David Woof on mon 15 may 06
"Mud" seems retro to the time it was cool and hip to be a potter at Mother
Mud on Ferry St in Eau Claire, Wisconsin or some such place anywhere on the
continent. Boons Farm and Annie Green Springs wines and rollin mother's
herbs... cute butts in hip hugger bell bottoms, art fairs in the park, we
were and had it all... But I agree, as Mel and others have emphaticly said,
that "Mud" now conotates play and diminishes our status as serious
professionals in the preception of the art buying public.
Coleman's Mud Pie Dilemma moves into another category and addresses other
issues about our lives as potters and professionals and speaks of a
wistfulness we all share for the age of innocence when we did share our mud
pies with mom and the kids next door. I think some of our best work still
comes from that source of wonder, surprise and innocent investigation open
to that which we still do not "Know" for sure and a wishing to
share......but this forbidden knowledge shines in our eyes when we talk with
each other, it's the insider stuff the public isn't privy to. Right now I'm
smileing and warmed by the image of Mel, the serious professional of many
hats, being an irish wolfhound for a day. We all must play, and in my
studio, I play, push limits to establish new limits to push again and make a
total disaster at times but always with serious intent behind it. Loose but
never sloppy, Tight or loose as needed. I am not ashamed to be "a potter"
but I do many other things as well and for me Pottery/Potter has no place in
my business name, nor does Ceramics in all it's forms. Many folks still have
images of potters and store bought "ceramic" molds of cutsie rooster pots
and praying hands sold at flee markets. We evolve as persons and creatives,
so it's ok to change whatever isn't working so well or doesn't fit us any
more. We either live more fully or die a little each day, the choice rests
at our door each morning. Simple, easy to remember, and clear about what
we do.
I started out in 1976 with Earth and Fire Studios and my name, by 1981 I
added the line "Fine Clay Vessels" under Earth and Fire Studios. this
worked in Wisconsin as I produced the only Earth and Fire pottery I or my
patrons had heard of so my name, studio and reputation were synonymous.
However, In 2000 I moved to Arizona and my first trip to Marjon Ceramics
revealed eight other Earth and Fires in their customer files and I see more
variations still popping up on Clayart.... so my card says "David Woof
Studio", strap lines "fine clay vessels" "iron works" The "Studio"
indicates I do something creative there, the strap lines are easy to
identify and open the door for questions I love the chance to elaborate.
David
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David Woof Studio
Clarkdale, Arizona
Ph. 928-821-3747 Fax. 866-881-3461
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peering over the edge, reverently taking an irreverent look at everything.
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