Vince Pitelka on mon 21 mar 05
> As usual, I had a good time at the NCECA conference. I'm sorry if my
> posting to Clayart yesterday sounded negative - it was just irritating
> to me for someone who was not there to be telling us how great NCECA
> Conferences are, when this year there were obviously many problems
> and things that did not run smoothly. In fairness, Vince was responding
> to another person who also was not even there. How silly is that.
David -
This is getting old. I care very deeply about both NCECA and Clayart, and
as I said, I have been to the last 10 conferences until this year. I was so
sorry to miss Baltimore, for the conference it self, and for the chance to
see you and all my other Clayart friends. My own post was in response to a
number of messages that presented a generally whiny negative attitude about
the conference. It was pretty pathetic. I didn't need to be at the
conference to respond to that, so let's quit this "You weren't there" crap.
The fact that I wasn't there is irrelevant, and it's a little silly to keep
harping on it.
- 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/
David Hendley on mon 21 mar 05
As usual, I had a good time at the NCECA conference. I'm sorry if my
posting to Clayart yesterday sounded negative - it was just irritating
to me for someone who was not there to be telling us how great NCECA
Conferences are, when this year there were obviously many problems
and things that did not run smoothly. In fairness, Vince was responding
to another person who also was not even there. How silly is that.
This "review" of the conference is really just my personal report and
has nothing to do with the shows and programs, because as much as
I like clay and pots, it is still the people who are the most important
and fun part of a conference. Each year, my most enjoyable times
are meeting in person Clayart friends whose names I have seen and
messages I have read for years.
Topping the list this year are two long-distance Clayarters, Alissia from
Denmark and Jacqui from Wales. I'm so glad you made the supreme
effort to attend. I never cease to be surprised when I meet new
Clayarters. It makes no sense, but I can't help but form a visual image
for Clayart posters, and then I invariably find my image far from the
reality. Jonathan from DC, I thought you were younger, heavier, and
had black hair. David Buemee, I thought you were older and had gray
hair! Snail Scott is actually short, and I thought she would be tall!
I pretty much struck out all around as far as matching my pre-conceived
ideas about appearance. Of course, none of this really matters, it's
just funny.
In spite of my best efforts to keep this from happening, I don't know
who got my mug in the mug exchange, and I never found the person
who's piece I picked. This makes 2 years in a row that I have not
met the maker of my mug. This is very disappointing, and the reason
why I have tried to strictly enforce the mug exchange rule that you
must be present for the exchange.
In spite of that, the exchange went smoothly and was completed
quickly. I'm so sorry I forgot the real tickets in my hotel room - we
had to quickly cut some index cards and write "ticket" on them, but it
worked out fine (Mel got a special ticket - it said "Rid-A-Ticket").
My long-time NCECA roommate, John Elder, and I stayed in a room
several miles from the convention center. In January, I looked at the
Baltimore map, followed the Metro subway line, and booked a room
at a Ramada Inn close to a subway stop. It was somewhat inconvenient,
but at $55 a night for a nice room, we saved a ton of money for more
rounds of drinks and good food in the evening. I got to go out with many
of my favorite people, including Kelly, Mel, Tony, Dannon, as well
as the entire Clay Times group and the gypsy/belly-dancer/pirate crowd.
I hope some Clayart people will send in proposals for the program
for next year's conference. They make it kind of difficult to do - they
require 5 copies of everything, so if you are proposing a panel of 3
with a moderator, before you know it you will have spent many hours,
$10 at the copy machine, and $5 to mail them 5 pounds of paper, slides,
and other material.
It is already too late to propose an exhibition for next year.
For those Potters Council members who missed our meeting early
Friday morning, the word for this year is Regional Conferences. We hope
to start scheduling many more, so if you have any ideas for topics,
locations, or presenters, let us know. Potters Council is holding steady
with about 2600 members, and after running in the red for a few years
while it was getting started, now pays its own way.
It was great to see and visit with all of you.
David Hendley
I don't know nothin' but the blues, cobalt that is.
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
Laurie on tue 22 mar 05
On Mar 21, 2005, at 1:10 PM, David Hendley wrote:
> Each year, my most enjoyable times
> are meeting in person Clayart friends whose names I have seen and
> messages I have read for years.
That was one of the great things about meeting so many Clayarters at
the Mendocino workshop - now whenever I read your posts I can hear you
all speaking the words and I can see your faces.
It's really cool that way!
Hope to see many of you in Portland next year or any workshops that may
happen between now and then. And may see some of you at CCACA in Davis.
I will be with the Cosumnes River College contingent.
Laurie
Sacramento, CA
http://rockyraku.com
Potters Council, charter member
Sacramento Potters Group, member
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