POTTERS and MUSES Group: Messages by searchin

"The ceramics teacher announced on opening day that he was dividing the class into two groups. All those on the left side of the studio, he said, would be graded solely on the quantity of work they produced, all those on the right solely on its quality. His procedure was simple: on the final day of class he would bring in his bathroom scales and weigh the work of the quantity group: fifty pound of pots rated an A, forty pounds a B, and so on. Those being graded on quality, however, needed to produce only one pot -- albeit a perfect one -- to get an A. Well, came grading time and a curious fact emerged: the works of highest quality were all produced by the group being graded for quantity. It seems that while the quantity group was busily churning out piles of work -- and learning from their mistakes -- the quality group had sat theorizing about perfection, and in the end had little more to show for their efforts than grandiose theories and a pile of dead clay."

- From "Art & Fear" by David Bayles and Ted Orland

I wrote a reply and now the post is gone. So I'll make it a new message.

Was going to blast the culprit out of the water who made the stevedore remark and then I see it’s claybo who sent the PM. Have to remember, this man is a self-professed “ear-hair-grower”, oh my! A naysayer, yeasayer, whaddayasayer, theremustbeawayer, opinionated jerkwad and enlightened joyspreader according to his own eons profile. Now, he’s admitted openly to being logomachial (had to look that one up on dictionary.com). They’re known for “arguments and debates marked by the reckless or incorrect use of words.” He’s fessed up to be being kind of needy and an insecure weed of a person. That alone makes him a quirky artist type like the rest of us. Gotta love him too.

We all agree that Ian and Peg have been doing a great job in leading this group. I think there is a growing bond as we get to know each other better. Many of us have been a little timid, unlike claybo. Myself, I’ve been guilty of sending PMs and not enough posts. I’ve found out lots of interesting things about other members and perhaps we should share more of that with the whole group. Our divergent backgrounds are brought together by a common love of clay. And mudslingers are a different animal for sure. My friends have always considered me a little crazy because of it.

I’m with claycarole, Ian deserves a little break if he needs it, but please fearless leader don’t think of changing what you’ve been doing here or forsake us. I’m looking forward to seeing the “clayselfs” to be posted soon. I’m a procrastinator and am behind on mine. The deadline becomes my inspiration. But what can you expect from a chin-hair-grower like me? Hugs to all of you.

Mid-century, eleven hundred years after the Celtic bards performed their prose and verse, a girl child was born in the Americas to a woman pure of heart. Blessed at birth, she bore the name Gildasleeves.

As she grew in body and spirit, her soul gained a sense of oneness with nature. She possessed a unique sense of the tactile and a cognitive bond with her innermost emotions. That fragile grasp of her essence grew with the years.

During her second decade, she discovered the touch of clay, the feel of the earth in her hands and the joy of shaping this supple material into a visual form of her own making. When exposed to glorious fire, it hardened to a vitreous state that accepted the reflective quality of the ground elements that coated its surface.

It was in her fiftieth year that she decided it was time to share her pottery with others. Each piece presents a manipulated part of the earth that embodies the struggle of creation and the eternal cycle of life.

"Women potters are used to being dismissed, people assume they do it as a hobby in the garden shed. It's a bit better now but still, being a potter is percieved as an amateur kind of occupation, its almost a joke- especially in the world of serious money."
~Janice Tchalenko-1992

How nice to come back to eons after a short, much-needed hiatus and find out what's been going on in Potters and Muses. I need a dare to get me through some very tough times ahead. What better way than to join in with such a creative group for the September study.

Want to remind those of you who are members of the Eons Gallery that October 1 is also the deadline for the Christmas Exhibition. Robert (artistinmaine) has invested many hours of his personal time setting up the Gallery. Don't forget to send him jpgs of your selections as soon as you can. Participation is important. For those of you who are not currently members and are interested in selling some of your work, now is a great time to join. He has arranged with Eons to have the Gallery featured on the home page for a month.

It is always nice for someone to appreciate your work enough to purchase it. Manitaliano bought the first piece I posted and look where he ended up, LOL.

So go ahead, I dare you. I double dog dare you ;-)

NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTS OF THE DIETIES:

the ClayLord
the KilnGod
the GlazeGhost

I'll be back, hopefully soon. My sister has been in ICU for 15 days now, so that's where I've been. I've been reading some posts and will offer my comments when time permits. Thanks for missing me ;-)

See that you live in Albequerque, NM and like to talk and create with clay. We need more talkers in this group. Hope you'll be able to post some of your work to share. Do you go to New Mexico Clay Co. for supplies? I love their own line of Coyote Cone 5-6 glazes. I order online and have them shipped to Tampa. A little pricey but worth every penney. You might recognize one of the glazes in the Mosaic photo I posted.

Especially from the new members. And Blooberbun where have you been?

"My aim for the rest of my life is to make pottery, as much and as well as I can; then at the end of my life, I hope to pass away, looking back with love and tender regret, and thinking, "Oh the pots I might have made!'

~With my apologies to Vincent Van Gogh for the paraphrasing.