Craig Martell on sat 4 oct 03
Wayne asked:
>What say you full timers?
>Do you _always_ love
>what you do?
Hello Wayne:
Probably, depending on definitions. I've liked making things since I was a
kid. Pottery keeps me making all kinds of things. Pots and things related
to the work.
The big deal is self discovery and learning. You don't know how to be self
reliant until you have to be so. You don't know what you can pull out of
your mind and make with your hands until you give yourself the
opportunity. You don't know to what lengths you will go in order to learn
to throw, paint, build a studio, make clays, glazes, kilns, all of it.
Hopefully, with a great deal of satisfaction, we can all appreciate the
effort we have taken and say to ourselves, "I didn't realize that I could
do all that!"
>Do you feel better about turning out _one_ special
>piece than you do about turning out 50 "production"
>pieces...even if those 50 pieces are what pays the bills?
For me, the one special piece usually comes from making a series of the
same form and idea. This is how most of us build our knowlege and skill
with form and design. You have to do a lot, and from doing that you make
headway with what you are trying to articulate.
regards, Craig Martell Hopewell, Oregon
wayneinkeywest on sat 4 oct 03
Many of us on the list work for ourselves, in fields
other than ceramics. We needn't
worry about our commitment, our ability to knuckle
down and get things done, or our drive to produce.
We know what needs doing, and we get it done
because you cannot be in business for yourself and
not be that way...you would starve. For us, ceramics is
our love, not our bread. Some of us are content that way,
and others wish it could be a full time occupation.
Pottery (as business) is that way, for the full time potter,
or so I would imagine.
What say you full timers?
Do you _always_ love
what you do? Does it sometimes feel like
drudgery? Just another day at work? (Be honest!)
Do you feel better about turning out _one_ special
piece than you do about turning out 50 "production"
pieces...even if those 50 pieces are what pays the bills?
Notions of artistic temperament aside...how do you feel,
(all) you who do it for a living?
When it comes up in conversation that my hobby is
ceramics, I hear all the time "Oh, I would love to throw pots"
(but they never show up when invited). One woman
wrinkled her face like a prune and said :"but I would have
to get DIRTY!!" But then, she married her money and never
had to work for it. She still hasn't a clue, and never will.
Wayne in Key West
scrubbing toilets to pay the bills, potting to satisfy the soul
> hey, i make at least 4 bucks an hour...and
> i make up for it with all the money i make
> doing clayart.
>
> seriously.
> when throwing i try and work to a simple
> standard of 20 pots and hour.
> (retired numbers.)
> firing with gas at home is half that of
> the farm.
> and, i make a good deal of my own clay.
> just for fun.
>
> but, if you want real numbers, talk to those that
> make pots full time, no other job. it is daunting.
> and, you had better love it....or you are in for it.
> mel
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