mel jacobson on fri 29 sep 06
one of the most important aspects of working
with students is getting them to make, respect, and
understand owning the pots they make.
it is great deal about `personal ownership`.
i would not want my students glazing, messin
with other peoples pots, work.
just not done. no way in hell i would touch any of it.
throw it out. make drive way fill out of it.
i made hundreds of demo pots...could show them
any technique in the world...with my pots.
it is hard enough to get folks to love their own work, much
less let them glaze others work...experiment with your own
stuff. easy enough to do.
same at the university level. would i paint on another
students canvas? hell, a total sin.
you get poked in the face for doing that.
`oh, wally, is this your painting?...just thought i would
change the color of the background...run a bit of green
over here in the mid/ground.`
same for bisqueware. when the piece is fired...
who owns it? it will have a name or a mark in the
base. it they don't glaze it...throw it out. it is not
precious. i hate going into schools and seeing gobs
of old dusty bisque on shelves...set a date, if it is not
gone...bingo..break it.
as a matter of fact, i was really pissy about bisque firing
poor work...it really belonged in the water bucket...and
then it was gone, and ready for new clay. crap pots always
stayed on the bisque shelves for days...that is why it was
never glazed...they hated it.
as i said before...`a standard of excellence`. some
of us truly believe that a concept like that can
be taught.
i know, the poor kids `feelings`...feelings...their self
worth...piss on it. they get self worth when their
work meets a high standard. then they have something
to be really proud of. not false praise words. and, for sure
it is one thing i really know about. you can't fool kids.
they know when they achieve quality. and are they ever
proud and happy when they do.
that is why i love selling pots. no false words...when the
money hits the table....my cash box...i know they like the
work...when they buy 300 bucks worth/two bags full...i really know.
no confusion.
mel
you can show a kid how to gain excellence, you cannot ever
talk them into it.
from: mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
Clayart page link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
Donna Kat on sun 1 oct 06
On Fri, 29 Sep 2006 23:34:24 -0500, mel jacobson wrote:
>one of the most important aspects of working
>with students is getting them to make, respect, and
>understand owning the pots they make.
>
>it is great deal about `personal ownership`.
>
>i would not want my students glazing, messin
>with other peoples pots, work.
>just not done. no way in hell i would touch any of it.
>throw it out. make drive way fill out of it.
>i made hundreds of demo pots...could show them
>any technique in the world...with my pots.
>
>it is hard enough to get folks to love their own work, much
>less let them glaze others work...experiment with your own
>stuff. easy enough to do.
>
>same at the university level. would i paint on another
>students canvas? hell, a total sin.
>you get poked in the face for doing that.
>`oh, wally, is this your painting?...just thought i would
>change the color of the background...run a bit of green
>over here in the mid/ground.`
>
>same for bisqueware. when the piece is fired...
>who owns it? it will have a name or a mark in the
>base. it they don't glaze it...throw it out. it is not
>precious. i hate going into schools and seeing gobs
>of old dusty bisque on shelves...set a date, if it is not
>gone...bingo..break it.
>
>as a matter of fact, i was really pissy about bisque firing
>poor work...it really belonged in the water bucket...and
>then it was gone, and ready for new clay. crap pots always
>stayed on the bisque shelves for days...that is why it was
>never glazed...they hated it.
>
>as i said before...`a standard of excellence`. some
>of us truly believe that a concept like that can
>be taught.
>
>i know, the poor kids `feelings`...feelings...their self
>worth...piss on it. they get self worth when their
>work meets a high standard. then they have something
>to be really proud of. not false praise words. and, for sure
>it is one thing i really know about. you can't fool kids.
>they know when they achieve quality. and are they ever
>proud and happy when they do.
>
>that is why i love selling pots. no false words...when the
>money hits the table....my cash box...i know they like the
>work...when they buy 300 bucks worth/two bags full...i really know.
>no confusion.
>mel
>you can show a kid how to gain excellence, you cannot ever
>talk them into it.
Gee, do you think you can tell us what you really feel? :) Good points
one and all. I guess I'm just one of those softy California 'liberal'
types that just isn't all that worried about it. In my current situation
99.999% of the kids that come into the crafts studio are in there to
relieve the loneliness of being away from home, the stress of being in
college and on their own for the first time, etc. It is not a place where
they are getting a grade or learning a craft to live by. I am thrilled
when one falls in love with the craft and if nothing else learns to
appreciate the work done by the true craftsmen of which there are now very
few. If I can give them one positive experience in the short 7 lessons
over 7 weeks I consider it a win.
This should be put in context. One of the reasons that is so unlikely for
a student in the student crafts center I am talking to about to become a
real potter is that it is run by a NY bureaucrat who fears the risk of a
raku firing, will only fire to cone 5 and not allow a soak because it may
wear out the elements faster, would rather the students use acrylic paints
on cookie cut out clay for christmas ornaments then deal with the work of
the actual craft, etc. The students are not allowed to mix up clay,
glazes, take part in the firings, etc.
Famous artist have had their apprentist paint over old paintings - I can's
say what the reason was, only that it has happened. I know an outstanding
potter who will have his apprentist throw the pot, and he will then trim
it, sign it and glaze it as his own.
I'm also an anarchist (with OCD - what a bitch). I hate rules and
restrictions unless there is a damn good reason for it. Even then I think
if at all possible the rule should be broken when needed. The hair on the
back of my neck stands up when I hear "it has to be done this way!" On
that note I strongly defend you doing it your way and I strongly defend my
doing it differently.
Donna
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