mel jacobson on thu 25 may 06
i am sure that lee is correct that warren had a great
influence on upper midwest college and pottery education.
but, he was far from being the only influence.
he gets a great deal of press.
just look at what i found about kurt wild.
Kurt Wild's influence:
During his 33 years of teaching, a great many students have taken
university classes (UW-River Falls)
and workshops from Kurt Wild.
Many of those students, too numerous to mention, have successful careers in
teaching and making a living potting.
The influence of many of those students have not been wide spread but, in a
local way, quite significant.
One such example is Peg Medcraft who was named Wal-Mart Art Teacher of the
year 2005.
Reg Behrends, Kevin Caufield and Mike Palmquist are just a few who are
making their living potting here in the upper midwest.
On a more national level, Kurt's former students Dan Anderson, Chuck
Hindes, Curt Hoard, Steve Rolf
Jay Jensen, and Bob Fritz come to mind.
Beyond that, just mention Kurt Wild's name and you'll find that his
influence has been wide spread on a variety of levels over the years (the
work of George Koller is an example).
Even I have taken workshops from Kurt.
Very few folks understand that Dan, Chuck and Kurt Hoard were River Falls
students. It seems to be forgotten. (River Falls is about a forty minute
drive from the University of Minnesota.)
Just wanted to get that record straight.
mel
from: mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://my.pclink.com/~melpots3
claybair on thu 25 may 06
Mel ...
You are too modest... as is Kurt & most other
fabulously giving teachers.
Have you or anyone else researched
the influence you have had on your HS students,
workshop attendees, Clayart, publication readers?
The best instructor I had in college was little known. He was
not self promoting and threatened the lousy, mouthy instructors.
He was the all time best influence in my 4 years college experience.
He died in obscurity but he lives in my heart, eye and art forever.
Gayle Bair - been way Mel-influenced!
Bainbridge Island, WA
Tucson, AZ
http://claybair.com
-----Original Message-----
From: mel jacobson
i am sure that lee is correct that warren had a great
influence on upper midwest college and pottery education.
but, he was far from being the only influence.
he gets a great deal of press.
just look at what i found about kurt wild.
Kurt Wild's influence:
During his 33 years of teaching, a great many students have taken
university classes (UW-River Falls)
and workshops from Kurt Wild.
Many of those students, too numerous to mention, have successful careers in
teaching and making a living potting.
The influence of many of those students have not been wide spread but, in a
local way, quite significant.>snip
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.7.1/348 - Release Date: 5/25/2006
Dolo Mite on sat 27 may 06
Mel-
There's this other guy teaching at River Falls. He doesn't post to ClayArt
too much, though. Perhaps you've heard of him: Randy Johnston. I'd venture
to guess that a fair number of potters in and out of academia would cite him
as a significant influence on their lives, artistic and otherwise.
Frankly, (and I mean this as no dis on Kurt Wild) to compare Kurt Wild and
Warren MacKenzie realtive to their influence on the clay world is, at least,
apples and oranges. Simply put: there would be no clay community as we know
it in Minnesota without Warren. Without Warren (and Curt Hoard) there is no
Randy Johnston, no Mark Pharis, no Michael Simon, no Wayne Branum, no Sandy
Simon. Without Warren, there may be no Ruggles and Rankin, who were a huge
part (along with Penland and C Bringle, of course) of drawing potters to
Western NC, where the concentration of talent is comparable to the MN/WI
metro area.
Think, then about all the young, great potters influenced by Ruggles and
Rankin: Michael Hunt, Kowkie Durst, McKenzie Smith. . . the list of potters
going back Warren MacKensie goes on and on and on.
Now, I think, really, this has a lot do to with ideology as well as pottery.
Warren's pottery way of life is a rock of belief in a stormy ceramic sea.
Ruggles and Rakin have the same firm grasp of what it means, for them, to be
a potter. That kind of certainty draws potters, young and old, to the fold,
whether it's MN or NC.
So, while I'm sure Kurt is a great guy and a respectable potter/teacher, it
seems like we're talking about the the difference between Elvis and Gene
Pitney. Both rocked but only one changed the world.
clennell on sat 27 may 06
>
> So, while I'm sure Kurt is a great guy and a respectable potter/teacher, it
> seems like we're talking about the the difference between Elvis and Gene
> Pitney. Both rocked but only one changed the world.
