Maid O'Mud on thu 8 nov 01
I'd like people to add their experiences with "potters rules". I must =
not have read the book as I seem to break a lot of them. These are =
some of mine.
Let's make it easy. Two lists - never, and always:
NEVER
-trim inside a bowl
-build a wood kiln w/o mortar
-refire a piece to top temerature many times and or in different =
atmospheres multiple times (love doing that!!)
-never throw Thompson Raku Clay body (still don't know why not - works =
for me)
ALWAYS
-dry cone pack prior to use (failing that, punch holes in the clay or =
mix with vermiculite)
-cut the end of the t-pot spout at an angle
-fire hottest glaze 1st, them subsequent firings at lower temps
I'm sure there's a lot more rules I am breaking. As I said to a fellow =
potter at the recent FUSION sale "I'm glad I never went to school (re: =
clay). There's just too many damn rules!" She walked away, shaking her =
head at me and my "unorthodox" methods".
Sam
Maid O'Mud Pottery
Melbourne, Ontario CANADA
"Effort does not always
equal output" sam, 1999
Steve Dalton on thu 8 nov 01
Greetings,
Here is a list of rules that have made me smarter...
Never:
Pour glaze into a large pot sitting on the edge of an empty ware board...a
ware board that overhangs the table...gravity will win.
Leave freshly thrown pots, ones you plan to put a handle on, too close to a
heater overnight.
Expect a supplier to always carry a certain item all of the time.
Keep a box of ^6 bar cones close to your ^07 bar cones when you want to
bisque, you will surely grab the wrong ones no matter how many times you
double check yourself.
Leave a pail of glaze chemical outside, especially in the Northwest. Rain
will find a way in and the name will wash off.
Always:
Expect gravity to win, it will!
Buy extra of much needed supplies, ie teapot handles, chemicals, etc.
Accept the fact that no matter how many times you measure your largest pot
ever made, it won't fit into your kiln.
Write the cone number in large letters on your box in permament ink.
Steve Dalton
Clear Creek Pottery
Snohomish, WA
sdpotter@gte.net
----------
> From: Maid O'Mud
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Great Book of Rules
> Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2001 09:51:29 -0500
>
>I'd like people to add their experiences with "potters rules". I must not
have read the book as I seem to break a lot of them. These are some of
mine.
Steve Mills on fri 9 nov 01
At the first international Potters festival at Aberystwyth some years
back, Paul Soldner put words to a feeling that had been lurking in the
back of my mind for some while. Quote: as soon as you start feeling
comfortable about clay, throw the rule book as far as you can out of the
nearest window, and make up your own! End of Quote.
Steve
Bath
UK
In message , Maid O'Mud writes
>I'd like people to add their experiences with "potters rules". I must =3D
>not have read the book as I seem to break a lot of them. These are =3D
>some of mine.
>
>Let's make it easy. Two lists - never, and always:
>
>NEVER
>
>-trim inside a bowl
>-build a wood kiln w/o mortar
>-refire a piece to top temerature many times and or in different =3D
>atmospheres multiple times (love doing that!!)
>-never throw Thompson Raku Clay body (still don't know why not - works =3D
>for me)
>
>ALWAYS
>
>-dry cone pack prior to use (failing that, punch holes in the clay or =3D
>mix with vermiculite)
>-cut the end of the t-pot spout at an angle
>-fire hottest glaze 1st, them subsequent firings at lower temps
>
>
>I'm sure there's a lot more rules I am breaking. As I said to a fellow =3D
>potter at the recent FUSION sale "I'm glad I never went to school (re: =3D
>clay). There's just too many damn rules!" She walked away, shaking her =
>=3D
>head at me and my "unorthodox" methods".
>
>Sam
>Maid O'Mud Pottery
>Melbourne, Ontario CANADA
>
>"Effort does not always
>equal output" sam, 1999
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
Jonathan Kirkendall on fri 9 nov 01
Oh boy, I could have fun with this! Here's what I learned, as a result of
two apprenticeships:
NEVER
Throw wet
Always pack a kiln to the gills, with just a whisper thin space in between
pots
Put a curve in a bowl until it has reached its appropriate height
ALWAYS
Throw wet
Pack a kiln loosely so pots can breath
Start throwing a bowl with a curve in it so it knows what it will grow up to
be.
Hee hee! The lesson I learned? When I teach, I tell my students the rules
of pottery with a light touch: "This is what I learned and this works for
me. This is what I can teach, try it out. If you move on and someone tells
you differently, give their way a try."
Jonathan in DC
Ababi on fri 9 nov 01
TO NEW STUDENTS, I explain that ceramics has two rules. Besides them
whatever you want.
These two, you must keep. prepare the clay to avoid air and do not make
the work too thick.
I tell them: After school+ homework your child\you go to play, fine.
There is one rule. Look out carefully when you pass the street. You do
it wrong No games.
They understand me pretty good if not, the kiln'results teaches them.
Ababi
Richard Jeffery on fri 9 nov 01
more useful to tear it up and use it for raku post firing reduction....
