Vince Pitelka on sun 30 jan 05
> no class assignment (we're all too old for grades), it was a discussion. I
> was not familiar with Robert Arneson, but liked what I found on the
> Internet. Each one of them impacted ceramics in a different way, I guess I
> was looking to tie it together.
> I looked it up on the internet because I knew a
> little about them except Arneson and as I wrote earlier they all seem to
> lead back to Bernard Leach. It is/was an interesting topic.
Karin -
Just a few things that connect them together - I suppose you could trace
some connection back to Leach, but for all his importance, he was hardly a
major determining factor in any of these artists. He did travel with Hamada
and introduced European and American audiences to Japanese Mingei ceramics,
but the more significant influence between the two it was Hamada's influence
on Leach. In Japan, Hamada was of course one of the first to simply decide
to become a potter, instead if accepting an ongoing family line, and along
with Soetsu Yanagi and Kanjiro Kawai he was influential in the emergence of
the Mingei movement. He traveled around the US with Leach in the 50s, and
they visited Montana, and certainly had an impact on Voulkos and Autio.
Voulkos was making nice functional pots at the time, and won some prizes
that attracted national attention. He was invited to teach a summer session
at Black Mountain College in NC, a enclave of the New York Avant Garde.
After that he traveled to NYC and discovered Abstract Expressionism. That
was a far more important turning point in his work and his career.
In the late 50s Voulkos was hired to set up the ceramics program at Otis Art
Institute in LA, and the West Coast was ripe for artistic revolution.
Soldner was one of his early students (along with John Mason, Jerry Rothman,
Michael Frimkiss, Ken Price, Ron Nagle, Henry Takamoto - yeah, they're all
men, but my god, what a lineup). Voulkos was the primary catalyst in the
great West Coast clay revolution, where anything was possible. That was
part of what inspired Arneson to invent California Funk at UC Davis.
Arneson and Voulkos may well be the two most important American ceramic
sculptors of 20th century, and some critics believe that Arneson will
eventually be recognized as one of the most important figurative artists of
the 20th century in any medium.
This is a very short synopsis of an incredible period and an amazing group
of artists.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Karin Hurt on sun 30 jan 05
impact ceramics in the Western world?
Karin Hurt =20
Arizona
Bruce Girrell on sun 30 jan 05
>impact ceramics in the Western world?
Ummmm.....
When is your assignment due?
Bruce "something seems fishy here" Girrell
dannon rhudy on sun 30 jan 05
/Karin asked:
How did Voulkos, Soldner, Arneson, Hamada
impact ceramics in the Western world?
Well, ummmmmm, they had, individually and jointly,
considerable impact. Is this a rhetorical question, or
what? It sounds like the last question on the written quiz
for the end-of-term, first or second semester. There's
no really short or even concise answer to it. Each had a
different, but powerful, influence.
There is a ton of information on each of them in libraries,
old CM articles, Studio Potter articles, etc.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
____________________________________________________________________________
__
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Vince Pitelka on sun 30 jan 05
Karen wrote:
"How did Voulkos, Soldner, Arneson, and Hamada impact ceramics in the
Western world?"
The answer is "All of them impaced Western ceramics In a profound and
enduring way." If you want more of an answer than that, then you must be
much more specific, and perhaps address them one at a time, because even a
fairly brief answer to the above question could fill a book.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Karin Hurt on sun 30 jan 05
no assignment, we talked about it in pottery class which I as a 64 year old
student am taking as Enrichment.
What I know is that it all goes back to Bernard Leach.
Karin
www.laughingbearpottery.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce Girrell"
To:
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2005 3:33 PM
Subject: Re: How did Voulkos, Soldner, Arneson and Hamada
> >impact ceramics in the Western world?
>
> Ummmm.....
>
> When is your assignment due?
