Lili Krakowski on sat 30 sep 06
Scott: it is NOT that there are worse things than bad pots in landfills! It
is that there are worse things than bad pots in people's homes!
I do not teach children , but a friend who does told me this heartbreaking
bit once: that there are children SO stomped on, put down, humiliated,
denigrated and then some at home that they throw out or discard things they
make because they know that they would be greeted at home with: "I do not
want that (*&)(*^*& in my living room!" "Well, that is pretty good for YOU,
but your sister Mitsy, now THERE'S an artist." "Is this )(*(^& what my
school taxes go up every year for?" and worse. Much worse.
I think you need to assume that some children do not take their pots home to
avoid pain. Maybe you can figure out who they are and offer their pots to
the cafeteria or somesuch. Ms Priddy was BRILLIANT to suggest Empty Bowls!
And you can make those children feel special in a positive way.
BUT one more thing. Some years ago there was a wonderful "Comment" in
"Ceramics Monthly" by a well-known potter who visited other similar
potters, as well as ceramic colleges. He would dumpster dive and take
stuff home. The point of his piece was that people are not necessarily the
best judges of their own work...etc etc. So maybe as well YOU could select
some of the stuff and have your classes critique/criticize them....design,
function, etc. That'll get them ready to discuss pottery jurying any of the
three times it comes up yearly on ClayArt!
Meanwhile: in any case; using them for demos, and letting people practice
glazing with them is good.
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Dolita Dohrman on sat 30 sep 06
Don't know if I ever told this story on Clayart before but here goes....
When I lived out in the middle of the Pacific, I would just toss pots in the
trash without breaking them up. My teacher would pull them out and take
them home. Then, the next time he would go diving, he would drop them in
strategic places in the ocean for them to become homes for octopus. I did
not know he was doing this. One evening I was at a party and overheard a
woman talking about pottery that she found while she was diving. I got
curious and asked her what kind of pots they were. Well, when she described
this one jug I knew it was mine and told her so. She said, "Oh, I have a
number of your pieces...all for free!" I was really ticked...not that my
teacher had taken the pots and put them in the ocean...I actually liked the
idea....but that she pulled them out and had these nasty pots in her house
with my name on the bottom. Lesson learned. Hammer time, every time!
Dolita - waitin' for y'all in Louavull!
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