I get great satisfaction using that as a way to get rid of my confidential
waste from the occasional suit job I still do. burning audit reports - it
feels very cleansing!
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Steve Mills
Sent: 09 November 2001 10:45
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Great Book of Rules
At the first international Potters festival at Aberystwyth some years
back, Paul Soldner put words to a feeling that had been lurking in the
back of my mind for some while. Quote: as soon as you start feeling
comfortable about clay, throw the rule book as far as you can out of the
nearest window, and make up your own! End of Quote.
Steve
Bath
UK
In message , Maid O'Mud writes
>I'd like people to add their experiences with "potters rules". I must =3D
>not have read the book as I seem to break a lot of them. These are =3D
>some of mine.
>
>Let's make it easy. Two lists - never, and always:
>
>NEVER
>
>-trim inside a bowl
>-build a wood kiln w/o mortar
>-refire a piece to top temerature many times and or in different =3D
>atmospheres multiple times (love doing that!!)
>-never throw Thompson Raku Clay body (still don't know why not - works =3D
>for me)
>
>ALWAYS
>
>-dry cone pack prior to use (failing that, punch holes in the clay or =3D
>mix with vermiculite)
>-cut the end of the t-pot spout at an angle
>-fire hottest glaze 1st, them subsequent firings at lower temps
>
>
>I'm sure there's a lot more rules I am breaking. As I said to a fellow =3D
>potter at the recent FUSION sale "I'm glad I never went to school (re: =3D
>clay). There's just too many damn rules!" She walked away, shaking her =
>=3D
>head at me and my "unorthodox" methods".
>
>Sam
>Maid O'Mud Pottery
>Melbourne, Ontario CANADA
>
>"Effort does not always
>equal output" sam, 1999
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
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Ron Roy on sat 10 nov 01
Sounds like a rule to me - I say keep the rules that help and get rid of
the others and work at understanding the difference - woops - another rule.
RR
>At the first international Potters festival at Aberystwyth some years
>back, Paul Soldner put words to a feeling that had been lurking in the
>back of my mind for some while. Quote: as soon as you start feeling
>comfortable about clay, throw the rule book as far as you can out of the
>nearest window, and make up your own! End of Quote.
Ron Roy
RR# 4
15084 Little Lake Rd..
Brighton,
Ontario, Canada
KOK 1H0
Residence 613-475-9544
Studio 613-475-3715
Fax 613-475-3513
John Baymore on sat 10 nov 01
Sam,
I'd like people to add their experiences with "potters rules". I must no=
t
have read the book as I seem to break a lot of them.
There are so many variables involved in the production of ceramics that
MOST of the so-called "rules" are simply "guidelines" valid in one or mor=
e
sets of circumstances.....but not all. I drive my students nuts with my
stock answer to "questions ceramic"........ and that is, "It depends." =
Been using that phrase for about 25 years now.
"It depends" is the correct answer to just about every question one is
asked about clayworking . You can sound quite profound and worldly by=
using it .
The only "rules" that seem to be truly hard and fast are those of science=
and physics as they apply to ceramics. I sort of, half "tongue in cheek"=
,
tell people that if someone tells you that you simply cannot do
something..... try it . I think you just need to make sure that you a=
re
"breaking all the rules" from a solid base of knowledge.... not from
ignorance. The so-called "rules" one "learns" early on in the study of
ceramics often are useful to help newer people structure their learning
until they have an adequate knowledge base from which to evaluate the
"rule" they are slavishly obeying for validity.
The "rules problem" often comes when a person never reaches a point where=
they start reflecting upon what they have learned to question the genesis=
of that particular idea......... and turn it into a strict, unthinking
dogma.
Oh yeah...... BTW........ the "blue sells" rule is very much an absolute=
truth . As is the "All materials and equipment will prefrom flawlessl=
y
until an exhibition deadline approaches" rule . That one is immutabl=
e
too.
Best,
..............................john
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086 USA
603-654-2752 (s)
800-900-1110 (s)
JohnBaymore.com
JBaymore@compuserve.com
John.Baymore@GSD-CO.com
"Earth, Water, and Fire Noborigama Woodfiring Workshop 2002 Dates TBA"=
Paul Lewing on sat 10 nov 01
on 11/10/01 9:36 AM, John Baymore at JBaymore@COMPUSERVE.COM wrote:
> "It depends" is the correct answer to just about every question one is
> asked about clayworking . You can sound quite profound and worldly by=
>
> using it .
My God, John, this is disillusioning! Here for years I've been hanging on
every word you type, and now I realize you've never said anything but "It
depends"! I'm crushed.
Seriously, though, you're right. That IS the answer to most ceramic
questions.
I sort of, half "tongue in cheek"=
> ,
> tell people that if someone tells you that you simply cannot do
> something..... try it .
Now this REALLY IS profound. I've always operated on this principle myself.