>
> Bruce "something seems fishy here" Girrell
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Karin Hurt on sun 30 jan 05
thanks Vince, it came up in a class . discussion at our community college
where I've been taking classes for years (as Enrichment) to have access to
gas firing and glazes. I looked it up on the internet because I knew a
little about them except Arneson and as I wrote earlier they all seem to
lead back to Bernard Leach. It is/was an interesting topic.
Karin in Arizona
www.laughingbearpottery.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Vince Pitelka"
To:
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2005 5:51 PM
Subject: Re: How did Voulkos, Soldner, Arneson and Hamada
> Karen wrote:
> "How did Voulkos, Soldner, Arneson, and Hamada impact ceramics in the
> Western world?"
>
> The answer is "All of them impaced Western ceramics In a profound and
> enduring way." If you want more of an answer than that, then you must be
> much more specific, and perhaps address them one at a time, because even a
> fairly brief answer to the above question could fill a book.
> Best wishes -
> - Vince
>
> Vince Pitelka
> Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
> Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
> vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
> http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
> http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Karin Hurt on sun 30 jan 05
Hi Dannon,
no class assignment (we're all too old for grades), it was a discussion. I
was not familiar with Robert Arneson, but liked what I found on the
Internet. Each one of them impacted ceramics in a different way, I guess I
was looking to tie it together.
Thanks,
Karin
in Arizona
www.laughingbearpottery.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "dannon rhudy"
To:
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2005 4:25 PM
Subject: Re: How did Voulkos, Soldner, Arneson and Hamada
> /Karin asked:
> How did Voulkos, Soldner, Arneson, Hamada
>
> impact ceramics in the Western world?
>
> Well, ummmmmm, they had, individually and jointly,
> considerable impact. Is this a rhetorical question, or
> what? It sounds like the last question on the written quiz
> for the end-of-term, first or second semester. There's
> no really short or even concise answer to it. Each had a
> different, but powerful, influence.
>
> There is a ton of information on each of them in libraries,
> old CM articles, Studio Potter articles, etc.
>
> regards
>
> Dannon Rhudy
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
> __
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Vince Pitelka on mon 31 jan 05
> See you can learn something new every day, I didn't know about throwing
> minus pants.
Karin -
You live in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and you didn't know about throwing
minus pants? How do you get by?
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Karin Hurt on mon 31 jan 05
Thank you Vince for enlightening me.
Warm Regards,
Karin Hurt
www.laughingbearpottery.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Vince Pitelka"
To:
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2005 9:11 PM
Subject: Re: How did Voulkos, Soldner, Arneson and Hamada
> > no class assignment (we're all too old for grades), it was a discussion.
I
> > was not familiar with Robert Arneson, but liked what I found on the
> > Internet. Each one of them impacted ceramics in a different way, I guess
I
> > was looking to tie it together.
> > I looked it up on the internet because I knew a
> > little about them except Arneson and as I wrote earlier they all seem to
> > lead back to Bernard Leach. It is/was an interesting topic.
>
>
> Karin -
> Just a few things that connect them together - I suppose you could trace
> some connection back to Leach, but for all his importance, he was hardly a
> major determining factor in any of these artists. He did travel with
Hamada
> and introduced European and American audiences to Japanese Mingei
ceramics,
> but the more significant influence between the two it was Hamada's
influence
> on Leach. In Japan, Hamada was of course one of the first to simply
decide
> to become a potter, instead if accepting an ongoing family line, and along
> with Soetsu Yanagi and Kanjiro Kawai he was influential in the emergence
of
> the Mingei movement. He traveled around the US with Leach in the 50s, and
> they visited Montana, and certainly had an impact on Voulkos and Autio.
>
> Voulkos was making nice functional pots at the time, and won some prizes
> that attracted national attention. He was invited to teach a summer
session
> at Black Mountain College in NC, a enclave of the New York Avant Garde.
> After that he traveled to NYC and discovered Abstract Expressionism. That
> was a far more important turning point in his work and his career.
>
> In the late 50s Voulkos was hired to set up the ceramics program at Otis
Art
> Institute in LA, and the West Coast was ripe for artistic revolution.
