JOYCE LEE on sat 17 jun 06
Finally.... I've found a theory that makes sense concerning my=20
slow journey to regaining throwing skills... a slow and non-
consistent trip. I am fortunate enough to have osteoarthritis only
in my right shoulder, right knee and somewhat in my back. BUT
my good fortune is probably causing me to be using very different
pressure on my left side from that used on my right side..... different =
from side
to side ... AND different from the pressure I learned to use when
centering and throwing 8 years ago. Which may be the reason I'm
able to visualize the pots I want to make as well as the step by
step approach needed to complete them..... or to start them.... but
can't begin to complete the actual moves in sequence. Oddly enough,
some are unintentionally humorous indicating a potential line I might
want to develop. I've often admired the gestural look of some pots but
am only now producing them rather easily .......I just can't make =
anything
else.
The reason I've moved toward such thinking is that I've had an
8 year old girl working on handbuilding. I'm able to guide her
through the building process to the point that her FIRST real
pot completely On Her Own is a large soup mug with handle for
her grandmother. Yet when I tried it, I hurriedly destroyed the
resultant mug .... not nearly as nice as hers.... didn't want anybody
else to see it.
Yes, I know this is handbuilding, not throwing .. but that's where
I'm starting on my road back. I've never handbuilt very much but
am thoroughly enjoying the process. I'm building the handbuilt
pots on Bill Van Gilder's DIY tv show. Simple instructions. A=20
piece of cake. NOT. Even though the steps were explicit and
simple and I thought I was following them precisely ..... my first bowl
looked NOTHING like the one in my mind's eye. Nothing. Now, 38
bowls later, I'm building each bowl rapidly, neatly and they tend to
show some life. Hooray. (especially my most inelegant Elegant Feet
as taught by Bill. That one is truly a Slow Go. I know I can build
many other types of feet but this is one time I want to follow the
process exactly for awhile...... no jumping around for now.)
Tomorrow I'll take Bill's instructions and begin varying them to see
if I can develop my own plan rather than following Bill's exactly. =
Can't
wait. THEN I'll begin all over with Bill's handbuilt bowl #2. I'm =
thinking
I'll get to where I am now with #1, faster and more fluidly with #2.
AND I'm beginning to have visions of thrown pots..... with the throwing
process broken down to its simplest parts. I'm thinking success there
will take somewhat longer.
BUT before I get there........ baby steps ....... baby steps....... must
remember that....... I have all that extruded work awaiting my slightly
improved hand-eye coordination so that my results will hopefully have
improved from a few weeks ago when I made the most ghastly messes
and swore at the extruders the whole time.=20
Truly exciting. I never expected to have myself as a student. Figured
that if I had such problems I'd make miniatures, or wall hangings or
jewelry. Wrong. Same physical problems there as with throwing. Clay
is one adventure after another .... love that part.
Joyce
In the Mojave desert of California USA where the little 8 year old =
redhead
is incredible. She sat for 3 solid hours on a tall stool, legs =
dangling,=20
working away ...... little talking except for asking questions....no
refreshment breaks...... no bathroom breaks ..... very serious.
Good questions. I gave her a large slab of clay to take home, with
instructions on how to keep it soft. Her big redheaded cop daddy was so
proud when she told him that she'd have to carry the clay since he =
hadn't
yet had proper instructions on how to care for it. I heard his murmured
"ok, baby" several times on the short trip to the car in response to =
Little
Red's directions as to taking care of her "materials."
Bonnie Staffel on sun 18 jun 06
I am so happy to hear of your progress, Joyce. I have been struggling with
rotator cuff problems going to PT for over a month. The pain is a little
less but with an art fair coming up in August, feel that my stress factor
was not helping. So I started doing a few press molds with some old paper
clay. (By the way, it didn't smell, but is definitely moldy). Then the
therapist said I should try throwing for no more than two hours. Had to
make my clay softer, but I sat on a lower stool at the request of my
therapist. Reason for that was so that my shoulders wouldn't be hunched
over the wheel. Brand new position for me. However, I did accomplish
throwing eight bird bodies off the hump in less than an hour. So tomorrow
will go for eight more or else use the Coil and Slab method to make some
large bowls and batter bowls.
