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painted pottery

updated sat 31 may 97

 

Cindy on thu 1 may 97

Don,

What difference does it really make what other people want to do with their
pottery? It's their work, their paint, their booth. If they want to
vandalize it, it's their business. If other people like the vandalization,
well, it's their privilege. You just do what *you* do best. What harm does
it do you if someone else gets a bit of recognition for an art form
different from yours?

Personally, I would *never* paint on my pottery any more than I'd spray
paint my name on my garage door. But that's my preference. If others don't
recognize true pottery with true glazes as the special things they are,
well then, we can try to educate them or we can look for a more sympathetic
audience. BTW, how could you *not* know a pot is painted rather than
glazed? I'm kind of inexperienced here--maybe more subtle techniques have
been developed that I don't know about, but seems to me it would be pretty
obvious.

Just my 50 cents. I've been reading this thread and finally had to say my
say.

Cindy Strnad
Custer, SD

Don Jones on fri 2 may 97

>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Don,
>
>What difference does it really make what other people want to do with their
>pottery? It's their work, their paint, their booth. If they want to
>vandalize it, it's their business. If other people like the vandalization,
>well, it's their privilege. You just do what *you* do best. What harm does
>it do you if someone else gets a bit of recognition for an art form
>different from yours?

The difference is that it confuses and cheapens what the ceramic process is
all about.
One of the stated purposes of ACC is education, when they let in this work
and not educate people about it, it confuses the public. The harm is that
we all suffer economically and spiritually.

.. BTW, how could you *not* know a pot is painted rather than
>glazed? I'm kind of inexperienced here--maybe more subtle techniques have
>been developed that I don't know about, but seems to me it would be pretty
>obvious.

It's only obvious to the educated craftsmen. The buying public is trusting
the jurors to make this distinction.
Don

>Cindy Strnad
>Custer, SD

Ron Roy on sat 3 may 97

>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>>Don,
>>
>>What difference does it really make what other people want to do with their
>>pottery? It's their work, their paint, their booth. If they want to
>>vandalize it, it's their business. If other people like the vandalization,
>>well, it's their privilege. You just do what *you* do best. What harm does
>>it do you if someone else gets a bit of recognition for an art form
>>different from yours?
>
>The difference is that it confuses and cheapens what the ceramic process is
>all about.
>One of the stated purposes of ACC is education, when they let in this work
>and not educate people about it, it confuses the public. The harm is that
>we all suffer economically and spiritually.
>
>. BTW, how could you *not* know a pot is painted rather than
>>glazed? I'm kind of inexperienced here--maybe more subtle techniques have
>>been developed that I don't know about, but seems to me it would be pretty
>>obvious.
>
>It's only obvious to the educated craftsmen. The buying public is trusting
>the jurors to make this distinction.
>Don
>
>>Cindy Strnad
>>Custer, SD

I'm almost afraid to ask this - what about those glazes that look like
paint? In fact I've seen better paint jobs than glazes. Perhaps we are into
the functional/decorative thing again. If we are going to show together why
not lable properly or divide the show up.

Ron Roy
Toronto, Canada
Evenings, call 416 439 2621
Fax, 416 438 7849
ronroy@astral.magic.ca

Samantha Tomich on sun 4 may 97

I made a t-pot and then acrylic painted and fabric painted it, added
glitter and fake gems. It is unfired, just greenware. It has lasted
for over a year sitting in the garage. It was just one of those things
that happened. I wanted to do it. I did it. I am happy about it. I
didn't try to fake anyone out about it. I said it was painted greenware
and that nobody moves it without tremendous care (it now seems that
wasn't necessary). I thought it was just a temporary art object at the
time, but it's surviving so I'm moving into the house. I named it
"t-pot" because my daughters name is Charity and we used to call her
"T". That pot reminded me of her as I was making it. Fragile,
tentative, gaudy, breaking all the rules. That pot has expressed my
feelings about her better than any drawing or painting I have done of
her. I think art is about no limitations. Send ceramics back 100 years
why dontcha and give us more rules about what we can and cannot do.
Sam in Hawaii

Julia Kennedy on sun 4 may 97

It seems that all the concern of whether a piece of pottery is painted or
glazed comes down to informing the public and jurors of shows of the medium
used. Most art shows in other media describe the media (canvas, paper,
acrylic, oils, pastels, found objects, etc) and there are presumed to be no
negatives in using anything which advances the art. Why should ceramics
which are art be treated differently? If the creator calls it art and the
jurors or public view it as art, then the media used should be no problem.

JOE BENNION on sun 4 may 97

Don,
What do you do with traditional Dine ( Navajo) pottery that is coated with
hot pine gum to seal the surface? Is this not a painted surface made to
imitated fired on surfaces? Truth in advertising should require potters and
artists to inform potential customers as to the materials employed and then
leave them to make that informed decision. While at the Smithsonian this week
I encountered a wonderful pot in the Museum of African Art that bore " red
commercial paint" as decoration on the out side surface where it would not
interfere with utility. I've seen great early Dine jewelry that used, in
addition to silver , coral and turquoise, black plastic from automobile
batteries. To the maker of that jewelry it was a new and interesting material
that was easier to work than stone and more abundant on the reservation than
ebony.
Why get all steamed up if the next person is trying to imitate fired
surfaces with other materials and processes? I think Vince said it well. Give
your customers the credit for being able to tell the difference if the
difference matters. Its all rock and roll after all. Isn't it? Joe the
Potter