
> the world had local entertainers, church music,
> local art shows, state fair shows. (most still do.)
>
> locals would be afforded praise for `homemade` work.
> great fabrics, quilts, paintings and of course songs.
> many towns had great story tellers.
>
> with mass media everyone that preforms is compared
> to the very best in the field.
>
> if you sing at church, or a wedding, folks expect perfect
> pitch/tune/ for they know what it sounds like on their
> cd's.
>
> many of us read the `new york times` art section...art news,
> etc. our ideas and values of art come from the so called `top`.
> local art, things our neighbors make often do not come up to
> a `world` standard.
>
> we watch world class athletes in the olympics and we wonder
> `man, my ten lengths in the pool this morning were really bad.`
> but, then....who are you comparing yourself too? and, we ain't
> a gonna be on tv. it is swimming just for self.
>
> often children compare their talent with tv, cds, radio and
> movies. drawing is compared to ads or digital movies.
> we sort of never compare.
>
> as described in the book `art and fear`, those that compare
> too much, compare at too high a level, and lack basic skill, become
> frustrated and
> quit. it takes years to master a craft. one must understand that.
>
> i have always encouraged students to `practice`. skill and
> understanding is what gets folks over that terrible mental hump.
> intellectual blather about self/expression/metaphor does nothing
> to break down the barrier of `compared self worth`. as i have said
> many times....`the social worker cannot give a kid `self worth`...they
> have to work and earn it.` same with my teaching....i cannot talk
> folks into success, they have to get after it, practice, and develop
> the skills necessary to work on their own.
>
> it is the reason that after years of teaching i am more committed
> to skill than ever before. it is what makes the winners win.
>
> i heard an interview with v j singh, the golfer. he described his
> youth in southeast asia...hitting thousands of gold balls a day
> in 95 degree weather, 95 percent humidity. day after day, year
> after year. he said...`that is what made me a champion, it was
> not luck.` work, skill, dedication, passion. just like golf.
>
> if you start with a modicum of talent, some basic hand eye skill,
> and a great passion.....working, practice, dedication will see you
> through. it does not mean you can beat that phelps kid...he will
> mop you up every time. same with the extreme `master craftsman`. they
> will mop you up. but, your self worth will not be damaged if you
> can see improvement, and direction. you then learn from those extremely
> talented folks. you enjoy their world records....and say. man, i am not that
> far behind. you compare your pots to others and say....`hey, i can
> do that some day. i just need time and more work.` you never quit, you
> work on.
>
> those that teach with the attitude...`oh, just do anything, no
> rules apply, the clay will show you`. total bs. that is the lazy
> teacher at work. being self taught is very possible, but a good
> skilled teacher at your elbow will make it happen ten times faster.
> no question that having warren mackenzie as my first teacher was
> a gift. and having kunio uchida has my japanese mentor was dramatic
> in my life. but, i still practice. just like a concert violinist...i
> practice on and on.
>
> of course we find natural primitive talent all over the world.
> we find self taught genius. but, those folks are as rare as the
> well educated genius. they are at the front end. most of us are
> all packed in the center of the race. and will stay there for a long
> time....and often be content just working alone, doing our stuff.
>
> the guy that built the watts towers was not looking for `fame and fortune`.
> he did that because of some inner need. that is often true of
> primitives. they work from inner direction. often they cannot even
> tell you about their work...`hell, i don't know, i just make stuff.`
> `grandma moses` became a media frenzie. an anomaly in art.
> she was a discovery. most of us will never experience that fame.
> and, most do not really want it. most of the folks out there just
> want to do their work, get better, and have a few folks now and then
> say...`hey, you do good work`.
> mel
> From:
> Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
> web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
> or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
> new/ http://www.rid-a-tick.com
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
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