Joyce Lee on wed 20 feb 02
Thanks for the site info. My choice also is #s 4 and 10. =20
My only story that remotely touches on Voulkos is from my one and only =
community college year studying ceramics. My teacher was and is =
outstanding ... a true working teacher... AND a serious artist without =
doubt. He recommended that I find some pubs with Voulkos' work and =
examine it closely. I did. Was NOT impressed even slightly except with =
V.'s
charismatic cunning in becoming revered for such work. Reported this to =
my teacher, Paul Meyers, who said that he was a bit hurt at my =
assessment since he'd studied with Voulkos who had become his hero.
So I re-examined my sources from time to time, as well as learned to =
recognize the Voulosian elements in Paul's own work ... work which I =
admired very much. Truly fine pots of an earthy nature. My only =
purchased pot for which I've paid over a couple hundred dollars is one =
of Paul's...... created from local clays, glazes and quartz ... should =
have sold for thousands.... but then we wouldn't have him in our =
community as a teacher.. so it all works out.
Anyway ..... this was before my ongoing shino adventures and firing my =
own kiln
experiences ...... it was even prior to my runny rutile glaze =
disasters.... anyway, I found myself throwing, carving out, manipulating =
pots .... especially plates .. that tended to show signs of Voulkosian =
mimicry. I still didn't "like" the forms, but as my information grew =
through Clayart,
I became more and more intrigued, fascinated, even awed by the contained =
power shown in Voulkos' work. =20
That's when I began the discovery that in clay, "pretty," even =
"beautiful" or "elegant" isn't always what I'm seeking.
If I could manage any expression of Restrained Power that I now see in =
V.'s work, that's what I'd do...... and shino would fit perfectly on =
such work. It'll never happen ... not in this lifetime ....
but watch out for me in the next....
Joyce
In the Mojave
| |
|