> Soldner was one of his early students (along with John Mason, Jerry
Rothman,
> Michael Frimkiss, Ken Price, Ron Nagle, Henry Takamoto - yeah, they're all
> men, but my god, what a lineup). Voulkos was the primary catalyst in the
> great West Coast clay revolution, where anything was possible. That was
> part of what inspired Arneson to invent California Funk at UC Davis.
> Arneson and Voulkos may well be the two most important American ceramic
> sculptors of 20th century, and some critics believe that Arneson will
> eventually be recognized as one of the most important figurative artists
of
> the 20th century in any medium.
>
> This is a very short synopsis of an incredible period and an amazing group
> of artists.
> - Vince
>
> Vince Pitelka
> Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
> Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
> vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
> http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
> http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Stephen on mon 31 jan 05
Like everyone has indicated this requires much to fully answer. I could not
resist making a brief reply, not to stir the pot but to make a few
observations among many. All but Arneson have/had at least some esternising
influnce in their own work and upon western ceramics as a whole. The same
might be said also about Arneson but more from the standpoint of rejecting
and standing against this easternizing influence in western ceramics. I
remember reading a quote of his stressing this fact and allying himself
with Roman inpulses in western art. I took this to be indicative of his
veiws. It could be said about Hamada that the influence is the reverse.
Leach and Hamada are still strongly conected to the impulses coming out of
the 19th century and the various world craft movements, greatly important
as a counter balance to earlier influences coming from the east in the form
of comercial "art" ceramics. This aspect alone could fill several books.
Leach's book was a first of its kind for what ever might be its flaws or
prejudices it is still and worthy text for both its philosophy/esthetics
and its usefulness in the studio, especially for functional potters but
also for any artist seeking a disciplined aproach.
Concerning Volkos, I have an anecdote that I will share that comes
from his sister whom I met once. She had several of his early works of
beautifully refined but vigorous functional works scattered around her
house (none of the later works however). She said, if I remember correctly
that the dramatic change and dirrection that Volkos took had something to
do with his mother, who admonished him to become an artist, not what she
deemed a meer craftsman. If this is inaccurate out of context, then I
apologise, but it may give some further perhaps more mundane explaination
to the change in his work.
Getting back to the effects on western ceramics, I want to make one
more observation. Volkos ,whom it can be argued, did for ceramics what
Pollock did for painting. Even though outwardly Abstract expressionism (a
misnomer in some ways) is basically, atleast, a western movement, it can be
argued that it has its roots in the influence that eastern art had on
western art in the 19th and 20th centuries especially painting. I could
trace this and back it up but that is also another book.
Kate Johnson on mon 31 jan 05
Vince, all--
> Voulkos was making nice functional pots at the time, and won some prizes
> that attracted national attention. He was invited to teach a summer
> session
> at Black Mountain College in NC, a enclave of the New York Avant Garde.
> After that he traveled to NYC and discovered Abstract Expressionism. That
> was a far more important turning point in his work and his career.
>
> In the late 50s Voulkos was hired to set up the ceramics program at Otis
> Art
> Institute in LA, and the West Coast was ripe for artistic revolution.
> Soldner was one of his early students (along with John Mason, Jerry
> Rothman,
> Michael Frimkiss, Ken Price, Ron Nagle, Henry Takamoto - yeah, they're all
> men, but my god, what a lineup). Voulkos was the primary catalyst in the
> great West Coast clay revolution, where anything was possible.
Is there any kind of online retrospective of Voulkos' work? I'd love to see
the transition here, in part because of the timing. Shortly before I met my
husband he was living in LA, working (when he could) as a jazz musician,
and hung out with Voulkos, among other artists--that would have been in the
late 50s and very early 60s. He used to tell me that Peter offered to give
him a pot once, a large one, apparently, and my husband, then known in jazz
circles as "Sleepy" Johnson, refused it. "No, man, I'd just lose it
somewhere...thanks, though."
