Lili Krakowski on fri 8 dec 06
This thread certainly has become a tangled web. First, someone declared
she wanted clay to be like an affair not a marriage.
We now have progressed to
statements about newlyweds on staircases (!) and folk trying
to conceive a baby at ovulation time.
Thank goodness, Lee wrote this lovely line:
"But there is passion and devotion which transcends
egotistical needs. When our work is empowered by something greater
than our small sense of self, we can go beyond our personal
limitations."
Which gives me the courage to comment.
NO one forces ANYONE to be serious about clay. Clay is what God
created us with, and clay is part of our genetic code.
Clay is no different from any other life-enhancing activity. It is like
gardening, embroidery, fly tying.
Some do it as a full time job (YES! JOB!) and some do
it as self-expression, and some teach it, and like that on and on.
If it were not for that hideous competitiveness
has entered the clay world, none of this would even be
discussed.
But now that "everything" seems to be about competition, and
whose kiln is bigger/fires higher/is fancier than other folk's
this kind of conversation takes over.
Many of us are dedicated to clay for life.
It is not how many pots we make, how high/low we fire
whether or not we enter shows, it is about something that
is an integral part of our lives. Period. There are good days,
bad days, boring days, thrilling days. There are weeks and months
sometimes, when one does not, or cannot go to the studio.
But it does not matter, because clay is in the blood, and
it is THERE.
I have quoted Theresa Helburn several times on ClayArt.
Here I go again:
"One's lifework, I have learned, grows with the
working and the living. Do it as if your life depended
on it, and the first thing you know, you'll have made
a life out of it."
And that is how it is for some. And if it isn't
for others, there is no law that prescribes it. Those who
"have made a life of it" are no better, nobler, wiser, or anything
than those who take a weekly class at the community center.
All we are is different. There are the Julia Childses and the
Emerils of this world, and there
are those who have wonderful kitchens and LOVE to cook,
and those with a "specialty" like blintzes, and those who
cook because the family needs to eat, and those who
defreeze or open cans... Not a single one is "better" than the others.
I say all this for all the novices out there....Do what you
want to do, what makes you happy. If you want to be
the moth in the flame (Ah, Marlene Dietrich!) singe yourself
silly. If you want to sit by the fire, in your flannel bathrobe
and bunny slippers, and have a nice cup'a with your one
true love do that....Just, for pity's sake, let no one dictate
to you what your relationship to clay should be.
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Julie Milazzo on fri 8 dec 06
Okay, so can I change my wishes from clay being my
affair, to clay being my newlywed sex on a staircase?
Not a big fan of illicit secrets, or having to be
quiet... Jules
PMS. And yes, I agree that clay in any capacity is
good. We are all very lucky.
--- Lili Krakowski wrote:
> This thread certainly has become a tangled web.
> First, someone declared
> she wanted clay to be like an affair not a
> marriage.
> We now have progressed to
> statements about newlyweds on staircases (!) and
> folk trying
> to conceive a baby at ovulation time.
>
> Thank goodness, Lee wrote this lovely line:
> "But there is passion and devotion which transcends
> egotistical needs. When our work is empowered by
> something greater
> than our small sense of self, we can go beyond our
> personal
> limitations."
>
> Which gives me the courage to comment.
>
> NO one forces ANYONE to be serious about clay. Clay
> is what God
> created us with, and clay is part of our genetic
> code.
>
> Clay is no different from any other life-enhancing
> activity. It is like
> gardening, embroidery, fly tying.
> Some do it as a full time job (YES! JOB!) and some
> do
> it as self-expression, and some teach it, and like
> that on and on.
>
> If it were not for that hideous competitiveness
> has entered the clay world, none of this would even
> be
> discussed.
>
> But now that "everything" seems to be about
> competition, and
> whose kiln is bigger/fires higher/is fancier than
> other folk's
> this kind of conversation takes over.
>
> Many of us are dedicated to clay for life.
> It is not how many pots we make, how high/low we
> fire
> whether or not we enter shows, it is about
> something that
> is an integral part of our lives. Period. There
> are good days,
> bad days, boring days, thrilling days. There are
> weeks and months
> sometimes, when one does not, or cannot go to the
> studio.
> But it does not matter, because clay is in the
> blood, and
> it is THERE.
>
> I have quoted Theresa Helburn several times on
> ClayArt.