Thankfully, I had no pain when I threw the bird bodies and no after effects
of any more pain than I had become accustomed to. I found that my shoulder
really hurts at night so tried sleeping sitting up. No pain and slept
through the night. Glad that I can get through the day doing things more
easily.
That is my progress report. I am very anxious to get back to doing what I
love for a longer period of time. I am lucky to have a daughter who knows
all the steps I use from pugging my clay to loading a kiln. My 21 year old
great granddaughter came over and ran some slabs through the slab roller so
I could make my quick method plates. Little by little my stock is getting
larger.
Thanks for listening and good luck to you, Joyce.
Regards,
Bonnie Staffel
http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
DVD Throwing with Coils and Slabs
DVD Beginning Processes
Charter Member Potters Council
Karin Hurt on sun 18 jun 06
I'm going to butt in here and share my own experience with arthritis.
I was told that in the evening when the muscles are no longer used that's when the pain sets in. I use a product called Bio Freeze which I buy from the Chiropractor. I also use it on my back when the pain from the piriformis muscle shoots down both sides of my hip to the knee. The Rheumatologist gave me Lidoderm Patches which even with Insurance are expensive. I seldom use then only when the pain gets too bad. The Bio Freeze won't cure anything but it lets you forget the pain until you go to sleep, it does for me. Unfortunately the drug stores don't sell it, have no clue why.
Best Regards,
Bonnie Staffel wrote:
I am so happy to hear of your progress, Joyce. I have been struggling with
rotator cuff problems going to PT for over a month. The pain is a little
less but with an art fair coming up in August, feel that my stress factor
was not helping. So I started doing a few press molds with some old paper
clay. (By the way, it didn't smell, but is definitely moldy). Then the
therapist said I should try throwing for no more than two hours. Had to
make my clay softer, but I sat on a lower stool at the request of my
therapist. Reason for that was so that my shoulders wouldn't be hunched
over the wheel. Brand new position for me. However, I did accomplish
throwing eight bird bodies off the hump in less than an hour. So tomorrow
will go for eight more or else use the Coil and Slab method to make some
large bowls and batter bowls.
Thankfully, I had no pain when I threw the bird bodies and no after effects
of any more pain than I had become accustomed to. I found that my shoulder
really hurts at night so tried sleeping sitting up. No pain and slept
through the night. Glad that I can get through the day doing things more
easily.
That is my progress report. I am very anxious to get back to doing what I
love for a longer period of time. I am lucky to have a daughter who knows
all the steps I use from pugging my clay to loading a kiln. My 21 year old
great granddaughter came over and ran some slabs through the slab roller so
I could make my quick method plates. Little by little my stock is getting
larger.
Thanks for listening and good luck to you, Joyce.
Regards,
Bonnie Staffel
http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
DVD Throwing with Coils and Slabs
DVD Beginning Processes
Charter Member Potters Council
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www.laughingbearpottery.com
Arizona
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Des & Jan Howard on mon 19 jun 06
Joyce
As the years go by I find that though I can't replace muscles
& joints I can buy electric motors.
By this I mean that what was produced by grunt is being replaced
by a fair amount of gadgetry & more importantly a considered
approach to all forms new & old. The processes in making a form
could be equated to the old chinese puzzle boxes that require you
to pull slide C then slide A then slide D then slide B to open them.
Work out the sequence & life continues productively with
minimised effort (& less pain :-) ).
Des.
JOYCE LEE wrote:
>Finally.... I've found a theory that makes sense concerning my
>slow journey to regaining throwing skills... a slow and non-
>consistent trip. I am fortunate enough to have osteoarthritis only
>in my right shoulder, right knee and somewhat in my back. BUT
>my good fortune is probably causing me to be using very different
>pressure on my left side from that used on my right side..... different from side
>to side ... AND different from the pressure I learned to use when
>centering and throwing 8 years ago. Which may be the reason I'm
>able to visualize the pots I want to make as well as the step by
>step approach needed to complete them..... or to start them.... but
>can't begin to complete the actual moves in sequence. Oddly enough,
>some are unintentionally humorous indicating a potential line I might
>want to develop. I've often admired the gestural look of some pots but
>am only now producing them rather easily .......I just can't make anything
>else.
>
>
--
Des & Jan Howard
Lue Pottery
LUE NSW 2850
Australia
Ph/Fax 02 6373 6419
http://www.luepottery.hwy.com.au
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