He would have, too. He used to use one of Peter's pots as an
ashtray...Voulkos just laughed, he said.
Life IS strange, isn't it...?
Regards,
Kate Johnson
Graphics/Fine Arts
http://www.cathyjohnson.info/
http://www.epsi.net/graphic/
http://www.ebsqart.com/Artists/cmd_1494_profile.htm
Karin Hurt on mon 31 jan 05
Kathy,
try this site:
http://www.voulkos.com/suprplatejpg.html
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kate Johnson"
To:
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 11:39 AM
Subject: Re: How did Voulkos, Soldner, Arneson and Hamada
> Vince, all--
>
> > Voulkos was making nice functional pots at the time, and won some prizes
> > that attracted national attention. He was invited to teach a summer
> > session
> > at Black Mountain College in NC, a enclave of the New York Avant Garde.
> > After that he traveled to NYC and discovered Abstract Expressionism.
That
> > was a far more important turning point in his work and his career.
> >
> > In the late 50s Voulkos was hired to set up the ceramics program at Otis
> > Art
> > Institute in LA, and the West Coast was ripe for artistic revolution.
> > Soldner was one of his early students (along with John Mason, Jerry
> > Rothman,
> > Michael Frimkiss, Ken Price, Ron Nagle, Henry Takamoto - yeah, they're
all
> > men, but my god, what a lineup). Voulkos was the primary catalyst in
the
> > great West Coast clay revolution, where anything was possible.
>
> Is there any kind of online retrospective of Voulkos' work? I'd love to
see
> the transition here, in part because of the timing. Shortly before I met
my
> husband he was living in LA, working (when he could) as a jazz
musician,
> and hung out with Voulkos, among other artists--that would have been in
the
> late 50s and very early 60s. He used to tell me that Peter offered to
give
> him a pot once, a large one, apparently, and my husband, then known in
jazz
> circles as "Sleepy" Johnson, refused it. "No, man, I'd just lose it
> somewhere...thanks, though."
>
> He would have, too. He used to use one of Peter's pots as an
> ashtray...Voulkos just laughed, he said.
>
> Life IS strange, isn't it...?
>
> Regards,
> Kate Johnson
> Graphics/Fine Arts
> http://www.cathyjohnson.info/
> http://www.epsi.net/graphic/
> http://www.ebsqart.com/Artists/cmd_1494_profile.htm
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Kate Johnson on mon 31 jan 05
> Kathy,
>
> try this site:
>
> http://www.voulkos.com/suprplatejpg.html
Thank you, Karin, great stuff! But all this appears to be from the later
period--I'm interested in that changeover, the transitional period between
the early very fuctional work to more fine art--I didn't find anything on
that site dated earlier than 1980 and I'm more curious about the 50s and
60s...
Books on Voulkos that I might request from the library?
Best--
Kate
Karin Hurt on mon 31 jan 05
Hi Kathy, I found this site where you can see some of his work.
http://www.universityartgallery.ucsd.edu/Pages/rebels.html
and this book:
Book- Peter Voulkos Pottery Book HBDJ 1978 1st Ed Rose Slivka
Peter Voulkos - A Dialogue with Clay, by Rose Slivka. Published by New York
Graphic Society in association with the American Crafts Council 1978. This
is a first edition. Includes: 24 color plates, 84 black & white plates, a
taped conversation, selected bibliography, and excerpt from "The New Ceramic
Presence" Craft Horizons, 1961. This is a hard back book with dust jacket.
12.25" x 9.25"
"Until the late 1950's, pottery was pretty nuch what it had been for
thousands of years... Then along came Peter Voulkos. Gouging, slashing,
stacking his forms, working on a monumental scale, he created a revolution
in clay and became the first of a new breed of artists who cross all lines
between art and craft. This is the first book on this dynamic innovator. The
author... writes out of a close... friendship with the artist. In her
lively, intimate text, she projects a sense of Voulkos's vital personality,
of his life-style, and of the energies that lie behind the work...
