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tattoo's and tribal art somewhat relative to clay

updated sun 14 apr 02

 

Kristin on sat 13 apr 02


William Edwards,
Thank you very much for your well chosen words on this
matter. Whenever someone makes a snap judgement about my tattoos
I try not to take it personally. It is failure on their part to recognize
the dedication to art, AND craft that embodies a tattoo. I am a tech at
a busy City-Owned studio and I dread the first hot days of Spring when my
shirtsleeves get shorter and I get the barrage of the familiar "did that
hurt" and " you're going to regret that when your eighty". I always have
to work extra hard to be extra sweet to the patrons (aka students) who may
be put off by the sight of me. You know? So someone with a beef doesn't
complain about that "tattooed woman" . I guess we all have our
insecurities but.... I am going to bring some pots in front of a jury
tomorrow. The show is prestigious (read:snooty) and I am nervous about
what I should wear...never mind if the pots are wonderful! they are
looking at the pots right?
I thought Americans were desensitized to tattoos by all of the MTV and such.





At 10:47 AM 4/11/02 -0700, you wrote:
>I'm sorry that people still have such severe hang-ups.
>Most artists and art minded people do things that
>identify with art be it a tattoo of some off the wall
>painting on occasion. Potters are no exception to the
>rule of being expressive as artists. It would appear
>to me to be part of the persona that shows the
>artistic differenece in an artistic minded person
>verses those who shun this kind of expression. (Its
>called art) If a person wants to judge me by the color
>of my eys instead of my art I wouldn't need their
>business no more than they would want someone who
>happened to have a tattoo. Just keep a stiff upper lip
>and let them roll off to the fantasy world of
>perfection these type of people have built around
>themselves. Most of all find another orthodontist and
>explain to the one you had that her/his hair wasn't
>parted on the right side of their head fold your
>check-book and walk out!
>
>William Edwards
>Tallapoosa River Pottery
>
> >So I lost a customer because I have a tattoo. I
>guess when I got it I
> >should have known but I'm shocked and a little
>pissed. If I had been a guy
> >she might have felt differently or if it had been
>small and flowery.
>
>
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Marta Matray Gloviczki on sat 13 apr 02


On Sat, 13 Apr 2002 00:32:45 -0700, Kristin wrote:

...>I am going to bring some pots in front of a jury
>tomorrow. The show is prestigious (read:snooty) and I am nervous about
>what I should wear...never mind if the pots are wonderful! they are
>looking at the pots right?
>I thought Americans were desensitized to tattoos by all of the MTV and
such.


kristin,

you are right, the jury should look at your pots- and only your pots-, so
do not distract them.
do not show them something else, (your tatoos) because that is none of
their business. (hopefully) they are good art jurors, but that doesnt mean
they are not judgemental otherwise.
you dont want to have your pots judged by your tatoos, right?
...and guess how many of the jurors never-ever watch MTV or such...
so, i`d say wear a nice "cover up". that doesnt mean that you are hiding.
it just means that you are showing your POTS and not the tatoos.
i wish you good luck,

marta

marta matray gloviczki
rochester, minnesota
www.mypots.com/Marta.htm

Janet Kaiser on sun 14 apr 02


How come no one has mentioned the ceramic tattooed legs and dinosaur
bones in last month's Ceramic Monthly? I do not have it here at home,
so cannot say who the artist was or where they are on exhibition.

Our sign writer has become a tattoo artist... He showed my some glossy
magazines (all US publications) which show that tattooing has gone way
beyond the "simple" designs of sailors and bikers which I associate
with this body adornment. Before this thread started, there was an
item on the radio about tattooing and how it was sailors visiting far
flung places -- especially Pacific Islands -- who brought the art back
to Europe. I think the item was in response to an exhibition opened in
London, but did not catch it all.

Thinking some more about tattoos, piercing, etc... It seems to me that
each generation goes one step further. It was considered quite
outrageous to have your ears pierced at one time. Now knitting needles
are used to make huge holes and multiple piercing is quite common.
Sailors and Romanies (gypsies) were the only men who had pierced ears,
but suddenly outrageous males too it up and now it has become quite
normal. So body piercing had to then succeed simple ear piercing to
"shock" ones parents and elders... Noses, mouths, eyebrows, belly
buttons, arms... The worry is... Where will it go next? How far will
it go? Where does body adornment stop and disfiguration start?

But it was the navy which led the way! Funny to think sailors
(Merchant and Royal Navy) were the forerunners of all these "arts"
here. Our historical, naval art legacy here in Wales is also enriched
by "love spoons" which were whittled on the long sea voyages and
brought back for sweet hearts and wives. I wonder what other
traditions were brought to us exclusively by seamen?

Last thought: when my aunt first emigrated to New Zealand back in the
1950s she met some old Maori women who had tattooed chins... Just
shows there really is nothing new about any of it although faces seem
to be the one tattoo taboo here in the west. From the neck up seems to
be the reserve of people who have the rest of their bodies fully
covered... Makes my Woodstock dreams sound really pathetic...

Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art / Capel Celfyddyd
Home of The International Potters' Path
8 Marine Crescent : Criccieth : GB-Wales
URL: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
postbox@the-coa.org.uk