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fwd: re: vanadium dogs and tools

updated sun 18 jan 98

 

John H. Rodgers on sat 17 jan 98

-- [ From: John H. Rodgers * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --


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Date: Friday, 16-Jan-98 01:18 PM

From: John H. Rodgers \ Internet: (inua@quicklink.net)
To: douglas gray \ Internet: (dgray@fmarion.edu)

Subject: Re: vanadium dogs and tools

It is kinda sad about the vanadium dogs. For truth the romantic concept of
pottery being from mother earth to fire is misleading. For the simple lowly
pot we really can do without all those chemicals that make up glazes. Glazes
are not necessary. A plain clay piece, decorated by carving, and fired to
vitrification is sufficient to meet the need of functionality and art. But a
condition of mankind is to never be satisfied, so we are constantly looking
for something to improve the esthetics of clay art, thus we arrive at a
point where we are using toxic materials to get a "Look". We could all live
more safely and be more environmentally friendly without it.

The following speaks to where we are going if there is not a fundamental
change in our thinking: (Sorry I don't know the Author).

The hydrogen dog
And the cobalt cat
Side by side
in the armory sat,

Hydrogen dog
And cobalt cat
Got mad
And had a spat

Now it's hybalt dog.
And codrygen cat.

John Rodgers
Sure is wet in Alabama

-------- REPLY, Original message follows --------

Date: Friday, 16-Jan-98 08:43 AM

From: douglas gray \ Internet: (dgray@fmarion.edu)
To: CLAYART LIST \ Internet: (clayart@lsv.uky.edu)

Subject: vanadium dogs and tools

----------------------------Original message----------------------------

> The pigments that were being discussed at the time the OSHA Cadmium
Standard
> was in comment period were "silica encapsulated cadmium pigments." They
were
> tested by ingestion in dogs and the test results were not impressive at
all.


A slightly different slant on this thread. I am not so dumb to think that
animal testing doesn't occur, but some how this saddens me. It is very easy
to buy into the romantic notion of pottery--a kind of from the mother earth
into the fire approach--pure and uncluttered by the woes of our twentieth
century civilization. I'm guilty of it myself. in fact, I probably own
stock in the idea.

But then little bits of information like this crop up and remind us that
what we do, every day, has an impact on environment and the creatures we
share it with. I know there are far worse things we could involve ourselves
in, but it really startles me, sometimes, to consider the devestation of
which we, the advanced secies, are capable.

Here's a respectful toast to the vanadium dogs and the safety they afford us
..

doug

============================================================================
=)
Douglas E. Gray, Assistant Professor of Art
P.O. Box 100547
Department of Fine Arts and Mass Communication
Francis Marion Univeristy
Florence, South Carolina 29501-0547

dgray@fmarion.edu
803/661-1535


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