If someone tells me something will not work, I will certainly try it. I
want to know if it's true that it won't work, because often it will work, or
it will work for me but not for anybody else, or it will work sometimes, or
parts of it will work, or how it doesn't work is still something I can
use. And even if it's true that it will never work, I still want to know
why and how it doesn't work. My wife (and some other people I know) fire
china paint to cone 5 on their work. Well, it sure doesn't look like it
does at cone 016, but it looks like they want it to look.
One of the things I find interesting, or peculiar, is the posts from people
who ask, "What will happen if I.....?" I always wonder why they didn't just
try it and see. And I'm always certain that if someone says it won't work,
those people will not try it. I say, think about what might not work and
why. If you think it might do something that would damage you or your
equipment, take some precautions, but TRY IT! Clay, glaze materials,
firing- they're all so cheap that you won't lose anything, and you stand to
gain a lot in understanding. Just think about raku. The whole process
violates every rule there is about classical ceramics and firing.
the "blue sells" rule is very much an absolute=
>
> truth . As is the "All materials and equipment will prefrom flawlessl=
> y
> until an exhibition deadline approaches" rule
This is actually a corollary of Lewing's Law, which states that "The more
you care, the less likely it is to work".
On the other hand, there's Oliver Wendell Holmes' statement, "All
generalizations are false, including this one".
Paul Lewing, Seattle
John Baymore on sun 11 nov 01
Paul,
One of the things I find interesting, or peculiar, is the posts from peop=
le
who ask, "What will happen if I.....?" I always wonder why they didn't
just
try it and see.
I think this is caused by a couple of factors.
First of all is a worry about somehow wrecking the equipment. A reasonab=
le
concern. At a certain point in their development..... people don't have
enough knowledge base to even know how to protect the equipment. Right
there with this is often health concerns.... a worry about causing bodily=
harm to themselves or others. Again..... early on, often the basic
knowledge is not there to evaluate this effectively. =
But in those cases, if those issues were ALL that there was driving the
situation, the questions should still reflect a sentiment something like,=
"What are the health effects I should consider by doing X?" and not, "Tel=
l
me exactly what happens if I do X?". =
But WAY beyond any of the above is the "fear of failure" syndrome. In ou=
r
US society... we are not often encouraged to "fail" in any way. "Failur=
e"
is usually associated with negative reactions and punishments. "Failure"=
is not often looked at as an opportunity to learn, and learning itself is=
not often looked at as very important. =
Hey....... Get Results! %$#@ or get off the pot! We need IT yesterday. =
Money talks. Cut to the chase.
This is why in most any large business setting the people with new and
innovative ideas quickly learn to "conform" and shut up . If they pu=
t
forth an idea and it doesn't work the first time out of the box..... they=
get nailed for it, instead of being praised for "thinking outside the box=
"
and putting forth a good idea that didn't work and which gained some
valuable information. Because of this , they quickly learn not to sugges=
t
new, untested things if they want to keep their jobs or move up the
"corporate ladder". So progress for the company is slow and plodding as
everyone is careful not to possibly "fail" with most anything right down =
to
wasting paper at the xerox machine. (Personally, I like business
management guru Tom Peters concept of "fast failures".)
This is also why, in some settings, ceramics students don't try new ideas=
and approaches.
Which brings me to the biggest reason that I think what you mentioned
happens. Which is the focus being placed on the "object" as the actual
goal..... and not on the learning that is associated with producing the
object as being the goal. This fits the American, quick, "get it done"
approach to most everything. The old "instant gratification" bit.
One of the breakthrough points in teaching for me is when I can get a
student to "let go" of the objects they are making and really explore the=
processes and ideas they are using to make those things. When the object=
s
themselves are too precious........... they are afraid to try anything...=
.
for fear of "ruining" it....... fear of failure.......failure to produce
THE OBJECT. In this manner ....they often have the cart before the horse=
. =
The core mistake in this is in not seeing that the object made is simply =
a
byproduct of the learning and growth of the person. If the object is NOT=
the goal............ how can you ruin it? If learning is the goal......
you learn something from most everything you try. An approach to life
which is primed for success!
The core mistake then becomes in not learning from your failures. Then
things have been switched around..... LEARNING is the goal, and mistakes
are a natural opportunity to learn.
This approach of the "object as end goal" also leads to the vast amount o=
f
time spent "repairing" many objects that should just be taken for what th=
ey
have given to the maker......... a learning experience..... and then put
aside as a success in that regard even though they are never "finished".
Best,
..............................john
PS: One of my favorite kinda' irreverent "catch phrases" that sort of
expresses this concept when we are discussing a bunch of fresh pots is to=
say. "What would happen if you whacked it with a 2 x 4?" Those who "get
it" often then go and merrily cut, slice, dice, reassemble, and whack awa=
y
.
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086 USA
603-654-2752 (s)
800-900-1110 (s)
JohnBaymore.com
JBaymore@compuserve.com
John.Baymore@GSD-CO.com
"Earth, Water, and Fire Noborigama Woodfiring Workshop 2002 Dates TBA"=
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