Discussions of Voulkos's technique and precise detail on materials will be
of great interest to casual or serious potters. The descriptions of the
artist at work at one of his famous demonstrations will make the reader feel
like an eyewitness. And the author's sensitive analysis of the nature of the
work makes the book a valuable contribution to the general literature on art
and crafts."
Dust jacket is curled somewhat at top edges, worn/torn slightly at top and
bottom of spine edges, and has a wrinkle at top right front. Very light
water stain on bottom right corner of dust jacket and also in a straight
line on wheat colored boards top right side front and top left side back. In
very good condition otherwise. We made our living as studio potters from
1973 until 1987. We purchased this book new. It has been in our collection
since 1978. Check our other auctions this week and bookmark us for future
reference as we will be listing some other vintage pottery books as well as
pottery by some well known studio potters.
www.laughingbearpottery.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kate Johnson"
To:
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 1:41 PM
Subject: Re: How did Voulkos, Soldner, Arneson and Hamada
> > Kathy,
> >
> > try this site:
> >
> > http://www.voulkos.com/suprplatejpg.html
>
> Thank you, Karin, great stuff! But all this appears to be from the later
> period--I'm interested in that changeover, the transitional period between
> the early very fuctional work to more fine art--I didn't find anything on
> that site dated earlier than 1980 and I'm more curious about the 50s and
> 60s...
>
> Books on Voulkos that I might request from the library?
>
> Best--
> Kate
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Steve Slatin on mon 31 jan 05
Let us never forget the contribution Soldner made in
the field of making pottery and sculpture without
pants. Were it not for Soldner's pioneering efforts,
many of us would be clothed while throwing today.
Now *that's* a contribution.
=====
Steve Slatin -- No one, having once come to the attention of the authorities, is ever thereafter truly forgotten.
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
All your favorites on one personal page – Try My Yahoo!
http://my.yahoo.com
Karin Hurt on mon 31 jan 05
See you can learn something new every day, I didn't know about throwing
minus pants.
Karin
www.laughingbearpottery.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Slatin"
To:
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 5:47 PM
Subject: Re: How did Voulkos, Soldner, Arneson and Hamada
> Let us never forget the contribution Soldner made in
> the field of making pottery and sculpture without
> pants. Were it not for Soldner's pioneering efforts,
> many of us would be clothed while throwing today.
>
> Now *that's* a contribution.
>
> =====
> Steve Slatin -- No one, having once come to the attention of the
authorities, is ever thereafter truly forgotten.
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> All your favorites on one personal page - Try My Yahoo!
> http://my.yahoo.com
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Karin Hurt on mon 31 jan 05
thank you, there is a new name for me, it's been and continues to be very
interesting. Out of one class discussion comes so much new information.
Karin
www.laughingbearpottery.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lee Love"
To:
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 5:45 PM
Subject: Re: How did Voulkos, Soldner, Arneson and Hamada
> Lee Love wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Tomimoto preceded Hamada too. I think Tomimoto, who was
> > Leach's original partner in clay, is not as recognized as his work
> > deserves. One of the interesting things to think about, is that
> > what Hamada did in Mashiko was new. He brought ideas with him from
> > Korea, Okinawa, other parts of Japan and of course England. He made
> > forms that were never made here before and used old techniques in
> > novel ways.
>
> I just wanted to add, that Tomimoto spend time in Europe
> before he started work in pottery in Japan, so he was influenced by what
> he saw there. Also, because of his English, we was able to translate
> what the teacher said for Leach.
>
> You can see Tomimotos wok here: http://tinyurl.com/4gomj
>
> Read about him here: http://tinyurl.com/3luvx
>
> William Morris once said, that: /"if you want a golden rule that will
> fit everything, this is it -- have nothing in your houses that you do
> not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."/
>
> --
> +ee in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
> http://www.livejournal.com/users/togeika/ WEB LOG
> http://public.fotki.com/togeika/ Photos!
