mel jacobson on mon 13 sep 04
in her book `blackberry winter`, margaret mead tells us
a story of her mother, making sure that wherever they
lived, in any town....they always took lessons from the best
teacher in that area.
no matter what subject, art, craft, welding...whatever.
mother said. `it does not matter what you take from
a good teacher, they will teach you the best way.`
so, in every town they lived in....they sought out the
best teacher. she learned carpentry, piano, dance, pottery
and a thousand other things.
they moved a great deal. the subject or craft meant nothing.
only that they were exposed to a good teacher.
i think the greatest gift for clay folks is learning from
a dedicated craftsperson...man or woman, old or young..black or white.
gay or straight.....but a dedicated craftsperson.
a dedicated craftsperson learns the craft. understands it. honors
it.
my first teacher was warren mackenzie. he is not my pal, fellow
potter guy. he was my teacher. he taught me to throw. i still
throw a bit like him. he was very dogmatic about throwing.
it was not about being nice, fun...pal. you did things his way.
i just did not buy into being socialist.
i had great teachers in japan.
i had many fellow teachers and potters that i learned from.
it has been a long process...and i have taught thousands to throw
on the wheel. my way.
if you do not follow a clear pattern, 1, 2, 3...you will have trouble.
it is a system. each step follows the other.
the clay does not teach you...that is a cop out. teachers teach you.
people that know and understand simple physics and the way clay
works. tips are constant. different clay throws in different ways.
short clay is crap/long clay works. white talc filled clays are almost
impossible to throw well. porcelain is sticky. it also falls down.
if you are going to do production throwing...add sand and grog...just
a bit. age your clay. covet stinky clay.
ask folks what clay throws the best. take advice. if you have
trouble with your throwing...look first at the clay.
i would not spend one day with a bad clay. ick.
waste of time.
be firm about that. get the clay you like, love...the one
that works best for you. then build a small group of glazes
that works well with that clay. fire it to one cone...do not do
broad range. if it is a cone 6 body, throws well. then do just that.
remember jt abernathy is not a big guy. he is/was strong.
had his wheel head on the floor. he would throw six foot high
pots. simple as can be. he would let his pug mill run onto the
wheel head. beat it into the center with a canoe paddle.
he understood great clay, perfect temperature, great aging systems.
well pugged. he knew it all.
if he was your teacher, he would not let you do dumb things.
you did things his way.
i admire that.
every high school student that went through my program could
do any college semester assignment in one hour. i always
advised them to play dumb. take the first semester and don't let
anyone know you can throw/understand clay. they may punish you if you are
too good.
lay back. see what things are like, test the water. it was very good
advice for many. they got their A+ and the teacher thought they
had really been teaching that kid. it was always the hump throwing
that would blow their cover. you know. hump throw a set of 15 mugs
in twenty minutes. and you are a freshman, using that little japanese
string. and it is a girl, 5' 1"/86 pounds and can throw a 24 inch platter.
sarah who worked with me this summer was hump throwing chinese
tea bowls the third day. we would sit together, make 50 each.
two hours. trim them the next day.
she was doing big pots and platters in about 10 days. very strong
girl...bright and eager to learn. the best kind. third generation/
strong women, bright, potters/artists all three. sarah will be just
as good as the other two.
she could plant that left elbow against her leg...push 40 pounds
into the center in minutes. we would see who could push the wheel
across the room with a left leg push. try it. i have my wheel bolted
to the floor. i can push a brent model C three feet with a ball of
clay on it. just the left leg...pushing through the arm/hand.
the wheel head goes one way. (most of them.)
so, the left hand/back pad/from hand to elbow. hooked to your
inside thigh. pressure in. right hand just holds down the ball.
flat on top is fine. push the leg. center.
any size. it works.
so, enough.
it is basic logic. think about it.
mel
i love the analogy of shooting a gun. it is all in the breathing.
no one ever wants to hear that. breathing? it is all about aiming.
not. breathing. tom turner can shoot the eye out of a termite
at 500 yards. breathing. (and great shells/bullets) he makes
his own. that makes me smile.
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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