JoyceLee on wed 30 mar 05
Thanks, Mr. Mayor, for the assignment
given to me over a year ago and seconded
by Dannon
... and to
Primal for keeping the energy going. I'm
finding that all the avowals about
making many of a specific form are truer
than I'd thought..... and I've taught the
value of repetition many times.... foreign
language, typing, piano etc..... still,
once again, I'm re-learning an old lesson.
This particular lesson began at least as
early as learning math facts and continued
regularly through psychocybernetics, as
applied to How To Study, in higher education.
The teapot form itself has now become fun! I
can't wait to apply my moves to progressively
larger teapots... beginning soon with a
dozen or so one-cuppers and then a hundred
or more two or four cuppers. Odd to be
excited about a concept I've believed in
for it seems like forever. I also find
it just as true, as stated by many gurus,
that making A Lot of something takes away
some of the mystique so I'm less apt to
overwork the whole teeny pot (yes, it is
possible to do that even on the teeniest)
and am much more willing to scrap it or
to save it and See What Happens.
However, except for continuing with bowls
of all sizes and starting Tony's Macho
Pots very soon..... the teapots are
resulting in my canceling shows, even
forfeiting my booth fees (Gad! that hurts!)
since I
don't want to spend time making things
that I may know will sell, but don't
appeal to
me right now.
Good thing I'm
a dabbler .... albeit a Dedicated Dabbler....
but one who has earned her livlihood in
other venues, and can now incredibly live
on those efforts, with finances accrued
over many decades of Dedicated Other Stuff.
Always figured I'd have to work for others
forever.... glad to find that's not the
case. Do I feel guilty? Not a whit.
Do I wish I'd discovered clay waaayyy
earlier? Yes. Am I glad that I don't
have
to live on the proceeds of my clay work?
Yes. Do I admire those who have managed
to do so... especially those Potter Couples
who inspire us all? Yes, yes, yes. Will
I undersell the True Pros? No. I learned
that lesson with my first show. I may
give pots away, but I'll not underprice
the going rates for our area. Clayart
taught that lesson well, and I thank you
for it. Besides, I'll never be a
Warren Mac.
Joyce
In the Mojave where the wind is moaning
and soughing as darkness nears,
seemingly struggling to
join us inside our snug desert
house. Eerie? Oh, yes. But
something compellingly familiar, also.
Maybe I'll settle down with a glass
of the red stuff in front of the tube....
Wednesdays? What's on, anyhow... IF our
rooftop satellite dish survives this round...
Whoops! There goes another row of roofing.
Sounds as if some fearsome being is
running across the roof pushing a heavy-
duty wheelbarrow... pausing to sail a
few to the ground now&then as it
grinds its teeth into the wind.... it does...
sounds just like that..... Mojo is
keeping very close....
>
>
>
Vince Pitelka on wed 30 mar 05
There are a few people I want to thank, and I'd like to do it here on
Clayart, since they are some of my dear Clayart friends. To assist me in
the healing process (my broken leg), Gayle Bair sent me a beautiful
sgrafitto bowl, one of the first from the kiln in her new "winter studio" in
Tucson. Don Goodrich sent me a wonderful CD of NCECA pictures, showing a
vast number of beautiful pots, and a good selection of images from the
Clayart room. Don has known me for a long time, and he knows what I like.
Included in the CD were a images of the American Visionary Museum, images of
a bunch of beautiful old brick factory buildings, and also images of lock
machinery at the American Canal Museum (I assume that this was along the
C&O?). And dear Kelly Primalmommy Sovino sent me a great little care
package with an exquisite tiny teapots, several buttons featuring images of
my inlaid colored clay cruets, and a bag of salt licorice (people eat that
stuff?).
At any rate, people have been so generous and helpful, and I love you all.
- 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/
| |
|