> Here I go again:
>
> "One's lifework, I have learned, grows with the
> working and the living. Do it as if your life
> depended
> on it, and the first thing you know, you'll have
> made
> a life out of it."
>
> And that is how it is for some. And if it isn't
> for others, there is no law that prescribes it.
> Those who
> "have made a life of it" are no better, nobler,
> wiser, or anything
> than those who take a weekly class at the community
> center.
> All we are is different. There are the Julia
> Childses and the
> Emerils of this world, and there
> are those who have wonderful kitchens and LOVE to
> cook,
> and those with a "specialty" like blintzes, and
> those who
> cook because the family needs to eat, and those who
> defreeze or open cans... Not a single one is
> "better" than the others.
>
> I say all this for all the novices out there....Do
> what you
> want to do, what makes you happy. If you want to be
> the moth in the flame (Ah, Marlene Dietrich!) singe
> yourself
> silly. If you want to sit by the fire, in your
> flannel bathrobe
> and bunny slippers, and have a nice cup'a with your
> one
> true love do that....Just, for pity's sake, let no
> one dictate
> to you what your relationship to clay should be.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Lili Krakowski
> Be of good courage
>
>
______________________________________________________________________________
> 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@pclink.com.
>
____________________________________________________________________________________
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curtis adkins on fri 8 dec 06
Hi Lili,
You are my hero...Lori Doty told me you were special and she was right! I have had only a few mentors in my life, yet, there have been dozens of bad influences! I would be honored, as my Christmas gift, if you would let me call you one of my mentors! You are surely one of the most amazing "go-to" people on Clayart!
Sincerely,
Curtis "Monk" Adkins
Lili Krakowski wrote:
This thread certainly has become a tangled web. First, someone declared
she wanted clay to be like an affair not a marriage.
We now have progressed to
statements about newlyweds on staircases (!) and folk trying
to conceive a baby at ovulation time.
Thank goodness, Lee wrote this lovely line:
"But there is passion and devotion which transcends
egotistical needs. When our work is empowered by something greater
than our small sense of self, we can go beyond our personal
limitations."
Which gives me the courage to comment.
NO one forces ANYONE to be serious about clay. Clay is what God
created us with, and clay is part of our genetic code.
Clay is no different from any other life-enhancing activity. It is like
gardening, embroidery, fly tying.
Some do it as a full time job (YES! JOB!) and some do
it as self-expression, and some teach it, and like that on and on.
If it were not for that hideous competitiveness
has entered the clay world, none of this would even be
discussed.
But now that "everything" seems to be about competition, and
whose kiln is bigger/fires higher/is fancier than other folk's
this kind of conversation takes over.
Many of us are dedicated to clay for life.
It is not how many pots we make, how high/low we fire
whether or not we enter shows, it is about something that
is an integral part of our lives. Period. There are good days,
bad days, boring days, thrilling days. There are weeks and months
sometimes, when one does not, or cannot go to the studio.
But it does not matter, because clay is in the blood, and
it is THERE.
I have quoted Theresa Helburn several times on ClayArt.
Here I go again:
"One's lifework, I have learned, grows with the
working and the living. Do it as if your life depended
on it, and the first thing you know, you'll have made
a life out of it."
And that is how it is for some. And if it isn't
for others, there is no law that prescribes it. Those who
"have made a life of it" are no better, nobler, wiser, or anything
than those who take a weekly class at the community center.
All we are is different. There are the Julia Childses and the
Emerils of this world, and there
are those who have wonderful kitchens and LOVE to cook,
and those with a "specialty" like blintzes, and those who
cook because the family needs to eat, and those who
defreeze or open cans... Not a single one is "better" than the others.
I say all this for all the novices out there....Do what you
want to do, what makes you happy. If you want to be
the moth in the flame (Ah, Marlene Dietrich!) singe yourself
silly. If you want to sit by the fire, in your flannel bathrobe
and bunny slippers, and have a nice cup'a with your one
true love do that....Just, for pity's sake, let no one dictate
to you what your relationship to clay should be.
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
______________________________________________________________________________
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@pclink.com.
Fonda Hancock on fri 8 dec 06
What a great reply. Thank you so much for stating the case for diversity
and tolerance in the world of clay. I love this list.
Fonda in Tennessee where it is so cold I didn't take my 5th graders out
for recess...11 degrees!
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