Lili Krakowski on mon 7 mar 05
I refuse to pay $200 or more to get stomped and insulted. That is why =
I do not enter shows!
A student, however, also does not pay $200 to get stomped on and =
insulted. Whether she is or not depends on the teacher.
Unfortunately the First Amendment, bless it, defend it, is interpreted =
by many NOT as anyone having the right to talk nonsense, but as every =
expression, nonsense or not, having equal value, since, after all, it is =
protected expression. As someone once told me:"I disagree totally with =
your stupid opinion, but will defend to the death your right to it!"
If anyone teaches craft seriously--(and I have always warned students I =
am not an entertainer, but a potter, and several on the list know that =
from experience) --that clay is what I have spent my life on, and it is =
not trivia. OF COURSE students should be taught from the get go that =
MOST pots go into the recycle bucket; that only the best are kept--by =
student, by pro. It is like breeding dogs--if you want to maintain the =
quality and integrity of a breed, you neuter the pups that do not come =
up to standard, and keep only the "best" as breeding stock.
The first thing a student should learn is respect for the craft. The =
other day someone spoke of our standing on Leach's shoulders. I would =
not muddy his tweeds that way, but we ALL walk in the steps, follow the =
Path of our teachers. Students should learn humility before a craft so =
simple, so direct, so old....
It is tragic--and no, this is not hyperbole--that colleges (among other =
institutions) no longer teach reverence for craft. Nor for art. Kids =
come out of school--be it elementary, high, college--unable to write or =
parse sentences. They learn a second language--cannot read, write, or =
speak it. Etc. The high critical/self-critical criteria are kept to =
the sports arena. Oy! If someone on the basketball team played as =
badly as he writes!
I think pottery students should learn that the one who takes home the =
fewest pots is the "winner." That the one with the courage to discard =
bad pots and persevere to the better or best, is like someone getting =
out of bad relationships on the way to Mr/Ms Right. That who cares =
about pleasing a teacher? What will you go on to, pleasing a jury? You =
have to develop a space within yourself where you both seek and =
find....To learn that is easily worth $200--whether glazed brown or =
black or not.
P.S. I know one should not pun in languages one does not speak...But =
the first time I heard that word, oh so long ago I heard it as ten =
Mokus....At the time I was making Advent tureens....
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
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