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confusing contemporary studios with historical workshops - studio,

updated fri 17 feb 06

 

pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on thu 16 feb 06

Manufactory, and Manu of course, somewhere in it all...

Hi Taylor, Janet, Mel, all...



Yahhhhh...it is sad that the term 'Manufactory' is about extinct anymore.


Too, there is the term 'Manufactury' also, which, while attributed to
mis-spelling by some ( sorry, I day dreamed
through all my Grammar School English classes or I might know the right term
for
this kind of word, but, I believe it ) referes to the broader verb
designation of activity for the occupations of a
Manufactory , rather than to the physical place, which, is more or less, as
itself,
considered to be a noun.


I just checked several on-line Dictionaries and none of them had it...but
such is the present condition of out Language I s'pose.

Anyway, "Offices and Manufactory" is a phrase apprearing on my ( long since
ran out of, and needing to get more printed-up of ) Business-Callling Cards,
occuring with a colon after it,
before my Streeet Address, and, is also similarly on my Box Labels...

"Bison Studios", while of course being my various Workshop Rooms, or
'Studios', in which various Work things go on, is, per-force, also a
Manufactory, given that I produce various things continuously by-Hand, and
by-Hand with the welcome aid of various Machines.

The term 'Factory' (leaving Manu behind, or not admitted anyway, ) seems to
assume that the
involvement of the 'Hand' ( or it's presumed owner, operative or appenant)
is no
longer an intrinsically significant contributor to whatever processes and
products are
on-going.

My sense or connotation of 'Studio' for referring to Work areas or rooms,
limits it to those places where one, or merely some few people, are occupied
in making things (or engauged in processes without resultant things
even)...be they per-se 'Art-things' or certain qualities of pragmatics or as
may be.

Mostly anymore, it seems that there are Photgraphic Studios, Motion Picture
Studios, Dance Studios, and, quite few other kinds to hear tell of.

Certainly it would not feel appropriate to call some place that is
rebuilding small block chevy engines, a 'Studio'.

But some place which makes Engines, or designs them, or even refurbishes
very old ones...possibly, could be so called.

...at least to my mind...

Somehow the term 'Studio' seems to me to implicitly eschew banality...or, to
aim to anyway...


And too, as the old saying goes, 'English are a funny Language...'


Love,


Phil
Las Vegas


----- Original Message -----
From: "Taylor, in Rockport TX"


> Ahoy Janet:
>
> Lovely rant. I was startled not to find 'manufactory'
> in your rant. It's a word I have seen lately in my
> readings of 1800s pottery in America. Is that a
> politically motivated vocabulary change too?
>
> I sure hope you don't wad your knickers when I write
> about my workshop as the 'garagio' to keep from
> calling it a studio, your sense of the ridiculous
> notwithstanding. Hehe (<--mad Quebecker laugh)
>
> Taylor, in Rockport TX