>
Dear dolo- mite: Gee I wish I knew who you are cause I like your choice of
potters. In our collection we have 3 or 4 pots from every potter that you
mentioned as proteges of MacKenzie. I think you should also include Linda
Christianson and Jeff Oestreich, Shirley Johnson in your list in MN and a
along with McKenzie Smith I tag in there Shawn Ireland and Liz Sparks. We
have some of their work that we really enjoy.
the only one I didn't know of was Kowkie Durst so I googled and love the
work. the gay marriage plates in particuliar. Friends are tying the knot
after 30 years so I think I'll order one.
http://www.archiebray.org/durstexhibitcontent.html
E will trash me for my foreign voice but my take on the Mn scene is there
are those that get invited to the MacKenzie tea party and those that don't.
Maybe when he passes on to potters heaven it may blow over but I think not.
They now arganize the St. Croix Potters tour and you're either invited for
tea or not.
Mel is very loyal to his best friend Kurt and so he should be. Kurt is a
hecka fine guy and I'm sure was a very fine teacher. there are no books
written on many a fine teacher. they are the salt of the earth and the
world would stop with out them.
Best,
Tony
PS- Who are you?
dolo mite on sun 28 may 06
Tony-
I totally agree with your additions and am bummed that I forgot to add them=
.
Kowkie is something else and I'm so glad you like her work.
As for the Tea Parties, I think there's a certain whiff of high school
that follows us all where ever we go: whether is be accounting or
ceramics, it ends up being a little bit about cliques and politics.
And you can't really blame Warren for that: it's his shop. The St
Croix Tour is a little like another great pottery sale, Demarest, in
NJ. It's not only an amazing sale, but a chance for the invited
potters to get together. Again, the potters hosting the St Croix Tour
are having the invited potters in to their homes and lives for several
days around the tour with lots of contact year-round. If you don't
get along somebody, even if their pots are great, you aren't coming to
this particular tea party. I think, really, the list of people making
Demarest or St Croix Tour quality-work is pretty short and the people
not gettting invited know why they aren't, for right or wrong.
Ultimately, between the St Croix Tour and the APF at the Clay Center,
it just means people in the midwest don't have to go to NJ every
November!
And, yes, some of the greatest teachers like Kurt Wild. and Curt Hoard
(my first ceramics insructor), will never get the attention they
deserve for the lives they have changed.
Me? I'm just a lurker who going back in his hole for now!
On 5/27/06, clennell wrote:
> >
> > So, while I'm sure Kurt is a great guy and a respectable potter/teacher=
, it
> > seems like we're talking about the the difference between Elvis and Gen=
e
> > Pitney. Both rocked but only one changed the world.
> >
> Dear dolo- mite: Gee I wish I knew who you are cause I like your choice o=
f
> potters. In our collection we have 3 or 4 pots from every potter that you
> mentioned as proteges of MacKenzie. I think you should also include Lind=
a
> Christianson and Jeff Oestreich, Shirley Johnson in your list in MN and a
> along with McKenzie Smith I tag in there Shawn Ireland and Liz Sparks. We
> have some of their work that we really enjoy.
> the only one I didn't know of was Kowkie Durst so I googled and love the
> work. the gay marriage plates in particuliar. Friends are tying the knot
> after 30 years so I think I'll order one.
> http://www.archiebray.org/durstexhibitcontent.html
> E will trash me for my foreign voice but my take on the Mn scene is there
> are those that get invited to the MacKenzie tea party and those that don'=
t.
> Maybe when he passes on to potters heaven it may blow over but I think no=
t.
> They now arganize the St. Croix Potters tour and you're either invited fo=
r
> tea or not.
> Mel is very loyal to his best friend Kurt and so he should be. Kurt is a
> hecka fine guy and I'm sure was a very fine teacher. there are no books
> written on many a fine teacher. they are the salt of the earth and the
> world would stop with out them.
> Best,
> Tony
> PS- Who are you?
>
> _________________________________________________________________________=
_____
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclin=
k.com.
>
The Chapel of Art on tue 30 may 06
Is that you, Ned? I was wondering if/when you
would break cover only the other day... Post me
privately if you are still too wary about being
bashed publicly.
Cheers! JFK
THE CHAPEL OF ART - or - CAPEL CELFYDDYD
8 Marine Crescent : Criccieth : GB-Wales LL52 0EA
Plan visiting The International Potters Path?
Contact: Janet Kaiser
Tel: ++44 (01766) 523122
http://www.the-coa.org.uk
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.7.4/351 - Release Date: 29/05/2006
| |
|