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Ivor and Olive Lewis on tue 1 feb 05
Dear Kathy,
Though some readers may disagree with me, I think the Hallmark of
these people is that they dared to be different in a society which
survives because established rules and imposed uniformity are accepted
by the general population.
I think each of your examples established their own pathway to glory
Best regards,
Ivor Lewis.
Redhill,
S. Australia.
Karin Hurt on tue 1 feb 05
Vince,
I guess keep a few clothes on, but when the temperature reaches 120 this
year, I'm going to try it myself :-)
Karin
www.laughingbearpottery.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Vince Pitelka"
To:
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 8:35 PM
Subject: Re: How did Voulkos, Soldner, Arneson and Hamada
> > See you can learn something new every day, I didn't know about throwing
> > minus pants.
>
> Karin -
> You live in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and you didn't know about throwing
> minus pants? How do you get by?
> - Vince
>
> Vince Pitelka
> Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
> Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
> vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
> http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
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Lee Love on tue 1 feb 05
Vince Pitelka wrote:
>
> major determining factor in any of these artists. He did travel with
> Hamada
> and introduced European and American audiences to Japanese Mingei
> ceramics,
> but the more significant influence between the two it was Hamada's
> influence
> on Leach. In Japan, Hamada was of course one of the first to simply
> decide
> to become a potter, instead if accepting an ongoing family line, and
> along
> with Soetsu Yanagi and Kanjiro Kawai he was influential in the
> emergence of
> the Mingei movement. He traveled around the US with Leach in the 50s,
> and
> they visited Montana, and certainly had an impact on Voulkos and Autio.
Here, they say Itaya Hazan, Hamada's first mentor, was
the first Studio Potter in Japan. At the Ibaraki Prefectural Ceramics
Museum, Hazan is the only potter who has a whole room to himself.
Potters like Hazan were influenced by the art pottery that was being
shown at the World's Fair. All these influences go back and forth.
It is ridiculous to try and say any studio tradition is pure. It came
out of the interaction of cultures and out of the beginning of our
present day Global culture.
You can see Hazan work here: *http://tinyurl.com/4h2vv
read about him here:
**http://tinyurl.com/6kcql*,
There is a new DVD/video about him: http://www.hazan.jp/html/top.html
Tomimoto preceded Hamada too. I think Tomimoto, who was
Leach's original partner in clay, is not as recognized as his work
deserves. One of the interesting things to think about, is that what
Hamada did in Mashiko was new. He brought ideas with him from Korea,
Okinawa, other parts of Japan and of course England. He made forms that
were never made here before and used old techniques in novel ways.
Last night I asked Jean what she thought the nearest
counterpart to Mashiko pottery was in America and she said,
"RedWing." That was exactly my thought too. Before Hamada, Mashiko
potters made crockery. Redwing continued to make pottery into the
1960s. It didn't stop production until after MacKenzie started working
in Stillwater.
--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
http://www.livejournal.com/users/togeika/ WEB LOG
http://public.fotki.com/togeika/ Photos!
Lee Love on tue 1 feb 05
Lee Love wrote:
>
>
> Tomimoto preceded Hamada too. I think Tomimoto, who was
> Leach's original partner in clay, is not as recognized as his work
> deserves. One of the interesting things to think about, is that
> what Hamada did in Mashiko was new. He brought ideas with him from
> Korea, Okinawa, other parts of Japan and of course England. He made
> forms that were never made here before and used old techniques in
> novel ways.
I just wanted to add, that Tomimoto spend time in Europe
before he started work in pottery in Japan, so he was influenced by what
he saw there. Also, because of his English, we was able to translate
what the teacher said for Leach.
You can see Tomimotos wok here: http://tinyurl.com/4gomj
Read about him here: http://tinyurl.com/3luvx
William Morris once said, that: /"if you want a golden rule that will
fit everything, this is it -- have nothing in your houses that you do
not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."/
--
+ee in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
http://www.livejournal.com/users/togeika/ WEB LOG
http://public.fotki.com/togeika/ Photos!
