David Hendley on fri 4 mar 05
Oh jeez, I just realized that I have possibly been insulting gas-firing
potters by using my wood-fired kiln to produce a rainbow of
copper reds, rutile blues, teal greens.
I admit it: if a real gas-firer looked me in the eye, I wouldn't know
the first thing about orifice size, gas pressure, or the price of fuel.
Just call me a faker.
Do I need to find a genuine gas-firer, tag along, and help fire
the kiln a dozen times for legitimacy? Or must I straighten up and
start making shino and unglazed pots for my wood kiln?
As we say in Texas, I must be all hat and no cattle.........
David Hendley
I don't know nothin' but the blues, cobalt that is.
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
P.S. - there are too many Davids here: it's Dick Lehman.
----- Original Message -----
>
> "the look" and why? The posts on this question have been varied and
> brought several perspectives into focus. Where is one coming from in
> going
> after this " look"? The post referring to David Lehman's article was
> especially apro.
>
> As I remember that article, David qualified his need and desire to search
> for the wood fired "look" and his explorations led him to a new aesthetic
> for a gas fireing process. Good honest inquiry and results with due
> homage
> to his inspiration.
>
> However its the fakers for fake sake that I'm uncomfortable with. folks
> not
> hungry for process, experience or supporting knowledge but immediate
> results
> gratification.
>
> After going on near thirty years of exploration and devotion to wood fire,
> I
> find here some seed of insult, kept in patient perspective in the face of
> possible ignorance, mine and other's, that much is ignored and tramlped
> here, and no service of value is being offered to the faker and certainly
> not the faked. will you tell your customer it's a fake? how will you feel
> when a real wood firer looks you in the eye and you can't hold up your end
> of the conversation. I think one insults many fine people and a
> medium
> of expression that epitomizes the surrender to the muse, something
> palpably
> far beyond the "look".
snip
>
> It's fine that you have an interest in wood fired work, welcome, but if
> that interest is genuine go find a wood firer, plead to tag along and
> apply
> slips and glazes formulated through years of research and testing for wood
> fire, help cut and haul the wood.
> Out here in Arizona we have real cowboys and fake ones, you can take it to
> the bank that the real cowboys recognize each other. nuf'said, padnuhs?
> David Woof
David Woof on fri 4 mar 05
"the look" and why? The posts on this question have been varied and
brought several perspectives into focus. Where is one coming from in going
after this " look"? The post referring to David Lehman's article was
especially apro.
As I remember that article, David qualified his need and desire to search
for the wood fired "look" and his explorations led him to a new aesthetic
for a gas fireing process. Good honest inquiry and results with due homage
to his inspiration.
However its the fakers for fake sake that I'm uncomfortable with. folks not
hungry for process, experience or supporting knowledge but immediate results
gratification.
After going on near thirty years of exploration and devotion to wood fire, I
find here some seed of insult, kept in patient perspective in the face of
possible ignorance, mine and other's, that much is ignored and tramlped
here, and no service of value is being offered to the faker and certainly
not the faked. will you tell your customer it's a fake? how will you feel
when a real wood firer looks you in the eye and you can't hold up your end
of the conversation. I think one insults many fine people and a medium
of expression that epitomizes the surrender to the muse, something palpably
far beyond the "look".
It's fine that you have an interest in wood fired work, welcome, but if
that interest is genuine go find a wood firer, plead to tag along and apply
slips and glazes formulated through years of research and testing for wood
fire, help cut and haul the wood.
while it dries, learn something about the chemistry and physical substance
of the different woods and the interaction between each and the differing
clay bodies and their components when the elements in the wood volatilize
and are carried to the pots by an active stream of heat and flame 2500 f .
then attend all the shifts you can stay awake for during the
fireing..........and after a dozen fireings or so, maybe, maybe then you
will come to a rudimentary comprehension of the "woodfired look" and be
moved to buy a luscious, wet, mouth watering piece of ashed, flashed,flame
and fire painted wood fired magic. Perhaps a cup that you bring to your
lips with all the reverence of a lover placeing your hands in expectation of
joy.
doing this should help clarify your interest in duplicating this in your gas
kiln?
I believe we can get into the sterility of the technical aspects of a medium
so far that art has no space in which to happen. I believe that we don't
make art, we can only set up conditions within ourselves and the physical
space around us where it may happen. so also in the kiln and attending
activities.
Example; placement of the pots in relationship to each other and the
anticipated flame pathways is cruitial and an experienced woodfire'er can
read the stacking like a chess player reads many moves and alternate
senerios ahead and still we both are aware there will be the unexpected
blessing and the maladiction.
Out here in Arizona we have real cowboys and fake ones, you can take it to
the bank that the real cowboys recognize each other. nuf'said, padnuhs?
David Woof
Think mystery not mastery
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