mel jacobson on thu 20 oct 11
i agree john britt. use what we have, use it well.
good tools with accuracy are vital to what we do.
but, it is nice to be able to measure many ways. sort of
like `what do you do when the gps breaks down`. and, you
are 200 miles at sea. a quality potter knows the history
of weights and measures. lots of ways to skin the cat.
but,
man, oh man, had a kid in my life that could
not read a cursive letter that his grandmother wrote
for his graduation. had to have her read it to him.
and, he is a straight A student in engineering at
texas A&M.
and, like john post has said, and i could not agree
more....many children are unable to draw or paint.
great thumb/finger action on a phone or computer.
but, a pencil...forget it. many states have dropped
cursive writing from the elementary program. key board
only now.
some things just seem sacred. writing to me
is sacred. in my daily life i use big bubble caps/or
as my students used to say..`art writing`. but, boy
oh boy, is it legible.
this month i heard from donald jackson, the scribe
to the queen of england, and he has finished the
`st. john's bible`.
complete, finished. 12 years to complete. but it is
incredible. a major craft project of our time.
that wonderful combination of art and craft.
quills, chinese ink, vellum leather pages..gold.
blended, no issues. 7 books/ 174 lbs when
bound. about six feet high.
just google `st. john's bible` see the images.
http://www.saintjohnsbible.org/?utm_source=3Dbing&utm_medium=3Dcpc&utm_camp=
aign=3DSJ%20Bible%20Brand_Oct2010
i met joe koons in phoenix when they had the opening
of the `bible` show at the museum.
i was not amazed to see tears coming from joe's eyes.
many people become emotional rocked by the show.
he blubbered...`i have never seen anything like it in my life.`
he had met donald at our home. we had a private opening
of our chinese project(special friends)...all 600 pieces spread through the=
house
and studio. donald and his wife mable came to see it...and
got to meet joe. nice day in my memory bank. (i do miss joe
a great deal.)
donald was on the nbc morning show this week. nice interview.
a project of the scale of the st. johh's bible is a great reminder
of how craft is still one of the most important aspects of our lives.
we hold to tradition, we hold to the old techniques and have a quest
to live for the past/present...not only the future. we hold to the love of
working with hands and mind. simple tools, understanding fire.
i will never apologize for being a fine crafts person. it is a dignified
and wondrous occupation. all i need is folks to say now and then...
`he makes a pretty good pot.` and, then i can get in line with the
millions of potters since the beginning of human kind that have used
earth, water and fire to make things that last forever.
not bad. the history of humans is defined by clay.
mel
`all hand made, a nice thought.`
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
Bonnie Staffel on fri 21 oct 11
Yes, it is sad that cursive is being driven into history. I remember =3D
when as
a child, my father would sign his name with a pen ending up with many
flourishes and curlicues to make a beautiful picture of his handwriting. =
=3D
Then when I went to business school, bookkeeping was always done with =3D
pen
and cursive writing. We had to practice size, correct ovals for the O =3D
and
where part of the letter or number went above the lines or below.=3D20
In her later years, my mom learned to use the typewriter and preferred =3D
that
to handwriting in spite of the fact that she also had a beautiful hand. =3D
She
thought she did not. Still I keep every one of her letters as they =3D
contained
special thoughts meaningful to me.=3D20
Another thing a group of artists who hung around together in our early =3D
years
pursuing an art career was to create our own Christmas cards. Not one of =
=3D
us
ever purchased a commercial card. Well, now I use photography and create =
=3D
my
own cards on the computer. Progress??? I wonder sometimes.
Regards,
Bonnie
http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html
DVD Throwing with Coils and Slabs
DVD Introduction to Wheel Work
Charter Member Potters Council
Eva Gallagher on sat 22 oct 11
At MISSA this year there was a workshop on creative writing and the teacher
Sara Selecky told the students they were not to use the computer especially
for their first drafts. They were encouraged to write slowly and carefully
as writing stimulates the creative part of the brain. So imagine if kids ar=
e
not encouraged to write how much impact that will have on their young
brains - this at a time when the brain are most susceptible to influence an=
d
learning.
Eva Gallagher
http://newfoundoutpotter.blogspot.com/
http://www.valleyartisans.com/gallagher/Gallagher.htm
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bonnie Staffel"
To:
Sent: Friday, October 21, 2011 11:08 PM
Subject: modern tools
Yes, it is sad that cursive is being driven into history. I remember when a=
s
a child, my father would sign his name with a pen ending up with many
flourishes and curlicues to make a beautiful picture of his handwriting.
Then when I went to business school, bookkeeping was always done with pen
and cursive writing. We had to practice size, correct ovals for the O and
where part of the letter or number went above the lines or below.
In her later years, my mom learned to use the typewriter and preferred that
to handwriting in spite of the fact that she also had a beautiful hand. She
thought she did not. Still I keep every one of her letters as they containe=
d
special thoughts meaningful to me.
Another thing a group of artists who hung around together in our early year=
s
pursuing an art career was to create our own Christmas cards. Not one of us
ever purchased a commercial card. Well, now I use photography and create my
own cards on the computer. Progress??? I wonder sometimes.
Regards,
Bonnie
http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html
DVD Throwing with Coils and Slabs
DVD Introduction to Wheel Work
Charter Member Potters Council
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