Lee Love on sun 6 feb 05
Stephen wrote:
>house (none of the later works however). She said, if I remember correctly
>that the dramatic change and dirrection that Volkos took had something to
>do with his mother, who admonished him to become an artist, not what she
>deemed a meer craftsman. If this is inaccurate out of context, then I
>apologise, but it may give some further perhaps more mundane explaination
>to the change in his work.
>
There are many relationships between Voulkos and Hamada, that we
don't recognize in the West, because we don't have a complete
understanding of Mingei and Hamada.
Here is a story I shared here a couple years ago:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'll end with a little story I heard Warren MacKenzie share last week
(spring of 2002)
during the panel discussion at the Mingeikan between MacKenzie, Sori
Yanagi and Tatsuo Shimaoka (In my own words, as best as I can remember.)
Shimaoka asked MacKenzie what kind of pots Volukos made before he met
Hamada.
MacKenzie said they were very tight and controlled pots (without a lot of
"feeling".) paint.>
Shimaoka said, that he understood that Hamada influenced Volukos' direction.
MacKenzie said, " At Archie Bray, Volukos asked Hamada to critique his work.
Hamada examined Volukos' work and only said one thing:
"You should let the clay work for you a little more."
Then MacKenzie said, "But Hamada could not have imagine how far Volukos
would
take this advice."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Voulkos saw in Hamada, that you could work in clay and be
an artist.
Below are some links with Voulkos and Autio speaking:
> >>>Then MacKenzie said, "But Hamada could not have imagine how far
> Voulkos would take this advice."<< ___________________________
>
> >I believe Hamada's perception of Voulko's work (bless their souls)
> >would not have changed had he critiqued his work at any stage.
>
> Hi Bruce.
>
> MacKenzie (who knew both) and Shimaoka (who knew Hamada well) would
> both disagree with you.
>
> There is much more feeling in Voulkos' post-Hamada work. Voulkos
> admitted to Hamada's important influence. You can read about it in the
> current edition of the Studio Potter. Voulkos realized in Hamada that
> you could be an artist potter. Before that time, he used his clay work
> to support his "real interest", oil painting. Hamada's influence
> should not be minimized.
>
> Of course, nobody was saying that Hamada's and Voulkos work were
> similar. Only that Voulkos' latter work had more feeling and paid
> attention to the nature of clay.
>
> The great story here is that as creative people, we don't have to copy
> the people we admire and we don't have to only like the kind of stuff
> that comes out of our own hands. The creative mind should be open,
> flexible and accepting.
>
> Some quotes:
>
> http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/arts/story/0,9848,669512,00.html
>
> "He (Voulkos) then set up a pottery at the Archie Bray Foundation in
> Helena, producing domestic wares to support his painting. He was
> visited there by the potters Bernard Leach, Shoji Hamada and the
> philosopher Soetsu Yanagi. Voulkos was impressed by Hamada's
> intuitive, material-led attitude to clay and began to explore it more
> freely. "
>
> Video of Rudy Autio speaking about Hamada's visit to America: (MPG
> file. 4.46MB Will take time to download) Some awesome shots of Hamada
> at the wheel. From the documentary: Revolutions of the Wheel:
>
> http://www.queensrow.org/Rudyclip.html
>
> Rudy Speaks some more:
>
> "Rudy Autio still remembers the impact the visit had on him: "To see
> this wonderful Japanese artist, Hamada, whose movements were so fluid
> and beautiful, opened my eyes to a vision of ceramics as art."
> http://www.sofaexpo.com/NY/catalog/bray.htm
>
> There is lots more on the web. But I'll let others have the joy of the
> hunt. ;^)
>
--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
http://potters.blogspot.com/ WEB LOG
http://public.fotki.com/togeika/ Photos!
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