Tom Collins on tue 14 mar 06
The most famous and in my mind the best pot maker of our era, he died a few years ago, once told me "I steal (copy) like a /=*^<#># (son of a gun), you just have to be careful from who you steal from. Only steal from the best." For that you will be judged.
It is flattering to be copied. To copy an original is not possible anyway. You cannot even copy your own self. No two handmade pieces are the same anyway. Additionally, it is very difficult to hit a moving target. If you copy from someone whose work has not changed in awhile, you may well inspire them to move on. When I was a student I only showed forms that required huge amounts of practice and lots and lots and lots of failed efforts to achieve. The only way to copy the essence and life of these pieces was "huge amounts of practice and . . ." and by then I was on the record and on to a new idea. At the start of your career, It is tres normal to emulate. At the same time you may emulate / copy someone's work who is a tad bit insecure and it may upset them. Do not be surprised. I may mean you emulated someone's work that is not really all that vital. Move on and emulate only the best. The best won't care anyway.
Hamada did not sign most of his work. If someone copiedhim and the piece was a good piece, Hamada received credit. If Hamada made a lousy piece, everyone assumed someone else made it. But the only way to consistently make good pieces is lots of practice and lots of failed attempts and there is no substitute. Sincerely,
tcxyz
Tom Collins
707-224-5084 phone/fax
tcxyz@sbcglobal.net e-mail
tomcollinsstoneware.com
Potter, Mark on tue 14 mar 06
With you all the way Tom. This PC world we're in now though sees this
subject differently than you do. It's a shame.
Raphael copied Michaelangelo. Picasso copied everyone. Every strand of
DNA in our bodies is a copy, and what makes us great is that the copying
process isn't perfect.
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Tom Collins
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 1:49 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: the art of stealing / copying
The most famous and in my mind the best pot maker of our era, he died a
few years ago, once told me "I steal (copy) like a /=3D*^<#># (son =
of
a gun), you just have to be careful from who you steal from. Only steal
from the best." For that you will be judged.
It is flattering to be copied. To copy an original is not possible
anyway. You cannot even copy your own self. No two handmade pieces are
the same anyway. Additionally, it is very difficult to hit a moving
target. If you copy from someone whose work has not changed in awhile,
you may well inspire them to move on. When I was a student I only
showed forms that required huge amounts of practice and lots and lots
and lots of failed efforts to achieve. The only way to copy the essence
and life of these pieces was "huge amounts of practice and . . ." and by
then I was on the record and on to a new idea. At the start of your
career, It is tres normal to emulate. At the same time you may emulate /
copy someone's work who is a tad bit insecure and it may upset them. Do
not be surprised. I may mean you emulated someone's work that is not
really all that vital. Move on and emulate only the best. The best
won't care anyway.
Hamada did not sign most of his work. If someone copiedhim and the
piece was a good piece, Hamada received credit. If Hamada made a lousy
piece, everyone assumed someone else made it. But the only way to
consistently make good pieces is lots of practice and lots of failed
attempts and there is no substitute. Sincerely,
tcxyz
Tom Collins
707-224-5084 phone/fax
tcxyz@sbcglobal.net e-mail
tomcollinsstoneware.com
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